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
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
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
Christ to be revealed from Heaven which is the glorious estate of Christ and the Saints upon earth which hath been foretold by the mouths of the Prophets and also of the Lord Christ himself and his holy Apostles that through their words together with the holy Spirit sent down from God into our hearts which bears witness to the same truth we might have strong consolation thorow laying hold upon the hope set before us and therein wait for the Son of God to be revealed from Heaven who is heir of all things even the world present and that which is to come thorow whom also we have obtained by promise an inheritance being predestinated to be made Kings and Priests and to raign upon the earth And in order to the clearing of this truth I shall lay down this Point or Position which is That Christ and the Saints are to receive and possess a Kingdome and raign upon Earth This I shall prove first by plain text of Scripture and secondly by reasons drawn from Scripture and thirdly the manner how Christ shall take the Kingdome fourthly a few words as touching the distance of time between the Resurrection of the just and unjust fifthly the place of Christs Kingly seat sixthly how long Christ shall raign and the estate and condition of the wicked in the time of Christs raign And first to prove That Christ and the Saints are to receive a Kingdome and to raign upon earth which is clear from the Scriptures proved for so saith the Prophet Dan. 7.13 14 18. in these words And I saw in the night a vision and behold one like the son of man came with or in the cloudes of Heaven and came to the ancient of dayes and they brought him neer before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all People Nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away but the Saints of the most high shall possess the Kingdome for ever From these words we may safely conclude That Christ and the Saints shall receive and possess a Kingdome and raign for so saith the Prophet Isai 32.1 in these words Behold a King shall raign in righteousness meaning the Christ and Princes meaning the Saints shall rule in Judgment To which also agreeth the words of the Prophet Obadiah vers 21. which saith And Saviours shall come upon Mount Zion and Judge the mount of Esau when the kingdome shall be the Lords And that this kingdome shall be upon earth and the Saints raign with Christ there you may take notice of these Scriptures for the proof and so I shall pass to the reasons drawn from Scripture the Scriptures are thus read He maketh warr to cease to the ends of the earth he breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder be still and know that I am God I will be exalted amongst the heathen I will be exalted in the earth Clap your hands all ye people shout to God with the voyce of triumph for the Lord most high is exalted he is exalted he is a great King over all the earth he shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet sing praise to God for God is the king of all the earth God raigneth over the heathen for the shield of the earth belongeth unto the Lord for behold he cometh to Judge the earth the Lord raigneth bring those mine enemies that will not that I shall raign over them and slay them before me Psal 98.9 and Psal 99.1 Luke 19.14 27. From these words we may see that Christ and the Saints shall receive and possess a kingdome and raign upon the earth for it is plain from what hath been said that the shield of the earth belongeth unto Christ and that he shall raign upon earth the which as yet he never did but was as a servant unto all men when he was upon earth and did also suffer which is a vast difference from raigning but he shall take to himself his great power and raign and so shall his people as they now suffer with Christ or for Christ so they shall raign with him and that their raign shall be upon earth read the word of the Lord for the proof of it as you may find it written by Saint John Rev. 5.9 10. in these words And they sang a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred and tongue and people and nations and hast made us unto our God Kings and Preists and we shall raign upon earth From these words with the precedent we may see that Christ and the Saints shall receive a kingdome and raign upon earth the which proveth the truth of the Point before laid down viz. That the raign of Christ and his People c. But as touching the raign of Christ and his people many will consent to but withall say it is to be understood either spiritual here or otherwise in Heaven To which I answer and say That the Saints shall not raign while they live in this mortal body is plain because the Scripture saith that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 And also that thorow many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God and if so then it is plain that the Saints cannot be understood to raign here because here they are to fill up the sufferings that are behind of Christ and persons cannot be said to suffer and raign at one and the same time And secondly there is not one Scripture that I at present know of nor I believe none else which saith that Christ and the Saints shall raign in Heaven but the Scripture saith that when the Mediator-ship shall be delivered up into the hands of the Father then shall the Son himself be in subjection unto the Father and then shall God himself be all in all but it is plain and I shall make it yet more plain that the Scripture saith That Christ and the Saints shall raign upon earth And now I shall come to give you the Reasons of the Position or Point before mentioned viz. That Christ with his Saints shall possess a Kingdome and raign upon earth and the first reason is Reas 1. Because the Scripture saith it is a Kingdome under and not a kingdome in heaven as you may read in the Prophesie of Dan. 7.27 in these words And the kingdome and dominion and greatness of the kingdome VNDER the whole heaven mark that shall be given into the hands of the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdome is to be an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him From whence you may see that there is a day a coming that Christ and the Saints shall receive
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.
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
Babylon in Caldea trow I think not but in short take this that Israel might not neglect their building but go on with all speed that might be so soon as they were set at liberty from the hands of their enemies even so it is our duty to be imployed about the work of God in his Church so soon as we be delivered from the hands of our enemies yea while the enemy is raging against us as he was against our brethren before us who kept stedfast in the practising of all Christs Ordinances even so ought we to do finally the Lord Jesus Christ when he went away did give forth his last will and Testament in much plainness the which he commanded to be observed by every creature unto the Worlds end and did ascend up on high and gave gifts i. e. the gifts of Ministry containing Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers to that end that his Laws and Statutes might be published and Saints gathered and established until the last Saint which is to be born in the World is united into the faith of Jesus and made perfect therein to the end that God may be glorified in his Church in or thorow all ages even to the Worlds end and if the breach of Moses Law was so hainous in the sight of God much more will the breach of Christs Laws be unto him therefore take heed of breaking one of the least of Christs Commands and teaching men so to do and courteous Reader be well advised what thou dost in the neglect or breach of any of Christs commands before thou dost it and let him that perswades thee to it give thee as plain Texts of Scripture to prove the cessation of them as Christ hath given thee for the continuance of the practising of them for remember that when once the Testament is confirmed no man must add or disanul and to suppose that Christ would give forth his mind in plain words at length and forbid the continuance of them in a figure which may be changed from 1-1-0-0-0 one to ten or to a hundred or a thousand or seven thousand or what men please yea any thing that men will have it to be my meaning in plainness is this as for those figures brought by Mr. Henden to prove the cessation of some of Christ Ordinances have been spoken to or opened by many and some have applyed them one way and some another they are so dark and mysterious as beyond the reach of every godly soul to understand insomuch that if they do neglect the practising of Christs Ordinances from those dark places it must not be from their own understanding but because Mr. Henden openeth it and applyeth it so and if this be a good ground for persons to make void the statutes of Christ which he hath confirmed with his own blood together with mighty deeds of the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven I shall leave the serious Reader to Judge and shall wind up all with these words of our blessed Saviour which said to his Apostles Teach them viz. every creature or all Nations to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World Amen Mat. 28.20 Mark 16.15 16 And having thus done in the next place I shall speak somewhat briefly as touching the conference before mentioned but the main things have been spoken to already they being the same in substance with the things in his book the which I have already answered and therefore shall speak very little to it the first thing in order was The Ordinances saith Mr. Henden were footed or founded upon an unerring spirit shew the man that hath the same spirit to prove his succession The answer was given that the Ordinances now practised was no new Ordinances but the same which was footed upon the unerring spirit and to remain by the same old appointment of Christ until the worlds end this was the substance although I gave it in more words which time fails me to speak of in particular at present Secondly This man saith Mr. Henden would lead you all in the dark about Baptisme by what authority he takes up his Baptisme is from Mat. 28. the which being truly read according to the Original is Go teach all Nations and baptise them c. And loe I am with you to the end of the world that is to the end of that age which further appears that there was to be a sink or cessation for a time Revel 10.8 The words again denotes a new work of Prophesie so Baptisme doth denote to a particular time The time of speaking at both hands was so long that as I have said I cannot give you an account of the particulars of things because as there was speaking long even so the answer was long the answer in short is the same in substance with the former that I could not lead men in the dark in the business of Baptisme because it was the same that Christ practised and appointed and left in his last will and testament to be practised to the worlds end But the worlds end saith Mr. Henden is to be understood the end of that age Which then was opposed because upon that consequence preaching was as well to cease in the end of that age as Baptisme But however Mr. Hendens judgement was altered he contends in his Book for the continuance of Baptisme in all the times of Apostacy as to the Text Revel 10.8 from the word AGAIN thou must prophesie AGAIN the meaning of it was that although John was then banished into the vail of Patmose from the faces of men yet he was to prophesie again before Kings Rulers and so forth not alluding at all to a sink of the Ministry or Ordinances for a time as Mr. Henden said he also pleaded for Infant Baptisme urging some old thredbare Arguments which is not worth speaking to and railed at me for denying the Covenant although I spake nothing of the Covenant to move him thereunto but my answer in short was that I was so far from denying the Covenant that I did believe that there was two Covenants made with Abraham as I long before that time had published in print But said Mr. John Henden Your power is not derived from the primitive because you do not make the same manifestations Mark 16.17 These Signs shall follow them that believe It was answered that if these Signs must follow in his sense or else the thing it self false for want of that visible demonstration then Mr. Henden was a false Minister and also by the same consequence there is never a true Believer upon earth and then no salvation for the Signs were to follow such as did believe But as I have before proved Signs were for confirmation and the Gospel being once confirmed there is no such use of them as the Law of old being once confirmed with Miracles need no new Sign to
confirm it again when Israel came out of Babylon nor after the Book of the Law was lost and found again in the dayes of Josia no more need we any Sign to confirm that which is already confirmed and also we know that John did no Miracle and yet was an approved Administrator Again whereas Mr. Henden said that he was a legal Minister and a Minister of condemnation which had no visible demonstration from the spirit viz. Miracle The answer was then Mr. Henden was a legal one and a Minister of condemnation because he professeth himself to be a Minister and yet never work a Miracle that ever I heard of there was much time spent upon a kind of running discourse to little edification for that which I would have had done in order to the legal managing of the discourse was that there should have been one question stated at a time and that managed but when one began he spoke of several things and so confounded one with another and cleared it not as it should be I could repeat what was said about the four Winds and what was said by Captain Tucker as to the grounding of faith upon the obscure and dark Prophesies which was well minded although not well weighed by our Antagonist and as I think as little understood I have found it a sure maxime that the greatest confidence amongst men hath the least reason to warrant it which is sad And whereas Hebrews 12. was brought together with Galatians 4. to prove the Church to be called Mount-Zion neither of the places proveth it the Apostle to the Galatians tels us that it is the Covenant which is called Jerusalem which is from above and from the Hebrews we learn also that it is the Covenant or the thing Covenanted and whereas he saith that we are come to Mount-Zion he also saith that we are come to an innumerable company of Angels and to God the Judge of all things and the Spirits of just men made perfect so that we are come to one as well as to another and to neither of them but by faith in the Covenant for while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith and not by sight And Paul doth not say to the Galatians that ye are Mount-Zion or Jerusalem but Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all so then it was the Church which was called Jerusalem but Jerusalem from above was the Churches Mother mark a difference between the Children and the Mother and secondly the Author to the Hebrews doth not call the Church of the Hebrews Mount-Zion but tels them that they were come to Mount-Zion viz. the Covenant of Mount-Zion and the Heavenly Jerusalem but I shall leave these things at present and pass to the Answer of some Objections usually urged against the perpetuation of Christs Ordinances or the constant practising of them and the first that I shall speak to is Object 1. There was a time when God did appear in his Ordinances which shewed there was the power of the Spirit went along with them as Peter in his Ministry in converting three thousand souls at one Sermon saith Mr. John Henden but now we see not the same effects therefore the cause ceaseth God hath left them and they are become as a dead carkass without a soul Answ It is very true there was a time when there was such need of a visible demonstration of Gods Spirit to go along with his Ordinances to bear witness to the sons of men that they were the Ordinances that were approved of by the Lord that they might be a pattern or platform for all men to walk in to the Worlds end and hence it was that when God gave to Moses and the rest of the Children of Israel the pattern of the administration of the Law he gave it with the visible demonstration of his own presence with thundrings and lightenings and the Mountain smoaking with a visible maifestation of Gods glory with and upon Moses so that his face did so shine with the Glory of God when he came from the Mount that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold him by reason of the brightness of the Glory of God shining upon him this was his appearance when he came down with the Tables of the Law written by God so gloriously did God appear in the giving forth of it but afterwards all that the Children of Israel were to do was to have the words of the Law read to them and they to do it or keep it and not to say who shall ascend up into Heaven for some visible demonstration but the Law is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist do it saith Moses Deut. 30.10 11 12. even so saith St. Paul Rom. 10.6 7. The righteousness of faith speaks on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend up into Heaven to fetch Christ down from above c. but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart So that true faith giveth heed to Gods word and looks not for miracles for so saith Christ blessed is he that hath not seen and yet believed for a sinful and an adulterous generation seek a sign but none shall be given unto them c. Secondly If no Ordinance may be an approved Ordinance of God but such an one as hath a visible manifestation according to Mr. Hendens sense as aforesaid then he himself never met together so as God did approve of it because we find that when the Disciples met together the house spoke where they were assembled Thirdly his Ordinance of preaching hath not the Spirit with it because instead of converting three thousand at one Sermon I suppose he never converted three hundred in his life nor scarce half half so many and as for the Ordinance of Prayer I never heard any of those that usually hear Mr. Henden say that he hath prayed till the place hath spoke where he was praying as it did when the Disciples were a Praying Acts 4.31 and as for the Ordinance of Preaching and praying and the like Mr. Henden saith he owns to continue in all ages uncorrupted and they had once as great a visible manifestation as any Ordinance that I know of and yet there is no more appearance in a visible manifestation in them now than there is in any other Ordinance which Mr. Henden cryeth down and I may fitly say to Mr. Henden as Christ said to the Scribes and Pharisies which did much dote upon signs and miracles that the Kingdome of Heaven cometh not with Observations as gadding after miracles saying loe here or loe there for the Kingdome of God is within you that is as if he should have said it consists more in inward glory than outward glory or manifestation for the Kings daughter is all glorious within and the proper work of the Spirit is within as Christ