〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ohel or Beth-shemesh A Tabernacle for the Sun OR IRENICVM EVANGELICVM An IDEA of Church-Discipline In the THEORICK and PRACTICK Parts Which come forth first into the World as Bridegroom and Bride hand in hand by whom you will have the totum essentiale of a true Gospel-Church state according to Christs Rules and Order left us when he Ascended In which you may finde the Hidden Mystery of whole Christ in Head Neck and Body Hidden in former Ages from the Sons of Men. Eph. 3.4 5. Published for the benefit of all Gathered Churches more especially in England Ireland and Scotland By JOHN ROGERS An unfeined Friend and Servant of the Bridegrooms and Brides and Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ late at Purleigh in Essex now at Tho. Apostles Lond. Declared for the most part in Christ-Church Dublin in Ireland Imprimatur Joseph Caryl Psal. 19.4 5. Their line 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rule and structure is gone out thorough all the earth in them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Heb. To the Sun in altissimo gradu In that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that is faln and build it as of old Amos 9.11 LONDON Printed for R. I. and G. and H. Eversden to be sold at the Grey-Hound in Pauls Church-yard 1653. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Channuccah A TABERNACLE For the SVN The first BOOK CHAP. I. That there is a visible Discipline or Politie of the Church under the Gospel ordained by Christ and what it is and how it differs from carnal Policy NOthing is more clear out of the word of God then that there is a Gospel-Discipline or Church-State for Saints of divine Institution and by divine instruction Prov. 1.3 To receive the instruction of Christ Wisdome Justice Judgement and Equity for Solomon who was a type of Christ teaches his Discipline in this Book of Proverbs which you have some call his Ethicks as relating to morall Precepts for Divinity is like some great Lady that is every day in a new dresse and Morality like to a handmaid that waiteth on her Christ the typified Solomon intends hereby to tell us of his Order and of the Discipline of Wisdomes house viz. his Church Prov. 8.1 2 3. and Chap. 9.1 2 3 4 5. he begins with this exhortation Prov. 1.8 My son hear the instruction or Discipline as many read it of thy Father viz. his spirituall documents and teachings and forsake not the Law of thy Mother that is of the Church Gal. 4.26 who bears and brings forth children to the Lord. So that it seems Christs Discipline which is of the Father and of the Mother consists in the Spirit and in the truth Joh. 4.23 24. not onely inwardly but it is also outwardly as to outward Orders Laws and Ordinances of the Church Thus the Lord opens the ear to Discipline sayes Elihu to Job chap. 36.10 and commands them from iniquity that is sayes Calvin he instructs them in his wayes and teaches them to amend This shews that Gods designe in giving us so good a Gospel-Discipline is thereby to make us good and Gospel Disciples both in knowledge and in practise and is therefore of great concernment to us in teaching us these three things 1 Subess◠2 Coesse 3 Praeesse First to be obedient to his Laws and Ordinances ut discipuli living together in Order Secondly to love one another and all Saints living together in unity ut socii Psal. 133.1 2. Thirdly to instruct one another and to strive together to excell in exhorting comforting and teaching to the edifying of one another 1 Cor. 14.12 ut Magistri as Masters of knowledge Psal. 119.98 99. and therefore it is that there is so great a need and notable a use of this good order and Gospel-Discipline amongst us which God hath of his goodnesse and in his wisdome provided for us So sayes old Bernard super Cant. Serm. 23. What abundant cause have we to blesse the Lord who was no wayes bound to us that of his free love should let down a Discipline out of his owne bosome as it was brought by Christ to us from the Father for us to dwell in because the School-men could say Disciplina non debetur ex debito quia inferiori non est aliquis obligatus in quantum est inferior Man is the inferiour therefore it is man that is obliged to the Lord his Superiour for making so much and so excellent soul-provision hence religio a religando Ma◠24 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is a faithfull and wise servant whom his Lord hath made ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season So we see the Lord takes care for us and makes provision for poor souls for he hath appointed constituit being a compound word is as much as to say cum aliis statuit whom the Lord hath appointed joyntly with others as an Overseer super familitium suum over a remnant of his family Now woe bee to them that reject this Discipline of Gospel-institution Psal. 50.16 17. a meer Moralist will tell you there is a necessity of Discipline See but Tull in 's Offices lib. 8. 9. de invent ante finem libri and a meer Formalist will tell you that there is a necessity of Church-Discipline which is a principle own'd by all for a truth except Atheists bee they no more then meer pretenders or professours As for this Church-Discipline we shall finde it in the word and fetch it from the Fountaine freely flowing forth through many more Scriptures then I shall mention both out of Old and New Testament First in the Old Testament we finde many Prophesies and Promises filled with this as Psal. 110.3 Thy people shall bee willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holinesse which must bee meant of this visible Gospel-Church-state wherein Saints having communion with Christ and one with another do worship the Lord as appears Psa. 29.2 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holines this is the Lords house here is his worship due unto his name out of this Sion goes forth the Law and it is beautifull for scituation So in Isa. 2.2 3. It shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountaine of the Lords house shall bee established in the top c. which foresees the singular fellowship of Saints in these last dayes wherein we live largely exalting Gods owne way of worship which he will bring forth with shoutings and withall an attractivum bonum a winning excellency will shew it selfe to the ravishing of the Saints and the re-edifying of their soules as in statu quo prius of old so that the very out-casts of Israel shall more fluminis by a spirituall instinct and from occult qualities flow freely and be fully satisfied unto
thus farre for the Object CHAP. X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chhok Every Church of Christ hath his Rule to bee ordered fitted formed and squared by and how all the matter must bee measured by Christ's Rule and what that is IN this beautifull building wee have heard the matter and the forme and have found out the Churches fairnesse objective i. e. from the presence of God in the middest of her But now it remaines that the rule bee brought out to square by For is not this the Carpenters Sonne the Sonne of Mary or will this Carpenter or rather the Builder of this Temple of the Lord worke without his Rule no surely therefore Rev. 11.1 There was given me a reed and the Angel said rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein c. This Reed is the Rule whereby the Platforme of the Lords Temple is measured out and laid before us thus the valley of Succoth is measured out Psal. 60.6 So is it in Ezek. 43.10 Let them measure the patterne of the Lords house This worke will not bee well done without Rule and that Rule must bee Christs too which measures it out as might appeare by other Scriptures Isa. 11.1 Zach. 6.12.13 Matth. 16.16 So you may see in the Precept for it Matth. 28.20 What I have commanded Christs commands are our rules Wisdom that is Christ calls Prov. 7.1 Keep my words and hear my Commandments Keep them that iâ— so as diligently to observe them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tells us So Prov. 8.1 2. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice she crieth at the gates c. So my beloved spake and said Rise up my love my fair one and come away Cant. 2.10 It is the voice of my beloved vers 8. So in Psal. 45.10 Besides this hath been the practise of all true Churches as in 1 Thes. 4.1 2. We beseech you as ye have received of us so walk How According to the Commandments we delivered to you by the Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the will of God c. So 1 Cor. 11.2 I praise you that you keep or observe remember and obey the Ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines Traditions Precepts c. as I have delivered them unto you Now how was that Paul did this not as a Head or Law-giver delivering his own Canons or Conclusions for in Vers. 3. I would have you know Christ is the Head Now Vers. 23. as I have received of the Lord so delivered I them unto you or I have given them up unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appointed for that purpose Now no others does Paul press upon them for as in 1 Tim. 6.3 4. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesom words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or words sound sine vitio and healthful for the soul which are the words of Christ c. withdraw from him Vers. 5. Have nothing to do with such a one and why reason 1 Reason 1. Is because it is not in the power or policy of men though they be never so wise learned or lofty to lay down precepts for the Saints practise or to set the way to worship God in and by all this being beyond him and too high for him A Balaam could say I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord Numb 22.18 Should the Lord have left this to the wills and wits of men what a most miserable Church-work should we have had For every man would have had his minde and set reason 2 up his fancy Reason 2. Wherefore see how precisely it lies in Exod. 25.40 That they look to it that all be made according to the pattern shewed upon the Mount So that Moses must do nothing on his own head in the Government of the Church or by his own private authority about the Tabernacle but as the Lord Commanded Nor durst David or Solomon do any thing in the Lords Temple either in the building or ordering or officers or singers c. but all by direction from above and according to the Laws of the Lord who hath laid all and lined all out by his own rules and according to his own will 2 Chron. 3.3 Much less durst any whether Apostles or others have undertaken it without direction from the Lord and Christ's line and rule this glorious building of the Gospel so far exceeds the former Reason 3. Wherefore the voice out of Heaven bid hear him For he hath brought down from his Fathers bosom the pattern reason 3 of this new Jerusalem which is coming down from God out of Heaven Hence Acts 3.22 Christ is called the Prophet like unto Moses commissionated from the Lord to delineate unto us and lay before us by plain and perfect rule and line whatsoever appertains to the true discipline and worship of God So in Isai. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government shall be no end to order it and establish it c. Isai. 22.21 I will commit his Government into his hand c. And he shall reign in righteousness and rule in judgement Isai. 32.1 So in Zach. 6.13 Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and he shall sit and rule upon his Throne c. Hence saith Christ Matth. 28.18 All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authoritative power is given me in Heaven and Earth Go therefore and teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you and I will be with you to the end of the world Wherefore God hath revealed his minde made forth by Christ in the Gospel and that must be minded by all men and Ministers in this work that all that be laid upon the building be first â—ewn fit ordered squared and qualified for this worship of Christ both matter and manner by Christ his own rule All other rules of the best ablest and wisest men will make but mud-walls mad work unequal and uneven being all too long or too short but Christs own Vse 1. We finde by this that Parishes are no Churches of vse 1 Christ's building never built according to Christs rule or directory largely delivered in the Acts of the Apostles For I have already proved they are without warrant out of Gods Word and that the Rule and Pattern of their Discipline is Antichristian and drawn out of the whimsical doctrines fanatick and fantastick Ordinances and Directories of mens brains Wherefore come out c. For 2 John 9. whosoever abides not in but transgresses from the doctrine of Christ hath not God c. Wherefore V. 10. receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed for whosoever biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds Neither are ye to own or say God speed to Parochial Constitutions which are transgressions to the rules and laws
so will leave you You shall finde the world a Book full of false prints as by men but at the End of all thousands of Errata's shall appear to your shame And being thus to part I shall say with Synesius I carry nothing from Purleigh of ΠΥP ΛAOΣ fire and people but bonam conscientiam malam valetudinem a good conscience an ill constitution and an empty purse being denied by you the bread I have earn'd with sweating brows yet the Lord shew you mercy and melt your hearts and if it be his will give you the breast and not the breach the blessing and not the blow and spare the Rod for those few sakes that like children long for full breasts of milk among you Wherefore flye Sirs flye from the Common-Law which will condemn you to that Chancery-Court the Communion of Saints where Christ sits as Judge to relieve you and there I will promise to meet you by faith and to plead for you by prayer though I never see you more face to face unlesse you meet me at home in our Fathers house And so farewel Dear hearts farewel Finally my brethren farewel be perfect be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you all 2 Cor. 13.11 Amen Thus prayes Your affectionate Friend and late your Minister in the hot bowels of love to you yet ready to serve the meanest and worst of you in the work of my Master Jesus Christ. In and for whom I am JOHN ROGERS From my Study at Thomas Apostles Lond. March 25. 1653. A TABERNACLE For the SVN The Second BOOK CHAP. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhacham That the persons entring into Church-society must consider what they do first and be sure they be upon good grounds being throughly satisfied and fully perswaded that the way they are entring into is the very way of Christ appointed for Beleevers to walk in WEE are come now to the very Gates of Wisdome Prov. 9.3 4. to the Towers and Palaces of Sion where the Lord is known to be her refuge Psal. 48.3 But before we enter in take some Iâ—structions Be more ready to hear saith the Preacher then to offer the sacrifice of fools for they consider not 〈◊〉 to hear auribus corâ—is corporis with head and heart-ears for these Lessons are to bee let in by both ears and concerne both the outward man for fear of judgement 1 Cor. 11.29 and the inward man for feare of damnation Mark 16.16 and Rom. 14.23 c. which is better then to offer the sacrifice of fools i. e. Such as are rash and preposterous and run post into Gods house without remembring or seriously resolving in their mindes what they are doing whither they are going why these content themselves with the outside forme and would be one amongst others though without sound faith or saving grace Such are the fools which we are fore-warned of in this Text for it is not enough for Pastor or Elder to try us but we must try our selves Wherefore keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God Eccles. 5.1 that is keep a watch over it as a prisoner who must not stir without his Keeper that is observe diligently whither thou art now going consider seriously that thou mayst go in safely and enter in rightly and reverently and orderly with humility and holinesse in devotion and full perswasion of heart Hence it is in Psal. 45.10 the very first instructions to the daughters of Sion are to hearken and consider i. e. in Heb. prudently to attend and skilfully or knowingly to minde Thus Psal. 48.13 Consider her Palaces The want of a solid and a serious consideration makes many runne into these assemblies of Sion and Church-wayes they know not how nor for what whereby abundance of trouble is brought upon them and upon the Church that so receives them I have considered my wayes Psal. 119.59 sayes David and I will consider thy testimonies Psal. 119.95 which is of such use and necessity that without it nothing is rightly ordered The Mariner considers his course by his Compasse and the Pilgrim puts on his Considering-cap continually in his journey whether or no he be in the right way Stat cogitat ipse secum utram debeat eligere nec prius adoriendum iter quam animo definierit pleniore mentis intentione deciderit And hee will resolve which is best before he foot it And must not wee consider what is before us beware of the sands if wee would have a good haven Doth it not much concerne us to consider our way when it lyes doubtfull between the Presbyterian and Independent so called Non omniâ— via dirigit ad Hierusalem illam quae in Câ—â—lis est sayes Cooper on Psal. 119. Now if a Christian bee carelesse and consider not the way he goes to walke in as he may rashly runne in a false way and thinke hee is right so hee may wrongly runne into a right way and be in doubt whether he be in the Lords way or no Now to doubt is dangerous as wee shall shew by and by The Apostle Act. 17.23 tells the Athenians that they were too superstitious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and full of false religions like worshippers of Demon-gods for so the word will have it and why so whom ye ignorantly worship him declare I unto you Yee worship an unknowne God although hee bee the true God yet in ignorance to you for yee know not whom nor what nor inded how to worship him whom I declare unto you wherefore it is yee fall into false wayes and Worships And so it is with a people that worship the Lord in a way of worship that for all that they know may be false as wel as true therefore it concerns them to consider the way first Take heed to your selves said Moses to Israel and the same saith Jeremy to Judah and Christ to his Disciples Mat. 6.1 16.6 and 24.4 that no man deceive you and Paul sayes so to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.16 and Peter to all 2 Pet. 1.19 ye will doe well to take heed take ye heed watch and pray Mar. 13.33 what is more pressed in Scripture and Paul in 1 Cor. 3.10 sayes The foundation is laid but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is adjicere oculos animi let him see with a serious and discerning eye what hee doth not with a light slight perfunctory glance but with an intent and attentive observation of what hee is about The want of this made so many dolefull complaints and sad invectives against Israel as Isa. 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib he saith not the Dog knows his Master c. hee is more wity but the dull block-headed Oxe the stupid sloathfull Asse
defend it by arguments out of Scriptures that art not convinced of it by the Word and Spirit and perswaded in thy very heart that thou art in the right yea though all the world yea the Angels of Heaven should say against it be fully perswaded your good meanings and mindes will not serve turn nor yet the gray Colliar-like implicite faith of Papists which believe as the Church believe they say And this is the most you have from your Irish Catholicks at this hour and yet ask them what the Church believes why they will say as we believe and what do ye believe why as the Church believes and that is they know not what But such a simplex conversio is all we can get from most of them talk a day together with them But a Christian must be able to maintain his doctrine and to warrant his opinion and judgement whether in doctrine or discipline by the Word Isa. 8 20. Or else saith the Prophet there is no light in them That is else they want understanding which ought to be rightly informed and inlightned as a beginning imperant saith Par upon Rom. 14. and they want the will too well sanctified and made pliant as a beginning obsequent and eâ—cequent and then ere you are aware your soul will be set on the chariots of Amminadib as we may show in the next Chapter For conscience carries thee out sweetly and with a sure testimony within thee that white stone when by good arguments out of the Word thou art assured That thou art in the Lords way of worship when thou canst comfortably and cordially say as Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Not I think or it is very likely but I am sure upon certain and infallible Scriptures and I do stedfastly believe it in my heart O then thou wilt prove a stout Champion for the truth indeed and darest stand for it when thou knowest thou art right Thou knowest it first for thy faith and perswasion is in a sense subjective seated in thy knowledge and understanding as in the subject thy opinion or perswasion is according to thy apprehension and understanding wherefore in order to your full perswasion of and satisfaction in this way of Christ or Gospel-fellowship you shall do well 1. To examine your knowledge of the Scriptures concerning this way 2 Pet. 1.19 have ye searched the Scriptures and do you finde them to bear a clear testimony to this truth doth the Word in your judgement and understanding warrant and witness to this way of worship as the way of Christ And to this Gospel-fellowship as the Gospel order then you will well do to walk in it fear not yet discouragements or troubles you must meet with in it let them not daunt yee do you your duty and let God alone to defend ye and to do ye your good When our Saviour bad Peter with the rest throw their nets in for a draught of fish why they had many discouragements for all night long they had thrown in and lost their labors Nevertheless at thy word saith Peter I will let down the net So should we say though our friends will be offended our persons hated our names traduced our injuries great our enemies many and multitudes of discouragements that we must be sure and look for it aforehand though the skies are very calm at this present that we shall meet with yet for all that At thy Word O Lord we will enter into this way so we have but Christs word and warrant for it we may be confident and couragious and fully satisfied But to further this direction those that would enter into this way must 1. Be well instructed and informed of the order of the Gospel in primitive times what manner of fellowship they finde the Word to hold forth in the Apostles days and some hundred yeers after them that is before the Church was deflowred and defiled with humane inventions dregs and devices whilest the pattern was in the Mount and the institution of Christ was the onely Canon-law and liberty As the Apostle would 1 Cor. 11.24 25. bring them to consider the first institution so doth Christ about divorcement bring them to the beginning and first institution and that divorces were not lawful Christ proves that they were not so from the first Matth. 19.4 7 8. So in great and rich promises the Lord is pleased to foretel the restauration of his people as at first Jer. 33.7 11. so Acts 3.19 21. To teach us what we are to look for that is things as at first holiness fellowship doctrine discipline as at first and we should ask after Jer 6.16 The good old way quam primum verum optimum that is the true way for truth is older then error and error is nothing but the excrement and corruption of truth The Primitive practise and order of Christs Church is to be sâ—t before us for our satisfaction because it is as a pattern to all succeeding ages 2. Be also well informed of the order and practise of our Churches now in these days Sit down sayes Mr. Bartlet and compare our present stations with the first order of the Gospel and see wherein we fall short and blush and be ashamed Ezek. 43.11 12. and then come out of Babylon But for this I refer the Reader to the former Book Thirdly Then when ye have found out in your judgements and beleefe a Church-society in Gospel-order and are fully perswaded of it and doe finde it in your heart that you are prepared and ordered for it doe not delay entring into it but be sure first it be into such a society and Church-communion of Saints as you see and that upon Scripture grounds you judge to come up nighest to Rule and closest to the Primitive patterne and practise which yee shall do well very diligently to look out for And fourthly observe the motions of the spheres and all the particular becks of providence how things joyne together and so fittly concur for your admittance into this Church-way for as holy Sibs saith fitting occasions and suiting of things well together doe intimate Gods will and Gods time And indeed all Providences have their language to Gods people and they minde their Call cleare when Providence makes the way for them For indeed Gods Providence runs along like waters in a Brook where every little peble hath a language in it therefore wee shall doe well to understand them For as wrong reading spoyles the sense so will the not reading of Gods Providences to a full period and stop But thus far for the first Direction Secondly Be sure ye have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 neither in your selfe i. e. your own wit parts gifts or the like thereupon to run rashly into this way rather upon a presumption out of pride vain-glory selfe-love or curiosity then upon well-grounded
behold Canaan But now he makes us willing to enter into the way with all our hearts full of wishes and desires which makes us swift in motions 3. Removendo This Spirit removes the remora's answers all objections takes away all impediments and puts us on through all difficulties whatsoever though Satan like a roaring Lyon robbed of her whelps rage at us and assault us with his rough Claws and sharpe temptations though the flesh flie upon us with full-mouth and foul-mouthed language and invectives Though the world frown on us and threaten never to look well upon us and friends forsake us neighbors estranged to us acquaintance persecute us and all threaten to begger us yet I say the Spirit makes us to triumph over all and carries us through all as more then Conquerors and thus Cant. 5.6 7 8. The Spouse through inward temptations Vers. 6. When Christ had in her eye left her forsaken her nor regarding her prayers or tears and outward troubles Vers. 7. Yea when the watchmen that should have been her friends frowned on her yea smote her till they fetched blood from her and the keepers of the wall abused her and took away her vail and tore it in peeces on purpose to put her to open shame and to show her nakedness before all in the streets to hoot at after her and to hurt her and to make the world believe she was an Harlot and not a true Spouse of Christ yet for all this that Ministers and Magistrates were both against her yet I say the Spirit carries her on And thus the Psalmist sayes Psal. 44.10 11 12 13 14 15. yet 17 18. Thou makest us a by-word a reproach a derision a spoil to them that hate us as the appointed for slaughter and broken in the place of Dragons and confusion is ever before us and for all this Vers. 17 18 20. Yet yet have we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsly with thee nor is our heart turned back from thee nor do we decline thy way no not yet and why But because the Spirit of the Lord carried them through all thick and thin as we use to say and so it is here the Spirit removes all thy rubbidge-corruption that would hinder thee and throws down to the ground every strong hold or imagination thou hast against this way 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Which before he admonished thee of and motioned thee to and 4. This Spirit confirms thee in it as well as conforms thee to it and therefore he is called the witness in thee 1 John 5 10. If any false witness do arise and rail at this way of Christ as the theif on the Cross did revile Christ. If thou meetest with any arguments from flesh and blood against it that would fain weaken thy faith and foundation why yet the Spirit bears testimony within and that upon his own knowledge that thou art in the right way Joh. 16.13 And this witness within and the word without do both agree in their testimony Yea furthermore the Spirit is called a seal Eph. 4.30 And set me as a seal upon thy heart Cant. 8.6 That is that I may be not onely near to thee but on thy heart even in thee as thine own spirit A seal is more then a witness for it carries the witness with it and is not onely a witnessing to us but a work upon us and in us carrying the image of him that sealeth us sayes Sibs in his Fountain Sealed Now a Seal serves to confirm and thus doth the Spirit seal instruction to us Job 33.16 that is confirms us in what the Word instructs and declares Besides this Seal is for distinctions sake as Dr. Sibs saith to distinguish which is the Lords way and worship from all others of mens making 1 Tim. 2. The Lord knoweth who are his and who are not his This distinguishes the precious from the vile Jer. 15.19 And by this seal the Lord knows his and the Saints know which is the Lords For the seal sets the Lords image on his way and worship Moreover a seal signifies a propriety and right to a thing as Merchants use to seal their wares that others may not claim a right to them So Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart the righteous for himself He hath set his mark on them in the Hebrew it is the Lord hath culled out and severed in a most excellent manner i. e. by his Spirit the righteous that is in Hebrew Chasid the holy One Acts 13.35 full of holiness goodness piety grace to himself And as the gracious man so the gracious way of Christ he hath set apart for himself i. e. as his way and his right Thus every Saint sets his seal to in John 3.33 who being convinced by the Spirit as before and now confirmed by this testimony within him which holds against all opposers he gives his testimonial to the truth Deut. 32.4 and bears witness to the way of Christ Joh. 15.26 27. and sets to his seal and subscribes to it and chuses it to walk to live and die in So that they are Christs witnesses and do bear his testimony with the Spirit as well as by the Spirit Acts 5.32 It is the Spirit which assures them as well as perswades them whereby the will is set upon the wheel so after the Saints believed they were sealed sayes the Apostle 5. This Spirit then rests on thee and on that way thus witnessed and sealed to as the Dove did upon the Ark yea as the Spirit did rest and abide upon Christ John 1.32 whereby he was known so hereby by the same Spirits resting on us we are known and the way and worship and Church of Christ is known to be from above So 1 Pet. 4.14 Happy are ye for the Spirit of the Lord and of glory rests upon you And Paul saith The power of Christ rests upon him 2 Cor. 12.9 The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as the Dove which wandred about and not found rest nor where to set the sole of his foot In this world iniquity doth abound and the waters are up and the floods are so high that the Dove i. e. the Spirit comes again weary and spent into the Ark and from thence is sent out So that this Spirit found Christ such an Ark and rested there and findes the Church such an Ark and rests there yea a Saint in a sence such an Ark and rests there And from thence he is sent out by Messengers means of Grace c. abroad and about the world to finde footing among them without but oftentimes he returns with this tale That the waters are too high yet But here the Spirit rests and by this the Church is known to be Christs We are all baptized by one Spirit saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 Into one Body and made to drink into one Spirit So
same for matter and substance made by all An Account of Faith as it was made and given in by word of Mouth on the Eighth day of the Eighth Moneth 1651. In a Publick Meeting-place at Dublin upon his entrance into Church-fellowship there By J. R. c. I Acknowledge and profess from my very heart before the Lord and you all here present That I do believe there is but one God who is omnipotent omniscient omni-present and an infinite and all-glorious Being and distinguished into three subsistences or if that word offend I will say into three personal proprieties and relations according to his several operations and administrations namely of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The Father is of himself the Son proceedeth from the Father and the Spirit from them both And although the Saints cannot take hold of God as God incomprehensible and inapprehensible yet they know him as a Father as a Son as a Spirit dwelling in them and so far as his several attributes makes him known to them First Concerning the first Person so called of the Trinity or God the Father that he is the great Creator and Governor of all things in Heaven and Earth eternally distinct as in himself from all Creatures as Creatures in his absolute Being and absolute Well-Being And that this God shall judge the World But Secondly Concerning the second in the Trinity the Son Jesus Christ of whom Moses the Prophets and the Apostles wrote and in whom all the Scriptures are and shall be fulfilled I believe him as he is both God and Man making a compleat Mediator and as God equal to the Father as Man of the tribe of Judah the line of David the seed of Abraham and born of Mary c. And as both the onely Mediator between God and Man And he was from everlasting and yet as Man from the Womb he was separated called appointed and anointed most fully with all gifts and graces necessary for all mankinde Concerning his Offices That he is King Priest and Prophet First As the Prophet he hath revealed his Fathers whole will so far as is necessary to Salvation in his Word and Ordinances and speaks it to his Church and Saints by his Word and Spirit Secondly As Priest being consecrated for us he hath appeared to put away sin and hath offered himself the sacrifice for the sins of the people once for all laying down his life for his sheep and he hath absolutely abolished all legal and Ceremonial rites and shadows and is now entred into the Holy of Holies and sits at the right hand of glory making intercession for us Thirdly As King in general all power is given him in Heaven and Earth and he doth exercise his power over men and Angels good and bad for the safety of his Saints and destruction of his enemies till he hath made them all his foot-stool In particular that Christ is King over his Church and shall reign on Earth spiritually in the hearts of his Saints and by his Word and Spirit he gathers all his peoples together from Idolatry Superstition Darkness c. into his own Spiritual way of worship and holiness and brings them to the Father and by his Spirit he makes them a peculiar people a royal Priesthood a holy generation and instructs and governs them by his Laws prepared for his Church and people Thirdly Concerning the Spirit the third of the Trinity that he is sent by the Father and the Son to make application of the whole work of Redemption to those whom the Father hath given to the Son by his decree and whom the Son hath brought to the Father by his blood according to the everlasting Covenant made between the Father and the Son which the Spirit carries on to us as the Covenant of Free-grace for our Salvation By the operation of this holy Spirit in me This Grace was begun first by and through the Law which awakned me so as that I saw I was lost and undone for ever and then by the Gospel whereby Christ was revealed to me and in me by his Spirit and his righteousness cleared up mine But of this hereafter This Spirit applyed Christ Jesus as far as I knew him manifested to and in me by which I was brought at length to close with Christ and that so unfainedly that I resolved to loose all before Christ. So such are First by Christs righteousness justified Secondly by his Spirit adopted sons Thirdly by his Grace sanctified and really changed to the piety and purity of Gods holy Image gradually and Fourthly Glorified and changed from misery to happiness which begins in the inward sence of Gods soul-melting love to them in Christ from whence is the hope of glory and assurance of salvation joy peace and happiness within c. Fifthly Concerning the Scriptures in Old and New Testament they are the Word of God as they were writ and indited by the holy Spirit and that they are the standing rule left us both for our knowledge and practise doctrine and Discipline here below Sixthly I believe that by the first Adams disobedience we all fell and that we are all by nature the children of wrath dead in sins and trespasses and that those who live and dye in their sins cannot be saved nor any without regeneration or new birth Seventhly Concerning the Church of Christ I know it is but one Body Universal and Catholick and that is of all Saints past present and to come invisible and visible yea spiritual and formal But this I also believe that God hath left a rule in his Word for Particular Congregational Churches here upon Earth as the visible to make up his one intire and universal Body Eighthly Now concerning Christs particular Churches I believe as I have preached and proved such a Church to be a Fellowship called out of the world and united to Christ As Members to the head and all one with another according to the Word for the worship of God and the edification one of another and that such must be separate from false ways worships Antichristian superstitions observancies c. and willingly joyn in Christian Communion and Covenant or resolution of cleaving close to the Lord in this his way with purpose of heart and by free confession of their Faith and subjection to the Gospel and therein especially I believe That the Ordinances of Christ are to be freely and frequently dispenced as preaching praying prophecying one by one Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Sacraments Censures Offices and Officers and often and ordinary exercising of gifts And that there is a chusing of and setting apart Officers by the whole Body and that none doth orderly do the office of a Minister among them but such and besides to omit many other things and bring all up in this rear I do really believe that such orderly Churches have priviledges royal oracles and seals and
others of David when he said of his childe dead I shall go to it it shall not return to me Ay sayes one that is to the grave which word wounded me and I went into the Garden to wail and moan my self but soon after my Husband came and told me my childe was dying at which I was left in an horror as if I were in Hell none could comfort me nothing could satisfie me no Friends nothing then it was sad indeed to me a Hell indeed I sent for the Doctor and others but to no purpose Yet after this the Lord wrought on me much and one a Minister of Christ that had power from God to do me good gave me much satisfaction by a Letter of his And after that me thoughts I was content to part with all and to let all go then God tryed me and took away another childe from me and I could bear it very well and was not troubled but rather did rejoyce within me to be thus tryed No cross nor loss could trouble me then and I continued in this strength I praise God pretty long But after this I was like to have died and then to adde to my great sorrow the good Minister that did me so much good left the place and went away and my friends slighted me and one thing added to another made me begin to despair again but then I know not how God quieted me again which I wondered at and was much comforted and confident that God would do me good and I hoped and looked for it And the very next morning as I was at prayer God wonderfully appeared and then was it that Christ was manifested to my spirit and I was as in a trance for a while but after I awaked full of joy and yet for all this I was somewhat under bondage me thoughts but the Word and Means of Grace did confirm me and comfort me In the times of the Wars in England I was brought out of Egypt into the Wilderness O! I was much refreshed by the Lord two or three years and was much contented and had his teachings within me yea and many times without his outward instruments for I had his Spirit his voice speaking within me and God alone was with me and no strange god But when the wars began to cease my greatest trouble and that at which I took offence was That we were so without the means and without able Ministers for now I could not be satisfied but even doted on them and could not wait with patience for I had forgot now how God had taught me within before and without them Yet I followed and hunted after my lovers having mens persons in admiration and thus God suffered me for a while to go on after them A while after this Colonel Lambert desired me to go to Oxford and when I was to go I made ready my self packt up my cloaths and all and rid away most with desire for communion with godly people there for as yet I could see no further I heard their disputes between Master Kiffith and others very hot but saw nothing of God there and was troubled at it and could not after that hear him or others but I went into a Garden alone my self mourning and sat so a while under a Wall and by and by came three men to me passing that way and wondered to see me so they asked me many questions But a little after I recovered my self out of that passion and went and told Colonel Lambert how it was with me but he told me I should not onely be taken off of Ordinances but off of believing too within a while at which I was troubled and went away unsatisfied I was troubled to hear any Preach and being once got to go to the publick place I was so tormented that I could not bear it for I could not joyn with them nor hear nor pray nor had no rest no comfort nor ease nor could I eat or drink but went as I was wont to bewail in a Garden where I was moaning when there came one unto me and presently told me That I was under the opening of the fifth seal and very near the sixth in the condition which I was in and should be in Being thus afflicted I desired to go home again from Oxford and writ to my Husbaâ—d but the Letter was burnt but I was in such a condition to see Gods wrath in every thing against me as is not to be expressed I was left in all kindes of troubles as it were at once but here was all the comfort that was left me and it was my Heaven in my Hell that God would be glorified by my destruction And so long I found some ease and content me thought and it did joy me at my heart to think That all things should go well with the Saints and they should be happy though I had no share with them yet these things did me good And indeed I dare boldly say when my faith was gone and hope gone and all gone and flew from me and could not be seen in me that I had any yet love remained and might be seen and was not gone noe though I were to be cast presently into Hell yet I could love God and was glad he was to be glorified though I were to be ruined and so I was glad at the welfare of Gods people Thus I was three quarters of a year and did not now care for my self what became of me for the reasons I said before but it appeared my deliverance was near at hand though as yet I had no assurance of salvation yet at last I was carried out with a great confidence that light was near at hand And yet I met with terrible shakings for all that which lit altogether upon the flesh for the spirit was free So that some three years agone God came in upon my spirit and gave me full assurance and I heard a voice say And sorrow thou shalt see no more Then I writ down what God had done for me and writ about to my friends but yet I was struck in the flesh again which I wonder at and then I heard the voice again say It was sin that was suffering in me and the flesh as the punishment of sin and so I found it was for the destruction of the flesh and ever after that I found Christ in me ruling and reigning and taking all power to himself and he hath caught the man-childe up to God which I brought forth i. e. The flesh by his incarnation and I have found in me and do yet his judgement-seat sâ—t to judge and sentence sin and lust and corruption and his throne is there for himself to sit and to rule by his own Laws And thus it continues with me at this day and the Lord leads me on higher and higher in himself and for that
man about thirteen years agoe who worked much upon me I heard Sermons and followed Ministers much after that I was wont to hear in London Mr. Cradock and Mr. Simpson Mr. Cradock wrought much upon me being upon that saying in Isa. Woe is me I am an unclean creature c. And truly I could finde it in me as if he had spoken to me onely what he said so that I was thereby wrought upon I was much afflicted for a time and gave my selfe much to prayer and did love the truth and all the Saints and so I continue now and I have found and doe yet those things true in me which were spoken by Mr. Rogers of that onenesse of love and unity of the Spirit which ought to be among all Saints which hath much wrought upon me and affected me I have seen my sad condition by nature and now I shall see it in grace and now O! how I love the wayes of God and holinesse and duties and means of grace which before I did not but such things of God as before I loathed I now love and long after Jesus Christ alone Experience of Edward Hoar Captain I Shall declare something of God upon my spirit It is some twelve years since before which I understood not the happinesse of enjoying Christ that I began to say What shall I doe to be saved I followed the Ministers frequented the means and did too much depend upon my doings and rest on works and what I heard from the Ministers I tooke for granted truths because they said so without searching or examining the Scriptures and the minde of God I tryed the Scriptures by men not men by the Scriptures but at last I saw them to be subject to errors as well or worse as others and then I saw that humane Learning could not get beyond humane And what Peter said in 2 Pet. 3 16. Which they that are unlearned wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures to their own destruction could not be meant of humane Learning Peter himselfe not being so but of Spiritual So that ever since I could not looke on men as infallible and thence forward I beleeved not things to be so because they said so but because God sayd so and his Word But now I live in Christ and I can positively say I have faith and am sure in Christ to be saved and looke upon none else and I was darknesse yet now I am light in the Lord. And so I propose my selfe to you I had opportunity in other places before now to have been of a society but I was not free in my spirit for that I found them to live too much in formes and not in the Spirit but hearing of so much love and freedome of the Spirit in this Society I desire to be one with you in the Lord and one with another Experience of John Spilman Captaine BEing a member of the Church at Yarmouth in England of which Mr. Bridges is Pastor I have given there an account of my faith and life onely shall say thus much more that once in a carnall condition as I was I did slight the Ministers of Christ especially your long Preachers and could not abide that any should preach long but at last I was catched by one and hee was on Heb. 8.8.10 the new Covenant made in Christ which was applied to me very home and touched me to the heart and made me to inquire into my condition hearing the danger of being out of that Covenant as it was to bee out of Noah's Arke and I asked my heart about it whither I belonged to it or no! but alas I lay long in great affliction and had no satisfaction nor assurance so that I knew not what to doe being under many temptations sometimes I would heare and sometimes affected the Ordinances and sometimes not and so I continued a while untill those promises comforted me much in Hosea 14 4. I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him And Heb. 8.12 For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more And that in Rom. 5.6 In due time Christ dyed for the ungodly And verse 8. While we were yet sinners And some other places besides but yet I questioned whether he dyed for me or no and that was answered yes for me for I was one of the number of sinners and ungodly that needed Christ but being in fears I went to Mr. Bridges told him how I was and indeed he satisfied me very much for the time but I fell into great trouble after all this and had a sentence of death within me and thought I was damned and utterly lost for all this still wanting faith and looking upon my owne actings and graces till the Lord laid these sayings of Paul to Corinth home close to my heart Covet the best things and I tell you yet a more excellent way and I thought there was yet a better way but I was a great while troubled for I was well enough untill I had some sweet enjoyments of Jesus Christ and then I discovered the most excellent way which is Christ and nothing but Christ and then I grew confident and full of courage and assurance and loved Christ in all and all that was Christs and Christ more then all Experience of William Walker I Have much reason to know a great worke of God upon my heart in delivering me wonderfully from severall destroying sinnes which once I thought â—leight but so great that I can scarce utter them I was very extravagant even here in Ireland but was brought very low in body and minde together and then was sensible of disobeying my Parents from what the Word sayes of men they shall be lovers of themselves heady and disobeying parents which cast me down afflicted my conscience and troubled me so that I cannot utter it and I lay thus a long time till I heard once Christ freely offered even to the worst of sinners and then I began to looke up a little with hopes of comfort and applied these offers to me as needing him and so I began to be satisfied with peace and rest and I followed the Word and rejoyced in it and loved the godly to have company with them and yet for all this I was under much temptation and too much I was given to drinking till Mr. Strong told me Brother I hear strange things of you that you are given to drinking c. which so smit me with the abuses I received abroad by the prophane sort who said O this is one of Fowlers followers that I was wounded in my spirit a long time that I should bring such a scandal upon the Gospel and a blemish For two months I was tormented in my minde till the Lord recovered me and gave me resolution and power against the sin which
my outward state I began to mend still in my inward I was much troubled and wished that God had taken me away by my former afflictions these inward were so great and a troubled spirit who can bear But afterward I was much comforted again In these wars I was stripped by the Rebels being abroad and came home so thorough sad tempests and since have gone thorough great troubles and very many A while after I heard my Husband was killed by the Rebels which I feared was by my sins and so my troubles were renewed and then the enemies came upon us the Cannon-bullets flew over my head and in few days I was turned out of doors with my childe in my arms I cannot express what God hath done for me in saving my life and my Husbands in hearing my prayers and tears and now in satisfying my soul with himself I have received much sweet satisfaction by Mr. R. and have now the testimony within me of Gods love to me which makes me so unfainedly to love him and his ways and desire to be a member with his people in his Church Experience of Mary Turrant I Lived till my Twenty third year and knew not God but after that I came to religious people and received some good and soon after was brought to the sight of my self and then I despaired of mercy and thought I was damned and none of Gods a great while but was at last comforted by good Ministers and the Word of God but I was in such a place and condition that for seven years I do not know that I 〈◊〉 so much as a Religious man My children were murthered by the Rebels and I lost my Husband by the sickness and yet the Lord hath spared me in mine old age and now I see why That I may enjoy this great mercy which I never looked for to comfort me in my old age I have received great comforts indeed by Master Rogers and I must needs say That I serve my God with a chearful heart c. Experience of Elizabeth Marrow I Have heard at Cork-house from the Governor and often from Mr. Brisco at precious truths and have been much affected with them and told my Husband that I have heard of Christ. But after that the sickness came into my house which drew me much to God Doctor Sibbils did me much good speaking of every one that had a darling sin which they loved By which I was put upon the inquiry and search and was so troubled and afflicted in my minde for a time until it pleased God to satisfie within by his holy Spirit and to reveal to me That he was my Father of which I have a full assurance and the witness is within me 30. Experience of Rebecca Rich. I Was wont by Gods providence to hear Mr. Cradock by whose Ministry the Lord wrought much upon me and I thought I was the person that he particularly spoke to and I lay long afflicted under the sense of my naturall condition and under the burthen of a wounded spirit and after that whilest I lived nigh London I lived much upon a forme till God was pleased to come in by his Spirit and then all was nothing but Christ was all and the best of all and ever since I have received Christ I have loved his wayes and desired the society of his society I was much comforted and confirmed even the last night in Michaels publique place by that Ordinance of prophecying one by one which the Church kept so sweetly and I was very much convinced of your walking together in love and unity of spirit 31. Experience of Mary Burrill I Have been infinitely troubled by my marriage to my second husband and have been afflicted in Conscience about it much til the Lord gave me comfort within that my sins were forgiven mee I was as prone to sin as any until my God wrought very much by the means of my constant hearing M. R. ever since his coming over to us God hath made him the chief Instrument of doing my soule good for which I thank my God through Jesus Christ. I have had in my dreams two terrible conflicts with Satan by all which I have been much assured of Gods love for that I alwayes had the better the victory O I love the Saints of God! his Word and all his wayes and I rest on Christ Jesus alone and on nothing of self and I doe desire your prayers to God for me◠to grow in grace c. 32. Experience of Mary Barker I Have great experiences of God though at present I am not able to expresse them I have been much afflicted for many years together in my relations which for my sins have been taken from me but the Lord who hath laid his hand heavy upon me hath made me very sensible of my sins and I have long layn under the burthen of them but the evidence of my pardon is that the Lord hath removed the burthen and brought in the roome his grace and given me a heart to him-ward and I have received much benefit by preaching and praying and reading in private and publique and by the preaching of Mr. Rogers I have received infinite good and found great comforts by his showing how we might know Christ is in us of a truth and by prayer which the Lord brought me earnestly into the Lord made those means so usefull to me that I am much satisfied in the love of God to me in Christ in me who is all in all and I doe rest alone on Jesus Christ for pardon and Salvation by his bloud 33. Experience of Margaret Fanshaw I Was a long time under trouble and temptation being perswaded to hear none a great while because I could not tell they were Christs Ministers a twelve moneth agone we came over hither and yet I heard none a while after a while I heard a little boy and then I heard Mr. Fowler but yet I received but little benefit by any untill Mr. R. came over and after I had heard him four or five Sermons I began to see my sin negligence c. which lay a heavy burthen upon me and Oh! I am yet grieved much that I denyed the meanes so and since by Mr. R. I have beene comforted with the offers of Christ and all the promises in him whom I have heartily accepted and am now perswaded by Gods Spirit I shall never run into those sins again but I find his Spirit putting me forward to hear and to follow the means now with all greedinesse and love to God and all his ways 34. Experience of Ann Hanly I Have alwayes had a great desire to walk with God but was very ignorant and in the dark till I heard Mr. Rogers by whom I have had conviction of my ignorance and sin in neglecting the means and Christ offered by the means I have
seen my sins and been much troubled and have earnestly sought pardon and I am by the Spirit of Christ confident of it and I trust in Christ that I shall be established and do beleive it and I doe finde dayly a great change in me and now I long to hear of Christ and I love the Word and Ordinances of Christ and am sure that Christ hath paid the ransome for my sins and I am resolved in the power of the Lord to walk in his his wayes and to doe his will 35. Experience of Sarah Barn-well IT hath pleased God to exercise me with much afflictions and his love was all which drew me to himself and nothing else but first I lay long under a legall sorrow and grief for sin and I was then put upon works and duties hard for heaven but I saw I could not get it that way and in this great Plague-time in this City I was carried further from the notion to the Power and to spirituall holinesse and higher into Christ yet I used the means much as praying preaching reading meditating c. and by the Word I was struck home when Mr. Dunstable teached on the sad condition of some even Professors that were in Hell howling Oh! this sad doctrine struck deep to the heart and I lay long wounded in my spirit upon it But it hath pleased God to work upon me in divers wayes and by his Spirit he hath set me free from this bondage which mercy I obtained first from the consideration of Gods great love in Christ and hereby I was brought to this assurance which I have 36. Experience of Jeremy Heyward THE Lord hath opened my eyes to see sin and showne me my self and I lay under his wrath half a year and so long as I sought to make out my own righteousnesse I lay thus and yet this while I followed the meanes heard the Word and I saw at length nothing but Christ would serve me and till then I could have no comfort wherefore one first day of the week I fell to prayer I prayed thrice and at the third time I heard him say Loe my grace is sufficient for thee whereby I was much satisfied ere since rowling my self on Christ and living in him alone and I finde so great a change that I can say whereas I was blinde now I am sure I see 37. Experience of John Megson I Have often been in danger yea of losing my life and then have desired to live and to amend in many great afflictions I have been in in my youth time I was very ignâ—rant but now I am earnest for more light that I may be in the wayes of God That Scripture of Christ in Revel 3.20 Standing at the doore and knocking did work upon me and then I understood Christ must come in and all evill be put out and then I did desire Christ and seek out after him and so I doe yet and shall doe though I dare not presume of any thing of my owne but all on Christ and therefore I desire to be of this Church for God shall adde such as shall be saved 38. Experience of Ann Megson I Have been long time troubled in minde but yet I dare not despair for Come unto me and I will ease you saith the Lord. The Lord did let me be long where there was but small goodnesse to be learnt But at London-stone I heard a good man out of Isay 53.6 like sheep we have gone astray and he showed how the Shepheard had a Dog when any run out of the flock to fetch him in again and so the Lord did by his Word fetch in us that went astray and thus the Lord wrought upon me and made me see my sins and my self and I was long afflicted and I thought if I were the Lords I should not be in this trouble but then I remembred that Daniel was in the Den and Jeremy and Hezekiah were afflicted and these were the Lords and that the Lord delivered them and so that he would me in due time and I bless God he did deliver me out of them all O that he would give me the heart to praise him I was lewd but now am changed by his grace and goodnesse and I love the Lord and I wish there were such an heart in me that I may ever live for his honor and glory I doe long after Jesus Christ and love to be here in the wayes of Christ and I praise my God that he hath brought us so much out of darknesse as now to see his wayes Many more experiences I might insert but being of the same nature with these I have omitted them and shall keep them by me for another occasion There were others in Dublin that did declare many excellent passages of Gods workings in them and upon them as Captain Jones since Major whose being imperfect I purposely let alone lest he should take offence and William Holme Giles Mee Randall Lester William Fanshaw Elizabeth Holm Anne Bell Joice Latherd Elinor Meeke Robert Barnwell Elizabeth Gardner Robert Glover with many others And I doe earnestly desire pardon where offence is thought to be given especially of such dear friends whose testimonies I have brought into publique view to bear witnesse to the world of the workings of Gods Spirit in these dayes to the facilitating of which I doe to all the world call God who is righteous to bear me witnesse herein That 1. In the first place I have aimed herein at the honor and glory of God in the setting out his rich love to the lost sons of men and declaring the variety of his dispensations in grace and the sundry wayes of working both ordinarily and extraordinarily yea in these days to the fulfilling of his promises made us 2. I have dealt faithfully with all as I finde them in my Notes as near as I can to a tittle taken out of their owne mouths without respect of persons excepting some of the most ordinary sort which I have taken summarily as I promised at the first 3. I think I have done my duty herein and wish it might incite others to doe thus viz. to gather out the flowers of their garden to present to the Saints in other places and though some appear in their weaknesse as wel as in strength this doth the more magnifie free grace and all those variety of notes concur to make up the tune of the song of the Lamb that one song of Moses and of the Lamb So that the variety of the flowers and of the colors and of the natures and of the formalities of them gathered together into one give a glorious lustre and like the Rain-bow of many colours signifie fair weather for Ireland And I am in good hopes no good man can have the heart to blame me for my good will and worke before any take offence let him
sad discords even among true brethren and then it is farre from uniting or true order and ought to be abhorr'd But lest some lofty brethren look angry at this assertion and language and should fill my ears with clamours by reason of concurrent contra-position of many eminent Ministers and others of this Nation and of New-England of the congregationall way I will but lead them to the Apology of New-England for the Covenant p. 32. 44. wherein they acknowledge an agreement or consent of Saints together or of this or that Christian to walk in Church-fellowship with this or that society and that this is sufficient and equivalent with the others So saith Mr. Peters in his Discourse of Covenant p. 21 22 23. T.G. I.G. But yet we grant that if this implicite Covenantings should produce such ill consequences as of contentions discords disorders c. which the explicite Covenant would remedy and appease that then there may be such a Covenant writ in the Church book and handed by the Church members for so long as good use peace and order are brought forth by it but yet with this Caution that it be allowed only as a thing prudentiall for a time whilest the use or end is good of it and not as a thing necessary for all time or as without alteration or cessation for then you should say â—ie upon it we will have none of it when it begins to assault and intrench upon Christian liberty Now in this sense and in such cases a Church-covenant is lawfull decent and expedient and in such an exigency and emergency of time this was put in execution by the Church at Dublin as a medium in prudence to compose diffâ—â—â—nces and it proved very effectual blessed be God to end the former and to prevent future disturbances but it was not to be urged upon any one contrary to Christian liberty And thus farre we can freely concurre with Mr. Cotton Mr. Hooker Mr. Ainsworth and all other eminent ones that are so hot for an explicite covenanting though the implicite by your own confession carries the formalem rationem of the other which they so urge both being but adjuncts The forms of such Covenants are shorter or longer as the occasion requires I shall insert one or two for examples-sake 1. The Covenant of the English Church at Roterdam when Mr. H. P. was chosen Pastour WEE whose names are hereunder written having found by sad experience how uncomfortable it is to walk in an unsetled and disorder'd condition c. 1. We do renue our covenant in Baptisme and avouch God to be our God 2. We resolve to cleave to the true and pure worship of God opposing to our power all false waies 3. We will not allow our selves in any known sin buâ— will renounce it so soon as Gods word does manifest it so to be the Lord lending us power We resolve to carry our selves in our places of government and obedience with all good conscience knowing we must give an account to God Wee will labour for all further growth in grace by hearing reading praying meditation and all other wayes we can We mean not to over-burthen our hearts with earthly cares which are the bane of all holy duties the breach of the Sabbath and the other Commandements Wee will willingly and meekly submit to Christian Discipline without murmuring and shall labour so to continue and will endeavour to be more forward zealous loving faithfull and wise in admonishing others Wee will labour by all our abilities for the furtherance of the Gospel as occasion shall be offered to us We promise to have our children servants and all our charge taught the wayes of God We will strive to give no offence to our brethren by censuring them rashly by suspicions evill speakings or any other way Lastly We doe protest not onely against open and scandalous sins as drunkennesse swearing c. but also against evill company and all appearance of evill to the utmost of our power Per me F. H. I might make mention of others some of them very short and generall but others fuller and more particular But I shall trouble thee Reader but with one more which as thou heardst before was made use of as a remedy to end some disorders and disturbances and subscribed by all that were free thereto upon occasion of differences arising to which this much related II. The Covenant of the Church in Dublin collected out of the word of Christ according to the Order of the Gospel WEE whose Names are hereunder written do freely give up our hands and hearts to God the Father and his Son Christ Jesus our onely Lord and Law-giver and doe unanimously ingage in the fear of the Lord every one of us to our utmost powers through the gracious assistance of Gods holy Spirit That wee will walk together in one body with one minde in all sweetnesse of Spirit and Saint-like love each to other as the Disciples of Jesus Christ and all to the Church Joh. 15.12 13.34 Rom. 13.8 Ephes. 5.2 1 Thes. 3.12 1 Joh. 4.21 c. Jointly to contend and strive together in all good and lawfull wayes both by doing and by suffering for the purity of the Gospell the Truth of Christ his Ordinances and Orders the honour and liberty and priviledges of the Church against all opposers Jude 3. Gal. 5.1.13 c. With all care and conscience to study and labour to keepe up the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace both in the Church in generall and in particular between one another Phil. 2.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 1.10 Ephes. 4.3 2 Cor. 13.11 c. Carefully to avoid all causes and causers of Divisions as much as in us lies and to shun Seducers false-Teachers of errors or Heresies Rom. 16.17 18. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. Tit. 9.3 v. g. 10. 2 Joh. 10. Rev. 2.14.18 Partaking and fellow-feeling to our power with one another in every condition bearing each other burdens Gal. 6.2 Heb. 13.3 1 Cor. 12.25 2 Tim. 1.16 c. To forbear and bear with one another weaknesses and infirmities in much pity tendernesse meeknesse and patience not ripping up the weaknesse of any one to any other without our Church nor yet to any within unlesse according to Christs rule and Gospel-order endeavouring all we may for the glory of the Gospel and the credit of his Church to hide and cover one anothers slippings and failings Ephes. 4.32 Rom. 14.13 Rom. 15.1 Col. 3.12 13. 1 Cor. 13.4.7 c. And that we will as the Lord our God shall enable us to our utmost cleave close one to another and every one to the Lord and chearfully undergoe the condition and lot the Lord shall lay upon this his Church whether in perseeution or in prosperity without any wilfull drawing back or falling away from the fellowship or Faith which wee professe together Heb. 10.24 25 26 c. to the end 2 Tim. 4.10.16 If any
explicitely vote and offer or object c. THE Furies and Harpies are flowne up very high upon this point and most men doe arrogate a Soveraignty to themselves which I see no warrant for The difference that is to be made is already proved to be between the precious and the vile the clean and unclean and not to be a difference of Sexes ages or relations Now because there be too bitter contentions about this which was one thing that help'd to set at a distance the two societies in Dublin by such as would rob sisters of their just rights and priviledges we shall prove their liberty and leave others to practise accordingly Proofes for this may be taken from Prophecy Precept and Practise and which we shall ratifie by firm reasons out of the Word of God and answering objections shall leave all to stand or fall according to their foundation and bottome But The Prophet Joel chap. 2.29 tels us of the liberty of Saints in the last dayes for where the Spirit is there is liberty and this Spirit is promised to be powred-out i. e. most plentifully and largely in the latter dayes and as Luther sayes in these last dayes of the world although this was began in the Apostles time Act. 2.15 faciendum initium sed non est satis sayes Paraeus it is now to be further and fuller performed and is expected to be powr'd out ex abundanti but onely with this difference that it was then visible but it will be and is much already invisibly then extraordinarily and now more ordinarily powred out and not dropped but powred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon whom 1. Generally upon all Flesh non stillare sed plena copia fundere let out with a full stream and running force far surpassing former ages that is the 2. circumstance sayes Calvin and it is to be considered Sine discrimine populorum sexus aut aetatis so Esa. 66.18 Which 2. more particularly and expresly he explaines and confirms upon the Servants and upon the hand-maides for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies for certain accipitur confirmative that these latter dayes promises as Isa. 2.2.3 Jer. 50.4 c. doe most expressely and particularly relate to the weakest and contemptiblest sort of people in the Kingdome of Christ young men and women and it may be some aged men too but as Paul sayes 1 Cor. 1.26 27. Not many wise not many noble not many mighty are called but God hath chosen the weak ones and the despised ones and the poore mean base ones to confound the wise that no flesh might boast in his sight But by these and other Prophecies it will appear God had care of the weakest contemptible vessels viz. women that he would exalt them and powre out his Spirit much upon them As Mayer sayes that they as well as men even both sexes young men and women might manifestly appeare to defend the Truth vindicate their liberty prove their right to the Ordinances of Christ either by speaking pleading prophecying or the like and declaring their visions of truth Besides the precept which I finde for it is full enough Mat. 18.17 Goe tell the Church i. e. the whole Church to whom power is given to consult and conclude matters which relate to the whole not one member age or sex excepted but women that are members as well as men must equally know it and consensu omnium sayes Fenner conclude about it being to be by the concurrence of the whole But say the Pontificians tell the Church that is the Pope and his Cardinals the representative sayes Lyra tell the Prelate the representative sayes Chrysostome tell the Rulers the Representative say the Calvinists tell the Synod the Representative and Maldonat says the Judges So say the Presbyterians tell the Classes the Representative or the Presbytery for so they call them and some Independents say tell the Brethren but we say the whole body consisting of men and women For the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Councel or Synod or some chose to consult and sitting for that purpose but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people called together into one body being separate from the world and all false wayes and worships for the Lords use and service which word charges the whole body with this duty and that without difference of persons sexes ages or abilities but all together and thus sayes Mr. Cartwright in his 1. Reply to Whitaker p. 184. So in Act. 6.2 3. the whole Church taken collectively without any exception of any for sex or degrees they are all required to cull and call out looke out and chooseâ—it â—it Deacons that is that every member might have his or her liberty and give his or her consent thereto seeing iâ— concern'd every member Furthermore you finde this in practise in primitive times wherein the Acts of the Apostles and their Epistles are full in Act. 24.23 the whole Church collectively chose them Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the liftâ—ng up their hands so 1 Cor. 5.4 5. the whole Church as concern'd so concur'd in that businesse and Paul 2 Cor. 2.6 to 10. writes to the whole Church for their consent and concurrence in remitting and readmitting of love So that in those generall termes you find no excâ—ptiâ—n to one off or exclude sisters concurrence and complyance with the Brethren whether it be by voice or lifting up of hands or the like whether as we say explicitely or implicitely and more expressely you shall see in Act. 1.14 These brethren all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his Brethren and then Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples the number of whose names were 120 now you have it in totidem verbis that the sisters as well as brethren had a right and accordingly did take it in the choise even of another Apostle and in ver 23. they appointed even those 120 Disciples men and women two c. yea furthermore in Phil. 4.3 saith the Apostle I entreat thee help those women that labour'd with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the book of life Magna libertas maxima laus mulierum sayes one for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read actively wherein they were admired and much commended and yet men now think much to allow them that common liberty in Christs Kingdome which is the liberty of the Subject to vote or object or aske or answer or say or consent as need requires which liberty they are as I may say as they are member of the Church born to and cannot by right be deprived off which I shall prove further from the testimony of others eminent men yea out of their
land even the Land of Canaan to cast Anchor at I say exceeding rich and precious promises which flow with milke and honey hard by us the promised Jerusalem the rich and excellent Canaan we are now come nigh unto The good Lord helpe us to put in well for it if it be his holy will and that before a storme arise and hide it from us or cause us to complaine or comply with a tack-about wherefore it will doe well and be good wisdome for the Churches whom it most concerns to cast in their Plummers and to fathom the waters which we are now in â—n And O blesse the Lord that we see Land and are so nigh iâ— else we might sit sorrow and suspire as all our Fathers did in the Prelates dayes when they were all in the deeps and in dangers and had not sight of the Land as we now see it but the Lord hath given us to see it and hath before-hand shewne us the Churches harbour which is to be in a rich and blessed soil and the Lord lets us know this to warm Saints and to warn sinners For as a very vile Jezabel could not bee content to intend evill to the Prophet Elijah but shee must before hand horribly thunder and threaten it out 1 King 19. much lesse will or can a very good God war before hee warne his enemies wherefore it is that he thunders it out and threatens Christs and his Churches unexorable enemies in these dayes with unavoidable destruction And above all to raise and refresh our spirits in spight of Sathan and his Surrogates he gives us first a sight of this sweet and goodly land which he hath provided for us in these latter dayes before he brings us into it to enjoy it he cannot be content to promise and purpose to do us good as Mr. Robinson sayes in 's Essayes p. 16. but he must make it known to 's servants before hand Thus the Lord hath shewn us our harbor in these dayes viz. in gathered Churches and hath given us to reckon not from what we have but from what we hope For as a man reckons his wealth not so much by his money in his house as by his money in his bils and bonds So doe we reckon in our Churches our priviledges riches happinesse not so much by what we now enjoy as Gathered Churches Members Orders Ordinances Gifts Graces Teachers Pastors Prophesies and fat things as by what we are to enjoy which we are sure off and have in Bils and bonds i. e. in Scriptures Prophesies and speciall Promises which are sealed to us and witnessed in us by his Spirit Eph. 4.30 Joh. 8.18 Joh. 3.32 1 Joh. 1.5 which are as good to us as ready money for the day of payment is now near us and no one of these shall faile Isa. 34.16 Heb. 10.23 for he is faithfull that hath promised Wherefore we are resolved to wait and we will not give over till the day and set time comes Ps. 119.49 50. But as the Souldier that held the ship by his teeth after his hands are cut off so will we the Promises till they be performed to us Gen. 15.14 Josh. 21.42 and therefore with confidence we wait Hab. 2.3 for they cannot sail us and we will be bold to say it that if we be deceived God hath deceived us but God cannot deceive us yet to deale ingenuously I deny not but the performance of these Promises may be but graduall as I declared before at first and to be clear I shall produce some of the flowering Promises which are about fulfilling in these blessed dayes which are even now in approach and under dispensation and dealing out to the Church that hath been so long and so lamentably in the Wildernesse and these we shall prove by parallel First from the VVildernesse And secondly from the Garden of the Lord. From the VVildernesse First it is an untilled place where wild nature is most seen most eminently and evidently if not wholly and indeed which Art and Industry hath not â—amed in Hebr. Midbar is as much as to say without order and in such a wildernesse was the Church for many years together wherein the supererogatory bowes and superfluous branches of that evill root of carnall concupiscence and corruption did spread and sprout out with lawlesse lusts her bottome of her then discipline was so abominably and abundantly overgrowne and growne over with thornes and thistles fit for accursed ground that a Saint could not walke with safety so long as they were neither stubbed out nor cut off For the brambles of ambition and traditions grew thicke and thronging out at both ends and abundance of briars and bushes at every step were ready to snatch at and ensnare a poore Pilgrim-Saint or Professour Oh the deplorable estate of the poor people of God then in a place Nation Church-state so filled over and over with humane traditions and naturall inventions with Will-worships Creature-institutions and ordinances of men with Monkery and Masse and with a masse of Monkery and with a world of trumpery and filthy trash not fit for any but the feet of disdaine and dogs to trample upon But the blessed dayes under promise and in approach are that God will husband his people himselfe and till them as Hos. 10 12. and break up the fallow ground and Judah shall plow and Jacob shall break his clods the brambles and bushes inventions and traditions shall be rent up by the roots and what runs up by nature shall no more be suffered to cumber the ground and the loose branches and unserviceable bowes shall be lopped off Idâ—ls shall be pulled downe superstition subverted Antichrist turned out of doors with his bag and baggage and then the Lord will raine righteousnesse upon his people So in Ezek. 36.34 35. The desolate land shall be tilled and shall become like the Garden of Eden fenced and inclosed and inhabited with holy flocks and they shall know the Lord and be as Paul saies the Lords husbandry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies whatsoever appertaines unto a Husbandman so they are and are to be viz. Gods arable Gods vineyard Gods Garden c. i. e. the Lord will be as watchfull laborious solicitous prudent and provident day and night of his peoples welfairs and for his peoples advantages as an Husbandman is of his arable vineyard or the like he will walke about them overlook them and keep them day by day from danger and spoyl and with his own hands he will dresse them and prune and provide and reap of what he sowes so that in this sense the Church shall no more be driven into such a Desart or Wildernesse againe But Secondly a Wildernesse is a withered dry empty and barren place which brings forth no fruits or but sowre at the best there be no crops of Corne nor grapes
Lions Beares Aspes Cockatrices c. though they be such they shall have no power to hurt us but shall be glad to lye as still as a stone as in Exod. 15.16 So that we shall be safe out of the Wildernesse upon the Mount Jer. 32.41.44 for the Lord will watch over us with his whole heart and soule and we may build houses and buy lands without danger the Lord will be to us a wall of fire round about us which the Wildernesse ones will be afraid to come nigh Zach. 2.5 â— There shall be no more a pricking brier to the house of Israel nor a grieving thorne of all them that have hated us Ezek. 28.24.26 with abundance of more proofes but Fifthly A Wildernesse is a place of greatest want even of necessaries there is no bread unlesse made of Stones nor Grapes unlesse growing on Thistles no Corne comes up among their bushes and brambles and Esa. 34.11 There be the stones of emptinesse a man may eate his fingers that is lost in a Wildernesse unlesse he hath bread about him there is much want and such a Wildernesse hath the Church been in also where she hath wanted even necessaries for Soules bread of life and food convenient for her for as in Amos 8.11 12. They did wander from Sea to Sea from North to East to and fro to seeke the Word of the Lord and yet went without it often finding at best but Cankers trash and trumpery which grow upon every wilde briar and bramble so that the very Virgins and young men have fainted for thirst but blessed be the Lord who hath laid it out otherwise in these dayes for his Saints For as the sharp winter makes the Springe sweet and the darke night the light lovely so the times past doe help to set forth our happinesse in these times present wherein we have plenty of Mannah falling downe from the windowes of heaven How sweet doth Honey relish after Aloes and Gall O how sweet is health after a sore sicknesse wealth after poverty pleasure after paine and bread enough after infinite want A great Courtier complaining to the Harbinger for that he was laid in so homely and filthy a roome was answered O Sir You will take delight in it when you are out of it and so may we say to thinke of the Dungeon and bondage full of darknesse and filthiness wherein we were barricadoed up in former yeares and as Darius said of Puddle-water when he was in great extreamity of thirst O sweet so now may we that have been in a Wilderness say of the worst preaching almost and Ordinance we meet with from the Gospel and the Spirit O sweet Ah how did Hagar cry when her bottle was dry that now she and her childe must dye in the Wildernesse she wayles wonderfully poore soule till she saw a fountaine neare enough and so did we till the fountaine which is now set open was found out of whose fulness flowes streams which make us glad Psal. 46.4 and as the glory of God appeared to Israel even when they wanted bread Exod. 16.7 So as Ainsworth sayes is God with us and hath appeared in the Assemblies of his Saints when they were in the greatest wildernesse of want wanting bread for their soules but since I say the Lord hath rained Mannah amongst us even Angels food and hath begun to feast us with fatnesse and fill us with gladnesse and in these last dayes he hath promised that the Saints shall be swallowed up over head and eares in the knowledge of God as deep as the bottome of the Sea under the waters yea with the knowledge of the glory of God Habac. 2.14 filled by knowing him in the Hebr. and then shall Corne make the young men cheerfull and new wine the maides Zach. 9.17 for he hath promised to call for the Corne which growes in no soyle but Heaven and to increase it Ezek. 36.29 and the fruits of every tree of righteousnesse shall be multiplied and we shall be no more a reproach for famine among the Heathen The Saints shall have bread enough and to spare and shall be fed with fatnesse and marrow abundantly yea whilst others are ready to starve they shall have enough and eate Isa. 65.13 14. yea whilst others have their tongues cloven to the roofe of their mouthes they shall drinke full draughts and rejoyce whilst others shall be ashamed Sixthly in a wildernesse a man must be a companion with wildernesse-Creatures and companies of Wolves Beares Foxes Serpents c. such a comfortlesse condition the Church was in even till now among the multitude of such as the Beasts of Ephesus wanting religion yea and reason Oh sad condition when as no difference was put between the cleane and uncleane but beleevers with unbeleevers light with darknesse men with beasts and brutish ones were unequally yoaked and are at this day in Parish-Congregations or Churches so called so that whereas formerly God might have said of the Churches that bore his Image behold they are as one of us now the Beasts may say of Parish-Churches and constitutions which belong to the Beast Behold they are as one of us For as the Arke at first was carried on mens shoulders but after that in the corruption of times it was carried on a Cart and by Beasts till they quite over-turned it even so the Church-Discipline that at first in Primitive times consisted of Saints and which was bore up by Christ and carried out by the Apostles was afterwards corrupted into a Discipline carried out by the power of the Beast and bore up by Antichrist consisting of Beasts as well as men I meane of visible brutish sinners making the Church a Wildernesse for Wildernesse-Creatures till they had quite overturned the true Church as to appearance and turned it into a stinking stall and stye But now let us blesse our God who hath brought us into the entrance of those blessed dayes promised in Isa. 35.8 9 10. An high way shall there be and a way called the way of holinesse the uncleane shall not passe over it no Lion shall be there nor ravenous beast shall goe up for it is high thereon but the redeemed shall walke there and the ransomed of the Lord c. And the vile and the precious shall be separate for God is gathering up his jewels Mal. 3.16 17 18. so that a difference shall be put between them that serve him and them that serve him not with many other Prophesies to this purpose which I passe by having produced sufficient I hope to satisfie either the rationally religious or the religiously rationall ones in this point and of the Churches Wildernesse-state and of her recovery which is comming apace upon us although this I know that there be more then many neither religious nor rationall that doe deplore the falling of Babylon and men
by them aâ— 1 Pet. 2.12 and 1 Pet. 3.1 Mat. 5.16 But for further proof that Saints are to bee such Separates see Rom. 1.6 7. 1 Cor. 1.2.9 where they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence ecclesia comes such are called out and separate from the world and false wayes So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are said to be called out into the fellowship of Christ so that first there is a calling out a comming out a separating from Besides you see positive â— precepts for it Psal. 45.10 11. Rev. 18.4 with many other places but to the third sort of proofes 3 By the practise of all the primitive Saints in Church-societies in Christ's and his Apostles dayes and many yeares after It appears the Saints were Separates such as I speake of wherefore wee know no cause either that we should complaine against it or question it Jeremy although a Prophet yet he separates from Jerusalem Jer. 37.12 Then Jeremy went forth out of Jerusalem to goe unto the land of Benjamin to separate himselfe from them in the middest of the people for they would not obey the word of the Lord and therefore the Lords wrath was now ready to be revealed against them and Jeremy would withdraw seeing them so refractory from them in their sight so saies he in Jer. 9.2 Oh! O that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men that I might leave my people and goe from them for they be all Adulterers an assembly of treacherous men But besides we know the Jewes that were the people of God in a peculiar manner were first called out of Egypt and so were separate from other Nations and so looked upon as a people by themselves in Exod. 19.5 Deut 7.6 So is it said Israel shall dwell alone in Deut. 33 28 29. and not be suffered to be mixed among them without as in Num. 33.52 to the end So Exod. 24.12.15 c. and it was a judgement that Jerusalem should be mixed Jer. 9.11 Now every Saint is a spiritual Jew as appeares in Zach. 8.23 Rom. 2.28 or one inwardly and Saints are his peculiar people and chosen ones 1 Pet. 2.9 the true children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 called out of Egypt the house of slavery into Zion as dwelling alone from them that are without Thus in Joh. 15.19 Yee are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you As soon as the people of Israel passed out of Egypt the Egyptians pursued them upon hot spur with Armies and hoasts of threatnings and injuries even so deals the world with the Saints called out and separate from them therefore no wonder wee must learne to take up the crosse and follow him before we can be Christs disciples for Christ called them first out of the world before he called them into the Church And in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 19.7 8 9. c. And in all the Epistles of the Apostles to the Churches the Saints are saluted as Separates or called out Now is there not a cause 1 For hath not the Lord laid it as a command upon Christians reason 1 so to doe how then dare we delight in a condition which he countermands besides Dear Sirs what comfort can you have in Babylons streets 2 If you are guilty of her sinnes yee are guilty of her sentence if that be true in Rev. 18.4 to partake of her courses is the way to partake of her curses So not to separate from any sinfull unwarranted wayes of worship or the like is but to run the hazâ—rd of her ruine and neither to seeke preservation from her wickednesse nor protection from her woes 3 Besides to have yet such fellowship with fools society or converse with unsavoury carnall or disorderly persons publishes a loud and lamentable spirit of disobedience and proclaimes exclaimingly a corrupt heart not halfe enough endeared to Jesus Christ for Christ is for his Ordinances in his owne order and doth delight in the purity of them who walks amongst the best mettals in the middest of the seven golden Candlesticks with the seven stars in his band Rev. 2.1 the Saints separated are the golden Candlesticks Christ walkes so sweetly among or in the midst of How far reaches this Separation which you speake of First Negative Not from our duties in our Callings which none what ever ought to be without or to neglect our worke 1 Thess. 4.11 2 Thess. 3.10 11. which some slothfull Ranters would have 2 Nor yet from the duties of our Relations whether as Husband or Wife Eph. 5.22.25 1 Cor. 7 13. Parents and Children Eph. 6 1.4 Col. 3.20 21. Masters and servants Eph. 6.5.6.9 Col. 3.22 Col. 4.1 or Rulers and Subjects Rom. 13.1 2 3. Tit. 2.9.3.1 But to owne them in their respective relations for the Lords sake 3 Nor yet so to separate from them without as not to have civill converse with them 1 Cor. 5.10 in buying and selling or such necessary trading much lesse so as not to love them and lay out to doe them good and to seek their soules welfare 1 Tim. 2.1 Gal. 6.10 to be at peace with them Rom. 12.18 Heb. 12.14 and pious before them 1 Pet. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.1 Now in none of these sences are the Saints called Separates although they without may be separates from the Saints thus separating in their affections But answer 2 Secondly Affirmatively 1 To separate from all sinfull wayes and worship c. so as not to walke in them or with them after the manner of them that are without Christsâ—Church Eph. 4.17 1 Thess. 1.9 Rom. 12.2 Hos. 14.8 Isa. 30.21 22. c. 2 Cor. 6.16 17. 2 Cor. 5.16 Gal. 2.14 Eph. 2.2 c. 2 It is not to bee too familiar pleasant and delightfull with any that are at enmity and variance with the truth A man may passe through Aethiopia unchanged but he cannot dwel there but be discoloured so there may be civil commerce as we said before with the wicked and yet Saints keep their integrity but this cannot be if we have too much familiarity with them saies Hal. Men are as the Astronomers say of the star Mercury good or malignant according to their conjunction with others wherefore as Moses separated Israel from Corah saying Num. 16.26 Depart from the tents of those wicked men and touch nothing of theirs so must we separate from them that doe oppose Christs way or upbraid the Saints and so as to discover themselves ill-affected to Christs Kingdome or jurisdiction and be so far from familiarizing with them that weâ— must bring them hither saies Luke 19.27 and abhorre them Psal. 26.5 Psal. 119.115 For this is the Lords Law to bee at a distance from evill doers so sayes David Psal. 139 21 22. so Eph. 5.3 4.13 1 Cor. 5.12 Matth. â—4 49.50
how can these rules requiring obedience bee practised but by such Saints as are embodied into a Church of Christ but this Mr. Bartlet I remember in his Model mentions a man I have made much use of and for whose sake I have sufficiently suffered from some in Dublin whom I feare fuller of heat then of Heaven having no more of his booke which the Lord will one day witnesse to their faces then I beare in my breast omnia mecum c. But to passe by such blowes and buffetings of Sathan I say the Saints so embodied are best provided for their duties one to another And as in a bundle of sticks one kindles another so doe they Comes facundus in via pro vehiculo est and as one helpe another so all together like Bees labour to bring in hony all into one hive So every one hath the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.6 to bring into the stocke or common banke or to profit withall O then how sweet are they to God and men who are as so many flowers bound together in one nose-gay But Fifthly The sweet soule-ravishing and enamouring reason 5 issues which are the infallible sequell of Saints so embodied O the excellent priviledges Cant. 2 3 4 5. Cant. 5.1 Cant. 6.2 3. Cant. 7.10 11 12. Psal. 92.12 13.14 their precious promises Hos. 14.6 Isa. 59.22 the singular delights which the Lord takes amongst Saints so embodied Rev. 2.1 Psal. 132.13 14. Psal. 26.8 2 Cor. 6.16.18 Cant. 8.13 above all others Ps. 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more then all the other dwellings of Jacob More then all Now such as are not in body together are deprived of the life and excellency of these as I shall shew hereafter I hope convinceingly if the Lord please but onely this I adde That the speciall benefits which beleevers so embodied doe enjoy are laid like Tiles one over another every day till the whole roofe be covered and the raine kept out Sixtly Which I would not omit though I might more reason 6 fitly have found it before is hereby the Saints are abundantly better fortified both to defend and occasionally to offend for to instance against Enemies they have an united force and they need not to feare an Adversary no not an Army if they be but in one for they are indeed terrible then as an Army with Banners displayed Drums beating Trumpets blowing Guns playing and discharging and all in good order keeping Ranke and File Why they need not to feare for their enemies then must fall before them in Joel 2.7.8.10 They shall run like mighty men they shall climbe the wall like men of warre and they shall march every one on his wayes and they shall not breake their rankes neither shall one thrust against another the earth shall quake before them the Heavens shall tremble the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the Starres shall with-draw their shining thus are the Saints in their united strength a terrour to the world Well might the Queene of Scots say Shee feared more the prayers of that one man John Knox then shee did an Army of thirty thousand men For when Gog and Magog doe gather together to battle in Revel 20.8 9. as the sand of the Sea they compasse the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City But what successe have they Why fire comes downe from God out of heaven and destroyes them or eates them up that is out of the Churches according to Rev. 11.5 If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and devoureth him If any man dare to wrong them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to deale injuriously or unjustly with them he must in this manner be killed Now all the Saints and so the Churches are such witnesses and out of their mouthes by their prayers and powerfull breathings which will admit of no deniall they can conquer and consume their greatest adversaries Besides the enemy hath not that like advantage against us when we are linked as when we are alone As it is said that Siculus being on his Death-bed bid his Sons bring a Quiver of Arrowes and being brought would have them breake them altogether in the Quiver but they could not conquer them though they all tried then he bids them breake them asunder one by one which was soone done So sayes he my Sons if yee 'le breake asunder yee 'le be broken easily and throwne aside but if yee unite none can conquer you as long as yee live together in one yee will be too hard for every one So also in a Faggot of Wood there is no breaking the whole together but to take out stick after stick that wil make it easie to get the mastery of the whole Thus the Saints united together into one will be too hard for all the world but otherwise the world will have the advantage and they may be easily broken and scattered about with stormes so when they carrie on Gods cause with one shoulder and by one consent according to Zeph. 3.9 it goes on in post and against all oppositions For as Mathematicians say the strait line is alwayes weakest but the circle is the strongest and holds so the Saints in Fellowship are strongest and hold best because one is injoynted into another and thus the Saints ought unanimously and joyntly to contest together for the truth Jude ver 3. and joyntly to labour together in and for the Gospel 2 Cor. 6.1 and joyntly to put forth together for the purity priviledges orders and ordinances of Jesus Christ Gal. 5.1 and joyntly to receive together reproaches and wrongs Heb. 10.33 Gal. 6.2 2 Cor. 12.26 2 Tim. 1.16 and joyntly to refuse subjection to any persons principles or practises contrary to the word of truth and thus by their joynt powers opposers will be repulsed to their shame and losse and by their joynt-prayers heaven is taken by violence and the Lord is overcome Acts 12.5 by their joynt-praises and shoutings of joy the Heavens and Earth filled with ravishing melody and Musick Rev 14.2 As the many beames of the Sunne contracted into a little Burning-glasse doe glow and burne with abundance more light life and strength so Saints united doe Yea moreover as one Member or the Arme can act not only by its owne but also by the strength of the whole body to which it is united according to the bodies ability even so a Saint embodied may wrastle with God and against a sinne c. by the strength of the whole besides his owne as hereafter will appeare But thus much for the reasons though I might have added more Vse By all that hath been penned upon this point it appeares plainly that Parish-Churches have not the forme nor the face of a true Church of Christ according to Gospel-order for they have none of this union
her my people Come out of her and vers 4. which is the last word I have to speak upon this part of the Forme to intreat you all for the Lords sake and for your soules sake to separate from as before all Parochiall and Popish worship and wayes of Babylon and come hither harke how Christ beckens thee poore soule into Zion to dwell with him there in his Discipline and Tabernacles Psal. 67.2 there is beauty Isa. 52.1 2. there is power Isa. 40.29 there is his presence Isa. 4.5 there is deliverance Isa. 54.17 there is pleasure and joy Psal. 46.3 4. there is plenty Isa. 25.6 and peace Isa. 48.18 and blessednesse Psal. 56.4 and salvation Isa. 46.13 What can yee aske for more How can yee then acquiesce in such a carnall corrupt Church-state mingled with more visibly ungodly then visibly godly If wee mingle bright and rusty mettal together the rusty will not become bright but the bright rusty and thus a rusty companion saith Seneca rubbeth some of his rust upon a man that is honest and faire-conditioned civill and well-given but the honest man cannot make the other any better or brighter As a weake eye is not strengthned by looking on a strong eye but on the contrary a strong may water by looking on a watry eye the sound man may lose his health by lying with the sicke So I say it is dangerous and doubtlesse a provocation to the Lord and a tempting him in the Wildernesse to continue yet in communion with such mixed multitudes in Parish Churches whereby wee grow worse and worse As a good horse put into the Teame among a company of Jades doth but learne to shuttle and become heady and untoward and so such as will have communion with the multitudes learne many ill-favoured tricks and are made the more obstinate and untoward but for shame let us haste in to the Lords Sanctuary and enter into the communion of Saints The least small coale raked up in ashes will live long and so will the least Saint and the least grace bee kept up and nourished in the true Churches of Christ which will bee it is likely extinguished whilst they are out of them and not wrapped up and kept warme in them Wherefore it will bee our continuall comfort to enter into such communion for I can name some that have been in abundance of doubts troubles suspense and uncertainty till they were well informed and fully satisfied of this way by the word and spirit and ever since their soules have been swallowed up in divine solace As Archimedes that matchlesse Mathematician after he had hammered his braines about a difficult conclusion leaped and danced and cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found it I have found it so as Mr. Hoskins hath it the Saints cry out We have found him We have found him Wee have found Christ in his Ordinances Christ in his Spirit Christ in his graces Christ in his Churches Christ in his Doctrine Christ in his Discipline Wee have found him Wee have found him but yet nothing to what is to come Thus far for the seventh Chapter CHAP. VIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cisse The third part of the second part of the Forme viz. Saints separate and gathered into one body as before are a true Church of Christ for matter and forme and every such particular Church hath as full compleat power as any without the least subordination power or authority of any Church whatsoever THrough the grace of Christ the Head and Husband of his Spouse his Church we have handled the Faire Forme of the true Church of Christ being very beautifull and faire having Doves eyes i. e. such as are the able discerning and directing members of the Church faire full clear as Num. 10.31 and chaste and ever as it were glazed with teares and having comely haire i. e. the ornament of her head who is Christ thus are all the Saints and sincere beleevers to their Lord Christ an ornament and a glory to him Isa 43.7 such as hang dependingly upon him their Head not else Col. 2.19 being nourished by him and growing from him and very smooth neat not rough rugged c. that appeare from Mount Gilead that is a pleasant and plenteous place Jer. 22.6 and signifies a witnesse or testimony and so I take it for then Saints appear loveliest liveliest longest smoothest and sweetest from Mount Gilead i. e. the Testimony of Christ the witnesse of the Spirit and the Word and Scriptures truth and Ordinances which do beare the Testimony of Christ when their soules are satisfied as in pleasant and plenteous places Gilead is mine Psal. 60.7 and Manasseh is mine c. Furthermore her Teeth are like a flocke of sheep that are even shorne which came up from the washing bearing Twins c. Cant. 4.2 Cant. 6.6 in the Chaldee it is thy Priests and Levites For Teeth are such as the Church eats with chews digests and divides by and receives for the use of the whole body and I beleeve her Ministers must be such who receive eat chew feed digest and divide the word of God and all that is hardest of digestion for the the rest of the people and Saints service to the capacities and for the concoction of all the body But they are even i. e. not one longer nor one shorter which would bee both uncomely and hurtfull but they must bee all even and equall and Brethren Matth. 20.25 26 27. not one higher nor one lower then another which would also be an hindrance to the bodies welfare for then they would be wanting or at least hindring in the use of feeding and chewing for the Church Away with Rabbies for yee are all brethren there is no superiority nor subordination to be suffered in Christs Church by way of Dominion which is the point I am now upon For they must bee all equall and even-shorne as come up from the washing that is white and lovely comely and cleane purged and purified and fairly washed never more need then now that the Sons of Levi be purged with Fullers Sope so that as some already have been rubbed hard over and over and are at last shorne and come up out of the washing bearing Twins being fruitfull and bringing forth as Ewes though with hazard and hardship and as Teeth even set in the gums doe give a good decorum and both rankes in each jaw full and faire are of excellent use and exceeding comely so ought they to bee in and to the Church of Christ that others beholding their good orders may rejoyce Col. 2.5 of all men also they must not bee harren but bearing-twins Besides her lips are like a thred of Scarlet Metonymically manifesting the excellency of the Doctrine of Christ which comes from her lips unto others Zeph. 3.9 which is described first from the matter most excellent first deeply dyed
of Religion though they be the fundamental as we say principles of our Christian faith O what an errour is this sayes John Husse to his Adversaries to deliver poore people up to secular powers to put to death c O cruell accursed invention Mr. Hooper also in a letter of his out of prison to a precious friend Anno one thousand five hundred fifty five tels him how thi◠tyranny extremity and force hath been the onely argument which sayes he you must grant to maintaine the Pope And what they cannot doe by the convincing word they will endeavour to doe by delivering us up to worldly compulsive powers to be tormented This was also good Bradfords sense as he sayes to the then Lord Chancellor I have been said he now a yeare and almost three quarters in a stinking prison and yet of all this time you never questioned me for my opinions before this time or for any thing else when I might have freely spoke my conscience without peril but now now that you have a Law to hang and put men to death if a man answer freely and not to your minds so now you come to ask me this question about Christ really present in the Sacrament Ah! my Lord my Lord Christ used not this way to bring men to the faith Bernardus writ to this purpose an Epistle to the Pope Eugenius who condemned many and delivered them up to secular Powers to be put to death sayes he Apostolos lego stetisse judicandos sedisse judicantes non lego hoc erit illud fuit I read that the Apostles stood to be judged but I never read that they sate as Judges to sentence any But this shall be for the Saints shall judge the world and judge their Judges that now deliver them up to bee murdered and massacred This wee shall finde long agone the Saints were well acquainted with A good woman Mistress Askew Martyr in King Henry the eighths dayes said to Wrisley the Lord Chancellor I have searched the Scriptures all over but I cannot finde that ever Christ or any of his Apostles put any to death though Hereticks or delivered them up to any others to put them to death Marlinus that eminent French-Bishop upon this very account withdrew communion from his fellow-brethren Bishops and would have nothing to doe with them because they consented and gave way to Maximus the Emperour to cut off by the sentence of death the Priscilianists as known Hereticks as ever lived yet said he wee have no power to put them to death nor to deliver them up to the Emperour Christ was put to death but put none to death though Hereticks neither hath hee given power to any to doe it but hath denyed it Luke 9.56 Nay I will fetch a Gray-Friar that was Philips Confessor Alphonaeus by name in his Sermon before Philip and Q. Mary February the tenth one thousand five hundred fifty and five hee bitterly cryes out of those bloody Bishops for burning men saying plainly That they learned it not in Scripture to burne any for his conscience but the contrary viz. that such a one should live and be converted and many things to the same purport And deare Lord shall we then be of a more rigid judgement against one another against tender consciences against erroneous persons then the Friar It is very remarkable how Edward the sixth declined this devillish doctrine Mr. Cranmer had never more to doe in all his life then to perswade and beg of him but his hand to be set to the Warrant for delivering up Joan Butcher to the Magistrates power to burne her All his great Councels with their Arguments could not prevaile with that Christian-hearted young King to set his hand to it sayes he what Will you have mee to send her soule quick to Hell you say her errour will damne her should I then be so cruel to send her presently to the devill in this errour O no! let her live to repent it may be to the saving of her soule to give her longer life and liberty to repent which the murthering of her will not doe I hold it more holy sayes he that she should live to be converted c. that this sweet bird chirps and this young man manifested his dislike of such secular powers and punishments for errors though grievous but O! how few such Saint-like Caesars are to be found now I might heap up many eminent testimonies yea I thinke fetched from all ages against this bloody tenet and opinion of giving up Hereticks or any other erroneous persons into the hands of Magistrates to punish them Many blessed Martyrs have breathed out flames against this Antichristian custom which have lent us light into it to this age I have read I do well remember when a flaming faggot was brought to Ridley his feet to set all the rest on fire Ha! sayes Mr. Latimer to his Brother Ridley Come be of good comfort Brother play the man We shall this day light such a candle in England as I trust shall never be put out I hope so too for sure I am by that light we may see that putting to death is none of Christs Ordinance and that fire and faggots are no good Reformers Were a man a Turk Saracen Jew Heretick or what you will whilst he lives quietly and peaceably in the State I know not who nor why he can be put to death besides he is verily perswaded he believes aright and enough much less can I see how a Church dare warrantably to deliver up any one to secular powers purposely to be punished by them This hath been Antichrists advantage to this day and the weapons of his warfare in all ages But blessed be God it is clear to thousands now as the Sun that shines that spiritual evils must have spiritual remedies answerable to the nature of these evils 2 Cor. 10.4 5. And that the cutting off of mens heads is no proper remedy of cutting off mens Errors but of cutting off men in their Errors Let all means spiritual be used for the recovery of such whose diseases are spiritual and mental 2 Tim. 2.25 For we must not sweep up Christs house with Antichrists broom nor fight with his hands Christs battles nor with his weapons our warfare Quaere What must Magistrates do then Answ. All they can to encourage and countenance the servants and service of Christ by giving them liberty though ever so few or contemptible declaring against all known and apparent gross Errors and Heresies so as that they do not allow of them or the like For what Bilson sayes serves us Commissio est à Christo permissio à Magistratu Christ commands and Caesar demands Christ gives the Law and Magistrates the Liberty But let not Magistrates take too much liberty as is said before Christ allows of and approves of Magistrates Government Magistrates must allow and
approve of Christs Christ hath commanded theirs and obedience to them they must command Christs and obedience to him And as the Saints for Gods sake Rom. 13.1 Gal. 4.14 are obedient to them for sancti non subjiciunt se homini propter hominem sed propter Deum so they for Gods sake are to be obedient to Christ and servants to his Church his Saints and people of God Let them make much of the Ministers of Christ neither to corrupt them with honoâ—s nor to honor them in their corruptions As Ministers cannot make Magistrates neither can Magistrates make Ministers and as Ministers of Christ cannot hinder Ministers of State or Magistrates in doing their offices for Bodies and in Civil affairs neither can Ministers of State hinder the Ministers of Christ in doing their offices for souls and in spiritual affairs Wherefore as I said before each must remember his place as Constantine could say Vos est is in Ecclesia sed ego extra Ecclesiam Episcopus to a Bishop or Minister in those days ye are Overseers and Officers in the Church within and I am an Overseer and Officer out of the Church without Constantine kept his course some time very well within his own jurisdiction without mingling or mangling Ecclesiastical affairs with Civil or Civil with Ecclesiastical so must every Magistrate be sure to do For it is Gods design to destroy those powers and policies that hinder Christs reign in his Zion and Church as the alone Head and Lord. Christs Kingdom of the Son and the Kingdom of glory the Fathers are both alike who rules in one rules in the otherâ— who are admitted into one are admitted into the other whom the one receives the other receives and none else But the Kingdom of the Father receives not Magistrates as Civil Magistrates to rule and govern or punish there i. e. In Heaven to come therefore not here in the Kingdom of the Son And he that dares usurpe this power of Christ the alone Head and Lord takes too much upon him and as Chrysostom sayes Non est tributum Caesaris sed servitium diaboli c. It is not his due but the devils work And it will cause his unevitable downfal and confusion as it did the Devils Trap observes there on Matth. 22.21 the Greek Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is doubled and repeated for this purpose That our double and special care must be to give God his due Rom. 13.7 Oh! O that we did give the Lord his due then should we not plead so for Caesars Chair in Christs Church that he should sit there with the heel of his cruelty to kick the Saints brains out and to crush them headlong that stoop not to his form In a word Christ sits not on Caesars throne neither shall he who hath too long sit upon Christs throne For though other Lords have had dominion over us and have usurped Headships which are Brass and Iron Jer. 6.28 yet the Lord will give gold for brass and silver for iron Isai. 60.17 This Head of Gold and his Gospel which is better then the silver seven times purified And if the very Philosophers Aristotle Plato and others vid. Cartwrights Ecclesiastical Discipline of the Authority of the Church if they could see and say that Estate is best and those Citizens happiest that had God to be their King and Monarch and his Laws and Decrees to submit unto Sure I am the Church is never so happy holy and heavenly as when Christ alone sits upon his throne in the midst of them and governs them by his Word and Spirit see Cap. 2. 9. of Lib. 2. And sure this is the great work that our God is bringing about who is coming to reign for ever and ever In the mean time let us own neither the Brazen nor the Iron Heads for our Head I mean neither Spiritual nor Temporal Ecclesiastical nor Civil powers so called O none but Christ the Head of Gold our Master Lord Head and Law-giver without any other Partner or Paramount whatsoever as hath been at large proved Wherefore to conclude All others are beheaded having lost their long usurped ruledom and jurisdiction And with John Hus We say Christus sine talibus capitibus monstrosis melius ecclesiam suam regulavit Act. 27. Object Christ alone is Head and governs his own Church influendo infundendo without such prodigious helps or monstrous heads as Antichrist would crowd in Thus said Gregory the first Lib 6. Epist. 24. in his Letter to John Patriarch of Constantinople Quid tu Christo universalis ecclesiae capiti c. What will you answer at the last day to Christ the sole Universal Head of his Church and people that thou darest to arrogate that title which is Antichristian for thee so to do Hold fast the head saith the Apostle Col. 2.19 from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Therefore be sure you hold your Head For first it supplieth the members with all necessaries Secondly It knits every member to its self and one to another and thirdly It increaseth every one with a spiritual increase Now Christ in his The anthropie is this Head which we must fetch our life sense and motion from by Nerves Veins and Arteries Christiani Christo capiti adhaerent ab eo percipiunt hauriunt vitam spiritualem c. No Member of his but hath much moisture nourishment and spiritual growth And every Member is moved with their Head unless some Palsie-Members so Palsie-Christians that move not as the Head Christ directs When Cyneas the Ambassador of Pyrrhus after his return from Rome was asked by his Master What he thought of the City and State answered O Sir It is Respublica Regum a Commonwealth of Kings and a State of Statesmen And so is the Church wherein Christ is King and Head O happiness of such a Church For if he be in us Head he is heart hand and all For quickning of us he is our Anima the life and soul of the Church and of every Member as he resolves us he is Voluntas as he maketh us think he is Animus as he gives us to know he is our Intellectus as he deliberates us he is Mens as he keeps our remembrance he is Memoria as he gives us to judge he is our Ratio as he moves our desires he is Affectus as he breaths us and inspires us he is our Spiritus and as he enables us to apprehend he is our Sensus So that Christ our Head is our Heart and all VVherefore let us hold him fast for our Head and heare of no other no Brazen-face no Iron-pate no O monstrum horrendum informe ingens cui lumen ademptum Christ willed when he saw Caesars stamp on the coyne to give Caesar his due so when wee see Christs stampe
which will as soon and in a trice bee pulled downe and laid in the dust but let us look for and verily expect with confidence as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there signifies a City i. e. a house a Church a new Jerusalem whose builder and maker is God which hath Christ for the foundation these Temples Tabernacles buildings will abide but no others for Prov. 10.25 they are on an everlasting foundation and cannot fall This is the thing wee must looke for and then build first make sure of a sound foundation therefore Isa. 44.28 say to Jerusalem thou shalt be built there is nothing mentioned yet of a foundation till the next words and say O Temple Thy foundation shall be laid or let it be laid before you begin to build the Temple of the Lord. The Temple was a type in the type the foundation was first to be laid the typified must answer the typifying herein as appeares in Zach. 4 9. Zerubbabels owne hands that have laid the foundation of this house shall finish it but first he layes the foundation of the house thus Hag. 2.18 Consider even from the day that the foundation is laid Consider it as if before that it were not worth considering as if without that little heed were to bee given to it for it could not stand unlesse upon that and after that the foundation is once laid and the principles setled then we must set forward and not before and build on with care and consideration heed and diligence And from that very day the Lord will blesse you vers 19. From thence you shall grow up into a high and holy building and go on considerately Quantum ad actum intellectus quantum ad veritatem intuentis both in your understandings and judgements which otherwise i. e. without a foundation first laid you cannot do but must deviate from those rules of reason and right judgement whereby you become considerate and your prudence is ordered and regulated even from that day the Foundation is laid Consider but vse 2 Use 2. Be sure that we have a good foundation for it is not enough to have a foundation which every man fancies to himself but that it be a sound and sure oâ—e and that which will hold One that builds upon a rotten reeling sandy and unfit foundation is found a fool and so Christ calls him Matth. 7.26 For he shall finde his fairest ground-work will deceive him his building soon will lie in the dust and not endure the trial but will down like a Spiders web All such fools or unwise builders fail in the main point in that necessary one thing and do but build upon the sand wherefore his building soon sinks shatters a pieces and tumbles down The wise mans and fools house differ in the subterstructure and superstructure both First In the foundation the wisemans lies deep little seen and he is sure it is sound as the heart of Oak and will never rot but the fools foundation is shallow lies open and is much seen and is soon removed and razed and it is so unsound that it sinks under the building and layes all in the dust Secondly In the building too they differ for the fools lies loosly and is not well fastned neither to the foundation nor one to another and may easily slip one from another and all fall beside to the ground which ground-work is but as a stake stuck in the ground and so may easily be pulled up and truly I say this for fear many Churches as they now are prove but such buildings because some so easily slip aside the foundation pretended which is a sad thing and they are too loose and not well united to one another nor fastned one in another but the Wise mans is as a City compacted knit fast to the foundation and pinned in as one with the Rock From whence they cannot be razed raised or removed and like an intire stone as is it said of Solomons Temple are the whole building one So much sweetness evenness and union is amongst them yea in the midst of shakings and oppositions That as none of the building can be separate from the Rock viz. The foundation wherein and whereon they are laid so not one by the violentest temptations that can befal them can be parted from another but all are one in Christ and one another For he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Now the very reason why many fair buildings so in appearance must be laid in the dust again is because they have been built upon false foundations of mens Creation as their Rules Canons Commandments of men Directories or outward forms of holiness and wisdom or some thing or other which is sandy and which will fail them and prove infirm and ruinous as Peter Martyr 1 Cor. 3.11 sayes and which will make their buildings to fall upon their Heads For every plant which my Father hath not planted shall be pulled up by the roots saith Christ i. e. Their foundation and all shall be discovered to be nought and so in Ezek 13.14 I will break down the wall the work that ye have daubed with untempered morter and will bring it down to the ground Why so Mark That the foundation thereof that rotten ruinous foundation may be discovered and it shall fall None shall be able to save it for the Lord will have the naughty deceitful foundations discovered and laid open to our children after us that they may not build upon such rotten stuff And therefore it is I say such buildings must fall that their foundations may be discovered It shall fall saith the Lord none shall be able to keep it up it shall fall and then others will beware upon what grounds and foundation they build upon hereafter False Prophets are builders too and will be as busie as may be but mark the metaphor It is with untempered morter which will tumble in the time of a storm it cannot stand but will fall on a sudden Then they that under such buildings are in danger for want of safety or shelter and are in as eminent imminent danger as the Twenty seven thousand of Benhadads men were in Aphek in 1 Kings 20.30 O! O then be sure of a sound foundation Such a one as will not sink rot fail fall and then it must be a Rock VVherefore beware of such buildings as are made up of mens sandy and untempered stuff for they will fall on your heads and do a deal of mischief But the Word and Spirit must have the working of this house upon Christ the foundation that is strong defenceable and sure of standing Therefore vse 3 Use 3. Be sure Christ be that Rock upon which you are founded Isai. 28.16 who is called the Stone of probation the stone of foundation 1. The foundation of Solomons Temple as I
I have desired to eat with you before I suffer as if he should say I have most strong affections hereto for thereby I shall be abundantly stengthned and refreshed as well as you c. O then how dare any that follow the Lambe delay entring into these wayes of holinesse and love did not Christ his Apostles and primitive Saints goe before us into this Church-fellowship and Gospel-order what hinders us nay what is the reason wee doe not run into them for what a world of proofs precepts promises practises reasons arguments motives and priviledges are there to provoke us were they but duely weighed who durst either deny or delay comming or joyning The Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved Act. 2.47 wherefore make this use put forward apace for the wayes of Sion with the will wherein you must have in your hearts inclinations resolutions for and choosings of these Tabernacles above all other wayes if once you get into these Gates of Sion you will quickly be in Sion But some may say Object But learned able schollars and godly judicious men doe both print and preach against this way the Answer is easie Answ. First In all ages both learned and godly have been answer 1 opposers of Christ and his Church so were the Scribes and Pharisees the most learned and in appearance the most godly of the age and so Act. 13.50 were those that raised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a running and a most rigid persecution-against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts but this should never the more hinder us Secondly Though they be learned and godly yet they bee but men therefore subject to mistakes for judicium fit secundum vim intellectualis luminis they preach and print but according to their apprehension But Thirdly All are not learned nor godly that the world judges to be so they have a form of godlinesse denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. and so they may have the letter of Learning but not the life of it whole Libraries in their heads but not a Catechisme nor Principle in their hearts Isa. 29.11 Isa. 50.4 I mean of the true Divinity which the Father learnes us Joh. 6.45 by his Spirit 1 Joh. 2.20.77 this none but the Redeemed have Rev. 14.3 and in this the Spirit is our Tutor and teaches us out of the Lambs booke Rev. 5.5 6. such have indeed the highest skill of Tongues and are most admirably conversant with the originall language of the Spirit here lyes the difference but for these their Learning comes from the heart Prov. 16.23 whilst the others comes but from the head But Fourthly They know but in part they will know more then now they doe Fifthly Doe not learned able and godly of all sorts print preach and pray this way of Christ by unanswerable arguments against all opposers whatsoever and answer the arguments and objections of the Adversaries Sixtly This opposition of theirs is necessary for the evincing of the truth and makes more for it then against it Act. 28.22 Act. 24.5.14 Object But when people enter into this way they run into errors presently answer 1 Answ. First Some it may bee that enter doe run into errour but this their uniting with the Saints in Gospel-order is not the cause of it nay Secondly There is no stricter enemy to error that can bee then this order of Christ which will not allow of the least appearance much lesse growth of error or sinne Rom. 16.17 18. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. 2 Tim. 2.16 17. Act. 20.29.31 Rev. 2.14.16 2 Jo◠10. though such as are conscientious have and are to have their liberty in things indifferent Rom. 14.1 2 5. Thirdly Nay to say the truth the neglect and omission of this duty to enter into fellowship according to Gospel-order makes so much disorder and so many runne into wayes of error as hath been hinted before in Chap. 7. but grant it to argue ex concessis then we say Fourthly Errors are usefull as well as truth and it is expedient they should be 1 Cor. 11.19 In Pope Clements the fifths time Frederick King of Sicily made this his master-objection against the Church viz. the errours and evill-orders which indeed he might well doe but he was answered and soon satisfied with this Scripture That offences must come and that there must be heresies amongst you that they which are approved may bee manifest by Arnoldus de nova villa This is much for the glory of truth too and therefore in Isa. 60.1 2. a glorious light and yet a grosse darknesse are both foretold for one time together should wee halfe so much prize the light and presse for it had we never a night nor darknesse but both together doth well and wisdome hath so ordained it I have heard of a Ruler who gave liberty to his subjects for certain dayes to do any manner of evill or mischiefe and they should not bee questioned for any wickednesse done in those dayes no though they murdered or did villany in the highest nature But this was in policy to indear government unto them and by giving his people a taste what it was to bee without it to make them the more prize it Obj. We are well enough as long as salvation may be had here in Parishes what need we enter into any other way Answ. 1. Yet ye are not well enough for ye live in disobedience answer 1 and in danger of Babylons plagues and in contempt of Christs commands which shall not go unpunished Heb. 10.20 And therefore if you love your own souls there is great need of getting into the gates of Sion 2. VVhat a carnal low degenerate base Spirit hast thou to be as well content with Egypt as with Canaan and with the Onions and Leeks as well as if ye had the Milk and Honey Thou doest fall foully short of the true Spirit of Christ in a Saint which is ever going forward and cannot be content with the husks no nor crums as long as there is bread enough in our Fathers house Besides how unkindly doest thou deal with Dear Christ who took care for thee and brought this way from Heaven out of his Fathers heart for thee and wilt thou now slight both him and it But 3. It is a question whether thy salvation may be had here in these Parochial ways and Discipline as long as thou art perswaded and convinced by Gods Word thou art in a false-way but how ever I tell thee from the Lord thou art an enemy to thy poor soul and as much as almost may be an hinderer of thy own salvation For thou dost rob thy soul of the rich benefit of being watched over admonished counselled comforted and maist lie in some sin which thou seest not and others might see which may be thy ruine thou
up my accounts Heb. 13.17 and say Lord I have preached prayed catechized expounded conferred for above this five years at Purleigh to such a people and they have not beleeved nor obeyed thy word but many of them are as ignorant arrogant bitter prophane still ungodly and opposers of Christ and his Gospel still as ever O sad what comfort can I have of this Is not the thriving of the flocke the glory of the Shepherd and their losse his griefe Blessed bee God whom I serve that some of you are my joy and my crowne which I shall wear with me to heaven Phil. 4.1 But yet the most of you with much griefe of heart I must say it have rejected the Gospel and the tenders of love and the warme bowels and â—eeking blood of Jesus Christ and oh heavy shal I say the Day of your salvation O deare souls precious hearts for whom I weep in secret what will yee doe in the day of the Lord where will you hide your selves from the wrath of the Lamb O O! how is it that you bring forth nothing but briars and thorns what are yee accursed ground Heb. 6.7 10.28 Hos. 6.5 Matth. 12.41 Ier. 11.6 Ezek. 34.13.33 c. Let me aske you Is it not lamentable to see a poor father wringing his hands and weeping over a stubborn childe wishing he had never been borne saying I have tryed him so many weeks and months and yeers and yet he is worse and worse would you not pity the poor man and say of this stubborne wretch Well you have a good father God will never blesse you you cannot thrive you will come to nothing Oh! so is it grievous to my heart as it was to Ieremiah and Elijah to complaine to God of the stubbornnesse of the people Ah! it is too notoriously knowne that I have taken much pains to little purpose amongst you And yet O! what plottings and conspiracies there were against me what lies and libels were invented what scandals raised what scoffes and scornes I continually met with what huge taxes and troubles you cast upon me what backbitings and railings every day what variety of designes were hatched in the midst of you to afflict me yea with plotted and premeditated malice menacings to undo me what work you made to render me contemptible to all the Country before Magistrates Ministers people all yea the children and servants set upon mee to abuse me yea to stone me yea to swear to take away my life from me all which forced me to bee much absent from you And oh friends do ye think God will not visit you for these things have yee not suffered your servants and children to laugh and sport in the publick places openly in the sight of all the people whilst the word hath been preaching and when I have mildly reproved them to make mowes and mocks at me in the open Church yea to lay dog-whips and what not on the Pulpit cushion when I was to preach What kinde of injury and abuses have you not returned to me for all my love and pains and care and continual prayers for you hath there one poor soule of us in Church-communion escap'd your malice and menacing and your diligence to raise ill-reports and to cause wrongs to befall them have yee not vowed not to leave us til you had rooted all of us from you and not left a Round-head or Independent to dwell nigh you have yee not consulted with all the Malignants about how to bring to passe these designs yet in the midst of all these troubles and every day new trials and wrongs from some or other of you yet the Lord will one day witnesse what a care I had of you when I could not be with you or durst not how I provided for you and how ye were the travel as well as the trouble of my soul. Yet when you had not worried mee away with all this how often did many of you designe to starve me from you And though like a Bird kept in a Cage without meat yet I must doe my duty and sing though the thorne were ever at my breast Still I followed you with love patience pity to your poor miserable soules O that yee knew it and with sweat and swinke praying preaching and expounding in season and out of season But as I have heard of the Seminary in Lancashire riding disguised that lost his glove one that found it rode gallopping after him to restore it but the Seminary fearing he was a Pursevant put spurs to horse and flew from him as fast as he could and for fear he should be overtaken hee makes his horse take a hedge and suddenly skipping over fell full into a desperate deep pit wherein he was drowned presently O! so Sirs the faster I have followed you to doe good to recover you to help to save you why alas the faster you fled away into sinne after sinne rejecting all offers and opportunities almost refusing to come to hear the word on the week-day and many of you not coming above once on the Lords-day Oh alas for the Lords sake hear make not such post-haste in sin to the ruine of your soule body and all but O remember the Pit is but on the other side yee may soon be in it but have a care lest you perish Have I not spent out my owne bowels and like a candle consumed my selfe even out to give you light have I thought my life too deare for your souls O no! but you would not regard it some pretended I was young to keep them off but alas this was but a colour did not young Solomon give good counsel young Daniel discerne much young Joseph fill the Granary with plenty and excell all the Grandees and Gravities in Pharoahs Court for wisdome and judgement Did not young Christ put the Doctors to silence and young Timothy preach the Gospel powerfully and profitably But indeed the maine offence you know was my zeal for God for silence is the basest tenure a Minister can hold his living by I could not be silent but tell Israel of his sins and Jacob of his transgressions Though many feed their Ministers as the Theef doth his Dog porrigit panem ut sileat he gives him bread to be quiet and not to bark lest he discover him but the truth is benevolence could not tongue-tye the truth and 't will bee sad for you to have a Minister who can suffer you and see you live in sinne and yet let you alone the City is in danger when the Alarm-bell is tyed up and so is the Parish I have read of a Law made in a certain Town that none should bring a Rumor of the enemies coming upon pain of death this was because they had before some false Alarms but alas at last the enemy came suddenly and destroyed them all so that it was a Proverb Here stands a Town destroyed by silence God grant it be not true of
perswasion nor yet have any dependance upon any others whosoever they bee for then the Lord will reject both you and your carnall confidences Jer. 2.37 Thirdly Be not byassed one way or other as by imaginations taken from your owne senses which are very shallow and unsound for by such spirits full of spight came Christs way to be evill spoken of in Act. 28.22 and so 2 Cor. 10.5 Sathan hath strong-holds in such mens hearts to keep out Christ and Gospel wherefore let your judgement master your affections lest false conclusions bee ushered in by carnall reason fancy and conceit For the wisdome which is from above is without partiality Jam. 3.17 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mis-judging i. e. either out of love to one way or out of prejudice being prepossessed with hard conceits and opinions of any other way We wrong a man much by prejudice when we take up prejudicate opinions of him without grounds so suffer our conceits of him to be envenomed against him by unjust suspicions whereby we deprive our selves of the good which we might have by him So the Pharisees were set against Christ and the Jewes against the Gospel yea this prejudice made Nathaniels question in Joh. 1.46 Canany good come out of Nazareth wherefore bee impartial without any conceit or deceit when thou searchest the Scriptures hearest the word enquirest out for the Truth O then then let the Lord cast the scales and this is the way to be sweetly satisfied in your own breasts and to have a heart full of perswasion according to the word of God When yee have attained to this sweet and swelling Plerophory yee may yea must move accordingly and that upon a certainty which certitude or assurance being the highest part of your perswasion that yee are in Christs way is to bee considered First Ex causa certitudinis from the verity of the word and certainty of the divine truths which do so perswade and assure you and thus yee conclude seeing the word of Christ is sure and true c. the perswasion which it begets must bee so too and sound And then Ex parte subjecti from your own capacities and qualifications according to your knowledge and judgements thâ—nce yee gather up this conclusion that yee are the persons called into this way of Christ by his Word and Spirit and that ye stand in great need of this way and that for divers reasons being fully perswaded of it that yee are appointed and prepared for it and it for you hence arises a full perswasion to enter into it and a clear satisfaction about it which is given by the Word and Spirit and which is so necessary for all that would enter into it and continue in it and have the comforts of it that they should not dare to venture or enter one foot without it For what is not of faith is sinne Now as it will doe well that every one of us bee fully perswaded that it is the very visible way of worship that Jesus Christ hath brought out of his Fathers bosome the Tabernacles that came downe from above and when he ascended on high Eph. 4.10 11 12. that he left behinde him for all beleevers to dwell and be perfected in so also will it be necessary for every one to bring his perswasion to the triall and touchstone that they may be sure else as Dike saith upon Faith you may be left in the lurch gulled and cheated in this point too for in 1 King 22.20 21 22. you read of a lying false spirit that perswades and prevails Now as Clement lib. 5. Recognitionum sayes What is more obnoxious and hurtfull to the Church of Christ then for a man who beleeves he knows what he knows not and sees what he sees not to maintaine that a thing is what it is not being but to him what he imagines tooth and nail he strikes at truth for falsehood and falsehood for truth Like a drunken fellow that thinks himselfe sober he doth all things goes all wayes like a Drunkard and yet is perswaded he doth and goes as well as any sober man whatsoever and would have all others to thinke so too and yet perhaps his giddy braines and fancies make him beleeve that it is others that stagger who goe stedfastly and that he goes steadily whilst he staggers such whimsical perswasions are of dangerous consequence It concerns us then to know whence our full perswasion arises and whither it reaches or what it brings forth But to the first First A true and full perswasion flows from the word of Christ without Thess. 2.13 as we have said before and the Spirit of Christ within us Joh. 16.8 Joh. 14.16 1 Job 2.20.27 1 Joh. 5.6 these have convinced our judgements inlightened our understandings conformed our wills and perswaded our hearts with undeniable arguments and proofs Secondly If it be true it waits upon the Lord with patience for his concurring Providences and for the accomplishing his promises as David did for his Kingdome Abraham for his Son Israel for Canaan runs not rashly without feare or wit as we use to say before God He that beleeves makes not haste Isa. 28. not too much haste or more haste then good speed but he waits to go along with God with his presence by his Providence as is said before into this way of Gospel-fellowship Thirdly It will meet with many trials and assaults but yet will get the better and abide firme So Act. 19.23 What a stir there was about the way of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra viam Domini or as some read it against the Gospel-way this way of the Lord which Paul preached at Ephesus and yet it gained the ground So 2 Cor. 7.5 they have no rest but threats and fears and troubles and oppositions yet this faith and full perswasion stayes the soul quiets and satisfies the spirits establishes the heart 2 Chron. 20.20 ie staies the inward man in much peace and assurance in the midst of multitudes of troubles and trials As the ship that lyes at anchor though something tossed with wind and weather and with the swelling threatning Surges of the Sea rising thick one on another and boysterous beating about the ship yet remains safe unmoved being firme and fastened and cannot bee carried away So art thou able to undergo all oppositions threats swelling surging waves or the like if thou rest resolved established and fully perswaded by the word of God so that stil thou wilt stand by faith and grow stronger and stronger as the house of David did 2 Sam. 3.1 in the midst of his dangerous conflicts and trucelesse troubles with the house of Saul and as Israel the more afflicted the more multiplied Exod. 1. for true faith will have the conquest and triumph at last 1 Joh. 5.4 1 Pet. 5.8 Heb. 11.33 34. Eph. 6.16
Fourthly A true and full perswasion in the way of Christ makes thee most ready to run into it but orderly and very obsequious Gal. 5.6 Heb. 11.8 Rom. 16.26 O then how readily desirous and thankfully observant art thou to do the will of God to please him in his way of worship and to be obedient to his command of coming out of Babel confusion into Zion Fifthly A true and full perswasion of the way of Christ makes thee see an emptinesse and a worthlesnesse in all other wayes and an excellency and usefulnâ—sse of this way which is Christs that all others fall short of Thus David seeing an amiablenesse in the Lords Tabernacles above all others had rather be there one day then a thousand in any other tents Psal. 84.1 2.10 and saith Psal. 86.8 There is none like thee No wayes like thy wayes c. Sixthly A true full perswasion makes thee exceedingly fond of and longing and labouring after these wayes of Sion O! how dost thou thirst to be in them Psal. 84 2. Psal 63.1.2 and enjoy the benefit of them Psal. 42.2 Cant. 8.1 Cant. 7.10 11. Rev. 22.20 and though he that beleeves makes not haste as before yet in this sense he hath fullest perswasions and most faith makes most haste of all and cannot but make haste but regularly Seventhly True and full perswasion makes thee very confident but with a holy confidence and bold but with an humble boldnesse having the testimony of a good conscience to bear thee out against all adversaries or oppositions whatsoever therefore in Heb. 10.22 Heb. 4.16 Eph. 3.12 It is not a sawcy impudent boldnesse which strangers that intrude may have and carry a boldnesse whilst their hearts tell them they goe beyond good manners but this is a sweet humble and friendly familiar boldnesse upon invitation and calls from Christ grounded upon Gods free love warranted by the word not swelling at all with selfe-confidence or conceit but alleadging meerly love and grace from above such a confidence in Christ makes them humbly bold and ready to approach his Court and Sanctuary audaces sunt promptiores Eighthly This full perswasion puts thee upon others to perswade them by the Word and Spirit that they may also participate with thee in this Church-way Cant. 6.1 Mal. 3.16 Eph. 4.29 Col. 4.5 6. Heb. 3.13 Thus Andrew called Peter in and Philip Nathaniel and Paul young Timothy and Titus and many others We cannot be idle to others then especially those whom we love those we would faine get in Prov. 11.30 By these few notes from the true rise and effects of the true and sound perswasion ye may examine before yee enter I have been the longer on this Point because many people run hudling on headlong in and they scarce know how nor care how so they get in but this may be had for a lamentation And poor souls what comfort can they finde in this way without faith who stagger through unbeleef and cannot tell being full of doubts whether they are right or no! alas for them the Ordinances are nothing to speak of sweet to them whilst they think to do this or to bee in this way which it may be they think pleases God and it may be it displeased him and this drives them often-times into despaire and alwayes into error This makes so many run into strange opinions and errors that run so rashly into this way of fellowship which is the Churches Threnodia and deep sorrow at this day O then that men would be more carefull for as the Sun saies Erasm. Roterod. in Simil. the more directly he bears upon us with his beams the lesse shadow he makes but the more obliquely the greater So a wise man that understands himselfe and is informed and fully perswaded by the divine light of the word the beams of Christ the Son of righteousnesse the more this Sonne hath shined upon him and he is satisfied with the truth the lesse fancy imagination or foolish opinions he hath and the lesse he runs into errours but the more obliquely he enters into the Lords way and the lesse he is by this divine light from above informed and fully perswaded the more he runs into errours and the longer shadows he makes But to conclude I beseech ye beware O beware how yee enter into this way of worship let serious and due consideration be had that yee come in due order otherwise yee will meet with a breach instead of a blessing 1 Chron. 15.23 and this Church-state instead of Peniel may be called Perez-uzza or Perez-nephesh i. e. the breach of thy soule so see Mat 22.12 13. what befel the friend that came in and not in a right order Besides the Lord doth not make them welcome Mal. 1.10 for they are a provocation to him in Numb 14.11 Psal. 78.21 22. and the Ordinances of Christ are not so effectual to them Heb. 4.12 13. this want of faith and full perswasion that they are in the Lords way in Christs Gospel Church-state doing the Lords will doth enervate enfeeble and deforce the efficacie and excellency vertue and operation and spirituall advantages which beleevers finde in it As thou hast believed so be it Matth. 8.13 and chap. 9.29 See Mark 6.5 6. one such a doubting member doth much mischiefe in a Church and is a great hindrance to it But dear friends if ye have faith and doubt not Mat. 21.21 and are but fully perswaded in your souls that this is the way of Christ you are entring into then welcome expect great blessings and mighty works and energy in the midst of you Eph. 1.19 CHAP. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nahar Sahhish Those that are thus satisfied and fully perswaded as before must by a voluntary consent unite and knit together in one body THis comes in order next of which in the former Booke Chap. 11. and 13. you may read at large but let this be brought into the ballance of the Sanctuary too and let every soule see to it how he enters into this way of Fellowship that it be by a voluntary and freeâ—motion without a coaction No earthly power can compell a man into this Church of Christ for the Father must draw him Joh. 6.44 that is with his spiritual armes the Word and the Spirit which are the Lords hands and his two armes reached out all the day long Rom. 10.21 None are to bee constrained into this communion unlesse it be by the Word and the Spirit thus the Lord is said to adde to the Church Act. 2.47 and by his power makes them a willing people Psal. 100.3 and so Cant. 6.12 when the will is set upon the Chariots or wheels a man must needs run Cant. 1.3 hence a man is often-times said to be according to his will a volunteer or not which is as the great Wheele that sets all others a going Now it should necessarily follow that such
hath been largely handled in the former leaves Chap. 11. and 13. which I shall adde now little to but this because as Luther sayes in the fore-cited Epistle Christians are all to be so spontaneously onely as they are perswaded by the Word of Christ convinced and lead by the Spirit of God Joh. 16.8 Rom. 8. So are they by the same means to bee brought in members of the Church of Christ Quae ergo insania est spontanee bonos urgere legibus malorum and yet there be some rough spirits abroad that spit nothing but fire and blood and speake of nothing but imprisonments and punishments for such as are not yet convinced inlightned or come up to their opinion Some imagine men must be brought in by the Magstrates sword and that the Gospel is to be promoted and propagated by weapons blows and cuffes It is true as Mr. Hooker in the third part of Church-discipline chap. 1. asserts That the Civil power may as a thing Civil require them to come under the tenders and call of Christ which is vox significativa but cannot compel their consciences and that Power is very uncivil that intermeddles with Church-matters but Magistrates must leave the Church to follow the rule of Christ in receiving such as have gladly received the Word and whom the Lord hath by his Word and Spirit perswaded and prevailed with and so whom the Lord addes unto the Church and not whom men Magistrates or any other by any indirect means soever shall adde It is known to many in Dublin that I durst not but bear testimony to this truth though to no little persecution of my self and others in name and persons as is well known to the Church-gathered with whom I walked for the time I was there who have also had their share of sufferings by some and also have added their testimony to mine I say although the reproof reached great persons that invited many in by indirect means more proper for Seducers then Saints whether by promising expressions of preferment or by commanding words to such as they had power over which were under their commands or by going to houses to make proselytes by their power or the like if their purposes might be good yet the effects were very bad I am sure for hereby many Hypocrites crept in amongst us being byassed with by-ends and who afterwards proved incendiaries and so disturbers of our peace they should have let the Lord alone to bring into his Church whom he pleased and the word alone to have perswaded them by the Spirit and not have sought the inlargement of the Church to get up to great numbers which men eye too much by any other means then the Word and Spirit When great men are Members of a Church that Church must have the greater care of receiving least any should enter or crowd in more out of love to or fear of those great ones or out of any ends of getting a benefit by having great men their Brethren or the like I say more then out of love to the Lords Courts and Assemblies as being inlightned by the Word and enlivened by the Spirit and fully perswaded in their own hearts that they must enter into these ways as the ways of holiness which the Lord hath left here for believers to walk in together wherefore our experiences produce this Caution to others for want of which we have sufficiently suffered to give others warning It was Boniface the third that I first read of that used his Volumus Mandamus Statuimus c. as the means of bringing in Members and ever since hath the Church wanted peace and been persecuted by such commanding powers for till Antichrists time we finde none Members of Christs Church but such as were made willing by the word and power of Christ. Christs words are works when his Word and Spirit go together Psal. 33.9 He spake and it was done In verbo Christi factiva est ratio He said Let there be light and it was light he said to the Damsel Tabitha cumi and she arose he bid Lazarus come forth and he did so John 11. there is so much vertue in his voice verbum Christi est expressivum operativum that it is called the power of God Rom. 1.10 And the arm of the Lord Isa. 53.1 To save assist deliver draw out and to gather into his fold This arm does all this and is the only outward instrument whereby Christ does draw them in and then they run after him Cant. 1.3 and leave Father Friends and all to follow him and his commands or call they stand not disputing it but immediately obey his call Matth 4.20 22. and come away Secondly The inward working Instrument is the Spirit of Christ whose work is to convince us of the truth John 16.8 and to lead us into the truth Joh. 16.13 14.17 26. or guide us that is not to drag us whether we will or no But it implies a willingness in us being informed by the Word that this is the way and that we must walk in it that we must follow the Spirit as a guide a skilful guide a counselling guide a comforting guide that will go before us and make way for us And if we be in suspence and hang off why then it is his work to convince us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were by undeniable Arguments and Reasons and so as that we shall not have a word to say but that we shall heartily and willingly yeeld to his motions and perswasions and finde him both a protection and direction Quest. How shall I know I have Christs Spirit Answ. By his efficacy and power in doing his office A painted fire will not warm nor a painted Sun give light now by their effectual operations you know which is the true fire and the true Sun Besides the true Sun will discover false painted suns and the true fire will burn up the false so will the true Spirit of Christ discover judge and condemn all other false spirits But Quest. How doth this Spirit of Christ convince and bring in and then keep in the way Answ. 1. Mouendo by inlightning our intellect informing our mindes with his counsel and admonitions he leads us with open eyes Psal. 32.8 And the wisemans eyes are in his head Christ This is the first work of the Spirits illumination Eph. 1.18 He makes us to see an amiableness in the Lords Tabernacles above all other tents Thus our understanding is filled with light Col. 1.9 So as that we see the object which moves the will and affections that we spake before of to be the attractivum bonum the best good and then 2. Movendo the Spirit inclines our hearts moves our wills and makes us resolved in this way of Christ before the Spirit took us up as upon Mount Pisgah that is by divine contemplation to
Eph. 4.4 We are one Body and have one Spirit that is As one Soul in the Body quickens moves governs comprehends all and every Member so doth one Spirit in the Church every Member Eye Ear Hand Head Foot c. It is one and the same Soul that acts in every one and all the Members though in a different way as the Eye to see with Ear to hear with Hand to work with Foot to walk with tongue to speak with Head to plot with c. And so many several ways the Soul works and yet is but one and the same so the Spirit works in divers ways and sundry manners 1 Cor. 12.4 in several Members some to prophecy some to teach some to exhort some to oversee some to direct and rule some to distribute c. Rom. 12.4 6 7 8. some to one thing some to another and yet it is but one and the same Spirit This one and the same Spirit rests upon every Member and we must by this one Spirit be brought into this Body of Christ which is his Church Thus I have done with the inward instrument of working in us and winning upon us to enter into Church-fellowship Now in this there is an apparent difference between Hypocrites and true Saints entring into this way A true Saint is made willing and spontaneous by a principle within but a Hypocrite or any other man is moved as the Automata are moved or things of artificial motion as Clocks Jacks or the like engines of ingenuity It is some weight without that poyseth them and puts them upon motion so something or other that is without swayeth and worketh and weigheth upon the hearts of Hypocrites to make them willing as we said before concerning Dublin and not an inward principle But thus we have done with the instrumental or organical reason 6 causes of carrying the will on in the way of Christ which is matter for a Reason of the necessity of a voluntary cause that is because the Word and Spirit are the two arms which the Lord hath appointed to pull them out of Babylon with and into Sion and no other instruments or means must do it until these hands of Jesus Christ do lead them out of their carnal corrupt or Antichristian condition they have no call to come and when they are thus called and convinced as before they come running by a voluntary instinct and consent flowing up more fluminis as the tide by a natural instinct and not by compulsion into the mountain where the Lords house is on the top of all mountains Isai. 2. But consider 7. Lastly That because the will of man is inclined and reason 7 carried on into the way of Christ as we said before ab interiori principio by an inward instinct and principle and all kinde of coaction or violent compulsion comes from without ab exteriori principio therefore it is a high absurdity a groundless and irregular opinion and positively repugnant even to the principles of one spiritualized and made willing by the power of Christ to call for compulsive powers to promote the ways of Christ or to bring in any man that way seeing violentia directe opponitur voluntario violentia causat involuntarium he must be a voluntier And this will serve as the seventh Reason to ratifie this truth That men must not be compelled but come in voluntarily for violence is inconsistent with the will Thus under several considerations hath this point been offered for a voluntariness to be wrought in us by the power of Christ before we venture or enter into his Church-way Now a man may be said to be voluntary two ways directly or indirectly 1. Directly Then the will is the agent of his willingliness having an inward principle even as the fire having the principle of heat is the agent of heat in the water But such a one as is 2. Indirectly voluntary is made so by some outward means promises or threatnings hopes or fears or the like and such a one will be a dangerous doubting and disturbing Member But such men and women as are directly voluntary by the means I have mentioned in this Chapter may come with welcome For they are called and invited and if there be first a willing minde saith the Apostle you are accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 For Christ will enjoy sayes one his Spouses love and person by a willing contract and not by a ravishment He is none of them he will have the heart to consent with all the heart O then let us say with the Apostle The love of Christ constraineth us and with Job 32.18 The Spirit constraineth us These are the best and sweetest compulsive powers But thus for this Chapter CHAP. III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sagad Dur. or Pagad Dur. After this full perswasion and voluntary motion and concurrence comes in the communion of Saints by an orderly uniting and embodying together in a solemne order suitable to the solemnity of the Ordinance and that in some publike place MAny there be that in the time of the Churches tranquillity will intrude and pretend willingnesse with the Lords people to goe about the Lords work and build especially when earthly powers and Rulers look kindly upon us and allow us our liberty to go and build and when they as Patrons and protecting Fathers prove favourers and abetters of what we are about But let us have a care and say with Zerubbabel and the rest of the Fathers of Israel Ezra 4.2 3. It is not for you and us joyntly to build an house unto our God you have nothing to doe with us but we our selves together will build it unto the Lord God of Israel Remember that wee are a people that must be separate the cleane from the uncleane the holy from the prophane and by one free consent being fully convinced concurre together in this worke of the Lord without the unclean hands or helpâ— of them without who are adversaries to Sion Now because our Ruler is the God of order and not of confusion he would have all things done in decency and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is compositis moribus fitly for use and ornament to the Church which is a rule saies one of great request and inquest both for real and ritual decency which is to be observed and is of much concernment And for this Colosse was so largely commended Col. 2.5 and Christ himselfe our sweet Master intimates so much in setting downe the people on the grasse Matth. 14.18 and 15. and feeding them ranke by ranke as it were as they sat So his Churches are called beds of spices Cant. 6.2 that is as beds and borders orderly set out to sâ—ew us what delight he hath to live in an orderly and well set out society Order is Gods Ordinance Now to make up this order some things are
thy despised people have found grace in thy sight is it not in that thou art with us and goest with us and guidest us By this shall we Lord and thy people be separated and knowe from all the other people without that are round about us Therefore say they For Zions sake we will not hold our peace nor give thee rest till thy righteousnesse goe before us as brightnesse and salvation be in the midst of us as a lamp that burneth Isa. 62.1.7 and till thou hast made us a praise in the earth and we be called the holy people the redeemed of the Lord Hephzibah and Beulah Verse 4. and 12. We will not goe up say they to the Lord without thy presence with us if thy presence go not with us carry us not up hence c. This or these dayes thus holily solemnly and spiritually spent the people look like the new mown grasse or tender springs that hath the Sun shining upon it after a showre O then what a humble holy frâ—me of spirit may wee finde amongst them what Angel-like looks sweet words Christian carriages are there then O how they blesse the Lord with much alacrity and life for the returns made upon their spirits that the Lord is with them and will guide them by his owne presence and they give in an account to one another before they part of their confidence and comforts which they finde within being fully perswaded the Lord will be with them and calling for the time to be appointed when they shall make a Church-body and unite having nothing to obstruct but the worke of the Lord lying plaine before them they set apart the day for that duty and if any be nigh they send and seek out for the assistance of some other Church as it were to joyne with them and bear testimony to them upon that day and at the parting at the end of the day and duty will give to them the right hand of fellowship as a Symbole of love and of approbation as Pareus hath it in the Margin lib. 2. p. 161. Intimae conjunctionis symbolum non authoritatis of friendship and familiarity not of Lordship and authority But as Beza sayes Porrexerunt manum quod symbolum esset nostrae in Evangelii doctrinâ summae consensionis So sayes Paul Gal. 2. when James and Cephas and John perceived the grace that was given me they gave unto mee and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship vide Expositors and Septuagint in Gal. 2. so that it will bee very comely and an argument of their love and good-liking but it is not necessary wherefore to proceed The day appointed being brought in now as upon the shoulders of the Saints to be united together I meane by the daily prayers and preparations for this great and weighty worke they judge it for the reasons which follow to bee most expedient and more to the honour of Jesus Christ and more to the convincing of them without on this day however to appear in publike unlesse there be persecution I meane in such a place where any that will may come to hear and carry away what they can This day is begun and kept on for some houres with the prayers of the faithful as Act. 8.15 as John and Peter began it in Samaria and for the same effect viz. that the Holy Ghost might fall upon them this day and rest on them They pray not in a sleight overly formal way but with an holy violence to beset and to take heaven by force and bounce hard with the greatest might for the greatest mercy and with an united lively power for the large pourings out of the unction from on high upon them Act. 1.14 even untill the room or house is ready to shake again But after this there is some preparatory Sermon or speech made by one that is able and appointed thereto full of exhortation as Act. 11.23 Barnabas bid them with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord and as in Nehem. 8 1. c. the book of the Law was brought out and read in a most religious manner to all that could hear both men and women and all the peoples ears were attentive V. 2 3. which Ezra opened in a Pulpit of wood where he stood for that purpose v. 4.5 And then blessed the Lord and all the people said Amen Amen lifting up their hands Verse 6. and besides Ezra Joshua also and Bani and Sherebiah Jamin and others c. Vers. 7.8 read in the book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused the people to understand So I say it is fit that the book of Christs Law be at that time read openly unto which he who preaches and exhorts is principally appointed in a Pulpit of wood in the publike place or elsewhere which is as convenient for all peoples men and women that will come of all sorts to hear For then the rules that the Church is gathered by the grounds upon which they embody together and the Gospel-order and fellowship of Saints according to Christs Law are all laid open proved and pressed that it may appeare to all that heare and understand that they doe nothing without the Law of Christ to which the peoples ears will be very attentive as we have experienced in some places already and such as have before through ignorance of this Gospel-order been enemies to it and inveighed against it and now came but to laugh at it and to carry tales and make scoffes were upon such a day convinced by it and inclined to it enquired after it being as it were dazled and amazed at the beauty of it when it came to bee opened out of the Word and to appear armed with argument of proof out of the Lawes of Jesus Christ and then they cryed Amen Amen unto it probatum est But now after this is declared to all what they doe and why they do this which they are about to doe their Rules Reasons Grounds Scriptâ—res and Proofs being produced and drawn up as it were into a compendium but so as that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe lye obvious and as much as may be beyond objection Then the next thing that followes is the Confession of Faith begun by him who is appointed thereunto as the ablest to lead the way hitherto this brother besides gives an account of the worke of grace upon his heart holding out at least some of his Experiences and such as are most usefull for such an Auditory 1 Pet. 3.15 with sweetnesse and humility of spirit so as thereby others may judge him laid upon the Foundation and be in a regenerate state and changed from darknesse into light from death to life from a state of nature into a state of grace and to have indeed fellowship with the Father and the Sonne 1 Joh. 1.7 But I purpose to insist upon these particulars more at large in the Chapters that follow
many nice indirect and unprofitable questions or the like Now for orders sake and the peace of the Church when they have appointed whom to speak for the Church the person formerly propounded enquired of and now to be admitted is called in His name is called and prayer made for direction from above that they might have a discerning spirit in this great work to put the Lords difference between holy and unholy sheep and goats and remembring promises made as in such cases This done the person to be admitted doth express his earnest desire of entring and so is to be received upon a threefold Testimony Negative and Affirmative The first is When he is propounded and no body can object against the person propounded which is desired of any that can and upon what grounds For Acts 9.26 though Paul assayed to joyn himself to the Church yet so long as the Disciples were afraid of him and did question him and were in doubt of him he was not received Wherefore he is propounded to them all to know who can object any thing as Mr. Dudley Fenner said before But further 2. Another testimony of him is from others who can give him a testimony upon their own knowledge and for how long if there be any Church-member whose testimony is most valid can so do it will do well as Rom. 16.1 Col. 4.12 13. whose testimonies are many times writ down and upon record for future use if need be Or else such as testifie from the mouths of others as those that the Church sent out to enquire of him giving in their best information and experience of the person and this faithfully and especially touching his unblameableness in conversation as much as may be But 3. For a further and fuller and most satisfactory testimony that comes from within the person to be admitted being desired for the Churches satisfaction to make an account of his faith and of the work of grace upon his heart he does so as we have said before and shall show in the next Chapters what manner of confessions are made or experiences produced But now if enough be not spoken to the satisfaction of all he that hath any doubts doth ask some question for his satisfaction and none can deny that liberty Now this testimony is for the most part most sweet and useful indeed and deserves to be registred Some of the most special that I have met with and written down I shall instance in in the Chapters following and often times from a gracious heart they come undeniably before they have done Although we grant that some are very imperfect in utterance and cannot express themselves so well as others that it may be are most gracious precious Christians Then one of these ways we take either to get what we can from them by asking them some easie questions and that discreetly too and yet such as are useful for that season and so receiving such broken and imperfect answers as they give though they be but words dropping sweetness and savoring of grace yet put together may make weight and will signifie something well-spelled I remember once in Dublin a sister propounded to be admitted as before was thus quaeried with by the Churches appointment and answering at first very fearfully and uncertainly so that some were unsatisfied and desired that she might be past by for this present till the next meeting not daring to put her by because she was an approved godly Christian in life But when she heard this she burst out into tears bitterly before the Church and amongst many other words which argued a broken heart Sir saith she to me then present it was but the last Lords day saith she you preaching over the water said Christ called us freely without any such qualifications first and that he said Joh. 6. that those that come to him he would in no wise put by and upon these promises I am come the Word hath called me and Christ hath called me and bid me come and I must come without any worthiness in my self and shall I now be put by With that poor heart her passage was stopt with tears for a while which drew tears from the tender hearts of divers in the Church who observed a great deal of grace thorough these weeping words and yet her bold challenge of the promise and of an interest in the Church Christs Body upon as free account without any formal qualifications as she had an interest in Christ the Head having the like call c. though there might be a mistake in such an apprehension for qualifications are requisite in this external union that are not in the internal we must take Christ on his terms and the Church on hers yet I say as when the Sun shines through a watry cloud so she appeared gracious and amiable in the eye of the Church and upon debate her love faith zeal obedience and grace appearing to the satisfaction of all this tender soul was received I remember Master Fenner in his Sermon called Christs Alarum to sinners mentions a story of Demosthenes That when a man came and told him how a Neighbor had abused him and beaten him uttering it coldly and carelesly and spoke it as if he dreamed Demosthenes answered the man That he could not believe it No! saith the man in a passion do you not why he took me thus and held me here and struck me thus and thus the man acting it now zealously c. And do ye not saith he call this beating will you not believe it yes saith Demosthenes now I believe thee for now thou speakest as if it were so indeed So many will hardly believe any to be a Christian but such as can word it well and speak and act zealously but let them take heed of grieving tender hearts in expecting too much from them after the formal way of speaking least they should send any away that keep not touch to their fancy and form For as Dell saith and it is true It is a most pestilent doctrine to make things necessary that are not so for God regards not the form time or circumstances of such things as to him but they are left to us to be used according to the wisdom and discretion of the Church without tyes upon the spirits of any It is not the form but the faith nor the appearance but the power of godliness which we are to eye and own and which God does eye and own In the mean time seeing the Church whilst she is with men and dwells with flesh and blood must use some external rites which are not absolutely necessary by which the Church is nothing sanctified nor satisfied and things meerly of outward order and decency Yet let her be sure to observe these rules 1. To order none of them as of necessity or as if they were enough to take in
if that should bee received before that fundamental Ordinance by which we put on Christ and are ingrafted into Christ and planted into his death Now we say this is a prophanation of Gods Ordinances the Jewes might as well hâ—ve admitted such uncircumcised persons to eat of the Passeover but the very end of Church-fellowship is the observation of all Christs commands as the Commission holds forth but this your practise crosseth in that you agree to walk with such as have not nor practise the Ordinance of dipping Beleevers and by your communion with them in Church-administrations you are made guilty of their sin of disobedience you willingly having communion with them in Church-admininistrations for Beloved you may upon the same principal admit into fellowship one that will not receive the Lords Supper but pleads want of satisfaction of that to be his duty another that will not owne the Ordinance of preaching but conferre onely as some such we know and others that will not give almes or contribute to the necessity of the Saints and thus in a word upon the same ground that you admit one that walks in disobedience to the Ordinance of baptisme whether through ignorance or error you may admit all manner of disobedience into your Society upon the same ground which is a total destroying the end of Church-fellowship which is to bring up every member to a visible subjection to all the Lawes of Christ their King or else cast them out of that Society as old leaven Besides as we must not allow in our selves any known sinne unrepented of so must wee not allow it in any in the fellowship but when wee shall begin and constitute a Church-fellowship to walke in sin and disobedience this is a horrible impiety Besides in the fifth place there cannot be a true visible Church union without baptisme as appears Eph. 4. * and beginning where the Apostle pressing union brings all these things essentials that must be agreed in to make a people one and that he takes for granted the Ephesians did agree in the same which as he saith There is one hope one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Now observe a true Church must of necessity agree in owning one and the same Lord secondly one and the same Spirit one and the same Baptisme one and the same Faith without which they cannot walk together in the Lord. Againe many of these unbaptised persons doe justifie that Idol of childrens baptisme and consequently the Church and Ministery from whence they had it And you having communion with them judge what you do bring your selves into communion with by entertaining persons into communion with you that are unbaptised Thus beseeching you to beware of by-pathes that our Lord and his Ministers have left no footsteps for but rather beloved meet together and lead one example of sweet communion distinct using all means to convent such as have any fear of God that they may come into you through the door and not at the window as Christ saith in another case And thus leaving you to God and the word of his grace that is able to build you up we remain in the name and in the behalfe of the Church Yours in the Lord Tho. Patient Wil. Burgis Ed. Hutchinson Ed. Marshal Rich. Sutton James Standish Swads Tho. Brenton Peter Row Wil. Leigh Geo. Cawdron Rich. Ladbrooke Edw. Roberts Dated at Waterford Janu. 14. 1651. This Letter was brought by Capt. Vernon and A.G.A. to some seven or eight of their judgement whom they withdrew from the Church into private meetings on the Lords dayes especially where they with them that were sent from Mr. Patience clandestinely consulted how to carry on their designe against us These and none else are their Saints BEleevers * and such baptised ones i. e. Anabaptists they put together as if none were beleevers but Anabaptists Some of that judgement that were in fellowship with us they write unto as to Beleevers and exclude others that differed from them in that point of Rebaptisme Besides they account them disorderly walkers that have so much as Christian communion with us unlesse we would be dipped They say without this wee fundamentally differ from the true state of a visible Church Let discerning men judge then the foundation and dangerous scituation of such Formalists Fellowships I who by their owne confession have laid their foundation in the Water and on the Sand not on Christ the Rocke of ages that is Christ himselfe laid in the Spirit c. Vide cap. 14. lib. 1. In this sense they ought to read that Scripture which they mention with too much wrong to it as they use to doe qui Scripturis auferunt non afferunt it is Amos 3.3 Can two walke together unlesse they be agreed The Prophet means not Can two walke together unlesse washed together or unlesse in one Forme judgement opinion or practise for as Arias Montanus observes this was their sin for which he threatens them in v. 2 4 5. viz. for their great agreement in false Formes to adore Images and make them Idols herein they were very harmonious and unanimous to their cost and calamity sayes Theodoret. But the Prophet means they must be one in the Spirit Eph. 4 3 4. Even as Two Travellors who have one and the same end of their journey vid. Diodate minde one and the same home heaven happinesse therefore the word is pariter Can they walke alike without they be of one spirit thus sayes honest Calvin too Est igitur arcana ita consensio Spiritus sancti and to apply this to the forme or judgement as that there must be an agreement in dipping else none in beleeving or that there must be agreement in the outward else none in the inward is to make Faith a forme Religion a fancy to take a meer outside appearance and opinion for the inward power and life of godlinesse which is an agreement in Idolatry but not in the true worship of God Spirit and Truth so that these Gentlemen mistake the Prophet and compel a construction as it is coyned in their own brains * The Commission is next let us see what they would force from those words in Matth. 28.19 20. All power is given me c. Goe therefore teach all Nations and baptise them c. This hath been their hold for many yeers out of which they have been hunted by hundreds of orthodox able Writers which save me a labour but onely this I say 1 The Praeface viz. v. 18. All power is given me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is jus agendâ— tells us that this Commission is to bee executed by Christs power i. e. by the Spirit vide Pareus in loc so that some affirm this was the baptisme of the Spirit which Christ speaks of her 1 Cor. 12.13 which the Aâ—ostles as Apostles had commission in to baptise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. into the name of the Father Son and Holy
indifferent Quia Christi adventu lex ceremonialis obligare desiit Now such Ceremonies remained amongst the Jews as yet saith Paraeus upon the place in use because Christian liberty was not openly up and risen in their room Now with Christs death and resurrection they lost their life and gave up the ghost Col. 2.14 15. Quasi animam exhalarunt and breathed out their last but as yet they lay a while unburied and above ground which ought to have a religious and solemn sepulchre and which they had soon after in that solemn Church Assembly Acts 15. Where all such legal ritual observations were seriously and solemnly laid in their grave as being now but dead Corps and ready to stink and corrupt and too heavy to be longer borne above ground but before this their burial they were used as indifferent This Augustine declares in his 19. Ep. ad Hieron as Paraeus observes by an elegant similitude A mans friend dies he doth not so soon as breath is out of his body whilest his body is yet warm take him by the heels and drag him to the grave but he keeps him a while whilest he is yet sweet and wraps him up with fair cloaths and so with honor in due time accompanies him to his grave and thereby he avoides scandal suspition and contention which else might arise by giving sufficient content to all even to his best friends and mourners for him So it is here these Ceremonies were alive till Christ they died with Christ Now the Apostles did not presently drag them to the dunghil and cast them out ut faetida cadavera whilest they were yet warm no! but to avoid all scandal and doubt of their death they shew in the Acts that they were dead and to be buried which was done in a decent honorable maner as Acts 15.10 24. whilst they themselves accompanied them to the very grave Now that is the reason that Paul in this Chapter for so long a time did allow liberty to them as things indifferent but after they were buried their indifferency ceased and now they were absolutely forbidden Before their burial saith one they were mortuae dead but now after their burial they are mortiferae deadly and dangerous And now after this if a man raises them up again and rakes them out of the grave and digs them up again he endangers a many by their unwholsom stench Et non esset pius funeris deductor sed impius sepulturae violator Hence you read the reason of Pauls writing to the Church of Galatia Coloss and others against them now and after this burial of them he would not circumcise Titus though he did Timothy before but preaches their funeral Sermon and sayes it is dangerous to keep them above ground any longer Col. 2.20 21. and Gal. 5.2 4. tells them then Christ would profit them nothing and it would be to deny the effect of Christs death We shall finde Paul opposed Peter and that openly Gal. 2.11 to his face for urging these Ceremonies and pressing the Gentiles to Judaize But here in this Chapter the Apostle forbids the Gentiles to judge the Jews for their liberty in these things which might be used or not used as yet being things indifferent and left free which the Greeks call Adiaphora which things are to be considered either as they are in themselves and so they are said quoad substantiam operis to have an indifferency of doing or omitting as we said before or else as they are in the intention of that principle by which they are done or omitted and in that sense no action is said to bee indifferent taken with its circumstances but it is said to bee good or evill Prout ex mala vel bona intentione procedit for as much as it flowes from a principle intending good or evill hereby But thus I have done with the direction and rules and have opened the name and nature of things indifferent and do now reach the reasons which the Apostle renders to ratifie his and my assertion of accepting and receiving such as differ in judgement from us in things indifferent And first reason 1 The first Reason for God hath received him therefore you are to receive him and lovingly to take him in for God hath received him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ut suus as his owne a member of Christ to grace an adopted one into his owne family how then darest thou deny him or despise him or not admit of him or the like for thus runs the Argument whom God hath received into his Family you ought not to despise or put by but him that eateth that is is of this opinion and him that eateth not that is is of that opinion God hath received therefore you ought not to put him by that is be he of this opinion or of that opinion but to receive him and admit of him as one that belongs to the Lord. This Reason runs a pari statu utriusque partis coram Deo from the common benefit of adoption which them of both opinions do equally partake of and as if he should say Such outward things as these do neither justifie nor unjustifie commend nor discommend before God they neither help to nor hinder from the Kingdome of God therefore they should neither helpe nor hinder any in the Church of God here below For such whom the Father receives the Son receives and who are admitted in heaven should be admitted in the earth but all Saints of all opinions are admitted in heaven and received of God ergo c. God regards here sayes one no more the manner time or such like circumstances then hee does the manner time or such like circumstances of eating drinking marrying c. being left to wisdome and discretion for order peace and unities sake without ties Now if thou seest one enlightened and livened by the Spirit of God thou seest enough sayes Calvin in loc Satis testimonii habes c. wherefore despise not contemn not refuse not condemne not one whom God hath received The second Reason or Argument is taken a jure gentium reason 2 from common right or equity which is that every man hath the rule and ordering of his owne family and none ought to be so polypragmatical as to meddle with other mens servants Who art thou that judgest another mans servant here is an objurgatory Apostrophe Who art thou how darest thou do it why for he is the Lords own servant whom thou thus puttest by for all his opinion as before the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hired servant or a day-labourer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a houshold servant one of the Lords owne Family who alwayes is waiting upon the Lord his Master in such services as are nearest his person and in his presence This makes the Apostle then whom none was more full of the bowels of love pitifull
tantum in se perditionis habet quantum quod reliqui ad peccandum inducuntur Chrysost. Hom. 25 in Epist. ad Rom. Secondly It is a scandal with reference to Christ. Vers. 15. for whom Christ dyed O! what will the world say what are these Christs Disciples that gurn bite at abuse despise refuse and condemne one another thus is this all their charity of weake ones to shut them out of doors and besides how dare you to offend one of them for whom Christ dyed doe ye thinke they are of so little worth for whom Christ dyed that you will not receive them what do you make of his blood what a scandal is this Further the Apostle to enforce this findes out this scandal to reach to Profession Religion the truth and Gospel its selfe In Vers. 16. Let not your good be evil spoken of or your Gospel liberty and way of Christ be defamed nor truth traduced nor Doctrine nor Discipline nor the Kingdome of grace as Olevian sayes be blasphemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or evill spoken of 1 Tim. 6.1 1 Pet. 2.12 1 Cor. 29.30 How eagerly did Mr. Prin Bastwick and others take advantage to write and print all they could against this Gospel of Christ for that the niceties and curiosities of some Church societies did exclude others that were not of their judgement though truly godly and holy Therefore for the Gospels sake receive them and have special regard for by not admitting such and judging hardly of them you will open the mouths of Gods enemies against the truth and give them advantages against the way whereby with Bernard in Serm. Ezek. 38.17 the Church sustaines great damage even by her own Children Reason 9. Runs from Vers. 14 15 c. I am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ nothing is unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth it so c. from this Concession that nothing of its selfe is unclean comes out a correction Vers. 15. Therefore condemn not thy brother for eating because it is an erronious conscience that makes a thing unlawful For all actions receive their qualifications according to the will of the Agents and the will acts according to the object a thing apprehended by reason If thou judgest by thy light that to doe this is sinne and yet thy will carries thee to it why then it is unlawfull indeed and thou sinnest to doe it but if thou judgest it no sinne it is lawfull according to thy light and conscience to bee by will carried thereto therefore let thy light be Gods light grounded on the word and then be perswaded It is miserable to doubt in things commanded and to be commanded in things doubtful and indifferent praejudicium non est judicium sed vitium Things indifferent are lawful to him that esteems them so and unlawfull to him that esteems and is perswaded they are unlawfull see Chap. 1. therefore let not one censure condemne cast by or grieve the other but receive each other in charity and bowels of love and each walk according to his judgement and perswasion ch 1. Reason 10. Vers. 17. For the Kingdome of God is not meat reason 10 and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost This Argument is taken a natura rerum mediarum from the nature of things indifferent and drawne up from the definition of the Kingdome of God from the Thesis and Antithesis take this argument in forme thus for those things the Kingdome of God consists not of we ought not so to contend but meats drinks outward formes and Covenants c. the Kingdome of God consists not of c. ergo c. contend not so for such indifferent things as to judge or not to admit and receive a brother The Kingdome of God consists not of things doubtful or indifferent but absolute and necessary Luke 17.20 21. 1 Cor. 8.8 therefore none are to be shut or kept out of this Kingdome for their judgement in things doubtful or indifferent This Kingdome sumitur pro regno gloriae sometimes is taken for that of Glory the Fathers which is to come ubi Deus erit omnia in omnibus and by some pro regno gratiae and so here for the Church of Christ the Kingdome of the Son the state of grace here but take which you will they are both of one kind of one make have one and the same matter forme and end and neither of them consists in outward forms or is in meat and drink or the like but both of them consist in righteousnes peace joy in the Holy Ghost that is the substantialia regni are one the same and such members as are fit for one are fit for the other These are Characters of such Citizens as are fit whose Christianity Religion Profession enchurchment c. lyes not in meat and drinke that is in the outward formes letters and things left to liberty whether to do or not doe but in righteousnesse inherent and infused and also expressive and declared in faith and holinesse and in their duties of obedience and in peace which follows justification and unity one with another which is unity of the Spirit the Holy Ghost being the procreant cause of this peace and love and joy which issues and runs out of such a righteousnesse and peace before spoken of now those things are necessary which the Kingdome of God consists of Oh then that differences should arise about such things as the Kingdome of God consists not of but can as well bee without as about Covenants Confessions and Subscriptions and such things that are indifferent or that are doubtful as the subjects of baptisme and whether dipped or sprinkled or such like being left without positive warrant in the word Oh then learne learne to put a difference where the Lord puts a difference as between things spiritual and things carnal things of a middle nature and things necessary which the Kingdome of God the Church of Christ cannot be without And let us make no difference where the Lord would have none Reason 11 from Vers. 18. For he that in these things serves reason 11 Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men The Argument is thus He that is the servant of Christ is to be received but he that is righteous and beleeves and obeyes the Gospel whether he eats or eats not notwithstanding these formes is the servant of Christ therefore to be received Thus the argument is a genere but from the effects 1 Gods acceptation 2 Mans approbation He that is acceptable to God is to be received but he that serves Christ beleeves in Christ and obeyes the Gospel in righteousnesse peace and joy of the Ghost though he be not of your opinion in things indifferent doubtful yet is acceptable to God therefore to be received Further thus from the other effect Hee that
Lord is tryed I can tell it by experience and I know that he is a buckler to all that trust in him And David Psal. 51. promises that as soon as his broken bones were healed and the joy of his salvation was restored to him Verse 12.13 that he would presently preach it and teach even sinners Gods wayes to give them warning of uncleannesse sinne c. and to tell them what it is to lye in hell horror to have a wounded spirit an accusing conscience and the judgements of an angry frowning God Thus also 2 Cor. 5.11 Wee knowing the terror of the Lord that is by terrible things which would make a man tremble and his heart ake we perswade men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we tell them the condition we were in and now how wee are out on purpose to perswade them to beleeve in God and to get out of their carnal condition for presidents sometimes doe prevaile before precepts so that this is no novelty to declare the condition which we have been in and are in Taste and see the mercy grace and love of God in Christ in the Gospel by pardon peace reconciliation assurance or whatsoever is to be tasted as Dr. Ames observes on 1 Pet. 2.3 if so be ye have tasted how gracious the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely taken grace for so many do but tasted grace per metonymiam effecti and found experimentally feelingly feedingly how it tastes O then you will say O it is good O this is sweet and say to others Come and taste The Israelites when they had tasted the manna they called it Angels food but before they sleighted it What is this Thus Psal. 119.103 but why should we taste it and tell it to others There be divers Reasons both with reference to God the Church and those Saints themselves that doe enjoy them why they should declare them to the Church First It is a bearing the best outward testimony to God reason 1 and his Attributes that can be when we can say by experience that God is gracious loving slow to anger ready to forgive that he is true and faithful for we have tryed him and therefore know it Psal. 18.30 But on the other side it is the want of this that makes us call his care and his truth and his mercy and love so often into question especially in times of trials as Sibbs sayes in his soule-conflicts chap. 18. in Joh. 15.27 and ye shall beare witnesse sayes Christ because ye have been wâ—tâ— to mee from the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall witnesse upon your owne knowledge the word is not from hear-say but have-say from your own experiences yee shall testifie even before the Judge in the eye and ears of all the people that I am full of grace light life and salvation You shall know it by experience and witnesse to his truth faithfulnesse righteousnesse justice mercy c. And though a thousand should deny it a child of God that can say by experience that God is a good God the word is a true word his love is a most soul-ravishing and never-ending love and the like and his hand helped me his blood cleansed cured comforted me his owne good will restored me Oh such a one opens the mouths of many to praise the Lord Psal. 35.18.27 and to beleeve in the Lord Joh. 17.21.23 Jo. 11.48 Act. 3.9 Luke 18.43 reason 2 Secondly It is needful for the Churches benefit too to set upon this duty to declare experiences of Gods worke on the soule and that for these several Reasons which follow As 1 To know so far as may be judged by the effects who are the Elect of God 1 Thess. 1.4 beloved of God that is by the judgement of charity not of infallibility for none can say for certainty thou art a Saint or elect but so far as we judge and beleeve in Vers 5. the proof of Election lyes in Vocation and ye know what manner of men we were sayes he so that the Church was endued with a spirit of discerning 1 Cor. 12.10 Now such as the Church beleeves to be called of God she beleeves to be of the election of grace Rom. 11.5 and such she must admit Now to make Election sure as 2 Pet. 1.10 and cleare we must make our Vocation sure and Calling clear 2 Tim. 1.9 where it is called a Holy calling that is from sin to grace Tit. 2.11 12. from darknesse to light 1 Pet. 2.9 from former sins and lusts to holy life 1 Pet. 1.14 15. and by this our election is knowne To open which note know that Election it selfe is secret and mysterious as it lyes in the decree it is from all Eternity Now poor man must needs bee lost to look what was done from all Eternity in the secret conclave and councell of Heaven a Being that is spanned by time cannot reach to it his Decrees are kept close under locke and key till it is time to open them wherefore I finde it not praise-worthy in them that so distract themselves and others by their curious disquisitions and nice disputations in this point For our way to have the fruit of it is not to dig deep and to search to the root but to reach to the boughs and branches thereof So look out and take hold on the Holy calling For the head of Nilus cannot be found out but the many sweet issues and Springs of that hidden head are found out and known So though the Head is secret and kept hid yet the Springs break out in our vocations and holy obedience and conversation as Adams on Peter P. 210. hath it for a River may runne a great while and a great way under ground but in time and in some place it breaks out and runs openly So the Decree may bee hid and secret for a while but the streams break out in Vocations which is the way from Predestination to Glorification Rom. 8.30 This cuts off that absurd sottish and soule-overwhelming opinion of many poor wretches who say if I am decreed to bee saved then I may live as I list for I am sure I shall be saved if it be decreed but if it be decreed I shall be damned why I shall bee damned doe what I can and my best way is to live in pleasure loving and serving my selfe here for I am sure all my care cannot alter Gods counsel Oh alas how subtil is the Devil but does the Word say thus no! but the Word sayes If God have decreed thy salvation as elect why then thou shalt walke in the way of salvation and then thou art decreed to be called as well as saved from sin to grace to a holy life from all uncleannesse 1 Thess. 4.7 to sanctification Origen makes mention of one sicke who was perswaded by a friend not to send for a Physitian for
first thing that turned him from Atheisme and made him beleeve in God was a Conference with a poore Country-man of his not far from Florence and it is observed in the blackest times of Popery by Fox Act. Mon. fol. 750.767 when good books and good Preachers were rarae aves in terris as rare as Black-swans almost yet then did one holy man resort to another and one good neighbour conferring with another and declaring their experiences to another did convert him and by this means the hearts of many were turned to the Lord and had light in those darke dayes and I dare boldly say by this means more then a few are convinced if not converted in these dayes and some that have said it to me often have been exceedingly wrought upon by hearing the experiences of others some informed others confirmed others confuted by those means which are of much use I wish they were as much in use whereby others might be encouraged to trust in God by hearing what he hath done for our soules The Church is hereby strengthened in the Experiences of her members as Act. 4.23 when Peter and John had reported their usage c. the Church united the more strongly together and gathered up all their strength together Vers. 24.29 31 32. against their foes and for God The experience of Gods hand and judgement upon Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.11 strucke fear upon all the Church and as many others as heard it that they might beware cavebis si pavebis It is well knowne in Dublin the very first day after embodying being the thirteenth of the eighth month one thousand six hundred fifty one the Church met together and was ratified by a remarkable mercy and pledge given in for one of the Brethren viz. Captain Lieutenant Johnson his wife was in labour which did occasion his absence from us she had been in labour two dayes and two nights as I take it for it is upon record in the Register-booke and had two Midwives her danger was great her paines violent her death in the account of all present imminent the Midwives gave her over friends husband all gave her over for a dead woman that either she the child or both must unavoidably perish and now they had as it were no hopes what does he her husband whilst she was on the racke as it were roaring but finding his owne prayers uneffectual runnes to the Church knowing where they were met together in great haste as fast as hee could hie as we use to say being much distracted and disturbed tells us his wives condition almost past hopes in all appearance and begs the earnest prayers of the Church at this instant season that God would bee seen which the Church did indeed I am perswaded with a most hearty heavenly united strength And by a holy violence did prevaile for her life and her little one and begged both alive out of Gods hands to the admiration of all for that very time to a minute as well as we might guesse and as we were informed by this brother himself and others at that very instant time whilst the Church was so earnest and incessant she was safely and easily delivered even to the wonder of all with her and soon after well recovered with her child and both grew strong again apace and are well I hope both at this hour This was such an apparent return of prayer and so seasonable a first-fruits and pledge of Gods owning us and answering us that we could not omit but did as a Church returne thanks and praises for this seasonable experience whereby the Church was abundantly confirmed in her faith for future And to trouble you but with one testimony further it is not unknowne what advantage the Devil made of those Divisions which did arise in this Church afterward by some who threw oyle into the flames as we heard before in the fourth Chapter and would but fan downe the fire to make it mount the higher untill they had effected what they sought for a breach in the Church after which wee that held together in order being wounded and the body being in paine with the rude rent of seven or eight members from us the Church was forced to flye to the Physitian to bee healed and a day of Humiliation being appointed whilest she was yet bleeding in her green and fresh wounds our good God who hath promised to hear their cry and to save them Psal. 145.18 19. gave them another and new pledge of his owning of them and presence with them which was very parallel with the former and as much as to say hee was with them yet which hath been an experience full of vertue and force to this day and the which I hope I shall never be unmindful of or unthankful for for it pleased God to visit me with a sore distemper and such a one as did suborne many doubts concerning me all the night before this day of humiliation which the Church appointed being in the last month of the last yeare but one one thousand six hundred fifty one I lay in a lamentable affliction kept up with a vehement vomiting which continued the next day all the fore-noon I keeping my bed vomited four or five times or oftner in an houre lying in a most high pestilential as was thought and raging Feaver I sent to the Church for prayers who were consulting whom to choos amongst them as a convenient keeper for me many imagining that it might be the Plague or that it would prove the spotted Feaver at least being taken in that manner that others were taken of these diseases much means was used to stay the vomiting and nothing would doe which at last turned to another colour as green as grasse and came from the very heart as I thought I sent my man afternoon to the Apothecaries for more things to stay the vomiting whilst he was gone I was thinking the Church was wrestling for me wherefore with much adoe up I rise and got into my Study to prayer also being perswaded I should joyne with them and the intercessions of Christ the High-Priest also together and that we should prevaile when Loe what the Lord did to bee admired for ever by the sons of men presently the vomit was stayed I know not how and I restored excepting a light giddinesse in my head to such an admirable condition of health and so sudden and which continued all my time in Ireland so that I could not but with wonder amazement fall flat on my face to power out praises the whilst I was stirred up by an irresistible instinct to shew my self to the Church as Matth. 8.4 to shew that their prayers were answered when my man returned he wondred to see me walking about the room with my cloak on ready to go out and tell the Church Hee and others that came in apace to see me that feared the Pestilence or such distemper was
make them Now we all concur Schoolmen Ministers and all That where there is true grace experienced Saints know it sweeter then the drops from the honey comb and qui accipit gratiam per quandam experientiam dulcedinis novit se illam habere quam non experitur ille qui non accipit as we have amply before mentioned Such men must needs know the love of God is sweet who have tasted and digested it They can comfortably use Laban's words in Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me Jehovah hath raised me and increased me I have experience of it by comparing my former condition with my present So the Saints do tell by experience how Jehovah hath helped them and blessed them even with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Some of which though not so perfectly as they were delivered yet as well as I can collect them out of the Notes which I took of them from their own mouths when they were admitted into the Church I shall present as a sweet posie of some of the chiefest flowers that I have met with this spring-time in the Garden of the Lord the Church of Christ which is growing apace up to an Eden from flowers to fruits from Plants to Trees of Righteousness planted by Rivers of Water Examples of Experiences OR Discourses and Discoveries of the dead hearing the voice of the Son of God and now living As they were delivered in Dublin by divers Members admitted into the Church Being a clear account to the judgement of charity of the work of Grace upon their hearts in divers ways and sundry manners converted some extraordinarily and some ordinarily When where and how with the effects But before I begin I shall premise this for the godly Readers sake that I must contract much their experiences as they were taken least they be too voluminous And although in the choicest and most extraordinary ones I shall gather the stalk longer least I hurt the beauty and hide the excellency of those flowers yet without hurt to the rest in those which are ordinary I shall be very short being prevented by others in that little Treatise of Experiences newly put out I shall gather out the flowers onely and give you the sum of what they said and so tie them up together for a conclusion of the whole matter The most of these are mens and some womens and a very great many more I might adde to them which I have met with in England Essex and London and in Ireland and at Chester Holly-Head in Wales and in my travels but that I say I am I hope seasonably though unexpectedly prevented although many more do lie prepared by me But to the business as coming last from Dublin to declare some of those precious ones and which are the greatest treasure that I brought with me from thence The savor of which I hope will be attractive and encourage others over into Ireland where the Lord hath his Garden enclosed and full of Spices with the Mandrakes laid up for the Beloved against his coming which is looked for every day there as well as here and there the â—ride saith O! come Lord Jesus come quickly The Testimony of Tho. Huggins Preacher of the Gospel given in at the publick place Octob. 8. 1651. of Brides in Dublin IT is my joy to see willingness in Gods people to walk together in fellowship with the Father and the Son and such I desire to have fellowship with where Christ the King in his beauty appears most I do acknowledge as you have heard that account of faith before made by our Brother R. and do experimentally know and therefore must acknowledge that glorious Being of one God in his three distinct relations of Father and Creator Son and Redeemer and Spirit and Sanctifier and I finde in me by his Spirit and the several operations of this his Agent these things I believe the Scriptures Old and New Testament to be the very minde of God and do heartily desire my soul may be turned into the nature of those truths therein declared but to that which is expected from me most I come viz. to my conversation I was but yong when I began to be warmed yea within being under a zealous Ministry and much put upon duty I did use to read the Scriptures every night and to repeat Sermons often and so spent the first scene of my youth till I came to be sent by my friends to London and there I lived for a year or two but in that time as often as I saw any Minister I could not but weep and always wished that I might be one to be able to preach too After this I was sent to one of the Vniversities there but being wilde with youthful company I was soon after sent hither to this Colledge of Dublin where I am well known and here I continued till the Rebellion brake out at which time I left it and went for England into the North-parts and about Liverpool where I preached till now I returned hither But all this while I was but formal and as the yong-man that said he had kept all these from his youth So was I from my youth religious well-given loving the means following of them and seeking to serve God But alas yet all this while was I in darkness and did not know it but afterwards I saw that I was blinde and but carnal For about the year 1645. I began to be in great doubts and troubles and very much clouded in my spirit and was exceedingly bound and tyed up for a time under the sence of my formal holiness and sins till the Lord was pleased to give me light Once as I was walking all alone sadly upon the Mountains he immediately powred his Spirit upon me and satisfied my soul in Jesus Christ and filled my heart with heavenly joy and peace and with most ravishing contemplations which continued without a cloud for six weeks together which gave me full assurance of Gods love and ever since I have lived in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus though I have met with many clouds and storms since yet such as have passed away and cannot hinder me as long as Christ mine is above them Being thus translated from the form into the power I do heartily propose my self to be one with the members of Christ in his Church And although before I was not free in England or elsewhere to joyn thus it being so in controversie and disputable yet now I am fully satisfied and do see God building up his Jerusalem apace and am confident of what he is doing to Nations yea I joy to see that you all seek to unite by one Spirit and all to be one in Spirit if not all in one Form and so do I not doubting but this Ministration will be most to edification A further Testimony added to the truth by the experience
poor man did still doe all hee could to comfort me and to incourage me and told me that God would not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax and that I was in the way to have Christ a full satisfaction and bid me be of good comfort but I continued in these troubles and temptations as if Sathan had been let loose upon me yet this did something comfort me that other of Gods people were in the like condition with me but yet I was thus till I met with Mr. Bolton by whom I had much comfort and by other means together I became fully satisfied and assured of Gods love to me in Christ. Experience of Dorothy Emett MR. Owen was the first man by whose means and Ministry I became sensible of my condition I was much cast down and could have no rest within me and so I continued till his going away from us and at his going he bid me beleeve in Christ and be fervent in prayer but I said how should I do to beleeve I lay a long time in this trouble of minde untill in my sleep one night came to me a voyce I thought that said I am the Fountain of living water and when I awaked I was much refreshed for I had great thirstings after Christ and yet I was under some doubts untill I heard one at Cork-house upon that subject Rom. 8. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons of God So that God satisfied me very much and I have had ever since a full assurance of Gods love to me in Christ. Experience of Anne Bishop I Have tasted much of God upon my spirit the first Sermon that I heard here so wrought upon me that for a year or two I was much tormented and could have no comfort at all or confidence to take Christ when he was offered for I had this objection continually that I was not fit to receive Christ but afterward bearing Christ freely offered without any fitnesse or qualification in us before-hand without any such conditions of worthinesse but with hungrings and thirstings and that hee must be taken thus barely as it were as from us and willingly so as to part with Father and Mother and all for him I was at last wrought upon to take him on these termes and yet I had abundance of temptations and trials both inward and outward which I hope to have time to tell hereafter but I durst not do any duty nor so much as pray before any apprehending that I was an hypocrite and once I sate down in great perplexities when it pleased God to come upon my spirit and to reveal to me that I must beleeve in him and cast my self upon him yet I was troubled and bid the Lord do what he would with me so I might but have him All this was before he made himselfe so known to me as he did afterwards for he made me first to see my selfe nothing and although before I rested on my workes and duties and so I did long yet now I could finde no rest there but thought all my former hopes were gone and Christ to be lost and I was destitute and comfortlesse but since I have found Christ to be mine and that I am his and the Lord hath appeared to be my righteousnesse and hath fully satisfied me so that I live barely upon him Experience of Tabitha Kelsall I Was determined once to have life by my owne actings and thus I was a long time in England I was of Paul Hobsons society and ere long all the Ordinances grew dead unto me and I knew not what to do I lay long under a sad condition and so as I could not read nor pray nor hear but found all unprofitable to me many wayes did God shake me sore and I lay under many trials and shakings long till the Lord came in by himselfe and setled that in my minde which is in Heb. 12.26 Yet once more I will shake not the earth onely but also heaven that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine For the Lord by his voice did thus comfort me that although heaven as wel as earth inward and outward man my spirit as well my flesh and all my works and righteousnesses were shaken yet it was to make way for what could never be shaken and yet after this I was lifted up to much by knowledge and withdrew from Ordinances but seeing how some that did so and denied Ordinances did live disorderly and walke wickedly I was much troubled at it and yet left in the Wildernesse a long time after untill God did discover by his word to me and declare clearly that I must not withdraw from the Ordinances nor deny communion with his people and then I made a Covenant with the Lord that I would not and that I would part with all for one smile and was glad at my heart that I was received again and brought under the means of grace and Ordinances of Christ Jesus Experience of Andr. Manwaring Major I Was brought up well by Parents accounted Puritans till about sixteen years of age after that I was Apprentice in London but ill company drew me away and I took but ill courses untill the three and twentieth or four and twentieth year of my age then I came into Ireland in the beginning of the Rebellion in the North of Ireland I passed through great dangers and many deaths as I may say for there my Father was killed my Wife was wounded and I my selfe with much danger escaped from the bloody Rebels after that at Tredah-fight I was when it was delivered and being laid in the field among the dead with fifteen wounds I was given up for one of the dead but after that recovering I went into Engl. and then returned into Ireland again at which time I began to looke about me to follow the Word to hear good men being sensible of my sinnes and former forgetfulnesse of God and goodnesse I heard one Mr. Owen here who did me much good and made me to see my misery in the want of Christ and so I continued till Mr. Rogers was sent over to us by whom I have received great comforts and assurance of Christ and now I doe verily beleeve I have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ and finde a great change in me and I abhor ill company and courses and desire to walke in all well-pleasing to God and though I meet with temptations and hindrances yet I blesse God he carries me on in goodnesse and I can now pray and that by the Spirit and I love the Word and Ordinances and do earnestly long to have fellowship with the people of God to watch over me for I am yet weake Blessed be God for his free grace in Christ Jesus before I had any knowledge in Christ the Lord spoke to me by the means of an honest
us but now to double our diligence and redeem the time we have lost by making more hast taking more care and pains or else we should be lost for ever O! I was sufficiently wounded and fell a weeping I could not hold and after Sermon I went home where I boarded and sate alone crying and complaining that I had lost my time and at that time I took up a purpose never to sleep at Church more and made a covenant with it which I think to this day I observed ever since and when I began as at first I was often tempted to be drowsie I would alwaies stand and hold on nothing and cast my eyes about to open them more But after this I was not content with my former customary duties for now I must double them and do more then before wherefore I resolved to write down as well as I could every Sermon I heard and to get them by heart and to say every night one Sermon and to learn out of a book for I knew no better yet another prayer for morning and another for night and sometimes for noon too especially on the Lords daies so that my task was now doubled So I began to write down the Sermons which for a time was very little having no skill to write fast nor orderly but I ever observed the Doctrine and would write down the Reasons and the heads of the Vses and when I came at home I would get it by heart at noon that which I heard in the fore-noon and at night that which I heard in the after-noon and this course which I took made me more ready at night when my Father repeated the Sermons or the Landlord where I boarded for they both did it being very godly this made me readier to answer when we were asked what we could remember or what the Doctrine or Reason or Vse was then any other and this course I took customarily for nine or ten years together long after I came from Cambridge every night to repeat Sermons to my self alone or rather to say them by heart as duly as I went to bed the Lords-day night that Sermon which I heard in the forenoon the Munday night so called that which I heard on the last Lords day in the afternoon the Tuesday night Wednesday night Thursday night alwaies left to say by heart Sermons I heard a month 2. months 12. months and so as I encreased in years for 2 or 3 or 4 5 or 10. years before and I would usually get up the oldest and of longest standing and such as I had almost forgot or not lately recovered my memory with so that by this means I could remember many Sermons and such as were long agone preached perfectly Now on Friday nights I repeated as I did on the Lords day nights alwaies and on Saturday nights and Munday nights alwaies alike But you must observe if Sermons fell out in the week daies as on fasts or otherwise then I was wont to pick out Tuesday nights Wednesday or Thursday nights and so kept on the order and was fit for fresh Sermons on the Lords day and the Lord lead me on into this orderly way I know not how by himself without any creatures direction on the earth so much did I plot out for salvation by such means as these and to redeem my time Yet you must know having so much to do every night I sometimes began to my self whilst I sâ—te in the Chimney corner before supper and usually left nothing but my Sermon to repeat for my bed and my prayers by my bed-side morning and evening but this I must say from this form I learnt much of God and goodnesse for what I did at first for fear of hell I did at last out of love to heaven and of late to God and Christ as if it were without heaven and hereby I was not only able to tell many mens Sermons together and it may be ten years after they were preached but also able though chiefly by higher means as I may shew afterward to preach at 18 or 19 years of age as I did in Huntington-shire if not sooner to the amazement of many but to the table talk of more Well thus you hear how formall I was and yet as I may say I was but feared not loved into this strictnesse of religion and I remember then I should have been glad if any occasion hapned that there were no Sermons on the Lords daies or if I heard them not which I dare not but do notwithstanding if I were well for it was more ease to me I thought or else the Devill in me to repeat the old then to get in nâ—w But not long after this that I had heard Mr. Marshall as before I was further awakened by my Father afterward who preaching upon the good Samaritan and shewing his compassion to wounded ones yet in reproof to sinners shew how they were more guilty then the hard hearted Jewes that crucified Christ afresh now and have no compassion on him now he is in glory but spit on him and made him suffer and how his bloud would rise against them and if Abels a meer mans did so much more his and if David prayed from bloud-guiltinesse how much more from this guiltinesse of the precious bloud of Christ c. which he preached and pressed so powerfully that I was thrown into a trembling as lying under the guilt of Christs bloud and was long perplexed about it but after all this there is another remarkable passage that I must never forget which I met with or rather met with me to the purpose about 1637. as I take it at Messing in Essex I was playing with children my fittest companions then and running round about the house we lived in through two or three little gates in sport and idlenesse as I was running with the rest I know not how nor upon what occasion I threw out vain words and crying O Lord which we were not suffered to do my heart was suddenly smitten upon it and I was suddenly set a running as if I had been possessed by I know not what power or spirit not having any strength to stay my self were it upon my life untill I was headlong carried through a little gate-way where as plainly to my thinking and in my appearance as ever I saw any thing by the Sun-shine there was set a naked sword glistering with a fearfull edge I thought and which took up the whole space of the gate from one post to another with a broad blade most keen and cruell at which sad sight so fraught with frights I gastly screeched and yet had not the least power to stay or stop my precipitant course but I was quickly carryed quite unto it so as that the edge of the cruell blade meeting with my body it seemed to me impossible I should escape death and I made no other account but
saw me in those head-long distempers did think me at the best fit for any place but Bedlam and that I should ever be restored to what I am which was also as strangely For as the distracted fits did much abate me they did turn more to inward malady and melancholy my continuall cry being I am damned I am damned I am sure I can't be saved it is impossible Oh! Hell Hell fire about me the Devils are at me and I thought I heard the damned roaring and raving and saw them as 't were roasting and their frisking and frying in everlasting torments My minde and all was taken up with their howlings and screechings This sad condition day and night lasted upon me untill I was perswaded that there was a God! and that this God was righteous and that he would hear prayers if I continued but knocking with importunity and gave not over seeing the unjust Judge that we read of in Scriptures was prevailed with by the widowes importunities then I resolved with my self and gathered together here and there those scatter'd reliques of reason which were leâ—t me that I would continue prayer and so I did though by fits I was froward and mute and wilde and I know not how yet off and on 5 daies together scarce eating a bit of bread in all that time and was after that in another form and frame of spirit though by fits full of distraction and desperate thoughts yet more serious and set to weigh things as in a ballance and to expostulate with the Lord and to pray by fits most furiously and now and then tears began again which were all dryed up before to trickle and come tumbling down my face like swollen drops of bloud and I continued thus three or four daies till one afternoon coming into a chamber my heart being as big as it could hold I threw my self flat on my face as I used to do knocking the boards and calling and crying to the Lord for deliverance and using such exorcising expressions as might discover me in despair and starting up I walked a turn or two saying Is there not a God is he gracious are the Scriptures false canst thou take delight to see a poor soul thus set on the rack sighing and roaring in torment rise up and appear for thy self thou God! shew thy self gracious in one act of mercy maugre all the Devils in hell and with knocking my breast and tearing my hair I threw my self upon the bed whilest my eyes were glazed with tears and there I lay in a sudden sleep which seised upon me and I dreamed of the same Scripture the letter which killed me and yet of Christ the Spirit which quickned me and that his righteousnesse by faith made mine did excell the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees and except I in and by the righteousnesse of Christ made mine did excell the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees I could not be saved that is not without the righteousnesse of Christ. When I awaked I was so much changed that I was amazed at my self at the suddennesse of it for I dream't I was comforted and my heart filled with joy and when I awaked it was so indeed I started up and rebuked my self saying Why I am not damned what 's the matter am I so filled with a fancy with a sudden hope of I know not what nor whence at which time I fell to pray and whilst I was praying I said Lord is this true say is it true if it be so let it be shewn me that it is so So I was perswaded that the righteousnesse of Christ was mine for that this garment was provided only for one so naked and torn out of all as I was which weighing I took the Scriptures and found these divine infusions and immediate resolutions given in me agreeing with the same will of God given out there and then I began to breath upon 't and to pant a little and by degrees to revive and look upward with some hope till the Lord satisfied me by pouring it upon me and writing it within me that I in Christs righteousnesse my only justification did exceed theirs And thus I had the first assurance of salvation for that very same Scripture that before condemn'd me did now justifie me that is in Christ. And after that I began plainly to see my self and by my self others why I despaired and was so long and so lamentably lost that it was because I sought in a wrong place for justification and therefore a wrong way for salvation as if one of you should dig in your yard for a mine of gold no wonder that you lose your labour at last after sweat tears prayers cares pains fears and all seeing that you look in a wrong place Thus it was with me all the while I was looking and poaring and paining my self for a righteousnesse of my own and to seek in my self to excell the Scribes and Pharisees alas I was lost undone and could not finde it nor see any door of hope set open for my soul till Christ in 's righteousnesse was revealed in me and then I knew him a Saviour to me Well with this joy I continued to this hour holding and keeping ground against all temptations which are infinite that I have met with ever since and such as you have scarce heard of of late For after I had solemnized and celebrated my new life and being begun anew in anothers righteousnesse and in another self by singing of Psalmes and then I began Hymns and spirituall songs to my self and continuall open-hearted returnes of praises whilest the Angels rejoyced with me Yet Satan my continuall and never ceasing enemy now began to muster up afresh more troubles against me and to follow me with an hoast of afflictions and temptations as Pharaoh followed Israel with a purpose to destroy him when once out of his territories and see how a bird that is escaped out of the hand is hunted up and down by the boyes the doors are shut the windowes and holes stopp'd to hinder her escape and see how they hunt her throw their hats at her scare her up and down till they think to tire her and make her fall into their fingers again So did Satan set upon me I may say a thousand waies by himself and his agents to hunt me up and down and to tire me out and to make me if he could fall into his fingers again but that my God whom I unfeignedly serve from my soul did deliver me does deliver me and I trust will deliver me as the Apostle saies For though the Devill did use many snares and beset me so about as you will hear that it seemed scarce possible I should escape yet the Lord set me at liberty from the snares of the Fowler though sometimes so subtilly layed that I could not discern them and what he could not
me even at that instant too when I took no care of my self at all but had devoted my self to death and that now he should not only deliver me but send me newes full of hopes O how these things did break my heart and work upon me most part of the night untill with an heart full and head full and eyes full and all I was fal'n into a deep sleep and visited with an extraordinary token from on high both in dream and vision which hath been since accomplished as I take it and the last in Ireland the last year The Dream was this that I was walking home to my Fathers house with a staffe in my hand and fearing lest I should be out of the way I looked for the path which at first I could scarce discerne was a path and began to look about and to question it till by and by I perceived some footsteps of some that had gone that way with that I went forward and the further I went the plainer I perceived it to be the path and that I was in the way and I could see no other at which I rejoyced and went on confidently as if I fear'd no evill nor enemy till I came to a fine glorious beautifull house and building on the left hand of me out of which came forth a beam which reached a little crosse the way I was to go in so that I being at a little stand at first yet would not stoop under this beam but stept aside and so pass'd away laying my hand on it as I step'd by the side of it but the house I thought was all in a flame of a sudden so that being something troubled thereat I passed on in the way wondring in my self what this should be till I was overtaken by some rude violent malicious men that laid to my charge the setting this house on fire and would not hear me speak but were harshly haling me away to prison with which being sufficiently frighted and all my flesh set a trembling I awaked and was offended with my self for being troubled at a dream a foolish fancy so I laid me it being yet dark and fell asleep again and was cast into the same dream again word for word and at my right hand I thought there was a grave ancient man full of white hairs like wooll a long white beard who stood by me and bid me chear up fear not for the Lord hath sent me to comfort thee and to tell thee that he hath chosen thee to preach his word and Gospell of Christ which is the staffe that thou hast in thy hand and which staffe that is the word of God thou shalt walk home with to thy Fathers house i. e. Heaven where is fulnesse of joy But after a time thou wilt be troubled with the different opinions and waies of men and seem at first to be at a losse but the Lord will be thy guide go on and as thou goest forward the way of the Lord will lye clearer and clearer before your eyes but the footsteps are the examples of the Saints that have gone before you which will be a great help unto you and you shall walk chearfully on in the way which is clear to you then the which you shall see no other but yet you must meet the fair house on the left hand i. e. the glory and great ones of the world who make a great and fair shew to men as built high but they must fall and are but on the left hand of you whilest you will despise them preach against them and turn your eye looking forward to go on in the way of God and turn not about but the beam that comes out of this great house which makes so much shew is meant the powers and opinions of such which whilest somewhat crosse to the way you step aside and will not stoop under they are set on fire and enflamed of a sudden but be not troubled go forward although they will send after you saying you have brought this fire upon them and they will falsly accuse you and seek to hale you away to prison for this fact At which I awaked again this being morning about day-break I wondred with my self what this meant I thought it surely more then ordinary and being filled with confidence and comfort I rose up and writ it down presently And away I went that day towards Didington in Huntington-shire where the Lord Brudenell once lived but was then sequestred and one that the Committee put in had Gentlemens children to board with him whom I afterward taught But after all these deliverances I did multiply abundantly in gifts and graces either to pray expound read sing Hymns and spirituall Songs with the Spirit and with understanding as Israel in Exod. 1. the more he was afflicted the more multiplyed so blessed be the Lord I was the more filled with the Spirit endued with strength and grace refreshed with peace and joy the more I had so suffered So that all my troubles were but a Josephs step through grace to higher enjoyments and finding the Lord so abundantly to endue me from above and to qualifie me for the call which I had before in the night for the ministry which then I little meant or imagin'd could be it being often resolved against before by my Father and my books ordered to be packed up but finding things following so fairly to concurre I was much confirmed in it that the Lord had design'd me thereunto In Huntington-shire teaching school first at Brudenel's house and afterwards the Free-school of St. Neotts I began with the boyes ever in prayer first at 7. 1. and ended with prayers at 11. 5. on the Saturdaies in the afternoon I catechised them and expounded their Catechismes by the Scriptures and expounded Scriptures and so singing a Psalm with prayer we concluded At this time I came to be convinced of the Parliaments proceedings and cause to be more regular and in order to the great work that God hath to doe in Nations then the Kings by comparing them together and bringing them to the Word and then I saw clearly by the Word that God would doe what he hath to be done by them and for them and for the Common-wealth it was not long after this that I was by a godly people in Tâ—seland earnestly importuned and at last prevailed with to preach the Gospel and I was soon known in the Countrey and after sent for into Essex where I setled passing twice through the Assemblie on Examination and approbation So although ever since I have met with many sorts of afflictions and oppositions lies slanders threatnings libels vows and endeavours to take away my life yet many have added testimony to the Word I have delivered in all places the Lord be praised to the great refreshing of my soule and towards the making
up of my joy when I shall give an account to their comfort at the great day And since that I have been sent forth as a Pastor and publique Teacher by the Church and I know my Ministeriall commission and authority to be from the Lord and notwithstanding the divers temptations that I meet with yet finding my heart full of corruption and my life a continuall warfare of flesh against spirit yet I blesse God who hath delivered me in diverse wayes which I have not yet declared from the fraudulent gins and snares of the Devill and who hath called me out of darknesse into light that his power is stronger in me then any that hath been against me and I am the better provided against Satan for that I live now by faith in the Son of God above the letter in the life above the form in the power above self in an higher self altogether where I have my abode so that I am not I but by the grace of God it is that I am what I am as the Apostle said Why weep ye for me for I am ready not onely to be bound but to dye so I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have provision within me seeing Christ is in me the hope of glory I am assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus my head my Lord my elder brother and the first fruits of all them that rise again And although I meet with daily troubles at home and abroad within and without yet am I all the way ascending heaven though descending hell the same way with Christ who hath through the vail consecrated a new and living way for me into the Holy of Holies I can comfortably drink after Christ out of his own cup and in eating his meat and drinking his drink take gall and vinegar as wel as wine and honey I prefer Christ before Salvation and had if I know my heart yet not I but my spirituall self had rather goe to Hell with Christ in my armes if 't were possible then to heaven without him accounting the enjoyment of him to be the enjoyment of all the excellencies and happinesse in heaven and earth Super omnia Christum I am very confident Christ can't be perfect without me nor I without him but that I shall appear perfect for all Eternity in Christs righteousnesse and am pardoned by his death purged by his bloud sanctified by his Spirit and saved by his power and this I am as sure of to be glorified as he is glorified and shall see him as he is I could say much more and have many more experiences but I fear I offend others I shall cut off in an Apocope but pray pray for me that Gods power may appear more in my weaknesse and whilest I live and breath I hope and resolve it shall be with him and for him as well as by him and that I shall not desire to live one minute longer then to his honour and glory and for his service which the Lord make me fit for and faithfull in and prepare me for that glory which is to be revealed But these things I have spoken in the fear of God wherein you hear what I was what I am and what I shall be I know no more yet to trouble you with but according to the accreasings of the holy one in me and effusions of the unctions upon me I shall speak more hereafter for your advantage I were a wicked wretch should I smother any of the appearances of God which I meet with 40. An eminent Experience or relation of John Osborne member of the Church at Purleigh of the which Mr. R. was Pastor as was taken out of the Church Register word for word JOhn Osborne a poore labouring man was admitted a Member of this Church April 16. 1650. his visible carriage in word and deed seeming holy and his outward conversation such as he was well approved of after his confession of Christ and resolution to cleave close to the Lord in this way nemine contradicente but it seemes this man was much unsound and not yet fit matter within whatsoever he seemed without and it being best known to God and himself Gods designe was to work out the discovery of him out of himself he began to manifest much grief and gall within him by his outward colour and complexion but kept it close to all the Church that his ill life was the cause of his ill looks yet he followed the means frequented the Communion used the Ordinances at home and abroad in publique and private so that nothing could be gathered in the Churches apprehension but godlinesse in him He would presse an exact walking Gospell duties and in discourse cast in his mite of knowledge and measure of light So that some tooke much content in him much comfort of him but for all this his heavy countenance did discover that there was somewhat in him lay undiscovered and not yet brought to light But Gods time was near to doe his Church good and to give them some reall testimony and tasts of the first fruit of his love towards them by making him known to them whom they thought they knew but indeed did not know for what God saw in him that was naught was not visible to the Church but what was visible was good but that which was invisible to us was the rottennesse and unsound part of the man But mark how God met with him who upon the 28. day of April 1650. was after Sermons being the Lords day struck by a sudden distemper which in the night produced dangerous fits which continued at times for two or three dayes the Pastor of the Church J. R. he did visit him but at that time being Wednesday May 1. following he discovered no discomfort discontent or burthen within him at all but he had good expressions and motions yet was once or twice in his fits very fearfully but after he was recovered the Pastor with prayers for him and directions given him departed home The next day being the Lecture day after Sermon was ended it was moved in the Church to contribute unto him who did it freely and largely and that very night the Pastor J. R. was sent for again to him but first the Church made prayers for him And it is observable that this Osborne being in very strange fits as ever were seen like one possessed he groveling and foaming and his hands feet eyes mouth were most gastlike drawn out into a Convulsion-manner but much worse at that very hower that the Church made prayers for him and not ceasing till God were prevailed with those strange kinde of fits and distempers left him to the amazement of all that knew it so that after that not one fit more had he though they continued upon him so thick and for so long a time before that no Doctor could help him but all gave him over for a dead man without
God for him and the Church had prayed for him And that God had stayed his hand now and had forgiven him his sins past he was sure upon his promise to amend and that his Master tooke a great deal of pains with God and would not be quiet till the Lord had commanded the Serpents that had tormented him for his sinnes to fly back for a time c. with a great deal of such like language which yet the more amazed them they thinking him half frantick to talk so and looking on him as a man drawing on but as on the morning or last night and not like to live and yet he would needs be gone to the Pastor to tell him what God had done for him and had already got on his cloathes and got out of doores but being very weake and ready to reele downe in the way about a field off his wife and neighbours running after him much against his own minde got him in again But his wife and neighbours perceived him another manner of man then what he was before by his good motions prayers discourses and desires heavenward it being a great delight to him to acquaint them with his experiences of God under this sharp dispensation After a day or two he feeling strength would not be stayed from coming to the Pastor and it fell out to be upon a day when the Church gathered together to break bread but the Pastor coming to him called him aside and in a roome by themselves he set very severely and plainly upon the man in many particulars and especially for his presumption to enter into this way being such unsound and unfit matter and therefore that he could not long have continued with so fair an outside but the inside rottennesse would at length have broken out and he be cast from the rest of the building as 2 Tim. 3.5 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5 11 12 13. Tit. 3.10 Matth. 18.18 19 c. 1 Tim. 1.20 c. For though he had done contrary to the rules we must doe according to them Withall dealing with him upon such Scriptures as Jer. 7.9 10. Psal. 50.16 17 c. Isai. 35.8 9 10. questioning and expostulating with him upon them and those Ezek. 44.7 8. Jo. 4.23 and many others and charging it home upon him the wrong that he had done to Christ and his Church by opening the mouthes of her malitious adversaries to speak against Christs way the worst words in their hearts to vilifie and slander his Saints to deride Religion to wax proud against profession and grievously to offend those weak in the Faith yet though he had mocked men he could not mock God but now that the Lord had opened his inside to us that we might see what a Traitor he was to the Truth what a hypocrite to God and what not As the Pastor was opening him to himself yet more this Osborne told him that the Lord had pardoned him upon his promise to amend and the prayer of his Church for Christs sake and that he saw his pardon writ before him and his sinnes blotted out c. The Pastor urging it upon him how he knew he was pardoned and what he meant by seeing sinnes blotted out who then began to tell the whole story of his agony and torments and deliverance which being long the Pastor desired him to cut off and to acquaint the whole Body with them after the last Sermon before they dispersed to their severall homes Because that as there was visible offence given to Christ and his Church so there must be visible repentance and apparent evidences of his conversion c. So the Pastor parted with him the Church could not admit of him into Communion but hee must hold off till he could give satisfaction onely he had liberty in the converting Ordinances and to converse with any of the Society or the like In the Evening about five or six a clock the said Osborne was called into the Society to answer to such things as were laid to his charge and first the Pastor earnestly seeking God that nothing might be done or concluded on but what should be agreeable to the minde of Jesus Christ and the rules of the Gospel and to stablish all that are present in the faith and that they might be the more strengthened by what did or should of Gods power appeare to have been upon this man to punish him and of his love to deliver him and that this Church might not be deceived through the subtilty of Satan as to believe a lye or to give no credit to the Truth but to make them discerning in his wayes and to eye him in all his goings c. After the Pastor had prayed and the Church joined with him very devoutly the charges being uttered against this Osborne still hee continued his former story how God had forgiven him and he had seen his sins blotted out and how the Serpents were suffered to feed on him for his sins So urging on him what he meant by these things and straitly requiring him not to believe a delusion No! he said he was sure the Lord did not delude him and thus he began After the fits left me sayes he I sent for my Master i. e. the Pastor because I was to dye as I thought Then this being on May 2. the Lecture day at night when he despaired so that the Pastor was there I thought that I had dyed and was gone into Hell for my sinnes where God stretcht out his rod and then came out a huge great Serpent which God bid to goe and torment me and presently out of the belly of the great Serpent came out seven Serpents more so many Serpents for so many sinnes and they all together seised upon mee and stung and gnawed me and eat off all my flesh below and my thighes and gnawed all clean to the very bone and I heard my Master pray and say Lord punish him till he amend Let him be punished for a time and still these Serpents continued on mee and tormented me more and more for a long time as wee conceived for the space of two dayes or thereabouts by the Pastors words who acknowledged to the Church that there might be some likelyhood in what Osborne said because that he did indeed pray for two dayes or thereabouts in his study privately that the Lord would punish him severely in the flesh that his Spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord which the Church never knew till he told them Moreover the said Osbornes tongue was bit quite through and a peece of his lip pulled off which hindred his speaking so as he could scarce be understood and being asked how it came he said he knew not unlesse the Serpents had bit it which hee thought because he knew nothing but that he was in Hell not so much as imagining that hee was
alive upon the Earth But his wife said that once leaping up as in an infinite torment he bit his tongue quite through and through and on another time he run a pin quite through his lip and rung of a peece on it this being all in the time of these two dayes But to proceede to his story For these questions were asked at the Conclusion After these Serpents had fed upon my flesh sayes he for so long a time I saw a Rowle as of Parchment lying before me and upon it God had written that he would take Justice and my Master writ that hee would have mercy upon me and the Lord writ again that he would take vengeance and my Master writ again Lord let it be enough if he repents let it be enough now c. and I heard sayes he the words as they were writing then the Pastor so said to the Church that it was so after a day or two that he indeed desired the Lord to let it be enough if he did repent and unfeignedly promised amendment and that he would remove his hand and this he did both in publique upon the Lords dey and in his owne study he thus prayed not knowing all this while but that Osborne was as he left him on Thursday night and in despair And as men reported him to be drawing on So my Master would not leave the Lord says he till the Lord said well he would try me and so the Rowle vanished away and flew upward and God commanded the Serpents to withdraw so the little Serpents went into the great Serpents belly And by little and little sayes he the great Serpent did goe back and back till at last he went away downe as might bee at my Beds feet which I was mightily joyed at because I thought that he would have tormented me so for ever not knowing but that I was in Hell After that I heard the Church plainly to pray for me and I beheld the Lord not as before in his anger but smiling upon me as it were and there were before mee all the joyes that could be desired and Rivers ran before me as Crystall full of gold so as I had liberty to have taken what I would thinking I saw a Paradise Thus I continued till I awaked when I wondered where I was and could scarce think I was alive not knowing so much and he found his heart filled with gladnesse and hee said he fain would have come to the Pastors house but neighbours restrained him But now being night the Church-Society must disperse wherefore not being satisfied with such extraordinary things as he spake of he was held off Communion for a time being necessary that the Church should see a visible change in him by whom were such visible offences given I shall not tye this story to your Faith any further then as hee related it himself to the Society it is indeed wonderfull by God's wayes are wondrous these dayes This man cannot read a letter However the result of all this made much for the Churches good and to the strengthening and establishing of others and to the searching and examining of all which we looked upon as a speciall note of Gods approbation of us and love to us who are from the rootes of the heart given up freely and sincerely to be his servants And I shall only adde this more thereto that I have taken this story verbatim out of the Church Booke which registers up such eminent passages at Purleigh in Essex I shall tire the Reader with no more experiences These examples are sufficient and some of them are very eminent We are sweetly led by the hand manuducimur to drinke of these Brookes before we passe Some are deep but most shallow and all clear as Crystall streams unlesse at such times when Satan by temptations put in his cloven-foot Those which are the most extraordinary of them are uttered in Dream Trance Voice or Vision and Vision is taken two wayes either first actually by the senses of the body and so in some visible bodily shape or else 2. potentially thus that although the soul ut forma is joined to the body yet ut materia above the body And yet it uses not any bodily senses for such a service but sequesters all externals and the outward senses are as 't were dead or asleep not at all intervening to interrupt the soule but when the soule is soared up in any high exigency or excellency to see great things or is intent upon any rich discoveries as by Visions Revelations or the like all the bodily senses lye as 't were in a trance and all exterior motions are quieted and quash'd and flesh is silent whilest the Lord appeares out of his holy habitation Zach. 2. ult and some such speciall and spirirituall fruits I have presented the Saints with from secundum naturam to supra naturam whilest some of them were as in an Externination to selfe transported from darknesse into his most marvailous light by some extraordinary medium and prevalent inspirations and visions or the like which were taken up and arrested by the intellectuall and cognoscitive faculties of their soules And indeed dear friends the redoubled experiences which my soule hath had of a sweet Father who was found of me sometimes when I gave over seeking him as in some measure lies manifest in my testimony these facilitate my language and felicitate my lines to breath out somewhat for others of those involving rapsodicall visions and Love-discoveries And indeed many matchlesse manifestations I have taken from others in other parts where I have travell'd so alike and akin to these but many more Sun-like and excellent that I cannot omit to tell you that you have heard but stutterings and stammerings to what are to come and have seen but a jelly and imperfect embryon to that degree and measure which the Saints shall shortly meet with which will afford us matter of wordlesse worth and too high too for any language to delineate But in the meane time I have presented these to all precious saints as a fresh posie gathered for that purpose wherein they may have variety of colours and conditions and all sweet and lovely and they may finde in this posie the Rose of Sharon the pure Lilly of the Valleys the sweet Violets of humility Tyme and Winter-savory with a great deale of Hearts-ease all tyed up together with a thread of Scarlet Cant 4.3 But many experiences of inferior glory and lower appearance I have purposely omitted yet I must tell you in these their Dreams voices and cries they were not to be observed in themselves as in the effects the effects of them As for those which are the ordinary ones of them which are call'd home by such means as preaching praying reading writings or such like In and by them if you observe you shall find a Call twofold Legal and
so weâ—e divided into two parts as Independents and Anabaptists God hath promised to unite them under one Head when as circumcision and uncircumcision shall be nothing but a new creature though for a time by reason of our too much Idol-worship God suffered them to divide 1. King 11.33 Yet God hath promised the elect of them shall be all one under one Head i. e. Christ whom they shall appoint choose proclaime cry up with one suffrage he saith not a King for so he shall bee to the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron but a Head so he shall be to the Churches to testifie the firme sweet and inseparable union they have with Christ as a Head to give vitall spirits power nourishment â—ife wisedome influence and all to them as the members i. e. a more admirable usefull happifying excellent union beyond comparison then can be betweene a King and people And then they shall come up out of the Land the Churches shall arise out of that of Babylon which held them captive out of those forms which made them differ and from those Idols that caused their divisions then shal they come out of that Land that they were in bondage in and bee no more intangled with those yokes Gal. 5.1 and all this in the spirit as Zanchy observes on Hosea because great shall bee the day of Jezreel That is seminis Dei of the holy seed the elect of God that is of Christ as Psal. 118.24 the great and glorious day of Christs reigne and great shall be the day of his Churches i. e. the saints thus congregated that have as before is declared suffered affliction for a short time in the valley Jezreâ—l v. 4. wherfore in a word Exhort all the Churches as Hosea 2.1 say to your brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruâ—hamah say one to another Ammi my people The Lord saith Ye are my people the people that all these things concern and this great day wil come upon O preach this doctrine and say to them Yee are my brethren and sisters O that we would begin this to stir up one another and to provoke one another to love and good workes Heb. 10.24.25 and so much the more the nigher this day is yea to call abroad to such of Israel and Judah that are not yet gathered with you under this one Head that they may make haste to come up out of the land wherein they are captive to the King of Babylon the Beast saying to them without there is mercy and they may be received for though by nature they are Lo-ruchamah and aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel without grace without God without mercy or love yet by grace they are Ruâ—hamah i. e. a people that have found mercy and hope and may be received as we for his bowels are not shut but means are offered Secondly the Prophesies and promises premonstrate the most precious matter which the Church shall be made up of in these last ages as jewels Mal. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his peculium or pick'd out ones in that day So Esa. 54 11 12. Behold I will lay thy stones with Saphires and fair colours upon Christ as the Foundation of his Church which is already laid and from this very day of the laying Christ to be our Foundation God stands engaged to bless us Haggai 2.18 19. From this day will I bless you saith the Lord your Churches shall be blessed upon this foundation shall be laid up the most excellent stones living stones yea the liveliest 1 Pet. 2.5 having the fairest appearance and the fullest vertue and efficacy The Jaspers viz. are those that are heav'nly minded meant by the excellentest Skie-colour'd ones that are those whose conversations are in heaven and contemplations about heaven The windows viz. those that give light or rather through whom light as they receive from the Sun comes to others are to be of Agates or rather as some read it of Chrystals excelling all in purity and sanctity having of that pure river cleare as Chrystal in Rev. 22.1 yea and the gates by whom they enter into the Churches are to be as Carbuncles Trem. saith red stones Carbuncles being of a red colour like fire the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies fiery burning as well as red and seems to carry out the excellency of those that do receive others as gates to let in into the Church viz. being full of the Word and Spirit like fire in the bones by the searching Doctrine of the Word they make trial of those that would enter Rev. 2.2 as fire purges and tries and proves so do they being most excellent in divine and spiritual knowledge yea all the borders of precious pleasant stones all this showes the excellency of the Church for matter which is fore-told by this Prophet especially relating to these latter dayes all the stones of which this building consists even from the Foundation to the topstone yea and to the very borders are to be of the most precious stones the precious from the vile Ier. 15. not good and bad together or precious and common together as have been hitherto but all of precious stones at least so in appearance as Chrystals Agates Saphires Carbuncles and such like holy and excellent Saints shining severall wayes for singular uses with gifts and graces and what is spoken before figuratively follows plainly They shall be all taught of God i. e. by the Vnction from on high 1 Jo. 2.20.27 and built up in righteousnesse i. e. in grace spirit power c. Such transcendent matter to make up the Church in the latter daies lies evident for an undeniable truth in Rev. 21.17 18.19.20 and the foundations of the wall of this City were garnished with all manner of precious stones c. but that this is spoken of the Church here appears in Rev. 21.2 call'd New Jerusalem comming down to dwell amongst men not that Jerusalem above Gal. 4.26 as Paul speaks of it but the Tabernacles i. e. every particular Church of God with men to whom the Lords presence is sweetly promised v. 3. and all former afflictions and persecutions are to be removed v. 4 and times of restitution for new things to be restored v. 5. Now let the Churches that live in the dayes when the seven Vials full of the seven last plagues are to be powr'd out know that the particular description of their glory and excellency is obvious and view-able for though before till those days they wil be but as poore tabernacles with men yet then they in unity as before shall be the Great City having the glory of God v. 10.11 and light like a stone most precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Luminosum Corpus lumen ex se diffundens i. e. the presence of God most gloriously in her viz. such a presence and such a light shall the Churches
properties of the Precious stones and certainly Zion will be a beautifull scituation and the joy of the whole Earth And who will not in those dayes desire to have a right in them and highly prize them that are members of the Churches which make up this great and holy City the Jerusalem as Precious stones though now they are contemned and cursed by many and thought fit for the most furious and spurious foote of disdaine to trample upon Oh alas be they poore to look upon plaine simple in appearance many of them yet their worth is not known to men as yet but dogs do rent them and swine would trample them into the mire But then when the seven Vials are poured out they shall be no more reviled or vilipended there shall be no more death or sorrow or trouble or paine upon the Churches but they of a little one shall become a thousand and as Isay 60.5.6 and Isay 49.18.19 their destroyers and those that made them wast must be gone packing v. 7. and then saith the Lord lift up your eyes round about and behold all these gather themselves together and come to thee to be joyn'd and he sayes they shall be ornaments to the Church and all her waste desolate places shall be re-edified and yet too little to hold such a company of Zion-Citizens and Inhabitants insomuch as the Church shall say the place is too strait give me roome make way yee Kings Nobles Nations I must have more and more roome every year till this now very little stone grow greater and greater till it fill the whole earth looke for this hastily and be assured the Jewes will be admirable ornaments and excellent Church matter by 1666. and many before but of all the Tribes the Church must have matter as appears by the twelve stones which had the names of the twelve Tribes engraven though some apply them particularly one by one to the twelve Apostles Oh! that in the mean time every Church and every member would make one or other of these Precious stones and let them but study by the properties and excellencies of ev'ry stone how far the following Ages will exceed ours and Saints exceed us and Churches exceed ours who shall be more and more to be accounted of for their inward excellencies spirituall and divine vertues with varieties of them then they shall be for their outward appearances or professions or formes c. But thus for the matter fore-told which I chose to demonstrate from the signification of these Precious stones that I might not labour in vaine Thirdly The Prophecyes and Promises to be made good in the latter dayes are very full for the forme of the Church which we have sufficiently proved in many Chapters before and which appears Ezek. 37.19.21.22 Zeph. 3.9 so in Hosea 1.13 Isaiah 35.8.9 2 Cor. 6.17.18 and in a word all Churches shall admit her mâ—mbers one way therefore all the Gates through which men enter into this City are Pearles all the Gates of one Pearle i. e. Christ the Pearle of price in and by whom alone shall be entrance into all Churches and Pallaces of Sion Rev. 21.21 and no other way Act. 4.12 but something to this afterwards only this know that his fanne is in his hand now Mat. 3.12 to make separation betweene Wheat and Chaffe Saints and Hypocrites to the purpose ere long Fourthly the finall cause of the Church is also promised in the latter dayes at large what this finall cause is we have showne in 1 lib. which some make two-fold so Zanch. lib. 4. cap. 10. S. 39. 1. the glory of Christ to be thereby known as Jo. 17.10 I am glorified in them saith Christ now this is foretold Mat. 16.26 Act. 3.13 with 21. Mat. 24.30 Rev. 5.12 thou art worthy of all glory 2. the latitude of Gods love even to East West North and South as before Jer. 31.3 to gather the Elect from all corners of the Earth Mat. 24.31 Oh how this doth commend his love Rev. 5.8 Ezek. 16.6 Hosea 14.4 Rev. 1.5 Jer. 31.3 But in a word the general end promised and prophesied in the latter days is to set forth his glory and praise as Ephes. 2.21 so is it in Isay 65.17 as if he should say saies Brightman I will make to me a new people in whose Assemblies I will be praised and glorified so is it in Ier. 31.7 Rev. 21.11 Isay 66.18 to Isay 49.3 in whom in whose Churches of Israel I will be glorified Isay 43. 21. so 1 Pet. 1.7 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 15.2.3 this is especially a worke that will lye upon the latter dayes let the Churches look after it But the finall cause with reference to us is that God may dwell with us 2 cor 6.16 Rev. 21.3 let the Churches make these their end Fifthly the Vnity and Order of the Churches is prophesied and promised two to be excellent and spirituall in the latter dayes Jer. 24.7 Isay 54.13 Isay 56.6.7.8 Isay 60.21 worshipping him in spirit and in truth Jo. 4.23.24.25 Eph. 2.19.22 and 1 Pet. 2.5 then shall there be gold for brasse silver for iron brasse for wood c. Isay 60.17 spirit for forme truth for tradition life for letter power for appearance both in unity and order 1 cor 13.9 and that which is more perfect shall do away that which is more imperfect but I have spoke to this also at large before I shall conclude with Christs prayer John 17.21.22 which as appears in v. 20. does include us in these dayes as much concerned that the Saints and Churches may all be one as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father that is spiritually and in power mystery and in truth And for that end sayes Christ the glory which thou hast given me I have given them those Saints Churches that I pray for what glory is that see v. 5. i. e. with thine own selfe not with the worlds earthly pomp jollities or terrene enjoyments but with thine owne presence and divine being this glory saith Christ that thou hast given me I have given them that is of this divine phesence power grace and being communicated to them by the holy spirit why so that they may be one there is unity and order meant spiritually as we are one one with us one one with another by one and the same spirit this will be especially in these latter dayes because Sixthly the Promises and Prophesies are very pregnant and big-belly'd for the breaking out of his spirit upon his Saints and Churches in these latter dayes Ioel 2. so Isay 59.20 the Redeemer shall come to Zion and then v. 21. my spirit shall be upon thee and my words which I put in thy mouth shall never depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever
Isay 11.9 Hâ—bak 2.14 Zach. 12.18 Thus if we seriously perpend and weigh with the word of God these six Heads it will lye obvious to our understanding that the Church of Christ restored into Gospel-Primitive purity is the great promise of these later dayes as appears also in severall Prophesies wherein the Lord hath promised the repaire of Sion and to build up the desolate and waste places and Ierusalem that is broken down and such like Scriptures Ps. 102.15.16 that concern us in these latter dayes so is it in Ier. 31.4 I will build thee up again O Virgin of Israel ye that are holy and pure sanctified in Christ Iesus this Promise is made to you so in Ier. 33.7 I will build them as at first saith the Lord in order to this work is all the noise in the world for all the obstructions must be removed and the old must passe away as in the 2 Pet. 3.10 with a great noise see in Zach. 4.6.7 where the Prophesie which is for our dayes and from hence forward promises the removall of all lets to this work of the Lord though they be mountains that hinder yet he 'le make them all plains And also the Lord promises the progresse of his House and Temple viz. in these later dayes which he hath put into the hands of Christ the typified Zerubbabel v. 9. who hath already even in our dayes layd the foundation of it untill he hath finished it So that in order to this Church-worke and building up of Sion it will easily appeare that Gods designe in these latter daies is to throw downe mountains viz. the mightiest powers Princes Armies Monarchies or Kingdomes that oppose the Kingdome of Christ and hinder this work of the Lord in Zerubbabel's hands Job 9.45 Job 28.9 Isay 10.32.33 Isay 14 4.5.9.10 41.15.16 24.19.21.23 Hag. 2.6.7.21.22.23 he will throw them all into the dust that dare to appeare against Sion or the King of Sion Psal. 2.9 wo be to all the Powers Princes Nations on the Earth that take part with the Dragon or the Beast or Turk or Pope Rev. 19.19 God will make all these mounts be they never so great plaines by scattring them as dust Isay 41.16 Dan. 2.35 scourging them Isay 10.24.25.26 with furious blows Ezek. 25.16.17 by stilling them Exod. 15.16 Isay 11.6 Ps. 8.2 by ruining them Jer. 49.38 51.20 to the 27. Hag. 2.22 or else by converting of them Psal. 102.13.15 Isay 49.11.12 60.3.4 Rev. 21.24 O then let us not be afraid Luke 21.25.27.28 but lift up our heads for our day is nigh Psal. 46.2.3.4 but let all that would have Zion repaired rejoyce that the Mountains God is making Plaines the great work then of his Church is hard by for the head-stone i. e. the first Plantation stone according to the Primitive patterne and practise which Christ himselfe and after him his Apostles brought forth is already in some measure blessed be the Lord brought forth with shoutings crying grace grace unto it wherefore let us blesse God for that voyce of Rev. 19.17.18 which we have heard in our Land and thinke it not strange the world is an uproare for all this must be to make for Zion to make for the Gospel-order in Church-state before the Apostolicall primitive Church and order can be restored which is now hard by us and then the Churches shall flourish and rejoyce Isay 35.10 Joel 3.16.17 and remaine Heb. 12.27.28 Zach. 14.11 and their name shal be the Lord is there wherefore read in the Book of God when all this shal be Isay 34.16 The next part of this Consid. is that the glory of the Gospel Church is promised by many excellent Types ful Figures as the wise know the Old Test. testifies and not only the glory of Christs Church but the shame confusion and downfal or Antichrists Church in these latter dayes is by Types layd before us I might instance for the fall of false Churches under the Type of Aegypt Ezek. 31.18 Rev. 11.8 that kept Gods people in bondage and therefore must be plagued again and again Isay 10.26 after the manner of Aegypt and of Sodom too Rev. 11.8 whence the Lot's are calâ—'d out even into a little Zoar or handfull at first that they may be burnt up with brimstone Rev. 19.20 in the furious anger of the Lord Psal. 83.11.14 Isay 34.2.3 for their spirituall Whoredomes and Adulteries So also of Babylon whence all that can heare are called in our dayes for the voyce is now Rev. 18.4 to make haste out for Judgements are comming upon her the mother of Harlots Rev. 17.5 yea of a sudden in one houre Rev. 18.8.9.10 within these three years the smoake of her burning will begin to appeare and smell in the nostrils of the Churches and soon after Anno 1655. All that see it shall stand as far from her as they can for feare of her torments Rev. 18.10 though thousands that see it not will fall into it and feele it to their cost yet all the Saints Apostles Churches Prophets shall rejoyce for that Babylon shall be throwne downe with a mighty violence never to rise more Rev. 18.20.21 but to speak no more to this in a word he shall come to his end and none shall help him Dan. 11.45 and that this his ruine is nigh appears in the 44. verse because the tidings which he heares does already trouble him as the Expositors upon this place have foretold it to be fatally ominous and to foretell his eminent fall 1. For the signs are the falling away from him which will be more apparent within these three yeares as the Iewes did from Antiochus Epiphanes a picture of the Pope 2. His feare at the tydings of rumours abroad Dan. 11.44 the Iesuits Cardinals Pope yea Rome it selfe trembles to heare of England and at the troubles that are arising in all Europe 3. His passionate desire to do mischiefe and to Romanize as of old were he able all these fore-run his ruine as Polanus Brightman with many others noted now they tremble already as Antiochus the Type did a little before his end which End was with the plagues and judgements of God and after which neither he nor his Kingdome nor any of his posterity and temper did ever more rise but were extinct for ever and so will it be with the Pope Rome and all that take part with the beast Rev. 19.20 But to the Types that foretell the glory of Christs Church whieh are many and of long standing I might instance in the hill of Sion in Davids Tabernacles as they were Gods habitacles which were to be made after Gods appointment Exod. 25.9 and all that was brought to make them was to be Free-gift v. 2. and there was to be the Mercy-seat Arke and Testimony v. 21. and the Table with Shew-bread v. 30. none were to become there
that were uncleane lest they defiled the Tabernacle but if they did they were to be cast out Numb 19.13 and the Tabernacle and all therein was annoynted Lev. 8. and all loop'd and tach'd together that break one break all and the Lords presence was in one Tabernacle as well as in the other 1 Chron. 17.5 and Feasts of Tabernacles were kept Deut. 16.13 and the Tabernacle the Lord kept and encamped about and fill'd it with his glory Exodus 40.34 now that these Tabernacles doe by Types foretell the felicity of Christs Churches i. e. the particular Churches in these last days wil easily appeare Rev. 21.3 the Tabernacle of God is with us and Ps. 43.3 O let thy light lead me thy truth bring me into thy holy hill and to thy Tabernacles so Psal. 46.4 there is a River and there be streames which make glad the Tabernacles of the most high i. e. the particular Churches so sayes Doctor Sibs on Psa. 84.1 O how amiable are thy Tabernacles These in these latter dayes are to be built according to the primitive pattern all that are taken in are to be Free-will Offrings too in the day of his power Psa. 110.3 In these Churches are the Seat of mercy to be found in especiall manner and the Ark viz. Christ out of whom no salvation and the Testimony within the Ark i. e. the secret of his Tabernacle Psal. 275. viz. the spirit which is the witnesse so the Tabernacle of witnesse is the Tabernacle of the spirit Exod. 31 21. Numb 17.7.8 and there are the speciall Ordinances in order fixed and left there is the Lords Table and breaking of bread and prayers especially and orderly in the Churches Act. 2.42 not out of them None that are wicked dead in sin unclean Carkasses or defiled persons are to enter in Psal. 15.1 and to abide there but to be kept out and cast out 1 Cor. 5.4 These Churches of Saints and all in them must receive the annoynting 1 John 2.20.27 in a large measure ere long and all be link'd together in love and loop'd in one so as that to hurt one will be to hurt all c. The presence of the most high must be in one Church as well as in another to preserve them all to protect them all to fill all with his glory Rev. 21.11 and to feed all with fat things Corne and Wine and Oyle the feast of Tabernacles Isay 25. Zach. 14.16 Skenopegia of which the world shall not so much as taste of Isay 65.13 this is promised by the Type and much more I might mention Jerusalem the holy City set as a Type Rev. 21. as it stood high upon hills was the vision of peace and safety the habitation of Kings the place of the Temple and worship of God the City Compact and the glory of the Earth So wil the Church which the congregational ones make up as membra causalia be upon the top of all mountains above all in these latter dayes Isay 2.2.3 and be the only place of sweet Peace and sure safety for poore soules for Salvation shall be Walls and Bulworkes and Zach. 2.5 they shall not feare the Judgements that will be round about them So shall the Churches be the Pallaces of Christ the habitations of the King of Sion Psal. 48.3 Joel 3.17 in them the Lord will be worshipped above all and he will be there a Temple and Light himselfe Rev. 21.22.23 and they shall be all united as a City Compact and be the glory and praise of the whole Earth Isay 62.7 60.18 Zeph. 3.19.20 I might also instance in the Temple of Solomon as a Type of the Church universall not particular for I have handled that before but universall in three things 1. In the holy of holies 2. The holy place 3. The Porch 1. The holy of holies as a Figure of the triumphant part of the Church The 2. a Figure of the militant part of the Church as it is visible here consisting of such as are indeed holy and sanctified in Christ Jesus And 3. the Porch which as yet I account no part of the holy Temple for all to enter viz. mixt Congregations where all may heare till they be called into the holy place This Porch hath mixt company in it good and bad Saints and Hypocrites till they come to be call'd into the holy house and then they are separated In our dayes we are but in Tabernacles as we sayd before but the Temple is a building Solomons dayes are comming in the meane time matter must befetch'd from far as we shew in the Precious stones before as Solomon sent far about to find matter in all Countries for this building And at the last all our Tabernacles or particular Congregationall Churches shall be turned into this one Temple there shall be no more particular Churches as now but all shall be one Temple to the Lord all all Saints Churches past present and to come Jews and Gentiles gathered from farre East West North and South all shall make one Sheep-fold But before I conclude I shall bring in one Type more for all that is a fulfilling in our dayes and so will untill our compleat restauration and it is of Eden or Paradise and that it is a Type will appeare Isay 51.3 so Ezek. 31.16.18 Ezek. 36.35 â—6 he will make her like Eden So it appeares in Rev. 21. and 22.1.2 where there is also the Promise of the clear Rivers and the Tree of life againe So the Lord hath promised to make his Church a Paradise that is in Hebr. Pardâ—se an Orchard or Garden full of trees of Righteousnesse Cant. 4.12.13 Eccles. 2.5 a water'd Garden as Isay 58.11 c. See to this in Ch. 3. of 1. lib. the promise is too to make her an Eden Gr. of Hedone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasure where the Saints shall be fill'd with joyes Isay 35. ult c. But let us heare in what particulars the Type tells us of the spirituall happinesse and glory of Christ and his Churches in these latter dayes See Gen. 2 8.9.10 to 18. first from the Description of the Garden it selfe 2 Of Man plac'd therein First the Garden v. 8. is sayd to be of the Lords own planting plantavit aut plantaverat Jehova Elohim hortum aboriente so shall these Churches or Gardens inclosed Cant. 4 12. in these latter dayes wherein you have these five particulars 1. That the Lord himselfe hath provided and prepared this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plantavit implies the excellency of the place above all others which the Lord himselfe by his own hands as it were and with speciall wisdome power and industry had made for in Gen. 1.12 the earth is said to bring forth other fruits herbs trees c. But Paradise the Lord made i. e. to shew how far it excell'd all other places of the Earth so in Gen. 1.27 is
God said to take Councell as it were to create man whilest for other things he said let them be they were so i. e. to shew that Man was the excellency of all his worke and Creation So will God himself plant his Churches as in Isay 5.2 he fenced it and gathered out the stones and planted it c. so Mat. 21 33 he planted the Vineyard hedg'd it about dig'd the Wine-presse built the towre So he pâ—omises in these dayes as Ezek. 36.34 35. the desolate Land shall be tilled and shall become as Eden the Garden of the Lord for know v. 36. it is I the Lord that will build the ruined and plant the desolate I have spoken it and I will do it saith the Lord. All this is to shew the Excellency of his Church in the latter dayes which shall be of his planting above all others of mens plantting when we shall be the Lords own Husbandry 1 cor 3.9 and workmanship in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.10 2. It is not called a House or Pallace but a Garden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hortus which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifies to protect and keep that is a place which the Lord in especiall manner hedges to keep out beasts and such as would hurt it Now this is a latter dayes promise and tends much to the happiness of the Churches thaâ— the Lord will protect them Isay 27.3 Zach. 2.5 Jer. 32.40.41 Ezek. 28.26 Isay 35.8.9 that they shall be for ever in one Joel 3.17.20 and no strangers shal be there so that Mr. Erberies spirit the Ranters spight to the Churches must and live and die in their own breasts 3. The name of this Garden is Paradise so it is in Hebrew so in the septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so sayes Zanchy it is in the Persian language one and the same and in the Germane Luâ—tgarten and in the Latine call'd Paradisum and in severall other languages one and the same viz. a most pleasant place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in voluptate and to me it signifies much that so many languages have one and the same name for surely the latter dayes promise must reach to all Nations and this Paradise shall take in of all languages and tongues Zach. 8.22.23 Many peoples and strong Nations in that day shall seek the Lord in Jerusalem i. e. his Churches and in those dayes it shall come to passe that men out of all languages of the Nations shall take hold of him that is a spirituall Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you so Rev. 7.4 four Angels at the foure corners of the Earth stood there in their Offices whilest another Angell was sent to sealâ— in the sealing day of the spirit some of all the tribes Rev. 21.24 and Nations shall bring their glory to Zion and shall walke in the light thereof or in the light of the Lambe who is the light thereof It is certaine that as the name takes in of all languages so the thing will and Jewes and Gentiles and Hebrews and Grecians Italians and French and Latines and Germanes and all must be brought in to the Church of Christ or this earthly Paradise restor'd in these latter dayes according to Promise Prophesie 4. From the Seat of it the Questionists have been very busie to know wheâ—eabouts in the world this Eden was some say in Mesopotamia a part of Syria others about Babylon vid. Plin. lib. 8. â— 17 others in one part of Syria and others in another others in the upper part of Chaldea others take in Syria Arabia and Mesopotamia others take in Armenia Assyria and all Aegypt others say it was in the torrid Zone under the Aequinoctiall line and others make it to comprehend the whole world but as Paraeus observes these discrepant opinions and perplexable differences arise from the ignorance of the Rivers the Head and Branches of Euphrates so among the Fathers and Schoole-men and Academians with Ministers and many others are there different mindes and judgements of the Seat and place of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21. but what need such Contâ—stations Praestat enim dubitare de occultis quam litigare de incertis but this is certaine that where ever the new River the typified Euphrates runs in Rev. 22.1.2 I meane the spirit of God according to the flowings of these dayes comes a City shall be found whose builder and maker is God there shall be the streets as well as the streams of the New Jerusalem and this spirit will be poured out on all flesh I mean on all Nations and they shall come from far So that it is mens ignorance of this River that is cleare as Chrystall that makes them question where Paradise will be found in the world I say not of the world therefore let none say lo here or lo there but when the spirit is pour'd out they 'le know and understand 5. Eastward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly from before which is here in Text Eastward or from the East ab Oriente and in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is very considerable for Eden was Orientall or Eastern sayes Lactant. lib. 2. Paradise was then a part of the East So is the latter dayes Paradise to be but by the East I intend Christ for where the Sun rises there we say is the East and where it goes down there we say is the West or Occidentall both East West Orientall and Occidentall so call'd from the rising and the setting of the Sun for there is not really a place or point of Earth at the bottome of the Horison or Hemisphere as far as you can see Eastward that is the East no for when you are there you are as farre off as before and so you may goe round the world and never come at it but where the Sun rises I account the East Now the Paradise promis'd viz. the Churches are to be all East-ward Zion-ward Christ-ward yea all ab Oriente from Christ yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in Christ the East from whence the Sun rises the Gospel-light burgeons and breaks out in golden brightnesse and light must go forth as from you the Churches in the sight of others and gild the Ayre all about and shine abroad to the world Thus the Churches in the latter dayes being all from Christ the East all in Christ the East all for Christ the East are the Paradise in the East and are of Christ as the first of all whence the Sun of righteousnesse shall arise and shine to all the World Thus far for the thing in generall now to the speciall Priviledges that appertain to this Paradise which are under these two Heads 1. From the Trees 2. The Rivers First in that Paradise was full of Trees it did signifie the Saints
shall be fruitfull Col. 1.10 Hosea 14.8 So every Saint and Member must eat of the Fruits of all out of all i. e. that grows out of every one yea of the least lowest darkest and most undershadow and meanest Member or Brother of the Church for every one shall bring in of his Fruits and none be hindred and every ones Fruits shall be in due season Ps. 1.2.3 and none before the time Mal. 3.11 but all ripened by the Sun and then every one will be desirous of them Micah 7.1 My soul desired the ripe fruits sayes the Prophet himselfe 8. Man in Paradise was forbidden the Tree of Knowledge v. 17. But of the tree of Knowledge thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye which words are full in Hebr. you shall not eat of it that is not eat out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Lord should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poynt out with his finger the Tree he forbad if thou eatest thereof thou shalt not faile to dye thou shalt surely dye which is in Hebraisme too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moriendo merierie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt dye with dying thou shalt dye the death that is necessarily and unavoydably and most miserably thou shalt know 't is a fearfull thing to sin in Paradise so in Church-Fellowship therefore the command is interdicting and prohibiting the tree of Knowledg So are the Saints Members in the Churches forbid the tree of Knowledge that is humane Wisdom carnal Reason and Policy affectation of Word Gifts habituall Parts of Learning subtile Sophistry and all such forbidden fruits in Paradise so in the Churches Col. 2.8 That none spoyle you through Philosophy Arts and Sciences nor corrupt you with humane Wisdome 1 Cor. 1.20.21 2 Cor. 1.12 which Aegypt and Babylon did and yet do abound in but the Lord hath promised to destroy and bring this Wisdome to nought Isay. 29 14. And that the deafe shall hear and the blind see Isay. 29.18 The things and visions of the booke which the learned can't read in v. 11. Because 't is sealed to him but the spirit of the Lord shall reveale them to Babes And those that see not shall see whilst those that see shall be made blind Therefore let the Saints take heed of that Tree whose Fruits if they live upon them and prefer them for so Man did will be accursed to them Jer. 17.5.6 For cursed is the man that makes flesh his arm whose heart departeth from the Lord for he shall be like the heath in the desart and not see when good commeth This is a Curse indeed as full as the Fig-tree had and this dreadfull Curse is full of wrath for and to them that prefer and feed altogether on humane Parts habitual Gifts Wisdome Learning or the like for by these the Old Man who must fall gets to be enthroned and Christ and Truth justled out of doors not that we deny an use yea and sometimes a great use too that may be made of Parts Learning humane Knowledge habituall Gifts c. For if there were no use at all to be made of them then they were not to be there then this Tree of Knowledge should not have been set in Paradise at all much lesse in the midst of the Garden but this we say that though they may be suffered yea seen heard handled yet they must not be eaten fed on before the Tree of Life to live on or to be nourished by them O no! but feed on the Tree of Life Eate down the Fruits of the spirit the Graces Learning Wisdome of the spirit to live on to be quickned nourished comforted by and to have them consubstantiated into you So that the other fruits are not first to be feed on but to be looked on and to be used as Servants to the Tree of Life and by the bye therefore woe be to them that prefer the tree of knowledge before the tree of life it is that which is here forbid and is accursed with a most dreadfull sentence and doome upon it and they fall fowlest and most irrecoverably that fall by eating the fruits of the tree of knowledge viz. selfe-wisdome and parts c in preferring of these by Sathan's subtill insinuations before the tree of life Let all Churches and Members look to it then For they are under a desperate curse that do so and when they do Julian like Apostatize they are the most hurtfull unholy violent and unexecrable Enemies to Christ and his Gospel 9. The Serpent got even into Paradise it's selfe and presently pitcht upon the tree of knowledge to tempt the Woman and so the man with the fruits of that tree and the Woman seeing 't was to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3.16 Sayes the Text took it c. So Sathan that subtill Serpent creeps into the best Churches at some hole or other and appears in their Congregations as Job 1.6 where God sees him when men can't and so even in Judas in Christs little fellowship he crowded in and so in Jude 4 Gal. 2.4 and when they are at the best and busiâ—st duties he 'l be sure to teÌ„pt them that subtilly with wonderous art and cunning winding himselfe into the heart of one or other to tempt them to forbidden fruits and he usually gets up into the tree of knowledge i. e. by carnall reason humane wisdome c. to do it He oftentimes presents the fairest side of the fairest fruits of this Tree to tempt poor souls with And he sets upon the weakest vessels to seduce them with a supposition of Gifts Parts humane Wisdome Learning and the like that these will make them wise and as Gods c. O sad miserable sad souls that are so deceived by the fair shows of Gifts as to prefer them before graces Wherefore let all Members and Churches be warned hereby For Sathan is got in to tempt some of the weakest of them Therefore sayd Paul to the Church of Corinth 2 Epist. 11.3 I fear least by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety so your mindes should be corrupted by his cunning Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the plain simplicity that is in Christ Wherefore let us all beware and believe graces more then gifts the tree of life is better for food then the tree of knowledge the spirit is better then the flesh and Christ to be preferred before the Creature or creature-parts and appearances And know that none are wise but the Saints the Churches and Saints are able to out-see all the Vniversities of the Earth in altissimis causis rerum Christ is their Wisdome 1 Cor. 1.30 Et dignoscitiva directiva in him they are wise 1 Cor. 4.10 and learned the learned of God are brought up in the Universities of Christ the Schooles of the Prophets indeed excelling all in
Knowledge Phil. 3.8 Jo. 7.3 and learning as the taught of God Isay. 29.11 and Isay. 50.4 John 6 45. Rev. 14 3. Rev. 5.5.6 and excelling all in the truest purest fullest sweetest and profitablest originall tongues and languages Dan. 1.17 Jo. 7.15 Viz. the language of Canaan the tongue of the spirit the purest originall Wherefore let not Sathan deceive us with his fair sides of Gifts and Parts so as to make us eat of them and chuse them before the tree of life And yet God forbid but that we should have gifts and parts and learning and languages in the Churches too for the service of the Church and to be under the spirit so that there is great reason that the tree of Knowledge should stand there though the Serpent do make it his Den and Tree of Temptation 10. It was the sixth day that man was put into Paradise by God and now a day is as a thousand years so that we live in the sixth day since the Creation and now God is restoring Paradise apace and he hath gathered some Churches his Garden is enclosed and he hath caused trees to grow there and the River to run there now it remaines that he by his own spirit do put man in we live in this day wherein he will do it as Ezek 36.33.35.36.37 Jer. 32.37 And I will gather them and I will bring them againe into this place Micah 7.9 He will bring me forth to light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Zach. 8.8 I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and they shall be my People and I will be their God in truth and righteousnesse the Lord undertakes it himselfe by his owne hand to put men into his Churches and to bring in the sons of strangers and the outcasts of Israel Isay 56.6.7.8 and he will plant them Jerem 32.40.41 and bring all the good that he hath promised in his word upon them Jer. 32.42 and cause them to walk by Rivers of waters Jerem 31.9 Ezek. 34.13 c. 11. But to conclude the Type Paradise is the place wherein God did most familiarly appeare and acquaint himselfe to Man and manifest his love and glory Three wayes we read of by which God spake to men by dreams by visions or else face to face and in this manner whereby his Love and wherin his Glory did most appeare viz. face to face did the Lord manifest himselfe in Paradise although his face was seen but as in a Glasse 2 Cor. 3.18 under the similitude of an Angel or some other bodily appearance This signifies the singular appearances and presence of God which the Churches shall enjoy above all the world besides in these last dayes his presence is especially promised to appeare and his Love and Glory to be manifested in the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Such a speciall manifestation as is mentioned in John 14.21 which is promised in these last dayes shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1.2.3 Jo. 2.11 Eph. 3.3.4 so is it in Psal. 102.16 when the Lord shall build up Zion then he shall appeare in his glory So Habak 2.14 Then shall they bee filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. So Zach. 2.5 Rev. 21.11.23 The glory of God shall lighten the New Jerusalem viz. the glorious presence of God in it Then the Saints in the Churches shall have the most familiar presence of God discourses with him discoveries of him walking in the Garden as Cant. 8.13 and Cant. 7.11 So Cant. 6.2 my beloved is gone down into his Garden to the beds of spices particular Churches to feed in the Gardens to gather lillies There is Christ most and best to be found So Cant. 4.16 and 5.1 c. Psal. 63.2 and Psal. 27.4 yea the Angel of his presence shall be there Isay 63.9 and the name of them from that day shall be Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 Thus we have done with these Types that foretell the happy state of Saints in Gospel-fellowship and the Glory of the Churches of Christ in these latter dayes sparkling through many more Types then I have mention'd but these are sufficient for present proofe though every day will bring forth more and more excellent matter of praises and rejoycings whilst the Church comes out of the Wildernesse leaning on her beloved persumed with mirrh and frankinsence and the Saints shal have beauty for ashes and be called trees of righteousnesse the Lords own planting that he might be glorified Isay 61.3 But lastly that the Churches of Christ are to stand apparantly distinct from all others we have already prov'd it Chap. 6. lib. 1. c. besides severall Prophesies and Types we might bring forth but that 't is time to conclude and rest me as Numb 239. Lo they shall not be reckoned among the Nations and Rev. 18.4 Johu 15.19 Hosea 4.15 and 14 8. Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols yea so as an apparent difference shall bee known and own'd betwixt them and others Mal. 3.16.17 Jer. 15.16 for the Lord hath made the difference as from the first s Gen. 1.4 God saw the light was good and therefore divided the light from darknesse to be distinct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by an apparent difference to bee knowne by all and so will he make the Churches of Light distinct from them of darknesse so as it appeares in the Chaldee Paraphrase and tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in the Samaritan tongue that God made a manifest and bounded separation between them And this distinct separation or division of Gods make must stand It is then no new thing to be distinct from Parishes and all false Antichristian Churches wherein there is a mixture 2 Cor. 6.1415 and is not so distinct a separation as is and ought to be in all true Churches from false wayes and worships We find this too typified by Israel separated from all others Numb 16.9 and they were not to joyn in Religion and worship with the other Nations 1 King 11.3 Joshua 2.3 Exod 23.16 Deut. 10.8 and 32.8 but separated from the mixed multitude Nehem. 13.3 Ezra 10.16 yea in Deut. 23.1 2.3 c. you will read who might and who might not enter into the Church which much concerns us now v. 1. not such as cannot retaine the seed of the word as it is in Heb. Shophcah which sheds and loses that precious seed how can they beget others to the faith that lose the seed such are not to be received into the Congregation of the Lord O precious promises which will produce and procreate a most excellent distinction in the latter dayes when the Lord shall adde to his Churches such as have a fulnesse of his seed 1 Pet. 1.23 1 Io. 3.9 remaining in them and then as v. 2.
Bastards shal not be receiv'd i. e. Hebr. Mamzer one that is of an Whore viz. the Whore in Rev. 17.5 the fruit of uncleannesse Too too many of them it is to be feared enter in as yet that have relation to the Whore and that don't heartily hate her and all her trumperies and toyes but then it shall be that none but those that hate the Whore and that shall labour to lay her open to all the World and burn her with fire Rev. 17. And such as shall be glad of the day wherein they may dash her little ones against the stones Psal 137.8.9 and may serve Babylon as she hath served Sion that shall enter indeed in that day and not the bastards that are born of the Whore But such as have gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and his marks and over the number of his name Rev. 15.2 Then will be the great and apparent distinction indeed Yea then v. 3. The Ammonite and Moabite must not enter in c. yet the Edomites shall v 7. being turned Proselites and received into the faith by Idumea or Edom I would understand the red people as the Word signifies and as it relates to the latter dayes I do believe it may take in the bloody Jewes who have so â—ong lay under the guilt who will e're the third generation enter apace into the Churches in the mean time Remember O Lord these children of Edom the Jewes in the day of Jerusalem the gathered Churches in the day of Jezreel who sayd and so they shal say as zealously as any of Babylon rase it rase it even the foundation thereof O Daughters of Babylon who ought to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Psal. 137.7.8 In that day every eye shall see and every ear shal heare that â—srael is a people distinct from all others and so made by the instinct of the spirit which leads them out of Babylon into Zion and into all truths To conclude all the Prophesies Promises Precepts Practises of Primitive Saints Preachings and Epistles and Acts of the Apostles which is our Directory yea all the Types and Titles of the Church as Mount Zion Jerusalem Temple Tabernacle spirituall house peculiar people royal Priesthood City Spouse Vineyard Paradise and Garden of the Lord and golden Candlesticks and Kingdome of Heaven and all other titles that belong to her do call aloud in our ears to come in unto her and out of false adulterine wayes of worship Wherefore Hosea 2.1.2.3.4 Say to the brethren come my people and to the Sisters we will joyn with you arise sing for there is mercy offered us Wherefore let us all plead Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife neither â—â—n I her husband saith the Lord Wherefore let her put away her whoredomes out of her face and her adulteries out of her brest Plead strive against her Litigate Et rixamini Zanc. in loc viz. your mother the Nationall Church so called and her children v. 4. viz. parochiall Synagogues which are full of whoredomes and adulteries and are not the Lords Churches or his Spouse but Adulteresses and as Churches the Daughters of the Whore the Quean the soul strumpet who shall be burnt up Therefore awake O ye people of England Ireland and Scotland and plead and expostulate in good earnest with them For their Whoredomes are in their faces and their adulteries in their breasts in their face that is their externall worship and ordinances and discipline And in their breasts that is in their hearts For Parish-Church Members are ful of whoredoms uncleaness idolatry superstitions and adulteries in their hearts They love the Whore in their hearts Yea furthermore most impudently and imprudently like the most brazen faced Whores they will commit sin incest adultery in open sight and without blushing for shame call for their Lovers in the open congregations and will have their Sacraments their Services their Idols and wil-worship in their Synagogues yea and they have their Priests too to preach up and paint out their idolatry as Whores are painted to give them the Sacraments in their sins O sad dayes I like Sodomes but the Lord will judge her I remember Mr. Cawdrey in 's storehouse and similles sayes to this that his high felony as 't is for a subject to counterfeit his Kings Letters or Seales so for men to make new Lawes and Orders and not to take Christ's but to alter the word to counterfeit the Sacraments and most impudently with the Whores forehead to maintain traditions Customes though of long standing which are not Christ's but Anti-Christ's and to administer the Sacrament and Seales otherwise then the Lord hath appointed and then Christ hath instituted in his Gospel yea and to aggravate their wickednesse too to do it in the Kings Christs name too and to pretend his Commission which they have counterfeited and invented is horrible felony and high treason and renders such as so receive them from their Ministers an Harlot of Anti-Christ What can the Parish Ministers and Presbyterians then say for themselvs or any that receive from them Seeing it is Felony Treason and Harlotry Her Whoredomes and adulteries are so open as makes a modest man to blush and detest her whilst other lewd ones and her Lovers that seem yet to carry a fair face do defend and professe her to be honest and honorable Aye 't is for their credit so to doâ— who trade with her as long as they can keep it which will not be long now For the Lord sayes v. 3. Let her put away thâ—se her stinking whoredomes lest I strip her naked and set her 〈◊〉 in the day that she was born c. The Lord hath promised to strip these strumpit-Churches and Temples of Dagon The whore and her children the Daughters of Babylon viz. Nationall and Parish-Churches as naked as they were the first day they were born they shall be as poore and miserable as ever they were yea as in the time of their nativity how is that Why thus First They shall be quite stripp'd of cloaths for covering and ornaments and not have so much as men of gifts i. e. Learning that is graced or abilities of the spirit that shall plead for them but all against them even those that are as yet the Whores Lovers and commit adultery with her they shall loath her when they see her lâ—wdnesse and nakednesse so that she shall be stripp'd of all and bee as naked as ever she was borne 2. When these Parishes and Sinagogues and false Churches were borne as they were naked so they were besmear'd in bloud begun in bloud and born in bloud so the Lord will shew their abominable filthinesse in the very eyes and sight of all her Lovers v. 10. and lay her crimes and iniquities and contamination
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Kelsals Experience second Experience 6 2 King and King alone Christ 19 20 21 22 23 Epist. King in his Beauty most in
c. 6 l. 2 Samaritans brought in by the Experience of a woman declared p. 367 368 c. 6 l. 2 Sandy foundations will faile many Churches that are built on them p. 190 c. 14 l. 1 Sanctuary of the Lord filled with Volunteers p. 125 c. 11 l. 1 Saphires precious stones who they be p. 513 c. 9 l. 2 Sardiuss's precious stones who p. 516 c. 9 l. 2 Sardonix's precious stones who p. 515 c. 9 l. 2 Sathan renews Temptations every foot p. 432 c. 6 l. 1 Sathans synâ—gogues in Parish Churches p. 79 c. 6 l. 1 Saving sanctifying graces fit us for Church-fellowship p. 59 c. 5 l. 1 Saul is slaine Davids dayes entred and Solomons entring very speedily 26 Epist. Scandal upon Churches and Saints whence vid. Epist to Churches and p. 321 c. 5 l. 2 Scandal to Christ Saints and Gospel to put any by for their bare opinions in things indifferent p. 321 322 c. 5 l. 2 Scandal of this age and of the Gospel is so many Hypocrites in Chuâ—ches p. 68 c. 5 l. 1 Scripture-comforts are sure and will last p. 309 c. 6 l. 2 Scriptuâ—es how Presbyterianâ— Papists agree in them p. 461 402 c. 9 l. 2 Seal of the Spirit what it is p. 266 c. 2 l. 2 Sealing of the Spirit how p. 372 373 c. 6 l. 2 Secular powers in matters of faith are tyranny and persecution p. 160 c. 13 l. 1 Seed time a sad-time before Harvest p. 365 c. 6 l. 2 Seekers sins p. 194 c. 14 l. 2 Selfe-examination of all that comes into Church-fellowship p. 240 c. 1 l. 2 Selfe-murther the Author sayed from p. 429 435 c. 6 l. 2 Separation from them without Christ calls for p. 45 c. 4 l. 1 Separation a part of Church-form p. 70 c. 6 l. 1 Separation what it is p. 75 76 c. 6 l. 1 Separates from Parish-Churches no Schismaticks but who are so and who are not p. 77 78 c. 6 l. 1 Sense makes us look and live so low as not to see things that are comming p. 47 c. 4 l. 1 Sequestration of Ministers of Christ cannot be from their preaching by any man p. 180 c. 13 l. 1 Sermons how to bee remembred p. 421 c. 6 l. 2 Serpent tempts with the tree of knowledge p. 545 c. 9 l. 2 Servants of Christ the Master-builder who p. 141 c. 13 l. 1 Servants of the Churche officers p. 288 c. 4 l. 2 Servants of God differ in opinions and yet the Lords p. 317 c. 5 l. 2 Set forme in Churches must not be p. 272 c. 3 l. 2 Shield to Saints who are to be 27 Ep. Shadow what it is and what are so p. 338 c. 5 l. 2 Sin in things indifferent p. 324 c. 5 l. 2 Sisters as well as Brethren have their Right as Church-members to vote c. p. 463 464 c. 8 l. 2 Sisters joyned in choosing an Apostle p. 466 c. 8 l. 2 Sixth day now man put into Paradise p. 446 c. 9 l. 2 Sodome a type of Antichrist p. 525 c. 9 l. 2 Slanders the Author suffers 43 Epist. Sleeping at Church how to avoid it p. 521 c. 6 l. 2 Solemne Order must accompany solemne Ordinances p. 280 c. 3 l. 2 Solemnity of Embodying is in publick p. 281 c. 3 l. 2 Soules flashed for sin exalted in Christ p. 381 c. 6 l. 2 Souldiers of Christ are best in the Churches p. 90 c. 7 l. 1 J. Spilmans Experience 4 Expe. 6 2 Speech of Christ what p. 98 c. 8 l. 1 Spirit and Truth inwardly and outwardly God to bee worshipped in p. 1 c. 1 l. 1 Spirit least when Form most p. 33 c. 3 l. 1 Spirit calls to come away p. 40 c. 3 l. 1 Spiritual means against spiritual evils p. 111 c. 8 l. 1 Spirit qualifies us by convincing and making us voluntary p. 126 c. 11 l. 1 Spirit is the Key that opens and none shuts p. 138 c. 13 l. 1 Spirit agreeing with our spirits how p. 373 c. 6 l. 2 Spirit is the sweetest compulsive power p. 129 c. 11 21 Spirited for the worke of the Temple little yet to what will be ere long p. 123 c. 10 l. 1 Spiritual Ahâ—â—iabs none else should goe about to say the true Foundation of the Church p. 192 c. 14 l. 1 Spiritual worshippers in the Churches p. 209 c. 15 l. 1 Spirit and Word are the Lords Arms be draws with p. 253 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit of Christ the interior working Instrument p. 264 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit is Gods strongest and right Arme p. 269 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit how it is knowne and how it convinces p. 264 265 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit how one in all p. 268 c. 2 l. 2 True Spirit how known p. 373 c. 6 l. 2 Spirit carries through thicke and thin p. 266 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit powred out hard by us p. 506 523 c. 9 l. 2 Spirits powring out where it will bee first p. 538 c. 9 l. 2 Spirit is the onely orthodox Expositor p. 463 c. 9 l. 2 Spiritual Covenants are best and binde mâ—st p. 462 c. 7 l. 2 Spiritual Egypt many Churches how and why p. 342 c. 5 l. 2 Spirit-Baptisme a principle of union p. 307 c. 4 l. 2 Spirit-Baptisme by which we enter Christs Body p. 308 c. 4 l. 2 Spouse of Christ faire p. 87 c. 7 l. 1 Spring time is entred for the Churches p. 28 c. 3 l. 1 Sprinkling and washing all one with dipping p. 497 c. 4 l. 2 Strength of Saints embodyed invincible p. 89 90 c. 7 l. 1 Storme which the Author was in 48 Epist. A. Strongs Experience 9 Exp. 6 2 Storms the Churches must meet with yet p. 28 c. 3 l. 1 Subjects to Christ the Lord and Lawgiver p. 143 144 c. 13 l. 1 Substance of all shadows is Christ p. 338 c. 5 l. 2 Sun must rule the day that is coming 528 92 37 Epist. L. Swinfields Experience 396 397 and 4 Exp. 6 2 Sword of Christ that slayes sinne and errors is the word of Christ p. 261 c. 2 l. 2 Sympathy with the least member of Christ the Head p. 149 c. 13 l. 1 Synods ruling unwarrantable 107 8 1 497 9 2 T. Tabernacles i. e. Churches their benefits p. 94 c. 7 l. 1 Tabernacles of David types of Congregational Churches p. 526 c. 9 l. 2 Task masters of Egypt who and where now p. 343 c. 5 l. 2 Teachings are best by best Experiences p. 382 383 c. 6 l. 2 Teeth of the Church who p. 97 c. 8 l. 1 Temples of the Church who p. 98 ib. Temple stones hewn and fitted c. p. 52 c. 5 l. 1 Temple of Solomon a Type of New Jerusalem p. 528 c. 9 l. 2 Temptations are strong and many after Calls p. 416 c. 6 l. 2 Temptations incredible the Author met with 427 428 ib. Temptations are divers ways 433 434 1 Exper. ib. Temptations to deny Ordinances 404 2 Exp. ib. Terminus the Lawyers God 221 Epist. Terror
then before 3. Effectâ— of it Hâ—s resolutiâ—n after it ☜ Called 1. When and where 2. How By the Word 3. Effects of it From Presbytery to Independency Disobedience to parents Went from them into England 1. When and where he was called 2. How 1. By the Word preached 2. By a Letter writ by both which cast low into torments 3. Effects Delivered out Cast in again Delivered out again on better terms Yet in fears till a Dream extraordinary ☜ 4. Effects ☞ Called suddenly 1 When 2 How Cast down deep into hell Raised in an extraordinary vision ☞ Cast down again Condemned to be shot to death Raised up out of wrath again by an ordinary means viz. the Scriptures as the â—urest comfort to him 3 Effects And by prayer his faith Called but he refused ☜ Conscience afflicted Helped by prayer extraordâ—narily by a shining light Called 1 When. 2 How 3 Effects ☞ Prayes for clear perswasion Confirmed by a Dream ☞ Mr. Parker was her Father that able Divine that writ De Eccles. Polit. so largely but she married Master Avery a Commissary in Ireland Called legally 1. When. 2. How 3. Effects Yet under the Law Till called out of Egypt into light by Free-grace Yet in great afflictions Even in Hell Deliverance by ordinary means Effects of it Nothing could trouble her Began to dispair again but soon quieted Called Evangelically Extraordinarily In a trance And confirmed by ordinarie means tâ—e Word In times of wars full of joyes and peace and inward teachings This forgot and doting on outward means altogether and on mens persons A stronger temptation to dâ—ny Ordinances and the use of the means ☜ Tormented at them What was her comfort and her Heaven in this Hell ☜ A high pitch Effects of Christs call a true and strong love 1 Cor. 13.13 ☜ Not caring for self but for God and his people How delivered Extraordinarily by a voice twice ☜ Effects of it Extraordinarily called Her Husband a Captain This Gentlewoman declared to several Church-Members that before the Author came over she had in a dream one night of her troubles a vision of him so plainly that after he was in Dublin the first Serm. he preached she told her friends this was the man that God had declared to her in a vision should comfort her soul. Called Assurance 1. When where 2. How In great troubles and travels of soul. A Dream 3 The effects of it A good example to women ☜ Fully satisfied that she had found Christ. 3. The effects of it To do others good Christ is her all now ☞ A Vision extraoâ—dinary and a voice Confirmed by ordinary means Effects Converted by a Dream of a Black Dog Effects of it A formal righteousnesse ☞ Very precise Trouble in mind Till Dr. Sibs did comfort him Called by the Gospel 1 When. 2 How 3 Effects Called by the word 1 When where 2 How 3 Effects Temptations manifold Sense of hell ☜ Deliverance Resoluâ—ion Called by the love of God 1 When where 2 How 3 Effects ☞ Called by Mr. Owen Effects A voice in her sleep satisfied Called perplexed 1 When wrought upon 2 How by Christ freely offered 3 Effects Temptations ☜ Assurance in Christ. 1 Formal for doings 2 Denying Ordinances and duties Temptations till the word was opened Shee saw other Ranters live wickedly Called in â—gain by the word made a Covenant with the Lord. An ill liver In dangers Even death Called 1 When. 2 How Confirmed 3 Effects Called 1 When. 2 How 3 Effects A legall righteousnesse ☞ Assurance A despiser of Ministers for long preaching ☞ Called 1 When wheâ—e 2 How Confirmed Assurance by Christ. ☜ Effects Called 1 When where 2 How 3. Effects In his naturall condition long Troubled in conscience How releeved Effects ☜ ☜ Confirmed and assured From the ungodly In a carnall state Wrought upon by a good example Yet proud Sinful and scourged by sin in again Strong temptations Delivered and satisfied Called in when he was tempted A great sinner First wrought upon by his wife 1. When where 2. How Confirmed 3. Effect Called by afflictions outward and inward Satisfied Assured Effects Dispaired Recovered by the Word Effects Called 1 When. 2 How 3 Effects Confirmed and assured Captain Rich's wife Called 1 When where 2. How Lived much on formes 3. Effects Confirmed by that ordinance of prophecying Called 1. When. 2. How Confirmed in Dreams 3. Effects 1. When brought in by afflictions 2 How confirmed 3. Effects Rejected the means Called home 1. when where 2. How 3. Effects Called convinced 1. When 2. How troubled Satisfied 3. Effects Assurance Resolution 1. Under the Law Working ☜ 2. Under the Gospel Assurance Under sense of sin By prayer and the voice of God Confirmed in Christ. Effects Called 1. When. 2. How 3. Effects Called 1. when where 2. How Temptations 3. Effects ☞ ☜ ☜ Sim. Fair weather for Ireland God is seen most in our weaknesse Nazianzen Luther Sim. ☞ Sim. Exposition Two things requisite before censure ☞ 1. Call to awaken him by the Word ☜ Scared at the thoughts of Hell Very formal and strict in it Right formality Under great bondage of works 2. Call to awaken by the Word How to keep from sleeping in the Church More formall How to help the memory to bear away Sermons Custome every night 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6. Day 7. Day How to keep Sermons many years ☞ ☞ * Nâ—hemiah Rogers that writ on the Parables 3. Call to awaken by the Word 4. Call to awaken was by a strange Vision A warning to such as take Gods Name in vain ☜ ☞ Formall and Phâ—risaicall duties still ☞ A praevision in a dream at Maiden in Essex Interpreted by Dr. Draiton Came to passe Resting in doings ☞ Despaired 5 Knock awakened by the Word Fearfull afflictions and fears ☜ Temptations The greatest blow ☞ Deep despair strong tempting Despair Miraculously saved from self murther Inward melancholy and despairs A word to the wicked ☞ Restored extraordinarily by a dream Evangelicall Confirmed and seconded by prayer and the Word Rom. 10.3 Tit. 3.7 Rom. 8.4 Isay 53.11 Phil. 3.9 Gal. 2.16 And got into an assurance of salvation and how ☜ Why so many despair of heaven Sim. ☞ Sim. Satans fresh bouts 1 Cor. 1. Greater afflictions ☜ Almost starved at Cambridge Temptations strong The Devill tempts to yeeld to him Is repulsed ☞ The Devill tempts another way ☞ A most strong temptation To murther himself prepared But strangely prevented Much afflâ—cted for his sin and yeelding to Satan Evangelicall ☜ Comforted and confirmed in Dream and Vision extraordinarily ☞ The Dream reiterated The Dream interpreted in the sleep How first called to the Ministry in his sleep ☞ Propheticall ☜ Partly performed of late in Ireland as it is well known But I beleeve not wholly From that time how he grew fit for the Ministry 2. Call to the Ministry His order when he taught Schoole ☞ 3. Call to preach 4. Call
names of dayes months c. Synops. We dissent Fulke Hierom. ☜ 4. They agree 1. That in the Churches God is most to be met with We differ Dr. Willet Proofes ☞ Origen ☞ Origen Witnessed by Martyrs Tindall ☜ 2. Too nigh one another about Churches as dedicated to Saints We differ Euseb. Lib. 4. devit Constant. Lambert ☞ Presbyterians 〈◊〉 truth out of dooâ—s Gospel-propagation by this means Churches how to be dedicated to Saints ☞ 6. Agree against us They alike do take advantages at our râ—nts differences schismes c. Bradford Latimer in epist. ad D. Baynton Hierome Cotton Austin ☞ Sim. Exhortation to unity to all the Churches Expos. Note ☜ How al Churches differing in forms are to be one vide chap. 5. Unity urged 1. Because all one body 2. One Head which is first in ordine Dell. Bullinger 3. Unity can stand well with variety 4. Unity is equality Zanchy 5. Each contented with their place 6. Sympathy 7. By the strings of love which one is drawn by to another 8 Unity is urg'd from the duty of one to another and to the whole Unity urged 1. That one spirits acts all 2. One spirit unites all things under different forms ☞ 3. Acts severally in all and yet but one and the same What breaks the peace of the Church and what not Zanchy Differing in circumstances in Austin's time Buccer For this vide ch 5. lib. 2. at large 3 Vnity urg'd for all that are in one faith ☜ Zanâ—h ☜ 4. Vnity because all alike in hope Zanch. ☜ 5 Because but one Lord 6. One Baptisme idest of the spirit ☞ The Welsh Curate his Rantisme in his Booke so stiled ☞ Sim. Caution to the Churches of that Church-destroying spirits for so they say of themselves 7 Vnity for that all have one God and Father alike of all Above all Through all In all The Churches â—it in unity is a great adâ—antage to Sathan Sim. Vt impâ—ret Dividâ—t is his 〈◊〉 In unity the greatest terrouâ— that can be to Christs enemies Sim. ☞ No feares if we want not in Vnity Sim. ☜ Sim. Three things expected â— an houre of Triall short but shaâ—pe to the Churches ☜ 1 Proph. The Churches more one then ever Sim. ☞ 2. Proph. The spirit poured out upon all Then unity most of all Expos. Sim. ☜ When ☜ 3. Proph. 3. The great dayâ— the Lord the nigher it is the more Churches will be united in every yeare ☜ This Gospel way is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The great promise of these later dayes 1. Christ shal reign over all in these latter dayes ☞ Especially as Head in his Church or Churches Expos. ☜ Christ a King how and to whom And a Head how Zanch. Expos. A word to the Churches ☞ 2. The precious Saints the matter of these latter dayes Expos. Proph. Jaspers who Agates who Tremel Carbuncles who Most precious Stones ☜ Expos. ☜ A word to the Churches When they shall excell ☞ ☜ ☞ 1. Who are Jaspers In what properties they â—xcell 2. Who are Saphiâ—es In what properties they excell ☞ 3. Who are the Chalcedonie's In what pâ—operties they excell Zanch. In what properties they excell Ignatius 4. Who are the Emeralds In what properties they excell ☜ 5. Who are the Sardonyx Ainsw ☜ 6. Who are the Sardius Paraeus In what properties they excell ☞ ☞ 7. Who are Chrysolites In what properties they excell 8. Who are the Berylls In what properties they excell 9. Who are the Topaz In what properties they excell ☞ 10. Who are the Chrysoprasus In what properties they excell 11. Who are the Hyacinths or Jacinths In what properties they excell 12. Who are Amethists In what properties they excell A mystery of the excellency of Church-members in the later daies Precious stones Gathered out of all parts of the world Proph. ☞ Variety in their excellency ☜ When high-priz'd Propâ—◠☜ When Jewes expected to be most precious Church matter ☜ A word to Churches and members ☜ 3. The forme of the Church promised in these last days ☞ How all enter in 4. The end of it largely promised Zanch. Two-fold Brightman ☞ 5. Spiritual unity and order of Churches promised in last daies Expos. Christs prayer 6. The Spirit poured out on the Churches and Saints in a larger measure By six Heads appeare the Gospel-Ordâ—r in Churches is a great promise Expos. The foundation of all this is layd Comfort to us our day is comming ☞ ☜ Et redirâ— in principium 2. The Types promise the fall of false worship and he glorious rising of the true Gospell spirituall worship ☜ Antichrist â—â—yâ—â—fied by Aegypt Expos. ☜ Sodome ☜ Babylon Expos. Pro Antiochus Epiphanes a figure of the Pope ☞ Polanus Brightman ☞ Types of the Churches Palaces of Sion Tabernacles Particular Churches Dr. Sibs ☜ ☜ Jerusalem a Type The Sun Christ must rule the Dâ—y that comes though the Moon hath ruled the Night till now Solomons Temple a type of the whole Church when all Tabernacles shall bee joyn'd ☞ Vid. 5. Zanch. lib. 1. de Hom. creatione v. 15. Pâ—radise and Eden excellent full types of the Church of Christ in these last dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Churches â—ypified The Garden was Gods own plantation The excellency of it beiâ—g his work ☜ 2. His protection of them ☞ 3. The name of them which takes in of all languages Zanch. ☞ ☞ 4. The Seat of them in all the World where the Rivers run Pareus ☜ 5. The East of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas Lactantius ☜ The later days promise in the East whence the Sun shall rise to all the world Jo. 1.1.2 ☜ 2. The members and ordinances typified by trees of Paradise Odinances Church members trees how 1. Rooted 2. of the Lords making 3. The Lord causes them to grow and flourish ☞ ☜ 4. They are to bee the most fruitful of all the Earth ☜ 5. Lovely to the sight Colloquia congregationes gratiam spirent Bernard de Ecc. cap. 412. 6. Excellent to feed upon For all sorts and Senses ☞ ☞ 7. All sorts of trees that the Lord makes fruitfull must grow there 8. The â—râ—e of life in the midst of them Tree of life two wayes ☞ ☜ Diodate The two Sacraments within the Church kept And not to be carried out ☜ ☜ 9. The tree of life and other trees alike ☞ 3. The Spirit and Word typified by Rivers streams 1. From whence the Rivers came aborigine viz. from the East ☜ Two parts of the East 1. Knowne 2. Hidden but only the River runs from it ☜ ☜ 2. For Churches to what end ☞ 3. The River divided into foure heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodate Habes Paradi sum conclusuÌ„ Paradisum e mâ—ssum Beru de Serm. Cant. 35. To take in many Nations ☞ ☞ Where Gods great worke first begins as in the pouring out of the spirit The last discovery of the Type 1. No place for Beasts 2. It is not for meer naturall men For none but whom the Lord addes brings in These Churches must be purged ☜ 3. Of the greatest Use as Universities for others to resort unto and to learn in and to goe from to teach others ☞ Universities of what sort in the latter days 4. Such as are placed in this restored Paradise are under the strictest Lawes of the spirit The Law in love The Churches have their law from the Lord Oâ—hers from the Churches ☜ We have first Life and then Law first a Principle and then a Precept ☜ 5. Those therin are never to be idle but every day dressing and keeping it Zanch. What labours are accursed what not 6 Such as are sinners though in the Church must be cast out ☞ 7. Such as are therein may eat freely yea must of every tree ☜ Ripe fruits 8. Such forbid the Tree of Knowledge before the tree of Life ☞ ☞ Expos. An use of humane Wisdome Learning and knowledge in the Churches But not to be preferred first ☜ ☜ 9. The Serpent got in and tempted by the fruits of the tree of knowledge ☜ He tempts the weakest with Gifts Parts c. Churches beyond Universities Saints are the most and best learned ones ☞ 10. Man put in on the sixth day By the Lords own hand 11. Gods speciall presence there Justin Irenaeus Terâ—ullian Eusebius Ambrose alii in lec 3. The Churches of Christ distinct from all others And shal be so apparently to aâ—l Expos. Not Enemies Who Nor Bastardâ— Who ☜ Nor Ammon nor Moab shal enter in But the Edomits shall or the Jews ☜ Exhort To strive against Nationall and parochiall Churchâ—â— and why Expos. Zanch. A word to England Ireland and Scotland about Naâ—ionâ—ll and Pâ—rochiall Churches The standing impudence of Pâ—râ—sh Church Members ☞ Cawdrey p. 83. Sim. About the Sacraments They are guilty of Treason Felony and Whoredome ☜ ☜ ☜ How the Lord will strip them naked 1. Take away all their Ornaments and leave them naked 2. Show them in their blood and fâ—â—th 3. In their imbecillity 4. With a loud cry ☞ 5. Little 6. In utter darknesse Parish Churches the Children of the Whore shall fall without mercy ☞ Churches and Parishes differ much Flaccus Illiricus vide Bernardus Cant. Beda Serm. 14. Sim. But out of the Churches are great things to be done these latter dayes Sim. ☜ A good caution ☜ ☜ Sim. ☞ A Church is not so intire without Officers and Organs Psal. 48.12.13 The Authours resolve to go the rounds and to make a further and fuller search of Sion Peter
precious promises of Gods love presence and protection in a special mâ—nner more then all the world besides And although particular Churches be distinct and Independent Bodies even as Cities compact Temples Houses c. yet all Churches must walk by the same rule and have counsel and comfort and help from one another when need requires as being all Members of one Body of which Christ is the Head And to conclude I am fully perswaded in my very soul that at the day of judgement when the dead shall arise that I shall arise also and shall rejoyce in Jesus Christ my Saviour and reign with him for ever and sing Hallelujah for all Eternity in the Congregation of the first-born where the Spirits of just men are made perfect And this is my Faith fetched from my vâ—ry heart and presented in the hearing of a heart-searching God and all of you here present Thus after satisfaction is given to the Church of their sound faith I finde no other thing necessary for this fifth Chapter wherein I have been prolix but I hope profitably CHAP. VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chasid Every oâ—e to be ADMITTED gives out some EXPERMENTAL Eviâ—ences of the work of GRACE upon his SOUL for the Church to judge of whereby he or she is convinced that he is regenerate and received of God which is proved and approved by about forty examples of worth IT is said of Christ Mark. 7.24 That he could not be hid neither can grace nor the Spirit of Christ which is known vel per revelationem vel per operationem either First by Revelation as when God reveals it to a poor soule under extraordinary sad temptations and soule-miseries by extraordinary wayes many times in dreams and visions and voices c. all which you shall finde instanced by and by this way to some he takes to comfort them and recover them and to acquaint them as he did Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 that his grace was sufficient for them Or else secondly by the operation of the Spirit per aliqua signa in the wonder-working and changing effects of grace for then thou hatest those lusts that hinder thee of Christ and then thou longest vehemently after Christ and lovest the meanes of grace and livest in the workes of grace and findest a great change in thy judgement will and affections now and canst look up chearfully as to thy Father now being delivered from the bondage of feare and canst come with an humble boldnesse by the Spirit of adoption and say Father I want a new Coat I must have one viz. Christs garment and I must have a new Booke viz. the Book of life c. and thou canst finde a power in thee more then before for to resist sinne and temptation and a readinesse to obey Act. 2.41 and do any thing for God out of fondnes and sincerity of love to him yea thou contemnest worldly things and thinkest them below thee and eatest hidden manna Rev. 2.17 and hast the white stone and the new name which none knows but he that receives the sweetnesse of which thou tastest and canst tell it by experience which is by no others to be known And such kinde of experiences I could produce abundance and intended it but that I am this very week prevented by a little piece tituled Spiritual experiences of sundry Beleevers recommended by Mr. Powel yet how ever I shall instance in some of both these sorts of Experiences in such as are the most remarkable and picked out as they were given in at Dublin by such as were admitted the rather for that I finde not the like of some of them ever put forth for publick advantage and I beleeve they are some of the flowers of the Spring in these dayes But before this we must prove this practise warantable out of the word of God for I would not willingly offer any thing but what is Gods owne and in Gods order Now to a poore soule all such things as are in the soule are made known by experiences experience we say proves principles A mans principles are known and experienced by his actions as we know how the will stands by what it wills Homo pâ—r actus experitur principia intrinseca But to the thing it will appear by the word that the Saints are to hold out their experiences to others yea in the open Congregations and then we shall shew you the reasons and so to the examples to the proofes first by precept and practise by precept as Matth. 8.4 when Christ had cleansed the Leper he bid him â—oe and shew it for a testimony and Matth. 28.7 the Angels bid Mary Magdalen goe quickly and tell the Disciples that Christ whom yee seeke is risen Go tell them it and Verse 10. Christ meeting with the Maries renews the precept Goe tell them my brethren for all that I am risen yet they are my brethren Goe tell them c. for now yee know it and have seen me and can assuredly say that I am risen Joel 1.3 Tell your children and let their children tell your children and their children another generation And this is observed among the Jewes at this day out of Deut. 6.7 and to adde more solemnity to the commemoration of Gods Law and their deliverance from Aegypt c. they write it downe in a peece of Parchment and then rowling it up superscribe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shaddai and fastened it to the wall or the post of the doore the right hand of the entrance and as often as thâ—y goe in and out they touch it and kisse it with great affection and devotion This also lyes commanded Psal. 34.8 Come taste and see that the Lord is good and 1 Thess. 5.11 Comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as alâ—o ye doe This is excellent to edification and consolation to tell what God hath done for thy soul for hereby many receive benefit and may meet with the like and other comforts who have met with the like Besides there be abundance of Scriptures to prove the practise of this as in Psal. 26.6 7. I will tell of all thy wondrous works yea Psal. 66.19 Come and heare sayes he all yee that feare the Lord and I will declare what he hath done for my soule for Verse 19. Verily God hath heard me and hath not turned away his mercy from me So that it is no new thing to tell our experiences in publicke to the whole Church and in the society of Saints I wish it were more in practise for the rich discoveries of grace in Christ and many wonderfull various wayes of Gods working in these dayes in his Saints would thereby be laid open But see further Psal. 18 30. The way of God is perfect sayes David God is a rocke faithfull c. How knowest thou this David O sayes he I have tried it the word of the