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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78218	[Baʻal-samz] or, Soveraigne balsome, gently applied in a few weighty considerations (by way of quærie) for healing the distempers of such professors of religion as Satan hath wounded and drawn aside (under the notion of living in God) to the utter renouncing and casting off the use of divine ordinances, and Gospel-institutions of worship. With an apendix by way of postscript to such professors, wherein the most principall grounds upon which they build their practise, are fully answered and removed. And a catalogue of the errors that many of them hold since they left the ordinances, discovered. As also a true relation of Gods extraordinary working upon one of this way very lately in Plimouth, to the sight of his error, for the good of others published. / By Will. Bartlet, an unworthy minister of the Gospel, and lecturer at Bytheford in Devonshire.	Bartlet, William, 1609 or 10-1682.; M. P.	1649 (1649)	Wing B987; Thomason E549_19; ESTC R209139	79,502	81

p. 93. 94. 95. which because his workes have been of great esteeme amongst such people not long since and because he speakes fully to the point in hand I will here transcribe as they are in the book set downe the words are these p. 94. What serve all the Ordinances for will you say Is not here a crying down of Ordinances There will be still this scandall cast upon us But let me tell you there is a most comfortable use of Ordinances though they serve not to such high purposes as these are I say though they are not efficient to beget and finde out and reveale to the spirits of men the things that concern God yet beside the efficient revelation of God to be out God from the Spirit alone there is a passive Instrument by which the Lord doth make himselfe known to be the God of his people but that way is meerly passive not active 1. Passively God makes himselfe known to be the God of his people by the word of his grace and faith laying hold on the word of grace revealed and more subordinately in prayer fasting receiving the Lords Supper and such ordinances so farre as they are mixed with faith Now give me leave to communicate to you the full use and utmost extent of Gods thoughts concerning the ordinances that he hath propounded how farre forth he would have the creature look upon the ordinances and as much as may be put upon the use of them so farre forth as they are usefull Know therefore as I said before that all these ordinances are but passive wayes of conveying this great gift the knowledge of God to be our God I mean more plainly thus These ordinances are onely of and in themselves empty dry Channels or Pipes through which the Spirit of the Lord brings from God himselfe the Spring those riches and conveyes the same into the Spirit of a man Look as a channell digged in a dry ground is the way through which the Spring conveyes his water unto a cistern the channell it selfe communicates none of its own onely it is a passage through which the Spring conveyes his water So are all the ordinances even faith it selfe prayer and all other Services they are but channels through which the Spirit of the Lord passeth and bringeth from the Lord himselfe the Spring and Fountaine the revelation of God to be our God In all the rest of the gifts of God which he hath so freely bestowed never a gift of Gods Spirit procures any thing of its own our faith hath nothing of its own fasting and prayer have nothing of their own but as the Lord hath been pleased to make these ordinances to bee passages to convey himselfe to the sonnes of men and so they are to bee made use of by the sonnes of men Faith as it apprehendeth the Lord Jesus and other Ordinances as therein true faith is exercised and no otherwise And indeed beloved this is the loadstone to provoke persons to the use of all ordinances God hath ranked them together that the Lord hath so much and so often promised through them to convey himselfe You are kept through the power of God through faith saith the Apostle unto salvation As if he should have said The Lord doth convey himselfe and the manifestation of his own salvation through our beleeving The Spirit of the Lord passing through the Ministery of the Gospel as the breath of man passeth through a Trumpet the Trumpet is the instrument the breath is the Spirit of the Lord the Trumpet adds nothing to the breath Now know beloved so far as you wil attend the Ordinances because God calls out to Ordinances and because you have heard the Lord to promise to bestow such things upon you in the ordinances so farre you shall attend the ordinances according to his pleasure but when you ascend so high that the ordinance doth get things then you rob the Lord and give more to ordinances then God hath given Now though the ordinances have no efficiency of their own in the nature I have spoken yet there is good cause for all Gods own people to esteem very highly of ordinances and to be joyfull of ordinances and to long much after ordinances to make much of them for why the Lord hath made his promises to be found of them to be with them in ordinances In the day of adversitie call thou upon me and I will deliver thee And here by the way know from hence what is the expectation of beleevers themselves which they ought to have of the Lord for such things when they come to such ordinances that so when we attend the Lord in his ordinances we may find him in them c. Therefore as the poore man lay at the Beautifull Gate not because the Gate would relieve him but because it was a place of concourse where honorable men resorted from whom he might have Almes so in the Ministery in fasting and prayer and all other services there is the gate of the Temple of the Lord there is the place the Lord makes usually his concourse and resort there is the place God appoints to give the meeting therefore in expectation of the Word of his grace that we may find him in Ordinances we doe resort to them Now what derogation is there all this while from the Ordinances while we make the but thus passive The richest treasure in the world may come to a man through the poorest vessell the treasure is never the further off nor never the worse because the vessell is poore It is no matter of what price the meanes of conveyance is so that the thing we desire be conveyed to us by it onely we must not give it that which is above its due c. And this shal be encouragement sufficient to wait upon all ordinances of all sorts where the Lord appoints that he will for his owne sake give you a gracious answer and bestow all good things upon you that you stand in need of in ordinances This is motive sufficient I say to stirre you up to attend upon ordinances and yet not to make Gods of them to ascribe that to them which belongs alone to God who doth all ordinarily through ordinances which is the only way to disappoint you of your hope when you expect help from them 9. The 9. ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Ordinances is the severall Texts of Scripture which seem to plead for the Non-performance of duties and laying aside of all ordinances in the ties of the Gospel As They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the Day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 But the

ibid. superstitious manner to cause people to abstain from he saith that God hath created them to be received with l Sic passim Dominus cibum sumpturus sursum aspiciens et coelum in●vens benedicit patri et gratias agit Mat. 14.15 26. Marc. 6. Sic Paulus Acts 27. 1 Cor. 10.31 ad hunc inquam usum cibos Deus fecit Claud. Espenc in loc thankesgiving so that a chiefe end of Gods creating every creature for mans use is that they should be used with thankesgiving and that they are not sanctified and blessed to us without the Word and Prayer i.e. without acting m The Sun is a noble creature of it self and yet the brightnes of it cannot come to us but to our condemnation unlesse it be sanctified to us By what means By faith So fareth it with meat and drink and all the rest Calv. ut supra faith and Christ a promise and desiring God wee may so receive it and have it blessed to us so that to neglect prayer and the exercise of faith in the promise and giving thankes for all by Christ we doe not onely frustrate and make void the end for which at first the Lord created them for our use but we are deprived of that comfort that doth attend them to those that are in Christ and are at no better passe under the enjoyments of them then those are that are out of Christ who are wicked prophane and brutish like the swine that feeds on the Acornes that are under the tree but never looks up from whence they fall 32. Whether the Scriptures do not hold forth unto us that the greatest and highest enjoyments of God in the Spirit which the Saints have attained unto in this life have been in their diligent use and improvement of Divine Gospel-ordinances and duties of worship Acts 4.21 9.11 12. 10.9.44 2 Cor. 12.6 7 8 9 And whether the Scriptures shew unto us any other way wherein the Lord of glory hath ordinarily appeared unto his people besides that of his ordinances to the helping of them upon all occasions as their necessities have required 33. Whether departing from Gospel-ordinances and Societies of the Saints in the pure worship of God bee not a notable trick if not a strong delusion of the Devill which he makes use of the better to further his cursed designe upon the Lords people by taking them off from their * Rev. 2.4 first love and cooling if not quenching that sacred heat and fervour of the Spirit that they formerly manifested in the service and worship of God prescribed by Jesus Christ And whether sad and lamentable experience doth not evidence so much in some that are now changed in their walking from what they were formerly being as barren and empty in spiritual actions and assections as those that never knew what it was to be exercised in them and as much to seek of their tendernesse that once they manifested in respect of sinne n Contrary to Mat. 5.4 Mat. 26.75 1 Cor. 5.2 with 2 Cor. 7.7 9 11. 1 Cor. 11.30 31. Iam. 4.9 10. 1 Ioh. 1.9 Zech. 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fig luxum et delitias Inde verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delicate vivere deliciari voluptatibus indulgere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In deceptionibus suis Cum meudaciis et imposturis suis deceperint fimplives Christianos et pecunia eosdem e●●●●●erint postea eandem in splendida et lauta convivia in aleam structuras magnisicas et scorta profundunt Osiand vide Gerrard in loc as that they judge it no other then a Spirit of bondage to been humbled for it making no scruple at all to have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes and workers of darknesse which the Saints are commanded to reprove and flye from Ephes 5.11 yea being found in the number of those that o sport themselves with their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2 13. 34. Whether it be not a principall part of that great mystery of Heart-deceitfulnesse is within us to conceive that living in God will dead a Christian to the use and practise of ordinances and performance of holy duties when the chiefe end of a persons living in God is to dead the heart to sinne and take it off from carnall and wordly things that obstruct and hinder his communion with God and to quicken it to Ordinances and spirituall duties by the use of which through the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ his communion with communications from God are increased and perfected day by day And whether to speak properly the more a person lives in the Spirit the more that person be not * Gal. 5.16 Vide Par. in loc lifted off from Sin and Selfe and worldld carnall delights to walk closely with God in the duties of his generall and particular callings the contrary to which we too much finde and now meet with in those that cast off Ordinances 35. Whether Jesus Christ be not infinitely delighted in and affected with the assemblings of the Saints and exercisings of their gifts and graces in the duties of his worship as appeares every where in the p Cant. 2.14 The Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signisies prayers praises songs thankesgivings c. as Psal 5.3.26.7.28.2 vide Ainsworth in loc Placet Domino vox Ecclesiae in discrimine ad cum consugient●● sicut de Israelitis ad marc interceptis dicitur Exod. 14.15 Vox Ecclesiae eum confitentis et celebrantis et ejus totus aspectus species forma ac facies Ecclesiae Merc. in loc Scriptures by his drawing nigh to them at such times as to the Eunuch when he was reading the Scriptures Acts 8.26 to the two Disciples when they were in conference going to Emmaus to Cornelius and his friends when they were hearing Peter to Paul when he was in prayer and Peter also in the same duty Acts 9. Acts 10. 36. Whether it be not the greatest unkindnesse that can be offered to the Lord Jesus to cast away and speak evill of yea to contend against those wayes and meanes in which hee hath most of all appeared to them and spoken peace to their soules And whether it be not a grieving of the spirit to q The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies basely to account of a thing and esteem it nothing worth This reproves those who pretend the Spirit and despise prophesy they have the Spirit to guide them and therefore need no preaching Tayl. in his Saints progresse to full Holinesse p. 46. And then a little after Many who have Jacobs voyce saith he professe in word better things yet prize the preaching of Christ as a thing of nought they think it better to be casting up some account or reading some History or walking in the fields or visiting some friends or perhaps going to a Play then to a Sermon Are these the sonnes of Abraham or the sonnes of God and not rather the sounes of

his subjects in righteousnesse yet still in greatest love and mercy 2. Besides secondly I answer Doth not this ground upon which people build the neglect of duties c. as it is propounded expose them to great danger of being acted by f Vid. Boltons Bounds of Christian freedom p. 199. where hee shewes how Satan may move a person to the performance of religious duties many wayes a Spirit of Delusion For suppose they staying till the Spirit move them as they speak in the former ground to pray c. that the motion to the performance of the duty be irregular and unseasonable yea altogether unsuitable to the calling and condition of the party that is moved to the duty shall they forthwith conclude that this motion is from the Spirit of God Nay are they not rather to conclude that it is from Satan who is a lying and deceiving Spirit whose depths and wiles are numerous and who knowes how to advantage himselfe against us as well by ill performing of duties as by Non-performing them and is it not the generall opinion and judgement of the godly that are taught of God that one speciall differencing character between the motions of the Spirit of God and Satan is this that the one moves orderly seasonably and suitably to the word and a persons calling and condition but the other disorderly unseasonably and contrary to or at least without the word And therefore without question those that build their performing of duties upon this ground onely may as well especially if they be not experienced Christians bee deluded by Satan as led by the Spirit of God 3. Lastly to say no more are not the Scriptures altogether silent herein and doe not in the least hold forth such a Rule as this to beleevers that none should not enter on the performance of duties till the Spirit move them nay is it not as cleare as the Sunne at Noon day that the Scriptures doe expresly hold forth to the contrary g Luk. 21.36 Rom. 12.12 Ephel 6.18 Col. 4.2 1 Thess 5.17 enjoyning beleevers to pray alwayes to pray continually to pray without ceasing to watch unto prayer with sundry the like expressions not take heed as if beleevers were to doe nothing else but pray and perform religious duties for then there would be no place left for their civill employments in their particular Callings which in their place and order are to be done also but that they should endeavour to preserve in themselves a holy and spirituall disposition towards that duty and all other duties of the like nature that so they may be ready upon all occasions ordinary and extraordinary publique and privat to draw nigh to God in the performance of them Object But doth not this derogate from the honour of the Spirit Ans No more then the working of particular next causes do from the universall cause which seldom or never produceth particular effects without a concurrence of particular causes e. g. The Sunne is the universall cause of all the fruitfulnesse of the Earth Vide Bridge Overflowings of Christs fulnesse p. 31 32. yet it doth not produce that fruitfulnesse without the help of man So here the Spirit of God is the universall cause of all the spirituall actings of the Saints yet he doth not ordinarily produce those actings without the concurrence of those gracious habits are wrought in their hearts in their conversion Nay the concurrence of such particular causes with the universall cause can be no dishonour to it in regard that they doe not act by themselves properly but together with and from the influence and vertue of the universall without which they could doe nothing John 15.5 The seventh Ground on which people build their neglect of duties is this That the performance of duties and use of Ordinances is more legall then Evangelicall looking more to a Covenant of workes then a Covenant of Grace engendring to bondage where as the Gospel gives more grace and affords more liberty looking more to beleeving then working Ans The whole frame of this Argument is carnall and savours too much of the flesh and very much nnbeseeming those that would have the world to look upon them as more then ordinarily spirituall and such as have attained to greater enjoyments of God then others My Reason is this Because those persons that enjoy most of God and live highest in the Spirit have their hearts most enlarged and carried out in communion with God in Ordinances and especially that of prayer so that I may truly affirme it A man of most grace is a man of most prayer but a man of least grace is a man of least prayer And wee have a singular evidence of it in the Apostle Paul who was as Evangelicall a Christian and lived as highly in God I suppose as any that now cast off Ordinances how exceedingly was he given to prayer how much was he in that duty as well as in other duties but in this of prayer he was more then ordinary so frequent as if he had leasure for no other employment and tooke delight in nothing else And hence it is that he saith oftentimes that he prayed without h Rom. 1.9 Col. 1.3.9 2 Tim. 1.3 Phil. 1.4 Philem. v. 4. 2 Thess 1.11 1 Thess 3.10 ceasing that he prayed alwayes that he prayed exceedingly night and day with divers such like expressions And as it was with this pretious servant of Christ so it hath been with the most eminentst beleevers in all Ages so far have they been from looking on performance of holy Duties as Legall Services and engendring to Bondage 2. But secondly if wee diligently observe the Tenor of the Gospel and new Covenant of Grace shall we not finde that they call upon beleevers for the strictest and most exactest performanees of the duties of Gods worship not allowing beleevers to live in the willing neglect of any known duty towards God or man or themselves if wee are not convinced of it let that notable place of Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. be considered where the Apostle shewes that the Grace of God that bringeth salvation viz. the Ministery of the Gospel and new Covenant that worketh grace instrumentally in mens hearts and revealeth the freelove of God through Jesus Christ to sinners hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world i. e. soberly in respect of our selves righteously or justly in respect of men and godly or holily and religiously in respect of God In which words I conceive are wrapt up the whole duty of a Christian as it respects the first and second Table This is the Doctrine of the Gospel or new Covenant of grace not of the Law or Covenant of workes And the Apostle in the 14. verse goes on to amplifie it by shewing one chiefe end of Christs comming into the world was to redeem them from iniquity and to

as Psal 14.4 Job 27.10 b Est emm hoc mortalium animis insitum ut Deo offerendū c. Musc in Joh. the law of Nature teaching men to worship and serve that God whom they acknowledge as we see in the practice of the meere Heathens Rom. 1. and 2. chap. and the law of Grace teaching men to delight in that God and his worship whom they so draw nigh unto by faith in Jesus Christ Psal 119.97.103 1 John 5.3 Acts 2 46 47. And whether that place in c This is evident from the Apostles quoting this Text in Acts 4.25 26 27. against the Rulers Elders Scribes c that sate in counsell against them and made open opposition against Christ in them refusing to bow to his Scepter and Government held forth both in the Doctrine and practice of the Apostles And to this agree Expositors generally Psal 2.1 2 3. be not meant of those wicked men more especially that cast off all Divine Ordinances and Lawes of Christs Kingdome and Government under the Gospel 27. Whether the Face of Christ in which the Glory of God the Father doth shine forth d Non loquitur autem de corporea Christi facie sed de ea quae salutis nostrae dispensationem spectandam proponit Musc in loc 2 Cor. 4.6 be not to be understood of Gospel-ordinances and Institutions Christ himselfe personally being now sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 In which Face or Ministery and Ordinances of Christ the admirable and illustrious beauty of the eternall God his infinite wisdome power and love which is hid from the world doth so shine forth oftentimes through the Spirit of Christ to the hearts of the Saints that they seem to be out of the body and in heaven before they are in heaven and in glory on this side glory as it was with Paul 2 Cor. 12.1 2. And whether a Beleever be not bound to be in the use of these Gospel-ordinances and administrations where he may * Psal 27.4 behold this beauty and glory of the Lord it being the Lords own way he hath appointed to reveale himselfe by and not trust to other wayes of our own making for the sight of this glory having not a warrant for it in the Scriptures 28. Whether a Beleever in this life whiles he is cloathed with his earthly Tabernacle can see Spirituall things especially God Himselfe who is an infinite and incomprehensible Spirit so as to have fellowship and communion with him and to live in him otherwise then by an eye of faith in the e We cannot see Divine things othewise then in a glasse that sight of God which wee shall have immediatly in heaven without the Word and Sacraments is of a higher nature when we shall be perfect but while we live here we cannot see God but in Christ and we cannot see Christ but in the Word and Sacraments such is the imperfection of our fight Dr. Sibs Excel of the Gospel above the Law p. 280 281 286 287 c. glasse of Gospel-ordinances as the works of God and the word of God but especially Iesus Christ who is God incarnate God manifest in the flesh and this Jesus in the mystery of the Gospel and Seales according to 2 Cor. 3. ult And whether the Lord doth not as a great testimony of his love to us in Christ very much condescend and stoop to the weake and imperfect condition of his people while they are here below to make known the glory of his Wisdome Mercy Power and Love to their soules by his Spirit in the Ordinances 29. Whether the Commandements of Christ so much spoken of and mentioned in the Scriptures doe not extend to the obedience of the outward man as well as the inward and to the externals of worship as well as the internals of faith And whether a person can upon Iust grounds number himselfe among the friends of Christ that doth not make conscience of f Nota igitur verae amicitiae est observantia voluntatis amicivoluntas Christi est in illius praeceptis illis obedtre est voluntati Christi este conformem Amici Christi non sunt qui Christi praecepta susque deque facientes doctrinis mandatis hominum subjiciuntur Musc in loc keeping those commandements of Christ according to that of our Saviour Iohn 15.14 Yea whether any one can say upon just grounds that he loves or knowes Christ that doth not keep his commandements seeing the Scriptures speak directly against it and renders such for lyers that pretend to know Christ and love him but yet keep not his commandements g Necessario igitur consequi quicunque jactant sidem sen studium pietatis et interim studium servandae legis Dei negligunt eos impudentissimc mentiri Zanch in loc 1 Iohn 3 4. Iohn 14 15. 30. Whether the end of Christs comming into the world were not rather to fulfill and confirme then to disanull and make void the law of God ingraven in our hearts and revealed in the Scriptures whereby he calls for the obedience of the whole man inward and outward in the service of Christ And whether such as break the least of these lawes and shall teach others to doe so likewise doe not bring themselves under that penalty of Matth. 5.15 to be counted h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e minimi fiet imò nihili fiet vult enim dicere illos exclusum iri è regno coelorum Piscat in loc least in the Kingdome of heaven that is to have no part nor portion in the Church of Christ here on earth or the Kingdome of glory hereafter 31. Whether those that enter on the actions and workes of their particular callings or upon the use of the creature especially at the accustomed times of refreshing Nature as at Dinner Supper c. without seeking to God by prayer for praises through faith in Christ can expect a blessing upon them or a sanctified and comfortable use of them And whether they doe not transgresse the revealed will of God expresly manisested herein and discover a loose i Let us never come to the table without calling upon Gods name let us never rise from the table without giving thāks for it is certain that all they that eat so and doe not pray to God are for the most part worse then bruit beasts Calv Serm. in 1 Tim. 4.3 4. brutish and prophane frame of Spirit herein Phil. 4.6 Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests bee made knowne to God So 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing and the 18. verse In every thing give thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you So 1 Tim. 4.3 4.5 speaking of meats that seducing Teachers should in the latter times endeavour in a k As on Fridayes in Lent in Embring dayes and fasting dayes c. Calv. Id