one of those extraordinary Officers given for a time for the work of the Ministry this Office he had when he baptized Moreover he was authorized expresly and furnished with gifts of working Miracles Act. 8.13 That Ananias was a private Man as some suppose cannot be proved for he was by the Lord call'd and sent and enabled to work Miracles as Acts 9.17 18. Timothy also a Disciple when he was chosen and taken of Paul to assist him is not to be accounted a private man but an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 sent and authorized by the Lord. Moreover if it were granted that he was a private man yet his action done by express command from God might not be followed by other private men any more than the action of Gideon in offering Sacrifice which belonged only to the Tribe of Levi might be followed by others of his Brethren of the Tribe of Manasses Judg. 6.15 25 26. That any private Man of Cyprus or Cyrene administred Baptism or the Lords Supper cannot be proved As for Apollos he cannot be accounted a private Man whom Paul joyned with himself nor Cephas a Planter and Minister whom the Corinthians followed as one of their chief Teachers 1 Cor. 1.12 2.6 4.6 To conclude the end of all As it appeareth by the Scriptures that God hath in all Ages permitted the Dispensation of the Sacraments or visible Seals of God's Covenant to the Ministers of the Word chosen and set apart for that purpose and not to all or any other They therefore that shall teach or preach or practise any otherwise shall walk in the sin of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who sinned and made Israel to sin in whose days whosoever would consecrate himself might execute the Priests Office in the high places which thing turned to sin to root out Jeroboam's House from the face of the Earth 1 Kings 13.33 34. These things being written for all Christians learning Rom. 15.4 that none may presume out of a good intent as Vzza did to break God's Order lest God's Wrath break out against them in this life as it did upon Vzza they may hear the Sentence of Christ notwithstanding their preaching and boasting what Works they have done in his Name saying unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity Isa 1.12 13. Mat. 7.23 Forasmuch then as in these latter days we are taught by Christ that there shall be many saying Loe here and loe there is Christ but he commandeth us not to go after them because they follow not the Lamb on Mount Sion in his holy Order in the practice of his holy Ordinances Therefore for our better understanding in order to the performance of this Ordinance in the Church to wit Water-Baptism we may observe three things 1. The End wherefore it was ordained 2. What giveth persons right unto it 3. The Manner how it ought to be performed To the First Baptism of Water was ordained of God to manifest Christ to Israel John 1.31 And also it was a Sign of the Remission of Sins by the Blood of Christ to all those the Promises in the Gospel belong unto Acts 2.39 Secondly That which giveth any right to partake of the Sign or visible Seal of the Covenant of the Gospel is not by any Act of Man but by the free Grace and Love of God in Christ without any desert of ours to all those he pleased to accept into the Covenant of the Gospel to all such it is written that he will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will he remember no more Heb. 8.12 Therefore as the Lord did ever accept into his Covenant the Fathers with their Children so have both equally the Promises belonging to them of the Pardon of their sins therefore have they by virtue of the Covenant a right to the Sign or visible Seal of the pardon of their sins even Baptism of Water and hereupon as the believing Parents with their Infants were accepted into God's Covenant therefore did the Apostles baptize Believers with their houshold which were their Children as anon shall be proved Moreover there is no Act of Man that can give him right to any Ordinance of God but only God's Mercy in Christ manifested in the Covenant of the Gospel from the days of Adam But if it be the pleasure of God as it was in all Ages to accept the Children with the Parents into the Covenant of Grace and therefore the Benefit of the Covenant ever belonged to them to wit the Seal of Faith with them and never forbidden the same only the outward Sign or Seal changed from Circumcision to Water-Baptism How dare any Man then deny the Infants of the Covenant the Sign of the Remission of their Sins which right they enjoy by the Covenant seeing they were with their Parents of old a holy even so they are b now a chosen Generation and holy Nation with them so c now d Olive Plants Buds or young e Branches in the Vice CHRIST So are Believers the Blessed of the Lord and their f Off-spring or Buds with them the Lord's g Heritage and of the Kingdom of God though vessels of small h quantity yet with their Parents are they a part of the Glory of Christ's House or Kingdom having faith in the bud else could they not i hope in God on their Mothers breasts which in due time was made manifest in their Childhood crying in the Temple k Hosanna to the Son of David that is O Lord save to the amazement of the carnal Professors then and also now who are offended at them so as they account the Children of Believers in the same estate with the Children of Turks and Pagans contrary to the Scriptures that ever accounted the Children of the Church of God holy sanctified from the Womb when as the Children of Unbelievers are unclean estranged from the Womb accounted l Liars from the birth Children of m Wrath in one estate with the World of n ungodly that perished in the Flood and their Spirits with their Parents are said to be in Prison as the Children of the Sodomites being accounted o unrighteous with their Parents suffered likewise with them the vengeance of eternal Fire But the Children of the Members of the Church of God Christ p blessed with his spiritual blessing towit the q Remission of their Sins as all in God's Covenant have the equal and alike benefit of being born in Covenant are said to be the Lords Children r baptized by one Spirit with their Parents in to Christ's Mystical Body so have they his Spirit else could they not be s Christ's or holy with their Parents a holy Nation So that we may conclude with the Apostle seeing these have received the t Spirit as well as we who shall forbid water that they should not be baptized a Ezra 9.2 b 1 Cor. 7.14 c 1 Pet. 2.9 Exod. 19.6 d Psal 128.3 e John 15.4 Luke 18.16 f Esay 65.23 g Psal
127.3 1 Pet. 5.3 h Esay 22.24 1 Thess 4.4 i Psal 22.9 10. k Mat. 21.15 16. Cant. 7.12 Isa 44.3 4 5. l Psal 58.3 m Eph. 2.3 n 2 Pet. 2.5 1 Pet. 3.19 20. o Gen. 18.28 p Mark 10.16 q Rom. 4.7 Acts 3.25 26. Esay 44.3 r 1 Cor. 12.13 s Rom. 8.9 t Acts 10.47 Therefore upon these Grounds did the Apostle baptize Believers and their House or Housholds seeing only the Children in respect of God's Covenant are so called The Man must take his Brother's Wife to build his Brother's House Deut. 25.5 6 9. Leah and Rachel built the House of Israel to wit by Children Ruth 4.11 The Widow of Zareptha's Son was called her House 1 Kings 17.12 13 14 15. A Bishop or Pastor must rule his own House well having his Children in subjection 1 Tim. 3.5 Jacob went down into Egypt every Man and his Houshold that is they and their Children Exod. 1.1 Joseph is said to nourish his Father and all his Father's Houshold as is expounded I will nourish you and your Children Gen. 45.11 and 46.5 6 7 8. with Gen. 50.21 David dwelt at Gath he and his Men every Man with his Houshold 1 Sam. 27.3 which by 1 Sam. 30.6 was their Sons and Daughters And to the barren Woman when promised Seed she is said to dwell in a House that is to be a joyful Mother of Children Psal 113.9 So that they must be wilfully blind that shall deny the Apostle to have baptized Children seeing the Houshold are the Children and they did baptize the Believers and their Houshold 1 Cor. 1.16 Acts 16.15 Thus we see the Gospel which the Apostle Matthew taught beginneth with a Ahraham according to the b Covenant of Grace made with him that in his Seed Christ shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed to wit the c Families or Kindreds the Believer and his Children in which Covenant God promised to be a d God to them and their Seed So that as Isaac in Infancy was a Child of Promise as saith the Apostle to the Church which consists of Men Women and e Children so are we Children of the Promise To which also agreeth the Doctrine of Peter who saith The f Promise is to you and your g Children And thus the Children of the Church under the Gospel are as h aforetime further confirmed by Christ to Zaccheus who said unto him because he believed This day is Salvation come to thy i House forasmuch as he was the Son of Abraham though supposed by nature a Gentile Thus Christ taught the Gospel afore preached to Abraham and he believing it was a Son of Abraham and so his House which was afore proved to be the Children had Salvation imputed equally to them as to their Parents and therefore as Zaccheus was accepted into the Lord's Covenant so was his Children who have their sins washed away in the Blood of Christ in the everlasting k Covenant Baptism being a visible Sign or Seal thereof Therefore have they both Father and Children right unto the same else the Apostle would not have baptized them and their l Housholds Therefore it is a gross Mistake in them that deny the Infants of Believers Water-Baptism and also account the Infants of Believers and Unbelievers in a like estate nay their Doctrine subverts the whole Order of the Gospel in respect of the Promises of Life Salvation by Jesus Christ and in a word it is another m Gospel than ever Christ and his Apostles taught that the Lord should accept the believing Father into his Covenant and leave his Children in an equal state with Turks and Pagans so that saith the Apostle Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached let him be accursed And again when any Proselyte Gentile of old did joyn himself by the Covenant of Grace in Christ promised to the Lord and his Church the Lord did require of him profession of his Faith because he had been an actual Transgressor as aforesaid yet he only was not received into the Church by the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham but also his Infants And though the Father was circumcised yet might he not partake of the Passeover till all his Males were n circumcised because they were accepted into the o Covenant and as the Females wanted that part of the Body and so could not be actually circumcised yet being in Covenant as well as the Males were accounted as circumcised else they might not enter into the p Temple And again as the Lord's Supper came in place of the q Passeover and Water-Baptism in the place of r Circumcision being the Seals of one and the same Covenant and the Subjects being by the Lord never rejected or removed it doth necessarily follow that when the Father believed of old he must not eat the Passeover till all his Males were circumcised s that is had the Seal of t Faith set on them even so by like reason seeing the Covenant is the same though the Father is baptized yet he must not eat of the Lords Supper till all his Infants are baptized which was one reason why the Apostles did not only baptize Believers but also their Children or u Houshold And thus the Faith of the Saints is built upon the Doctrine or Foundation of the Apostles and w Prophets and all other is but Fancy instead of Faith and so deceive themselves and them that are led by them to the destruction of their poor Souls a Mat. 1.1 Gal. 3.8 b Gen. 17.7 c Acts 3.25 d Gen. 17. Rev. 21.3 e Luke 18.16 Eph. 6.4 1 Cor. 7.14 f Gal. 4.28 g Acts 2.39 h Jer. 30.20 i Luke 19.9 k Zach. 9.11 Heb. 13.20 l 1 Cor. 1.16 m Gal. 1.6 7 8. n Exod. 12.48 o Deut. 29.10 11 12 13 14 15. p Luk. 2.37 38. q 1 Cor. 5.7 8. r Col. 2.12 s Exod. 12.48 t Rom. 4.11 u Acts 16.15 w Eph. 2.20 21. Esay 8.20 Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.14 15 16. Rom. 16.25 26. Rev. 21.12 14. Therefore in order to the opening of the true meaning of the Word Baptism we shall observe in the Scriptures there are three several Baptisms One of the Spirit Mat. 3.11 One of Suffering Mark 10.38 The third of Water Acts 10.47 All which Baptisms bear one and the same signification because by one and the same Word they are all declared unto us so that what sence or signification is to be understood in the administration of the Spiritual Baptism the same is to be understood in the administration of the Water-Baptism and likewise in the Baptism of Suffering And so we shall by God's own way in comparing spiritual things with spiritual come to discern the Truth of God's Mind in the same 1. The Manner of the Administration of Spiritual-Baptism by the Lord himself is said by the Spirit of God to be by pouring his Spirit on persons and not by dipping as it is written in the Promise and after fulfilled
Vespasian and his Souldiers destroyed not so many of them in the Siege as the Sects in the City destroyed one another who remain in dispersion to this day yet we believe God will call his Elect among them by what means in his Wisdom he knoweth best A fair warning for the Gentile Churches when God will have his Controversie with them for their Errors in Faith and Disorder in Worship for if God spared not his ancient People but punished them for their sins as aforesaid how shall the Gentile Churches living in their sins think to escape the Judgments of God which hang over them in this and other Nations for their declining from the Lord's Truth since the last Reformation a Ezek. 34.26 b John 14.21 c Mat. 22.37 e Jer. 23. f Luke 7.9 g John 2.14 h Mat. 15.6 i Mat. 5.6 7. k Psal 83. l John 6.60 66. m Luke 21.20 24. While some deny that heavenly Doctrine of Election taught by the Apostles as a special Comfort to the hearts of God's Children others teach the Elect may totally fall from their * Election God's †Preservation of them Some teach that the everlasting Covenant of Grace in Christ made with Abraham and his Children to wit that God would be a God to him and his Seed was but a carnal Covenant Some also teach that Christ shall come from Heaven and reign a thousand years on Earth as an earthly Prince with the temporal Sword Some hold and practise that Men not in office of Pastor or Teacher may administer the ordinance of Water-Baptism the visible Sign or Seal of God's Covenant in Christ Some believe that the Infants of Believers have not now as of old right to the Sign or Seal of the Covenant and that all Infants in the World to wit of Believers Jews Turks and Pagans are in respect of the Promises of Life and Salvation in an equal State Some believe that the Soul is mortal and dieth with the Body contrary to these Scriptures Eccles 12.7 Gen. 35.18 Psal 146.4 1 Kings 17.21 22. Luke 23.43 Some deny the Ordinance of Singing of Psalms in holy Scriptures in the time of God's Worship though given to the Church of God in express Command by the hand of the Prophet even to sing the Words of Asaph and David 2 Chron 29.25 30. and never yet repealed but commended to the Church of Christ under the Gospel Others deny the holy Order of making and ordaining Ministers by the consent of the Flock they are Members of and over whom they must take care to watch for their Souls And also some deny that Ordinance of Prophesying in the Church by those of the Brethren upon whom the Lord hath bestowed his Gifts and Graces though not in Office Others deny the first Day of the Week to be the Gospel-Sabbath Others hold it lawful in their Congregations that if a Brother be deluded in his understanding to deny his Baptism in Infancy and though he be informed by them that there is no warrant for rebaptizing any Person that was baptized before into the Name of Jesus than there was for re-circumcising those circumcised in Apostacy yet they yield to his Fancy rather than Faith that he may be baptized again and by one which calleth himself a Baptist in their disorderly Way And now this Brother being again baptized in his own Judgment and by his Practice doth say that the Congregation he was of are all unbaptized Persons and that Person new baptized is made by his Baptism no more a Member of their Church seeing they hold that Persons are made Members of true Churches by Covenant and not by Baptism as the rebaptized say Yet for all this the Congregation that allowed this Brother to be baptized do still receive him into their Communion in the Lords Supper though they with him are all condemned in themselves in that they have allowed Rom. 14.22 Two such contrary Seeds or Beliefs which in figure was forbidden to be sowed together Deut. 22.9 in the Lords Vineyard Esay 5.7 the Church of God and contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel as it is written Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus that ye all speak the same things and that there be no division among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1.10 So that it appears though Differences did arise in the Churches by reason of Hypocrites that did creep in among them Jude 4. in the Apostles days yet they were not suffered to abide unless they renounced their erroneous perswasion See John 2.9 10 11. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. Tit. 3.10 11. Rom. 16.17 18. 2 Tim. 2.16 17 18. 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Gal. 5.7 8 9. * 1 Pet. 1.2 Eph. 1.4 5. Rom. 8.29 to 34. 1 Thess 1.3 4. 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Mat. 24.24 Acts 3 48. †John 10.28 Jer 32.40 Rom. 11.29 1 John 3.9 Psal 37.24 Mat. 24.24 And again what blind Watchmen have these Congregations that see this evil of Judgment arising and sound not the Trumpet against it See Ezek. 3.1 to 6. but yield that the Evil shall be accomplished Unto such a Church saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Ye suffer Fools gladly for ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage Wo to such blind Guides that look more after the Fleece or Gain from their Flock than after the Souls whom they shall account for before God to suffer the Church to be mixed in the Lords Plough Deut. 22.10 with a Ox or an Ass together for two such contrary Judgments cannot be both clean Yet more abominations do we see in these last and perillous days among the Ancients in Israel Ezek. 8 that are ashamed of their hoary Heads Lev. 19.32 Prov. 20.29 and shave off all their Beards which God forbiddeth Lev. 19.27 because it is one sign in Nature to distinguish Man from Woman 2 Sam. 10.4 5. Psal 133 2. So that the Beard is an honour to the Man and long hair a glory to the VVoman before her fall which since she must cover as we have handled in a particular Treatise about Hair not long since set forth so many as we have left in our hands shall be put at the end of this Treatise to which we refer the Reader But what Ministers have we in this last Age of the VVorld that as aforesaid shave not only all the gray hairs of their Beards but also shave their Heads and wear Perriwigs made of VVomans hair are these Men Ministers or Rev. 9.8 Monsters let Nature be Judg as it is written Doth not even Nature it self teach you that it is a shame for a Man to wear long hair 1 Cor. 11.4 Are such as these spiritual men that are ignorant what is the shame of Nature Surely then they would not walk so to be judged of man that is condemned in Nature Man being in honour and understandeth not is like the Beast that perisheth Psal 49.20 and
appointed in his Testament to be performed namely 1. Prayer 2. Singing of Psalms 3. The Pastor by office reading some part of the holy Scriptures giving the sense of the same with what else by doctrine as the time may permit the Teacher shall deliver and by the wisdom given him applying the same to the Consciences of the Hearers 4. The Men Members exercise their Gifts in Prophesying according to the ability given them of God by two or three at the most 5. The Deacons receiving the Contribution given by the Church for the Minister and the Poor 6. The ruling Elder governing the Affairs of the Church with the Pastor and Teacher in the time of Government 7. Water-Baptism if any were received in Members in the time of Government to be by the Pastor or Teacher administred on them 8. The performance of the Lords Supper after which by the example of Christ all the Church joyntly to sing a Psalm concluding the whole with Prayer All which Ordinances and Offices we find in the Testament of Christ and practised in the Churches wherein the Apostle Paul rejoyced to behold their Faith and the holy a Order they performed them in So that where the holy Doctrines of Christ in his Church are purely taught and all his Ordinances in order performed there is Christ beheld in his beauty and his Spouse at his right-hand in Gold of Ophir who for her incomparable beauty whilst she holdeth fast the Faith once given to the Saints according to the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his Infants the Faith of Gods Elect and walketh after Christ the Captain of her salvation in the heavenly Warfare of his glorious Gospel she looketh forth as the b Morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners beautiful for c scituation the Joy of the whole Earth is this Mount Sion the City of the great King the Lords d House his e Temple and f Mountain of God a chosen g Generation a holy Nation a peculiar People the b Vineyard of the Lord his i Garden inclosed a Spring shut up the sealed Fountain and Orchard of Pomegranates abounding with the sweeet fruits of his Graces his k Heritage and l Kingdom his Spouse his m Queen his n Body Unto this Church belougeth all the o Promises in the Gospel made in Christ who is made unto her p Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption unto whom the Lord is a q Wall of fire his r Presence promised her his s Protection and even Life for evermore As these Scriptures shew to all them that will search the same a Col. 2.5 b Cant. 6.10 c Psal 48.1 2. d Heb. 3.6 e 2 Cor. 6.16 f Mica 4.1 Zach. 8.3 g 1 Pet. 2.9 h Isa 5.1 and 27.2 i Cant. 4.12 Isa 51.3 k Isa 19.25 l Col. 1.13 m Psal 45.9 n 1 Cor. 12.27 Eph. 1.23 o Gal. 4.28 1 Cor. 1.20 2 Pet. 1.4 Rom. 9.4 p 1 Cor. 1.30 q Zach. 2.5 Heb. 12.29 r Isa chap. 60. Ezek. chap. 47. Mat. 18.20 s Ezek. 48.35 Mat. 28.20 Esay chap. 62. Let us now with John in the Spirit ascend to the heights of the Mountains of Israel to behold the true Church of God the Bride the Lambs wife as she is held forth in the Scripture of the Prophets now following her Head and Husband in the performance of all his holy Ordinances in that holy Order Christ hath given her under the Gospel in his last Will and Testament how that all the glory of the Church of God in all Ages is applied to her in all the Promises of Life for her unmovable stability and eternal comfort in the 21th 22th chapters of the Revelations while she aboundeth in the work of the Lord. Therefore let us take a view how glorious this Church appeareth beautified with all God's Ordinances I. Prayer is a a sanctifying Ordinance ordained of the Lord given to his Church as a powerful means to prevail with the Lord for all things we stand in need of offered up by the mediation of Christ Jesus and also serveth to distinguish between every Ordinance as by the example of Christ in the Supper who prayed between the receiving the Bread and Wine And also Moses when the Camp removed sanctified the action by b Prayer and so likewise when it rested Unto which agreeth the Exhortation of the Apostle to the Churches d that by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known to God a 1 Tim. 4.4 Eph. 6.18 19. Act. 6.4 2.42 Zech. 8.21 22. Job 42.8 2 Chron. 6.24 1 Thess 5.17 Rev. 5.8 8.24 b Mat. 26.26 27. Numb 6.23 to 27. c Numb 10.35 36. d Phil. 4.6 with Mat. 6.5 to 15. II. Prayer being performed the Church together do sing with harmony of Voices some part of the Psalms in the holy Scriptures forasmuch as God created no a Faculty in vain but to be used to praise and glorifie the Name of the Lord in his Church where prayer and praises b wait for him for his Mercies and wonderful works of c Deliverance of his Church from the rage of d Pharaoh the Dragon making them to pass through the Sea as on dry e Ground who for their deliverance then sang his f praise So likewise ought the Saints now having received like precious Faith with them 2 Pet. 1.1 2 Cor. 4.13 in these Gospel-days stand on the Sea of g Glass having the Harps of God or like h Melody of joy in the Spirit to see in the Churches Deliverance of old how we were in them delivered by the seed Christ in the loins of the Church then preserved ought now to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb having gotten the victory over the Romish Beast and his Image of whom Pharaob was a i Figure and hereupon was that Psalm with others penn'd by the Spirit of God for the Saints now to sing as our deliverance which the Church of Israel did sing as their deliverance in the Churches deliverance of old many hundred years before they were born and could say by the same Spirit of Faith in Christ to come as we enjoy now he is come of that seed then preserved there did we k rejoyce in him to wit in God for our deliverance in them then delivered as saith the Prophet Except the Lord had left us a very small l Remnant we should have been as Sodom and Gomorrha But some will object that Singing of old was used with Instruments of Musick We answer so was Prayer with offering up of Incense therefore as Incense is ceased yet Prayer remaineth so by like reason though Musick is ceased yet Singing of Psalms remains as an Ordinance of God to his Church else Christ at the first institution of his last m Supper a Gospel-Ordinance would not with his Disciples have performed singing as a Pattern for all his Churches to follow his steps neither would the Apostles have instructed the Churches to employ themselves in
used to signify Angels Psal 8.5 Heb. 2.7 sometimes it signifies Magistrates Psal 82.1 and many the like Even so the word Baptisma or baptizo is rendred by Scholars in Dictionaries to dive over head to wash to water to sprinkle to baptize see Gouldman's Dictionary So that he that shall confine the word haptizo to one sense may by the same reason limit all the former words to one sense and so make a confusion in every ones understanding of the use of holy Scriptures as they do that confine the word Baptizo to Dipping when all Churches according to the Wisdom of God are left free what quantity of water they may use in Baptism For though the Eunuch went into the water which was no part of his Baptism but what water Philip uses on him was his Baptism but how much we know not And so of John's Baptism Now with what presumption do these men which call themselves Bappists limit God's Word and so presume above what is written to say he dipped all the Body And might not others do so by many other words in Scripture confine how many persons in number make a Church or the like when it is evident Philip did not baptise all the Body for the Eunuch put some part of his Body in the water himself so Philip could but wash the rest So that it 's safe when we so understand the Scriptures that they agree in one harmony together * Deut. 5.6 7. †Mat. 2.3 And lastly the Place where all Pastors are bound to administer the visible Seals of God's Covenant Baptism is not now at Rivers or Ponds as did the Apostles and Evangelists whose Offices were extraordinary and not limited to any particular Congregation because they received not their Office ordinarily from the Church but were immedialy called by Christ and so not of Men not of a Man and therefore it is written to Pastors and Teachers chosen by the Church they are Members of to feed the Flock of God over which the Holy Ghost hath made them b Over seers so that Archippus is bid to take heed to his Ministry which he had received in the Lord that he c fulfil it Moreover as all ordinary Civil Offices in a Kingdom or Common Wealth are limited within their Corporated Cities and Charters and have no power to execute any part of their Office out of the Limits set them Even so are the ordinary Offices of Christ's Church as of Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons chosen by their corporated and particular Bodies and commanded as by Acts. 20.28 Col. 4.17 there to fulfil their Ministerial Office and not as some in the Apostles days who said they were Apostles to go from one Congregation to another when they please and baptize at any place but when the Church of Ephesus who knew that the full Number of the Apostles names was already recorded in the foundation of the d Walls of the heavenly Jerusalem tried them to prove their Call and found them * Liars false Apostles deceitful Workers transforming themselves into the e Apostles of Christ And we may believe that there are many in these days that by like trial will be found false Apostles who Apostle-like baptize out of the stative corporative Body of the Church gathered together and without the knowledge of the Church and so not with Archippus fulfill their Ministry within the Limits of their Charters Again as there are some authorized under Civil Kings as Embassadors who are sent to other Nations to treat with them of Peace or like State-Matters others they employ as Messengers and they are sent upon their Masters Business in any part of their Dominions others are Officers in Towns Cities or Burroughs limited within the Bounds of their Charter Even so the Lord Jesus King of Kings sent his Apostles Ambassadors f to other Nations to treat of Peace by the preaching of his Gospel others were sent as Evangelists or g Messengers from one Church to another so far as the Churches were gathered others were ordinary Officers as Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons and they were not to go without the h Limits of the Congregation that had chosen them to administer either Baptism with water or the Lord's Supper a Gal. 1.1 b Acts 20.28 c Col. 4.17 d Rev. 21.14 e 2 Cor. 11.13 * Rev. 2.2 f 2 Cor. 5.20 g 2 Cor. 8.23 h Acts 20.28 Rev. 3.8 Mat. 24.45 Yet we read of one John Smith first a Minister in England after joyned himself a Member of the English Church at Amsterdam where Henry Ainsworth was Teacher and for sin was cast out of that Church soon after Satan drew him to deny the Covenant preached to Abraham to be the Covenant of Grace which led him to deny his Baptism received in Infancy And though there were many more then of his Judgment yet they knew not where to have an Administrator to begin Baptism by dipping therefore as Satan had begun to instruct him he added Sin unto Sin and baptized himself then he baptized one Mr. Helvish and John Morton with the rest And this is testified by one Mr. Jessop who as he saith was one of them and after by grace renounced their evil doings and wrote a Book against them entituled a Discovery of the Errors of that People in the Year 1623 pag. 65. Likewise H. Ainsworth saith Mr. Smith baptized himself in his Book called a Defence of Holy Scripture wrote against Smith pag. 69 82. So saith Mr. Clifton in his Christian Plea against Mr. Smith pag. 185 224. Now let the wise judg in what abominable disorder they retain their Baptism ever since from Mr. Smith and whether it stinketh not in the Nostrils of the Lord ever since as the Ministry of Corah and his Company Moreover as Water-Baptism came in a place of Circumcision and when Israel fell into Apostacy yet they in that estate did circumcise and when they returned by repentance unto the Lord and renewed their Covenant the Lord did not require them to reiterate or b circumcise them again that were circumcised in Apostacy though they might have gathered the foreskin again by Surgery as the Apostle c observeth so likewise Joseph Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 6. and also History declares Having afore shewed how in this Land a Gospel-Church was planted after fell into Apostacy yet they still baptized their Children as the Apostles did the Housholds afore-proved to be Children So that when we that were baptized in Apostacy are returned by the Call of God to the Lord by unfeigned Repentance we are not to rebaptize again those that were baptized in Apostacy seeing the Covenant is the same that Circumcision was a Seal of as now Water-Baptism is And thus we have a ground in God's Word for our practice which they have not that receive their Baptism from John Smith that baptized himself as afore proved And thus when all God's Ordinances are ended the whole is concluded by Prayer a Col. 2.11 12. b 2 Chron. 30.
Ancient Truth REVIVED OR A true State of the Antient Suffering Church of Christ commonly but falsly called BROWNISTS living in London and other Places of this Nation WHEREIN I. Is shewed in the Preface the State of the Gospel-Church from the Time of Christ's Ascension to the End of the World gathered out of the Book of the Revelations II. The Confession of our Faith grounded on the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets III. By vvhom the Gospel vvas first preached in this Island IV. Our Practice in the Worship of God according to the Practice of the Primitive Church with an Explanation of every Ordinance and vvho have right to administer the same V. The First Day of the Week proved to be the Gospel-Sabbath LONDON Printed in the Year 1677. A Table of some particular Things in this Treatise OF the Articles or Confession of our Faith from pag. 1 to 9. By whom the Gospel-Church was first planted in this Island pag. 10. A true Church of Christ described with her Right and Priviledges and how she is beautified with Titles and all the Promises in Christ confirmed to her pag. 11 12. That every Ordinance in the Church of Christ ought to be sanctified by Prayer and that Singing of Psalms in holy Scriptures is a Gospel-Ordinance pag. 13. The Pastors and Teachers Duty in the Ordinance of Reading and Doctrine pag. 14. Of the Ordinance of Prophecy in the Church by Men Membbers not in office and how it is Gods way and order for to fit Men for the Work of his Ministry pag. 15 16. Of the Deacons Office in the Ordinance of Contribution and that it is the Duty of the Flock according to their abilities to distribute in that Ordinance for their Ministers maintenance and relief of the poor Saints pag. 17. Of Christs spiritual Government in his Church sitting on the Throne of his Father David both Priest and King whose Kingdom is not of this World but distinguished from the Civil Government in Nations with the opening of many mistakes of Men concerning the same from pag. 18. to 24. Of the Ordinance of Water-Baptism Who is the true Administrator of it Where it ought to be performed And the Subjects thereof proved to be Men VVomen and Children with the Housholds the Apostles baptized proved to be Children from pag. 25. to 30. The Word Baptism opened in three several Baptisms and how presumptuous it is to limit the Word Baptism to one sence by comparing it to like Words in Scripture of like signification from pag. 31 to 34. Of the Difference between the Work of the Apostles and ordinary Pasters of Churches p 35. Who began Baptism by way of Dipping among the English People that call themselves Baptists viz. by one John Smith who baptized himself proved by several Testimonies And that Baptism came in the place of Circumcision and as none were circumcised that returned out of Apostacy so ought none to be rebaptized when they return out of Apostacy being baptized before How the Ministers and Members in a true Church are by the Wisdom of God in holy Order serviceable to the Body pag. 36. How to know a true Minister from a false pag. 37. How the Primitive Churches did in order performe very Ordinance on the first Day one after another And that the Covenant and not Water-Baptism is the Form of every true Church pag. 38. The first Day of the Week proved by Scripture and Reason deduced from the same to be the Gospel-Sabbath from pag. 39. to 46. And lastly the many counterfeit shews which the false Church uses to counterfeit the true pag. 47 48. A common Objection against Infant-Baptism answered taken from Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned From hence they conclude because Infants have not Faith that is actually to believe therefore they ought not to be baptized If it were true that Infants have not Faith how false is their Doctrine that say all Infants shall be saved when without Faith none can please God for by Mark 16.6 He that believeth not shall be damned Again if Mark 16.16 denieth VVater-Baptism to Infants because they cannot actually believe it also denieth their salvation because they cannot believe Again if it were true as these men further say that Profession of Faith only giveth right to VVater-Baptism then the Right is no more of Grace by Christ according to the Covenant of Grace handled in pag. 29 31. but of Debt merited by an actual Profession And so the Gospel by these mens Doctrine is made a secondary Law of VVorks Do this and live as is the Popish Faith concerning VVater-Baptism as the Fathers have decreed in the Council of Trent that if any shall say grace is not conferred by the work done let him be accursed Concil Trident. Sess de Sacr. in Gen. Can. 8. To the Reader GOD who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his a Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds who after he had finished the Work of Redemption for the whole b World of his Elect that Abraham was Heir of that should in due time partake of the Faith of Abraham and so become the Children of c Christ of which number were his Churches established by the Doctrine of the Apostles The Covenant of Grace made with Abraham called the d Kingdom of God the Jews rejected which the believing Jews with the believing Gentiles were Possessors of unto whom Christ the King of his Church had given his Laws to observe with his Ordinances Ministry Time and Maintenance till his second Coming to Judgment He was pleased in his Mercy and Love to his Children to signify to John by his Angel to acquaint the Churches what should befall them and the Enemies of the same from the Time of his Ascension unto the End of the World in that heavenly Book of the Revelations As 1. in chap. 4. is shewed the happy Estate of his Church compared to the Figure of Moses's Tabernacle whilst Christ's glorious Throne was in the midst of the twenty four Elders according to the number of the twenty four Divisions of the Priests and Levites by f David now made a Royal g Priesthood by Christ enlightned with the h Lamps of God's Spirit The Book that is sealed to the i World to wit God's secret Counsel is opened to this Church by the k Lyon of the Tribe of Juda who only hath revealed our of the l Bosom of his Father all things fitting and needful for his Church to know m in this Life In which Book the Words and Phrases are generally taken out of the Prophets and applied to the Prophecies in this heavenly Book unto which we must have respect in the right understanding of the same a Heb. 1.1 2. b Rom. 4.13 2. Cor. 5.19 c Gal. 3.4
46.10 Psal 33.11 Prov. 19.21 b Gen. 45.5 6 7 8. c Mat. 10.29 40. d Eph. 1.11 e Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 7 10 11. f Mat. 25.34 2 Tim. 1.9 Acts 13.44 g 1 Tim. 5.21 h Col. 1.14 17 18 19 20. i Jude v. 4 6. Rom. 9.11 22. Exod. 9.16 Mat. 25.41 Prov. 16.4 2 Pet. 2.10 Rom. 2.5 IV. In the a beginning God made all things of nothing very good and created Man after his own Image b and likeness in Righteousness Holiness and c Truth but straight way after by the subtilty of Satan using the Serpent for his Instrument himself with his Angels having sinned before and kept not their first e Estate and left their own habitation soon seduced f Eve then Adam being seduced did wittingly fall into Disobedience g Fearfulness and Unbelief by transgressing Gods Law the Reward of that Sin was eternal Death as it is written The Fearful and Vnbelieving have their part in the Lake of fire and brimstone which is the second Death Which Death came upon h all and reigned over all yea even over the Infants also which have not sinned after the manner of Adam's transgression to wit actually yet are they accounted Lyars i from the womb begotten in Adams likeness k after his own image and so by nature children of wrath servants of sin and l subject to death and all other calamities due for sin in this world and for ever m Gen. 1. Col. 1.16 Heb. 11.3 Isa 45.12 Rev. 4.11 b Gen. 1.26 27. Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 c Eccles 7.3 d Gen. 3.1 4 5. 2 Cor. 11 3. e Jud. v. 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 John 8 44. f Gen. 3.1 2 3. 1 Tim. 2.14 g Gen. 3.8 Rev. 21.8 h Rom. 5.12 18 19. i Psal 58.3 k Gen. 5.3 John 3.6 Eph. 2.3 l Rom. 6.23 Eccles 3.2 Heb. 9. 27. V. All Mankind being thus fallen a and become altogether dead b in sin and subject to the eternal wrath of God both for original and actual sin or corruption yet the Elect all and only are redeemed c not all Nations in the world but some out of all as it is written in praise of Christ saying Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation These he quickneth raiseth up and saveth not of themselves neither of works lest any man should boast himself but wholly and onely by God of his grace and mercy through faith in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption that according as it is written He that rejoyceth should rejoyce in the Lord. a Gen. 3.15 Rom. 5.12 b Eph. 2.1 c Rev. 5 9. Eph. 1.3 7. 1 Pet. 1.2 18. Rom. 11.5 Acts 13.48 Rom. 3.24 2 Tim. 1.9 d Eph. 2.1 8. 1 Cor. 30. 31. 2 Cor. 5.21 Jer. 23.5 6. and 9.23 24. VI. Touching his Person the Lord Jesus of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote a and whom the Apostles proved from their Writings in their preaching to be the everlasting Son of God the everlasting Father b and Prince of Peace the brightness of his Glory coequal and coeternal with God and with the holy Ghost by whom he made the Worlds and by whom he upholds and governs all the Works he hath made And when the fulness of c time was come was made Man of a Woman of the Tribe of Judah d of the seed of David e and Abraham to wit of Mary the blessed Virgin f by the holy Ghost coming upon her and the power of the most High overshadowing her and was also in all things g like unto us sin only excepted a Gen. 3.15 49.10 Jer. 23.5 6. Psal 2.6 7 12. Joh. 5.46 Acts 3.33 b Pro. 8.22 John 1.1 2 3. Isa 9.6 7. Heb. 1. Col. 1.15 17. c Gal. 4.4 d Heb. 7.14 Rev. 5.5 with Gen. 49.9 10. e Rom. 1.3 9.5 Gal. 3.16 f Isa 7.14 Luke 1.26 Heb. 2.16 g Heb. 4.15 Isa 53.3 4. 9. Phil. 2.7 8. VII Touching his three Offices Mediator a Prophet and King Jesus Christ is the only Mediator of the New Testament even the eternal Covenant b of Grace between God and Man to be perfectly and fully the Prophet c Priest and King of the Church of God for evermore a 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 9.15 John 14.6 Acts 4.12 b Acts 13.20 Dan. 9.24 25. c Heb. 1.2 d Heb. 2.1 2. and 7.24 and 12.24 Psal 110.1 2 4. Isa 9.6 7. Acts 5.31 Isa 55.4 Dan. 7.13 14. Luk. 1.32 33. This Office of Mediatorship Prophet Priest and King of his Church is so proper to Christ as neither in the whole nor any part thereof can it be transferred from him to any other 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 7.24 Isa 43.11 VIII Touching his Prophecy Christ hath perfectly a revealed out of the bosom of his Father the whole Word and Will of God that is needful for his servants either joyntly or severally to know believe or obey he also hath and doth speak to his Church by or in his own Ordinances by his own b Ministers and Instruments only and not by any false c Ministry or disorderly performance of his Ordinances at any time a John 1.18 John 12.49 50. and 15.15 John 17.8 Deut. 18.15 18 19. Acts 3.22 23 24. Mat. 17.5 Eph. 1.8 9. 2 Tim. 3.15 16. b John 13.20 Luke 10.16 Mat. 10.40 41 Eph. 4.7 8 11 12 13. c Mat. 7.15 16. Mat. 24.23 24. 2 Pet. 2. 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Rom. 10.14 Rom. 16.17 1 Tim. 6.3 Jer. 23.21 John 10.1 Rom. 9.3 IX Touching his Priesthood Christ being consecrated a hath appeared once to put away sin by the offering and b sacrifice of himself having fully performed and suffered all those things by which God through the blood of his Cross in an acceptable Sacrifice might be reconciled to his Elect having broken down the middle c wall of partition finished and removed all Rites Shadows and Ceremonies in the Law is now entred within the Vail into the Holy of Holies that is to the very Heaven and d Presence of God where he for ever liveth and sitteth at the right-hand of Majesty appearing before the face of his Father to make intercession for-such as his Father hath given unto him in the Covenant of Grace and come to the Throne of Grace by that new and living way making his Church or People a Spiritual e House an Holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptably to God through him Neither doth the Father accept or Christ offer unto the Father any other f Worship or Worshippers a Jo. 17.19 Heb. 5.7 8 9. 9.26 Rom. 5.19 Isa 53. 1 Pet. 1.2 18 19. b Eph. 5.2 Col. 1.20 c Eph. 2.14 15 16. Dan. 9 24.-27 Heb. 9. and 10. chap. Rom. 8.34 d Eph. 2.16 17 18. e 1 Pet. 2.3 Rev. 1.5 6. Rom. 12.1 12. Mark 9.49 50. f Mal. 1.14 John 4.23 24. Mark 7.6 7 8. Esay 1.12 X. Touching his Kingdom a which is not of this World when he was risen from the
b dead all power in Heaven and in Earth was given unto him he being set at the right-hand of his Father doth spiritually c govern his Church and defendeth e the same to the preservation and salvation of his Elect and destruction of Reprobates out of this his Kingdom that at any time have crept f in at unawares as wolves in sheeps cloathing and communicateth and applieth the benefit of his Prophecy and Priesthood unto his Elect g namely to the remission of their sins and justification and adoption of Sons h regenerating sanctifying preserving and strengthning them in all their conflicts against Satan the World and the Flesh and Temptations of them continually dwelling in governing and keeping their hearts in his true faith and fear by his holy Spirit which having once given he never taketh away from them for whom he loveth he loveth to the end and by it still begetteth repentance k faith love and obedience comfort l peace joy hope and all Christian virtues m unto eternal life which he giveth unto his sheep n only though sometime through sin and temptation it is interrupted o and as it were overwhelmed for a time yet raiseth and receiveth them again to the glory of his Name and their eternal comfort a John 18.36 b 1 Cor. 15.4 c Mat. 28.18 19 20. d Psal 2.6 Acts 5.30 31. Rev. 19.16 Rom. 14.17 e Josh 5.14 Jer. 1.8 Heb. 1.14 f Jud. 4. Mat. 7.15 g Eph. 5.26 27. Rom 5 6 7 and 8 chap. h 1 John 3.1 i John 13.1 and 10.28 29. and 14.16 17. Luke 22.31 32 40. Rom. 11.29 k Psal 51.10 11. Psal 89.34 l Isa 54.8 9 10. Eph. 6.10 m 2 Pet. 1.5 11. n John 10.15 o Job 33.30 and 2 Gor. 12.7 8 9. XI This Kingdom shall be fully perfected a when he shall come the second time in glory with his mighty Angels b to judg the living and the dead c having put down all rule and all authority and power separating the sheep from the goats punishing the wicked with everlasting destruction from his presence gathering and carrying d the godly with himself into endless glory and then to deliver up the Kingdom e to God the Father that so the glory of the Father may be full and perfect in the Son and the glory of the Sun in all his members and God be all in all a 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Dan. 12.2 3. John 5.22 28 29. Heb. 9.28 b 2 Thes 1.4 Mat. 13.41 49. c Mat. 25.31 d 1 Thes 4.15 16 17. John 17.21 e 1 Cor. 15.28 XII To this Church or Kingdom of Christ hath he made all his a promises given the seals b of his Covenant presence c love peace blessing and protection d with his holy Oracles e to be faithfully kept and purely taught f Here are all the fountains and springs g of his Grace continually flowing and refreshing h his Church here is Christ lifted up i to all Nations inviting men to his supper his marriage-feast k even all men of all degrees l whatsoever that by the gift of Gods grace m bestowed on them whom he effectually n calleth to acknowledge him for their Prophet o Priest p and King q and to be enrolled r amongst his houshold-servants to be under his heavenly conduct and government to lead their lives in his walled sheep-fold s and watered garden having communion here with all his Saints that they may be meet to be partakers of their Inheritance t in the Kingdom of God a Lev. 26.11 12. Mat. 28.18 19 20. Rom. 9.4 Esay 49.20 21. 2 Cor. 1.20 Ezek. 48.35 2 Cor. 6.18 b Esa 8.16 c Mat. 18.20 Exod. 20.24 d Zach. 2.5 e 1 Pet. 4.11 Acts 7.38 f 1 Tim. 4.16 and 6.5 Tit. 1.9 Deut. 31.26 Rev. 11.19 g Psal 87.7 h Psal 46.4 Rev. 22.1 Isa 55.1 i Isa 49.22 John 3.14 k Mat. 20.1 2 3. l Gal. 3.28 m 1 Pet. 4.10 n 1 Thes 2.13 o Acts 3.22 p Heb. 3.1 q Rev. 15.3 r Isa 4.3 s John 10. t Acts 26.18 XIII And as all his servants and subjects are called hither a to present their bodies b and souls in his service and there to exercise their gifts c God hath given them in their several orders and peculiar places as in the performance of Christs Ordinances is after laid down being fitly d compact and knit together by every joynt for help according to the effectual working in the measure of every part unto the edifying e of it self in love whereunto when he ascended on high he gave gifts f unto men that by the improvement of the same in the Ordinance of Prophecy in the Church men may be fitted for Offices g in the Church having ratified instituted and confirmed to the worlds end only that publick ordinary Ministry of Pastors h Teachers Elders Deacons Helpers to them in instructing governing and service of his Church a Acts 2.47 and 13.48 Jer. 50.5 Mat. 11.28 b Rom. 12.1 4 5. c 1 Pet. 4.10 Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Cor. 12.8 9. 1 Cor. 14.26 29 30. d Eph. 4.16 e 1 Cor. 14.12 Jude 20. f Eph. 4.8 10 11 12 13. Acts 20.28 g 1 Tim. 3.1 Tit. 1.5 6. h Eph. 4.8 11. Acts 6.2 3. and 14.23 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 5.17 3.4 5. XIV None may usurp a or execute a Ministry but such as are rightly called by the Church b or particular Congregation whereof they stand Members and being there called and ordained they ought there to attend c and seed the flock of Christ and not like Micab's wandering d Priest rove from one Congregation to another for a greater maintenance but to give all diligence to fulfill their Ministry in the flock of Christ that by the order and authority of Christ given them in his Church who ordained them into office they be found faithful e and unblameable in all things till the chief Shepherd shall appear unto whom they must give an accompt of their charge a Heb. 5.4 Numb 16.5 40. 2 Chron. 26.18 John 10.1 2. John 3.17 b Acts 6.3 5 6. and 14.23 Tit. 1.5 Jer 23.21 Numb 8.9 10. c Acts 20.28 Col. 4.17 1 Tim. 1.18 19. and 5.21 Rom. 12.7 8. d Judg. 18. John 10.12 13. e Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 4. XV. This Ministry is alike given to every Congregation who have power from the Lord Jesus to ordain them by the common or free consent a of the whole by what instrument the Church thinks fit not in that way and order as the Church may imagine but saith the Apostle Paul to Titus as I have appointed b thee and whilst they shall faithfully execute their Office to have them in superabundant love for their c works sake because they watch over their souls to provide for them sufficient maintenance if the Church be able that they as little as may be entangle d themselves with the affairs of this life that they may please him that hath called them to be souldiers in Christs spiritual warfare that so they have time to provide food e
for their souls and if the flock be poor then their Ministers with all cheerfulness to labour f with their hands to help to supply their own wants and as a good Shepherd willing to lay down his life for the Flock by the example of the great Shepherd the Lord Jesus a Acts 14.23 Acts 6.3 5 6. Rev. 1.20 and 2 3 chap. Numb 8.9 10. b Tit. 1.5 c 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.17 d 2 Tim. 2.4 1 Tim. 4.15 e Prov. 27.23 Acts 20.28 1 Cor. 19.14 Gal. 6.6 f Acts 20.34 1 Cor. 4.12 1 Thes 2.9 2 Thes 3.8 XVI Christ hath given a power to his Churh not onely to elect and ordain Ministers to serve therein but if they be found to teach evil Doctrine or make default in administration or an evil conversation first being in meekness and love admonished if they will not hear by due order to depose them from the Ministry and if they persist obstinate and remain impenitent to cut them off from the Body by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in the time of Government by Excommunication and likewise if any other member be found guilty of sin and remain obstinate b after due admonition like as aforesaid to be cast out of the Church that the Camp of the Lord be not defiled where the Lord dwelleth a Mat. 18.17 1 Tim. 5.19 20 21. Rom. 16.17 Ezek. 44.12 13. b 1 Cor. 5.4 Numb 5.2 3. Mat. 18.17 Psal 101.8 XVII As Christ hath for the keeping of his Church in holy orderly Communion placed some Men by Office in the Church who by their Office are to govern oversee visit a watch So likewise for the better keeping thereof in all parts and places by all the Members he hath not only commanded the Officers to watch but laid it as a duty upon them all to watch b one over another And whilst the Ministers and People thus remain together in this holy Order and Christian Communion each one in their places as Members c of the Body endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace doing the will of God so shall they walk in their callings e in the obedience of the faith f once given to the Saints to the g glory of God Christ's presence h promised to them to bless i and defend k them against all fraud and force of their enemies so as the l gates of Hell shall not prevail against them a Esay 62.6 Acts 20.31 Luke 12.37 b Mark 13.37 1 Cor. 16.13 1 Thes 5.6 c 1 Cor. 12.14 21. d Eph. 4.3 e 1 Cor. 7.34 f Acts 6.7 Rom. 4.12 Jude 3. g 1 Cor. 10.31 h Mat. 18.20 i Exod. 20.24 k Psal 5.11 Isa 4.5 Psal 89.18 l Mat. 16.18 XVIII And finally When and where in any Church this holy Order and diligent Watch is or was neglected a or violated Errors and Heresies crept in and the holy orderly performance of Christ's Ordinances turned into a Babel of c Confusion as before to the Reader is observed Whereby the Man of sin did d corrupt all faith and erect a e strange Ministry and Administration in the Church which began by degrees that at length a new sorged Ministry Worship and Government was set up that the whole World wondred f after the Beast yea the Nations Kingdoms and Inhabitants of the Earth were made drunk g with the wine of the Whores fornication and all people at length enforced h to receive the Beast's Mark and worship his Image and so brought into Babylonish Bondage a 2 Cor. 18.19 b Rev. 2.20 c 1 Cor. 14.33 d Rev. 19.24 Jud. v. 10. Mal. 2.8 Hos 9.9 e Rev. 9.3 f Rev. 17.8 g Rev. 17.2 h Rev. 13.16 XIX Therefore all that expect salvation or to be saved by the Lord Jesus hear the call of God saying Come out of Babylon a my people Such is the state in one degree or other of all that worship the Lord and not in his own order by his own Ordinances and being come forth by the call of the Lord unto the true Profession of Christ besides the instructing and well guiding of their families b they are to joyn c themselves to the Church of Christ that walketh in holy order or if otherwise to joyn together in a Christian Communion b and orderly Covenant the form of Christs spiritual e building and by a free confession of faith and obedience to Christ so to unite themselves into particular and visible Congregations wherein as members of one Body Christ the only Head f are they according to the measure of Grace g received to edifie h one another and build i up one another in their most holy faith till the Lord fitteth some among them to be elected and chosen for Overseers k and Guides among them and herein to abide l with God till persecution or death m or other such just cause part them unto which work if we forsake not so assembling while two remain together they have the promise of his Presence that he will never leave them nor forsake o them and in the end their reward shall be sure even p Life everlasting a Rev. 18.4 b Gen. 18.19 Eph. 6.4 c Jer. 50.5 Acts 2.47 d Mat. 18.20 e 1 Pet. 2.5 f Col. 1.18 g 1 Pet. 4.10 11. h 1 Cor. 14.12 i Jud. 20. k 1 Tim. 3.1 l Psal 27.4 m Rom. 8.35 John 6.68 n Eccles 4.9 10 11 12. Mat. 18.20 o Heb. 13.5 6. p Rev. 3.11 John 10.28 XX. Moreover all Christians are bound to fear God a and honour the King whose Magistratical Office is to support the good and punish b the evil in the breach of the second Table of God's Law and as they are the Lords Lieutenants here on Earth so an excellent c Majesty is given unto them who ought to be nursing-Fathers d to the Church of God in defending them from all persecution e and injuries while they peaceably practise Christ's Ordinances in his Worship and to abolish all Reliques of f Idolatry imposed by the Man of sin or his Favourites upon the Church of Christ or any member of the same for which cause all Christians that dwell in their Dominions ought to pay them Tribute g and to pray b for them and to use their uttermost endeavour to prevent all injuries intended against them and though by the protection of the Magistrate it makes the Church enjoy more peace and outward comfort in the service of God yet no whit at all more lawful to walk in the Ways and Ordinances of Christ Jesus which he hath commanded his Church to keep without spot and unrebukable until his appearing in the end of the World a 1 Pet. 2.17 b Rom. 13.1 2 3 4. c Dan. 4.36 and 5.18 19. d Isa 49.23 e Rev. 12.16 Psal 32.6 f Rev. 17.16 17. 2 Kings 23 5 2 Chro. 19.3 4. Rev. 13.15 16. g Mat. 22.19 21. Rom. 13.7 h 1 Tim. 2.1 2. i Esther 6.2 3. k Acts 4.19 1 Tim. 6.13 14. XXI And lastly If God with-hold the Magistrates
Rev. 11.19 i Acts 24.25 k Rev. 11.18 Heb. 6.2 l Rev. 17.1 2. m Acts 16.29 30. n Rev. 11.13 o Psal 45.5 Acts 2.37 Heb. 4.12 p Rev. 11.13 Rom. 11.4 5. q Rev. 13.18 r Acts 1.15 Phil. 4.3 Isa 4.3 s Rev. 3.12 t Luk. 15.16 u Rev. 11.15 w Rev. 12.10 x Rom. 4.13 y Gal. 3.29 Lastly as the a World knoweth not the Subjects of Christs Kingdom so likewise do they not know the Kingdom it self to wit of b Grace according to the Covenant of Grace which none but the new born Children of God can see because it is not carnal neither cometh with outward observations therefore the unbelieving Jews rejected Christ to reign over them in his spiritual Kingdom in his Church as David in the Spirit foresaw being a Prophet and a Figure of Christ in his Kingdom which had it been of this World terrestrial as David's was then David in his Kingdom could be no figure of Christ contrary to David's Confession Mat. 22. who knowing Christ's Kingdom to be spiritual and greater in glory than his therefore though Christ was his Son yet in spirit he called him his Lord which the Jews perceived not but withstood it therefore Christ told them the Kingdom of God should be taken from them which Kingdom was not the civil Government which the Romans had taken from them already but it was that Kingdom the Primitive Churches had received which could not be f shaken to wit the Government of Christ in his Church where the Laws of the King of Saints can only be g kept in the performance of all his holy Ordinances whose Throne is among them and his Saints round about him serving the Lord acceptably by Jesus Christ with reverence and godly fear unto which Kingdom the Lord is a i Wall of fire for our God saith the Apostle is a consuming fire So then seeing the Saints have already received the Kingdom which is promised them on Earth a Kingdom of Priests a holy Nation therefore vain will be the hopes of such Christians that expect they shall be made temporal Princes on the Earth to ride on white Horses with golden Crowns on their Heads they must be told they are mistaken for where Christ rideth on a white m Horse is meant on the purity and powerful administration n of Righteousness in his Church in which work his Saints or Armies in Heaven follow him upon white Horses cloathed in fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of Saints imputed from Christ to them These Mysteries of Christ's Kingdom cannot these personal Reigners see to wit believe any more than the unbelieving Jews as H. Ainsworth on Levit. 26.11 sheweth from the Jews own confession who say the days of Christ are of this World and the World goes after the wonted manner save the Kingdom shall be restored to Israel Of this Opinion was Cerinthus a Jew who dreamed that the Kingdom of Christ should become earthly and that after the Resurrection Christ should reign on Earth Euseb lib. 3. cap. 25. lib. 4. cap. 14. lib. 6 7. cap. 24. See Mr. Meredith Hamner in his Book of Ecclesiastical Histories pag. 565. where he further saith out of the same Author that John the Apostle abhorred the presence of Cerinthus in the Year of Christ 75. a 1 John 3.1 b Luke 17.21 c John 3.3 Acts 1.3 7. d Mat. 22.46 e Mat. 21.53 f Heb. 12.28 g Rev. 12.17 and 14.12 and 22.14 h Rev. 4.2 Jer. 3.17 Heb. 12.22 i Zach. 2.5 k Luke 12.32 l Rev. 1.9 m Rev. 19.11 n Psal 45.4 o Mat. 18.1 2. p Col. 1.13 q Rom. 5.17 r Mica 4.7 These things we thought good to lay down in the explaining the Ordinance of Christ's Government in his Church to help the weak that are deluded in this Point by such as seek whether out of ignorance or not to demean the glory of Christ's Reign in his Church or Kingdom who do as good as say Christ hath no a Kingdom yet when we are told by John that he was in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ Rev. 1.9 and the Primitive Christians are said all of them to be delivered from the Power of Darkness to wit Satan's Kingdom afore proved and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 That as Sin once reigned in them in Satan's Kingdom now being in Christ's Kingdom b Grace might reign in them through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ and thus Christ reigns over his Saints in Mount Sion for ever and ever Moreover as Christ is God c equal with the Father so all Civil Magistratical Government in Nations is ordained by him so that by him d Kings reign and Princes decree Justice And though Christ by demeaning himself for the work of Mans Redemption and Mediation for them in which work he did take our e Nature on him and became a servant to his own Ordinance in paying the Magistrates Tribute yet as he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords unto whom all Judgment is commited all Kings Princes must bow their Scepters to f him in believing in him and submitting to him in obeying his Commands in his Church or Kingdom in the practice of all his holy Ordinances And thus are all the Kings and Judges of the Earth to g serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling so to kiss the Son lest he be angry and they perish bringing their glory and honour to preserve his Church from outward Injuries as Nursing-fathers And thus the Lord in his mercy directs both high and low rich and poor to make an end of their salvation with fear and trembling that so every one may fight the good fight of faith and finishing their course in keeping the faith shall surely have the Crown of h Righteousness and Glory at the day of his appearing a Rev. 1.9 b Rom. 5.17 c Phil. 2.6 d Prov. 18.15 e Heb. 4.15 f Rev. 21.24 Isa 60.12 g Psal 2.10 11 12. h 2 Tim. 4.8 1 Pet. 5.4 VIII The next Ordinance in order to be performed in the Church of Christ is Baptism of Water which peculiarly belongeth to the Pastor or Teacher to perform and no other Since extraordinary Offices of Apostles and Evangelists are ceased therefore in order for the performance thereof there must be a true Administrator for these Reasons first because the visible Seals of the Covenant Baptism and the Lord's Supper may not be administred by any other than the Ministers of the Word according to the Command of Christ Mat. 28.19 saying Go teach all Nations and baptize c. In which place our Lord commandeth Apostolick Authority unto his Disciples for teaching the Covenant of the Gospel contained in the Prophets and sealing the same to all those the Promise did belong unto Act. 2.39 and hath no-where admitted any to baptize whom he sent not in Office to a preach these things therefore what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder The applying of the Seals is a greater work
them misled in their understandings by some that now keep the seventh Day for the time of Gospel-Worship and also by others who though they say the seventh Day is abolished yet do believe that Christ hath appointed no peculiar Day for his Gospel-Worship and others that say every Day is alike to them and keep no Day conscionably at all only meet for fushions sake when others do partly by that opportunity to draw People to their way and also for fear if they open their Shops they should be punished by the Magistrate First We direct our Words to those that say Christ under the Gospel appointed no peculiar day for his Worship Such ought to know That as it stands not to the Honour of Kings and Princes and Masters of Servants to appoint their Subjects and Servants their Work and leave the Time to their Discretion when they think good to do the same How much more doth it not stand with the Honour of our Lord Jesus Prince of the Kings of the Earth Lord of Lords and only Lawgiver to his Church or Subjects having appointed new Ordinances for his Worship that he should leave the Time to their Pleasure when they shall think good to perform the same And were it so as they suppose that Christ hath appointed no peculiar day for his Worship when as he hath commanded his Church not to forsake the assembling of themselves together and promised his Presence to be with them which if the time is not by his appointment but theirs is not this to make the Lord to wait on his Subjects pleasure and not they on his when he shall meet with them and not when they should meet with him which is contrary to the Order of God both in Grace and Nature even against the Honour and Prerogative of a King over his Subjects of a Master over his Servants bringing a Babel or Confusion both in Church and State and an Article of the Romish Faith about the time of God's Worship who say they are bound to believe as the Church believes in this and many other things 2. We are to know that the living God is a God of Order but it was not his Way and Order from the very beginning of the Creation to appoint Man his Work and leave the Time to his Discretion for Adam by Creation was only Lord of the Earth and all things therein but by a Covenant Estate made between the Lord and himself he was made Heir of Heaven by Promise confirmed to him by two Sacramental Signs set before them one called the Tree of Life representing Christ the now Tree of Life in the spiritual Garden of his Church Rev. 22.1 the Way and no other to Heaven from the beginning Acts 4.12 The other called the Tree of Knowledg signifying the a Law now in the spiritual Garden of God the Church of Christ by which is the knowledge of Sin which Tree of Knowledg in the figure was then forbidden Adam and his Wife to touch or meddle with the fruit thereof as we are now by the Law by eating or believing that by the works or fruits thereof we can be made happy eternally And thus Adam and his VVife b willingly covenanted with their Creator to serve and obey the Pleasure of his VVill but the Lord left not the Time to their c discretion but after he had ordered them six days for their bodily Exercise in d dressing of the Garden and such like civil Employments did also appoint them a Sabbath of holy Rest in his Service to imploy their Minds in the Meditation of God's Love to them in the benefit of the Sacramental Signs aforesaid and likewise to praise the Lord for all his Mercies in all the VVorks of his Creation made for their e sakes and also to teach them that by the Time of God's Service instituted by the Lord for them that it was a Sign to them the Lord had sanctified them a Rom. 7.7 b Gen. 3.2 c Gen. 2.3 d Ver. 15. e Deut. 4.19 f Ezek. 20.12 3. After Man's Fall Moses the first VVriter of holy Scripture ending his first Book called Genesis or Generations with Israel going into Aegypt a Figure of Man's Captivity by the Fall of Adam and his Generations in him Rom. 5. beginneth his next Book called Exodus or Departure upon Israel's being called to depart out of Aegypt and by the Covenant of Grace after they were come out made with them in Christ they became the Lords People a holy Nation Exod. 19. Unto whom the Lord after gave his Law with Ordinances for his VVorship But here we are to note he did not leave the Time to their Discretion when they thought good to do the same but appointed them the Seventh-day Sabbath afore given to the first Adam by the Lord and to Israel by the hand of Moses and hereupon the Holy Ghost witnesseth of Moses that he was faithful in the House of God as a Servant who being a Figure of Christ in his Prophetical Priestly and Kingly Offices appointing both the Ordinances for Worship and also the Time And as Christ who is said to be like unto Moses yea more than a Servant to wit a Son and faithful in his own House inasmuch as he hath not only appointed new Ordinances for his Worship but also a new Time and so in nothing was he inferiour to Moses as those people would make him that say he hath appointed no particular Day for his Worship under the Gospel But Christ's Disciples were better acquainted with the mind of the Lord and knew that the day of Christ's Resurrection was the Gospel Sabbath Therefore on the first Day did they assemble together to Prayer and Religious Duties Christ himself appearing among them after he was risen justifying their Faith and Practice in proclaiming peace unto them John 20.19 4. Accordingly did the Apostle Paul practise by the Spirit of Faith who coming to Troas with his Company abode there seven days and did not assemble with the Disciples there to perform Christ's Ordinances for Worship till the first day of the Week whose example is written for our learning Phil. 3.17 Acts 20.7 Vpon the first day of the Week the Disciples came together to break Bread that is to communicate in the Lord's Supper as a remembrance of Christ's Death who died for their Sins and rose the first day for their Justification And likewise the Ordinance of Contribution commanded on the first Day not to be neglected but perform'd because it is an odour of a sweet-smelling Sacrifice to the Lord in the Church of God and therefore are Deacons appointed to attend on that work to gather the free-gift of the Saints then cast into the Lord's Treasury in his Spiritual Temple of living stones that the Deacons may according to the Wisdom of God given them distribute it to the maintenance of the Minister and relief of the poor Saints Now then if God's way is to be preferr'd as it is the best then