OF all the Publick Blessings that Almighty God is pleased to bestow upon Nations as Nations, or Bodies Politick, there cannot be conceived a greater than good and wholsome Laws, Agreed upon and Enacted for the benefit and Emolument of the whole Society, and godly and upright Governours to put those Laws in Execution. For, as it is natural for men to enter into Society, Man not being Animal monasticum, sed politicum, a Monkish but sociable Creature; so it is neces­sary to Agree upon Laws for the preservation of it. And forasmuch as the main design of all Laws and Government should be Gloria Dei, & salus Populi, the Glory of God, and the Weal and Safety of the State; those Laws are ever [Page 4] best which have the directest tendency to those Ends: but seeing also that the best Laws are useless, and insufficient for the attaining of those Ends, unless executed according to the true intent and meaning of them, and this cannot be done but by Governours intrusted with the Administration thereof; and because it often happens that the Administra­tion of Affairs falls into ill hands, who offend either through Remissness, Rigour, or Arbitrariness; and thereby Ener­vate or Debauch the People; or so Oppress them by Illegal Exactions, Mic. 3.1, 2. that like the Princes of Israel, they pluck their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones: It is therefore a singular Instance of a benign Providence to a People, when a skillful and religious Pilot is placed at the Rudder of the Government; who will take care for the Enacting and Executing of good Laws, always observing a due distance between the two Extreams, Softness and Ty­ranny, into one of which most Princes both of later and former days have fall'n. It is the happiness of England, could she see her happiness, that she is delivered from One who trampled upon all Laws, and by vertue of an Omni­potent Dispensing Power did what he listed; and has a most Excellent Prince placed at the Stern, whose Head the Lord cover in the day of Battel, and appoint unto him Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks. Under his Conduct the Ship of the Commonwealth is likely to sail securely, even among Rocks and Shelves: such Princes are the Favourites of Hea­ven, God will take them and make them as Signets, and put them as choice Shafts in the Quiver of his special Pro­vidence. In their day the Government shall triumph, it shall bid defiance to Treachery at Home, and Opposition from Abroad, for the Lord of Hosts is with them, the God of Jacob is their Refuge.

When the Government is Administred by a Pious, Pru­dent and upright Prince, who hath nothing equal in his Prospect to the Honour of God, and the Common Welfare; there the People are out of danger of Oppression and Inva­sion, and shall dwell safely, every man under his Vine, and un­der [Page 5] his Fig-tree, 1 Kings 4.25. as Judah and Israel did in the days of Solomon. Now of those two, the Honour of God, and the Common Welfare, the preference must be always given to the first; Mat. 22.37, 38. Deut. 6.5. because this is the first and great Commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The Precept reaches Princes as well as People, and it should be the chief care of Governours to observe it: [...] For tho' they are sometimes called Gods in Scripture, yet they are but earthly ones, [...]. and by way of Similitude, as Agapetus told Justinian, and there­fore should ever remember themselves to be the Sub­jects of the Most High. There is all the reason in the World that Gods Honour should be first regarded by Princes in their Dominions, because the Most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men; Dan. 4.17. & 5.21.2.21. and appointeth over it whomsoever he will; for he changeth the times and the seasons, he removeth Kings, and setteth up Kings: and because the Happiness of a Nation depends upon its relation to the King of Kings.

It is the observation of Wise and Experienc'd So­lomon, that Righteousness exalteth a Nation, Prov. 14 34. but sin is a reproach to any people. I shall not here enquire whe­ther [...], Righteousness, is to be restrained to Moral Justice, or to be taken in a more comprehensive sense for Religion and Vertue in general. Experience can attest, that Piety and Morality have a Mighty Influ­ence upon the Prosperity of a Nation, and that Vice and Wickedness have been always fatal in their Con­sequences to it.

Religion is the best Cement of Society, and binds men in the strictest obligations to be Just, and True, and Honest to one another: For where Religion is truly embraced, it has its Tye upon the Conscience, [Page 6] and that by a powerful Energy checks and commands the whole Man: for Conscience, I mean, the enlight­ened and sanctified Conscience, will be always doing its office, in Accusing or Excusing; and he that hath such a Monitor, must be prodigiously inadvertent, if he do not perceive its Motions, and attend to them.

On the other hand, where Vice is grown predomi­nant, and become the Epidemical distemper of a Peo­ple, there the Bond of Conscience is dissolv'd, because their Union with God is broken. And when that Bond is dissolv'd, the People are under no Tye, but that of Humane Laws; and how weak Humane Laws are of themselves to make a Nation truly happy, is sadly apparent, from the many woful distresses the Nations are under at this day, by reason of their Apo­stacy from God.

'Tis natural for men to lay the blame of all their Miseries upon mistaken Causes, and to make those Persons and Things the Authors of their Calamities, which really are not. Thus wicked Ahab charged the Prophet Elijah with being the cause of the sore Famine in Samaria, Luke 4.25. 1 Kings 18.17. when the Heaven was shut up three years and six months, saying, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? Thus the innocent Apostles were accused for being Disturbers of the Publick Peace, Acts 17.6. and Turners of the World upside down. Paul was impleaded by Tertul­lus for a pestilent fellow, Ch. 24.5. and a mover of Sedition. And the Primitive Christians were traduced by the Heathen Persecutors, Tertul. Apol. c. 37. p. 30. as the Pests and Enemies of Mankind, and that they and their Doctrine procured all the Evils that so frequently befell the Roman Empire. Hence arose that general outcry against the Christians in those days, Cypr. Ep. ad Demetr. p. 197. Arnob. adv. gen. l. 1. p. 1. when any misfortune happened, Christia­nos ad Leones, Away with the Christians to the Lions. For 'twas the Common Objection upon every occasi­on, [Page 7] that they were the Authors of all publick Calamities.

But as then they who were born after the Flesh per­secuted them who were born after the Spirit, even so it has been of late among us, and would ('tis to be fear'd) be so now, had some Men the Power they for­merly had. Do not they object the distresses of the pre­sent Age, to the Pious and Sober People of the Nation, as if they were the Procurers of their Misfortunes, and the Troublers of their Israel? How often do we hear it urg'd, That Dissenters are worse than Papists? that 'twill never be well in England so long as the Act of In­dulgence stands? and that Liberty of Conscience is Omni­um malorum Fons, the Fountain of all Mischiefs?

But alas, poor Envious and mistaken Wretches! Whom do they reproach and blaspheme? and against whom do they exalt their voice, and lift up their eyes on high? Isa. 37.23. even against the Holy One of Israel. In compassion to their Souls, I could wish they knew what spirit they were of, and were convinced how contrary a Perse­cuting Temper is to the Example and Precepts of our Saviour and his Apostles, and to the whole Genius, Scope and Design of the Gospel. Let them read the Scripture, and shew me where Persecution is taught in Terms or Consequence, and I will believe it then to be lawful to Plunder and Imprison my Neighbour, yea, to execute the Writ de Haeretico comburendo. But till it be proved from Scripture, that I may lawfully per­secute my Neighbour purely for Religion, and because he judges of Spiritual things otherwise than I do; I will always believe a Persecuting Spirit to be Antichri­stian, and as opposite to the Gospel as Darkness is to Light, and Papal Cruelty to Apostolical Meekness.

To correct these Mens Mistakes, is to shew them the true Cause of all their Troubles, by resolving them in­to their proper Originals, their Sins and Apostacies from God. Thus Elijah told Ahab, I have not troubled Israel, 1 Kings 18.18. [Page 8] but thou and thy Fathers House, in that ye have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baa­lim. And the ancient Apologists, Tertullian, Cyprian, Arnobius, and others, took this as the most successful course to stop the slanderous mouths of their Adversa­ries. The Heathen charg'd the Christians with their publick Misfortunes; the Christians cleared themselves from those Aspersions, and shew'd their Adversaries how to resolve their Evils into their true Causes, such as Idolatry, Debauchery, and Ingratitude, the crimes not only of the ancient Pagans, but of too many Mo­dern Professors of Christianity.

But some will ask perhaps, Is it not a contradiction to say, Christian Idolaters? I answer, No, because there are a great many such in the World. The Papists are gross Idolaters, for to worship God by, in, or thrô any Image or Similitude of Saint or Angel, as they do, is gross Idolatry. A late Popish Author endeavours to excuse this practice; A Papist mis­repr. and Re­presented. p. 2. All the Veneration, says he, that the Papist expresses before Images, whether by kneel­ing, praying, lifting up the eyes, burning Candles, Incense, &c. 'tis not at all done for the Image, but is wholly reserv'd to the thing represented, which he intends to honour by these actions. But this will not do, unless he could perswade us, the Religious use of Images were enjoyned in the Second Commandment, and all his superstitious Cu­stoms allow'd by it; which will never be, so long as we have our Bibles, and see all Image-worship expres­ly forbidden therein.

There is also another sort of Idolaters, who are more refined than the bigotted Romanists, and yet are no less guilty in the sight of God than they. Now the Idolatry of these men consists in Performing that unto the True God, which hath a Similitue, Show and Re­semblance of his Service, but is not so indeed; because he Deut. 12.32 requireth it not at our hands, and therefore is but [Page 9] a Col. 2.23. Will-worship, or voluntary Religion, a thing de­vised and done Hos. 13.2. according to our own understanding. See Ainsworth's Arrow against Idolatry, c. 1. p. 3, 4.

It were well, if the Church of England could clear her self of this kind of Idolatry; she knows the Dissenters charge has been often drawn up against her, and pro­ved by a Cloud of Witnesses. And if she can make no better defence than hitherto she hath made, it will be both her Wisdom and Honour to acknowledge her Guilt, and return unto God by Repentance and Re­formation.

Now when a Nation is overrun with Idolatry and other sorts of Wickedness, to the great Dishonour of God, and scandal of good Men; it is the Business of Religious Princes to endeavour to retrieve the Honour of God, and satisfie pious Minds, by a general Sup­pression of Idolatry and Vice, because as they reign [Page 10] by him, so they should reign for him too. God puts the Crown upon their Heads, and Scepter into their Hands, for other purposes, than to suffer 1 Kings 12 28. Micah 6.16. Jeroboams Calves, Omri's Statutes, and the Works of the House of Ahab. He exalts them to Soveraign Dignity for more excellent Ends: They should always have his Glory in their Eye, and postpone all other Ends to that. Here­in we have an Example of a King the most illustrious Scripture History affords, and who hath left a Copy of Extraordinary Zeal for God to all succeeding Kings to write after, 'tis Josiah King of Judah.

And like unto him was there no King before him, that turn'd to the Lord with all his heart, &c.

The Text contains the Character and Commenda­tion of Josiah, with the Work and Duty of his Day, and in him presents us with a Looking-Glass for Christian Princes: Or 'tis a compleat Idea, and exact Description of a truly Religious King, He turned to the Lord with all his heart.

When Josiah came to the Crown, he found the Kingdom universally polluted with Idolatry, both Priests and People were infected, and every Age and Sex (a Remnant excepted) had corrupted their ways: His Great Grandfather Hezekiah was a very good King, and had destroyed all publick Idolatry in the Land; 2 Kings 18.4, 5. He removed the high places, and brake the Images, and cut down the Groves, and brake in pieces the brazen Ser­pent that Moses had made: (because it was abused to Idolatry,) for unto those days the Children of Israel burnt Incense to it. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him, among all the Kings of Judah, nor any that were before him: But in the Reigns of his Grandfather Manasseh, and Father Amon, whose History is set down 2 Kings 21. and 2 Chron. 33. Ido­latry increased like Hydra's heads, and the worship of Baalim, or Idols of the Sun, prevailed over the Wor­ship [Page 11] of the True God. For 2 King. 21.3. Manasseh built up again the High Places which his Father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he reared up Altars for Baal, and made a Grove, as did Ahab, and worshipped all the Host of Heaven, and serv­ed them. And if we look into the Regnavit Annis 2. short Reign of his Son Amon, we shall find he was no better than his Fa­ther, but succeeded him in his Throne and Impieties together: For 2 Kings 21, 20. he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his Father Manasseh did.

'Tis true, Manasseh, as wicked a King as he had been, after his Repentance 2 Chron. 33.12,—16.6. v. 17. did pretty considerably toward a Reformation; 2 Chron. 29.3. Nevertheless the People did sacrifice still in the High Places. But in Amons time the Reformation was utterly quasht, till the Reign of Josiah, in whose time it was carried on with wonder­full zeal and success. For like unto him was there no King before him, neither after him arose any like him.

But how can this be, when the same Character is given of Hezekiah? For 'tis said 2 Kings 18.5. After him was none like him, among all the Kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

For resolution of this Question, several things may be offered in Answer.

First, It must be understood with Exception of He­zekiah, 1 because this Commendation is likewise given to him.

Secondly, The Phrase denotes them both to have 2 been eminently Religious.

Thirdly, They had their particular Excellencies, 3 wherein they both outstript. Hezekiah shew'd his zeal for the true Religion at his very Accession to the Throne: 2 Chron. 29 3. In the first year of his Reign, in the first Month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. For his Father Ahaz being distressed by Tig­lath-Pileser King of Assyria, sacrificed to the Gods of Damascus, in expectation of help from them, and shut [Page 12] up the doors of the Temple, 2 Chron. 28.22, 23, 24. Jo­siah being a Minor of eight years old when he came to the Crown, had no sooner attained to the sixteenth year of his age, most commonly the time of Sport and Dalliance to many other Princes; but while he was yet (thus) young, he began to seek after the God of David his Father.

4 Fourthly, The Expression is Hyperbolical, and qua­lified thus, Vix eis, par, &c. they scarcely have been, or shall be pa­rall'd.

5 Fifthly, Their Zeal was equally fervent in restoring the pure Worship of God; but Josiah's Reformation was more extensive than Hezekiah's; for Josiah refor­med Non in suo solum, sed etiam in alieno regno. Sanctius sup. 2 Reg. 23.25. not in the Kingdom of Judah only, but in Is­rael too. When therefore we read that Hezekiah threw down the High places, and the Altars, not only out of all 2 Chr. 31.1 Judah and Benjamin, but in Ephraim also and Manasseh, which two Tribes were part of the King­dom of Israel: It is to be understood with restriction to that Jun. sup. loc. Grot. ibid. part of those Tribes, which was subject to the Kings of Judah, either by Conquest, or a volun­tary submission by reason of the present troubles of that Kingdom. But Josiah's Reformation extended to the Altar at 2 Reg. 23.15. Bethel, and all the v. 19. houses also of the high Places that were in the Cities of Samaria, which the Kings of Israel made to provoke the Lord to anger.

6 Sixthly, There are two things peculiar in Josiah's Case, in regard of which the precedency may well be given him.

First, He was prophesied of above Post annos circiter trecen­tos, Jun. sup. 1 Reg. 13.2. three hun­dred years, before he was born, and mention'd express­ly by name, [...], Josiah; and which is very remark­able, it was presently after Jeroboam had devised his Calf worship in Dan and Bethel; for as he stood by his new Altar in Bethel to burn Incense, behold there came [Page 13] a man of God out of Judah, by the Word of the Lord, and cry'd against the Altar in the Word of the Lord, and said, O Altar, Altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold Heb Son. [a Child] shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by Name, and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the High Places, that burn Incense upon thee, and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee, 1 Kings 13.1, 2. Where Observe, that God's jealou­lousie of his own Honour, and Love to his own Worship is such, that he cannot endure to be rival'd by Man; but immediately protests against False Worship and False Wor­shippers by his Servants; and thô he bears with them both for a Season, yet there is a Time, secret to us, but fixt in God's Eternal Decree, wherein both shall be destroyed. Thus he dealt with Jeroboam's Altar, and the Priests of the High Places, and the like deal­ing may all others dread, who are involved in the like guilt.

To ballance this Instance, 'tis urg'd, Isaiah Prophesied of Cyrus (an Heathen Monarch) by Name, long before his Nativity; for according to Junius, from the time of the Prophecy, to the fulfilling of it, were 170 Years, or after Grotius 210, and therefore the Prediction of Josiah is not singular.

I Answer, their Case was very different; Cyrus was fore­told, as a Passive Instrument, to bring about the design of God's Providence in the Restauration of the Jews from their Babylonish Captivity, and giving them Liberty to Re-edisie the Temple. Josiah, as an Active Instrument, to accomplish God's Pleasure in the Extirpation of Idola­try in Judah and Israel. Cyrus did the Will of God, but 'twas without any sincere Affection to, or Religious Know­ledge of God; for God says twice to him, Isa. 45.4, 5. Thou hast not known me. Josiah perform'd the Will of God, in Faith, Love and Obedience to him; He turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might.

Secondly, Another thing extraordinary in Josiah was his most exact Conformity to the Divine Law, in purging his Kingdom of Idolatry. 2 Chron. 31.20, 21. Hezekiah wrought that which was good, and right, and truth before the Lord his God; and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the Law, and in the Commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. This is an ample Cha­racter, but Josiah's is somewhat fuller, For he turned to the Lord, with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses. His Con­version was Universal, for he did all according to all the Law of Moses. His Father and his Grandfather turn'd from the Lord and his Law; but he made the Law of God his Counsellor; He sought to the God of David his Fa­ther, and declined neither to the right hand, nor the left, 2 Chron. 34.2, 3. He Consulted not with a Carnal Priest­hood, and a sensual Sanhedrim; but he sent to Huldah the Prophetess for Direction.

Many Princes will Reform a Little, as Afa, Jehosaphat, Joash, Amaziah, who were good Kings, so far as they did Reform; but the Blot that is upon their Names, is, the High Places were not taken away, 1 Kings 15.14. & 22.43. 2 Kings 12.3. & 14.4. Now Josiah pull'd down these High Places, he left not one of them remaining. Indeed, notwithstanding all he did or could do; Idolatry was so riveted in many of the Princes, Priests and People, that Baal had a remnant among them, Jeph. 1.4. for he had his Chemarims, his profess'd Priests, and he had others too, who pretend­ed to be Priests of the True God, but would be now and then tampering with Baal's Idolatrous Rites. They durst not exercise their Idolatry publickly, for sear of the King; but they Worship'd the Host of Heaven on the house tops, and swore by the Lord and Malchom; V. 5. they mingled true and false Worship together.

And because there is often mention in Scripture of these High Places, and the pulling of them down is recorded as [Page 15] an High Act of Reformation, we will enquire what they were; and this will not be loss of time, because the Hea­then had their High Places as well as the Jews. The High Places then Heb. [...], Sept. [...], were Altars erect­ed upon Hills, upon which they offered Sacrifices, the Heathen to their Idols, and the Jews to the True God. For after the Tabernacle and Ark were removed from Shiloh, which was in the dayes of Eli, when the Ark was taken, and his two Sons, Hophni and Phinehas were slain by the Philistines, 1 Sam 4.3, 4, 11. The Jews used the High Places as most proper and convenient for their Wor­ship; thus Samuel and the People sacrificed in the High Place, 1 Sam. 9.12.19. and so it continued 'till David brought the Ark to 2 Chron. 1.4. Jerusalem, and then it became the People's Duty to Sacrifice where the Ark was. And hence we read that Solomon, when the V. 3. Tabernacle was at Gibeon, and the Ark at Jerusalem, sacrificing in the High Places, and especially at the great High Place in Gibeon, where thô the Lord appeared to him in a Dream by Night, yet hath this Note of Irregularity put upon him, Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the Statutes of David his Father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the High Places. And the King went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the Great High Place, 1 Kings 3.3, 4. After the Temple was built, and the Ark placed in it, the People were to bring their Sacrifices thither, according to that in Deut. 12.13, 14. Take heed to thy self, that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; but in the place which the Lord shall chuse in one of thy Tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. It was the People's sin to Sacrifice any where else, but at Je­rusalem; thô they Sacrificed to the True God: His posi­tive Command made that to be Sin which was not sin be­fore. When he had placed his Name at Jerusalem, and pitch'd his Tabernacle there, thither the People were bound to bring all their Offerings. But, alas! they soon forsook the Temple at Jerusalem, and return'd to their High Pla­ces; [Page 16] where not content to Worship the True God, thô even that Worship perform'd there now was sinful, be­cause uncommanded; they fell to Worshipping of Baal or the Sun, and other Idols of the Nations, which Worship, notwithstanding they pretended it was for the Honour of the True God, is every where condemned for abominable Idolatry.

Men may not intermeddle in the Worship of God to in­stitute or alter according to their Fancies. I know they en­deavour to excuse their Innovations, as Aaron did his Gol­den Calf, who made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a Feast to the Lord, Exod. 32.5. Not a Feast to the Calf; they think Religion too plain of it self, and therefore they will set it out in a more pompous Garb of their own de­vising; which is very apt to take with Carnal Worship­pers: But is not acceptable with God, because he approves of none, no not that which Men call Divine Service, be­cause but of Humane Contrivance, and neither in respect of Matter, Manner, or End such as is prescribed in the Word. Jeroboam had invented a notable Semblance of Di­vine Worship, and made it look as like that of God's own appointing at Jerusalem as might be: But was God to be found in that Calfish Worship? Surely No. And as he was not to be met with there, so may we despair to find him in that Theatrical Worship, which he hath not Or­dained, and wherewith the Ignorant World is cajol'd at this day.

There is a natural Inclination in Men to be mixing some­thing of their own with the holy Appointments of God; it is a Vice as old as the Fall, and therefore might plead Prescription, were Antiquity in this matter a good Argu­ment. Neither is there only a Natural Inclination, but some Persons are possessed with such a mighty Fondness for Additions, which Custom or Inrerest hath decoy'd them into, that they cannot think God well-Worshipt with­out the sinful Pageantry of their Ceremonious Decency and Order; two Words of large Extent, which when Witty [Page 17] and Designing Men have the Explication of, they will be sure to expound to such a Latitude, as shall serve their Ends upon every occasion.

'Tis not to be question'd, but that the Idolatrous Priests had a great deal to say for their Idols and High Places; they had the Examples of several Kings, the approbation of Prin­ces and People, their Idols were only Symbols or Medium's through which their Worship pass'd to the Supream Being, and they could tell the People they used them meerly for Decency and Order, and their High Places for greater Splen­dour of Devotion; for they look'd upon both Idols and High Places not as having any Divinity or Holiness in themselves, but as things in their own Nature indifferent; and yet being enjoyn'd, as not to be omitted, because the Magistrate's Com­mand changes the very Nature of things, and makes that which antecedent to his Sanction was indifferent, become immediately after to be Necessary, that is, Necessary be­cause Commanded by the Magistrate. This also is the Mo­dern Plea, which has been enforc'd with all the Wit and Power of Man, to defend his Innovations in the Worship of God. But all his Attempts will not do, for weak sinful Man is not able to stand out against the Omnipotent and most Holy God, who will maintain his Cause against all Oppo­sers, and make his Truth to triumph over Errour, thô back'd with the utmost Skill and power of Men.

But to return to Josiah, that most eminent Reformer in his day; his Zeal for God manifested it self in sundry parti­culars:

First, He took care about the Temple at Jerusalem, that 1 was much dilapidated through the Neglect of his Idola­trous Predecessors, 2 King. 22.3.4, 5. and gave Hilkiah Orders to repair the Breaches thereof.

Secondly, As soon as the Book of the Law was found, 2 and read before him, and he heard the Wrath of God de­nounc'd against Idolatry, he was mightily concern'd there­at, and rent his Cloaths; V. 11. he consider'd himself as obnoxious to the Threatning as his People, and therefore commanded [Page 18] Priests and Princes to go and enquire of the Lord for him and his People, 12. 13. and for all Judah, about it.

3 Thirdly, He sent and gathered together all the Elders of Ju­dah and Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 34.29, 30. and the Priests and the Levites, and all the People great and small, and went up into the House of the Lord, and read the Book of the Covenant unto them: that they might all be made sensible of the grievous sin of Idolatry, and the Wrath of the Lord against it, and might be moved thereby to repent of it, and renounce it.

4 Fourthly, He and the People made a Solemn Covenant be­fore the Lord, 2 Kings 23.3. to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Com­mandments and his Testimonies, and his Statutes, with all their heart, and all their Soul, to perform the words of the Covenant, that were written in the Book of the Law. Herein, the King and his Subjects prov'd themselves to be Religious indeed, for all True Religion is an entring into Solemn League and Covenant with God, to be true to him and his Appoint­ments.

The terms, League, Covenant, Association, have a brand of Infamy put upon them by some men, whose Ears are grated at the sound, and their Stomachs raised at the men­tion of them; they are as great pretenders to Knowledge as any men we discourse with, and yet as blind and ignorant as the Pharisees their Forefathers: for as they boasted of their being the Seed of Abraham, Joh. 8.33. — 9.28. and Disciples of Moses, but erred not knowing the Scriptures: So our Modern Pharisees talk much of their being the True Sons of the Church, and Lovers of the Common-Prayer, when they are, many of them, as ignorant as the Pharisees of old, in points of Real saving Knowledge, and understand no Covenanting with God, but that Popish, Childish, perfunctory and unwarrantable one, of Godfathers and Godmothers for them in their Infancy, which when they come to Age, they are usually as careless altogether to perform, as their Substitutes did at first neg­ligently and superstitiously engage. But thus it happens among all Ways of Religion (thô never so highly applauded by Tra­ditionary Professors) which are destitute of Divine Authority.

Fifthly, He and his People having taken the Covenant, 5 to walk after the Lord, and to keep his Commandments, &c. there was no delay, no fear of precipitation, and waiting for a more convenient Season, which are too often sug­gested to Religious Princes by carnal Counsellors; but down went the High places, Groves, Altars, 2 Chron. 34. & 2. Kings 23. Priests of Baal immediately: And so universal was the Reformation, that not one publick Monument of Idolatry was spared through­out Judah and Israel.

Sixthly, He restored the Passeover to its right Observati­on, 6 commanding it to be kept exactly according to what was written in the Book of the Covenant, 2 Kings 23.21 v. 22. from which he turned not aside, by putting to, or taking from. Touch­ing the celebration of this Feast, it is recorded, Surely there was not holden such a Passeover, from the days of Samuel the Prophet, nor in all the days of the Kings of Israel, nor of the Kings of Judah.

Seventhly, He took care that no Publick Idolatry should be practised in his days, whatsoever some of the Priests and People did privately; for 'tis said, 2 Chron. 34 33. he made them serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their Fathers.

Upon consideration now of the whole matter it might well be recorded of Josiah,

Like unto him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, neither after him arose there any like him.

In the words these three things are presented to our Me­ditations:

First, Josiah's personal Eminency above all other Kings, Like unto him was there no King before him, &c. Which is to be taken as in the Instances above mentioned, and thô it includes his publick and private Deportment, yet it seems mostly to relate to his extraordinary Zeal for God in a pub­lick Reformation.

Secondly, The Subject matter of his matchless Glory, [Page 20] namely, his own Conversion, and his Peoples Reformati­on; wherein his Love to God was very conspicuous, whe­ther we consider its Integrity or Extent; for it was not on­ly sincere, but universal also; he turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might. He was not almost, but altogether a Convert; he had not a double Heart, one for God, and another for Baal, dividing himself between true and Idolatrous Worship; No, he turn­ed to the Lord with all his heart.

Thirdly, The Rule he walked by in rooting out Idola­try, and restoring the pure Worship of God, not the High Priests Decretalls, or the Canons of the Clergy, or the Par­liamentary Acts of the Sanhedrin; but the Law of Moses; according to which he strictly acted in all his Proceedings about the Reformation.

The Doctrinal Observations from hence are these:

1 First, Those Princes are only Eminent in the sight of God, who are truly Religious, and turn to the Lord with all their heart.

2 Secondly, There is more required of such Princes, than their own private Assent and Consent to the true Religion; they must promote it in their Dominions, by all such ways as are commanded or allow'd of in Scripture.

3 Thirdly, They cannot be capable of a greater Honour in this World, than to be the Instruments of a Godly Re­formation among their Subjects.

4 Fourthly, The Word of God alone is the Rule, to which both they and their People must attend in all matters rela­ting to Religion.

First, Those Princes are only Eminent in the sight of God, who are truly Religious, and turn to the Lord with all their heart. For such are Vines of his own planting, Kings set up by him to Rule in the fear of God, they are his Darlings and Favourites: Not that they can do any thing of them­selves, how Great and Potent soever they be, to merit, or any way procure the Divine Favour and Protection; their very Exaltation to their Thrones being an Act of pure Be­neficence. [Page 21] But they are eminent in his Estimation, upon the account of those Graces, which spring from the Righ­teousness of Christ, and do manifest themselves in an affe­ctionate Zeal for God. As for those Princes who are pro­fess'd Enemies of God and Religion, they may be said to be set up by God too, because All Power is of God: Rom. 13.1. But then we must remember what God himself says of such, He gives them to a People in his Anger; Hos. 13.11. and consider in what sence they are constituted by him, ut flagella Dei, as the Scourge to punish the Rebellions of a Nation. So that the Powers that be in the World, whether Good or Bad, are ordained of God; that is, Rom. 13.1. [...]. Bad Princes are Gods Ordinance of Wrath and Permission, Good Princes of special Love, Choice and Ap­probation. The first are given in his Displeasure, the lat­ter in his Good will to a People.

There is much Controversie among the Learned about the word [...], Power, Ham. Annot. [...] loc. Chrystost. & Theophil. in lo [...] Sherlocks Cas [...] of Alleg. Baxters Annot Clarks Annot [...] and therefore must not pass without a little Examination. Some take it for the person invested with the Power of Government; others for the Office of the Prince, not his Person; some understand all manner of Power right or wrong, if it gets the Possession, and have the Administration of Affairs. Others understand Authori­ty or Right to Govern, observing a Criticism between [...], and [...], which some think will not bear the Test. And others comprehend both lawful Authority, and the Persons exercising it: But whether we take it for Legal Authority, or usurped, for the Person or the Office of the Prince, or for both; the thing is much the same, for Autho­rity it self is certainly Gods Ordinance, [...]. and the persons ex­ercising it, are placed so by his permissive or Effective Providence.

How far the People are interested in placing or displa­cing of the Supream Magistrate, and whether he be not in­feriour to the whole Community, thô superiour to the In­dividuals, are improper Enquiries, when the Government is settled in Excellent hands, and Liberty and Property se­cured. I shall only mind you of Gods special Designation [Page 22] upon some Persons, and the turning of the Peoples Hearts unto them, after a most wonderful manner, and his mani­fest Abdication of others, as utterly unfit to Govern, send­ing a Blast upon all their Attempts, while the others Enter­prizes are blest with an unaccountable Success; and again, that the people have sometimes a mighty stroke under Pro­vidence in the Disposal of Crowns, and at other times they stand amazed to behold their Unconcernedness in the Revolutions of the World.

There is an Objection to one part of this Discourse, that if all Power be of God, and the Powers that be are of his Or­dination, how doth he then complain in Hosea? They have set up Kings, ch. 8.4. but not of me; they have made Princes, and I knew it not.

To which I answer, that All Power is of God notwith­standing, and Government is his Ordinance, although the people set up Wicked Kings, and make Princes, such as he knows not, that is, approves not. His permissive Pro­vidence tolerates, what his Effective Providence allows not. We must therefore distinguish between Soveraign Authori­ty, and the manner of acquiring and administring of the same. John 19.11. Authority it self, or Power to Govern, is from God; but yet the Throne may be ascended by unlawful steps, or being lawfully mounted, it may be filled with Apostacy, Cruelty, and Violence; and so the Person sitting thereon may be disowned by God, as a Tyrant or Usurper.

Or thus it may be answered, this place in Hosea respects the Israelites revolt from Rehoboam to Jeroboam; Kings 14.7, 8. and if we weigh the thing well, the Translation of the Kingdom was from God, and so Jeroboam was a King of Gods set­ting up, and the People did their Duty in transferring their Allegiance to him: But his falling away immediate­ly after he was made King from the true Worship of God, to that of the Golden Calves, Kings 12.28, [...], 30.14.9, 16. which he had set up in Dan and Bethel, and causing the People to sin therewith, was from the Devil, and so God renounces him.

But thô the Authority of Kings (generally speaking) be of God, and the Bad too often make a greater Figure in the World than the Good; yet the Good are his choice, his ex­cellent Ones, who with Josiah are truly Religious, and turn to the Lord with all their heart.

But how may poor revolted Mortals be said to turn to God, have they any Power to turn themselves before they are turned?

I answer, No; they have not in their Natural, Unre­newed State any more Power to turn themselves spiritual­ly to God, than the Ethiopian has to change his skin, Jer. 13.23. or the Leopard his spots. God must first turn to them before they can turn to him; yea, he must turn them, —31.18. or they can ne­ver be turned, for no less Power than Omnipotence can con­vert a Soul. But when the Soul is effectually converted, then it will turn to, and clasp about God. The motions of converted Souls towards God, are like the turnings of the Needle touched with a Load-stone to the North; for being touched with the Magnet of his Love, they draw inces­santly towards him. In such Souls the Attraction of Free-Grace is so strong, that nothing can possibly prevent it. The Saints are sensible of great slackness and backwardness in their Spiritual progress, of many stops and hinderances in their Christian Race, but they are secured against total and final Apostacy, by Gods everlasting Covenant of Free-Grace, sealed and ratified in the Blood of Christ, by many sweet and precious promises to keep them from falling away, by vertue of their Mystical Union with Christ, and the Prayer and Intercession of Christ for them: They meet with many Assaults from Sin, Satan, and the World; but Sin cannot separate them from the Love of God in Christ, because that is pardoned in the Blood of Christ; Satan cannot vanquish them, because Christ hath subdued him; and the World cannot overcome them, because Christ hath overcome the World. But thô the Saints are secured from all danger of final and total Apostacy, yet this is no ground of care­lesness and carnal Confidence to them; the way of their [Page 24] Salvation is of Gods own ordering and appointing, and it is this, Pet. 1.2. They are Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience, and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Mark this pas­sage, Through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience; they are not Elected to Salvation without the Spirits Sanctifica­tion unto Obedience, but they are Elected to attain Salvation by Sanctification as the means to the End: and being sanctified by the Spirit of God, they are thereby enabled to perform Obe­dience to the Gospel. God did not Elect them that they should be careless, [...]ph. 1.4. but that they should be carefull; for they are chosen of him in Christ before the foundation of the World, that they should be holy, and without blame before him in love. They are chosen to the Means, and the diligent use thereof, as well as to the End: h. 2.10. For they are Gods Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that they should walk in them. This denotes their Course, 'tis a walking in good works; they are Elected to live in the constant exercise of all Graces infused into them, and of all Duties required of them. They then most horridly abuse the precious Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance, who call it a Doctrine of Looseness and Libertinism, and pretend it takes away all Watchfulness and Diligence in Duty; where­as it requires all possible strictness and exactness from the Saints. And certainly no persons in the World can consi­der themselves under stronger tyes to Obedience, than they who believe that 'tis Gods method in their Salvation to bring them to it of Free Grace, through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience, and Sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ. For believing this to be Gods Way of Salva­tion, they will endeavour to be found in it; and knowing that God hath chosen them to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit, Thes. 2.13, 15, 17. and belief of the Truth; they will pray that they may stand fast, and have their hearts comforted and esta­blished in every good word and work.

Upon this Score it is, namely, Election in Christ, and San­ctification of the Spirit, that Princes become truly Religi­ous, [Page 25] and so highly eminent in the sight of God; and by ver­tue thereof their Dominions are founded in Grace, and have a Spiritual superadded to their Political Right. I do not say, that the Godly or Gracious only have a Political Right to Govern, but that Gracious Princes have a double one; First, As Princes, and Secondly, much more (I am sure much better) as being gracious Princes. By how much the Un­ction of the Spirit excells that of the Body, by so much the Scepter polished with Grace outshines its Native lustre.

Impious Rulers are compared by Solomon to roaring Lyons and ranging Bears, the most savage Beasts of prey, Prov. 28.15. to set forth their Violence, Cruelty and Oppression. Lyons and Bears, the Naturalists tell us, are naturally crueller than o­ther Wild Creatures, but when pinch'd with hunger, Sed cum fame premuntur seipsos crudelitate supe­rant. they ex­ceed the cruelty of their Natures. In those Creatures we have a lively portraicture of Arbitrary and Tyrannical Go­vernours,, who as cruelly prey upon the poor oppressed Peo­ple, as they do upon the Beasts of the Field. [...] Tenui populo Ar. Mont. Rom. 13.3, 4. With a lit­tle variation of the Apostles words, we may say of them, They are a terror to good works, and Revengers to execute wrath upon them that do well. They are Perverters of publick peace and Order, and men have no Security, notwithstand­ing Law, of Life or Property under them: For they care not what ravage and spoil they make of their Counrrey, vainly fancying the people are made for them, not they made for the People; contrary to what Seneca writes to Nero, That the Commonwealth is not theirs to use as they list, Non Republicam suam esse sed se Republicae. de Clem. l. 1. c. 19. but they are the Commonwealth's. Which makes me stand a­mazed when I read or hear what unsuitable Titles some Parazites give them, and how Jeroboam's, Herods, Maxi­mines, Dioclesians, and Julians, Idolaters, Adulterers, bloody Persecutors, and infamous Apostates, are complemented with the glorious Appellations of the Lords Anointed, Sen. Epist. 5 [...]. Q. Curt. l. [...]. and Ministers of God, as the Heathen Priests flattered Alexan­der, and perswaded him to be Jupiters Son, thô King Philip was his Father.

But as Wicked Rulers are like roaring Lyons, and ranging [Page 26] Bears; Isai. 49.23. so Religious Kings and Queens are compared to Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers. The Glory of God, and Welfare of their People sway more with such, than their own self-Interest, or Personal Greatness. They always post­pone their private Advantages to the publick Good, and make less reckoning of their own than their Subjects safety. And this is notorious, from those many dangers they voluntarily expose themselves to, which 'tis not imaginable they would ever do, if they had not more regard to the Honour of God and the Subjects Weal, than to their own Applause and Interests.

The Greek and Roman Histories inform us of some that sacrificed their Lives upon their Countries score, as Codrus, Decius, and several others; but whence sprang this adven­turous Love? from natural Courage, Ambition, vain Glo­ry, Affectation of a Statue, superstitious observation of Ora­cles, or the like. But truly Religious Princes act from No­bler Principles, and are moved by the mighty impulse of him, who sits upon the Circle of the Earth, Isa. 40.22, 23. and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers; that bringeth Wicked Princes to nothing, and ma­keth the Judges of the Earth as Vanity.

Now who those Princes be that are truly Religious, be­cause many pretenders are in the World, is not very easie for us to know. The Heart falls not within our Cogni­zance, for no man can sufficiently understand his own, and how then should he know another Mans? we leave that therefore to his Judgment, who is the Maker and Searcher of it.

The Text describes them to us by an universal Conformi­ty to the Law of God, in turning to him with all their heart, with all their Soul, and with all their might: which shews the nature of true Conversion, it must be Universal. A partial Change is an imperfect one; for half an Heart is such an Offering as God will have no respect unto. He who made the whole, requires the whole; and therefore he who gives him not the whole, but reserves a part for ano­ther, [Page 27] robs God of his Right, and by that reservation despe­rately cheats himself too.

Our exactest Scrutinies cannot penetrate any further in­to the Heart of Man, because it lyes quite out of our sight, than it discovers it self by Overt Acts. This we know, an Hypocrite may for a time appear to be a Saint, but his Vi­zor will off at one time or other; for will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? Job 27.10. But where there is true Grace in the Heart, there will not be a Personating, but a real Acting of Holiness in the Life: Can the Fountain be sweet, and yet send forth bitter streams? Can the Tree be good, and not the Fruit? So it is impos­sible for a Sanctified Heart not to shew it self in a Reform­ed Life. In whomsoever the principle of true Sanctificati­on is rooted, it will spread and branch out it self, and ex­tend to others. Holiness is not only of a Diffusive, but also of an Assimilating Nature, and would have all like it self. When men are throughly converted, they will en­deavour the Conversion of others. Having effectually tast­ed of the immerited Love of God, they will be telling what he hath done for their Souls; and having their Hearts per­fumed with the fragrancy of Free-Grace, they will always retain the Scent, and be ever admiring and commending it to others.

We may then say, that truly Religious Princes will not put their Candle under a Bushel, but set it in a Candle­stick, that it may give light to their Subjects; nor hide their precious Oyntment, but break the Box of Spikenard, that the Odour may perfume the People: For they are un­der an Obligation to countenance and encourage the Gospel, and to endeavour the Reformation of those under them. For,

Secondly, There is more required of such Princes, than Obj. 2 their own private Assent and Consent to the true Religion; they must promate it in their Dominions, by all such ways as are allowed or commanded of in Scripture. It is the Duty of eve­ry Christian to do what he can for God, and the Kingdom of [Page 28] his Son, in his private Capacity; and then much more the Prince's, who is exalted to an higher station, and placed in an Orb, wherein he may shine as the Sun before his people. It is no part of my present work to speak of the power of Princes in matters Civil and Political, the Laws and Con­stitutions of the Government must be the Rule there: Defence of the Present Go­vernment. We must have recourse to the wholsome Laws and Customs of our Countrey, for our direction in Civil Proceedings. Neither our Saviour, nor his Apostles intermeddled with Civil Government, but left that as they found it. Christs Kingdom was not of this World, and therefore he and his Apostles medled no farther with the Kingdoms of the World, than to teach all their Duties in their respective Stations, the Magistrates to Rule, and the people to Obey in the fear of God. The Standard of our Civil Government is the Law of the Land; it is superiour to all Orders and Ranks of Men, and looks with an equal aspect upon the Prince and People. The Author of Jovian says, that the King is a Soveraign doubly limited, p. 212. by the Laws of God, and the Civil Laws of his Kingdom. And (out of Bracton) adds, Et sub Lege, ibid. quia Lex facit Regem: He is under the Law, because the Law makes the King. And Dr. Hammond upon the words, Pract. latech. l. 2. p. 160. [He beareth not the Sword in vain, he is God's Minister, an Avenger for wrath to him that doth ill] says, By this is intimated, that the Sword is, as far as respects this Life, put into the hands of the lawful Magistrate, with Com­mission to use it, as the Constitution of the Kingdom shall best direct.

I shall therefore limit my Discourse to things pertaining to Religion, and enquire briefly how far the Civil Magi­strate is interested therein; and this I shall do with humble reverence to Almighty God, and a due respect to those whom he hath set over us in the Government of this Realm, by laying down a few Theses or Positions.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Supream Head, Gover­nour, Eph. 5.23. Col. 2.10. and Legislator of his Church, and he hath not dele­gated [Page 29] this his Headship, Government, and Legislature, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. Joh. 15.14. Jam. 4.12. Isai. 9.6, 7. to any Person, or Persons upon Earth. He hath left no Hu­mane Vicar or Deputy to preside over it; for neither Pope, nor general Councils, nor National Synods, nor the Civil Magistrate singly, or with the Body Representative in Par­liament, have any Soveraign Authority in Church Affairs. In things purely Divine they cannot make one Law to bind the Conscience to Obedience. They have nothing to do to make Articles of Faith, to compose Forms of Prayer and Worship, and impose them upon the people under Pe­nalties, to make Ecclesiastical Canons and Rubricks, and to decree Rites and Ceremonies. Christ hath strictly tyed his Church to the observation of the Rules laid down by him in his Word: Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you, John 15.14. I your sole Lord, Head, and Master, to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is given, Mat. 28.18. And therefore the Churches of Christ own none other Head but him; nay, they dare not own any other, because God hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the Head over all things to the Church, Eph. 1.22. To admit of any other Head, whether Polilical or Ministerial, were to deny his Headship. The Saints are the best friends to Caesar, they are, as Elisha said of Elijah, The Chariot of Isrrel, and the Horsmen thereof, 2 Kings 2.12. But they are forbid­den to give to Caesar the things that are Gods. With respect to things Civil, they will, yea, they must own the Su­pream Magistrate; but with respect to Divine Worship, they must own no Master or Superior but Christ.

The Argument that the Sticklers for Magistratical Au­thority in Religion draw from the Jewish Kings, is of no force under the Dispensation of the Gospel, could they prove what they are never able to do, that they were God was its a­lone Head, the Government being a Theo­cracy. Jerubbaal. p. 312. Heads of the Church: because, as the Learned Answerer of Mr. Tomb's Theodulia saith, Betwixt the Oeconomy of the Law and Gospel, there is a vast disproportion; many things were of old lawful, which now to practise were no less than a denyal of Christ come in the flesh. And a little after, the same Worthy [Page 30] Author says, That neither the Rulers of the Jews, or any o­ther Nations had de Jure any such Dominion or Power over their Subjects, as to make Laws, introduce Constitutions of their own framing, in Matters relating to Worship, and compell them by force and Violence to be subject thereunto.

As little success they have had, who urge the Power as­sumed by the first Christian Emperours; for if they took upon them the Headship of the Church, they invaded Christs Prerogative; and it is not what they did, but what they had Warrant from the Word to do, that is Preceden­tial to us.

Those Jewish Kings, David, Hezekiah, and Josiah, had Divine Warrant for what they did; and Solomon in depo­sing Abiathar from the Priesthood, acted not as Head of the Church, but as King of Israel: for as the Author before mention'd truly distinguisheth, Jerubbaal p. 314 Solomon deposed Abiathar not as High Pontifee, or Head of the Church, for Male administra­tion in Church Affairs, but as King of Israel, for treason against the Commonwealth, in the business of Adonijah.

But though Christ hath constituted no Heads, Vicars, or Deputies over his Churches, yet he hath not left them without a Power to act by in Church Society: For, when people by the inward working of the Spirit, through the outward Ministry of the Word, are effectually wrought up­on, and have voluntarily joyn'd themselves into Church Fellowship, for the mutual participation of all the Ordi­nances of Christ, they have then a power to Elect such Persons as they shall judge fitted with Spiritual Gifts and Qualifications for the Ministry and Exercise of the same Power, and therein they are to proceed by a close adherence to the Rule of the Gospel.

To prevent all Mistakes touching the Power and Au­thority which Christ hath given to his Church, I do not assert any Soveraign, [...]wen's true [...]ature of a Go­ [...]el Ch. c. 8. [...] 163. Legislative or Lordly Power, but such as is Declarative or Ministerial, only with respect to Christs Authority, and the Churches Liberty, and in it's [Page 31] nature is purely Spiritual; for whether we consider the Object, the Souls and Consciences of Men; or the End, the Glory of God, in directing of them to live unto God, and to come to the fruition of him; or the Rule, the Word and Command of Christ himself alone; or the Acts and Ex­ercise of it, in Binding and Loosing, in Remitting and Re­taining Sin, in opening and shutting the Kingdom of Heaven; it is in every part meerly and only spiritual: From whence the Conclusion is plain, that all such Acts and Exercise of Rule or Government, from any Interest in Church Af­fairs, which are Carnal, Political, Despotical, of Exter­nal Operation, or not entirely Spiritual, are utterly to be excluded, as wholly Heterogeneous to Christs Headship and Government.

2. The Churches of Christ are not National or Political Bodies, See Assembly in their Jus Divinum, Rutherford in his Divine Right of Ch. Govern­ment. as States and Commonwealths, but they are Congregatio­nal and Spiritual Societies, and have Laws and Offices di­stinct from those of the Commonwealth.

(1.) They have Laws formally different from those of the Commonwealth, viz. The Precepts of Christ himself alone: As,

1. About Church Officers, they must have a Divine Call and Mission, Mark 16.15. and John 20.21.

2. About Church Duties, as Prayer, Preaching, &c. which must all be performed according to the Word.

3. About Church gathering and Discipline; Members are to be admitted, and Offendors dealt with as the Rule, the Command of Christ directs.

(2.) The Churches of Christ have Officers distinct from those of the Civil Magistrate, they are of his sending and appointment, Eph. 4.8.11. and 1 Cor. 12.28; they are elected and ordained by the Church, Acts 6.3, 4, and 14, 23. 1 Tim. 4.14. and Acts 13.1, 2, 3, 4; they act in Christ's [Page 32] Name, and by his Authority, 1 Cor. 4.1. 2 Cor. 5.20. Gal. 1.1. and Mat. 28.19, 20.

It is the saying of Optatus Milevitanus an African Bishop, Non enim Re­publica est in Ec­clesia; sed Ec­clesia Republi­câ. Lib. 3. That the Commonwealth is not in the Church, but the Church is in the Commonwealth. And 'tis a great Truth, for were it otherwise, the two Societies would be confounded, which are essentially distinct from each other. If the Common­wealth should be in the Church, then there could be no Church but there must also be a Commonwealth, and where­soever there is a Commonwealth, there would be a Church. But this is so absurd, I will not spend time in the confutati­on of it. We learn from the Word, that the Churches of Christ are gathered out of the Kingdoms and Common­wealths of the World, by the preaching of the Gospel, and united into Bodies by other Bonds and Confederations than Civil Societies are; the Members of the one may be Mem­bers of the other Society, but the Laws, Officers and man­ner of Administration are perfectly distinct.

3. The Civil Magistrate has no Legislative or Coercive power in things of meer Religion. 'Tis his duty to protect the Churches of Christ in the free Exercise of Religious Worship, to punish Vice and Prophaneness, and to minister Justice to Evil doers. But he has no power to institute, al­ter, change or abolish any thing in the Worship of God, or to punish the man for his Conscience.

4. The Civil Magistrate is to Rule his Subjects in the fear of God, and to be a Nursing Father to the Churches of Christ. He ought to be a person as David was, a man af­ter Gods own Heart; a Man Exemplary for Holiness, Righ­teousness, and all other Vertues, and to promote, as much as in him lyes, by Precept, Recommendation, and Exam­ple, true Piety and Religion in their Dominions.

Obs. 3 Thirdly, Religious Princes cannot be capable of a greater Honour in this World, than to be the Instruments of a Godly [Page 33] Reformation among their Subjects. Some Princes have been bloody Murtherers of their Countrey, and cruel Per­secutors of their people, and have made Laws for the Justi­fication of their Barbarities: Vide Aug. tom 4. Thus Valerian enacted against the poor Christians, That unless they sacrificed to the Heathen Gods, they should be exposed to divers kinds of Punishments; and Dioclesians Edict against them was, That no Man should sell, Beda in hymno Jul. Mart. or secretly give them any thing, except they would first burn In­cense to the Gods. These and all like them shall stink for ever in the infamy of their Names, whiles the memories of good Princes shall be always precious. The remembrance of the one shall rot, and the other shall be ever fresh and flourishing. The remembrance of Josiah is like the per­fume that is made by the Art of the Apothecary; it is as sweet as Honey in all Mouths, and as Musick at a Banquet of Wine: He behaved himself uprightly in the Reformati­on of the People, and took away all the abominations of Iniquity: He directed his Heart unro the Lord, and in the time of the Ungodly he establish'd Religion. Jeroboam, Omri, Ahab, and other wicked and irreligious Kings, have left a Brand of Ignominy upon their Names, that time will never wear out. The decree of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3.29. Dan. 6.26. Ezra 1.1, 2, for speak­ing honourably of the God of Shadrach, Meshech and Abedne­go; of Darius, for worshipping the God of Daniel; and of Cyrus, for building the Temple at Jerusalem, more beautifi­ed their Diadem's, than all their Victories and Empire over Nations.

Constantine the first Emperour that embraced the Chri­stian Faith, was surnamed the Great, more for his Piety than his Greatness. 'Tis the protecting, favouring, and en­couraging of Religion, that brings in the largest Revenues of Glory to Princes. Such shall have the Divine Protection to watch over them, for the eye of the Lord is over them that fear him, and put their hope in his mercy, Psal. 33.18. They shall constantly be remembred in the prayers of the Lords People, and have a Name more honourable and lasting, than one cut in Beams of Cedar, or Pillars of Brass.

Obs. 2 Fourthly, The Word of God alone is the Rule to which both Princes and People must attend in all matters relating to Religion. Whoever shall go about to redress the Cor­ruptions of the English Church, will undertake an excel­lent Work undoubtedly, acceptable to God, and desired by all good Men; and my earnest prayers shall be, that he may never fail of success in so brave and Christian an Enter­prize. The measures that some Princes have observed, have been taken from wrong Standards, carnal Ends, and worldly Counsels; and they themselves have been rather governed by Schemes and platforms of designing Men, than the unerring Oracles of the Living God, which doubtless has been one main Remora to a thorough Reformation. It was this which stifled the English Reformation in the Birth, and if not removed, will render all attempts of this kind abortive. For whiles men advise a Reformation suitable to such Models as they themselves contrive, and refuse to hear­ken to the Lord Christ commanding and directing in his Word? what ought to be done, how can it be expected that ever a good End should be attained, when the only adequate means are omitted? When the Affairs of Religi­on are as carnally debated as Temporal matters, and the Church is no otherwise considered than as a part of the State; nay, when things are so jumbled, that there is no discerning Church from State, but persons are made Mem­bers of the former, as soon as they are born Subjects of the latter, and so come to know hardly any other Regenerati­on, than what they are told they received by Infant-Sprink­ling: in a word, when nothing will content some Men but a Draught of Reformation forg'd in the Shop of their own Brains, or when they are so stubborn that they will not submit to the Inclination of an Excellent Prince, or so blind, that they cannot see the necessity of an Amend­ment; we may as soon hope to see Turk and Pope turn Pro­testants, as some Vizarded Protestants set forward a Refor­mation: For Reformation work is contrary to the sensual [Page 35] Lusts and Interests of worldly men, and therefore will meet with constant opposition from them; yet notwithstand­ing all their endeavours to obstruct it, nothing shall be able to stand before him whom God hath appointed to the Work. All difficulties shall be removed, and hinderances immediately vanish in that day, that the Lord shall say un­to his Zerubbabel, Not by might, nor by power, Zech. 4.6, 7. but by my Spi­rit, saith the Lord of Hosts: Who art thou, O great Mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the Head-stone thereof, with shoutings, crying Grace, Grace, unto it.

Wherefore, Be strong O Zerubbabel, Hag. 2.4. 1 Chron. 12.32. Hag. ibid. and be strong all ye people, who have understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, for I am with you saith the Lord of Hosts.

As for those Dignitaries of the English Church, who pre­tend a willingness to reform Errors and Abuses, by Hu­mane Canons and Constitutions; I humbly desire them to consider whether mens Traditions are a good Rule to reform by, because they are erroneous; and whether the Word of God is not a sufficient Rule of it self, without their sinful Additions? Let the Sacred Book therefore be opened, and if upon examination the Building be Babel, let it be pull'd down, and not one stone left upon another, how goodly so­ever the Structure hath been in the Eyes of the long dazled and deluded Spectators.

Consult no longer with the base Inclinations, and corrupt reasonings of Flesh and Blood; but away to the Law and Testimony; Covenant with the Lord, as Josiah and his Peo­ple did, to keep his Commandments and his Testimonies with all your heart, and with all your soul, 2 Chron. 34.31.

And whereas there are some others that would perswade the People, that no Reformation is needful, I would en­treat them seriously to answer me these following Questions:

1. Was a Reformation necessary in Josiah's time, and did he well in restoring the true Worship of God? Is the Case of England much different from that of Judah's? Nay, is [Page 36] not our Apostacy as palpable as hers? and then are not we in as much need of a Reformation?

2. Are the Cathedral and Parochial Churches (as they are vulgarly called) of England, called and constituted ac­cording to the Rule and Order of the Gospel, or are they not? if they are not, then they cannot but stand, in need of Reformation: If they are, then these two things (among others) must be made out:

• 1. That they have the right Matter, and
• 2. The right Form of a Gospel-Church.

1. If they have the right Matter of a Gospel Church, then the Persons or Members thereof are Visible Saints: For by Matter, we understand the Persons whereof a Church consists, with their Qualifications. Now that we may know whether the Members constituting the Cathedral and Parochial Churches of England, are Persons fitly qualified, and so right Matter of a Gospel Church, we will see what the Scripture says in that point, for that must be our Rule herein: And upon search we shall find the right Matter of a Gospel-Church to be Visible Saints; they are called New Creatures, 2 Cor. 5.17. Heb. 3.1, 1. 1 Pet. 2.5, 9. Joh. 15, 18, 19. Eph. 1.14. 2 Cor. 6.18. Holy Brethren, Partakers of the Heavenly Cal­ling, Living stones, a chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, chosen out of the World, Christs purchased Possession, the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty. Now if we can find such a choice, select, san­ctified, and separate People from the World, that is, from the sinful Doctrines, Courses, Customs, and Society of the World, in the Cathedral and Parochial Assemblies, then they have the right Matter of a Gospel-Church; if not, but their Members are as mix't as the Head, and the major number openly to be profane, carnal, scandalous Livers, such as Swearers, Adulterers, Drunkards, Lyars, Backbi­ters, Persecutors, Revilers, or at best meer Formalists; have we any ground to call these Visible Saints▪ and to reckon [Page 37] them fit Materials for the Spiritual Building of a Gospel Church?

2. As right Matter, Visible Saints are one Constituent part of a Gospel Church, so right Form is the next thing required to its Essence or Being. By Form, I mean, the manner how any Persons come to be a Church, and that is, by a free Consent and Agreement to unite in Fellow­ship, for the performing of all the Duties, and observation of all the Appointments of Christ, and for the exercise of that Power wherewith he hath entrusted them, according to the Rule of his Word. This is the Formal Cause or Constitutive Form of a particular Church, namely, their Owen's True Nature of a Gosp. Church, p. 21. Actual, express, voluntary Consent to Walk together for the Ends, and according to the Rule aforementioned.

But you will ask me perhaps: What? is there nothing pre-required unto this Conjunction of Visible Saints in a particular Church? Is no more to be done, than for Believ­ers immediately to enter into Church Fellowship?

I answer, They are first to be Baptized, before they are admitted to Church Society. In which point the Scrip­ture is so clear, that there is no place for Hesitation about it. The Church at Jerusalem was the first Gospel Church, this was not to depart from thence, but wait for the promise of the Father, Acts 1.4. The number of the Names was about an hundred and twenty. v. 15. These when the day of Pen­tecost was fully come, were all with one accord in one place, Acts 2.1. and were all filled with the Holy Ghost, v. 4. By the help whereof Peter proved so convincingly to the Murtherers of Christ, that God hath made the same Jesus whom they, the Jews, had crucified, both Lord and Christ, v. 36. that they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? verse 37. Peter presently directs them in this their great extremity: Repent, saith he, and be baptized [Page 38] every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the Remission of Sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, ver. 38. Upon testification of their Faith and Repentance, they were Baptized about three thousand Souls, and added to the Church, v. 41. Here is a plain Account of the Apostles man­ner of receiving persons into Church Fellowship, They that gladly received the Word, were Baptized, and then Added.

If now upon Examination it prove, that such as are Visible Saints, and Baptized into Jesus Christ, Rom. 6.3. do make up the Cathedral and Parochial Societies of Eng­land, then they are rightly constituted in respect of Mat­ter; and if Mighty Grace having bowed them to the feet of Jesus, they have freely consented to give up themselves to the Lord, and to one another, to walk together in Church Fellowship, in obedience to all Christs Institu­tions, then are they also rightly constituted in respect of Form: But if one or both of these are wanting, as there is cause enough to believe so: Let them cry, The Tem­ple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these; and Preach and Print Apologies and Vindications in Defence of the Excellent Constitution, as they call it, of the Church of England, on purpose to obstruct the searches of the Inquisitive, and to retain the Ignorant in their Igno­rance; this will not justifie them before God at the Great Day, thô now their false Pleas pass undiscovered by the un­thinking Croud of poor deluded Wretches.

I heartily wish, that the Guides and Teachers who act by publick Authority, would not be led more by Inte­rest than by Truth; that they would lay down their Prejudices which they imbibed in their Education, and received by Tradition from their Fathers, and would beg of God to direct them to enquire into Gospel Verities: I am perswaded the Lord would either teach them to dis­cern their Mistakes, or to exercise more Moderation, [Page 39] and Charity towards those whose Judgments are convinc'd of former Errors.

I conclude all with a little variation of the Apostles words in another case, Rom. 14.3, 4. Let not him who is in an Error, judge him who is convinc'd, for God hath received him. Who art thou that censurest and condemnest another? to Christ he standeth in the Truth; yea, he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand.