hath not left people at their own liberty to worship him how and in what manner they please or as it seemeth good in their own eyes but hath given forth a Rule and order to be observed by his people under the new Testament as be did under the Old which order of Gods worship is best discerned in the practice of the Saints in the Primitive and Apostolical times set forth in the new Testament That men might not prevaricate or alter the form of Gods service hath God himselfe prescribed us a precise form how and in what form or manner we should serve him damning all diversity to this his own order wherewith he is onely pleased and wherewith he is alwayes pleased Levers History of the Defend of the Cath. Faith prescribed them or else they may not expect acceptation with him but rather reproofe from him Ezek. 20.29 40. especially after he hath made known his mâ—nde herein unto us and given us pretious helps for discovery that way according to Acts 17 30. Neither is it sufficient for us to say that much good is done to poore soules by the use of Gods ordinances though not performed in that way God hath appointed For doubtlesse however God is all sufficient to worke good from our evill yet we our selves can have but little credit or coÌ„fort in it seeing we take not Gods way to do his work And if David and other of the servants of God under the Law apprehended wrath from God and occasion of humiliation to themselves for not seeking or serving of him after the due order hee had prescribed them 1 Chron. 15.13 how much more may such expect displeasure from God that now in this cleare Sunshine of the Gospel neglect or refuse to seek and serve him as he hath required them by Iesus Christ but continue to administer the holy things of Gods house whether out of prejudice to the Congregational way or from looking so much to the examples of men like themselves or out of slavish feare what will become of them I know not in a most confused and disorderly way and manner to and amongst drunkards swearers persecuters scoffers and most prophane ignorant people that ought to be driven from not admitted to Church-priviledges never making a separation between the clean and unclean the holy and prophane like those Priests in Ezekiels dayes for which the Lord was so much q Vide the godly and learned Lectures of Mr. W. Greennill on the five first chapters of Ezekiel where he abundantly holds this forth but especially p. 453 454. displeased Ezek. 22.26 Or 3dly that I would have those that enjoy the ordinances of Christ in a right way and order of the Gospel to make a God or Saviour of them to place their happinesse in them and make them the resting place of their hearts or the center into which the lines of their pretious affections should run or ascribe to them any vertue or power of their own to conferre grace for this were to idolize ordinances with the Papists and give them the honour is due to r It 's not our stirring up our graces opening our hearts putting forth our selves to the utmost that will make an Ordinance effectuall without Christ it 's he must doe the deed as Ioh. 15.5 c. Paul may plant but there is no rooting of those plants but by Christ Apollos may water but no growth nor increase but by Christ 1 Cor. 3.6 Id. ut supra p 294. When the hand of the Lord is upon an Ordinance upon a man in that ordinance then there is good gotten and then doth the soule gain 2 Cor. 10.4 our weapons are mighty through God p. 60. Christ alone as if ordinances had died for us and redeemed us from hell and purchased life and salvation at the hands of God for us were now a pleading our cause for us in heaven and making inte cession to the Father in our behalfes had received power to conquer our corruptions ease our burthens supply our wants perfect our graces c. when the contrary is most cleare and evident and therefore as those that cast off the use of ordinances altogether do run into the extream on the left hand so doe those people run into the other extream on the right hand of trusting in ordinances and placing their righteousnesse in the meere observing of them And thus the Lord Iesus Christ our alone pretious Redeemer is to this day as of old crucified between these two Thieves of denying him in his ordinances by a totall renouncing them or dâ—wn-right idolizing them by placing their righteousnesse in them And therefore preâ—ious soules while I am condemning the one my desire is you would not conceive me in the least to plead for or countenance the other But my desire and scope in what is done in the following discourse is to presse them that professe Christ and subjection to his Gospel to keep the Golden Mean and to avoyd both these Rockes of lifting too high or casting down too low the sacred Institutions Ordinances of worship which the Lord Iesus Christ the Head and King of Syon hath appointed his Churches in all ages to make use of And hee who is the great Searcher of hearts and discerner of the reines knowes I have had nothing else in my eye in order to his glory and his peoples welfare but this alone Now for the Work it selfe I could have wisht it in the hands of some of the Lords Worthies that are farre my superiours every way and might possibly have done it more fully and accuratly then I have however seeing it is the Lords pleasure to call me and goe before me in it I cannot but follow him and who knowes what the Strong God may doe by Å¿ Vide Mr. Marshals Sermon on Psalm 8.2 called A two edged Sword out of the mouth of Babes weak means Poore David whose heart was upright with God and sought his glory in what he enterprised did more with a Sling and a Stone in the Name of the Lord against Goliah that defied the Heast of the living God 1 Sam. 17. then Saul with all his valiant warriours possibly could 'T was not Sauls Armour could procure David the Conquest and therefore he throwes it from him and goes to the work of God in Gods way Happy soules that have learn'd that Art and know how to set about the Lords work with the Lords Tooles such may be sure with David to find a prosperous gale to attend them much blessed successe to follow their honest endeavours Wherfore to trouble you no longer dearly beloved but craving your candid Interpretation of and earnest supplication for a blessing on the present work and that in order to the establishing of your own souls and the recovering those that are gone astray from the paths of peace and righteousnesse I leave your pretious souls in the arms of him who never leaveth his even the God of
to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit 6. That none are to pray or perform Duties at any time further then they are moved thereunto by the Spirit 7. That the use of Ordinances is more Legall then Evangelicall and engenders to bondage rather then liberty looking more to a covenant of works then grace the Gospel requiring beleeving not working 8 Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule 9. That there are many places in the new Testament which hodl forth the non-performance of duties and laying aside the use of Ordinances as Heb. 8.11 1 Iohn 2.27 Rev. 21.22 23. 2 Pet. 1. ult These are the grounds upon which people build their leaving and casting off of Ordinances some of them respect those that are meere Atheists and others respect such as pretend to the greatest perfection of holinesse attainable in this life I shall by the help of Christ make answer to them all as they are laid downe in order to the discoverie of the unsoundnesse of them 1. Touching the first of the former grounds upon which people build the casting off the use of the holy Ordinances of Christ and duties of religion it was this That a person may doe well enough c. without the use of them Now in answer to this for the discovery of the unsoundnesse of it I utterly deny it and affirme the contrary that such as cast off the use of Ordinances 1 Cor. 3.22 or live in the neglect of them cannot possibly doe so well nor so comfortably enjoy themselves in the neglect as they might if they did conscionably performe them and my reason for it is this which I conceive is ungainsayable Because whatsoever such doe enjoy in order to their welfare and prosperity here in this world though in the greatest fulnesse they doe not enjoy it with the blessing and favour of God they may enjoy them but not comfortably because not through a promise nor by vertue of having interest in Christ through whom all our enjoyments become blessed to us and without whom all good things become evill and accursed to us Now such cannot possibly enjoy their good things through Christ a promise that neglect prayer c so by consequence not enjoy them nor themselvs comfortably because those mercies that come to us through a promise and by vertue of our interest in Christ they come in the way of Prayer and the use of Ordinances for the same God that hath made a promise to be our God and to make us blessed in the enjoyment of himselfe and his mercies hath also said that he will be sought unto for all those mercies before we shall enjoy them as Ezek 36.37 And when a person is once in Christ his being in Christ doth not take him off from duties but rather puts him upon the diligent performance of them And hence it is that the Spirit of Christ that dwells in beleevers is called a Spirit of prayer and supplication Rom 8.15.26 Gal 4.6 Zech. 12 10. And Christ hath promised beleevers to grant them their desires upon their asking his Father in his name John 14. and 15. and 16. chapters Matth. 7.7 with many other places to the same purpose and hereupon he enjoynes beleevers to watch and pray and ask necessaries daily at the hands of God their Father for the good both of their bodies and soules their temporall and eternall welfare Matth 6.11 12. So that 't is not faith in Christ and a promise that in it selfe simply considered makes us partakers and possessors of the good things of God with comfort but faith exercised and put forth in prayer and use of holy Duties and Ordinances of worship Faith in Christ and the covenant of Grace layes claime to the good things of God yea God himselfe blessed for ever is his Portion but Prayer fetcheth them in to the soule through Jesus Christs mediation And therefore as persons living in the neglect of duties discover themselves to be destitute of the Spirit of Christ and consequently of true faith in Christ so they manifest themselves to have no true right to what they enjoy as men and women in Christ nor to have them in mercy from God or in a capacity to enjoy a holy and sanctified use of them but are under all with the curse of God upon them so that as the wise man saith the very prosperity of such fooles destroyeth them Prov. 1.32 The second ground upon which people build their neglect of duties and casting off ordinances is the Eternall purposes and decrees of God who hath by them appointed how things shall be and there is no altering of them by our fasting praying c. or performing any duties of worship whatsoever Shall wee think say some that the judgement of the Sword Pestilence and Famine that walked up and down the Kingdome as the Executioners of divine Justice in an uncontrollable manner have been in so great and wonderfull measure removed from the prayers and supplications of any or all the Saints in England and not rather from the predeterminate Councell and decrees of God To which I answer That the Decrees of God doe not exclude in the least the use of the means towards the effecting bringing about of them but as God hath determined in his eternall counsels what he will doe for the good of any of his people so he hath also determined that the means shall be used for the obtaining it Yea we finde in Scripture that this is made a certain signe that God hath determined to do us some great good when he stirreth up our hearts to be earnest with him in prayer and the use of other lawfull meanes for the obtaining it as we may see in Daniel 9.2 compared with Jer. 29.10 11 12 13 14. where we finde in these two Scriptures two things to our present purpose 1. That God had purposed the deliverance of his people from their Babylonish captivity after 70. yeares were expired 2. That he purposed also and foretold by Jeremy that neare about the expiration of those 70. yeares a Spirit of Prayer should bee given to them and they should goe and pray unto the Lord for their deliverance and hereupon Daniel is stirred up about the end of those 70. yeares to a more then ordinary seeking to God by fasting and prayer for the accomplishing of his promise as is cleare from Dan. 2.3 and how much is the Lord taken with it verse 20 21 22 23. so that we may from hence easily see that
duties are not so consistent when they can grant that living in God and dicing drinking dancing drabbing c. with divers other abominations that are done of them in secret and too too openly that a man may be a shamed to mention Eph. 5.12 are consistent and may very well stand together But ô tempora ô mores Oh the desperate wickednesse of men and women in this Age Can the wayes and workes of darknesse that the Lord hath forbidden stand with a persons living in God which is such a blasphemous abomination as hell it selfe can hardly afford a fouler and cannot the wayes and works of righteousnesse and godlinesse the serving and worshipping of God stand with living in God O quintessence of impiety thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Acts 13.10 What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue Sharp Arrowes of the mighty with coales of Iuniper Psal 120.2 3. 3. Whereas they say That God doth use to lead his people out of those low and childish dispensations to a more high enjoyment of Himselfe I answer briefly Is it not a childish reasoning to say God leads children from their childish words and actions they manifest whiles they are children therefore hee leads them from speaking and reasoning and discoursing and studying and other actions that belong to a rationall creature when they grow old So here what weaknesse doe men discover to the world when they say God leads his people out of the use of ordinances and wayes of worshiping and serving of him by prayer c. when he leads them out from their ignorance darknesse fleshlinesse filthinesse carnalnesse that was wont to cleave to and bee mixed with their performances Because God leads his people out of living in and trusting to their meat and drink and other creature-comforts and enjoyments to which their hearts are apt and prone to bow down therefore he leads them out and takes them off from eating and drinking and use of creature-comforts what madnesse would it be in any man to affirme this So here because God is pleased to take off his people more and more from their unbeliefe pride selfe-seekng c and other weaknesses and sinnes in the performance of the duties of his worship therefore hee leades them out of and from the duties themselves Is not this handsome reasoning Besides how can it possibly be that God should lead the Saints from the use of Ordinances when he hath ordained the perpetuall use of them to his Saints in all ages as I have shewed in the Quaeries Hee leads his people indeed to live above them but not to live without them 6. The sixth ground on which people build their neglect of Duties c. is this That none are bound to pray or performe Duties c. further then the Spirit moves them thereunto Answ To which I answer in the first place That though this be a Truth in somesense yet we should take heed how we * Though wee are to goe when Gods Spirit moves us yet are we not to neglect when wee doe not perceive such sensible motions of the Spirit c. Bolt Bounds of Christian freedome v. 202. We must doe duty sometime out of obedience although we want both a heart to it and a heart in it Id. ibid. abuse it and make a wrong use of it to bring about those ends for which it was never intended as this in particular for one viz. The willing omission and witting neglect of the duties of Gods worship both publick and secret which he calls us daily to the performance of It is true as the Spirit of Christ is the efficient cause of spirituall life in beleevers without whom we can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 and works the grace of Sanctification in their hearts so there is no performing of holy duties without him But whether a beleever so sanctified and enlivened by the Holy Ghost is not to * Though wee cannot bring the Spirit to us yet let us set our selves in the way for him to meet with us Hold up the performance of duty c. Id. ibid. enter upon religious duties before the Spirit put forth a new act of spirituall life in him I suppose can hardly be made out For I suppose after Regeneration or the new Birth when a person is implanted or incorporated into Christ he is not to be lookt upon as a meere passive in the performance of holy duties as Prayer Mortification of sinne c. but as a worker together with God And so much those eminently anoynted and qualified servants of Christ Mr. Tho. Goodwin and Mr. Ieremy Burronghes and Mr. W. Greenhill affirme Mr. Tho. Goodwin in his * Treatise of the tryall of a Christians growth p. 82 83. 138 139. Treatise quoted in the Margent touching a beleevers Mortifying sinne saith We are purged from sin as the body is by Physick from humours though the Physick work yet Nature joynes with the Physick being quickned and helped by it to cast out the humours so as the meanes whereby God purgeth us are not to bee imagined to doe it as meere Physicall Agents like as the pruning-hook cuts off branches from the Tree or as when a Chyrurgion cuts out dead flesh but these meanes doe it by stirring up our graces and quickning them and by setting our thoughts and faith and affections a-worke and so God assisting with the power of Christs death he doth purge us daily by making his word afflictions c. for to set our thoughts on work against sinn It is certain that unlesse our thoughts work on the meanes as well as the meanes work upon us and so mingle themselves with them unlesse Faith and Christs death bee mingled in the heart it purgeth not And therefore it is said we purge our selves as 2 Tim. 2.20 and 1 Iohn 3.3 and Rom. 8.13 Wee by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh this is said saith hee as well as that God purgeth us because God still in going on to purge us doth it by stirring up our graces and useth therein acts of our faith and love and many motives and considerations to doe it Thus this pretious servant of Christ holds forth with much more to this purpose taking off the grand objection is made against it in the same Treatisa p. 138 139. Mr. Burroughes on Hosea speaking against wanton Professors in this Age saith We finde revealed in the Gospel that it is God that must work the will and the deed the Covenant of grace is such as that God doth not onely require but work all for us How is this goodnesse saith he mis-interpreted and abused Therefore say they what need wee doe any thing Why doe Ministers urge people to duties Your principle is good the truth is good that it is God that workes all in the Covenant of Grace but this deduction is
very absurd and vile and an abuse of Gods goodnesse that therefore you must not work together with God as rationall creatures c. p 743. So Mr Greenhill in his elaborate Lectures on Ezekiel Chap. 3. verse 1 2 3. p. 293. Observ 1. hath these words The godly must act and put forth their graces towards further reception of spirituall things When Christ will give Ezekiel Donum Prophetiae a Roll to eat he opens his mouth he sets a-work his faith to receive this gift of prophesie Faith in the habit is like the mouth shut up nothing enters but in exercise it 's like the mouth open and ready to receive It 's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies we should therefore beforward and stirre up our soules and graces to the receit of such mercies It 's a lazy and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing Grace is an active an enabling thing and where there is a principle of life as all godly men have there is a specificall difference between that man and another that hath it not a man without it cannot act nor stirre up himselfe to a further reception of spirituall things because he is dead but a man that hath it can ought to quicken up his own soule to spirituall things The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him and he opened his mouth exercised his Faith to take what the Lord should give The Apostle Paul bids Timothy stirre up the gift of God that was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 He would have men deal with their gifts and graces as they doe with fire vnder the ashes they blow them off and blow the fire up and there is a flame fit for service Sloth feare infirmity carnall reason are ashes that doe oft cover divine fire that it seems dead but we must stirre up our selves blow off those ashes and blow up the fire of grace that it may burn and shine be usefull to our selves and others The Prophet complains in Esay 64.7 There is no man that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of me they are like men asleep that sit still and doe nothing The vulgar is Non est qui consurgat So that I conceive as it is in the great businesse of a Beleevers mortification of sin so it is in the performance of prayer and other religious duties the Rule by which a true beleever is to walk in the performance of those duties is not to sit still and doe nothing till hee is wrought upon by the Spirit but hee is through the strength of grace received to act his * They that speake against performance of duty might as well speake against the actings of faith exercise of grace for prayer is nothing else but the communication of the soule with God the actings of faith exercise of grace Bolt ut supra faith on the truth and faithfulnesse of God in the promise who hath undertaken to give in assistance to us and ability to goe through that worke hee calleth us unto and requireth at our hands For the same God that calls us to duty hath promised to give in strength by his Spirit to discharge it and this faith is to rely on and make use of for its encouragement in all the workes the Lord calls a beleever to the performance of not but that faith and all other graces are the Spirits but because the Spirit doth not act without them in a true beleever For doubtlesse such as are truly incorporated into Christ and made one Spirit with the Lord are not acted as dead stockes as if every time and moment of their acting Godward they received new life from the Spirit of Christ And I am confident for want of the knowledge of this it comes to passe that many formall easie Professors take such liberty to themselves to live in the neglect of holy duties because they say they can doe nothing of themselves further then the Spirit moves and quickens them as if one that is in Christ were altogether without spiritul life and motion longer then the Holy Ghost falls upon him as in the first act of conversion From whence it must needs follow 1. That there are no habits of grace nor inherent workes of holinesse wrought in beleevers at their first Conversion and Regeneration when Christ is formed in them which is contrary to the b Iohn 1.16 2 Cor. 5.17 Ephes 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Scripture and all found Writers 2. That whensoever a beleever is without the motions of the Spirit as in times of sleep and bodily rest or times of temptation yea falling into sin as the best are subject to doe James 3.2 then he is not to be lookt upon as one in Christ which is as absurd as unsound 3. That all those c 1 Tim. 4.14 25. 2 Tim. 1.6 Luke 21.26 Ephes 6.18 Iam. 1.19 21. Phil. 2.12 1 Cor. 15. ult exhortations to beleevers that concern the stirring up their grace their watchfulnesse to the performance of religious duties their working out their salvation with feare and trembling Their giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure their fruitfulnesse in good workes and abounding in the work of the Lord c. are void and of none effect making beleevers under the Gospel and new Covenant of grace to be in no better condition then those that were under the Law a Covenant of works who had their duties discovered but had not grace and power given to them to enable them to the discharge of them which is contrary to the Tenor of the new Covenant which all those have a share in that are in Christ and can say in some measure as Christ their Head did Psalm 40.7 8 9. compared with Heb 10.7 8. I delight to doe thy will O. my God yea thy Law is within my heart 4. That there are no just grounds for Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures to d Mat. 26.40 Mark 16.14 Luke 24.45 Mat. 25.26 Heb. 5.11 12. 1 Cor. 5.2 Rev. 2.4 Rev. 3.15 16 17. charge home the guilt of sinnes of omission and neglect of prayer repentance mortification of sin c. nor the guilt of carelesnesse slothfulnesse negligence luke-warmnesse in the service of God upon such as are beleevers which is frequently done by them as we may read in the New Testament for if they can act no longer nor no further then the Holy Ghost acts them as â—t their first conversion then why should they bee charged with such faults and commanded to amend threatned if they doe not as Rev. 2 4 5. seeing God deales not with beleevers in Christ under the Gospel any longer by a Covenant of works but of grace though the Covenant of Grace bee full of justice and in the hands of him who orders it in righteousnesse whose e Psal 89.32 33. Scepter is a righteous Scepter and will correct
as Psal 14.4 Job 27.10 b Est emm hoc mortalium animis insitum ut Deo offerendū c. Musc in Joh. the law of Nature teaching men to worship and serve that God whom they acknowledge as we see in the practice of the meere Heathens Rom. 1. and 2. chap. and the law of Grace teaching men to delight in that God and his worship whom they so draw nigh unto by faith in Jesus Christ Psal 119.97.103 1 John 5.3 Acts 2 46 47. And whether that place in c This is evident from the Apostles quoting this Text in Acts 4.25 26 27. against the Rulers Elders Scribes c that sate in counsell against them and made open opposition against Christ in them refusing to bow to his Scepter and Government held forth both in the Doctrine and practice of the Apostles And to this agree Expositors generally Psal 2.1 2 3. be not meant of those wicked men more especially that cast off all Divine Ordinances and Lawes of Christs Kingdome and Government under the Gospel 27. Whether the Face of Christ in which the Glory of God the Father doth shine forth d Non loquitur autem de corporea Christi facie sed de ea quae salutis nostrae dispensationem spectandam proponit Musc in loc 2 Cor. 4.6 be not to be understood of Gospel-ordinances and Institutions Christ himselfe personally being now sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 In which Face or Ministery and Ordinances of Christ the admirable and illustrious beauty of the eternall God his infinite wisdome power and love which is hid from the world doth so shine forth oftentimes through the Spirit of Christ to the hearts of the Saints that they seem to be out of the body and in heaven before they are in heaven and in glory on this side glory as it was with Paul 2 Cor. 12.1 2. And whether a Beleever be not bound to be in the use of these Gospel-ordinances and administrations where he may * Psal 27.4 behold this beauty and glory of the Lord it being the Lords own way he hath appointed to reveale himselfe by and not trust to other wayes of our own making for the sight of this glory having not a warrant for it in the Scriptures 28. Whether a Beleever in this life whiles he is cloathed with his earthly Tabernacle can see Spirituall things especially God Himselfe who is an infinite and incomprehensible Spirit so as to have fellowship and communion with him and to live in him otherwise then by an eye of faith in the e We cannot see Divine things othewise then in a glasse that sight of God which wee shall have immediatly in heaven without the Word and Sacraments is of a higher nature when we shall be perfect but while we live here we cannot see God but in Christ and we cannot see Christ but in the Word and Sacraments such is the imperfection of our fight Dr. Sibs Excel of the Gospel above the Law p. 280 281 286 287 c. glasse of Gospel-ordinances as the works of God and the word of God but especially Iesus Christ who is God incarnate God manifest in the flesh and this Jesus in the mystery of the Gospel and Seales according to 2 Cor. 3. ult And whether the Lord doth not as a great testimony of his love to us in Christ very much condescend and stoop to the weake and imperfect condition of his people while they are here below to make known the glory of his Wisdome Mercy Power and Love to their soules by his Spirit in the Ordinances 29. Whether the Commandements of Christ so much spoken of and mentioned in the Scriptures doe not extend to the obedience of the outward man as well as the inward and to the externals of worship as well as the internals of faith And whether a person can upon Iust grounds number himselfe among the friends of Christ that doth not make conscience of f Nota igitur verae amicitiae est observantia voluntatis amicivoluntas Christi est in illius praeceptis illis obedtre est voluntati Christi este conformem Amici Christi non sunt qui Christi praecepta susque deque facientes doctrinis mandatis hominum subjiciuntur Musc in loc keeping those commandements of Christ according to that of our Saviour Iohn 15.14 Yea whether any one can say upon just grounds that he loves or knowes Christ that doth not keep his commandements seeing the Scriptures speak directly against it and renders such for lyers that pretend to know Christ and love him but yet keep not his commandements g Necessario igitur consequi quicunque jactant sidem sen studium pietatis et interim studium servandae legis Dei negligunt eos impudentissimc mentiri Zanch in loc 1 Iohn 3 4. Iohn 14 15. 30. Whether the end of Christs comming into the world were not rather to fulfill and confirme then to disanull and make void the law of God ingraven in our hearts and revealed in the Scriptures whereby he calls for the obedience of the whole man inward and outward in the service of Christ And whether such as break the least of these lawes and shall teach others to doe so likewise doe not bring themselves under that penalty of Matth. 5.15 to be counted h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e minimi fiet imò nihili fiet vult enim dicere illos exclusum iri è regno coelorum Piscat in loc least in the Kingdome of heaven that is to have no part nor portion in the Church of Christ here on earth or the Kingdome of glory hereafter 31. Whether those that enter on the actions and workes of their particular callings or upon the use of the creature especially at the accustomed times of refreshing Nature as at Dinner Supper c. without seeking to God by prayer for praises through faith in Christ can expect a blessing upon them or a sanctified and comfortable use of them And whether they doe not transgresse the revealed will of God expresly manisested herein and discover a loose i Let us never come to the table without calling upon Gods name let us never rise from the table without giving thāks for it is certain that all they that eat so and doe not pray to God are for the most part worse then bruit beasts Calv Serm. in 1 Tim. 4.3 4. brutish and prophane frame of Spirit herein Phil. 4.6 Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests bee made knowne to God So 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing and the 18. verse In every thing give thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you So 1 Tim. 4.3 4.5 speaking of meats that seducing Teachers should in the latter times endeavour in a k As on Fridayes in Lent in Embring dayes and fasting dayes c. Calv. Id
the decrees and purposes of God doe not exclude the performance of prayer and use of holy ordinances but rather include them not that they are deserving causes of our mercies but onely such wayes and means as God hath in his wisdome appointed in order to the manifestation of our duty towards him without which he will not vouchsafe us our desires And hence it is also that we find the practice of the Saints hath been manifested this way by seeking to God in the way and use of his ordinances for their enjoyment both of mercies Spirituall and Temporal as the Scriptures abundantly declare and testifie And whereas many think that the use of second causes and ordinary meanes naturally are sufficient to attain their desires without the use of prayer c. because God hath given a power or naturall force to second causes to doe us good as fire to heat us meat to nourish us cloathes to warm us reason to guide us Physick to keep us in health and cure us of diseases c. I wil evidently prove from the Scriptures that the Lord hath put his servants upon the practice of prayer to seek his blessing and directions in the use of all these yea in such naturall civill and morall things and actions wherein all men have freedome of will and want neither ordinary meanes to help themselves nor wisdome and understanding naturally to guide them As for instance 1. in the use of food though there be therein a naturall vertue put and placed by God to nourish us yet we finde how the servants of God have used prayer to desire the Lord to blesse that unto them as Christ himselfe frequently when he took bread he looked up to heaven and prayed for a blessing on it and so the Apostle Paul and many others according to 1 Tim. 4.5 6. 2. In the undertaking of Journeyes how was the Apostle Paul carried out by prayer to the Lord for his direction as in 1 Thess 3.11 Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you and Rom. 1.10 And thus Ezra in his journey towards Jerusalem with the children of Israel that came out of Babylon earnestly sought the Lord for a right way Ezra 8.21 22 23. 3. In the making of marriages how did Eleazer Abrahams servant though he were an understanding man and very able to manage his businesse he went about earnestly supplicate God for direction and successe Gen. 24.12 where we finde that before he attempted his work he sought the Lord to give him good speed as knowing that such in businesses as these though but of lesser importance the way to become prosperous was to seeke to the Lord for direction and good successe 4. In the actions of our common Tradings and ordinary employments the Lords people have desired God to blesse and prosper them as knowing that it is not so much their naturall actions and diligent endeavours that makes them rich and prosperous as the blessing of God And if there were no instances at all to be given yet the command of God is so cleare for it that it may abundantly satisfie those that are ingenuous as that of Prov. 3.6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths And Phil. 4.6 7. Be carefull for nothing that is in respect of the event or issue or successe of things but in every thing mark in every thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests be made known unto God And then this will follow that the peace of God shall keep our hearts and mindes through Christ Jesus as if there were no true peace to be enjoyed where there is a neglect of a persons duty this way 3. The third ground upon which people build their casting off the use of religious duties and ordinances is taken from Gods knowing of all our wants and his readinesse to supply them without our seeking to him for say they God hath no need of our prayers and performances to move him to doe us good To which I answer that though this be a truth yet the inference men make from it in casting off the performance of duties is not good but weake and idle for first of all though God know our wants better then we our selves doe yet he hath made it known to us in the Scriptures that it is his will wee should spread them before him in prayer c. as Phil. 4.6 In every thing let your requests be made * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 known saith the Apostle and that by prayer and supplication now this cannot be meant of making known these requests to any other then unto God because he alone is able to supply us to heare and help us So Mat. 6.11 12. 7.7 Ezek. 36.37 2. Though God stand not in need of our prayers and supplications yet he will have us to perform them that wee may the better know our duties and how much we are beholding to him who is the alone Author and Donor of all our enjoyments And hence it is that he would have his people of old to put him in remembrance and declare that they might be justified Esay 43.26 not that Jehovah is forgetful or stands in need of a Monitor as it is too too frequently with poor creatures like our selves No but that we might know our duties and consider from whom all our mercies flow and to whom all our Returnes of praise ought to be made 3. Although the blessed Nature of God in Jesus Christ be infinitly carried out with readinesse for wardnesse towards the helping of poore creatures in and under all their wants and weaknesses yet our seeking for this help doth not in the least derogate from the glory of his goodnesse but rather advance it My reasons for it are these 1. Because it is a most evident Demonstration to Heaven and Earth that he is gentle and easie to be intreated full of bowels of compassion rich to all that call upon him even to the young Ravens when they cry as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 147.9 And me thinks there is a great Emphasis in the word Cry as thereby noting to us how gracious and full of compassion the Nature of God is which could not be so well discerned if there were not such Cryes put up from poore creatures to him So that the drawings forth of those tender mercies which are in God by the cryes of his poore creatures to him doe exceedingly speak out and commend to men and Angels the unconceivable goodnesse of his Nature 2. Because the Lords pleasure that we should first seek him before we enjoy mercies from him is a great Argument of this singular love to us And this is evident from hence 1. In that it is from the great delight he hath to behold and heare the work of his owne Spirit in us making intercession with sighes and groanes that are unutterable Rom. 8.26 Cant. 2.14 2.
sanctifie to himselfe a people zealous of good workes where he gives us also a character of those that are the peculiar redeemed ones of Christ that they are such as are not onely freed from the power and thraldome of their lusts but are made zealous of good works To this place many more might be added as Luke 1.74 75. Jam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. Ezek. 11.14 6.27.37 But thirdly it 's considerable to examine and enquire what this Liberty is which the Gospel brings with it to beleevets now without question it cannot be meant of a lawlesse liberty a carnall sensuall sinfull liberty a liberty and freedome to dishonour Christ to cast his Lawes and Ordinances behind our backes and to live as we list It 's as cleare as the Sunne at noon day that the Gospel brings no such liberty with it to the world indeed the Devils Gospel doth and Antichrists and Mahumets they give to people elbow-roome enough as we use to say in the wayes of sinne but not so with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.14 Rom. 6 14. 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Ioh. 3.3 Rom. 6.1 2. for this saith Christ came to redeem us from iniquity this sayth sin shall have no Dominion over us this saith whosoever names the Name of Christ must depart from iniquity this saith hee that hath true hope in Christ purifies himselfe as Christ is pure this saith we are not to continue in sinne that grace may abound nay it demands a reason how men can imagine that those that are dead to sinne through interest in Christ should live any longer therein * 1 Pet. 1.14 15. 1 Cor 15. ult Phil ◠11. T it 3.8 2 Cor. 7.1 Phil 3.13 14. and doth not the Gospel of Christ say also that wee should be holy as Christ is holy that we should abound in the work of the Lord that we should be filled with all the fruits of righteousnesse that we should bee zealous of good works and maintain good workes and perfect holines in the feare of the Lord forgetting what is behinde and pressing after what is before c. 4 Besides fourthly the use of Ordinances and performance of duties under the Gospel is to bee lookt upon as a Beleevers priviledge not as his burthen and if the commands and service of Christ be called a Yoke and a Burthen and Bonds and Cords in the judgement of men yet it 's an easie yoke and a light burthen such cords and bonds as are gentle so that as the Apostle saith his commandements are not grievous 1 Joh. 5 3. The pedagogy of Moses indeed was burdensome and grievous so that our fore-fathers could not beare it but not so with the service of Christ under the Gospel when heavenly and spirituall soules are in it Indeed when carnall hearts enter upon or tarry any time in and under the service of Christ they are as under a burthen and the worke they are about is a burthen to them and what 's the reason but this that there is an unsuitablenesse between the work and their hearts neither come they to enjoy communion with Christ in Duty but come to the very duty as men do to their task or daily labour Vide Bolt true Bounds of Christians Freedom p. 213 214. now that person that hath to doe with nothing but duty in duty cannot chuse but finde that duty tedious and irksome to him as the ordinances under the Law were to the carnall Jewes that did not eye Christ in them But now on the other side when a gracious spirituall heart comes to a spirituall duty not to the duty so much as to God and Christ in the duty to converse with the Father and the Sonne in the Spirit how sweet and delightfull then are times of duty unto such soules so that the performance of duties in a right manner is no Legall thing nor matter of burthen and griefe to the Saints but that which affords them the greatest sweetnesse content and satisfaction that is to be enjoyed on this side glory and so is to bee lookt on as matter of priviledge not of bondage 5. To say no more whereas it is said that the Gospel requires beleeving not working if by working you understād the purchasing of life and salvation at the hands of God by our performances the justification of a sinner before God c. it 's granted the Gospel requires it not at the hands of sinners because it offers more grace that is it shewes us the work is done to our hands by Jesus Christ he hath procured our ransome satisfied his Fathers Justice appeased his wrath procured peace and reconciliation and that firmly through his own blood and wrought all our workes for us this way Esay 26.12 And our duty is primarily and above all to beleeve this and accept this as it is held forth in the Gospel Iohn 6.29 1 Iohn 3.23 because the great work of God and commandement of the Gospel is to beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus that we may be saved But if by working wee understand the fruit that flowes from our beleeving in Christ and taking hold of him to justification and salvation viz. a holy study in all our wayes to please God and doe his will to walk in a childlike fear and reverence before God and have respect to all his commandements that in all things we may be found to the honour and praise of him that hath loved us and called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light c. then I suppose there is none whatsoever that pretends to Christianity especially if he have in an experimentall manner felt the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart but will acknowledge the Gospel requires such working And the whole scope of the New Testament is so cleare and plain for this as that none but such to whom the Gospel is hid can be ignorant of it If any desire further satisfaction herein for it would be too large for me to produce all that might be spoken to this particular let him read those Gospel * Downam of Iustification l. 7. c. 1. p. 434 435 436 437 438. Bisco's golrious mystery of Gods mercy p. 298 299. Eatons Hony-comb Boltons bounds of Christians freedom Burges Vindidiciae legis p. 39 40 41 42 43. with many other c. Treatises that are abroad concerning this poynt 8. Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule Answ I find an answer to this objection in Doctor Crisp vol. 3.
of God never dictates any thing but what is agreeable unto may be resolved into the Scriptures or t written word of God but the other not e.g. When a man is perswaded that Christ is not God as well as Man that there is no resurrection of the body nor reward nor punishment after this life that sin and grace are both equally of God c. with a thousand such like abominations how shall a person discern that the perswasions he hath of these things are not from the Spirit of God but from Satan and his owne wicked heart but this because they are directly against what is revealed to us in the Scriptures l the Spirit of God never per swading any to such things as he hath himself spoken against in the Word written 5. Moreover to what purpose did the holy Ghost make use of those holy men of God as the Prophets and Apostles are stiled to be his Amanuenses or Scribes to write down and commit to paper what the minde of the eternall God was which he would have made known to the children of men concerning their faith and obedience if the Scriptures are of no more use to beleevers Doubtlesse the workes of God are not in vain he made the two great lights in Heaven the Sunne and Moon the one to rule the Day and the other the Night now would it not be a weake if nota wicked thing for any to say what need we any more the use of the Sunne or Moone is not God himselfe sufficient so here is it not as weake if not as wicked a thing to soy What need is there of the Scriptures when wee have the Spirit himselfe to teach us Besides doth not the Apostle affirme in the first to Timothy that the Scriptures are exceeding usefull and profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And then to the Romans That whatsoever is written is written for our instruction that we through patience and comfore of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 And doth not Christ himself say that one chiefe cause why men erre from the truth is because they are ignorant of the Scriptures Matth. 22.29 And doth he not also requite men to search the Scriptures upon this ground because they testifie of him Mark that well They testifie not simply the Spirit but the Scriptures also they beare witnesse to Christs being the true and onely Messiah that should come into the world with many other pretious ends and uses to which the sacred Scriptures are usefull and profitable as were easie to produce if need were 7. But lastly to say no more how doth this open a doore to all manner of abominations both in opinion and practice for if every man must be left to the private teachings of the Spirit and have no recourse at all any longer to the sacred Canon of the Scriptures what abominations will men and women stick to admit of and beare off all with this The Spirit leads me hereunto I am taught by the Spirit and perswaded by the Spirit so that if a man should be stirred up to lay violent hands upon his neighbour as I have heard a drunkard once did on one that was of this opinion and basted him to some tune and being demanded by the party why he did so he answered him in his own language hee could not help it the Spirit moved him thereunto and take away his purse or his life from him or a vile wretch should attempt the deflouring of a virgin or committing of any other abomination and put all off with this that the Spirit dictates such things to him he is under no law but that of the Spirit would not this be dreadfull both to God and Man and so for any damnable errors in judgement that the Scriptures condemne to the pit of hell and warn us to take heed of as we defire to escape damnation doth not this opinion make way to the entertaining of them when people shall be perswaded there is no use of the Scriptures to bee as a Rule to them to walk by but they are to trust onely to the inward dictates of the Spirit Besides if this should be allowed of that the Scriptures are of no luse but we must trust to the Spirit in all what certainty then can there be in any point of Religion and faith for every one will beleeve as the Spint dictates to him and as many men so there will be almost as many mindes Nay further what bottome will men and women have to build the foundnesse of their opinions upon and that it 's not their meere fancie if they cast away the Scriptures seeing what they conceive to day to be the right to morrow they may be perswaded to be otherwise if they trust to what is spoken and dictated secretly to them and where will your soules end and fix a period in matters of opinion when they once begin to take this course of casting off the Scriptures Doubtlesse they cannot tell themselves there being a fathomlesse depth in the pit of error out of which poore creatures can never extricate themselves being once shut up in it Blessed are those soules that are so taught of God in the Ministery of his Word and Spirit as to feare comming nigh the brink of that pit THus Sirs I have dispatcht the Answers to the forementioned grounds what remaineth in the close of all leaving the successe and issue of all to the Lord Jesus but that I adde one word to perswade you in the bowels of Christ to consider from whence you are fallen and repent and doe your first workes Rev. 2.4 before the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven against you I cannot but apprehend your condition as very sad not only in respect of your sin but of your sorrow that is like to overtake you For as sure as the Lord liveth all those that refuse to kisse the Sonne and will not have him to rule over them but doe what in them lies to break his * By bonds and cords is meant the discipline and government of Christ in his Church kingdome as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify Psal 2.3 Now the lawes and ordinances of Christ or his discipliue and government are called bonds cords not that they are so in themselves but because the wicked so judge of them looking upon them as so many fetters manacles that keep them from the enjoyment of their lusts and carnall liberty which is the main cause of their enmitie against them and rejecting of them bonds and cast his cords from them shall perish in the way of their rebellion Psal 2.12 and be brought forth and slain before him Luke 19.27 You cannot be ignorant how jealous the eternall God is of the honour of his Christ and that he is