words the meaning seems to be to this purpose and effect that is there is nothing or no great matter whither the foreskin of ones flesh is cut off or not There is no great Good or Evil in the thing abstractedly whither it be done or not done So it would have been if God had given no Commandment at all concerning it But God having Superadded and Annexed a Commandment concerning it The Soul that is not Circumcised shall be cut off from his People Here it ought to be observed and done by the Jews as long as that Dispensation did remain among them Not so much for the thing it self but to fulfill all Righteousness and therein to keep the Commandment of God which same Commandment is now done away and abolished in Christ And therefore it was become indifferent under the Gospel as appears by the foregoing verse and from the Practise of Paul who altho' he was not for bringing them back again to Bondage and to Jewish Observances yet to please the Jews as also to bring over more Jewish Converts who did retain a Tincture of and Zeal for the Mosaical Institutions did Circumcise Timothy but would not do so as to the Gentiles which should receive the Faith Now the reason is alike and eternally the same as to those two Ordinances of Christ Baptism and the Lords Supper As to sprinkling or dipping in water and in Eating and Drinking a little Bread and Wine there is nothing or no great matter in them taken abstractedly The Reason of Man is apt to despise them because it presently sees no Intrinsick Goodness in using them and no Evil in letting them alone And so far it would have been true if Christ had given no Commandment concerning them But Christ and his Apostles having given Commandment for the once observance of the one and the often observance of the other they ought accordingly to be so observed by his Disciples and Followers to fulfill all Gospel Righteousness and out of obedience unto and for keeping the Commandments of Christ Moses therefore gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Fathers and ye on the Sabbath Day Circumcise a Man that the Law of Moses shall not be broken John 7. 22 23. This is plain and obvious enough and accordinly they have been retained all along down in the Christian yea and the Reformed Churches Tho' we cannot here presently assign how Baptism and the Lords Supper are means of Grace as Preaching the Word and Prayer manifestly and sensibly are For we know feelingly and experimentally that Preaching the Word and Prayer are as two Conduit Pipes through which Good and Perfect Gifts do come down from above from the Father of Lights into our Souls And we very well conceive how these help to make a People prepared for the Lord. But we cannot altogether give so clear an Account concerning Baptism and the Lords Supper how they do this altho' here we can somewhat apprehend as to the things signified by them which hath been afore-mentioned Nevertheless because Christ hath Commanded and Instituted them in his Gospel it is not only the safer way to use them but I will go on to add there can be no sasety in neglecting them or in the omission of them because of what himself saith Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and teach Men so He shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 19. Which there signifies the Dispensation of his Gospel For we are not sure that such will ever be admitted into his Kingdom above at the end of time Having afore-mentioned what Grounds we have for the same in the Scriptures of Truth and therefore these things keep still unto the Ordinances of Religion We teach and affirm constantly We read in Isa 58. 2. Of the Ordinances of Justice but in our present and intended Discourse we wave and let alone all that it being not altogether so pertinent to the matter in Hand which is the keeping constantly unto the Ordinances of Worship For it is a great Gospel Command Worship God Rev. 22. 9. And to allude unto Heb. 9. 1. This Second Covenant hath Ordinances of Divine Service and a Spiritual or Heavenly Sanctuary Which may be performed in a true and right manner So that it is meet requisite and necessary That the Children of thy Servants should continue therein Psal 102. 28. Or otherwise they are no longer Servants of God For his Servants shall serve him Rev. 22. 3. And as anothers abuse of a thing should not take away my Good and Right use thereof So here again it is the Controversies and Questions which are among the Servants of God concerning the manner or Circumstantials of his Worship or of those positive Ordinances as whither Baptism should be observed in Infancy or Riper Years with dipping or sprinkling with the sign of the Cross or without it and of the Lords Supper whither it should be received sitting standing or kneeling or whither in the Morning or Afternoon altho' these are somewhat apt to perplex and trouble the Minds of Christians and are the occasion of different and distinct Congregations Yet we should in no wise so far stumble as to surcease the use of them at all God forbid By the way tho' we ought to assert the Truth and Confute Errour yet it is no Christianity to Reproach or Malign any Sect or Party For the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all Men in Meekness Instructing those that oppose themselves if Peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth The much greater Part of those Churches which are reformed from the Idolatry and Superstition of Rome both in these and also in Forreign Countries do all unanimously agree that these Ordinances ought by all means to be retained and that the neglect or omission of them is Sin Certain it is that the best and wisest way for every one is To keep unto and observe them as near according to the Rule and Direction of Scripture as ever they can and abstracted from all will Worship and Institution or Precept of Man I am now going to speak after my Judgment and by Permission and not of Commandment And therefore ye may weigh in your Minds but not rely on this Affirmation or rather Opinion Viz. That as the Early Dew which goeth away is better then no Dew at all So the observance of the ordinances any of the ways afore-mentioned seems according to my sentiment of things to be better and safer then the not observance of them at all Because there is a Commandment of God and of Christ for the actual observance of them Tho' here I charge ye all in the Name of God and of Christ and here ye are to take notice of it that I speak again by Commandment seeing that these positive ordinances serve also unto the example and shadow of Heavenly things see well to it
World and all things therein than God's saying Let it be so which is his Word and it was so As the Word of God did create us at first in a litteral and material sense so the same Word is to make us New Creatures to create us again in a spiritual sense to make us live unto God for ever and ever And in order to that it knows all men and knows what is in man and needs not that any one should testify of him for it knows enough of it self The Commandments Rules and Directions are given in that wise according as Man is Prone Subject and Inclinable unto There are more then a Thousand Instances of this throughout the Book of the Lord. But I will recite one or two Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently least thou forget the things which thine Eyes have seen Take heed unto your selves least ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Deut. 4. 9 23. The Holy Ghost by giving this double caution in this Chapter doth denote and shew forth what Men are apt and subject unto even to the forgetfulness of the Works of God and of the words of his Law for themselves to live according unto and to obey it and therefore he warns them against it Now the several Acts and Parts of Worship are in a manner Visible and also they put in continual mind both of the works of God and of the words of God And for this reason besides his own Command of Enjoyning them they are to be retained and resorted unto all the days of our Life whilst we are here in the Body O Ephraim What shall I do unto thee O Judah What shall I do unto thee For thy Goodness is as the morning Cloud and as the Earthly Dew it goeth away Hos 6. 4. As it is written Jesus Christ spake thus unto Philip Proving him for he himself knew what he would do John 6. 6. Even so God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ doth here ask the same Question doubly over proving his People or putting them to it for he himself knoweth what he hath to do and would do herein How that when their Goodness is as the morning Cloud and as the Early Dew it passeth away He hath provided that it should be renewed and come and succeed again even by the Ordinances of Religion which himself hath ordained and instituted I have several times thought how that in the long days in the hot and sultry weather when is the scorching Sun How the wisdom of God doth then provide for the Earth For whereas at this time of the Year there is little or no Rain for several weeks together If it were not for that Dew which God doth then send every Night and Early in the Morning what would the Earth come unto The most fruitful Ground would become like the Barren Mountains and the Waste howling Wilderness The Heaven that is over our head would be Brass and the Earth that is under us would be Iron Deut. 28. 23. There would be little or no Grass to be seen But the Sun in its full might and strength would scorch and burn it up But now blessed and ever blessed be our God for it by means of the Dew which commonly tarries on the Earth until the Ninth or Tenth hour in the morning It is refreshed instead of Rain and thus it comes to pass that it is neither barren nor unfruitful The observation is common that in Cloudy weather or when it will Rain that day there is usually less or no foregoing Dew The Knowledge and Wisdom of God seeing that there will not be altogether so much need of it then and accordingly he doth so proportion it out who doth all things in Number Weight and Measure O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all And so even now Thou who upholdest all things by the Word of thy Power In wisdom dost thou govern and dispose of all things throughout the whole World O that when People walk out early in the morning and see the Dew lie as the Small Rain upon the tender Herb and as Showers upon the Grass Every little drop whereof doth more Good and therein is more valuable then so many Pearls would eye and see the Lord therein and Praise the Lord for his Goodness and declare his wonders unto the Children of Men. That they would further make known a Spiritual use and improvement hereof as the whole Face of the Earth unless for this Dew would be like unto a Path or Road which Man or Beast continually goes on or at least it would be barren and unfruitful Even so in like manner Mine own heart and the other hearts of the reasonable Inhabitants of this Earth unless it were for the Dew of the Word and of Prayer would become barren and unfruitful in the work of the Lord and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ But on the other and better hand the constant Dew of the Word and of Prayer if we do not put them from us but have recourse thereunto for the Lord doth hold them forth and Command the Inhabitants of the Earth to use them and receive the benefit of them If these be sought and had daily If this Knowledge and Godliness which last includes both the Word and Prayer and these things be in you and abound there is Great Emphasis in that Word full measure and running over which teaches us that we should do it still more and more Every Branch that beareth Fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more Fruit John 15. 2. They make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 8. Who saith Herein is my Father Glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples John 15. 8. But as without the Dew or Rain there would be no Fruit or Grass so without hearing or reading the Word and Prayer there would be no Fruit brought forth unto God And if God is Glorified when his reasonable Creatures bring forth Fruit then by the Rule of Contraries he is dishonoured when they bring forth no Fruit or when he fails and is disappointed in his Expectation When I looked that it should bring forth Grapes and it brought forth Wild Grapes And what is the consequent of all Poor Creatures the greatest loss will redound to themselves at the last altho' now they do not throughly consider thereof And now go to I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard it shall be trodden down it shall not be Pruned nor digged but there shall come up Briars and Thorns I will also command the Clouds that they Rain no Rain upon it For the Earth which drinketh in the Rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth Blessing from God But that which beareth Thorns and Briars is rejected and is
in your Eating and Drinking for too much Eating makes People sluggish and sleepy Thus People might redeem time for hearing his word on a Week Day and yet they would not diminish ought from their accustomed Work and Labour in their wordly calling Sirs ye know not what it is to lose opportunities in Spiritual and Eternal concerns For these opportunities can never be retrieved again As Nebuchadnezzar said concerning his Dream The thing is gone from me Dan. 2. 5. So these opportunities of hearing his word are gone from them for all Eternity There is no recalling of it back again I have Preached Ten Sermons to the Inhabitants of a certain Town and Neighbourhood But if those People who refused or neglected to hear the same would now give Ten Thousand Pounds and if there were Ten Divine Truths in them they would not be thus over-rated for each Divine Truth is of more worth then a World for to have heard them on those Ten past Lords Days this can no more be then any of them can make the Sun stand still or go back ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz It passes over into a thing to be Judged off at the Judgment of the Great Day As God commanded Moses to make a return how he had discharged his message and Moses did accordingly return back the Word of the People unto the Lord. So when his Ministers come to give in an Account of their Ministry it will be a sad reckoning to the People They are turned back to the iniquity of their Forefathers which refused to hear my Words Jer. 11. 11. Loe these ten opportunities together such and such People hereabouts have refused to hear thy Words O God and if I should live or stay among them so long I do really believe that some of my Countrymen and Neighbours will for seventy times seven opportunities more refuse to hear thy Words O Lord according as I have received the same from the lively Oracles the Book of the Lord and what he makes known to my heart by his Spirit As Herod made a sudden Oath for the sake of which he cut off John Baprists Head And as the Jews bound themselves with a Curse not to Eat or Drink until they had killed Paul So I believe that some have made such an hasty Vow and Resolution which is the usual forerunner of foolish and sinful doings that they will never go to hear such an one In speaking after that manner they take the wrong end of the Staff by the hand which kind of speaking is one method or devise whereby Satan upholds his Kingdom by fixing on Persons and not on things for 't is not so much the Person of this or that Man we being Creatures of alike Flesh and Blood and of the same Passions For they should speak more properly and understandingly they vow and resolve never to hear the Word of the Lord which comes out of such an ones Mouth for by the way if a Great Truth of God could and did come out of Caiaphas his Mouth as it did in John 11. 51 52. Who had given wicked Counsel so may some Truths of God proceed through him who is harmless and inoffensive in his Conversation and whom neither his adversaries can charge with nor yet himself is conscious of any known and allowed sin But here the children of God should separate the Precious from the Vile I would ask such who think that they must keep to their Vows Suppose that a man should Vow that he would never worship God such an Unlawful Vow or Promise is better broken than kept and so it is near the same not to go to hear the Word for thou shouldest here Repent of making such a Vow or Resolution the Observance whereof being unlawful serves only a design of the Devil to keep thee in the breach and neglect of a Commandment of God to hear his Word as also it hinders thy Soul from good things If any should stay at home to Read the Sctiptures or for Family Prayer or to catechise and instruct their Children this they might do at other times and they might bring their Children here to sit down and hear Words Preached according to their Capacities which perhaps by Reason of their fresh Memories and tender Years they would retain longer than their Parents It may be asked them another day Why abodest thou among thy Family or in thy house when thou mightest have gone out to Hear the word of the Lord Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the Reproach of Men neither be ye afraid of their Revilings Isa 51. 7. Ye may all know and be assured that the works of God are never in vain I have several times thought as to my outward Lameness tho I do halt like unto the Patriarch Jacob nevertheless this hinders not from my running the way of Gods Commandments And so where God hath furnished any man with Knowledge Ability Inward Indowments and Qualifications and hath put good words and true words into his heart all this and such like must be for some end even for him to speak out and make known the same and for others to hear and receive them The Lord will rehearse all this and much more in the day when he writeth up his people How every least and most contemptible Creature did serve the Great Ends of his Glory But much more the Ministers of the Word do so in their several Generations Countries and Places It is indeed matter of Anguish and Vexation to us because we see the Devils working and Delusion herein and we can not help it so throughly and universally as we would It is a day of trouble the Children are come to the birth and there is not strength to bring forth Altho' there are too many Loyterers in the Ministry yet there are not Labourers enough in the Harvest and they also are not knowing or not laborious enough But yet however people carry it towards us yet that place of Ezck. 2. 5 7. will take hold of them And they whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious House yet shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them And thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are most Rebellious And so accordingly as long as I have health and opportunity I will speak the word of God unto the people of my Generation and Nation whether they will hear or whether they will forbear if no more than two or three only did come to this particular place where it is declared But to Israel he saith All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain-saying people Rom. 10. 21. Now Israel were the outward worshippers but the same holds true also as to the sinners and ungodly But Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things which
accompany Salvation tho we thus speak For some of ye will hear and will not be disobedient nor yet gain saying And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope unto the end Seeing that our selves are determined by his Grace the longest day we have to live here on the Earth to give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word See ye to it also that ye give your selues continually to Prayer likewise and to attend upon this Ministry of the Word As Agrippa and Bernice did come with great Pomp to the place of hearing so do ye lose no opportunity to come with great Reverence Attention and a Spirit of Discerning unto the place of hearing wherever it is faithfully and skiilfully Preached forth and handled They came with great Pomp. But do not Refuse to come to any place for the seeming outward meanness and contemptibleness thereof for as it is the same Sun which shines upon a Dunghill as upon a Beautiful Palace as Christ according to the flesh was laid in the Manger of a Stable so the word of God and the words of Eternal Life may be and are often more purely and simply declared in ordinary Rooms than in finer Buildings Let it meet with Reception in your hearts Remember the word which I have inculcated over and over unto ye which doing altho some may think superfluous yet to ye it is safe For the Lords sake and for your own Souls sake if ye would indeed make a continuing and persevering work of it keep still and constantly unto the Ordinances of Religion But above all and especially give your selves continually unto Prayer and to attend upon the Ministry of the word that ye lose no opportunity for hearing the same He that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully Jer. 23. 28. And in whatever place it is faithfully spoken and faithfully preached even unto his Habitation shalt thou seek and thither shalt thou come Deut. 12. 5. FINIS Another Admonition to the People commonly call'd QUAKERS THere are some in these days who think and say that all Sermons and Exhortations to abstain from sin whither secret or open is but a low degree of the Ministration of the Gospel and they are apt to Boast that they do Press further and arrive at higher attainments I wish they did all speak Truth herein for there are sundry other sins besides Drunkenness Adultery and the Manifest Works of the Flesh and it were well if themselves were purified from all them also especially from hatred variance emulations strife heresies envyings and also from all the Perversities and Evils of the Spirit This I confess as well as they that to go on to sin and to confess confess and sin and so to return again to Folly I will hear what God the Lord will say for he will speak Peace unto his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to Folly Psal 85. 8. This will never do as to the saving of the Soul and that it may be received up into Glory But this is the manner of such Wordly outward Worshippers who are Foolish Disobedient and Deceived serving Divers Lusts and Pleasures Titus 3. 3. And so where any Preachers or Ministers do lead or allow People in sin but they do not shew the way how they may be led out of sin there they do not profit the People at all For that is the saving and effectual Ministry which actually turns People from Darkness unto Light from the Power of Satan unto God Nevertheless where this is done it is necessary to make mention of Sin Evil Iniquity and Transgression to warn and arm the Minds of People against the same also Accordingly Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and all the Holy Men of God who were moved by the Holy Ghost whose Words and Writings are upon record in the Book of the Lord did speak of and testify against sin But some in these days who think of themselves more highly then they ought to think Rom. 12. 3. Be not wise in your own Conceits ver 16. Do imagine that themselves are more Pure and Spiritual minded and have attained further then to make mention of Sin and Transgression within their Lips And tho' David Ezra Nehemiah Job Daniel and Isaiah in those Prayers of their own which are left upon record in the lively Oracles and had as much yea more of the Spirit of the Lord then any in these days do all make Confession of and ask Pardon for their Sin and of the other Servants of God It is both a Pattern and also a standing positive and express Commandment which our Lord Jesus Christ even under the Gospel dispensation hath given unto all his Disciples and Followers When ye pray say and forgive us our sins Luk. 11. 2 4. And it is again affirmed in the same Gospel If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us But if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all umighteousness 1 John 1. 8 9. But I have went several times to the Congregations of those aforenamed and beheld their Devotions Acts 17. 23. And observed them and I never therein heard the least Confession of sin to Almighty God nor yet asking any forgiveness of him for the same Whereupon I can assuredly gather and conclude That they do deceive themselves and the Truth is not in them as to that matter And by my Publishing these things to the People of this my Generation and Countrey I would hereby warn and desire them to take heed least what God said to the two Friends of Job come upon them also Viz. Least he deal with them after their Folly Job 42. 8. In that whereas he had commanded and directed all that worship him to confess and be sorry for and forsake their sin He that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy and also to offer up for themselves a Prayer unto God for forgiveness of the same But they did not nor would not whither it was out of Spiritual Pride or the Errour of their own heart God knows and so their sin is not forgiven nor blotted out and then the Lord doth not accept them And if so then the Religion of that People is vain and it signifieth and availeth not to find acceptance or receive any thing from the Lord. Indeed herein they have spoken the thing that is right It availeth not to Worship God and at the same time to continue in Sin and Transgression or to confess Sin and not forsake it For this will no more bring to Heaven than only to set ones Foot only on the Threshold and no further is Actual Entring into the House In no wise But they and they only are Blesled that do his Commandments that they may have Right unto the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City Rev. 22. 14. Such do not always stand at or in the Gates Which Doing of his Commandments speaks and requires on this wise Put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes Cease to do evil learn to do well Isaiah 1. 16 17. FINIS
at any time thy Commandment Luk. 15. 29. Such a thing perhaps may be possible as to our Fathers or Masters according to the flesh But David prays by the Spirit when he saith And enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified Psal 145. 2. When God comes to enter into Judgment and to bring to remembrance all the steps of our course here on Earth I believe there will not be found any Man ever living whatever some pretend unto or say but herein they are guilty of falshood which is a fall except Jesus Christ the righteous who was more then a Man who was not guilty of some fall or at least of a Backsliding yea of several and of many But they will be pronounced to have been the best Sons and Servants who in their course through this Earth had the fewest Falls and the fewest Backslidings and in the least instances My Business in my Preaching unto ye is to direct ye all a long so to walk that ye may please the Lord. Accordingly I having warrant and Ground from his Word so to do I testify against all Backslidings yea and the least Backslidings O do not that abominable thing which I hate Nor yet do ye give way willingly unto the least Backslidings which the Lord is displeased with and doth not approve of Though after all your Circumspection and taking heed which should be yet more then it is considering how things stand ye have fallen into some Backslidings in your Past Life and it is odds but ye will fall into more before ye die Though in Gods Gods Name and for your own Souls Good do whatever ye can to avoid them This I teach and affirm constantly and I do here put ye in mind of the Apostles Exhortation and command And having done all to stand I say again And having done all to stand and let him that standeth take heed least he fall I will go on to add yet further if any should be overtaken with a fault or fall into a sin let him cry mightily to God for Pardon and Strengthening Grace Put forth all thy Strength and Power to get out of it and rise up again as soon as ever thou canst Thus saith the Lord Shall they fall and not arise Shall they turn away and not return Temptations do beset Good and Godly People as well as the mixt Multitude of the World Yea rather Satan is most busy with the first and serves greater ends upon them if his Temptations should take effect he having already taken the latter sort Captive at his will There is a like old corrupt Nature in all although it is kept under and subdued in regenerate People which doth actuate and prevail and rule all in all in the Children of Disobedience And the Lord said unto Moses Go get thee down for thy People which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I have commanded them and made a Molten Calf and Worshipped it Exod. 32. 7. And so when the Lord writeth up the People of the several Generations and Countries He shall count and rehearse at the last day how they have turned aside quickly out of the way which he had commanded them Not only in making and sacrificing unto other Gods which is a most grievous evil and abominable Idolatry but in the Breach and Transgression of the other Commandments also He did set them aright once and again but they would and did quickly turn aside out of the way which he had commanded them As we read or hear of this in others we are to remember and take heed we are to fear and watch for we have the same or like hearts which if they do not break out quickly into actual turning aside yet we are subject unto and it is possible we may quickly fall into the same There is a Proneness woulding and Inclination to the same sin and evil Know ye not that the Spirit which dwelleth in us He speaketh there in the Person and behalf of Christians lusteth to envy Now when one lusteth to a thing he would fain be at it but he knows not whither it would be best for him He hath some looking back towards Sodom Remember Lots Wife For we are forbidden even these same lustings and covetings after worldly things and secret desires after those things which are not to be had without the hazard of the seekers thereafter for all Eternity So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain which taketh away the Life of the owners thereof Prov. 1. 19. Like as David longed and said Oh that One would give me to drink of the Water of the Well of Bethlehem which is by the Gate Now as to all these the Word of God which is very pure doth forbid all those Lustings and Covetings and Concupiscence It requires to crush the Cockatrice Egg that it break not forth into a viper To dash the little ones against the Stones Not only to abstain from all appearance of Evil but to nip and destroy it in its rise and beginning when it doth in the least appear above Ground O Jerusalem wash thine heart there is the Fountain and Spring and it is good going to the bottom from wickedness that thou mayest be saved By this it appears that there is more requisite and necessary to salvation then many People are aware of How long shall thy vain Thoughts lodge within thee Jer. 4. 14. How long shall it be e're they attain to Innocency Hos 8. 5. By which place it appears that it is the mind of God that there should be a pressing forwards and a going towards and an endeavour after Innocency Though if one had the Tongue of Men and Angels If he had all knowledge and utterance in the Law of God and Heavenly things how long do ye think he might Preach to a Congregation e're They attain to Innocency considering Men as they are I suppose he might Preach all his own life long and to their lives end before they all attain to Innocency Though withal if he is faithful in his ministry to which the Divine Blessing and Promise is Annexed it will be Instrumental towards the making some therein a People prepared for the Lord. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all Men and needed not that any should testify of Man for he knew what was in Man John 2. 23 24. Now we learn from John 1. 1. That Jesus was the Word of God and the Word was God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Man himself was created and made by the Word So that by the rule of consequences if all Men were Created by the Word as they were then of necessity the Word must know all men and know what is in man There went no more towards the creating the whole
furtherance of the Salvation of Mankind and what God hath Joyned together set no Man put asunder for he hath commanded them both and they may be successively used one after another So on the other hand when froward and disobedient Man would notwithstanding put them asunder and neglect the one and hold to the other then comes in Satan and strangely befools and deceives people therein As the Apostle James argues For as the Body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also even so here it is If one should use a Course of Prayer every Evening Morning and Noon-day whether it be private Family or publick Worship without keeping the Commandments of God or having regard to them in all things and at all times This would be as Ridiculous Foolish and Nonsensical as if a Servant should as often come to thee for aid and assistance or for Tools and Instruments to do such a Work and yet never set about the doing of it So again it is a like Folly Ignorance and Deceivableness to be Hearers of the Word and not doers of it The Foolish shall not stand in thy sight Psal 5. 5. From which Scripture of undoubted Truth we are given to understand that they who are foolish in matters of Religion shall not stand in Gods sight That is they shall not go to Heaven And besides that just now here mentioned they come also among the Number of the Foolish who remember the Covenant in Baptism and yet they do not observe it or only with slight and transient Purposes and Resolutions at that present time when the words thereof are to Obediently keep Gods holy will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of our Life God heareth not sinners John 9. 31. And here in like manner it is alledged out of the Scriptures of Truth that God is not pleased with the Sacrifice of Fools neither will He accept thereof In the Scripture Notion and Apprehension Fools and Sinners are near the same for all Sinners are Fools and also all Fools of their own making as we commonly say who were not born Ideors of meer Natural Impotency are sinners In that they being in Honour and Vnderstanding they abide not They do not improve but rather lose that Knowledge and Reason in which God had Created them This is a sin and fault of their own in these Creatures when they do not Trade with their Talent but become unprofitable And so when they lose Good and Subject themselves to Evil as to the future State and Distribution of things this is properly folly yea and folly in the abstract and in this sence sin and folly are convertible terms All Sinners are Fools and all such Fools are Sinners So Ignorance in Worship or in the things pertaining to God this is folly For let not such an one think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord. Anothers abuse of a thing doth not take away my rightful use thereof Because another Person drinks and is drunken this is no Argument or Reason that I should not drink at all for I may drink Nevertheless to quench Thirst or refresh Nature Yea I must drink or I Perish So it is as to the Ordinances of Religion tho' some abuse them yet Nevertheless we may rightly use them yea they are as absolutely necessary to carry us through this barren and dry Wilderness of the Earth unto the Heavenly Canaan as drink is to the Body Because the Prayers of some People do become Sin Psal 109. 7. This is no Argument why we should not pray at all But rather we are thence taught not to regard Iniquity in our hearts to lift up Holy Hands to purity our hearts to sanctify our selves when we draw near to God and such like Because too many are hearers of the Word and not doers of it shall we therefore like the mixt and ungodly Multitude turn aside our foot from going to the place of hearing but rather let us hear and do it According to what our Forefathers Covenanted and Promised to God for themselves and us in Deut. 5. 27. And if we would inherit the promises we must of necessity be Children of the Covenant Because some do not know and mind much more therein then the sprinkling or dipping in Water or do it in General for customs sake or to make the child or Person a Christian as they say we may and ought nevertheless to fulfil all Righteousness and to comply with that Commandment of Jesus Christ Go and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Retaining the thing but withal giving most heed to the thing signified thereby The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. If one is Baptized with outward water this hinders not but he may at the very same time and afterwards also be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire by which last is denoted warmth servency and zeal in the Service of God For as Peter Answered Can any Man sorbid Water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we and he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. Acts 10. 47 48. This Text doth as plainly imply as two and three make Five even according to the common sence and understanding of the same Words without any forced meaning or even any Interpretation at all that the having received the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit is no sufficient reason and excuse why they should not at all use Water Baptism but it is rather a reason that they should use it For Peter and Paul and other Ministers and Servants of God of Old time who had the Spirit in more measure then any now adays Notwithstanding all Boasting and Pretensions did baptize with water I would to God this were throughly understood and considered of by those People commonly called Quakers But they also have that humour and disposition as to be stiff-necked and perverse and refuse to hear and hearken unto that part of the Word of God which make against their own Imaginations The Ordinances are a Part of the Commandments of God and they are to be used out of Obedience and Homage unto him God commands us to hear his Word to call on his Name Christ commanded his Disciples and Followers to baptize and to do this in remembrance of him These two last Baptism and the Lords Supper seem to come in the place of the two Jewish Ceremonies or Ordinances of Circumcission and the Passover both of which were of Gods immediate Command and Institution As to the first of which the Apostle Paul averreth Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7. 19. Of which
that ye do observe and use them according to the Pattern shewed unto ye in the Gospel For that is most pleasing unto the Lord as may be understood from Heb. 8. 5. Colos 2. 20. is commonly objected against the use of ordinances at all Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World why as tho' living in the World are ye subject to ordinances But it is manifest from what goes before and follows after that Text in this very same Chapter the Apostle Paul there means only Jewish Ordinances and such Ordinances as Perish in the using after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men But have no Ground or Warrant from the Gospel of Christ But the being buried with him in Baptism or the keeping the Feast in Remembrance of him till he comes do not Perish in the using for they have a Relation to some what further neither are they after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men but after the Commandments and Doctrines of Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus ye have been taught and ye have heard the Truth as it is in Jesus Remember this Rule and Direction which I Richard Stafford whilst a Preacher among ye did make known and press and inculcate unto ye over and over That ye may observe it continually when I am gone Viz. For Gods sake and for your own Souls sake If ye would make a continuing and persevering work of it keep still and constantly unto the ordinances of Religion I say and testify again keep still and constantly unto the Ordinances of Religion By the way Do not think this reciting my Name to you to be odd and unbecoming for as the Apostle doth several times mention himself by Name in his Epistles I Paul do testify I Paul the Aged In like manner I do imitate the same Example I such an one a Lame Person which will be a further sign and token do so express it on purpose to make a greater and more lasting Impression in your Memories Remember and obey this saying keep still unto the Ordinances of Religion But as it is written We will give our selves continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word Acts 6. 4. So here take this further advice and direction be sure especially to keep still and constantly unto these two ordinances of Religion Give your selves continually unto Prayer And because all are not Apostles and all are not Ministers do ye also continually attend upon the hearing of the Ministry of the Word Whatever ye neglect do not neglect these two for these are confessed acknowledged and agreed unto by all that Name the Name of Jesus Christ in every place both theirs and ours Even they who pretend to be above ordinances and to cast off ordinances that they do err and are deceived herein hath been made known from the Scriptures of Truth as God himself will yet more clearly Judge and Decermine at the last day do still keep amongst them in their Congregations the Ministry of the Word and Prayer It is possible to Pray without ceasing and to continue in Prayer and to give your selves continually unto Prayer Good God! How much dost thou delight that thy Servants should continue see James 1. 25. As appears from mentioning it so very often in thy Word by secret and mental Prayer by having your Souls always in a frame and disposition to Pray by praying in the Assembly of the upright where only Christians are gathered together and by Praying in the Congregation Where tho' there may be a mixt Multitude of Saints and Sinners yet thy Prayers of Faith and thy lifting up holy hands will find acceptance with God for all that Give your selves continually to attend upon the hearing of the Ministry of the Word Go unto and frequent constantly the place when and where it is Preached Lose no opportunity Ye can hardly conceive how much I have been vexed and troubled in mind at my doing things by halves or by my losing opportunities in Temporal and Wordly concerns For these opportunities slip by and often cannot be retrieved But where they may be retrieved it is always with expence of more time and labour all which had been saved if the thing had been throughly done the first time And I somewhat knowing the worth of time the gliding away of time and the Irrecoverableness of time there is nothing which I so much grudge at as the loss of time It is a Maxim and Rule of Prudence and Wisdom in things pertaining to this present Life To lose no opportunities But be sure to lay hold on and make the most of every opportunity Much more it is Godly discretion and soul saving wisdom to lose no opportunity but to lay hold of and make the most of every opportunity in Spiritual and Eternal concerns As we have opportunity let us do Good unto all Men. People should not grudge and think much when they see a Poor Man or as Jobs Phrase is Not turn away their Eyes from a Poor Man But rather be glad and give God thanks for putting an opportunity into their hands that they may do good unto him and lay in more Foundation for their own future reward For as the Lord Jesus said It is more Blessed to give then to receive So it is a certain Truth they that give Alms have more reason to give God thanks then they that receive Alms for a twofold Reason because God hath placed them in such a condition whereby they are enabled to give Alms and also because he hath promised a future Recompence for the same and he will repay it In which last respect they are more beholden to the Poor Man or Beggar in receiving it from them then he is beholden unto them for giving to him which should teach thee to prevent him in thy Almsgiving even before he asks for it for this is the best sort as also to lose no opportunity for the same according to thine ability Lose no opportunity in any Godly or Christian Duty I charge thee before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ who shall Judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 1. Under this is included a charge to the People to hear the word also in season and out of season It is altogether as proper to hear or Preach the Word upon a Week Day as well as on a Sabbath Day It is equally your Duty to redeem two or three hours from the work of your calling for to attend on the same Countrey People will rise at one or two a Clock in a Morning to go to Markets to remote and distant places to get a Shilling or Eighteen Pence more then Ordinary This same is a Lesson and Instruction and God doth expect a like of his Creatures that ye should rise up a little Earlier in the Morning and sit down later at Night and only be a little more Temperate