doctrine by the slights of men cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive From this text we may learn that it was the wisdome of Christ in order to accomplish his last will and testament that he did give gifts to men that they might be enabled in their successive generations to preach exhort reprove and correct to the end that the man of God or servants of God namely the Church of God might be furnished with every good work that henceforth that is from that time forward they might not be tossed that is removed from that doctrine which Christ left in command in his last will and testament Ephes 4.10 11 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 3.14 15 16. The consequence is that what Christ appointed in his last will and testament was perpetuated and to remain from that time and forward until all the Saints came to the unity of the faith and that perfect man even to the stature and fulness of Christ and so I pass to the third ground and reason Reas 3. It further appears that whatsoever Christ appointed to be practised in his last Will and Testament is perpetuated and to remain because it was before declared by God to Moses and good reason there was that the Laws and Statutes of Christ should be perpetuated and remain as well as Moses Law which did remain untill a more glorious administration for when Moses was dead yet his Law spake which shewed him to be a Law-giver of some authority but if it were as some would have it Christs Law must needs be so weak as to die with him or a non after him or at least some of them and so in effect say that Christ is a more weaker or an imperfecter law-giver than Moses but that it was foretold by God and given in charge that all Christs Laws and Statutes should remain in all Generations for all men to practise according to their several abilities or measures read Peters words Acts 3.22 23. which saith For Moses truly said unto the fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to passe that every Soul that will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people That which is to be observed from this text is first that Christ must be heard in every thing whatsoever he saith and secondly as he must be heard in every thing in whatsoever he saith even so he must be heard in every thing by every soul and thirdly that it is so is clear because whosoever doth not heare viz. obey shall be destroyed so then its plain that all the Statutes and Ordinances of the last will and Testament of the Lord Jesus Christ ought to be believed and practised by all those that are the Lords people in all ages and so I pass to the fourth ground and reason to prove the continuation of all the Statutes and Laws of Kings Jesus Reas 4. Because there must be no adding nor deminishing from his words no putting to nor taking from them for it is a very great evil to put in or take out of it if it be but a mans will and Testament as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3.15 in these words Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Covenant or Testament yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth there unto For as saith the Lord Rev. 22.18 I testifie to every one that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke if any man shall adde unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall take away from the words of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and the holy City and from the things that are written in this booke For as he is an unalterable Priest and hath an unchangeable Preist-hood even so he is an unalterable King and Prophet and hath unalterable or unchangeable Lawes Ordinances and Statutes and happy are all those that observe and keep them unto the end And to this end the Apostle Paul who was faithful to Christ who did not hide or shun to declare the whole counsel of God did direct the successive Ministers as Timothy and Titus what to do after him both in respect of Doctrine and discipline and sheweth them how they should behave themselves in the Church of Christ and also to commit it to faithful men that might teach others after them and what quallifications ought to be found in Bishops and Deacons namely Pastors and such as were to take care of the poor so that it is very evident that it was the care of the Apostle to leave in charge an orderly provision for both souls and bodies of the Churches of Christ as Pastors or Bishops to take care of their souls and Deacons to take care of their bodies and the externall way of establishing them or appointing them to the work was by fasting and prayer with laying on of Hands as he himself and the rest of the Ministry were established as Acts 13.3 and 1 Tim. 4.14 Chap. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 6 7 8. more there might be added but at present I shall only add a few sentences of Scriptures but not any of them texts last cited but others as first the charge that Paul giveth to the Pastors or Elders of the Church of Ephesus at his departure Acts 20.28 in these words Take heed unto your selves and unto all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood For I know this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock Wherefore saith he to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.1 in these words I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearance and Kingdome Preach the word instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine Watch thou in all things indure affliction do the work of an Evangelist make a full proof of thy Ministry for their are many unruly and vain talkers wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be found in the faith but a man that is an Hereticke after the first and second admonition reject And the things that thou hast heard and seen in me the same commit to faithful men who also may teach others Tit. 1.10 Chap. 3.10 2 Tim. 2.2 So then those Laws that Christ appointed his Disciples to walk in they must teach there successors to walk in and their successors must commit it to others that they might teach the Generation to come to that end that Christs Laws Statutes Ordinances might be as unchangeable as his Preist-hood and so the words of the author to the Hebrews may be verified Heb.
from him for Christ hath destroyed him that had power over death which is the Devil and hath delivered us by Resurrection who by the reason of the fear of death were kept in slavery all our life long For nothing would be so troublesome to the godly as the thought of death were it not for a Resurrection but saith the Lord I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy destruction He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces Hosea 13.14 Isa 25.8 2 Sam. 14.14 Heb. 2.14 From these Reasons and Scriptures and many more which might be added we may clearly see That the dead namely such as do now and shall sleep in the dust shall arise both good and bad and come to Judgment And now courteous Reader seeing it is so that the dead as before said must arise and come to Judgment be exhorted to take up that good resolution with the holy man Job 14.14 which saith If a man die shall he live again then all the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come giving thanks alwayes to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away Therefore gird up the lines of thy mind waiting for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ who will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto his glorious body according to his promise and mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light To whom be praise and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Pet. 1.3 Phil. 3.20 21. 2 Tim. 1.10 Secondly take this word of advice by way of Caution which is take heed and beware of giving heed to such as do deny the Resurrection of whom there is two sorts now in our dayes as there was in the Apostles dayes the one sort is like unto the Saduces Mat. 22.23 which deny that there is any Resurrection Angels or Spirits viz. God or Devil Heaven or Hell of that sort is the Ranter and his adherents and such like Athiestical Spirits And the other are like unto HYMENEVS and PHILETVS 2 Tim. 2.17 18. who say that the Resurrection is already past whose words eat as doth a canker and of this sort is the Quakers who doth affirm that he is already risen from the dead and in the Resurrection and so the Resurrection is past to him who denyeth iniquity in words in the history and yet heaps up iniquity upon iniquity in the mystery And these are the two sorts which may fitly be compared unto the Sect of the Saduces and to Hymeneus and Phyletus and I do not report the things whereof I write by hear-say but from their own mouths the more is the pitty and to be lamented These two sorts differ in manners or conversation but very little in Judgment in point of doctrine unless it be in that of conversation as before said the which if they had the conversation of Angels and yet so corrupt in principle the Scripture declares them to be in a cursed and miserable condition Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. Col. 2.18 19. Acts. 3.23 24. And indeed the conversation of many of them is bad enough although they disfigure their faces and seem unto men to fast from sin and to be more righteous then others yet they have been seen to want that special duty of prayer in their families and giving thanks in the presence of their Families for their food which God hath bestowed on them although Christ and the Apostle did not neglect to do their duty in that case to lead us an example but no more as to this I shall leave it until the day in the which God will try the wayes of the sons of men and discover all deceit and falsehood of what nature soever it be But as touching the opinion about Gods holy Ordinances by which he hath appointed to be worshipped in is sleighted and rejected by them as water-Baptisme and eating of Bread and drinking of Wine solemnly celebrated to set forth Christs death and a participation of the benefit thereof with the slightings of forms as they call them although God delight in nothing which is out of form and order as the host of Heaven and earth doth declare who when God found them without form and void did by his word put them in form and order and gave decrees to the Sea and ordinances unto the Sun Moon and Stars and they keep them so that God delights in form and order and also is a God of order in all the Churches of the Saints hence Saint Paul commended form Rom. 6.17 18. in these words But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered unto you being therefore made free from sin ye became the servants of Righteousness c. From whence you may see That those men which do slight and deny forms in our dayes have not received that Spirit which was in the Apostle but another Spirit even the Spirit of error although it strive to transform it self into an Angel of light that thereby it may deceive the hearts of the simple for men are got to this height of wickedness in the mystery as to think that they comprehend all things and so consequently are Gods but they shall die like men for their breath is in their nostrils yet talk of what you will almost it is in them as they say as the first Adam and the second and God and also the Serpent slain within them the tree of life and the tree of knowledg the judgment seat Heaven and Hell Mount Zion and the new Jerusalem the two witnesses and what not they have comprehended all these things as they say but alass they die and in the very same time their thoughts perish and they are chased and gone like a vision of the night Mark one peece of horrible pride of Spirit which is in them they will not allow the holy Scriptures to be called the word of the Lord neither do they exhort and press men to be diligent to read and keep the things contained therein but their fraughty books must some of them bear the Title of the word of the Lord to the world and earthly men and the like so that he that seeth but very little may see them to be the men before spoken of which shall deny all that is worshipped as God shewing themselves that they are God O horrible pride and yet pretended humility this is ungodliness in a mystery I shall not enter upon the particulars of their bottomless opinion first because it is not my task at this time and
page 64 to page 75. M Of Mans Mortality and how far page 35. to page 51. O Original Sin and what punishment it brought upon Adam and his posterity page 27. to page 34. And how all the Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus are perpetuated and to remain practicable to the Worlds end page 106. to page 118. Of Objections against the perpetuity of some of Christs Ordinances Answered page 119. to page 181. Q Of several Queries Answered page 209. to page 216. R Of the Resurrection of the Body page 51. to page 63. Of the Raign of our blessed Saviour with his Saints upon Earth page 76. to page 99. S Sprinkling proved not to be Baptism for several Reasons page 3. to page 5. W Of the Womans Travelling and bringing forth the Man-child and who it is and of her flight into the Wilderness and what Wilderness it is and how long she shall remain there and of the Persecution of the Remnant of her Seed and who they be page 181. to 200. Of the two Witnesses Prophesying and who they are page 200. to 208. ERRATA PAge 3 4 5. read Anon for Canaan p. 15 l. 27 r. fall f. full p. 36. l. 13 r. Job 14.7 c. f. John 4. p. 38 l. 11 r. God f. Christ p. 38 l. 34 r. infused f. Inferred p. 39 l. 7 r. God f. Christ Jesus p. 94. l. 9 r. John f. Jesus p. 121 l. 25 r. how f. though p. 132 l. 31 r. there f. the p. 133. l. 16 r. should p. 139 l. 7 p 141 l. 17 18. add this although the outward Court was taken and the City trod under foot yet no man could enter into the Temple to deface it p. 145 l. 17 r. not utterly destroyed although defaced and trampled upon p. 146 l. 29 r. naturally p. 148 l. 1 r. brought in p. 150 l. 28 r. false f. face p. 153 l. 21 r. marvellous p. 157 l. 25 r. order f. word p. 158 l. 13 r. Babellish f. established p. 161 l. 30 r. Iohn only excepted p. 165 l. 10 r. Mystery f. Ministry p. 174 l. 1 r. Jayl f. vail p. 175 l. 16 r. was not the Church p. 176 l. 24. 30 r. shoke f spoke p. 182 l. 27 r. Jayl f. Valey p. 197 l. 1 r. Edom p. 211 l. 13 add such p. 213 l. 26 r. dissolution f. desolation p. 215 r. came not Mend in thy reading some other places for I would have perused it more nicely and mended some other small faults and Parenthesi's but wanted time Truth and Innocency Prevailing against Error and Insolency SIR I Am come to the Examination and Tryal of that which you call Truths Conflict with Error and find it to be no other but Error and Insolency striving against Truth and Innocency as will appear to the impartial Reader when he compares your pretended Answer with my former Book but indeed as for an Answer to my Book it is none as I before have said for the greatest part of it is but a writing over again what you have formerly written and is already answered and therefore I shall be brief in the Answer because Tautolligies suit not with my spirit Answ And first I take notice that you see your self at a loss by granting that Christ's Baptism was by plunging in water because I have said That if Christ's Baptism were by Dipping or Plunging and he left us an Example that we should follow his steps then we ought also to be dipped or plunged but you say I read the Sentence in your parenthesis amiss may you not be ashamed so to say seeing it is plain to be read in your Book your words are these Christ only was plunged with the Spirit receiving it without measure so was his water Baptism these are your very words with your parenthesis pag. 3. lin 2. and so I leave him that reads to judge whether you do not confess that Christ's water Baptism was the same with the Baptism of the Spirit which you say was by plunging Object And whereas you say That Christ went up into the mountain and yet not covered in the earth and so he went into the water and yet not covered with it Answ To which I Answer and say That it is not said that Christ was Baptized in the Mountain but it is said that he was Baptized in the Water and so it was said of Philip and the Eunuch But it will he granted that Christ might go many times into the water and yet not be covered in it but it cannot be imagined that John could dip or plunge or over-whelm or sink as the word Baptizo will render it Christ into the water and yet Christ not covered in water And besides all this the proper signification of Baptism is a Burial and Resurrection as I before have shewed yet notwithstanding I shall give a few Reasons here to prove that Baptism is dipping or plunging And the first Reason is Reas 1. Because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendereth no other thing as a proper derivation but mergo or immergo which is to dip to plunge to overwhelm to thrust into the water or to sink and such like words as these which sheweth that the person Baptized is to be covered in water Reas 2. Secondly Christ was so baptized namely plunged as you have affirmed in your former Book and we are to follow his examples therefore are to be covered as Christ was in Baptism Reas 3. And Thirdly it signifieth a Burial as saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 2.4 Col. 2.12 and a man cannot be said to be buried unless he be covered with earth or the like Object And this brings me to the Answer of your Objection p. 7. where you say That Christ was buried in a rock and had no earth to cover him and therefore it cannot be proved say you that persons baptized must be covered in the water Answ To which I Answer and say That Christ was covered is clear for his body was put into a new Sepulcher and a stone rowled against the door or mouth of the Sepulcher for in that age it was usual to bury the dead in Sepulchers which are as our Graves and that his body was covered is evident because when Mary came early in the morning to the Sepulcher although the stone was rowled away from the mouth yet she was fain to stoop down to look into it to see whether she could see Jesus implying that the earth covered him out of her sight but I need not trouble my self to prove that which is so clear for the Scripture saith although I suppose you had forgot it That as Jonah was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the Son of man be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth Matth. 12.40 So then as Jonah was covered in the Whales belly so was the Son of man covered in the heart of the earth from whence
takes up his Cross and followeth him cannot be his Disciple So then Infants being not capable so to do cannot be Christs Disciples but such as are to be baptized must first be taught and made Disciples and then baptized as is to be understood in the word baptize THEM that is such as before have been taught and made Disciples from whence you may see that Disciples viz. beleeving Men and Women may and ought to be baptized it being the last Will and Testament of the great Law-giver who also saith That he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.15 16. And so I come to the Second Reason which is Reas 2. Because Disciples viz. Beleevers were the Subjects that Christ and the Apostles baptized and we are to follow their steps and now to prove that Christ and the Apostles did baptize such read John 4.1 When the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus MADE and baptized more Disciples than John though Jesus baptized not but his Disciples from whence we may see that Jesus MADE Disciples before he did baptize them and also we see it was the Apostles and Disciples practise so to do as Acts. 8.12 it s said That when the Samaritans did beleeve they were baptized Men and Women but no mention at all of Children so then Beleevers are the subjects who are to be baptized Reas 3. Thirdly Beleevers are the subjects because none are accounted as Members in the New Covenant so as to have right to Gospel administrations but such as know the Lord viz. beleeve in his Name for so saith the Scripture Heb. 8. For this is the Covenant that I make After those dayes saith the Lord they shall not teach every one his neighbor and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall know me from the least even to the greatest From whence we see that the least Member in the Gospel-Covenant must know the Lord but Children of seven or eight dayes old know him not and therefore have not right to Gospel-administrations only beleevers that know God for they shall all know him from the least to the greatest as saith the text And so I pass to the Fourth Reason which is Reas 4. Because those that have right to be Baptized may and ought to eat the Lords Supper the which is not meet for Children to do for it is a Feast that Beleevers only have a right to partake of but all baptized ones even such as have right to the New Covenant have right to the Supper and all other Covenant Priviledges for so saith the Scripture Acts 2.41 42. Then they that gladly received the Word were baptized and the same day was added to the Church about three thousand Souls and they continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayer From whence we see that no more were baptized but those that gladly received the Word and they that were baptized continued in the Apostles Doctrine in Fellowship and in breaking of Bread viz. the Lords Supper and Prayer therefore beleeving Men and Women and not Children are the right subjects of Baptism and ought to be baptized they having a Command enjoyning them thereunto And so I pass to the Fifth Reason to prove that Disciples viz. beleeving Men and Woman are the only fit subjects of Baptism which is Reas 5. Because Christ was baptized when he came to be of years of discretion being about thirty years old as you may read Luk. 3. and Christ was given to be a leader to his People Isa 55.4 Now if Christ were not baptized before he came to be of years of discretion and he given to lead us an example then we ought not also to be baptized till we be of years of discretion and so follow his steps The former of these is true and the Consequence cannot in truth be denied And so I pass to the Sixth Reason to prove beleevers the only subjects of Baptism Reas 6. Because Repentance and Confession of sin is required of Persons before Baptism be administred unto them for such was the Baptism of John when he was to prepare a People for the Lord although the People which he baptized were the seed of Abraham and so in the Old Covenant yet they came to John and confessed their sins and were baptized and it was called the Baptism of Repentance and when they would have been baptized upon the account of being Abrahams seed and Children of the Covenant John did reprove them saying O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the Wrath to come Bring forth fruit worthy of amendment of life and do not begin to say ye have Abraham to your Father for God is able of these stones to raise up Children unto Abraham and now is the Ax laid to the root of the Trees and every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down c. Peruse this diligently and you may see that there was no admission unto Baptism without Repentance and it is the very same Doctrine that Peter taught Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you for remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit Hence you see there was Repentance required of ever one that is Baptized and this is acknowledged by the Old Catechism and Book of Common Prayers and hence it came to pass that the old God-fathers and God-mothers as we were wont to call them did confess our sins for us it being a wicked deceiving invention of Pope Ignatius whereby thousands of poor souls were deceived the Pope invented it and the Priest readily received it and it being a custome the people loved to have it so the Priest was to ask the child Whether it would forsake the Devil and all his works and the God-father or Surety was to Answer in the behalf of the Child as though the Priest were a Juglor and had jugled the mans voice into the Child saying This is our or my desire and then ask if it would be Baptized And the Answer was returned again as it were in the person of the Child that it was its desire when it was far from desiring any such thing and so far were the Sureties themselves from forsaking the Devil and all his works and from being Beleevers that some were Drunkards some Swearers and some Whore-mongers and yet did dare by the means of the Pope his Clergy to tell God who is the searcher of all hearts that they did beleeve and forsake the Devil and all his works and yet were led captive by him at his Will Consider O ye blind Priests how you deceived the people and made them beleeve they did well and worshipt God when they told lyes in the face of the Congregation and so did worship the Devil Did you ever read of such a practise in the Primitive time No surely Gods Soul abhors you But courteous Reader hence thou mayest see that the
and 14 and 15 pages of his former Book intituled The condition of Adam in Paradise where he saith that the whole man begets the whole man and also else where saith that if Adam did not beget the whole man viz. the soul then did he not beget a perfect and compleat creature as the beasts do in their kind Page 12. To which I answer and say and first how my Antagonist will be able to prove the soul as he calls it to be that which was created after Gods Image I know not for the Scripture saith Gen. 1.26 that God said let us make Man after our Image not let us make a soul after our Image and when God had made man out of the dust of the earth after his own Image then he breathed into him the breath of life and then that which was made after Gods Image e. i. the Man became a living soul so that it was not a living soul that was put into man but the man that was made of the dust of the earth became a living soul by Gods breathing into him mark that But no more of this because I have spoken of it already in this Subject of Discourse But secondly cannot the soul be mortal because it is after Gods Image how then came Christ to die if not mortal and yet he was after Gods Image for he was the express Image of his Fathers Person Heb. 1.3 and yet notwithstanding was so mortal as to die body and soul Isa 53.12 And also the Apostle saith that the Man not soul is the Image and glory of God 1 Cor. 11.7 and yet man dyeth from whence you may see your self answered and your reason or argument nothing worth And as to the other matter viz. the souls Parentage I have received much light in it although not by my Antagonist for I do suppose that he wrote things from others for arguments sake which was not his own judgment and therefore he spake so cloudily but that which caused me to examine the matter more nisely was the words of a beloved brother in a private conference between him and my self about the business in the which amongst the rest of his discourse he offered this thing as an obsurdity which would follow if the souls parentage was not on earth for saith he it hath been known that sometimes there hath been such acts of uncleannesses in propagation as the Parent with the child and the child with the Parent and severall acts of uncleanness hath been committed now me thinks saith he it is obsurd to think that the pure God which hates uncleanness in the least to seem to own such a thing as to create or give a soul or to put his hand to the work as we may say in such an unclean action but every creature having seed in it self doth bring forth of it self according to its kind and the man which doth abuse Gods ordinance and way in propagation must at last suffer for it c. This and such like Discourse did put me upon the search and tryal of things since my last book was written whereby if time would give me admition at this time I could give you an account of it more at large but time fails me and calls for brevity and therefore shall say no more to this Subject of discourse but this that is The Souls Immortality hath been the conceit of the Heathen Philosophers which did suppose that mortal vertue should be rewarded hereafter for that all men injoyed blessing alike here in this life and not knowing that there was to be a Resurrection of the body whereby persons might receive the reward of what they have done in the body they have Imagined such a thing as the soul to live and receive a reward hereafter and indeed the Church of Rome have readily received such an Opinion also from whence the Church of England have received it by tradition and I am ready to believe that the Church of Rome have also abused our Greek Copies in many particulars to bear a face toward their opinion as that text in Mat. 10.28 and the stop Luke 23.43 and many such places as in reference to this Subject and others also but however the wisdome of God is such as that they cannot bury the truth because he hath given to his people that spirit that gave forth the Scriptures to reconcile and keep the whole body of the Scriptures in a sweet harmony but as for us that believe that there is to be a Resurrection both of the just and unjust let us not imagine any such thing as a Souls Immortality till the Resurrection but know that our reward shall be given to us at that day Me-thinks the Church of England seem to deny such a place as Purgatory and yet hold an Oppinion that is the rise of it and maintains it for say the Papists when persons die they do not go to Hell or Heaven but the soul goeth to a place between both viz. Purgatory and not to the full joy or punishment and so say the Church of England in effect that the soul is not in the full joy or torments till after the day of Judgment as though they could go to Heaven into Gods presence and yet not have there full joy as though in his presence there were not fulness of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore and also as though when souls have been cast into Hell and have been punished there they shall be brought from thence again to the Judgment seat of Christ to be tryed whether they have deserved Hell ye or nay O strange conceit of the pure Justice and righteous dealing of God in his punishing sinners what shall souls when they have been long in Hell come out again and enter into a body it 's some comfort to them that they shall be a little while out of torments but if they come from Hell they have paid the utmost farthing for when they are once there they shall in no wise come forth untill they have paid the utmost farthing These and many such things I might spend time about but this I shall leave with thee courteous reader know that when God takes away mans breath he dyeth and so dust returns to dust and the Spirit viz. breath to him that gave it and that breath that returns to God as it made the man that was made of earth to become a living soul capable to enjoy what God gave him even so in the Resurrection when that dust is raised by God and every bone and member in its proper place then shall God give forth the same breath of life again into every man and so they shall be thereby capable to receive according to what they have done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil and to this the Spirit of God bears witness in the holy Scriptures And so I leave this Subject and come to the next which is Gods love to the whole
13.8 Which saith Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines but do all things according to the pattern which the Lord Jesus hath shewed us in his last Will and Testament and as many as walk according to this rule as Paul in another case saith peace be upon them and mercy upon all such Israelites of God and thus I passe to the fifth ground and reason to prove that all the Laws Statues and Ordinances appointed by Christ in his last Will and Testament are to remain practicable and to be practised by the Lords people Reas 5. It further appears that all the Statutes and Ordinances of Christ are to be practised by the Lords people till his second coming because when the Apostle Jude speaks by the holy spirit of some that would be as wandring stars which had turned from the simplicity of the Gospel he exhorts the Saints earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. which agrees well with that prophetical saying of the wise man Solomons Song or the Cant. 1.7 8. which saith Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flockes of thy companions If thou know not O thou fairest among women go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke and seed thy kidds beside the shepheards tents The which both places sheweth plainly that the people in after ages should walk in the same footsteps and by the same rule that the primitive Church walked in for that text is a prophesie of these times or that which very much concerns these times as we may see from Chap. 2.9 10 11 12 13 14 15. in these words My beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart he standeth behind our wall he locketh forth at the window shewing himself thorow the lattesse My beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my fair one and come away for loe the winter is past mark that the raine is over and gone The flowers appear on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land The fig tree putteth forth her green figgs and the vines with her tender grapes give a good smell Arise my love my fair one and come away O my dove thou that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stares let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely Take us the foxes the little foxes that spoile our vines for our vines have tender grapes From this text we may learn or observe these things first that Christ doth manifest or shew himself to his People now although not so visibly to be beheld or tooke notice of by others no but as it were out of a window or thorow a lattesse secondly that it is a prophesie that concerns us is clear from these words for loe the winter is past meaning the sharp persecutions of the Romish Whore which hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of fornication and the Kings thereof to commit fornication with her and so they by her appointment have persecuted the Saints in their severall dominions and so have caused the people of God to creep as it were into the clefts of the rocks out of the which they are to come forth and the next and last deceit of the Devil is to transform himself like unto a Angel of Light and so shall destroy more by subtilty then by violence and that is his design in the last daies as Christ and his Apostles have foretold at large the which we see to be accomplishing a great pace in our Nation which sheweth that these are the last dayes and also this text speaking to the same thing saying Take us those foxes those little foxes that spoile our vines for our vines have tender grapes Which is to be understood that when the Church is young and newly come forth out of those troublesome times that many shall be spoiled by the subtilty of the Devil putting it into the hearts of the sons of men to pervert the Scriptures and turn men away from the good ancient paths of Christ which makes the Spouse inquire in the midst of these varieties of opinions where Christ would have his Flock to rest and his answer is that they must Goe by the footsteps of the flocke that is in the very steps or way that Christs flock of old walked in and contend for that faith and hold fast the profession of that faith without wavering because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever and thus it appears that all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances which are comprehended in the last Will and Testament of the Lord Jesus are practicable and are to be practised by the Lords people and thus I passe to the sixth ground and reason to prove that al Christs Statutes and Ordinances as before mentioned are perpetuated and to remain till the Lords second coming Reas 6. It further appears that all Christs Laws and Statutes are to remain because the author to the Hebrews 10.28 Set the transgressors under Moses law as an example to those that despise or observe not Christs laws and if all Christs Laws Statutes and Ordinances which are written in the new Testament and confirmed are not as perpetual as Moses law then it cannot be a more greater transgression and a more sore punishment to disobey them for Moses laws was perpetuated with a cursed is he that continueth not in all things that is written in the book of the law to do them and all the people shall say Amen but Christs Laws which are written for many of them were not perpetuated but lost their authority and dyed with that age or generation as saith Mr. Henden and some are so bold as to say that not only some but all the Statutes Ordinances of Christ which are written in the new Testament were only theirs or belonging to them in that age and not to us and in my understanding one speaks as true as the other for he that saith some of the Laws and Statutes of Christ are to cease and yet cannot prove that the will of Christ is cancelled nor shew where Christ or his Apostles have said that these Statutes and Ordinances must cease at such a time were as good say all must cease one having as good a warrant for what he saith as the other But passing this all that was written in Moses laws was to be observed kept as wel when they had lost that gift of Vrim and Thummim after their coming forth of Babylon as before For we find that the book of the law was to be read and the People to observe and do it according as it was written therein and we find that good Josiah
when the book of the law was found after it had been lost rent his cloathes when he heard it read in the consideration how far the people were revolted from it and gave commandement to the people to reform and observe to do the commandement of the Lord as it was found written in the book of the law of Moses and as it was given in commandement to all the godly or all the Israelites to observe and keep the commandement as it was writeen even so all that were godly amongst the Israelites did accordingly observe and keep them untill Shilo or the great law-giver came even Jesus Christ and in like manner as Jesus Christ did command his Laws and Statutes to be tought to every creature and to be observed by all the faithful even so the faithful have and will in every age faithfully keep them and that Christs Laws are set in oposition to Moses Laws that is to say they are as weighty and as perpetual as Moses were is proved and it is also evident that they were to remain as well when they came out of Babylon as before they went into Babylon Nehem. 8.1 2 3. Chap. 13.1 2 3 4. and so I pass to the seventh ground and reason to prove that all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances appointed by Christ in the new Testament which is his last will are to remain to be practised by the Lords people untill his second coming Reas 7. It further appears that Christs Laws are perpetuated and to remain as aforesaid because if it be but a mans Testament yet if it be confirmed no man must disanul nor add thereunto as saith Saint Paul Gal. 3 15. but this is not only the will and Testament of him who hath an unchangeable Preist-hood and liveth for ever but also it is confirmed not by the blood of bulls and goates but by his own blood and therefore no man may disanul or add thereunto without being in danger of everlasting wrath and cuting off from amonst the people and that Christs will and Testament was confirmed both by his blood and with signs and miracles read these few cited texts in the room of many that might be cited see Heb. 9.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. In these words For if the blood of buls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth Whereupon neither the first Testament was dedicated without blood For when Moses had spoken every precept unto the people according to the Law he took the blood of calves and of goats and so forth Saying This is the blood of the Testament which God hath enjoyned unto you It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these From this text compared with chap. 2. and vers 3 4. with Mark 16.20 we may learn that the new Testament is confirmed both with signs and miracles and divers gifts of the holy Ghost and also with Christs blood for the Testator did die and is alive and therefore unless one greater than Jesus Christ or himself do cancel that will and Testament woe woe woe be to that man or woman that disanulleth any one of Christs Laws and Statutes they at the last will be found to be transgressors and guilty of all for so it was in Moses Law all things must be done according to the pattern as it was written and even so saith Christ Teach them after you to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And the very same as hath been said already was given in charge by St. Paul to the Ministry after him as Acts 20 35. Phil. 4.9 Those things that ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you And thus I pass to the eighth ground and reason to prove that all the Laws and Statutes of Christ given forth in his last will and Testament are to remain and be practised by the Lords people Reas 8. It further appears that Christs Laws Statutes and Ordinances are perpetuated and to remain till the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ because St. Paul saith that if I or an Angel should bring another Gospel than what he had preached we must hold him accurst and we well know that the Gospel that Saint Paul preached was a Gospel with all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of Jesus Christ even Repentance Acts 17.30 Faith Acts 16.3 Baptisme Laying on of Hands Acts 19.6 2 Tim. 1.6 1 Tim. 5.22 Heb. 6.2 The Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. Eternal Judgment 2 Cor. 5. Church fellowship Phil 1.5 with receiving into communion Col. 4.10 Rom. 15.7 casting out of the Church 1 Cor. 5.4 5. Tit. 3.10 and to sum up all in short be did declare the whole counsel of God Acts 20.27 and taught the Churches how to deale with offenders 2 Thes 3.6 1 Cor. 5.7 9 10. to keep themselves pure And now for men to bring a Gospel as they pretend without some of these Ordinances and to nullifie others and extenuate the strength of many is to bring such a Gospel as Saint Paul never brought but it is another Gospel and such are to be rejected by the servants of Jesus Christ admit of this short argument which is If the Gospel which Saint Paul brought and preached was a Gospel containing all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of King Jesus then those that bring a Gospel with many of them left out bring not the same but another Gospel and is to be rejected But the Gospel that Paul brought was a Gospel containing all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of King Jesus Therefore he that brings or preacheth a Gospel with manay of them left out bringeth another Gospel and is to be rejected Read the words of Paul Gal. 1.6 7 8. which saith I marvail that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have alreardy preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any