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5A1NTSHIP

No ground of

SOVSXAIG^iTY:

OR A

rREATISE

Tending to prove,

That the S a i n t s5 barely consi- dered as fuch5 ought not to

Gov E R N.

By Edw: Bagfbttw, Student of Ch: Ch:

Oxford, Printed by H: Ha/I, Printer to the ^niverfny, for T. Rabinfon. 1660.

To the Honorable

fOHH, <DO%ME% E%

A Member of

PARLIAMENT.

Worthy Sir, ^-t^f&Boughthe manner of my Life and nature of my Studies doth lead me to affecJ a more then ordinary Retired- nefs and Privacy, yet I neither am, nor ought to be fo great a granger to thepaff'a- ges of Providence amongfl us^ as not to take notict what great things it hath p leafed God of late to doe for this Nation 5 // not by com* -pleating our hopes 5 yet at leaf} by preventing our fears ^ and bringing us within fome near er view of Settlement : Wlnleft others there- fore are taken up with celebrating the k^Au- thors? and magnifying the means of our deli- verance: 1 have a little made it my bnfweffe to fear ch into tin caufe of our Danger 5 which

A 2 H

The Epiitle

if once rightly fated, will be a direBtonfor mir pre/eat Senators, to fecure themselves a- gain ft that Rock, on which the Ship of the Common -we alt h hath almojl been ruined. ^>dnd herein there was no need of any long fiudy •, for who does not fee, that the too free venting of all forts of Opinions 5 and that by all forts of men, how -ignorant and unconcerned foever , wiH , if not re- frained, for ever keep us a Divided, and confequently, make us ay Unfetled People ? Amongfl tbofe many Principles , which are now Lt loofe upon us, {to exercife the Faith And Patience of this lafl Age) there is none that I knew of, which doth either more imme- diately conduce to the mine of all Civil Go- vernment, or had a greater influence, in the pretences at leaft ,*cf the Actors, upon our late unwarrantable Diflurbances , then this which I have here endeavored to confute. For let this once be granted, that our Saviour is a 'Temporal Prince, and that oneiy thefe have a right to Govern who have by Faith an Inte- re [I in him, prefntly a door is opened to all manner of Rebellion and Treafon; nay, there can be no fuch Crimes in the World, if Reli- gion,

indicatory.'

gton, And a defign to advance our Saviours Kingdom > be once made the pretence to autho- rize them. Indeed the confequent* are fo fa- tall and horrid, and the remembrance of Munfter Affairs {which were acted by the fame fpirit) fofrcjh,andre- SIeidhb^°* cent y that it might almofk feem needle fs to en- deavor an) other confutation, then a bare re* lating of that Story,

But Sir, that I may take tyre that liberty ^ which yon have hitherto always indulged me, of f peaking my thoughts : I ntver yet looked upon that way of confuting an Error, which the Arminian Writers do ufually tread in, to be either national or Convincing -, I mean, by urging the Inconveniences and ill Confequen* ces of the Doctrine we difpute againfl : For it is one ^ue [lion ? What is true? and another, What is convenient ? and after all thofe Tra- gical Inferences, wherewith men feek to af' fright unwary and unobferving Readers , yet this will bean eternal Axiom? , 7 hat. truth is truth, let the confluences be what they will ^ and the more harfh and repugnant any Do- ctrine,if plainly revealed, feems unto Natu- rall Reafon? the greater is our Faith, and the. A 3 more

< TheEpiflle

more ftgnall our obedience, if we notwithftan* ding do fubmit unto and embrace it. In fro* fecution therefore of this Design (which X have laid down to my [elf •> as the onely fat is factory way of deciding all C ontr over fie s in Divinity} J have not inquired fo much how dangerous > or how deflruclive and ruinous the contrary Do* Brine is, as how it is written \ and fo have proceeded by direct proof, tojhcw that their Opi* nion who would have Soveraignty founded upon that bottom, is utterly unfcriptural \ for that it isunreafonable, I think none malees-dny que* ftion* And therefore I hope this Treatifemay be ufeful for thoje who erre, not knowing the Scriptures, and following the found of words ^ have not lei fur c, nor perhaps ability, to look in* to the fenfe of them. Had I consulted my own credit^ I might have made this Difcourfe more flauftble, by filing up my Pages with the Au- thority of ancient Writers 5 but I purposely for- bore , both becanfe thofe^for ivhofe fakes I main- ly publtfh it, are vot acquainted with any thing of Chnjthwitf) more then their Engl/fJ) Bibles do inftrucJ them in $ and likewife becanfe 1 thought it necdlefs, having fo much of Divine jiuthv it j for my Text, to croud humane Te/ti*

monies

Dedicatory,

monies into the Margin $ fince fuch fixtures doe ufuallj make a good Caufefufpected.

Sir, Whatever it is, I humbly prefent it to you, and doubt not, how rude and inartificial foeverit feems, but it will finde entertainment among thofe who love feaf on able Truths, if you pleafe prfi to honor it with your Acceptance : Whofe Piety , Prudence , Integrity^ and Zeal for jour Country s Liberty and Welfare , have as much advanced you in the Ejleem and Judge- ment of all fober and unprejudiced men, as your many pergonal Favours in the Heart andAf* feftions , of,

Worthy Sir,

Ch; Ch: Jan. 26. Your mod obliged, and

1 6 5 9. moft humbly devoted

Servant,

Edm Bagfiaw.

Saintjbip

(O

mi

&

ai

$l

SAINTSHIP

No ground of

soVE^AiqsyjY.

N tending to prove out of Scripture that the Saints ought not to governe the earth , in that fenfe which is

now by fome contended for , I fhall take for the ground of my difcourfe thofe words of our Saviour to Pilate^ when hefaid, My kingdom is not of^ this worlds which words are very con- fiderable 5 whether we regard the Perfon who , the Time when , or the Manner how they were fpoken. B i. For

i Tim. 6 13.

2 Saintjhip no ground

1. For the Perfon who fpoke

them, it was no leffe then our Savi- our cbrifk, each of whofe ipeeches, how occafiona,! foever, ought to be unto us fo many Precepts and Obli- gations to Duty.

2. For the Time when they were fpoken5it was juft then when he was taking his leave of Earth, that he rvitnefjed before Pilate a good con- fefiion, of w hich, this Aflertion is the grer.teft Part: fo that it the words of dying men do ufe to make rhe grea- teft impreifions, then ought thefe of our Saviour, even upon that account, to quicken our Attention.

Laftly,for the Manner how they were fpoken, it was not oniy after a Refolved and feeraingly Obftinate ?yiarc.i^. filence., info much as the Gcvernour 5- marvtiled^ but in direct Anfwer to

Ttiates Queftion, who was very de- firous to know, whether our Saviour was Kmg or not-,fo that our Saviour s Purpofed and Pofitive difavowing any Temporall or Earthly King- dome,

Of Soveraignty. 3

dome-, his redoubling this Affertion in the following part of the verfe, CMj Kingdome is not from btncc\ his repeating anJ infifling upon ir againe in the next verfe, as a bearing mtneff'c to the Truth^ ought to convince us that our Saviour was in earneff, and therefore the matter is very Confi- derable.

If therefore we put all this toge- ther, viz. the Authority of the Per- fon, the Exigence of the time, joy- ned with thofe Vehement and Reite- rated Circumftances , wherewith thefe words are Accompanied, we may from thence conclude, that they containe in them a leffon, of more then ordinary concernment to us.

For the more Full and cleare un- derftanding of them, we muft have ^iJf47 recourfe to one of the foregoing Chapters, where wre find that the chief e Priefis and Pbarifees, being in- formed of our Saviours Miracles, and of that great Refort of Follow- ers unto him, (which were enough A 2 ac

4 Saint jhip no ground

at any time, if micheivoufly inclined toraife a Commotion in the State J upon this they prefently called a CouneeH,oT,accovding to the Greeks,

2tu*<Te<- a s anheJrim7 which was the S u preme and Higheft Court of Judicature a-

A ^ mongthem, and unto which, if fo-

Uh\. fephus doth rightly informe us, even their Kings were Accountable. Here being convened they fall to debate about the belt Expedient, how to cut our Saviour oft3 for fear their to- lerating one, who was Publickly voi- ced for King, and fo ftiled likewife

& jollity himfelfe, (though in a far other fenfe then they interpreted it) might be conftrued by the Romanes (to whom the ferns were at that time Tributaries J as a defigne to (hake off" their Yoke , and thereby provoke them to an utter extirpation of ths Jewiih Policy 5 which untill then, noiwithfhnding their Conqueft , they had in great meafure prefer ved Entire. Thus therefore we find them Argue, ifrve let him alone 7 all men

Kill

Of Soveraignty. 5

wiS believe on him^ and the Romanes v. 48. mil come r5 and take atvaj our Place and Nation.

To this Infinuation, which fee- med to conclude their Necellky of our Saviours Death, Caiphas addes fomething, by which he endeavors to prove that Unjuft Attempt to be not only Neceflary, but very Plaufi- ble too* and therefore he pleads Salm Populi, the Publick Good is urged to v* 5°' palliate this execrable Murther: Tou^ faith he, know nothing at a/ly neither c on fide r that it is expedient one man fbould dye for the People^ that the Na- tion perifh not:- as if he had faid, You are very Weake and Unskilful! Politicians to boggle at fuch a Cafe as this, and to debate thus long upon a matter of fo eafie folution^ for Right or Wrong the Puhlick Safety muftbe provided for^ and it is a great Folly and want of Forefight to preferre one man's life, how Innocent foever, before a Nations Welfare. In which wicked fpeech, though Ca* B 3 iphts

6 SatntfJrif no ground

iphas did by God's appointment Prophetically foretell that great good which would redound to the World by

v* *z- our Saviour* $ Death, yet as to his own Intention, he meant no more then a Juftifying of that Accuried>

Rom. 3. s. and, in the Apoftie Paul's fenfe, ac- counted Damnable Maxime, viz. That we ma) do Evilly that Good may come thereof, which Tenet, where- cver it is aflented to, will be the Mo- ther of thofe Miichiefs which men have either Felt or Feared: Iamfure it fo far prevailed with that Jun£to of Senators , that the Text faith From that Time they took Cotmfell, v* Bj how to put him^ i. e. our Saviour, to Death.

Our Saviour's Death being thus agreed on by the Pharifees, and in their deep Policy refolved to be Ne- ceffaiy in refpeft of the Romanes, and very Advantageous too in reference to the $ewe:\ the Contrivers make no long Delay, but what they had before fo unjuftly concluded on? we

find

r Of Soveraigntv $

find them prefetuly after as cruelly execute. For having by their own Authority apprehended our Saviour, and being it feemes debarred to judg of Capitall Caufes within them- f elves, (it is not) fay they to Pit at e^ v* 3Z« lawfull for us to put any CMan to Deaths they hale him before Pilate the Romane Praefafi, and there with Loud Clamorous Outcries demand Juftice againft him. But left their Noife ihould not prevaile with a Romane, and therein, fo far as rela- ted to the fewifh Affaires, an Uncon- cerned and DifpafTionate Judge , with a Formall ftory in theirMouths, difguifing the Malice of their Hearts, they Article againft him as a Male fa- clour, le. according to the Impor- **moiq<. tanceofthe Greek word, a [editions Per [on , a Diftnrber of the State, a Subverter of Government, an Enemy cfCefar9 an Ambitious jffecJer to be in Faff) as well as in Title, King of the Jems*, which Falfe and fcandalous Charge we have infinuated by fob*,

but

$ Saint/hip no ground

ch«i; .a. but is at large exprefled by Luke, we founds fay they, this fellow perver- ting the Nation , and forbidding to give Tribute unto Cefar, faying, that he him[lfe is chri(l a King.

Pilate hearing this Accufation, which, if True, ftrook fo immediate- ly at Cf/i/j power-, and theGravity and feeming San&ity ofour Saviours Accufers, would not let him fufped it to beFalfe, he therefore, waving all other fuggeftions, haftily askes our Saviour, whether he was King v* 33- or not, Art thou-, fayes he, the King of the $erves? To which Queftion our Saviour returnes an Anfwer in the words I have already alleaged, wherein he intimates that he was in- deed a King) and that he had a King- dome-, but that his Kingdome was of fuch a Nature, as Pilate need not be Jealous of, nor apprehend any dan- ger from it-, as if it were intended to enterfere or Juftle with Cefar's So- veraignty-, for, faith he^my Kingdome is not of this Word. As if he had faid,

I

of Sovereignty $

I aoi indeed a King , and I have a Kingdome^ but you need not fear any Difturbance to your Secular Inte- refts, by fetting up of my Kingdome amongftyou, for though it be in the Worlds it is not of the worlds nor hath any Commerce or Society, either with the Power or Policy thereof.

This being the Plaine and Direft meaning of our Saviour's words, I (hall briefly explaine what Kingdome it is that our Saviour meanes, when he faies, mj Kingdome^ &c.

[ find in Scripture that our Savi- our is called a King, upon a four- fold account,

i. By Power. Thus he is King ofthe World, and hath a foveraign- ty Paramount, being one God with ,Iy2"* the Father, and the fame Power, by which he made the World,he daily exerts for the continuing and prefer- ving of it.

2. By Birth: thus he was King of the jewes, being Heire apparent to the Crown 7 and lineally defen- ded

JO Saintjhip no ground

ded from DW in whom the Kin-

dom was verted withapromifeof its ffW H. A« '«*, according t0

Zit:f'\Uviourca™' ^there- fore had a Star to adorn and declare

his Natmty, God herein feem!,' to

compIyvvththeOpinionsoithofe who think the Heavens are „££ then ordinarily concerned in the Af- fairs of Princes, and therefore ftrange Appearances , and unufual Comets do attend both their birth and death Fornotn,ngelfe3foroughtweknovv' buttheProdigyofthatBiazingsS

Z\7\?y mo[e fmmedia?e ¥\

«invt; did excite the cnriofiry. of the taftern uuqi, to go and fee that Perfonwhofe Nativity was info wonderful a manner celebrated: *hm * fay they,^ that is born Km, 'fthefervs? for rve h*ve feen bl Star in the Eaft:i. We have defcryed a Star of an unufual Afped, but yet fuchan one, as according to therules or our Art, difcovers that a Prince is born in fudea and we ^

ytQaMyWl

ofSovtrM%nl** it

WTwvmt fltV rJ, i. e. To km to him, and ^' Qr%

t . / contr Ccl l

pay him homage. a tb. i. p.

4<. Attrir buteg their coining to a refponfe of the Devils, upon their do- me their Kites of Conju ation : but I conceive the opinion, I inenLon, is more p-ohable.

3. Bydc/ignattonand appointment of his Father : Thus oar Saviour Chvift is King of all the Heathen, ac cording to that Prophefie of $acob9 When Shtloh comes , unto him (hall nn?T the obedience or gathering of the Gent'u >h.\ And many Predictions there are of ;he fame importance, which if they are to oe meant of eve- ry Individual Heathen (and not rather fignlfie that the Heathen (hall not be excluded from being reckoned a- mongft our Saviours fubjt&s, now in times of Chriftiantty) we have no ground from Scripture to expe<5t thac they fliail be a<flually accomplished until our Saviours fecond coming, at which time the Saints fhall reign with him : Which is the meaning of that promife of our Saviours, He that 0- vcr comes, i. all difficulties, *nd keeps

my

1 i Safatjhip no ground

my words unto the end, i, perfeveres in theChriftian Faith, / mil give him power over the Heathen, &c. even as I have received of my Father, i. Here- after, he ihall reign with me, not in this life, but when he hath exchanged this for a better.

Laftly, By Pact or Covenant : thus our S aviour is King of Believer s one- ly5 as a Prince he gives us Laws, in- vites us with Rewards, deters us by Puniiliments, and huh left nothing unaiTayed, which may either perfwade or enforce obedience; governing of his People by his Word and Spirit, unto a comply ance with his com- mands • and this Dominion he will always exercifeto the Worlds end. Of which inward, invifible Kingdom it is, that our Saviour is to be under- ftood, when he faith, CM y kingdom is vet of this world, I not a Political, vi- fib!e, and earthly one.

From all that hath been faid, I infer this Conclufion, Thatifchri/ls king- dom be not of this world, there is none

can,

Of Sever aignty. ij

can] tip on the account of their inter eft in Chrtjl, plead any Right or Title unto rhc^' earthly Soveraignty: or more briefly thus, That inward Saint Jhif is not a, ground of outward Empire.

This colle&ion which I make is very eafie and natural, for if our Sa- viour did difclairr| all earthly Juris- diction in himfelf,ihen fure none can, upon pretence of their inxereft in him, put in their Plea for it * Jf our Savi- our, as he lived an humble, felf-deny- ing life, fo dyed in an utter abhor- rence of temporal Soveraignty •, and fpent thofe few laft words he vouch- fafed to utter, in a dire<5l denyal of worldly greatnefs : then certainly his example weighs little with us, and his lateft breath was fpent in vain, if we, up#on a Chriftian account, ftill affe<ft Empire, or make our Religion the way to outward prefeiment.lt is our Saviours own reafoning,and bottom- ed uppn the inalterable nature of things* that the fervant is not greater then his mafier : If therefore our Ma -

fter

14 Sdtmjhrt nogvcund

for would not be called lord^ cer"* tainly the fervams ought not to de- fare it 5 if Chrift tefufed Empire, With what face can Chnflians ambiti- on it t or how can they call them- \t\vn Saints, and yet leek to bead, vanced m power above their Savi- our ?

Now though the bare authority of our Saviour toigfct alone ftrve to con- vince cbo'ft that are Chnftinns in- deed (for io far as they are fuch, they are to be imitators of Chrift; yet be- caufe the matter is of fo much weight, and hath or late beeii too unhappily difputed, I (hall therefore endeavour more at large to demonftrate it, from thefe two Heads of Arguments.

i. From the nature of Civil Go- vernment in general.

2. From the nature of Chriftlan Religion in particular.

Firft, That Saintfhip is not the ground of Soveraignty, appears from the nature of Civil Government in general .• for this belongs to men,

not

Of Soveraignfjl iy

as they are Chi iftians, but as they are men 5 and is a confequent, not of out fpiritual ,' but of our naturall Birth.

To clear up this, I fhall not unra- vel the whole My ft ery of Policy, as fome too unwarily.* (if not defign- edly) do, who lay down fuch Princi- ples of Politicks, as give juft occasi- on to make their Religion fufpe&ed: I fhall therefore mfift onely upon thofe Grounds which the Scripture affords, oneiy thofe being fufficient to convince a gainfaying, or to fatif- fie a fcrupling confcience. And to begin with the firft Original of man, we finde, when God made man, it is faid, that in the Image of God created Geiu«i8, he him -, and thereupon blefled him, and gave him dominion over the Crea- tures . Now there is a twofold Image of God, Supernatural, and Natural : Supernatural, I call thofe impreflions of Sanftity and Holinefs, which are now loft : Natural, is that refem- blance which the foul of man hath to

the

1 6 Saintjhip no ground the nature of God, as to its being and operation : viz. As God is a Spirit Immortal, Invifible, efrv fothe foul of man is of a Spiritually Immor tall, Invifible nature •, which image yet remains entire in the worft of men : Of this Image it is that God fpeaks, when he forbids Murther, who fo Gen.9<<. Jheddethmans blood, faith he, by him flail mans blood be Jhed, becaufe in the image of Gad created he man-, i. e. he put a Spirit of life and under (landing into him, the confideration of which invaluable Jewel within, ought to make us prefer ve the Casket without, i. e. the Body, facred and inviola- ble/

Which of thefe two images it is that external Dominion over the Creature belongs to, is clear out of the fame Chapter,where God renews his grant to all the Sons of Noah: v. ■: The fear of you, faith he, and the dread of you , fall upon every beafl of the earth, &c. into your hand, i. e. power to difpofe of as youpleafe, are. they

Of Sovereignty. 17

delivered: In which general grant, there are none of the ions of men ex- cluded, becaufe it is a Birth-frtvt- ledge • and profane Cham had upon that fcore as large a fhare in, and as true a title to the free ufe of all out- ward things, as any of his more Re- ligious Brethren.

"This is that Civil Right which A* braham acknowledged in the King of Sodom 7 (and what kmde of abomin- able finnevs the Sodomites were,I need not mention) when hereiufed to be enriched by him ♦, I will not, faith he, Gen.14.13 take any thing of thine y by which word 7 hive, he owns that the King of .sWojw had a True, Legal Propriety, even in thofe goods, which Abraham might have challenged as the Fruits of his Victory : This Right after- wards Abraham confeffed to be i^Getvif&j Abimelech^ when he made a League with him not to hurt or injure him, u not to deprive him of any thing which was his. But mofl of all this appears in the bargain and fale which Abra«G™*h C ham

1 8 Srintfhif no ground

ham made with the Sons of Heth ; when Abraham, though by Gods ab- folute grant, the undoubted heir of all the Land of Canaan^ yet the time for theaccomplifhment of thatpro- mife not being yet come, he refufed to receive the Cave of CMacpelah, to make ufe of it for a burying pbce3un- til he had paid a valuable confideiati- on in money for it.

Obj. if any jhall here object that Abraham at that time wanted power to make %ood his claim , and therefore was content to buy, what otherwife he might have forced.

Anf. The vanity and fahhood (I will adde too, the impiety) of this Plea appeals from hence, in that we End? David afterwards ufing the ve- ry fame terms of obfervance and re- fptft unto Araunah a tfebufite, one neither of the dune Nation nor Reli- gion with himfelf .• Which inftance ierves very much to clear the queftion in hand, for David was not onely a Saint by priviledge (if that fignified

any

of Soveralgnty. tp

any thing co give a right) but a King by power, and might have forced it : nay 5 he was commanded by God, to make ufe of that very place to facri- fice in, and therefore might have pre- tended an infpiratlon to juftifie his vi- olent I'eizure •, and befides, to make the matter a little more fair and plau- fible, he, whom David dealt with, was an Heathen, and for ought we know, an Idolater : Yet all thefe ad- vantages did not make David fwerve from the Rules of common Juftice, but up he went with all his Retinue to Araunah^ inaiuppliant pofture, that he might buy bis tbrejhing floor : And when Araunah frankly offered to give it him, the Spirit of God hath recor- ded it, not as an a<3 of Juftice in htm, but of Royal Bounty : Araunah, as v2r ^ a king, gave unto the King.

Obj. It ufeth to be urged again fi this^ that the Ifraelites , which were Gods People, did deftroy /^Canaanites, and inherit their land,

Jnfn\ But the Anfwcr is eafie, C 2 That

yp Sahtfhif no ground

That as God did not choofe theiir to be his people,becaufethey were more holy then otheis, but meerly becaufe hehadfet his heart upon them. So neither did he give them the Land of Canaan, upon the account of their Saintflnp, but oneSy to make good his promife unto Abraham, and by their hands to avenge himfelf of the Canaanites, who fe iniquitys were then full and ripe for veng-eance.

This reafon isexprtfly given by Deut. 9.5 Mojes himfelf, Not for thy righteouf- nef, faith he, cr for ihcuprightnefs cf thy heart, doifi thou go to fefjefs their Land-, but for the wickedness of thefe nations, the Lord thy God doth drive them cut from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the Lord {ware unto thy Fathers. God indeed is the grea Proprietor of ail things, but yet he hath given the Earth, Without ^iftindion, co all the Sons of Men; onely refeiving tohimfell this Right, That when they do ingratetull y abufe his gift, he doth always difcofikile

them,

of Sever atgnty 2 1

them, and give their inheritance unto othersrbut though this be the method of Gods Judgements 3 yet it doth not excufe any people from 2 tran- scendent Crime, who take upon them to be the executor?, of Gods Decrees againft the wicked, fojlmah therefore, whiltfthewas in the hotteft purfuic of that promifed Pofleflion , never pleaded any thing to juftifiehis ag- ings, but the particular command of God,who bad him go and defiroy thofe Nation: : this alone [made it a pious War, which otherwife would have been nothing elfe but a publick Rob- bery : We finde alfo?that when God, as the fupream Difpofer, gave to the Israelites the Land of Canaan, he, at the fame time, exprefly forbids them to meddle with the Land of the chil- dren of K^immon^ but had relation to God given them any right, that Land would have equally belonged to them with the other: when thou t>eutt n, comefi^ faith he, nigh unto the cbil~M> dren of Ammon , diftrefs them not^ C 3 nor

2 2 Saint flrif no ground

nor meddle with them •,' for I rviH not give thee of the Land of the children of Ammon any pofjefsion, hecaufe I have given it unto the children of Lot for a pofjefiion. Where we fee the chil- dren of" Lot> though Idolatrous, yet were not to be difturbed in their pof- feflion, becaufe the dune God who laid to the children of Jfrael^ Goe,Pof- fefje Canaan, faid to the Children of Lot^ Goe, Poffefs the Land of Ammon* Whereby* as to their civil Claims, and temporal Rights, God makes no diftin&ion betwixt the one, though his own peculiar, and the other, though a profane and Idolatrous people.

But if Heathen unregenerate men have, upon the account of their be- ing men, a Title to other things, then certainly to Dominion much more 5 which ferves onely to fecure our o- ther Pnviledges, and is, if rightly ftated, nothing elfe but a confequent of Propriety.

I fliall therefore conclude this firft

Avgu-

of Soveraigntj 23

Argument,which I think abundantly convincing, with that remarkable Controverfie between God and the Jews, concerning their obedience to Nebuchadnezzar. The Jews, though undoubted pofTefTors of Canaan, yet after they were by Nebuchadnezzar conquered , and, to preferve fome little remains of Liberty and Lively - hood, had taken an Oath of Fealty and Allegiance to him •, we finde, up- on fome reafon of State, they were prefently induced to break it, and God as fpeedily threatens to avenge it feverely upon them. The fad con- Ezek. 17, dition of that Oath, how it was a Covenant only to enflave themfelves and their Pofterity for ever , God himfelf doth declare, thereby to pre- vent their Obje&ion.* The King ofvi$.%4. Babylon, faith he, hath taken of the Kings feed, i. Zedekiah, and made a Covenant with him, and taken an oath of him^ that the Kingdom might be bafey that it might not lift it felf up9 i. e. that it might for ever quit the

C 4 Pre:

24 * Saint jhip no ground

pretence of being a Free People^'znd truckle under the Dominion of the Chaldeans : This Yoke, then which nothing can be more infupporcable, and to which the Jews had been fo long unaccuftomed, they prefently (hook off-, for it follows in the next Verfe, But he, i. Zedekiah, rebelled^ with what fuccefs, we have too much reafon in this Nation to read and 00 v. Ar- tremble a •• Seeing he defpijed the oath^ lrues Plea, ^ breaking the Covenant, when loe^ v. 1*5,19. he had given his hand (i. with hands lifted up, had folemnly ratified it) he full not efcape : Therefore, as I live, faith the Lord^ my Covenant which he hath broken , and my Oath which he hath dsfftftd) will I recompenfe upon his own head: From which fad place, others perhaps will draw other infe- rences, but I Avail colled onely thefe three things.

1. That in every Oath God is a Party, andwillbefure to puniih the vibhter of it ^ though men may break their Oathes, with as much eafe as

Samfon

Of Sever aignlf. 2$

Samfon did his With 5 , yet God will be fure ro keep his,and he hath fworn toPunifli.

2. When once a man hath fworne, he cannot refume againe that naturaiP Liberty , which he was before poflef- fed of/oecaufe by his owne voluntary Ad he hath dtveftedhimfelfeofit, and thereby bound himfelfe over to Divine vengeance , if he do not per- forate the Condition of his Cove- nant .

Laftly, if the Jewes , who had fo much to plead for themfelves, both upon a Civil and Religious Account, as being not onely a Free, but like- wife a Godly People,might yet paffe away their whole Liberty unto an Heathen Prince , and by vertue of their Oath be debarred for ever from forceable feeking a Re-enveftiture 3 but were obliged, not onely to fub- mit unto him as their Conquerour, but after Faith given , to obey him as their Soveraigne 5 if I (ay,the Cafe flood thus with chem , then certainly

no

2 6 Saint Jin f no ground

no Pretence of San&itiecanabfolve us now from luch Ties of Obedience, in the Times of the Gofpeil -, which doth as farre tranfcen J the Jewilh Politie in Pea ceabl entile of Difpofi- tion3 as in Purity ot Dodtrine, theie- fore, At.:2m Secondly, that Saintfhipisnot the ground of Sovereignty will yet far- ther appeare from the Nature of Chriftian Religion in particular ^whe- ther we refpe<ft3 i. Its Precepts* 2. Its Promifes. 3. The manner of propagating it. 4. The Pra&ife of theApoftles,and other ProfelTours in the pureft and moft Primitive Times.

Firft, This appeares from Gof- peil Precepts : for there is nothing more frequently or vehemently in- joyned by our Saviour, then [elf 'e de- ny ail. The command doth not run, Mar.i£.i4 Take a Kingdome , but, Take up jour Crofie and follow me. Learne of mey faith our Saviour 5 he doth not adde, For this is the way to Honour , for I

atk

of Sever aignip 2j

can point you out a Path to Prefer- ment, but Learn of me, for I <w»Mat;II M meeke and Lowly. \. I have equalled^ my felfeto the meaneft of the fons of men,. I have not where to lay my head, and am fo little defirous of worldly Greatnefs, that I have vo- luntarily devefted my felfeofa great- er Royalty, then the world can comprehend-, and all this I have done, to fhow you a Patterne of Humility. Therefore when the Difciple, ( who before our Saviours Refurre&ion, did as much miftake the meaning of his Kingdome, as fome amongft us now do J did contend amongft them- felves who fhould be greateft , how fharply doth our Saviour reprehend this Ambitious ftrife ? *& $ sfyw$?f Mar.18.3. if you be not turned) i. quite chang- ed, as it were, .to another Nature, and become as little Children^ as care- lefs and fecure of greatnefs, as little f welled and leavened with Ambition, youfhallin no wife enter into the King- dome of Heaven : whereby the King- dome

2 8 Saint flip no ground

dome of Heaven : whether we under- ftand Grace or Glory , whether it meanes Initiallor Compleat Happi- neile , it \h all one to the Queftion in hand 5 for it clearly proves 5 that to affe<5t Temporall Greatneffe and Pro- motion, is utterly inconfiftent either withholinefle here,or with our hopes hereafter. 1 need not multiply more Texts , for the whole defigne of the Gofpell is aimed at nothing elfe, but tolevill, and lower our Thoughts unto the fize of our Saviours meek- neffe, to beat down the tumour and (welling , and agitation of our Spirits in reference to worldly things,to em- pty and deveft ourfoules of all that wind of Ambition, wherewith poore miferable men, who have no better Hopes, are constantly toiled and per- plexed. And the r Juan for this is unanfwerable,for,if, as cur Saviour hath ftaced it, None can ferve God and Mammon,theti none can ierve God & Honour , we cannot ferve God , and game « Kingdom^ much teffe are we

to

of Sever aignty* 29

to make one, prepare the way for the other : for this would be to invert the Intent of the Gofpell y and make it a fetter up or what it was principally difcovered to beat dowries whereby it would become nothing elfe, but a Ladder for Ambition to climbe by.

Secondly , This appeares likewife from GofpellPromifes ; forthefeas they are conftantly annexed to the Poore, the Humble, the Mortified, thefelfe denying Chriftian , fo they are alwayes about fuch things i as ate moil remote and diftant from Tern* porall Enjoyments Blefied, faith our Saviour, are the poore wfpirit>h? doth not adde, for theirs ihall fegMatth^- the KingdonieofEarth^bur, Xktiiti u the Kingdom? of Heaven* Accor- ding to the Analogic of which Pro- miles, muft that Tex t be underftood, which while they fixe onely upon the Liteiall meaning hath deluded fo many, Bit {fed are the Uiteek^ for they fbali Inherit the Earth. i.r>>r, Mam Terram^ Thai Earth, which was

pro mi fed

3 6 Saint flip no ground

promifed in a Type, and is Figiira* lively Heaven, as the Author to the Hebrewes hath elegantly proved.

Heb.n.13 por that neither that place, nor any other in the N. T. can beunderftood abfclutely of any outward and Earth- ly Happineffe, is cleare, becaufe all that weChnftians can certainly ex- ped: in this world, by virtue of a

Juh:i6.3$ Promife, isonely Afflictions. In the VVorld, faith our Saviour to his Di- fciples, and therein to all who will be like them, jw« /7m// ha ve Tribulati- on: this was the laft Legacy he left

aTim.-3.12 them, and therefore, faith he, yejhall have it} reft ye as certaine of it, as of your Inheritance or Patrimony. And the Apoftle, who very well un- derftood our Saviour's meaning, laies it down as a Fundamental! in Religi- on, All that will live Godly in Chrift, rnufl fuffer Perfection; they muft fuflfer, there is no avoiding it- For this Fatall attendance of Perfecution upon Piety it is, that our Saviour hath provided us fo many Cordialls

and

Of Sever aigntyr 31

and Comfortable Receipts in Scri- pture, as when he bids us to rejoice, M . and be exceeding gladt nay^w»s f*Heblia. ' skip and dance for tfoy> when fuch Afflictions do moil beret us-, for they are evidences of our Sonfhip, andaf- fured fignes that God hath a Care of us: all which Expreflions would have been very vaine and uielefTe, if ever Religion fliould be abufed to thofe Ends , that the fuffering might become the Afflicting P&rtyjjj itaChriftian could not only exempt ynimfelte from Injuries, but returns ^them upon others, and challenge Au- thority here, as a Reward of his Pie- ty. For this would not only deprive us of the Priviledge (fo the Apoftles counted it ) ot Martyrdome , but would have none fit to be Perfecuted, but onely the Wicked-, and this is an Honour , which I hope no true Chriftian but envies them. er^ \^i tlrrs, To you, faith the Apoft!e,*> is gi- ven of grace, not only to believe on^il,t1 Chrift, but liken; fe to fnffer for his

Name*

i Vet, ii

3 1 Saintjhip no ground

Name. We are miftaken, whilfl: we io much dread Atfli&ion: for it is not a Judgment, no nor an Evill neither to fuffer, but ^W, a Gift, a peculi- ar Boone,a choice Indulgence of God unto his Favourites. So the Apo- ftle Peter bids thofe he writes to not be difcouraged, or count it grange, if the Fiery Try all had its effect upon

f**£WCi- tnt'mi as we^ as upon others-, fory St. faith he, unto this were ye called: as if

he had laid, be lure you look, my long for it-, for if you miiTe of this, you have fome reafon to doubt the Truth of your Calling. All which places, with many more to the fame purpofe, how any can reconcile to an Afttcfting of Temporall Greatneffe, let them refolve who love a Secure, an Eafie, a Specious, a Profperous Religion, fuch an one as Chnft never came to teach, nor any of his Followers died to eftablifli.

ob). It is very true, what fome, with a little too much guftand relifli of worldly- mindedneifs,ailedge3 Th3ti

tvery

of Soveratgniy. 3 3

every true Chriftianis heir of a King- dom, and ought to live in expectation of fuch Glory and Greatnefs,as what- ever the world hath, can but imper- fectly fhadow out ; With this pur Saviour doth buoy up, and revive the finking fpirits of his Difciples : £<? of . good comfort, faith he, for it is your Fathers good pleafure to give you a Kingdom : It is this we pray for, this we are to be in a readinefs for daily.

An[w. But yet it is as true too, that, fo long as we live here, this is a Kingdom in expectation onely^ Flefhnor Blood, neither fhall nor can inherit it. As we rauft firft put off Mortality, before we can put on In- ternal Life 3 fo we muft put off earth and earthly -mindednefs,before we can expeCt any (hare in that blefled Inhe- ritance- There are, amongft many other, two very remarkable places to clear this : The one is our Saviours anfwer to Peter, upon his Difcourfe with the young man : For our Saviour having D pro-

34 Saint fit p no ground

pronounced fo fevere, and yet fo per- emptory a doom againft rich men, as Jtoxikw. that a rich man could [carcelj be faved; he repeats it again, and makes it to be altogether as great a Moral Impoffi- bility, for a man that is clogged with Wealth, and loaded with worldly Cares, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, (that rebhtufiiwr oJ\h', the nar- rowed, fretted, and flreightned way) as it would be a natural impoflibility for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle. Upon this we finde the Di- fciples were exceedingly amazed, not onely as miffing of their hopes, but likewife as being confcious to them- felves, that though they were not , yet they did all defire to be rich , whereupon Peter „ in the name of the reft, replies, Behold, we have left all and followed thee, what ft all we have therefore f As if he had faid, Shall we venture to loofe all, and yet be fo great lofers by the bargain, as to be altogether unprovided of a recom- pence ? our Saviour therefore to quit

them,

Of Soveraignty. 35

them, and to take them off from fuch fenfual deiires, which hefaw poflef- fed them: Ferily 3{Yithhc,ye that have followed me, in the regeneration* when the Son of man fits upon his Throne of Glory , fhall fit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel : In which words our Saviour* doth promife them a great and a glorious reward, viz. to be Kings and Judges •with himfelf, but yet defers the frui- tion of it, until the n*hiyfata*9 i. The rejlauration of all things , when nei- ther Mortality nor Mifery fliall be any more, but every thing lliall be refto- red unto that Primitive Integrity and Luftre, wherein they were at firft cre- ated.

The other place which manifefts the nature of Chrifts Kingdom, &-M«fc*oj that Anfwer which our Saviour re- 2°^ turned to the Mother of Zebedees Children, who, it feems, miftaking the true notion of it, and fixing her thoughts upon an earthly Empire,pe- titioned our Saviour for her two fons, D 2 That

3 6 Saintfhip no ground

That the one might fit at his right handy and the other at his left^ when he came into his Kingdom^ i. when he had taken pofleflion of the Throne, and was invefted with the Realm of fa- dea , (he humbly begged, that then he would be pleafed to look favor- ably-upon her two fens, to make them the Grandees and Minions of his Court 5 that they, under him, might enjoy the greateft Power and Privi- leges: But our Saviour , to take them off from fuch haughty Aims, prefently puts them in minde ofSuf. ».*j. fering, as a thing much more fuited to a Chriftians complexion 5 and left the other Difciples fhould be infefted with the fame defires, he doth for e- verftrive to fupprefs them, as pacti- ons much more fit for Heathen, then Chriftian tempers .• Te know, faith he, that the Princes of the Gen- tiles do exercife dominion over them, andthofe that are great, do exercife au- thority upon them : But it fhall not he fo amongjl you ; As if he had faid,

The

Of Soveraigntyl 37

The Heathen indeed, who have no o- ther hope, do place ail their Heaven upon Earth 5 they make Fame their Immortality, and Power their Para- dife -j and therefore never reft fatif • fied, until thev can exercife an abfo- lute and an Arbitrary Dominion o- ver their enflaved Subje&s. But you, who are my Difciples, and called by my Name, who have a certainty of fu- ture Enjoyments,unto whom a King- dom of a clean different nature is re- ferved $ you ought not to be like them, but rather ftri ve in humility to excel! each other : Wherein our Savi- our clearly intimates, that it doth fo little become a Saint to rule, that he is certainly not a Saint who doth am- bition it : For how can he rationally expe<ft a Kingdom hereafter , who hath outed himfelf of his Plea, by putting in for a Kingdom here? which is nothing elfe, but to antedate the cffeft of Gods promife-, or rather with Dives >to receive our good things in this life, and to take up with Tern- D 3 poral

3 S 5 Saint fin p no ground

poral Joys, when we fliould patient J ly have waited for Eternal.

Thirdly , This appears farther,from the manner how Chriftian Religion was propagated in the World* which, as it is a Religion that doth moft pre- cifely forbid compulfion and vio- lence , fo it was not planted by it. Our Saviour himfelf that taught it, was as a Lamb that opened not his mouth, hut turned his cheek to the [mi- ter^ and his back to the rod of the wic- ked: The Apoftles, his followers, were accounted the leum and off- fcouring of the world, i. the vileft of men, and thereupon were difgraced, perfecuted, tormented: And all this they fuffered without the return, fo much as of contumelious Language $ how much lefs do we finde them tel- ling the world, that they ought to bear Dominion over them : Yet by thefe Arts alone, they did at firft Preach, ;and afterwards promote the Gofpel to the converfion of thou- fands. And this, by the way, with- out

Of Sovereignty 39

out any further Argument, will ferve to evidence the Divine Original of Chriflianity, in that notwithstanding all thefe difadvantages, the leaft of which, in all humane probality, was enough to have ftifled and fuppreffed it in tht Womb $ yet, in fpite of all, it took root and profpered-, which could not poffibly have come to pafs, without the conduft and afliitanceof an Almighty Power.

But had our Saviour fent a Religi- on into the World3which would have excited mens ambition, and fired our Zeal to the ruins and extirpation of it's Oppofers : Quid hoc cximum t What excellence fhould there have been in Chriftian Religion,more then in other Religions > for do not even the Publicans the fame? Is not this the common method of all Political Combinations , rather then Religi- ons in the World, to rife bvthe ru- ine of fuch asoppofethem ? But our Saviour took not this courfe : ^,faith Iohn l8 he, my kingdom were of this world^ i7. D 4 then

40 Saintjhip no ground

then would myfervants fight ? intima- ting, that, to make way for Religion by force, to lay down a Principle, which muft needs imbroil the World in Blood and Confufion, is not Reli- gion, but Rapine \ a Sacrilegious de- iign3tomakeChriftianity,& the ftricfc ProfefTbrs of it, odious : For who will not fufpe<ft the truth of that Re- ligion, which defpairing of its own Excellence, and hopeleis of a better reward, eggs on its followers to take up with Worldly Honor ? and under the notion of Sanfttty, leaves the Throne expofed to the Invafion of every Hypocritical Pretender : \^4t in initio non fait (ic I Our Saviour taught usnoiuch Do&rine, nor did his Apoftles leave us fuch a pattern. Therefore,

Laftly, That Saintfhip gives no right to Civil Empires appears from the praftice of the Apoftles,and other Profeflbrsof Chriftianity in the Pu^ reft and mod Primitive Times. Pre- fently after our Saviours Afcenfion,

when

ofSoveraignlf. 41

when by Peters Miniftry fo many thoufands were converted 5 we doe noc finde him Preaching them into a Tumult, or railing a Party a- mong the People, upon the fcore of our Saviours being a Temporall Prince, to whom all men were to pay their Civill Allegeance, but he onely bids them, Repent and be con- Aa.llu verted) that their fins might be blot- z9. ted out: And fuch Do&rine as this might be Preached, without any im- peachment to Cdfars Power.

Again, when the chief Priefls and Rulers did forbid the Apoftles to Preach in the Name of Chrift 5 as being madded with envy, that one whom they had lately fo ignomini- oufly Crucified , fhould yet finde fo much reputation among his Follow- ers.* The Apoftles, upon this, doe not combine to ftrengthen them- felves, and, under pretence of fet- ting up Chrifts Kingdom , make a commotion in the State, but they

pre-

4 * S dint flip no ground

Aa<II 2P prcfently fell to their Prayers, Now yt Lord) fay they, behold their threat- nings^ and grant unto thy fervants^ that with all boldnefi they may [peak thy Word, They onely beg cou- rage to fpeak, and patience to fuffer, and as for promoting Chrifts Throne in any other fenfe, they feem altoge- ther fecure andcarelefs.

AstheApoftles, fo did their Pro - felytes behave themfelves, fo farre ■ from aiming at greatntife, or from feeking to improve their Conver- sion to the oppreflion of others-, fo farre from depriving others of their Poilellions^ becaufe they were ungodly, that they fold their own, and therein literally fulfilled that command of our Saviour , of Sell all and fsllow me •, which the Pro- ftflbrs of cur Times , are fo farre from pracfllfing, that they are rather apt to do the clean contrary.

We reade indeed, that when the Christians increafed, there was an

Accu-

of Sever aignly] 45

Accufation forged againft them, as if they were Men > who turned the^ l7%6* World up fide down, who del ed con- trary to. the Decrees of Ctffar, fay* ing, There is another King, one ^pe- [us. And Paul is by Tcrtullus ex- prefly called ao/^9-, a very Pe(l, i. Aa.24. a Turbulent, Unquiet Spirited man, and a Raifer of Sedition $ which Ca- lumny, howfalfe and ungrounded it was , Paul ihews at large in his A- pology, by averring to their faces, that they could not prove the thing* verii*, which they had alleaged againjl him. And afterwards, he is fully acquit- ted by Fcfttts the Roman Deputy : They, fayes he to Agrippa, brought again (I him no Accufation of fuch ^&> a&8. things as I fuppofed, i. of Treafon, of Sedition or Rebellion, of Preach- ing Difobedience, or non-payment of Tribute to O far • for fuch crimes as thefe, were properly under the Governors Cognizance * and none of thefe, it feems , were fo much

as

44 Saintjhip no ground as imputed unto Paul: whereas had he fo Preached up Chrift, as to af- firm that Jems was not onely a King, but that whoever did not fubmit to him , ought immediately to be put out ot Office-, whereby there would never be fuch a Crime as Treafon, if Religion were once made the pretence to juftifie it . Had this, I fay, been Paul's Docftrine, I fuppofe Je(ius neither would, nor durft have been fo favorable in his Cenfure.

And to put the matter out of queftion on that Apoftles part, though none was more zealous then he, for the advancing of Chrifte Kingdom in the right fenfe-, yet none was more ftri<5i and fevere in the enjoyning of Obedience unto all Powers over us, of what Religion foever-, unleffe we think men can be worfe then Nero and Caligula were, who Raigned about his time. And the Apoftle gives a reafonfor

Of Soveraigntyi 4.5

it, which will hold true in all Ages, hiz» becaufe. Authority is from God. Rom,I3 Power , by what Arts foever it is gained , and by what perfons foe- ver it is exercifed , yet when it is once acknowledged 2nd fworn too , itis to be looked upon by us, as no- thing elfe but a Ray of Gods So. veraignty, and therefore to be ac- counted Sacred. Nor can any pre- tence of zeal, or mask of Religion, juftifie Rebellion more now then heretofore : but the more piety ap- pears to difguife it, the more mon- ftrous it is.* Since in effedtit onely fets up Chrift againft himfelf , and makes his Kingdom what he would not have it to be, akingdomeof this World.

The very fame command, and to the fame purpofe is enforced by Peter, That they might by their obe- bedience and meek neffe, put to filence Ia/" the ignorance of foolifh men, who cenfured them as evil doers: The Word in the Original is K*x»m*<> the

very

4# Saintfiip no ground

very fame which was charged upon our Saviour, and it fignifies in the Hellenifiical Phrafe , State- Incendi- aries > Incompatible with Civill Go- vernment^nd the like •> which would have proved a very true and up- right cenfure, in Cdk theChriftians ot thofe Times, had fo owned Cbrijl for thiir King^ as5 upon his account, . to withdraw their obedience from their Civil Soveraigns. The more apt therefore profane men were to mil- interpret the Kingdom of Chrift, the more caret ull that Apoftle would have ProfeiTors to be5not to give any fuch occafion of offence.

Suitable to the Do&rine of thefe

two great Apoftles , was the pra-

dice of the Primitive Chriftians ,

down from our Saviours , till long

after C&nfiantines time, as I could

eafily prove out of the moft An-

(a) renal. cjent Records, abut that we live in

n5ffiS> an Ase, when fuch kinde of Learn-

triccif. ing is, by thofe who leaft under-

&*• ' ftand

of Sovereignty, 47

{land it, accounted little lefle then madneiTe $ and that we may know which way the World is going, Ig- norance begins once more to be the Mother of Devotion.

I Anil therefore draw to a clofe, for fuch as Scripture will not iatisfie, V do not intend to confute by humane Testimony, which isnotonely falii- ble, but for the mod part falfe : And I wilh all that are at leafure to perufe this fhort Treatife, would make this ufeof it, as to look after the Spirit, rather then the Splendor of Chrifti- anity : For it is evident to all, that know any thing of Church Story, that fo much as our Pveligion hath got in Pomp, it always loft in Purity.

Thcfe who are ftill doting upon Chrifts temporal Reign, in which they hope to have their (hare 3 me- thinks the very ambition of fuch de- fines, fhould convince them that they are not Chriftian ; but if they are fo far gone in their Error, as to think nothing unlawful,ib they mrf in their

lenfe

4? Sawtfiip no ground

fenfe fet up Chrift^ I heartily wifh them to confider, whileft they go a- bout fuch enterprises, i . Whofe bu* finefs they do not. 2. Whofe bufi- nefs they doe.

1. Firft, Let them confider whofe bufinefie they doe not 5 for, let them pretend what they wil], they doe not the bufineffe of C htift^ ftnce he Hath abfolutely forbid it * and he will not thank us for exalting his Honor the wrong way : <$uis requifivit. bdc ? was Gods expoftulauon with the Jews, when they brought him Sacri- fices, which he himfelf had comman- ded, becaufe they offered them not in a right manner. How much more will our Saviour by thefe words, re- prove all thofe, who for his fake, ven- ture upon a&ions which he at his death difclaimed? The queftion at the laft day will not be, how many wic- ked we have killed , but how many we have converted? Not, how many wre have deftroyed for their unbelief, but how many we have turned from

it?

Satntjhip no ground 49

it: Wefliall not be asked, whstHo- nors and Preferments we have got by the Gofpel, but what we have left to follow it : And don't let any think,as feme argue, that God hath allowed a difpenfation for thefe laft times $ for times, and men, may alter,but the na- ture of things can never alter: Since the world is as int icing, and the Do- ftrine of the Gofpel as fevere as felf- denying5now as ever:fo that to recon- cile thefe two together /viz. the pride of Life, with the Purity of Faith, I think no man can, I am fure no Chri- ftian ought to doe. Secondly, As they who are otherwife minded,donot the bufinefs of Chrift, folet themconfider whofe bufineffe they do. To under ftand which, we muft take notice there are in Scripture recorded, two great Pretenders unto temporal Soveraignty, Satan and An - ttcbrift.

Firft, Satan: we flnde him dire&iy

claiming the glory of the world as his

own : Behold, faith he to our Saviour,

E Ml

50 Saint fh/p no ground

Luke 4.*. all this power will I give thee, and the glory of them -if or that is delivered un- to me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it : Which confident fpeech of his,as our Saviour doth not confute, fo, by John 16 ca^^n§ him after ,t he God and Prince of this world, he feems to own it for a truth. And indeed, ifweconfiderthe manner, how •, the Arts,by which the Kingdoms of the world are got and governed , we fliall not much doubt ot Satans veracity : Since Fraud and force, arethofetwo Pillars, upon wch almoft all Empire is founded ; and the great Maximein State Policy, is that thing which God moft abhors, viz. Hypocrifie and DiflimulationSo that we need not much queftion5but as the Jz:ii.t?. wifdom or policy^Cohktmk the power of the world, is not onely earthly and fetf[ual,b\ii likewife ^^cvi^r^joevil- ?fi\at\d fo much the more Deviliih,the more Religion is preceded to procure it 5 for Satan never more a&s his part, then whe he becoms an angel of light* Secondly , Another pretence to

worldly

of Soveraignty] y i

worldly power difcovered unto us in Scripture, is Lsfntichrifl*, of whom there are fo many Marks and Chara- <5ters given us,that it is no hard matter to know where his fpirit works: Of him the Apoftle J>ohn fpeaks, when having difcourfed, that whatever is in the world, whether the luft of the flijh, 1 Jo!m i.Pleafure-, or the lufi oftheeyesy i.Pro. 2,l6# fit •, or the pride of life, i. Honors was not of the Father^ but of the world s he prefently tells them that Antichrift was then beginning, intimating, that when ever he came to appear more manifestly, he would be very no- torious and remarkable for the fetting up thofe three, which aret as one calls them,7fe worlds Trinity : And this he would do, not in fo open and bare- faced a manner as Satan before him, but under the difguife and mask of Pi- ety 5 for thus it is faid in the defcri- ption of him, which all fides agree to be meant of Antichrifl, that he hadKw.i$.r horns like a Umbjbuthe [pake as a dra~ gonj.he pretended meekaefs,but pra- E 2 (ftifed

52 Sahtfhip no ground

dtifed cruelty • as appears afterwards, in that he is faid to force his Religion upon others., and to make all men re- vcr.1^17. ceive his mark, or quit their means of living. And there are two Notes of Anticbrifl, which will never fail, viz. Pride inhimfelf, and Perfecution in reference to others. Another defcription we have of him, in that ftile he afliimes to himfelf5i//£, That he exalt eth bimfelf above all that is called Gcd,or tvorJhippediThe mean- ing is, that he challenges authority and pre-eminence above all Kings and Emperors : For Kings, in Scripture, are called Gods-, and s*3*^(which we render, that is wor [hipped) is that name in Greek, which iignifies Majeflj in Englifh,andis the title by which they did exprefs the Grandeur of the Ro- man Emperors, whom they called Au- gu(li,md the Greeks -ziQ&soi. According to this afpiring difpofition and nature in him, fo hath he his name of Anti- Chrift given him $ forA^x?*^" may either be rendred to* pro?ox vice Chri-

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fiiy that is, one who places himfelf in Chrifts ftead, and behaves himfelf as his Vicar and Deputy : Or elfe W may fignifie contra chfiftum, one that op- pofes and fees himfelf againft Chrift, i. not againft his Perfon (for that he would get nothing by) but agahift the principal parts of Chrifts Do&rine and Worfhip •, one that puts Chriftia- nity upon a new bottom, that inverts the defign of it, and makes it, inftead of being ^(elf-denying^ the mo ft felf- feeking Religion in the World.

How near this Dodrine of making Chrifts Kingdom an Earthly Monar- chy, comes to the nature of Anti- Chrift -, nay,is indeed that very ladder by which that man of fm either alrea- dy hath, or hereafter will afcend the Throne^is too apparent : For if Anti- Chrift be come , ss who can now doubt of it ? (fince the Apoftie Pad tells us, that in the latter time he needs mufi come •, and the Apoftle John in- forms us, that the latter time began in his age)thm we have no Character left E 3 to

5 4 Sawtfhip no ground to defcry him by, if this be not \t,viz> his mixing the Chriftian with the fe- cular Intereft i his mak;ng Piety a Pandar to Policy-, his advancing Chiift in (hew, that thereby indeed he may advance himfelf^his centring god- linefs and greatnefs in the fame Per- fons», and ruling over the world as the Deputy of Chrift : Which kindeof Do&rine whoever attempts to vent, let his zeal be never fo fierce, and his pretences never fo pious, he doth no- thing but prepare the way for Anti- chrift, whofe coming will not be like our Saviomsjoivlj and meek Jout with pomp and triumph . He doth not le- vel the ways 3n J fupprefs ambition, but fwell it higher , until he finks down Religion under the weight of worldly Honor. Before therefere I doe conclude this Difcourfe, I Shall take leave,

i . To bewail many of my deluded Brethren, who have a zeal, but fo lit- tle,according to knowledge, that^ even then when they moft fiercely oppofe

Anti-

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Antichrift $ they onely do his work •, and while they proceed upon falfe Principles, juft draw a Circle, in which, the more they hbor to go from the point they fixed on at firft5the nearer they draw unto it.

2. 1 rauft lament the great flupor and in- fenfibility of the Preache< s of the Gofpel in our days, who can be fo carelefs in times of fo eminent danger: And though others may per- haps plead fomething in their own excufe,yet how can they anfwer it, who fcrupled at Ce- remonies (which were declared,and every one knows to be, in their own nature, indifferent) and yet are filent under a Principle which will certainly bring them back, in a far other man- ner then they were at firft impofed ? flial thole who were affrighted at thefhadow of a Lyon, not tremble to hear him roaring ? what folly is it to flee from the tail of the Dragon, and yet not be afraid when we perceive his fting ? Let us not be mifhken, it is not the garb or drefs of Ceremonies, it is not this or that form of Worfliip, which prefently makes it Antichrifti3n,but it is the challenging a pow- er to impofe them upon others. So that without fixing the n-nmeof An?nhri[l upon

any

5 6 Of Soveraigntj \

any party of men, which makes the "Contra* verfie conje&ural onely,and mofl commonly uncharitable ? this I (ball be bold to affirm, that to impofe by force any form of Wor- Ihip, and thereby deny others that liberty of choice, which,whilft we impofe,we affume to our felves : To determine the indifferency of things, and, in reference to Religious ends,to make that necetfary, which by nature was made,and God hath left free : And above all-* to make Chrift a temporal prince, and under the notion of advan- cmghifrbto exalt our felves,andLord it over others; this is nothing elfe but the {pint ot Antichrift, fince fuch Doctrine as this, is no way contained in our Sa viours Gofpel.

1 {hall {peak out and end % I earneftly pray, that that excellent Principle,! mean,Zi£mj ofconfcunce.. which firft led us out of Popery, doe not by our too wanton abuie of it, lead us back again into it This I am fure of, that for men firft to call them- felves, The Godly, (a ftile which ?mh after all hi- Revelations, did not fo boldly af fume) and then:Up on that fcore, to make themfelves our Governors is without aay ftreining the road thither •, for w know who ic is, that by fuch Arts,hath got no fma: Dominion in the world .-and where ever fuch Tenet prevail, they are. onely fore-runners of Antichrifl Temporal regin? and fo far as he can fupprefs it, ' Chriftianitiesruine.

F I N I Si

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