to their authority and the exercise of it over their Brethren CHAP. XXI Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day THE light of Nature sheweth that there is a God who hath Lordship and soveraignty over all is good and doth good unto all and is therefore to be feared loved praised called upon trusted in and served with all the heart with all the soul and with all the might a Ro 1.20 Act 17 14 Psa 119.68 Jer 7.10 Psal 31.23 Psal 18.3 Ro 10.12 Psal 62.8 Josh 24.14 Mar 12.33 But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself so limitted by his own revealed wil that he may not be Worshiped according to the imaginations and devises of men or the suggestions of Satan under any visible representation or any other way not prescribed in holy Scripture b Deu 12.32 Mat 15.9 Acts 17.25 Mat 4.9.10 Deut 4.15 to 20. Exod 20.4 5 6. Col 2.23 II. Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and to him alone c Mat. 4.10 with John 5.23 and 2 Cor 13.14 not to Angels Saints or any other creature d Col 2.18 Rev 19.10 Rom 1.25 and since the fall not without a Mediatour nor in the mediation of any other then of Christ alone e Joh 14.6 1 Tim. 2.5 Eph 2.18 Col 3.17 III. Prayer with thanksgiving being one special part of Religious worship f Phil 4.16 't is by God required of all men g Psa 85.2 and that it may be accepted it is to be made in the name of the Son h John 14.13 14. 1 Pet 2.5 by the help of his Spirit i Ro 8.26 according to his will k 1 Joh 5.4 with understanding reverence humility fervency faith love and perseverance l Psa 47.7 Eccl 5.12 Heb 12.28 Gen 18.27 Jam 5.16 Jam 1.6 7 Mar 11.24 Mat 6.12 14 15. Col 4.2 Eph 6.18 and if vocal in a known tongue m Cor 14.14 IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful n Joh 5.14 and for all sorts of men living or that shall live hereafter o 1 Tim 1.1 2. Joh 17.20 2 Sam 7.29 Rut 4.12 but nor for the dead p 2 Sam 12.21 22 23. with Luke 16.25.26 Rev 14.13 nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death q 1 Joh 5.5 V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear r Act 15.21 Rev 1.3 the sound preaching Å¿ 2 Tim 4.2 and conscionable hearing of the Word in obedience unto God with understanding faith and reverence t Jam 1.22 Acts 10.33 Mat 13.10 Heb 4.2 Isa 66.2 singing of Psalms with grace in the heart u Col 3.16 Eph 5.19 Jam 5.13 as also the due administration and worthy receiving of the Sacraments instituted by Christ are all parts of the ordinary Riligious Worship of God w Mat 28.19 1 Cor. 11 23 to 29. Acts 2 12. beside Religious Oaths x Deut 6.13 with Neh 10.29 Vows y Isa 19.21 with Eccles 5.4 5. Solemn Fastings z Joel 2.12 Esther 4.16 Matth 9.15 1 Cor 7.5 and Thanksgivings upon special occasions a Psal 107. throughout Esth 9.12 which are in their several times and seasons to be used in an holy and religious manner b Heb 12.28 VI. Neither prayer nor any other part of Religious Worship is now under the Gospel either tyed unto or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed or towards which it is directed e Joh 4.21 but God is to be Worshiped every-where d Mal 1.11 1 Tim 2.8 in Spirit and in Truth e Joh 4 23 24. as in private Families f Jer 10.25 Deu. 6.6.7 Job 1.5 2 Sam 6.18 20. 1 Pet 3.7 Acts 10 2. daily g Mat. 6.11 and in secret each one by himself h Mat 6.6 Eph 6.18 so more solemnly in the publick Assemblies which are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken when God by his word or providence calleth thereunto i Is 56.6.7 Heb 10.25 Pro. 1 20.21 24. Acts 13.24 Luk 4.16 Acts 2.42 VII As it is the Law of Nature that in general a due proportion of time be set apart for the Worshiping of God so in his Word by a positive Moral and perpetual Commandment binding all men in all Ages he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him k Exo 20.8.10.11 Isa 56.2 4 5 6 7. which from the beginning of the World to the resurrection of Christ was the last Day of the week and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week l Gen 2.2.3 1 Cor 16.1 2. Acts 20.7 which in Scripture is called the Lord's Day m Rev 1.10 and it to be continued to the end of the World as the Christian Sabbath n Exod 20.8 10. with Mat 5.17.18 VIII This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord when men after a due preparing of their hearts and ordering of their common affaires before hand do not onely observe an holy rest all the Day from their own works words and thoughts about their worldly imployment and recreations o Ex 20.8 Exod 16.23 25 26 29.30 Exod 31.15 16 17. Isa 58.13 Neh 13.15 16 17 18 19 21 22. but also are taken up the whole time in the publick and private exercises of his Worship and in the duties of necessity and mercy p Isa 58.13 Mat 12.1 to 13. CHAP. XXI Of Religious Worship and of the Sabboth Day examined IN the foregoing Chapters you gave us a scantling of your faith and here you exhibite a view of your piety or Religion but as your faith was many wayes unsound so your Religion for the greatest part will prove a will worship and both it and the time you allot thereunto are so ungrounded that we can neither Sabbatize in your worship nor worship your sabboth with you You have here touched many things that concern that worship as the object the rule the part or subject with which the supposed matter the Place and time of it after your manner but we cannot but wonder at four things first your strange omissions secondly some truths which break from you at unawares contradicting what you said before thirdly your gross mistakes and lastly your confident affirming of things most false and destitute of foundation For the first it is no small matter of wonderment to us that you neither shew us what the worship of God is nor of what latitude in the general nor how many kinds there be of it nor wherein Gods principal eternal and saving worship lieth especially since the holy Scriptures are so clear in all the four which set forth unto us First that to worship God is all one as to fear him serve him and glorifie him Mat. 4.10 It
Of which as you here make no mention at all so we justly fear you have no fight nor feeling Yet do these ensuing Scriptures with many others give a luculent testimony of the same Rev. 13.8 He is the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world If you here answer That he was so in Gods decree we reply that Gods decree is said to be before the world and before all ages The Prophet Isaiah Chap. 53. speaks throughout of the sufferings of Christ as a thing past and done both in himself and others where the ninth verse cannot be verified of Christs sufferings in the flesh And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death For though Christ was crucified with two theeves yet he was buryed alone in a tombe which Joseph a righteous man had prepared for himself In which place the Holy Ghost holds forth two things the place of Christs inward burial and the cause of his death For Christ is slaine and buryed in two sorts of men first in the openly wicked and secondly in those that are rich in the wisdom and holiness of the flesh sudh as were the Scribes and Pharisees The cause why we let him dye or slay him is for that he will not consent to do any violence nor is deceit found in his mouth See also Gal. 3.1 For the further proof of what we have in hand where the Apostle cryeth out O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you before whom Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified in you and among you Now we all know that Christ in his humanity suffered at Jerusalem Revel 11.8 and not in Galatia So Heb. 6.6 The Apostle tels them who fall away from Christ That they crucifie afresh the Son of God which he could not truely charge upon them if they had not crucified him once afore Finally St. James saith chap. 5.6 you have condemne◠and killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words must needs be understod of Christ within us as the following words evict and he resisteth you not for Christ for a time suffers patiently in us and that as a lamb led to the slaughter but if men repent not he will rise up like a Lyon to devour them We here say nothing that the Farmers of the Vineyard which is our heart do not onely evilly entreat the other motions and messengers of God but kill the heir also Matth. 21.38 39. Nor that John hath foretold us that all Nations shall look upon him whom they have pierced and bewail the same in a time of grace to which he saith Amen Revelations 1.7 In your fift Section you comfort your selves and followers with vain words the dreams and devices of men for though it is true which you spake in your last Section that Christ was made under the law and did perfectly fulfil it yet hath he not by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself which he through the eternal spirit once offered up to God fully satisfied the justice of God for us in any regard but to take away the curse of the Law which was due unto us Gal. 3.13 Nor is it true that he hath purchased a ful reconciliation for men with God by that his outward obedience nor finally doth it appear out of the Scripture◠that by the same means he hath purchased an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all or any of those whom the Father hath given unto him And though the proof of what you have affirmed on the contrary lyeth on your part yet we will briefly shew you our remonstrative reasons First It is certain that as Christ was a man and so a creature he did owe unto his Father a personal and perfect obedience in fulfilling the Law how then could he perform the same for us also Secondly All men in Adam were created to perform perfect obedience to Gods Law and Will in their own persons neither doth it appear that God hath since released them of that obligation nor did David think that he was or could be discharged there from when he thus confessed and prayed Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements Thirdly The Moral Law requires of us a perfect observation of it not by a deputy or surety but in our own persons In which regard the renewing and assisting grace of Christ is most requisite for us Rom. 8.4 That the righteousness of the Law might be sulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit But his outward active obedience therein helps us no further but as an example to be followed Fourthly There is yet no other way unto life left for the sons of men but by the fulfilling of Gods commandements witness our Saviour's own words Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven and Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that keep the Commandements that they may have right unto the tree of Life and may enter through the gates into the Citie Fifthly Our Saviour saith thus unto us by way of anticipation Mat. 5.17 18 19. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil for verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled And least we should dream that he by fulfilling the Law for us hath exempted us from it or any way abated its requiring he saith at the next verse Whosoever threfore shal break one of these least Commandements and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven But whoso shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven how then can Christ by his outward obedience satisfie Gods Justice for us or in our behalf nor is there any one Scripture which so much as colourably speaks for you but that Rom. 5.19 which yet will bear a better sense For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous for we have proved before and shall now again evidence it further out of the 14 verse that there are more Adams besides our first progenitor and namely one within us by whose disobedience especially if not soly we are made sinners And it it is more clear that there is a Christ within the beleevers as well as without them by whose grace and spiritual obedience many are made holy and righteous For the first of these namely the 14 verse you may observe that there is an Adam from whom death raigns the which say we is our Adam our earthly or natural man Secondly That there is a spiritual Moses or time in us till which death raigns namely the time of Gods drawing grace
afterwards being taken in due time may be recovered and revived by the respective means which you here set forth Yea whatsoever you here surmise to the contrary as we have proved it may be finally and irrecoverably lost by security presumptuous rebellions finall and total Apostacy See 2 Joh. 8. Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought Rev. 3.11 Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown But the absolute and final assurance of which we speak is neither subject to shaking nor any diminution and much less to a total and finall amission as the place before cited proves For when a man attaines to that estate his seed remaineth in him and can never be lost as we said before 1 John 3.9 See Revelations 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God and he shall go no more out c. And I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is new Jerusalem that cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name and verse 8.10 of that Chapter Jeremy 32.40 John 14.16 23. Hebrews 17.28 Revelation 7.14 15 16 17. Revelation 21.3 4 5 6. Wherefore we ought as you say in your former Section to give all diligence to make our calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 as neither of which is sure or absolute at the first And this we must do not by searching out certain markes and tokens which proves us to be in some estate of grace but by adding vertue to vertue and a spiritual progress even to the end 2 Peter 15 6 7 8 9. Wherefore adde unto your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patienece godliness and to godliness brotherly kindnesss and to brotherly kindness love where the Apostle sets forth seven steps of spiritual progress beyond saith which you take to be the highest estate of grace in this life and then addes this encouragement upon our respective proceeding verse 12. For so an entrance shall he abundantly Ministred unto you into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ CHAP. XIX Of the Law of God GOD gave to Adam a Law as a covenant of works by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal entire exact and perpetual obedience promised life upon the fulfilling and threatned death upon the breach of it a Gen 1.26 27. with Gen 2.17 Ro 2.14 15. Rom 10.5 Gal 3.10 11. Eccl 7. â—9 Act 2â— 28 II. This Law after his fall continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness and as such was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandements and written in two Tables b Jam 1.25 Jam 2.8 10 11 12. Ro 13.8 9. Deut 5.32 Deut 10.8 Exo 34.1 The four first commandments containing our duty toward God and the other six our duly toward man c Mat 22.37 38 39 40. III. Besides this Law Commonly called morall God was pleased to give to the people of Israel as a Church under age ceremonial Laws containing several Typical ordinances partly of worship prefiguring Christ his graces actions sufferings and benefits d Heb 9. c. Heb 10.1 Col 2.17 Ga 4.1 2 3. and partly holding forth many instructions of moral duties e 1 Cor 5.7 2 Cor 6.17 Jud. v. 23. all which ceremoniall Laws are now abrogated under the New Testament f Col. 2.14 15 16. Dan 9.27 Eph 2.15 16. IV. To them also as a body Politicke he gave sundry Judicial Laws which expired together with the state of that people not obliging any other now further then the general equity thereof may require g Exod 21. ch Ex 22.1 to 29. Gen 9.10 with 1 Pet 2 13 14. Mat 5.17 with v. 38 39 1 Cor 9.8 9 10. V. The moral Law doth for ever binde all as well Justified persons as others to the obedience thereof h Ro 13.8 9 10. Ep 6.2 1 Joh 2.3 4 5 6. and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it i Jam 2.10 11. neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve but much strengthen this obligation k Mat 517 18.19 Jam 2.8 Rom 3.31 VI. Although true believers be not under the Law as a Covenant of works to be thereby justified or condemned l Ro 6.14 Gal 2.16 Gal 3.13 Gal 4.4 5. Act 13.39 Rom 8.1 yet it is of great use to them as well as to others in that as a rule of life informing them of the will of God and their duty it directs and binds them to walk accordingly m Ro 7.12 22 25. Psa 119.4 5 6. 1 Cor 7.19 Gal 5 14 16 18 19 20 21 21. discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures hearts and lives n Ro 7.7 Ro 3.20 so that examining themselves thereby they may come to further conviction of humiliation for and hatred against sin o Jam 1.23 24 25. Ro 7 9 14 23. together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience p Gal 3 24. Rom 7.24 25. Rom 1.3 4. It is likewise of use to the regenerate to restrain their corruptions q Jam 2.11 Psal 119.101 104 128 in that it forbids sin and the threatning of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them although freed from the curse thereof threatned in the Law r Ezra 9.13 14. Psa 89.30 31 32 33 34. The promises of it in like manner shew them Gods approbation of obedience and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof Å¿ Lev 36.1 to 15 with 2 Chr 6.16 Eph 6 2 3. Psa 37.11 Although not as due to them by the Law as a Covenant of works t Gal 2.16 Luk 17.19 So as a man doing good and refraining from evil because the Law encourageth to the one and deterreth from the other is no evidence of his being under the Law and not under grace u Rom 6.12 14. 1 Pet 3.8 9 10 11 12 with Psal 34 12 13 14 15 16. Heb 12.28 29. VII Neither are the forementioned uses of the Law contrary to the Grace of the Gospel but do sweetly comply with it w Gal. 3.21 the spirit of Christ subduing and inabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God revealed in the Law requireth to be done x Exek 36.27 Heb 8.10 with Jer 31.33 CHAP. XIX Of the Law of God examined TRuth it self hath no such cause to wage Law with you here as elswhere most of those things which you have here set forth especially concerning the moral law being legal just and true though herein you
contradict your selves in other places yet you have here and there your illegalities and mistakes also in this Chapter In your first Section you truly say That God gave to Adam and all his Posterity such a Law and covenant of works as you describe with power and ability to keep it And is he not the same God still in wisdom mercy and justice requiring nothing at any mans hand but what he will enable him to doe by his preventing or assisting grace if hee seek it In your second Section you say and that truly That the Law given to Adam being the same in effect with the Moral Law delivered upon mount Sinai continued to be a perfect rule of Righteousnesse Nor must the Israel of God think to obtrude upon the Lord any other acceptable righteousnesse for ever then is therein required and described Deut. 6.24 25. And the Lord commanded us to doe all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good alwayes that he might preserve us alive as it is this day And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to doe all these Commandments before The Lord our God as he hath commanded us Psalm 119.144 the righteousnesse of his testimonies is everlasting For the performing of which righteousnesse because it was become impossible to the fallen Man Christ is freely bestowed upon us Rom. 8.3 4. And so it is the end and drift of the law to send us unto Christ to seek our power wisdom and righteousnes from him Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.22 23 24. But whereas you say in the end of that Section That the four first Commandments contain our duty toward God and the six last our duty to Man Perhaps it will prove a distribution more common then sound For as the whole Law is spirituall Rom. 7.14 so it seems first to require duty toward God in all the ten Commandments and then to call for Service toward men in the second place For the first four Commandments which St Augustine and some of the Ancients reduce to three only your selves doe not deny it Let us then take a view of the rest Doth not the fifth Commandment enjoyn us first of all to honour our heavenly Father and the Wisdom or Hierusalem from above our spirituall Mother 1 Sam. 2.20 For them that honour me I will honour Mal. 1.6 If I then be a Father where is mine honour Matth. 11.19 But Wisdome is justified of her children so Luke 7.35 Gal. 4.26 But Jerusalem which is from above is free which is the Mother of us all Prov. 7.4 Say unto Wisdom thou art my Sister and call understanding thy Kinswoman Doth not the sixth Commandement forbid spiritual murther in the first place to wit the killing of Christ the quenching of the Spirit and the destroying of the inward messengers and motions Jam. 5.6 Ye have condemned and killed the just one and he resisteth you not Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Quench not the Spirit Thus the Apostles complaines of the Apostates that they crucifie afresh the Son of God and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Doth not the seventh Commandement first prohibite spiritual whoredom against God Hos 4.15 Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend Jam. 4.4 Yee adulterers and adulteresses c. Doth not the eighth precept first restrain us from theft and robbery against God Malac. 3.8 Will a man rob God but ye have robbed me Rom. 2.22 Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit sacriledge See Act. 12.22 in Herods example Doth not the ninth also first inhibit a false testimony against the Lord Jeremy 5.12 They have belyed the Lord and said it is not he 1 Cor. 15.15 Yea and we are found false witnesses of God c. Yea though the tenth commandement may seem to lay restraint upon us only in the behalf of our neighbor yet who hath so neer vicinity to us as God in whom we live move and have our being so that not only an open these against him in taking that which belongs to him as Achon did but even to assume or once desire that which belongs unto the Lord is impious as we see in Herod who took and consequently affected the glory that was due to God Acts 12.22 23. Nor doth the Lord want a house Isa 56.7 Mat. 21.12 13 14. Nor is he destitute of a wife Ezek. 16.8 And I sware unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine See Re. 2. or of men servants and maid servants Psa 116.16 Truly O Lord I am thy servant and the son of thine handmaid Nor is he without his Oxen and Asses 2 Cor. 9.10 Mat. 21.1 2 3 4 5. which if they be alienated from him in our desires it is a sin of concupiscence-against the last Commandement So that it is most true in this regard which Saint James speaks chap. 2.10 For whosoever shall keep the whole low and yet offendeth in one point is guilty of all for any one sin against God breaks all the Commandements It is Idolatry witcheraft murther adultery c. 1 Samuel 5.15.23 And as the six last first oppose sin against God so the four first in the second place restrain sins against man Thus we may not impose a false God upon our neighbor nor set up a false worship before him nor swear falsly to his hurt nor by prophaning the Lords Sabbath or everlasting rest before our neighbor insnare his soul And what we speak of the negativepart is true of the affirmative or possitive throughout all the Commandements so that the great duty of love to God and our neighbor seems to run through the veins of every Commandement And as these two are inseperable in the new creature so the whole Law by the Apostles own Testimony is fulfilled in this one Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self Rom. 13.8 Gal. 5.14 which cannot hold true except the Lord be our first neighbor who is to be loved in the first place and surely if we should not offer that wrong to God which we would not admit were we in his stead we should not sin as we do In your third Section you set not forth the whole extent of the Ceremonial Law which was to represent Christs inward death and sufferings as well as his outward He being the Lamb slain in us from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 and to be a document unto us shewing how we must follow him unto eternal life Howbeit you seem to go too far in saying It is wholly abrogated now under the new Testament for though the costly and burthensome yoke thereof is taken from the Gentiles yet some part of it by the words of the Prophets may remaine in use among the Jews after their calling and restauration Isa 66.23 And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before
me saith the Lord Zach. 14.16 c. And it shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the Nations that came against Jerusalem shall even go up from yeer to yeer to worship the King the Lord of Hosts c. In your fourth Section you yet seem to digress further from the truth in saying That the judiciall law did expire with the state of the Jewes for doubtless whensoever their Commonwealth shall be restored that Law shall be revived yea how far it may now oblige all Christian states to follow it is worth your inquiring You say That the general equity of it may still continue In which words you recommend the whole upon the matter for what is there to be found in it but equity it self can ever the Christian Nations hope to finde out better political Laws then those which first came from Heaven Yea what by the Testimony of almost all men were more to be wished for in a Christian state then that their Laws might be few in number just in themselves and eafie to be known as those would be if they were gathered into a body and that such as have controversies might have a speedy dispatch as in Moses his dayes In your fifth Section you do justly maintain the continued authority and obligation of the moral Law over all persons under the Gospel Where you truly affirm That Christ doth not any way dissolve but muchst engthen this obligation which thing he doth by his Doctrine Mat. 5.16 17 18 19. by his example John 15.10 and especially by the end of his coming which is to fulfill it in us Rom. 8.3 4. and not for us otherwise then we have shewed before as you in your next Section partly imply In your sixth Section though you do not shew what it is to be under the Law yet there you truly set forth many most precious uses of that law even for the regenerate Nevertheless you forget a singular peice of service it did them in their first converson by God their fathers cooperation when it first made known their sin and misery unto them and was their Schoolemaster unto Christ Galatians 3.22 23 24. At which time while we were under the work of the Law breeding fear of wrath for we alwayes remain under the rule of it till it be dead we were troubled with the spirit of bondage which made us justly fear the wrath and vengeance to come Rom. 8.15 And this was the first great bower and encliner of our wils to leave our wicked wayes and keep Gods Commandements yet an impulsive out of self love and self preservation for the present till faith in Gods gracious promises did kindly melt and charge our hearts to bewaile and leave sin as also to work righteousness out of love and good will to him that was so gracious towaâ—ds us And in this sense we may grant you that which you speak of in your seventh and last Section of the Spirits subduing our wils for it is by the work of the Law that our pride is first brought down and our strong inclination to sin with ouâ— utter aversness to righteousness becomes broken in us but our wils are sweetly attracted and framed to choose the good and nil theevil by the apprehension of mercy and grace from God whom in our own sense by the sentence of our own consciences we deserved nothing but peâ—dition Lo this is that wise powerful and gracious work of God in the conversion of a sinner which you call Gods irresistable working and yet is nothing less then a compulsion though it wants not strong impulsions at the first to work upon our stiffe yet not inflexible wils That these forementioned uses of the Law are not contrary to the grace of the Gospel but either make way for the same or sweetly comply therewith as you speak in this last Section is undoubtedly true And therefore the believer under the Covenant of grace remains still in some sence under works But yet if the Spirit of Christ both can and usually doth subdue our wils and inable us freely and chearfully to do the will of God revealed in the law as you here speak what letteth but that our corruptions may be abolished our sanctification perfected and our obedience to the law made compleat especially if we seek that grace contrary to your former doctrines Yea if Christ by his Spirit can and will so fulfill the Law in us which of the Saints made perfect in the world to come you will not deny what great need can there be at that time may some say of Christs outward obedience to be our righteousness But of that sufficiently before For a conclusion then of this Chapter as you here tacitly oppose the Antinomians and other such adversaries to the law so we pray you remember that it is upon your own grounds here and elsewhere that they desert the Law for they thus argue If Christ hath fulfilled the Law for us in his active and personal obedience to make us compleatly righteous before God what need is there of our obedience to the same Yea some of them are so bold as to say They see not how God in Justice can require obedience to his Law the second time at our hands which he hath both exacted and obtained already from his Son in our behalf yea why should any still perish for their disobedience against the Law who yet believed on Christ as some do Mat. 7.21 22 23. Thus they argue for themselves out of your own principles so dangerous a thing it is to lay a sandy foundation in the bottom of the structure But is not the keeping of Christs words and sayings and therein the fulfilling of the Commandements through his grace and help that immoveable rock which he hath commended to every wise builder for a sure foundatition Mat. 7.24 25. CHAP. XX. Of Christian liberty and liberty of Conscience THE Liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the Gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin the condemning wrath of God the curse of the moral Law a Tit 2.4 1 Thess 1.10 Ga 3.13 and in their being delivered from this present evil world bondage to Satan and dominion of sin b Gal 1.4 Col 1.19 Act 26.18 Ro 6.14 from the evil of afflictions the sting of death the victory of the grave and everlasting damnation c Ro 8.28 Psa 119.71 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Ro 8.1 as also in their access to God d Ro 5.1 2. and their yeilding obedience unto him not out of slavish fear but a child like love and willing mind e Rom 8.14 15. 1 Joh 4.18 All which were common to all believer under the Law f Gal 3.9 14 but under the new Testament the liberty of Christians is further enlarged in their freedom from the yoke of the Ceremonial Law to which the Jewish Church was subjected g Gal 4.1 2 3 6 7 Gal
But if any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice to Idols eat it not for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake conscience I say not thine own but of others for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience Yea some grow so far as to alow a liberty upon occasion to be present before an outward Idol without superstition or adoration in the heart because that the true beleevers well informed know that such an Idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 That is say they neither such a God as some out of a superstitious devotion would make it nor such a Divel or defiling thing as others out of their superstitious conceits and feares would have it to be this practise they would justify from Ezekiels presence before Idols Ezek. 8. throughout and Pauls present beholding of Idols and Idolaters at Athens Acts 17 23. And from the answer which Elisha gave to Naamaus quaere and scruple 2 Kings 5.18 19. True it is indeed That the great Idol is the God of this world and next to him our lusts and corrupt desires Col. 3.4 covetousness but any other thing by too much esteem love or fear of it or trust and confidence in it may be made an Idol even our Authors ministers shepherds may be Idolized Zac. 10.2 Zac. 13.2 Your second fail in this first Section as we said is your preposterous placing of the Christian liberties which you recite for you set freedom from the guilt of sin the condemning wrath of God and the curse of the moral Law before deliverance from bondage to sin and Satan which in order of nature must go before as we have proved before Your third fail is in mistakes for the sting of death is sin it self 1 Cor. 15.5 6. which if it cannot be subdued wholy in this life as you affirm then the sting of death cannot be wholy taken away or we freed from it here So likewise the victory which the Apostle there speaks of is not that of the Grave but of Hell which is the inward condemnation of conscience against both which the Apostle triumphs With thanksgiving to God for the victory that is to be had in Christ Jesus for all true beleevers In your second Section you straighten liberty of Conscience as much as you did Christian freedom in the first for though the requiring of an implicite faith be destructive to Liberty of Conscience and the imposing of the doctrines and precepts of men upon us as if they were the commandments of God from which your selves are not free in the next chapter and elsewhere is very injurious likewise yet the Liberty of Conscience may be divers other wayes invaded and infringed As first By violent means to seek to alter conscientious mens judgments and their present perswasions for it is the office of him that is the Lord of Conscience To lighten and change mens mindes when and how he pleaseth Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale this unto you Secondly By like forcible means to incite anothe to will and act against his Conscience and much more by imprisonment mulcts terrours or threats Romans 14.15 20 21. For this is to make him destroy his soul verse 20 23. Thirdly we may not disturbe the peace of mens Consciences or make their hearts sad with our invectives or menacing them causelessly with terrours from the Lord Ezekiel 13.32 Because with lies ye have made the hearts of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad c. In your third Section you do deservedly oppose the practice of any sin and the cherishing of any the least sinful lust upon pretence of Christian Liberty But whereas you add ' That this is to destroy the end of Christian Liberty which you there place in two things deliverance from the hands of our enemies and a freedom to serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the daies of our life you in some sort contradict your selves in calling these the end of our Christian Liberty which you had in the first Section made two main parts of our Christian Liberty as indeed they are In your fourth Section you have set good bounds betwixt the subjects or subordinates and the Governours saying That they who upon pretence of Christian Liberty shall oppose any lawful power or the lawful exercise of it whether it be Civil or Eclesiastical resist the Ordinances of God Wherein your Doctrine is sound and good whatever your practice hath been or may be to the contrary For God is the Author of order and not of confusion and he which hath armed superiors according to their state and degree with authority hath imposed subjection in all lawful things with many other respective duties upon the inferiours and subordinates It is true likewise That no such opinions should be published or practises maintained as are contrary to the light of Nature to the known and received Principles of Christianity in all Ages especially those of the Primitive and purest times whether they concerne Faith Worship or Conversation or are opposite to the power of Godliness But how far the different opinions and judgements of men may by learned men who yet want spiritual eies be judged erroneous prejudicial to the power of Godliness either in their own nature or in the manner of publishing and maintaining them we know not We are as much for modesty and sobriety in men and as far from any thing that is destructive to the external Peace and Order which Christ hath established in the Church or Common Wealth as your selves or any other But we would not have you assume to your selves or attribute unto others a power to lord it over mens Faith and Consciences especially when men walk obediently towards those that are in places of Rule and Authority and live a Godly honest sober peaceable and unblamable life If Men will do wickedly and pretend a liberty in Christ so to do let them be liable to the sword of Justice for so doing But far be it from us so much as by example to draw a weak brother a Saint and fellow servant of the Lord whom no man can accuse but for his different judgement to do any thing against Conscience whereby he should condemn himself as the Apostle speakes Romans 14. How much more ought Governours to be tender and abstemious in the use of violent and coercive meanes to precipitate men into such perilous and destructive courses All Authority is given of God for mens welfare and much more for the Preservation and not the Destruction of the Soul But Brethren you which are so punctual in teaching the Subject his duty to free your selves from flattery temporising or partiallity might have done God and his people yea the Governours themselves no disservice in minding them of their duties also and so setting due limits and boundaries
of his spiritual ordinances epecially and these are first the commandments of the morall Law and then his other precepâ— subservient thereunto as the Scripture every where cals them Gods ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 18.20 2 Kings 11.37 but not of the preaching of mans doctrine the administring the Sacraments not without ignorance perhaps some superstition and confusion as you often do and which you account to be the main if not the only ordinances of God Thus we fear that will finde you guilty of which the Prophet complaines Isa 24.5 The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Laws changed the orâ—iâ—ancâ—â— broken the everlasting Covenant c. For what ordinances do you speak of to the people but of your way of preaching and administring the Sacraments c. In your Directory for worship you have omitted the ten Commandements Gods principal ordinances but highly magnified your kinde of preaching which hath more of art then of the spiritual gift of Prophecy in it your keeping of an outward day in every week holy with your self chosen worship and other meer humane â—rdinances Is not this to change the ordinances as Isaiah speakes In your fourth which is your last Section You first set out the respective duties of Subjects to Magistrates well and truly Secondly you rightly affirm That neither difference in religion no nor Infidelity it self do make void the Magistrates just and legal authority nor free the people from their due obedience to him If Infidelity it self cannot do this what other thing can Yet it must be granted that when Magistrates are esective and chosen conditionally the breaking of a fundamental condition may disanull his place and claim Thirdly you say here That Ecclesiastical persons are not exempted from their obedience which is but true in part in regard of civil honor obedience and all needful assistance especially where the Magistrate is no more but civil But in matters of faith salvation and damnation the consciences not only of Ecclesiastical persons as you call them but of laicks themselves are exempted from his tyranny and force therein they are only the subjects of Christ Yea in these things some persons may have authority over the Magistrate himself in the Lord though that Magistrate be a Christian also to wit such persons as are inspired and sent of God to be his mouth as Naâ—han and Gâ—d were to David and John Baptist was to Herod and diverse other Prophets were to their respective Princes and Governors Lastly you justly shut out the Pope and his jurisdiction from us as those which have taken the oath of supremacy but here you are too general in your affirmatives for want of due distinction or limitation for in some parts of Italy which are the Popes inheritance he hath power and authority over his subordinate officers and the people as other Princes have and may justly deprive those that are under him of dominions and lives when they break such capital Laws as deserve death confiscation and disinheriting but he may not do this to forraign Princes and States nor to their people who are not under his lawful jurisdiction whether upon the pretence of heresie or any other like pretext Yet some Papists are confident of this that now you have deprived the Pope of his deprivative authority over Princes you will assume it to your selvs or bestow it upon your friends when and where you think good to serve your own turns CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce MArriage is to be between one man and one woman neither is it lawful for any man to have more then one wife nor for any woman to have more then one husband at the same time a Gen 2.24 Mat 1.19 56. Prov 2.17 II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife b Gen 2.18 for the increase of mankind with a legimiate issue and of the Church with an holy seed c Mal 2.15 and for preventing of uncleanness d 1 Cor 7.2 9. III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgement to give their consent e Heb. 13.4 1 Tim 4.3 1 Cor 7.36 37. Ge 24.57 58. yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord f 1 Cor 7.39 and therefore such as profess the true reformed Religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked by marrying with such as be notoriously wicked in their life or maintaine damnable heresies g Gen 34 14. Exod 34.16 Deu. 7.3 14. 1 Kin 11.4 Neh 13.25 26 27. Mal 2 11 12. 2 Cor 6.14 IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the word h Lev 18 c. 1 Cor 5.2 Am 2.7 nor can such incestuous marriages ever he made lawful by any law of man or consent of parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife i Mar 6.28 Levit 18.23 25 26 27 28. The man may not marry any of his wives kindred nearer in blood then he may of his own nor the woman of her husbands kindred â—eerer in blood then of her own k Lev 20.19 20 21. V. Adultery or fornication committed after a contract being detected before marriage giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that contract l Mat â— 18 19 20. in the case of adultery after marriage it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce m Mat 5.31 32 and after the divorce to marry another as if the offending party was dead n Mat 19.9 Rom 7.2 3 VI. Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduely to put asunder those whom God hath joyned together in marriage yet nothing but adultery or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil Magistrate is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage o Mat 19 8 9 1 Cor 7 15 Mat 19 6 wherein a publike and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed and the persons concerned in it not left to their own wils and discretion in their own tase p Deu 14 1 2 3 4 CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce examined IN this tract of marriage and divorce the path is so trite that it is no wonder if you deviate not as you have done hitherto yet are you sufficiently deficient in many things and in some other mistaken here also Your defects are these among others First since those that marry shall have trouble in the flesh as Saint Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 7.28 and marrying brings with it of necessity many avocations lets and distractions from attending upon Gods service and the seeking of his kingdom 1 Cor. 7.32 33 34. you might very seasonably in these calamitous times wherein the people like the generation before the flood are mad upon