Conscientiously be atended to CHAP. VII The Gospel-Church-State with the Institutions Ordinances thereunto appertaining is annex'd unto and bottomed upon the New-Covenant Demonstrated from Scripture-Prophesie Isa 59.21 Ezek. 11.19 20. and 36.25 26 27. at large explained From several places in the New-Testament wherein 't is clearly asserted so to be Luk. 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. Heb. 10.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Considered That they belong not to the Old Covenant proved The donation of the Spirit Faith Peace Joy c. From the New-Covenant these Communicated as we are found attending on the Lord in Gospel-Institutions These are given forth to the Saints for the trial of their Love Loyalty as they stand related are betrothed to him in the New-Covenant Jer. 3.14 15. Explained Demonstration VII THE Gospel-Church-state with the Institutions Ordinances thereunto appertaining is annexed unto bottom'd upon the New-Covenant Therefore it 's perpetual abiding The consequence is evident what is annext to bottom'd upon that which is permanent cannot be it self otherwise it must abide continue as that to which it 's affixt on which it 's bottom'd does The whole Judaick-Church-State with all its Ordinances Institutions was built upon that Covenant God of Old took Israel into Heb. 9.1 This Covenant was mutable changeble a time was fixt by the Lord for it's abolition Represented at first in the breaking of the Tables of Stone in which the Law or Covenant was writ Exod. 32.19 Yet so long as that abode the Institutions thereunto appertaining were in force therefore the Apostle being to prove the cessation of the Jewish-Church-state amongst other mediums makes use of this as one that the Covenant God took that people into was perioded abolished Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 13. So then if the Gospel-Church-state Ordinances are annext to the New-Covenant they are cannot but be permanent except that Covenant also be supposed and can be proved to be otherwise That the Gospel-Church-state and all the Ordinances thereof are annext to and bottom'd upon the New-Covenant is evident from 1. Scripture-Prophesie declaring that so it shall be Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and My Words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed saith the Lord from hence-forth and for ever 'T is the Covenant that God takes believers into the Gospel-Covenant that he speaks of This is my Covenant with them these are call'd Christ's Seed So Chap. 53.10 Concerning them he saith that the words which he puts into the mouth of Christ i. e. whatever he gave Christ as the great Prophet of the Church in charge to communicate to them all the Laws Institutions given forth by Christ were part of Gods words he put into his mouth Shall not depart out of their mouths i. e. they shall be found in the practice of subjecting to them whilst there are any Saints in this World they shall be so And this as a branch part of that Covenant God takes them into Ezek. 11.19 20. And I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony-heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes and keep mine Ordinances and do them and they shall be My People and I will be their GOD. The former part of the words I will give them one heart and the latter they shall be my People and I will be their GOD are the sum and substance of the New-Covenant Jer. 32.29 Unto this then the Statutes and Ordinances do evidently appertain for the Lord takes them to be his People gives himself to them to be their GOD gives them one heart puts a new Spirit within them that they may walk in his Statutes keep his Ordinances and do them If there be any Saints under the New-Covenant if a new Spirit be put within them then are there also Statutes and Ordinances Gospel-Institutions for them to walk in and in their doing so they discover themselves to be Gods People as he is their God Ezek. 36.25 26 27. is fully to the same purpose Then will I sprinkle clean Water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthyness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the Stony-heart out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to Walk in in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements to do them If the donation of the Spirit Regeneration Sanctification be a part branch of the New-Covenant the Statutes and Judgments of the LORD are so too and these such a part of it that there 's at least ground of Jealousie whether any are really made partakers of the former who are found except under the power of temptation in the total neglect rejection of these for the Spirit c. is given to cause them to Walk in Gods Statutes and to keep his Judgments And it 's worthy observation that God hath equally obliged himself to cause his People to walk in the wayes of his Institution as to give the Spirit c. to them So that evidently there must be a continuation of Churches Ordinances or there are no Saints there 's an end of the New-Covenant 2. And as it 's fore-prophesied of that in the dayes of the New-Covenant-oeconomy thus it should be so it 's evidently declared that upon the Introduction of that Ministration so it was Gospel-Institutions and Ordinances are plainly asserted to be annexed to the New-Covenant Christ himself intimates as much Luke 22.19 20. And he took Bread and gave Thanks and break it and gave unto them saying This is my Body which was given for you This do in remembrance of me likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New-Testament in my Blood which is shed for you As circumcision was call'd the Covenant as upon other acounts so because 't was a part or branch of it so is this institution of Christ call'd the New-Testament because a part or branch thereof And if it be Objected That this is only asserted of the Cup one part of one institution not of the whole much less of all Gospel-Institutions The Answer is easie what 's asserted of any one part is true of the whole and if the Cup be the New-Testament the Bread is so and if one institution be so every one is so too At the same rate the Apostle speaks after he had seen the Lord and convers'd with him 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. And most evidently fully Heb. 10.16 to 26. where he tells us that our drawing nigh viz. to God in wayes of Gospel-Institutions the
Europe is made a shambles wherein the Blood of millions of the Innocent Lambs of Christ hath been poured forth for which they shall be plagued destroyed in the time appointed by the Lord These things are known to all who have thought it their concern in the least to turn aside to consider of them The boody cruelties of the Antichristian Party against the Bohemians in Holland also the Massacre of Paris Ireland the Valleys of Piedmont c. wherein many thousands of the Lord 's Innocent Ones have been barbarously murder'd for no other reason in the World but because they laboured according to their Light to maintain and be found in the Doctrine and Worship of Christ is yet recent in the memory of most What heart so rocky as to read the Histories of the deep suffeings of those worthy witnesses of our Lord the Waldenses without pouring forth floods of tears What treacheries clandestine Plots breach of Covenants Oaths have the Antichristians been found guilty of pursuant to that bloody principle Nulla fides No Faith is to be kept with Haereticks and all are such in their account that embrace not their heresie abomnable Idolatries that they might obtain their end to waste destroy root out the Heritage of God Another way Satan hath taken to accomplish this his design is 2. Schisme amongst the Churches of Christ This was early set on foot even in the Apostles dayes 1 Cor. 3.3 11.18 When ye come together in the Church I hear that there be divisions Schisms among you and I partly believe it and hath been more or less with cunning heat violence managed ever since by Satan to the disturbing breaking crumbling into nothing some Churches of Christ The frequent charging and recharging of Schism upon each other by those that truely fear the Lord and agree in the fundamentals of Christianity hath been no small machine of the wicked one to weaken destroy them A work he 's still managing and we are too too little awakened to see his design and to study in the right Spirit to prevent it 'T would make ones heart to bleed to see hear with what keenness acrimony bitterness some Protestants are acted against others who are not of the same mind in all things whilst the Devil in the Papacy stands laughing to think what an easie prey hereby he shall make of them all Ah! alas where is the Christian simplicity amity How little respect have some to the great Commandment of Christ to Love one another who yet would be accounted his Disciples Were it not for a hasty Spirit bitter envying that is upon some one would think they had no concern for Religion at all and yet even this discovers that they are too little impregnated with the Spirit of the true Religion of Jesus Christ which engages to love meekness condescention mutual forbearance amongst Saints 3. False Doctrine Worship This also had an early entrance amongst the Churches The denial of the Resurrection of the dead substituting in the room thereof a metaphorick Resurrection betimes infected some at least of the Church at Corinth 1 Cor. 15. with 2 Tim. 2.18 Justification by the Law by Works was introduced into many of them as the Churches at Rome Galatia c. against whom the Apostle of the Gentiles Paul smartly disputes in his Epistles directed to them Into the pure Worship of God the inventions traditions of men were at last so introduced that God could no longer own it as his Worship at all And in respect of both these none ever were so degenerate corrupt as the Synagogue of Rome To enumerate particulars were endless what more contrary to Truth sound Doctrine than their assertions that the Original Hebrew and Greek of the Old and New-Testament is corrupt That the Scripture is not perspicuous cleer That to one Man the Pope the interpretation of Scripture doth belong who is Infallible and Judgment Conscience all is to be subjected to him That he is the alone Judge of Controversies who hath the Spirit of God given to him above others for his so doing That the Pope can dispense with the Law of God That he is Universal Head of the Church That he is not to be questioned for his Doctrine or Actions Si Papa infinitas animas in infernum traheret tamen nemo debet ei dicere quid facis If the Pope should carry an infinite number of Souls headlong to Hell none ought to say to him what doest thou For the will of the Pope stands for reason Glossa By his own Authority he can make Laws to bind the Consciences of the faithful He hath Power Authority over Princes can crown un-crown set up depose as he pleases That the Scriptures are not a sufficient Canon or rule of Faith and Manners but Traditions written and un-written are also necessary That Traditions are sufficient without the Scriptures but the Scriptures are not sufficient without Traditions That Christ is mediator only according to his humane Nature That 't is unlawful for Priests to marry That there is a certain place in which as in a prison after this life souls are purged who were not here perfectly purged that being so purg'd they might enter into Heaven That Saints are to be Worshipped That Images are to be Worshipped with the same Worship that is due to those whose Images they are as the Image of God Christ yea so that the Worship be terminated in the Image That the Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato That they justify That there are seven Sacraments That the Church hath power to Institute new Ceremonies for spiritual ends That persons un-Baptiz'd are damn'd there 's no salvation without it That Baptism takes away all sin That the Bread and Wine is converted into the Body and Blood of CHRIST That the Priest offers up Christ a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead to God the Father That there are sins in their own nature Venial That Concupiscence in those that are renued is no sin That men may be sav'd if they will 't is in their own power to believe c. That men are not justified by Faith without Works That inherent Righteousness justifies That none can be certain in this Life either of their Election Justification Perseverance to the end or Eternal Life That we are justified by Works that we merit Eternal Life by them And these are some of those pure streams that too many have a great mind to return to drink of and would by force bloody cruelty compel others to drink and be poysoned with them 4. False Visions lying Revelations upon which many times false Doctrine Worship hath been built supported Somwhat of these was also in the Apostles times Divine Visions Revelations there were many see Act. 10.11 16.9 18.9 10. 23.11 27.23 24. Gal. 1.12 2.1 2. 2 Cor. 12.4 Act. 7.55 10.3 Some also there were who were full of their false Visions Revelations 2 Thes 2.2 Now we
They were not the Powers of the world nor the declensions apostacies of the Subjects of that Ministration that put a Period to it but the Act of God himself the Soveraign thereof 5. Whatever the corruptions of the Church-state were as they were very great 't is the commendation of the Lords poor people that they continued in it as Zachary Elizabeth c. because in so doing they testify their subjection to the Lord who Instituted it 6. Nor was it actually removed but by the introduction of a new more spiritual sublime Ministration set on foot by Jesus the Son of God fore-prophesied of as the great Prophet of the Church who was to period that Ministration and set up another to whom we are charged to attend in all things Secondly Gospel-Churches or the Gospel-Church-State are said to be a House built upon a Rock Mat. 7.25 and 16.18 Vpon this Rock I will build my Church 'T is necessary that we Enquire I. What we are to understand by this Rock 1. The Papists tell us that by this Rock we are to understand Peter The vanity of which pretension is evident For 1. 'T is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon This Peter but upon This Rock 2. Peter no where in any of his Epistles asserts himself to be the Rock upon which the Church is Built nor do any of the Apostles in any of their Epistles so affirm of him He accounts himself but as an Apostle of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Co-Elder with the rest of the Presbyters or Elders 1 Pet. 5.1 3. Christ is asserted to be the alone Rock Foundation of his Church 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 3.11 in opposition to all others 4. He himself as well as other Believers was built upon the Rock which bare him and not he it or the Church 5. Paul expresly asserts 2 Cor. 11.5 that he was not inferior to the very chiefest Apostles which had been false if Peter had been constituted the Rock upon which the Church was built 6. If he were the Rock when he denied Christ as he did dreadfully and at last fell asleep What became of the Rock Foundation of the Church But this vain pretension is hardly worth our considering nor should it be granted would it at all conduce to the support of the Roman Papal Synagogue to which good service it 's design'd Therefore 2. By the Rock we are to understand the Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New-Covenant He is expresly so call'd 1 Cor. 10.4 Upon what account is not to our purpose at present to Enquire II. What we are to understand by the Church 1. Not particular Believers in a scattered dispersed State But 2. Saints gather'd together in the order and fellowship of the Gospel This is evident as if written with the beams of the Sun for to particular Believers as such in their scattee red dispersed State the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven ths Power of binding and loosing doth not appertain But to thi Church congregated it doth v. 19. III. What is signified by the gates of Hell which 't is said-shall not prevail against this Church First The subtlety policy of Satan Over the gates of the City was wont to be the Council-house Let all the Devils in Hell sin in Council against the Lords Church they shall not be able by all their cunning subtlety to prevail against it The subtle attempts of Satan to undermine destroy this Church have been are various To enumerate particulars is not our present design 'T is enough that our Lord assures us whatever they are they shall prove ineffectual Yet perhaps it may not be altogether impertinent to mention some few of his subtleties with respect to this matter He hath then attempted to destroy it in subtlety 1. With respect to Doctrin labouring to undermine destroy the fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel thereby subverting the Faith of some His attempts against the Person of Christ sometimes endeavouring to create a mis-belief with respect to his Eternal Deity to which John opposes himself in his Gospel by impregnable undeniable Arguments at other times to the verity of his Humanity against which the same Apostle advanceth himself in his Epistle 1 Joh. 1. his designs against the Offices of Christ were also early in the Apostle's days particularly against his Priestly Office labouring to introduce a justification by the Works of the Law or as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.32 viz. partly by Christ and partly by Works or internal Sanctification A design subtilly managed and carried on by the bloody Jesuits and others at this day as is known to which the Apostles in their Epistles and other Worthies since have oppos'd themselves But though he hath hereby drawn off at seasons not a few from the simplicity of the Gospel yet there hath all along been a Testimony born in the Churches against him which he hath not been able to withstand or repel 2. With respect to Worship and that two ways 1. By introducing humane Observances into the service of God and Christ so polluting defiling it that he accounts it not his Worship And hereby for a season he almost totally prevailed upon the body of Professors of Christanity So that the whole world as 't were wondred after this Beast Rev. 13.3 And the whorish Woman or false Church being her self bewitched with this intoxicating Cup of Fornication she held it forth to the Nations with External pomp and grandeur to drink of it and they generally drank of it and were drunk and mad with it Rev. 17.2 3 4 5. Yet all along Christ had his Remnant that witnes'd against these Abominations amongst whom the true Church-State was continued and the purity of Ordinances remained who also Sealed their Testimony with their Blood 2. By reproaching reviling contemning despising the pure Institutions of Christ as poor low and carnal pretending to a more sublime high spiritual Ministration As some even in the Apostles days and since And herein Satan eminently appeared as an Angel of Light withdrawing persons from the fellowship wayes of the Gospel under the pretence of greater Spirituality Heavenliness leaving the Word of the Beginning and pressing after Perfection A brave Pretext wherewith the minds of many have been are not a little taken ensnared But neither this way hath he been able to destroy the Church which hath weather'd this point also with and prevail'd against him Being from its own experience as from the Scripture ascertain'd that the more they are in a conscientious Observance of the Institutions of Christ the more do they grow up into the Spirit Life and Power of divine things Their spiritual progress and growth in Grace depending singly upon Jehovah's Blessing which is promised solely and they meet with it in their conscientious attendment on him in divine Appointments Secondly The force power tyranny oppressive destroying practices of the Wicked One