The arraignment of rebellion, or, The irresistibility of sovereign powers vindicated and maintain'd in a reply to a letter / by John Aucher ...

SECTION II.

To all which, You are pleased to answer for your self. That you are so far from making any Rule of the Old Testament, much less any practice there, a certain guide for us now without the same Spirit; That you do not hold that any Rule of the New Testament will justify an action that is con∣form'd

thereunto, unless it be done also in a New Testament Spirit.

Truely, Sir, what you say is very right, That a New Testament Spirit, i. e. Charity is a necessary qualification to denominate any action to be truly good. For, Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and have not Charity, saith St. Paul, it pro∣fiteth me nothing. But this comes not home at all to the case. For the Question between us is not, Whether any action can be good now without Cha∣rity? But, Whether Charity, or a good end, can make any action (how foul and lawless soever) to be good? Bonum, say the Schoolmen, fit ex Inte∣gris; Malum è quolibet defectu. To make a thing evil, it is sufficient that it fail in any one cir∣cumstance; but it must be perfect, and complete throughout to make it good. And therefore, though to be done without Charity, or a New Testament Spirit, be enough indeed to make any action evil: it will by no means follow from hence, That whereever Charity is, the action must streight be good, supposing it to fail yet in some other parti∣cular. For then all actions will be alike. Treason, Perjury, Lying, and the rest, in an equal degree of vertue, and capacity to good, as Alms, and Prayers, and Martyrdom. As neither of them good, if not done in Charity: So by that they may all be sub∣lim'd into necessary acts of Piety, and Religion. Whereas these things are so intrinsecally evil, and ex natura Rei, that they can never be otherwise. Lying (for example) being so contrary to the na∣ture, and essence of God, who is Truth it self, that He can no more lye, than not be God. God cannot lye. And what He cannot doe himself, no Spirit

of his whether of the Old, or New Testament, can authorize, or approve any in the doing of it.

But yet farther. The question is, Whether in the New Testament times, an Old Testament spirit can be pretended, to justify any in those old practices? For so your professing not to make that instance of Jael a rule, or example for any to act by, without the same spirit: And afterwards, That those who are exercised in these ways by vir∣tue of such an example, if they have not a spirit pro∣portionable, will bring but the greater wrath upon themselves, does pretty well imply what I onely charged you with; That you pretend therefore to the spirit of Jael; and so fall back from Christ to Moses; from the Gospel to the Law; Nay from that glorious midday-light in the Gospel (which he that runs may reade) to secure your selves, as in Jael, in the darkness, and ignorance of the first Times.

The Old Testament spirit was indeed the spirit of God; but fitted, and proportion'd to Circumci∣sion, the Old Testament, or Old Covenant it self to which it served. Which being now out-dated and superseded by a better, a Covenant established upon better promises: There is likewise a better spirit, that is to say, a higher, and more excellent administration of the same spirit in proportion to it. For, as the Apostle argues, that, The Priest∣hood being chang'd, there is made of necessity a change also of the Law: So the Law, or Testament being chang'd, there is made of necessity a change also of the spirit. Though both from God, the Old Testament, and the Old spirit, yet both to be altered, and made better by him. Ye know not what spirit ye are of (saith our Saviour to his three

Disciples) For the Son of man came not to destroy, &c. Thereby evidently distinguishing his spirit not in these three Disciples onely, but in all that belong to the Son of man, and own him for their Saviour, from that destroying spirit of Elias, which ruled and govern'd in the Old Testament.

The Law was given in Thunder and Lightning, as being the letter of condemnation, and so to be managed by a killing, and destroying spirit, always expressing it self in Zeal, and fiery indignation (And from hence came that Jus Zelotarum among the Jews) as in Phinehas, Elias, and the whole Tribe of Levi, who consecrated themselves to the service of God, and attendance on his Altar, in the bloud of their Brethren. Whereas the Gospel of peace coming down like the rain into a fleece of wool, as being the ministry for reconciling sinners to God; of seeking, and saving that which was lost, is according∣ly actuated with a spirit of Charity born upon the wings of a mighty love, and immortal patience; spreading, and stretching it self to our greatest en∣emies, and the highest opposers of Religion for edi∣fication, and not for their destruction. And, in a contrary method to the Levitical consecration in the Old Testament, a main qualification to adapt, or consecrate any one for the service of the New, is That he be no striker. The old spirit of Zeal is become it self now a work of the Flesh. Mercy, meekness, and moderation are the proper vertues, and a New commandment of Love superinstituted in the stead of it. Old things are passed away, be∣hold all things are become New. A new Testament, and a new spirit, like new wine put into new bot∣tles for the preservation of both.

And as the old Covenant of Circumcision, which, while it was in force, was urg'd by God with so much strictness, and severity, that the omitting of it was instant death, and excision (Whosoever among you is not circumcis'd, that soul shall be cut off from his people) Is yet become in the New Testament not unnecessary onely, but far more hurtfull, and per∣nicious in the use of it, than the contempt, or neg∣lect of it, could formerly have been. If ye be cir∣cumcised, says St. Paul, Christ shall profit you no∣thing. So the Old Testament spirit, which was accounted for righteousness to Phinehas, Elias, and the rest, will bring as swift destruction upon any now who pretend to it. As many of you as are justifyed by the Law are faln from Grace. 'Tis a plain renouncing, and bidding farewell to the spirit of Grace, to justify your actions by the spirit of the Law: a preferring Moses before Christ; a direct apostatizing to the sect of the Jews: and the most hatefull opposition to Christ, and his Gospel. Which is made so much more odious than the Judaism of Old, in as much as it pretends to this from a height, and growth in Christianity: A Judaism not from the Jews, but Judas, who in appearance of kindness, and greater interest, and familiarity with his Master, did shamelesly betray him. Thus they are, forsooth, lifted above Ordi∣nances; and while the rest of the Apostles are put upon duties, Watching and Praying in the garden; While all other Christians are under command to their Superiours, Defrauding no man, Truth in their promisses, and the like; and not thinking our selves worthy to sit down with Christ on his Throne, esteem it a special privilege to enjoy him in his

Sacraments; To shew forth the Lord's death till he come (as we are bidden) in the Holy Supper; and to be born again of water, and the spirit; as a necessary condition of seeing the Kingdom of God: Judas rushes in with a hasty kiss: And so these o∣vergrown Christians with their lanterns, and wea∣pons, and armed men, fall presently a kissing of Christ; no longer to be kept off at the distance of a Sacrament or the reverence of a duty; but under colour of a greater growth, and interest in him, betray him manifestly to the Jews, and that Old Testament spirit, in all his Laws, and Sacra∣ments, and services, to be crucified by them at their will.

That there are indeed several degrees, and growths in Christanity is perfectly true. There is the Babe, and the perfect man in Christ: there is the weaker, and the stronger Christian; and that, both in respect of knowledge, and in respect of Grace, whereby some Christians are more regene∣rate, have mortified farther than others: Some Christians are more knowing, and so at greater freedom, and liberty than others. But yet certain∣ly they are all within the same inclosure of Obedi∣ence to the Laws, and Commandments of Christ. The less knowing Christian may perhaps miss some part of that liberty, which Christ hath pur∣chased for him; but the most knowing must not dare to transgress the least law, or command of his Master. The freedom onely lies in matters of a middle nature; which being under no command or prohibition at all, the weak, or ignorant Christian does by his want of knowledge conceive otherwise; and so obliges himself to doe or not to doe, accordingly.

And thus likewise in the growth of Grace, and de∣grees of mortification; He that mortifies least, must yet be supposed to mortifie every known lust, and to practise an Uniform obedience to the Laws of Christ. He that is partial to himself in either is but almost a Christian. The degree consists not in mortifying this sin which another does not; or in obeying this law, or command of Christ, which another Christian on the same occasion would not: But in mortifying this sin in a greater measure; hating it with a more perfect hatred; watching more diligently against the occasions, and provoca∣tions which lead to it; praying more frequently, and earnestly against it. So in obeying the com∣mand with a greater desire, and delight, Virtutis amore, making it our own choice; judging the command most fit, and reasonable; the yoke to be an easie yoke; and so our obedience, and submission to it the very pleasurable part of our lives. And yet farther enlarging our mortification to some freedoms, and Indulgences allow'd unto us by God, and his Church, wherein we think fit to restrain our selves. All things are lawfull for me (says the Apostle) but I will not be brought under the power of any. And thus in our obedience; not confining it barely to the plain laws, and commands of our Lord; but aiming likewise at his counsels, and en∣deavouring towards perfection. And while we might without sin, nay doe well, as S. Paul says, by giving our Virgin in marriage; yet resolve by giving her not in marriage to doe better. Put our selves with the A∣postle into the Theatre, when we might have the benefit to escape Persecution. Labour with our hands when we have a power to live of the Gospel; and the like.

Notes

• 1 Cor. 13.3.
• John 14.6.
• Num. 33.19.
• Heb. 8.6.
• Heb. 7.12.
• Luk. 9.55.
• Exod. 32.28, 29.
• 1 Tim. 3.3. Tit. 1.7.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gal. 5.20.
• 2 Cor. 5.17.
• Gen. 17.14.
• Gal. 5.2.
• v. 4.
• 1 Cor. 11.26.
• Joh. 3.3.
• 1 Cor. 6.12.
• 1 Cor. 7.38.
• Act. 19.30.
• 1 Cor. 9.