All property which comes to hand bymeans of violence, or infamy, orbaseness, however large it may be, is taintedand unblest. On the other hand, whateveris obtained by honest profit, smallthough it be, brings a blessing with it.*
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The lustre of a virtuous character cannotbe defaced, nor can the vices ofa vicious man ever become lucid. A jewelpreserves its lustre, though trodden in themud, but a brass pot, though placed uponthe head, is brass still.
[Page 38]2. For the negative part, or the reformation of abuses and corruptions among them; this was St. Paul's plea; Let them shew where the God of our Fathers imposed any of those heavy burdens which the Scribes and Pharisees place so much of their Religion in. What ground is there in the Law and the Prophets, for the Pharisaical Superstitions, and Vows, and Severities to themselves in fetching blood and knocking their heads against the walls, and different garbs and dresses to appear more holy unto men, with many other customs of theirs, the observation of which was made so great a part of the Religion of their devoutest men? And it is a strange thing they should think it impossible such things should come in among them, without great notice being taken of it; for although sudden and violent changes may have all the circumstances known, yet it is not to be expected in more insensible and gradual alterations. A man may tell when a violent Fever seiz'd upon him and inflamed his blood, but he cannot do so by a Hectick or a Consumption; must he therefore believe himself well, because he cannot tell the punctual time when he fell sick. We [Page 39] may easily describe the circumstances of a Landflood which overflows the banks, and bears all before it, but we cannot do so by the coming in of the Tide, which steals in secretly and insensibly, and no man can assign the place where the salt and fresh water first mix together. Superstition is a Hectick Fever to Religion, it by degrees consumes the vitals of it, but comes on insensibly, and is not easily discovered till it be hard to be cured. At first, it may be some devout but indiscreet men made way for it, who love to find out some Modes of devotion different from the rest of the world, which are greedily embraced by such who admire and follow them; this example taking, another begins and sets up for a more refined way than the former; and so the design spreads, till at last true piety and goodness be swallowed up by superstitious fopperies. Which is the most probable account of all the Pharisaical corruptions; some of whose observations might be begun at first with a good mind, and by the devout persons of that time; but afterwards, every one that had a sowrer look and a worse nature than ordinary, thought it not enough to follow the example of [Page 40] others, but like a great Physician he must have his Nostrum's, something of his own finding out, a new garb, or ceremony, or posture of devotion, whereby he may be taken notice of, and admired for his sanctity. Thus that fardle of superstitious rites was gathered up among the Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviour's time, whom he most severely upon all occasions rebukes for their hypocrisie, in placing so much of their Religion in them. And thus much for the way taken by St. Paul to vindicate Christianity from the imputations of being a new Sect or Heresie, by an appeal to Scripture and the best Antiquity.
1. It cannot be proved that the Christian Church hath greater infallibility promised than the Jewish had. Of which we have this plain evidence, that one of the strongest arguments produced for the infallibility of the Christian Church is taken from the Promises made to the Jewish. How often hath Deut. 17.8, 9, 10. been made use of to prove infallibility in the Christian Church? If they had any better arguments in the New Testament, would they ever run so far back to a Command that most evidently relates to the Jewish constitution? Where hath ever God promised that he would dwell in St. Peter's at Rome, as he did, that he would dwell in his Temple at Hierusalem? What [Page 47] boastings and triumphs would there have been, if any such words had been in the Gospel concerning Rome, as there were of old concerning Hierusalem; viz. that God had sanctified it, that his Name might be there for ever; 2 Chron. 7.16. and his eyes and his heart should be there perpetually? What pitifull proofs in comparison of this, are all those brought out of the New Testament for the Authority and Infallibility of the Roman Church? What are all the promises of the Spirit made to the Apostles, and remarkably accomplished in them, to this plain promise of God's particular presence in that place for ever? Suppose St. Peter had privileges above the rest of the Apostles; how comes the entail to be made to all his successors, and only at Rome and no where else? Where are the Deeds kept, that contain this gift? Why are they not produced during all this contest? And yet we see in the Jewish Church where such a promise was made to a particular place, no such thing as Infallibility was implyed in it.
3. They can never prove, that the same causes of corruptions do not hold as to the Christian, which did as to the Jewish Church. For the Christian Church in those Ages which we charge with introducing the corruptions, was degenerated into greater Ignorance, Barbarism, Luxury and Superstition, than the Jewish Church in the time of its darkness from the cessation of Prophecy till the coming of Christ. Our Adversaries themselves confess, that for a long time, there was nothing either of Learning or Humanity among them; nothing but ease, and luxury, and ambition, and all manner of Wickedness among the chief Rulers among them; nay, even at Rome there was a succession of fifty of their High Priests, so remarkable for their wickedness, that Annas and Caiaphas (setting only aside their condemning Christ) were Saints in comparison of them. And is it now any wonder that such errors and corruptions should come into that Church, as those we charge them with? Nay, rather the greatest Wonder seems to be, that any thing of Christianity should [Page 50] be preserved among them. But besides the sottishness of those times, we have many other causes to assign of the corruptions introduced among them; as a Complyance with Gentilism in many of their Customs and Superstitions; Affectation of new Modes of Devotion, among indiscreet Zealots; Ambition and constant endeavour to advance the Authority and Interests of the Priesthood above all Secular Power; and when for a long time these had been gathering the rude materials together, then the Moorish Philosophy happening to creep in among them, the Monks began to busie themselves therein, and by the help of that, a little better to digest that Mass and Heap of corruptions, and to spend the wit they had to defend and improve them.
1. A mighty Industry and Zeal in promoting their Cause; they have learn'd of their Predecessors to compass Sea and Land to gain one Proselite. They insinuate themselves into all companies, stick at no pains, accommodate themselves to all humours, and are provided [Page 55] one way or other to gratifie persons of all inclinations; for they have retirement for the melancholy, business for the active, idleness for the lazy, honour for the ambitious, splendour for the vain, severities for the sowre and hardy, and a good dose of pleasures for the soft and voluptuous. It is not their Way, but their Zeal and Industry I propound to our imitation; I know not how it comes to pass, but so it often happens, that they who are most secure of truth on their side, are most apt to be remiss and careless; and to comfort themselves with some good old sayings, as God will provide, and Truth will prevail, though they lie still, and do nothing towards it; but certainly such negligence is inexcusable, where the matter is of so great importance, the Adversaries so many, and an account must be given shortly in another world, of what men have done or suffered for their Religion in this.
IF we were to judge of the nature of Christianity by the designs and practices of some, who would be thought the only true and Catholick Christians, we should have no great reason to esteem it our honour to be called by his Name, who first brought this Religion into the world. For if the [Page 60] Christian Religion did indeed justifie all the fraud and treachery, the mischief and cruelty which hath been either acted or designed by men under the glorious pretence of advancing the interest of the Catholick Church, we might better chuse not to be Christians, than to be such men: Because whatever Religion overthrows the common principles and duties of humane nature, such as those of Civil obedience, integrity and humanity are, cannot be supposed a Religion proper or intended by God for Mankind; whose great end in Religion is to improve and rectifie, and not to debauch or corrupt the dispositions of men. Men need no Religion to instruct them in the arts of deceiving, the contrivances of malice, or the methods of revenge; such fruits as these spring up too easily in our corrupt and degenerate natures, which need no great force or improvement to bring them forth: But when the warmth of the Sun shall be joyned with the fruitfulness of the soil, when men are encouraged to pursue their own natural inclinations by the most powerfull motives of Religion, what bounds can be set to the growth and increase of these accursed fruits? Of all Religions [Page 61] in the world, we might have thought the Christian least liable to be abused to such ill purposes; for it was one of Machiavel's quarrels against Christianity, that by its precepts of meekness and patience, it rendred men unfit for such great undertakings, which could not be accomplished without something of cruelty and inhumanity, whereas the old Religions by the multitude of Sacrifices did inure men to blood and destruction, and so made them fitter for any enterprize. And Machiavel was certainly in the right, if Religion were intended only to make men Butchers: or to instruct them in the use of Swords and Gun-powder. Nay, the Religion of Mahomet is in this respect to be very much preferred before the Christian, for that makes it not only lawfull to destroy those of a different Religion, but enrolls them for Martyrs that die in the Field, and makes the blood of enemies as meritorious, as we do that of the Cross. But that is reserved as the peculiar honour of the Christian Religion, that it commands the subduing all the brutish and savage inclinations of men to acts of revenge and cruelty; that it restores humane nature to it self by its [Page 62] precepts of meekness, mercy, peaceableness, and universal charity; that it advances it to a divine nature by the imitation of God himself, in shewing kindness to enemies, and overcoming evil with good. This is the Religion established by our Lord and Saviour in this excellent Sermon on the Mount, wherein the scope and design of Christianity is delivered with the greatest plainness and perspicuity; which (if it be possible for us to judge of his meaning by the clearest expressions) was far enough from being the setting up a Monarchy in the Church to which all the Kings of the Christian world are by their Baptism bound to vail their Crowns, and lay their Scepters at its feet: or in case they do not, that then this Spiritual Monarch may excommunicate, depose, and deprive Princes of their Government, and dissolve all the obligations between their Subjects and them: and make it lawfull for them to depose them: We find not the least footstep of any thing tending this way, where our Saviour speaks most advantageously concerning the honour of his Disciples; which honour he represents by things which set forth their usefulness in common: Ye [Page 63] are the Salt of the Earth, Matth. 5.13, 14. ye are the light of the World; and not by setting up one above all the rest, far above all Principalities and Powers, to whom Kings and Princes, and all People are bound to be subject, if they regard their salvation. If any such thing as this had been so material a part of the Christian Doctrine, as some imagine, if it had been so necessary to salvation, it is somewhat strange, that when our Blessed Saviour gave so many directions in order to salvation he should give not so much as the least intimation concerning this. And yet he saith, at the end of this Sermon, Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, Matth. 7.24. is like unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock; not super hanc Petram, i. e. according to the Roman Gloss, upon the Pope's Authority; but upon such a firm foundation as will never fail him. And what is it which our Saviour endeavours to perswade men to, in order to so firm a settlement of their minds against all the assaults of persecutions? viz. to humility, meekness, goodness, universal holiness, to the love of God and Mankind, to sincerity in devotion, dependence on Providence, prayer, and doing as we [Page 64] would be done by: this is the substance of the Christian Law delivered by the Son of God; than which nothing can be imagined more contrary to the Spirit of Faction and disobedience, of cruelty and revenge, and that covered over with a pretence of zeal for Religion. But he who gave these excellent precepts, did foresee, that there would arise men who should preach and prophesie in his Name, and in his Name cast out Devils, and do wonderfull works: that yet for all their fair shews and pretences to the world should be of a temper and disposition directly contrary to the Gospel; and therefore it was necessary for all Christians, as they valued their own welfare, to have an eye to them, lest they should be deceived by them: which is the meaning of our Saviour in these words; Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening Wolves: By their fruits ye shall know them. Wherein we have these two things considerable: 2ff7e9595c
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