Reformed even from those Rites and Ceremonies and Carnal Ordinances and Impositions of Men. But since that there is such a Maintenance and Livelihood set out by a National Law to the Clergy-Men thereof for using and keeping those Rites and Ceremonies and Carnal Ordinances and Humane Impositions As they have been kept and retained hitherto for this reason so in all Likelihood and Probability they will be kept and retained yet longer any Law or Ordinance of God to the contrary Notwithstanding Altho herein also our first Reformers from out of Popery seemed to have used the like method as the Apostles and first Christians did in reforming from Judaism For as they did retain for some time a few Jewish Ceremonies that they might hereby the sooner gain and bring over the Jews as Paul for this fame reason did Circumcise Timothy All which Jewish Ceremonies the Christian Church did by degrees and at length utterly lay aside when there was no Hopes or Likelihood further to Convert the Jews unto the saith So our first Reformers from Popery did retain some Popish Ceremonies and a great Part of the Liturgy which was the same in the Mass Book but such as had nothing of the Leaven or Errour of Popery therein As the Cross in Baptism wearing the Surplice Bowing towards the Altar and such like If hereby they might sooner bring over the Papists unto their Communion and accordingly many were and almost all of them did come to their Parish Church until they were forbid to do so by a Bell of the Pope But since that long process of time it being above an Hundred and Fifty years since the Reformation these is no great Likelihood further of bringing them over by this way and kind of Condescention It is therefore now high time if they would do as the Apostles and Primitive Church did whilst it was Pure and Uncorrupted so that now they should lay aside even those Popish Rites and Ceremonies and Carnal Ordinances and whatever is meerly an Invention Doctrine or Commandment of Men that all things may be done exactly according to the Pattern shewed unto us in the Gospel This I do again teach and affirm constantly And indeed it is written For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is Proud and Lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And the Idols he shall utterly Abolish Isa 2.12 18. Now whatsoever is meerly of Mans making and devising in the Worship of God that is an Idol So that by true and necessary consequence whatever is meerly and only of Mans making and devising in the Worship of God that same should yea at length it shall be utterly Abolished and done away And as it is elsewhere written Many also of them which used curious Arts brought their Books together and burned them before all Men and they counted the Price of them and found it fifty thousand Pieces of Silver So mightily grew the Word of God and Prevailed Acts 19.19 20. So the time will come that many of those which used humane Inventions in the Worship of God altho they had their outward Worldly Livelihood and Preferments by them will cast them away to the Moles and the Bats which being blind Creatures so these were fit only for Blind and Ignorant Worshippers and they will be apt to burn the Books in which those Inventions of Men were that they should not be produced and brought forth as a Witness and Evidence against them in the day of the Lords Judgment and Indignation For fear of the Lord and for the Glory of His Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Isa 2.21 And so they would do now if the Word of God did grow mightily and prevail in their Hearts more then the God of this World or the Spirit which ruleth in the Children of Disobedience For altho those who used Curious Arts did get their outward Livelihood by them like as Astrologers and Stage Players do at this day Yet when they once come to wisely and throughly consider Shall I only to get a little outward Worldly Livelihood for a short time or for a moment for what is our Life but a Vapour which passeth away thereby lose that Blessing which the Lord our Creatour hath Commanded for such as are his Obedient Children who keep and do according to his Laws even Life for evermore Even so the Priests of the Worldly sanctuary and of that Tabernacle which Man hath Pitched and not the Lord I mean all those aforenamed might thus reason and consider throughly within themselves Shall I and so another may say Shall I altho I have my outward Livelihood and Preferment by such a way of Worship which is made up of the Inventions or Intermixtures of Men thereby provoke the Lord to Jealousie and Indignation so that he will not accept of my Worship and then it will not become unto me a Worship to the saving of my Soul so that in short I shall lose Life Eternal only to get a short Temporal Livelihood in this World God forbid far be it from me this wisdom can never be justified of her Children for indeed it is the greatest Folly Accordingly to what Christ Jesus the wisdom of the Father herein spake What shall it profit a Man if he should Gain the whole World and lose his Soul And what shall he give in exchange for his Soul And thereupon each one should smite upon his thigh and frame a right conclusion that I would not commit Sin nor Practise Errour to get the greatest Bishoprick or Arch-Bishoprick or even so much Revenues as the Pope himself hath For even he hath not the Thousandth Part of the Revenues of the whole Earth and if one had that yet it could not be a sufficient Compensation for the loss of our Soul And then by consequence I for my Part and so another should say till the same mind was in them as was in Luther and the other Godly Reformers I will not consent with nor yet bear a Part in that false and erroneous Worship altho any Ecclesiastical Dignity or Preferment might be bestowed on me for the same If our Priests also were so Obedient to the faith and zealous for the Truth of his Worship so that this mind were once in the Bishops and Clergy of the Romish or of our National Church which is much better then that altho she is not clean come out from all the Dregs and Defilements of Popery then indeed some good thing might be expected for the Church of God and for the Unity thereof May it not at this day be truly said unto the Church of England what John was Commanded Unto the Church of Thyatira write these things saith the Son of God who hath his Eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine Brass I know thy Works and Charity and Service and Faith and thy Patience and thy Works and the last
Planted shall be Rooted up Now God Almighty declaring his will to be on this manner it follows by the same true and necessary consequence that every and each thing in the Worship of God which is not of his own Immediate Divine Institution and Appointment should be laid aside and not used And it is upon this Account only and for this reason only that they who truly fear God and fear his Name who are indeed the Disciples and followers of Jesus Christ so as to Learn of him and to do the things which he saith do not care to comply with nor conform unto what is the Commandments and Impositions of Men in the Worship of God As for mine own Part altho I do just barely go unto the Church of England way and place of Worship Like as Jesus Christ our Lord gave us an Ensample herein For of him it is Written That as his Custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day Luke 4.16 And strait way on the Sabbath Day he went into the Synagoguâ— and Taught Mark 1.21 For as may be understood from Acts 13.15 They were more Noble then those now adays of our National Church For they would allow of any one who was able so to do To speak a Word of Exhortation unto the People But these confine it only to such a sort of Clergy who most of them are either Ignorant or Unfaithful in the work of the Ministry and they are Blind leaders of the Blind As to which Jesus Christ saith If the Blind leadth Blind both shall fall into the Ditch Such Priests and People shall fall into the Bottomless Pit Yet Nevertheless Jesus Christ as his custom was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day Altho the worshippers therein both Priests and People had Corrupted their way So my custom hath been from my youth up and is at this Day to go unto the Parish Synagogues or Churches as they are commonly called altho there are some things therein used which have a shew of will Worship and after the Ordinances and Precept of Men which I speak according to my Judgment and that also Guided by the written Word of Truth I could wish were laid aside For according to the afore-mentioned Aphorism of Divine Truth Every Plant that my Heavenly Father hath not Planted should be Rooted up And also the Ministry and Teaching thereof in too many Places I do in no wise say that it is so every where is grown and become Deâ—d dull and formal It continues to be fulfilled at this Day what Jeremiah spoke of in his time that the Pastours were become Brutish The Priests said not Where is the Lord And they that handie the Law knew me not The Pastours also Transgressed against me and walked after things that do not profit Jer. 2.8 And some of them at this Day and even in this Nation Do not Profit the People at all Jer. 23.32 Or very little but both Priests and People have Corrupted their way having a form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof So that altho from the Example of Christ and by what he saith Mat. 23.2 3. I can just go unto their Assemblies yet I can in no wise consent unto all their ways without Violating Faith and a Good Conscience And because I do fear 〈◊〉 Oath which the Spirit of God in Eccles 9.2 Doth â—â—em to commend and prefer before him that feareth not 〈◊〉 Oath and I would also willingly stand fast in that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free According â—o that Rule and Command of the Divinely inspired Apostle therefore only it is that I am not allowed nor â—â—â—lited of to Preach in the usual Places of Preaching But as Paul did so I do Preach in an House Acts 28.30 31. The Kingdom of God and Teach those things which concern Jesus Christ. And because that on me also is laid a necessity to Preach the Gospel and Wo unto me if I Preach it not I had rather therefore utter my Voice in the streets and cry in the chief Place of Concourse and in the opening of the Gates and in the City utter my Words Prov. 1.20 21. And Teach in the streets Luke 13.26 According to that Gospel method all which shall turn for a Testimony against them rather then wholly neglect it If those of our National Priesthood would impose and require no more then what Christ and his Apostles did Ordain Institute Impose and Require Perhaps I might be of their Number but seeing that they do require and insist upon such and such things which the Gospel doth not insist on nor require As to which they shall give Account before him that is ready to Judge the Quick and Dead at his appearing And as for my Part I had rather be a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not Man Heb. 8.2 Knowing and Believing that that Tabernacle which Man hath Pitched and not the Lord by which the Worship of God is signified for that was the place wherein God is Worshipped is false for it is opposite unto the other and will be rejected and disallowed by him As it is Written Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances in the Margent there it is Ceremonies Of Divine service and a Worldly sanctuary Heb. 9.1 So it may be affirmed at this Day that what is called the National Church or the Church of England hath truly Ordinances or Ceremonies of Divine Service and a Worldy kind of Religion modelled after the fashion of and according to the Course of this World Now as People may in their reason conceive that if one should now Worship God after the manner of the first Covenant which had Ordinances or Ceremonies of Divine Service and a Worldly sanctuary Do ye think that the Lord would accept thereof and be well pleased therewith In no wise And so it is to be feared and may be thought as to that manner of Worship now a-days which hath Ordinances and Ceremonies of Divine Service and a Worldly sanctuary that God in these latter days under the dispensation of his Son doth find fault with that also for the same reason as he doth the other For as the Divinely inspired Apostle Argues and Reasons concerning that Which was a Figure for the Time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make them that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Which stood only in Meats and Drinks and Divers washings and Carnal Ordinances In the Margent there again it is Rites or Ceremonies Imposed on them until the Time of Reformation Heb. 9.9 10. Now to use and retain the figure still when the thing figured is come this must be Nonsense and Absurdity and God is not pleased with nor yet doth accept of the Sacrifice of Fools And so if there is any thing in such a way of Worship which cannot make him that doth the service or uses
The Cause and Cure of Divisions OR The way and means for all Christâ—â—â—â—… However they are Distinguished 〈◊〉 Named to come to Unity Demonstrated and Pointed out from the Scriptures of Truth By RICHARD STAFFORD a Scribe Instructed therein THE Necessity and Obligation of all that call themselves Christians unto Unity may be understood from what is Written Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace But observe here how the Apostle enforces the Exhortation There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith â—â—e Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. There cannot be greater Arguments and Motives then these here mentioned why that all Christians should keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace because that the Apostle here saith There is one Body and one Spirit And like as one outward Sun doth enlighten maâ—y Millions of Inhabitants of this Earth Even so one and the self same Spirit of God and of Christ doth actuate all the Children and Servants of God in all their several Generations and the Places of their Respective Habitations Even so it is meet and right and follows of necessary Consequence that they should be one in Love Heart and Affection for so much doth Unity signify and also where they live near one another they should do as the first Christians did that is to say Meet and be all with one accord in one Place and all they that believed were together and they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Acts 2.1 44 46. For the Worship of that Great and one God Hear O Israel and so hear this all ye that are in Deed and in Truth his Servants The Lord is one God Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all So that of the same right Consequence again If one God is in you all then also ye should be one as ye serve and worship and have Relation unto that one God who is in you all And so likewise it would be if as there is one faith so they did all keep and adhere only unto that one Rule of Faith and Worship and Manners which God hath given unto us all in the Holy Scriptures And if they had all the alike knowledge and more especially if they were Universally Obedient and Conformable unto it as the first Christians were For that Book of the Lord is but one Truth also and in all things consistent and agreeable with it self But in the Parable unto which the Kingdom of Heaven is likened by that Great Oracle of Truth the Lord Jesus Christ The Servants of the Housholder came and said unto him Sir Didst thou not sow good Seed in thy Field From whence then hath it tares He said unto them an Enemy hath done this Mat. 13.27 28. Even so the Good Man of the House for so he is called in Mat. 20.11 The Great Lord and Creatour and Governour of this Great House of the World He did first of all and from the beginning make and constitute one Church and that they should be one fold even under one Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ And also he did Sowe Good Seed in that Field as to preserve and continue that Unity which he had begun and established among them as so it doth abundantly appear by that Law and Precepts he hath given us By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye Love one another But from whence then haâ—â— it tares He saith unto them an Enemy hath done this So here it may be â—urmised and asked from whence came these Divisions and that Biting and Devouring one another amongst those who call themselves Members of the Christian Visible Church for the Divisions whereof all one as of Reuben who herein was unstable as water and tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine There was great thought and searchings of Heart Why An Enemy hath done all this even the Spirit which worketh in the Children of Disobedience They do disobey some part or other of the written word and thereupon arise Divisions and strife and every Evil work As the Apostle James asks the Question From whence come Wars and Fightings among you Come they not hence even of your Lusts that War in your Members Even so in like manner it may be asked from whence come that Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath and Strife all which are the works of the flesh and they exclude from the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.20 21. And Divisions which are now amongst those who call themselves of the outward visible Christian Church Come they not hence even of your Lusts which signifies an Inordinate Coveting or Sinful Transgression that are in their Souls Come they not hence even from the Spirit of Disobedience which works in the children thereof They do proceed from some kind of Disobedience or other Like Diotrephes who Loved the Preheminence or some sinful and indirect thing or other do lead them aside Or as the wise Man saith Lo this have I found that God made Man upright but he hath sought out many Inventions Even so he did make Man to Worship himself and in the beginning he did ordain and constitute this Worship to be in Spirit and in Truth For God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth And in order to this He hath given a Rule and Direction for his worship in his word which is very pure and true or truth it self But Alas Herein Man hath found out many Inventions In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds and their Post by my Posts Ezek. 43.8 He hath intermingled and added many things into the Worship of God which God never Commanded nor came they into his mind as himself saith by his Prophet Jeremiah As to which Jesus Christ the Son of God and consequently he best knows his mind and will who is also the High Priest of our Profession and much greater in the House or Church of God then Moses For this Man was therein as a Servant but Christ as a Son This same Jesus Christ saith In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men Mat. 15.9 And a little after he saith which relates also unto the same subject matter Every Plant which my heavenly father hath not Planted shall be Rooted up ver 13. So that both God and his Son Jesus Christ do express a reproof and dislike of these things What things That any thing should be offered up unto him in Worship or Sacrifice or as a Type of Worship Which he Commanded not nor entered into his mind and which he never required at their hands And that they should either teach for Doctrines or use for Worship the Commandments of Men as to which every Plant that my Heavenly Father hath not