that which is anothers being not comitted into his hands presumes of himself and is an intruder but this is not proved to be the case of a beleever that is baptized to communicate in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper therefore the instance fails for your purpose Now to put an end to all further disputes upon these two points that Iudas did communicate or participate in the Lords Supper with the rest of the Apostles and that the Sacrament is of a teaching use and operation as strengthening and confirming I state both the questions affirmatively and negatively the affirmative of both questions that Iudas was present at the institution and distribution of the Lords Supper and that the externall elements are of teaching use is proved plainly by these two Scriptures Luke 22. 14. 21. 1 Cor. 11. 26. But I challenge the whole world to prove the negative that the elements of the Lords Supper do not teach and that Iudas was not present at the institution And by the way take notice that no absurdity can possibly be a consequence of truth but erring and mistaking admits of little else For it the ordinance of the Lords Supper have not a teaching and informing quality then it is uselesse to all the unregenerate yea to all the elect before regâ—neration which is such an absuâ—dity to affirme tâ—at Gods outward and common ordinances are of no use but unprofitable And that God ordained any thing in vain this is so grolfe that it crosses all Scriptures for â—hey generally affirm that all that God hath made or ordained shew forth teach his glory Psa 75. 1. Again if none but the regenerate should communicate of the Supper of the Lord the paucity is such as the Scriptures witnesse that there is but one of a Citie and two of a Tribe yea it will also follow that he that blesseth and distributeth the bread and wine must know the receivers conversion or else he sinnes in communicating it these and an hundred more absurdities will follow that a wise man will blush to think of For if this be so then the same things that shew forth Christ under the Gospel shall not be so usefull to beleevers as the shadowes under the Law And this were to turn the day into night the light into darknesse The last thing I intended now to publish are some few short conferences I have met with in Citie and Countrey and all may be reduced into these two positions The first Position That selected congregations are Churches rightly ordained and truly constituted And that each congregation are free and independent either from other My defence to the first Position In this first Position we must consider foure things First that the gatherers and avouchers of selected congregations are Christians in profession not in authority but under Christian authority and members of Christian congregations in communion in all Gods externall ordinances and in all these respects are those also that they gather to themselves Secondly what is meant by congregations forasmuch as there are three sorts of them that is first anthorized congregations secondly selected or covenanted congregations in opposition to authority and thirdly spirituall or voluntary congregations the communion of Saints And the last part of the position is what is meant by congregationall Independency In the first place therefore we must confider that all selected congregations in England teachers and people are Christians in profession and already in communion and fellowship in the ordinances of the Gospel being all under Christian Authority And notwithstanding all this they doe take up and assume authority to themselves so to select and congregate as they doe in opposition to authority to which they are subjected of God And for proofe of this their practise they alledge the example of John the Baptist Mat. 3. 1 2 5. our Saviour Christ Mark 1. 14 15 16. and the Apostles Acts 2. 37 38 41 42. Acts 11. 20 21 22. Now I deny that any of these Scriptures come home to prove the state of your question or warrant your practice For John our Lord and the Apostles taught the doctrine of the Gospel that Jesus was the Christ the Messiah prophesied of to such Jewes as were not beleevers but opposers of it and them And such by their Ministery converted to the faith which faith is beleeved and confessed by such Christians as you select to your selves And secondly the Greeks that were converted Acts 11. 20. were so converted from heathenisme to Christianisme but this is not your case nor practice for you pervert Christians from sound and wholsome doctrines to vain janglings about words that edifie not And from those Assembles assigned by Christian authority to such as are of your own ordaining devising and constituting the matter and form thereof is not to be found in Gods word Now if any of you all could shew me a people that you have gained from among the Jewes and from among the Heathens to the acknowledgement and confession of the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and that by your Ministery that they have not onely beleeved the truth but obeyed it in the power of it to the effecting in them repentance and remission of sinnes then I would speak and change my discourse to another sense but in regard you assume that which you are not I will onely testifie unto you that that which you doe is not warrantable by Scripture but it is your own carnall fancy and imagination Now the second thing in the Position is what is meant by Congregation and in the threefold distinction the first is Authorized congregations which are usually called Parishes and that is to say so many Families assigned by authority to make a congregation to communicate in Gods ordinances for the salvation of the people And to that end authority hath ordained a way that their teachers or teacher should be a man approved of for able gifts that a time or times in the week is appointed that men should dispense with neglect and lay aside their worldly imployments and affairs and meet together in the communion and participution of Gods ordinances to that end have appointed a place for prayer reading and expounding the Scriptures for doctrine exhortation and preaching as also for communion in baptisme and the Lords Supper And are not all these things in themselves good and lawfull And if they be so what ground have you then for dislike and separation Nay have we not ground by the word of God to give thanks for such governors that are in authority over us And are not their Ordinances and Rules such without which wee cannot communicate in the outward ordinances of God Wherefore let us acknowledge their authority and obey their rules But in the next place the selected congregations alledge 2 Cor. 6. 17. and Rev. 18. 4. for their separation and selection for as much as the holy Ghost saith Come out from amongst them meaning corrupt Christian congregations and be
A DEFENCE OF Christian Liberty To the LORDS Table Except in case of Excommunication and Suspension Wherein many Arguments Queres Suppositions and Objections are answered by plain Texts and consent of Scriptures As also some Positions answered by way of a short Conference which the Author hath had with divers both in Citie and Countrey All which are profitable to inform to truth and lawfull obedience to Authoritie By John Graunt who beareth witnesse to the Faith Jerem. 10. 23. O Lord I know that the way of Man is not in himselfe it is not in Man that walketh to direct his steps 1 John 2. 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them which seduce you 2 Tim. 3. 13. But evill men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Published according to Order London Printed for Iohn Hancock and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Alley 1646. THE PREFACE TO THE READER OUR Lord once asked a question of his Disciples Are yee able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the Baptisme that I am baptized with In the answer he agrees with his servants that it should be so with them Mat. 20. 22. 23. And as this was the case of James and John so it was Peters and all the faithfuls also and is now and ever was Gods servants case and condition to suffer with him as truly as they shall reigne with him For as the shadow followes the naturall body so afflictions follow the Church the children of Truth his mysticall Body And as there is an universall daily proose of this truth so in particular at Woolchurch Anno 1645. for a modest and privat testimony of the two witnesses of sound Doctrine the testifier thereof was testified against with contempt and reproach which for the truths sake he hath patiently born not rendring evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that the Lord calls his servants thereunto that they may inherit a blessing And notwithstanding the Parishioners his suffering he being not thereby discouraged went on in discovery of the truth and in opposition of the mistakes so that the questions were brought to publication in a small short Treatise called Christian liberty to the Lords Table against which authorized Tract I have received divers exceptions from severall friends yea friends which doth the more take my affection And the said exceptions under differing notions as below are mentioned All which with my defensive answers to each I again present with open face to the world And in conclusion a briefe recitall of some short Discourses I have had in my journey in the Countries with such as are opposite to the present government And because since the time my small Taper was lighted there hath risen a man of much eminency a burning glory a starre of great shining holding forth with Scripture Learning and Arts the subject and matter of my meditations yet the manner being different and my phrase stile and knowledge like my selfe low and mean I therefore commend my thoughts to such of my own capacity casting my mite into the Lords Treasury and thrusting in my weake and mean Sickle of plain workmanship into the Lords great harvest praying that all that read it with the same affection that I write it may gain the like benefit A Defence of Christian Liberty to the LORDS Table THE first thing I received by way of opposition to my book were six Arguments My first Argument against your Treatise saith my friend called Christian liberty to the Lords Table is this Because the Scripture doth not testifie of any particular man converted by the Sacrament alone Therefore it is a reason to me to beleeve the Sacrament doth not convert My Defence to your first Argument Friend by your first Argument you seem to divide between the Scriptures and the Sacrament in these words By the Sacrament alone which is a mistaking the point in hand For my book is intituled Christian liberty to the Lords Table the Title thereof shewing and preaching the quite contrary for there can bee neither Christians so called nor Sacraments so instituted where there is no Scriptures And that this might have been understood by you consider the Texts of the Old and New Testament alledged for proofe with the place Preacher and hearers instanced at Woolchurch in London Secondly there is no example that the reading the Scriptures doe convert should any man beleeve therefore the Lord doth not many times convert by reading We have no expresse Scripture to testifie that Peter James and John with the rest of the Apostles by name were outwardly baptized shall we therefore not beleeve it We doe not read that the Apostles Evangelists or Disciples of Christ did once or ever use the Lords prayer although he commanded it Luke 11. 2. is it therefore un awfull to use it And that the Supper of the Lord is a teaching Ordinance as it is a confirming ordinance we shall have many times occasion to cleare in making my defence His second Argument I doe not read in Scripture that the Sacrament was administred to any Christian Assembly till some of that Assembly were begotten to God by the word of truth which makes me beleeve that it was for the Saints sakes onely when it was instituted and administred and so to confirm and not to convert but to commemorate and strengthen My defence to your second Argument I doe not read in all the Scriptures that the participation of the Lords Supper was denied any common beleever for want of speciall faith and not being a spirituall Christian for although God did in a speciall sense institute and ordain all his ordinances for his elects sake for their regeneration and confirmation their spirituall communion with God in Christ yet I affirm that among these faithfull the outward and common Christians did in the Apostles times may now communicate in the outward common things of the word Sacraments for they that gladly received the word were baptized and continued in the Doctrine Sacraments and Prayer Acts 2. 41 42. And as it was thus at Ierusalem so it was at Samaria Acts 8. Corinth Ephesus Colosse and in all the Churches of the Saints And therefore the outward signes of the Sacraments were not ordained for the Saints onely but it is with Christians in our time as it was with Abraham and his seed that is the elect in these words Gen. 17. 7. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed but the outward signes of the covenant belonged to all his seed ingenerall and to the seed of all others that came to acknowledge the truth and beleeve the Scriptures His third Argument Because the right use of the Sacrament is onely and alone with the faithfull they onely have spirituall communion with the Lord in whose remembrance it was instituted My defence to your third Argument In my defence to your second
and Covenant of life is manifested and declared by preaching Tit. 1. 3. Now the way of preaching that was committed to S. Paul was the Scriptures yet he himself proves to the Romans that the same covenant of life and word of grace which he taught by the Scriptures is taught to the Gentiles which have not the Scriptures by the creatures as Rom. 10. 8. compared with v. 18 19 20 21. and Psal 19. which is confest and acknowledged before in my opposites arguments but because this is beyond the question in hand which is to cleare the teaching use of the Sacraments by Scriptures I will therefore here wave the point of the creatures teaching without the Scriptures and prove it clearly by arguments drawn from the Scriptures that the Lords Supper hath a teaching operation for the strengthening or confirming use no man questions My first Argument Whatsoever doth declare or shew forth Christ to a Christian doth teach Christ But the Supper of the Lord doth declare and shew forth his death from the tree of his ignominy to the throne of his glory Therefore the Supper of the Lord declareth and teacheth Christ so often as it is communicated even untill his second coming And ths Argument I thus prove 1 Cor. 11. 26. For as often saith the Apostle as yee eat this Bread and drink this Cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he come Agreeiong to which is that of the Prophet Dan. 11. 2. when he spake to King Darius I will shew thee the truth said he Did not he therein declare and teach to him the truth So also our Lord signifying and shewing the truth to the Apostle John Revel 1. 1. what was it but preaching and manifesting the truth to him My second Argument Whatsoever is ordained of Christ to commemorate call to mind or keep in remembrance himselfe or his death that preaches Christ and the benefit of his death But the communicating in the signes of the Lords body and bloud calls him to mind and keeps his death in remembrance to Christians Therefore the Celebration of the Lords Supper teacheth or preacheth the benefit of his death And this Argument our Lord himselfe proveth whose testimony is beyond all Luke 22. 19 20. This is my Body which was given for you doe this in remembrance of me This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud which was shed for you I beseech you mark two things in these few words for the proving the Argument that is first that the Lords Supper the participation of the Elements they being set apart by blessing according to our Lords example and the Apostles practice the doing thereof is a remembrance of Christs death And secondly that thereby is made known and taught the Covenant of life and salvation in these words This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud then which nothing can be thought of to prove clearer the teaching use of the Sacrament And that whatsoever calleth to remembrance the truth preacheth the truth is plain and apparent For Peters putting the Saints alwayes in remembrance of the truth thereby preached unto them the truth 2 Pet. 1. 12 13 14 15. Your third Quere Whether the act of Cbrist in admitting of Judas be exemplary My defence to your third Quere If the Lord did admit of wicked Judas unto the Apostleship and so to the participation of Baptisme the Word Prayer and to the breaking of bread as hereafter shall bee particularly proved then such Ministers that teach that all unregenerate men are to bee kept from the Sacrament assume that to themselves which neither Gods law nor mans law gives them For the exception in the law of God is the case of excommunication the exception in mans ordinance is ignorance and scandall Your fourth Quere Whether there be like reasons of the Sacrament and the Passeover If there be the like reason then it followes not that the Lord did approve of every one that came to the Passeover 2 Chron. 30. they were to prepare themselves before they came My defence to your fourth Quere You both forget your selves to ask me a reason of Gods ordinances for to give a reason of them is peculiar to God alone that made them But this I say that there is the same use and meaning of the Lords Supper as of the Passeover in the common fellowship of all beleevers that is Christ typified and signified by both Christs death shewed forth and called to remembrance by both the beleevers informed to grace and confirmed in grace by both and the spiritual and truly faithful eat Christs flesh and drink his bloud by both they being both sacramentall for that purpose And as under the law they were to put away the leaven out of their houses and prepare and sanctifie themselves so under the Gospel Christians are to examine themselves repent c. For to keep the Feast and holy day the Apostle speaks of 1 Cor. 5. 8. is to keep it with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth as I have breifly declared in my Admonition in Christians liberty to the Lords Table p. 18. Your fifth Quere Whether can a naturall man or a man indued with the common gifts of the Spirit so try examine and judge himselfe as to come worthily as the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 28. doth drive at My defence to your fifth Quere I answer An inward or spirituall Christian as an inward and an outward common Christian as an outward Christian may either of them discerne the Lords body to participate worthily or profitably according to their different gifts received the high way stony and thorny grounds may discern the Lords body and all the elect Christians unregenerate by the visible fignes thereof in the Sacrament that therein Christ Jesus is manifested giving himselfe to death for mankind and that he is the bread of life declared and preached first by the words of consecration and prayer with admonitions then made by the Minister And secondly by seeing the wine powred out the resemblance of the shedding his bloud and then seeing the bread broken the resemblance of his death and passion with the consideration of all other circumstances the violence the Grape suffers in the Wine-presse and the cruelty offered to the Corn both in the Mill and in the insufferable hot Oven And as thus the eye affects the heart so doth the sweet comfortable refreshing nourishing delectable relishing taste also which are all evident sensible in-lets to the soule of the mercy and goodnesse of God And because the Christian hath received no other but common gifts it is but information to him to the speciall grace but the good ground the spirituall Christian his communion is sustentation and confirmation in grace to eternall life according to his speciall faith and grace received of God he spiritually eats Christs flesh and drinks his bloud and is hereby more and more inoculated and rooted in the true Vine Jesus Christ And in this differing consideration both
may discerne the Lords body and communicate for the better and not for the worse From some other friends I have likewise received divers objections against Judas his being present at the institution and distribution of the Lords Supper which principally are these five following Their first Objection Judas went immediatly out after the receit of the Sop John 13. 30. Now the Sop was part of the Passeover therefore Judas was gone before the institution of the Sacrament My defence to your first Objection This objection is against the consent of the three former Evangelists for they all agree and testifie that as our Lord was eating the Passeover he took bread and blessed it and the cup and blessed it which is the institution of the Lords Supper And this hee did before they or any of them rose from the Table Mat. 26. 26. Mark 14. 21 22 23. And S. Lukes witnesse is beyond all exception or any excuse Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table Luke 22. 21. Now John doth not at all speak the least tittle of the institution of the Sacrament and therefore his knowledge of that must be included in his discourse before he makes expresse mention of our Lords rising from Supper John 13. 4. because all the rest testifie that he instituted it as they were eating the Passeover before our Lord did rise from Supper even while they were eating at the later end of the Passeover as at the end of the first course at a feast the second course is brought in in that instant Jesus instituted the Supper of his passion And to this agree the Apostles words 1 Cor. 11. 25. Also he took the Cup when he had supped that is before he rose from the table because after he rose John testifies of other actions And after hee date down again to them verse 12. of other discourses And to this accords S. Lukes witnesse also Luke 22. 19. And he took the bread and gave thanks that is the bread on the Table provided for the Passeover Likewise also the Cup after Supper that is as they had finished the supper of the Passeover as above said no distance of time but as they were eating the one Christ instituted and distributed the other And as the Sop might be a part of the Supper of the Passeover being a part of the fragments untaken away from the table so was the bread and wine a part of the provision of the Passeover Supper also which the Lord blessed to institute the Sacrament with and yet neither of them for your purpose Their second Objection It is said in the Institution of the Lords Supper Luke 22. 19 20. This is my body which is given for you c. In which words Judas could not be included for Christ gave not his body nor shed not his bloud for him and therefore Judas could not be there My defence to your second Objection I affirm that as Christ gave himselfe to death peculiarly and effectually for his elect so generally and sufficiently for the whole world according to that of the Apostle If any man sin meaning if any of the justified elect we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins and not onely for ours that is for the elect but for the sins of the whole world 1 Iohn 2. 1 2. And so saith Saint Paul 1 Tim. 4. 10. For therefore wee both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of them that beleeve Observe in the general he hath given himself to be a Saviour that by and through his death there is now a way opened to life and salvation for all men without which no man could be saved And this purchased and purchasing life is the true light that enlightneth every man that commeth into the world John 1. 9. yet notwithstanding this light and remedy provided such is the naturall opposition thereunto of all men which through the first Adams offence lie damnable Rom. 5. 18. and although the second Adam by his death hath brought them to an estate saveable yet notwithstanding this possibility when none was before through this new and living way by Christs death if God did not after a speciall manner in an extraordinary respect make this means that is sufficient for all effectuall for his elect they should be condemned with the reprobate world for loving darknesse more then light because their deeds are evill but that God of his everlasting love and pitie works his owne works in them and for them of repentance and remission of sins to salvation And the reprobate part of mankind and such as perish they also enjoy all Gods mercies and goodnesse long suffering and patience life food and all things for the body the Sun-shine and dewing rain of Gods grace in his ordinances for their soules good which could not be enjoyed but by the death mediation of Jesus Christ So that in these considerations it may bee said Christ hath given himself for all men and his death in it selfe virtuall for all but effectuall onely for the elect Their third Objection Matth. 26. 13. it is said All yee shall be offended with me this night Now Judas could not be offended therefore Judas was not there for hee effected his treachery wilfully and for his hire My defence to your third Objection In the Scriptures the tearm offence is diversly taken there is an offence of impenitency an offence of imbecillity of wilfulnesse and weaknesse Judas was guilty of the first offence of that of impenitency and all the rest of the Apostles of that of weaknesse and frailty The Scribes and Pharisees were wilfully and impenitently offended with our Lord Luke 7. 30. who rejected the counsell of God against themselves So was Herod against John Baptist Mark 6. 20. who notwithstanding the Prophets powerfull Doctrine which wrought such a change in the heathen King as to respect the Prophet so as to hear him to obey and doe many things to honour his person with fear and his doctrine with gladnes yet rather then his lust should want prosecution he will Judas-like take up such an implacable offence against him and the truth so as suddenly barbarously to imprison him and there to murder him Thus Cain was offended with Abel Ishmael with Isaac Esau with Jacâ—b The severall grounds that received not the seed to perfection And blessed are they to whom Christ is not such a rock of offence Their fourth Objection I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine untill tbat day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome Matth. 26. 29. Now Judas could not be one that should drink with Christ in his Fathers Kingdome Ergo Iudas was not there when our Lord spake this My defence to your fourth Objection The words of the former verse are these This is the bloud of the new
yee separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you This Scripture you say proves the state of the question on your part for you say the Apostles here speake of the Antichristian church of Rome whose filthy unclean doctrines were such that notwithstanding they were Christians in profession yet Gods people could not communicate with them but they must there was no avoyding it by reason of their abominable canons be defiled with them And therefore you say these texts of Scriptures are a sufficient ground to separate from Christian congregations I answer they are a ground to separate from such Antichristian congregations as the Apostles speak of but I require of you to prove the abomination the unclean thing in the authorized congregations in England and then you say something but till that be proved this Scripture is not for your purpose For the Church of England by the Parliaments of reformation in King Edward the sixt and Queen Elizabeths dayes separated from the fals doctrines and unclean practices of the church of Rome and then made acts lawes and ordinances against the abominable tenets and false devised imagined religion their Priests Sacrifices and back't their decrees with the penalty of death yet notwithstanding in processe of time the Prelaticall clergy brought in many corrupt innovations tending to act again the old uncleannesses under new pretences yet this honorable Parliament hath rooted up and extirpated the Prelaticall Hierarchy root and branch and still sit spending their wits spirits and pains for the reforming of Doctrine and Discipline that all congregations may bee regulated in and by the neerest way agreeable to the word of God Now considering all these things we enjoy under this happy authority that is over us your condition being under this authority and so placed of God take heed therefore nay how will you avoid it but that your resisting this authority you doe therein resist the Ordinance of God and herein walk contrary to Gods word Rom. 13. 1 2. Nay do you not fulfil the Prophesie of the Scriptures in presumption and selfe-willednesse to despise such Governors and speak evill of such dignitiâ—s as the Apostle foretold 2 Pet. 2. 10. How can you possibly cleare your way from the gainsaying of Core Jude v. 11. Nay is there not a plain parallell between him and his companies gainsaying and you and your companies gainsayings Num. 16. Did not they which were under authority usurp authority and in striving against Moses Aaron those that God had set over them did they not strive against the Lord Numb 26. 9. I will forbeare the consequence the Lord give you grace to repent of your striving resistance and gainsaying and murmure no longer against them in saying they impose will-worship upon your consciences in requiring many things there is not a plain word sor if it be not against the word but agreeing with the sense and meaning of the word submit your selves to their rules And if you conceive you know better then the Parliament your way is to petition and not to make resistance The next consideration is the Spirituall or voluntary congregation the communion of Saints The Prophet David calls them the Assembly of Saints the Congregation of Saints Psal 89 5. 7. The house of Aaron his Saint the house of Israel his chosen one the house of Levi his Priest Psâ— 136. and the Apostle the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. the houshold of God Eph. 6. 19. the house and Church of the living God 1 Tim. 3. 15. This church is called The Lords body Col. 1. 18. 24. because it is made living by the life that is in him spirituall by his spirit for they are all begotten and born of the Spirit and that which is born of the spirit is spirit John 3. 6. as that which is born of the flesh is flesh This communion and whole congregation by the Spirit of God are all baptized into one body and have been made all to drink into one spirit 1 Corinth 12. 13. These are all the children of wisdome all sonnes of God and heires of the promises these all by regeneration are as Peter was made living stones and are built of God a spirituall house a chosen generation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. These are the little flock of sheep lambs of Christ to whom the Father hath given the Kingdome who by faith have both the earnest and the abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ having fellowship with God their Father the Son their Saviour the holy Ghost their comforter and with each other in joying and sorrowing comforting and lamenting beleeving and hoping suffering and expecting with a mutuall affection the morning and day of salvation 1 John 1. 3. 7 chap. 3. 2. These are they that fear the Lord that receive him and his and often speak and confer one with another that are alwayes mindful of his covenant in whose heart is his Law These are the Lords Priests with whom he hath made a covenant of life and peace who have alwayes the Lord in their thoughts Mal. 2. and 3. chapters These onely have received an unction from the holy One that teacheth them all things 1 John 2. 20. These according to the command of their Lord give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and to God the things that are Gods Mark 12. 17. they love the Lord with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they are all spiritual and so is their communion and fellowship and none but such as are spirituall are of this congregation this communion of Saints But a Minister in the North countrey told me the Independent congregations were this communion of Saints which is the last particular in the first Position To whom I answered His expression was very strange to me for I did not find any such name expressing creatures written in the book of life And I am sure all the Saints names are written there Wherefore said I hee that gives that name to any people and those that take that name unto themselves are both alike to be blamed for there is no one nor very many creatures can be said to be Independent but God alone the great creator I am the first and the last saith the Lord and besides mee there is no God Isaiah 44. 6. And thou even thou art Lord alone Nehem 9. 6. There is not a Saint nor congregation of holy ones can say one to another I have no need of thee for they are all members one of another and every one the members of Christ Ephes 4. 25 chap. 5. 30. 1 Cor. 12. I wonder that so many learned that professe that way and own the name Independent I wonder I say that their learnâ—ng doth not afford them a more proper terme for as â—uch as under this notion they aim at liberty of conscience Were they not better to expresse themselves under the names of
parents be a beleever then are your children holy that is then have they right to the externall ordinance of God and in this sense the Apostle saith God hath shewed me not to call any man unholy or unclean that is whosoever beleeveth Jesus Christ come in the flesh may be baptized although before a Gentile and they and their houshold have right to Gods holy ordinance as Cornelius and his houshold Acts 10. And when you can prove that the Minister taking infants into his arms praying for them and washing them in the name of Christ or Ahrahams circumcising of Ishmael at the command of God is more then Christs taking them into his arms and blessing them then you will say something till then you declare your own fancy and say nothing to the purpose And for mixt congregations as you find fault with I pray are you sure your selves are not weeds and cockle but good corn if your selves were spirituall then you would know and understand the meaning of Gods spirit that both must be let alone till the harvest the end of the world as our Lord saith for till then there is no separation Matth. 13. 30. but wicked Cain may bring and offer his sacrifice with Abel the righteous persecuting Ishmael may communicate in the ordinance of God with persecuted Isaac the bitter and unclean hypocrite Simon Magus may bee washed or baptized in flesh as well as Philip Peter and John and the holy ones of God Acts 8. And although our Lord knew the Devillish treacherous heart of Judas yet his participation in the ordinances neither in Baptisme the Passeover or the Lords Supper did not prejudice nor no way hindered the spirituall communion of the faithfull for he participated in prayer Mat. 6. in preaching Mat. 10. in baptisme Mat. 3. 15. in the Passeover and Supper of the Lord Luke 22. 14 15 21. and yet none of Christs little holy ones makes your complaint for his carnall presence did no way detrifie their spirituall fellowship And in the third and last place we are to understand what is meant by setting up Christ upon his Throne and the fulfilling and accomplishing of all the prophesies and promises witnessed by the Apostles and Prophets And here now as with one consent you doe all of you unanimously affirm that all the Prophesies in the whole Scriptures are fulfilled in your congregated companies and that in doing that which you doe in assuming to your selves power to select congregations and prescribing to them the rules of Christ as you call them although indeed they are rules of your own making yet you therein set up Christ upon his throne and that your churches wayes and devised order the matter nor manner thereof being that which is not to be found in Scriptures yet you give it out to the world that by you and in your church government is fulfilled the prophesie of the new heavens and new earth promised of God and witnessed by the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Peter the heavenly countrey and citie that Abraham Isaac and Jacob sought for Heb. 11. the new Jerusalem that John saw come down from God out of heaven and Sion that holy and heavenly citie that great and strong citie that God hath appointed salvation for walls and bulwarkes Jer. 23. 9. 6. chap. 34. 15 16. Ezek. 37. 26 27 28. chap. 48. 35. and that of your gatherings it may be said the Lord is there applying to your selves Sions own happines Zeph. 3. 13 14 15 16 c. Isa 49. 21. Is it possible there should be such grosse blindnes in these daies in which men say they see and are in the light wherfore their great darknesse and all their bold avouchments like empericks which fil market places with noises and churches and chambers publick meetings and meeting-houses with voyces those that have written such volumes and printed such books to make known and advance these false doctrines to the belying the Prophets the wounding scaring and killing the truth their witnes and testimony the truth of God in a word will reprove them strip them and discover their nakednes and shame to all posterity by a few questions resolved by the letter of the Scriptures which is as clear light as the Sun-shine at noon dayes and yet these flying Bats cannot see the truth and light thereof The first question is What is the throne of Christ Secondly when the time shall bee that Christ shall sit in his own throne Thirdly what is meant by Sion mentioned by the Prophets And fourthly what we are to understand of the Churches glorious condition her deliverance and perfection the Scriptures so often speak of Now Christs throne is that which he calls his own throne as a note of dâ—stinction between his throne and his Fathers throne and therefore he saith Rev. 2. 21. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne And of this throne our Lord speaks Mat. 19. 28. When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory verily yee also that have followed me in the regeneration shall also sit c. And of this throne of the Sonnes and not called the Fathers is that throne the Apostle speaks of Heb. 1. 8. But unto the Son he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever a scepter of righteousnesse is the scepter of thy kingdom And the Prophet calls him God also Psal 45 6. Thy throne O God is for ever ever c. To this kingly throne of God there belongs a kingdom a Church of Saints which he wil not perfect and accomplish till his return from heaven his coming again his appearing which is the second consideration propounded the time when Christ shal be set upon his throne and that is then saith the Prophet Psal 102. 16. Wâ—en the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory c. Even then saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 1. When the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead then shaâ—l be his appearing and kingdome Which prophesies are confirmed for truth by our Lords own testimony Mat. 25. 31 32. When the Son of man shall come in his glory c. v. 3. Then mark Then shal the King say unto them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Fâ—ther inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Note againe â—ere is the reward the inheritance the kingdome all this world long preparing and promised which makes me wonder that so many seers have overseen mist the reading of these Scriptures which in their literall sense plainly preach that Christ shall not be advanced into his own throne in his own kingdom till the harvest at the end of this word Mat. 13. 30. 40. And therefore the holy Ghost uses the future tense in all his expressions As the Apostle saith It is the world to come
whereof wee speake when he speaks of these things Heb. 2. 5 even of the throne dominion and kingdome of Christ In the third place we are to consider how we are to understand the terme Sion in the Scriptures meaning In which we must mind a double respect first as the term Sion is referred to the Churches estate of regeneration in this present life And secondly as it is referred to the Churches estate of perfection in the life that is to come In the first sense the Prophet Isaiab speaks of her chap. 2. 3. For out of Sion shall go forth a law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And again chap. 40. 9. O Sion that bringeth good tidings O Jerusalem that bringeth good tidings say Behold your God So saith another Prophet Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath-shined Psa 50. 2. even shined forth in the clear revelation or the truth and law of life the covenant of grace as the Apostle saith Eph. 3. 10. The manifold wisdome of God is made known by the Church which the holy Ghost calls the keepers of truth Isai 26. agreeing with the Apostles testimony in another place Gal. 4. 26. But Jerusalem which is above and from above is free and is the mother of us all Now in another sense and in the second consideration Ierusalem or Sion so named is to be understood of her perfection and glory ber deliverance and salvâ—tion as Isai 26. 1. In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah We have a strong Ciâ—ie salvation will God appoint for walls bulwarks nothing shal enter therein but the riâ—hteous nation that keepeth truths these can be no other but the Sâ—ints of God Indeed they only are the righteous holy nation a chosen royal blessed peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. And of these the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of None uncircumcised in heart and flâ—sh shall enter into this holy City And this is tâ—… Citie the glorious and magnificent Tabernacle spoken of throughout the whole Scriptures the apprehension and contemplation of which makes another Prophet break out into a ravished spirituall expression considering the exceeding glory of hâ—r to come of whom it may be said in this present life that she flumbers possesses weaknesse contempt nakednesse in the sight of men seeming to die to be forsaken desolate troden down under feet no man no more regarding her then the dirt under their feet And yet in that morning of her Lords coming so exceedingly altered beyond all comparison as makes the holy man Isa 52. 1. make acclamation in the words of admiration Awake awake put on thy strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Ierusalem the holy Citie for from henceforth there shal no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean for saith he her Officers shall he peace and her exactors righteousnes violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise Isai 60. 17 18. Oh when can this strength these beautifull garments be injoyed by the faithfull this separation from the wicked when shall the oppressor the strong and violent hatred of the wicked cease and wasting and destruction be at an end but at the resurrection And where can Sions deliverance and glory be but in the world to come in the new heavens and new earth of the Lords own making and not of mans devising wherein the righteous and righteousnesse shall be no longer a sojourner and stranger but a ruler and a dweller Behold saith the Lord I create new heavens and a new earth and the former shal not be remembred nor come into mind Isai 60. 17. The former are these present that are defiled and polluted but those that the Lord hath promised to make shall succeed the passing away and desolation of these that are now and shall remain forever unmoveable and unshaken And this shall he doe at his second comming in the day of the Lord in the day of God as the Prophet before declareth and as here the Apostle testifieth 2 Pet. 3. 11. 12. This is Sion in her glory the holy citie the new Jerusalem And Rev. 21. 1. 2. when the beloved disciple saw in the Revelation of God the promise of the new heavens and the new earth fulfilled then in them he saw this citie this church in her glory prepared as a bride adorned that is beautifully cloathed to marry w th her husband and the great voyce of the Lord declared it Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shal be his people and God himself shal be with them and be their God And this is the accomplishment of the covenant the salvation of the whole house of Israel when the Lord shall wipe away all teares from their eyes And that there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away And hee that sate upon the throne said Behold I make all things new And he said unto me write for these words are true and faithfull These true and faithfull words shall rise up in judgement against all such blind guides that teach their followers against the very letter of the text for though the word saith this estate of the churches perfection shall bee in that time when it shall be that there is no death for that shall be swallowed up in victory yet they dare to affirm to their deceived followere that the glorious Citie is a fancie of their own framing even in this life while death as an enemie raigning over them surely they cannot be said to be bright men but blackmen dark-men no light men men of this world and not of that to come men in the flesh and not in the spirit for the new heavens and the new earth are the inheritance of the Saints this new Jerusalem is the City with foundations whose builder and maker is God the better resurrection the promise the heavenly countrey that Abraham Isaac and Iacob lookt for as all the other Patriarchs did who when they were in this world professed themselves pilgrimes and strangers as all their fathers were Heb. 11. Now as by this that hath been said it plainly appeares that a multitude of unwary teachers have perverted the Scriptures in applying them to their carnal conceited meanings And as these so most of all other Scriptures they doe alledge for not till the Lords coming at the generall resurrection can come the churches deliverance and salvation the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. And this Doctrine is justified by the testimony of Gods Spirit saying Hee shall send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive and contain untill the times of restatution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 3. 19 20 21. Heare all you that have learned to speak contrary to the truth the words and meaning of the holy Mâ—ssengers and Prophets of God and repent or else the Prophets themselves wil condemne you And that you may know your indictment behold and heare what they say further in evidence against your doctrines For thus saith the Prophet Zephany of the churches estate of the life to come which you affirm is meant of this life The remnant of Israel saith he shall not doe iniquity not speak lies neither shall a deceitfull tongue bee found in their mouth for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid Sing O daughter of Sion shout O Israel Me thinks it is the same our Lord saith I will see you again and wil turn your sorrow into joy never again to lose it John 16. And so the Prophet goes on Bee glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Jerusalem the Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thy enemies the King of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evill any more Zeph. 3 13. Is not this the Lords return again to his church for her everlasting comfort And of this return of our Lord and deliverance of his church are all other Scriptures to be understood which you have mentioned Then and not before will the Lord perform that good thing promised by Ieremy chap. 23. 14. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will perform that good thing I have promised to the house of Israel and the house of Iudah In those dayes and at that time will I cause the branch of righteousnesse to grow up unto David and he shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the land in those dayes shall Iudah be saved and Ierusalem shall dwell safely And this is the name wherewith he shall be called The Lord our Righteousnes And in the day of the Lords return to this Citie the Lambs wife it shall be said The Lord is here Ezek. 48. 15. But to leave these mistakers to their great mistakings I will speake one word to the blessed expecters the sonnes of Sion the children of hope Be comforted beloved for now it is but twenty dayes and the funerall day will come of Babylon the sonnes of confusion and it will hardly exceed fourty foure dayes more but your blessed expectation will be accomplished for in the midnight of that day there shall be a great cry made Behold the Bridegroome cometh and then blessed Bride go out to meet him for evermore to enjoy him with unspeakable joy to whom be glory world without end Amen Wherefore he that hath eyes let him see and he that hath eares let him heare and he that hath attained to a good heart let him understand FINIS