stands in as ye would from a quag-myre wherein ye are sinking over head and eares Presbyterian Churches we hope are for the most part of them faithfully administred and therefore cannot admitt of a mixt prophane multitude to the Lords Table Fifthly Be pleased to Consider and aske your selves what ye have been doing all these blessed times all along while the Lord wonderfull in Counsell and excellent in worke hath been doing such glorious things in all the peoples sight that are not blinded with light Certainly the voyce of rejoycing and salvation is still as it hath been in the Tabernacles of the righteous And they are working together with God in His owne strength who doth all to helpe-on the glorious worke of the Lord and carry it on to an expected end so serving glorious providences their God instructing and enabling them so to doe Nor are they discouraged at all but rather the more animated and spirited to their worke in the power of His might seeing the contrary workings which must be looked for in such times of the Devill and Satan together with all his cursed Children He hath great wrath now why so angry because he knoweth his time is but short We crave leave to put it to the Question againe What are ye doing now about the worke we call Reformation to the Midwyfring or bringing it forth into the world doe ye a sweate at this Neh. 3. 20. a Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sanctus Qui non zelat non aâ—aâ— We doe not love reformation if we have not zeale for it Satan endures no mediocrity nor will God you must be wholy and â—â—â—â—ely His or lot at all your ove must be much else He will account it no little â—atred Not to love God and work for Hâ—â— in the same degree heaâ— and height of love as we â—ought is a degree of hatâ—ed oâ— Him worke doe ye build earnestly as they at Jerusalems wall he was fyery hot at his worke flagrante animo as Junius translateth it This worke will not be done else As the Lord God hath a zeale at this worke so have all His servants they worke for God now as the Devill and his servants worke against Him The Devill knowes he hath but a little time he will doe as much worke as possibly he can and he will doe it earnestly and presently he will not delay a Minutes time he sees all will scape out of his hands else see what present work he makes by the Ranters hands and Quakers hands and by the hands of the corrupt Ministry in the Land that filth garbage and common sinke all over the earth see what worke he makes by them in their Churches and Chappell 's And among the rest see what worke he hath made by two at the least and indeed by all the carnall Ministery over the Nation Verily Deare and Honoured Sirs ye must worke as earnestly for the Lord and Christ as the Devill doth now with all his fellow-helpers in this iniquity doe worke against Him Sixthly In the next place be pleased to Consider what ye have been praying for all these times ye love Jerusalem as ye have mourned for her ye seeke for peace and prosperity heartily your peace here and hereafter being involved therein ye are fellow-Commoners with her joynt-adventurers in the same Ship on the same bottome consider againe and againe what ye have been praying for all these tempestâ—ous times when this Ship hath been in so much danger sometimes covered over with waves tossed with Tempests and not comforted What were ye sleeping all that time or were ye praying We will take the boldnes to answer for you here so be ye will make full proofe that ye are the Lords Remembrancers and then you can never hold your peace day nor night ye have enquired after the Accomplishment of those glorious things the Lord hath caused to be prophesied off and His people to pray for grounding themselves upon His promise and His Oath The calling of the Jewes The utter downfall Dr. G returne of prayers Pag. 13. of all Gods Enemies The flourishing of the Gospel The full parity and liberty of Gods Ordinances The particular flourishing and good of the Society and place ye live-in all they whose hearts are right have and doe treasure-up many such prayers as these and sow much of such pretious seed which they must be content to have the Church it may be in after ages to reape We would adde to these Holy and Learned Mans words those we read some leaves after pag. 43. That which was the Spirit of supplication in a man when he prayed Rests upon him as the Spirit of obedience in his course so as that Dependance he hath upon God for the mercie he seekes for is a speciall motive meanes to keepe him fearefull of offending and diligent in Duty to looke to his paths to walke and behave himselfe as becomes a suitour as well as to come and pray as a suitor To apply these momentous and weighty words to our purpose Ye pray for the calling of the Jewes Then must ye pray for the remooving of that which hath letâ—ed hitherto and will let till it be remooved Surely the earth must be shaken first all those Crownes shattered to pieces that will not be laid downe at the feete of Christ The Heavens must be shaken too else we are much mistaken all false Religions in the world how specious soever in mans eye Gods house must be swept too and His floore purged from you should know what because these out-sweepings which must be are your owne doings Then Is your mind intent upon all this as your mind is such your Prayers are as to that matter Ye pray for the downfall of Anti-christ Take heed ye doe not in whole or in part hold that-up you professe to pray downe Ye pray for the flourishing of the Gospel and that your labours therein in speciall may be taking and prevailing with your people that thereby life and immortalitie may be brought to light unto their soules Ye must not now practise crosse to your prayers ye must not obstruct your owne way to the blessing ye seeke for ye must not then give that to Baptisme which the Lord Himselfe gives to the preaching of His Word So much hath been spoken to this before that we will adde little to it now only this Your Leaarned Brother feares not to tell us we owe our Religion to Infant Baptisme Truly we owe it and give unto it as much honour we thinke as he doth or ought to doe being an Ordinance of Christ and to be administred according to due order as He hath prescribed in His word which is we conceive to give due honour to it yet we feare to say we owe our Religion to it no more than we owe our lives to that Master who hath given us to weare his badge or livery we owe him all the service that is due from a Creature to a
of the Masse we may speak of the Lords Supper as to that we are speaking off and contending againg The Masse will not bite the people nor make them to blush Nor will this Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ but the word preached will doe it if it be heard and obeyed it will bite and make us blush it will cut like a sword and burne like fire it will torment the flesh therefore the wicked will not come at it if it be not a toothlesse preaching but if it bite they will bite the preacher at least snarle upon him shewing their teeth or turning their backes upon the word but setting their faces to the Lords Table thither they will hasten there being nothing now that the word preached hath not done its worke that can trouble them or make them ashamed They may come Devills to it and goe home Devills for no man finds fault said that Blessed man The wicked converse with none but those that are like themselves ye shall find them still platted together like thornes surely it gives a great lesson to the godly tells what they should doe but we proceed And Fourthly Take leave to tell you our perswasion that if the Ministers shall make no difference here between the pretious and the vile but deale forth to the one as to the other at the Lords Table the godly in Christ Jesus all the truly godly all over the Nation will be gleaned forth from them shortly they shall not have one among them to Communicate with them For if as is recorded of John he would not come unto the Bath where Cerinthus was that Blasphemer Can we thinke that the godly in Christ Jesus truely and indeed such will Communicate among you who admit as vile loathsome and abhominable persons as Cerinthus was for you admitt all if not excommunicated We will shutt up this with a Complaint we have read or heard off where is now the zeale of former times the Communion of Saints the heating and whetting of one another by mutuall exhortations where is the boldnes for the Lord we have the light of those times much encreased but the heate much abated their light was burning ours but shineing at the most and for the most part Ignis qui in illis calidus in nobis lucidus tantum Fifthly In the fifth place and to speak that more fully out which was hinted before in the second Paragraph They that work righteousnesse can no more upon choice mixe with the workers of iniquitie than they can mix with their works For their Lord having set apart marveilously seperated or made wonderfull Exod. 33. 16. Psal 4. 3. him that is Godly for Himselfe hath given to this seperated person a principle of His own even His own Spirit to enable him to set apart that is to consecrate dedecate devote or sanctifie himselfe and his All to God To live all the dayes of his life as a sanctified or sequestred person to God and His service and from wicked wayes and companies Be ye seperate and touch no uncleane Math. 5. 48. 1 Pet. 1. 14 15 thing 2 Cor. 6. 16. God by His Spirit and Word hath made them like Himselfe perfect and Holy in their degree and measure as He is perfect and Holy above all measure These people are by way of similitude likenesse or resemblance the Image of God being renewed and stamped upon them as their God is therefore they cary themselves God-like Godlinesse being nothing else but a God-likenesse So that as it is said There is none like unto the God of Jesurun Deut. 33. 26. 29. so also is it said in the same place Who is like unto Thee O people saved by the Lord There is none like Thee O Lord God saith David It followes What Nation is like Thy people even like 2 Sam. 7. 22 23. Israel And hence it must follow as Moses saith speaking of Gods people So shall we be seperated I and Thy people from all Exod. 33. 16 Num. 22. 9. the people that are upon the earth and they shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the Nations The summe is this They that are made like God they cannot upon choice familiarly converse with and delight in the company of the wicked A seperate people whom the wicked-one shall not touch must touch no uncleane thing Sixthly In the last place we would remember what two persons said in their Contest for the Truth and against the opposers thereof and apply it to our selves Though said he I cannot dispute yet I can dye for the Truth The other though said he I cannot unfold Popish Arguments yet I have two maine grounds upon which I can stand and bid defiance to Popery to the Pope his Jesuits and all the Papists in the world Equivocation and the Powder-plott So though we can doe little by way of Argument pro or con as they say yet we have two grounds upon which we stand resolved to bid defiance to Church Communions with those that ground all they doe as to those signeing and sealing ordinances or Gospell Administrations upon the Principles of Infant Baptisme onely 1 The first ground is They have no Argument that ever we could meete with but from flesh or fleshly reason to draw us to it or perswade to a likeing of it Now flesh Dr. Owen Sanits persev p. 298. is not onely a foole but folly it selfe not to be cured but killed nor stirred up but mortified as that excellently Learned man saith And carnall Reason as it is the great Idol of corrupt hearts so it is the feircest enemie of God and His grace 2. The true Church is Christs Bride or Spouse your Church is not Turatio stulta es non sapis quae Dei sunt c. Luth T 3. 73. the Bride of Christ for would the Ministers of your Church prostitute her to we will say no more though if we should speake it-out it would be much the same which holy Bradford spake against the Pope and his Priests in his Letter to the Vniversity and Towne of Cambridge Can the Pope and his Praelates meane honestly which make so much of the wife and so little of the husband The Church they magnifie but Christ they contemne if this Church were an honest woman that is Christs wife except they would make much of the Husband Christ and His Word she would not be made much of them and admit they know not what or whom into His Chamber of presence CHAP. VI. ANd now we thinke we have the hardest worke behind to make a sweet and cordiall close with the Truth and one with the other and all in Christ yet why should this be an hard thing if we can approove our selves we take the boldnes to ranke our selves with you so inferiour though we be lovers of peace and truth and Friends to Righteousnesse how can we be Adversaries not to say enemies unto one another We would have our
wicked men passe for Beleevers having no faith and for Disciples who hate Discipline and for Saints who persecute holinesse If the law of your Relation be written in your hearts can this be Fifthly What meaneth then That this monstrous body we meane your Church hath so much glorie and favour in your eyes and the Church of Christ the true members thereof as in charitie you should judge so little That alone honourable with you this alone despicable so far as appeareth to mans eye you are every day washing the face of the one to make it looke goodly and faire before men and so to in-state it in and possesse it of glorious matters while you bewray the face of the other which must needs be while you wash the one not with dust as you may reade hereafter but with mire and dirt Surely ye could not doe so if the law of this Relation were writton on your hearts for thus ye and we read In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that feare the Lord Well The Lord knowes who are His and He hath made some of them to know it that they are His for Him they serve And now they know That He loves them and to the end that hath no end He loveth them And now for mans love if they have it they thanke him for it if they have it not it matters little and troubles them lesse upon their owne score But this they know That upon whose heart soever this law of Relation is written this law of love is written also For every one that loveth Him That begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him 1 Joh. 5. 1. Idem est motus animae ad finaginem rem saith Aristotle some where The love that beares up the soule to God beareth it also to the Image of God Qui amat-supra amat infra he that truely loves God above heartily loves his Brotheâ— beneath But see what it is to swallow downe the Principles of Infant Baptisme and to regulate all matters in the house of God according thereunto as some doe for it is to the men of that way and judgement we speake Sixthly If you have the law of your Relation written upon your hearts what meaneth then that you doe with your poore people sottish and brutish ones so contrary to this law In suffering them to take Sanctuary at the Ordinance of Baptisme thereby to shelter them from the wrath that is to come and while they live in their sinnes give them right and title to all Church-Administrations Surely surely they that feele the law of this Relation upon their hearts cannot doe so no not for a world can they doe it it were to make a poore ignorant people to beleeve a lie which we are assured is far from your purpose to doe But you know there is finis operis and operantis utter destruction of soules will be the end of this worke though it is not your end that are the workmen no the thought of it that you should destroy soules is an abhomination to you Let your worke as to this matter be an abhomination to you also You cannot in evill things and doiugs seperate the end from the meanes if the man will goe onn sinning his end will be perishing for ever as ye ought not in good things to seperate the meanes from the end if the end I drive to be eternall life the meanes must be taken that conduce thereunto Therefore by the mercies of God we beseech you and because of the terrour of the Lord His heavy wrath and displeasure dolefull and dreadfull punishments that must be the portion of all Stewards that feele not the law of their Relation written upon their hearts by the finger of God there and regard not to feele it we would perswade with you to Consider these matters what your doings have been and are how agreeable to the mind of your God rule of His word law of your Relation advise with one another about it and then speake your minds Having praemised these six things for tryall whether the law of your Relation be written upon your heart we proceed herein according to the proposed Method and first to shew CHAP. II. WHat an influence this law of Relation written in the heart by the finger of God hath upon the doctrine and practise of a Minister We will speake of him single for as it is with one it is with all who find that law as aforesaid and of his Doctrine first § 1 First He is his Lords Paranymph or spokesman he speakes a good word for Christ where ever he comes if it be seasonable thereby to make-up the match and betroth the soule unto Him He laboureth to come within the bosome of a sinner and grapple so powerfully with his spirit that He may take no nay at his hand and for the attaining this end and to make him see what need he hath of Christ He will lay open the lothsome nature of sin and let-in the terrour of the Lord upon the Conscience that the carelesse and rebellious sinner may come to a parley of peace and be content to take Christ upon His owne tearmes and take up the profession of the Truth and not stand at the Cost * This is Gods resolution to humble the soule so low till it can in truth and seriousness bid Christ welcome upon any conditions His mercy and the blood of His Son is so pretious and unvaluable that He will not cast-it away where no notice shall be taken of it but He will make the heâ—rt subscribe experimentally to that Truth of His. 1 Tim. 1. 15. D. Re. Tr p. 389. Though so doeing he must part with all he hath of His owne his dearest lust and all And here He discovers to the sinner as he can the cunning fetches of his cursed heart and hunts him out of his Muses that he may not cozen himselfe and sit downe with some reserved Delusion and goe no farther And this is the Lords way sure in whose stead he stands and therefore craves of Him dayly His eye-salve that he may stand in His counsell and walke in His way and doe that which he hath seene with his heavenly Father as He hath done and by His Word and Spirit still doth so doth he in His strength and by the directions of His Word Wee will insist upon this a little When ever the Lord brings any soule over to Himselfe He first hideth pride from his eyes Man every man borne into the world and growing up there is a stout rebell a stiffe-necked creature as his father is and as yeares adde Cubits to his stature so is there an addition made to his pride and rebellion as he growes-up he growes more like his father every day now so soone as the Lord God is pleased to deale with this man by His Word and Spirit He knocks downe this Monster pride for this beares-up mightily against the Word and Spirit
as the case and condition shall require And Fourthly In the last place This will follow If their estates in particular must be enquired-into then they must be dealt with in particular alone and apart And there must be time and place for it This the people will not endure and this course ye seeme not to approove neither we shall heare your reasons wherefore in due place We have told you what you will teach in point of Doctrine and what you will doe in point of practise so soone as ye shall feele the finger of God writing the law of your Relation upon your hearts CHAP. III. § 1 NOw we proceed to tell our selves and you if ye will heare what those people will doe in whose hearts the finger of God hath written the law of their Relations They will speake and doe the very same thing which all Gods people Minister and people speake and doe in whose hearts the Law of their Relation is written It may be asked here What are these Relations And what is the Law thereof Breifly and to narrow these matters as much as we can Their Relations are these First The great and dreadfull God for His deare Son's sake manifested in the flesh stands related to them as theirs their God they to Him as His people more particularly the great God saith of every one of these Thou art my Disciple thou art mine Isa 43. 1. He againe Ecchoeth forth to his God And I am thine Lord for all is reciprocall between God and this gratious Saint The intercourse is mutuall if He say He is ours We say againe we are thine Lord and we give our selves to thee The claime is mutuall He claimeth us for His we Him for Ours Thou art mine I am thine Breifly there is the Relation Now the Law is this As Jehovah God saith to this person so singly we must speake All I am and I am all All I have and I have all All I can and I can all I am for Thee who doest trust Me art my Disciple indeed My Saint in Truth So now saith this Beleever this Gracious Saint this seperated-one What I am it is of Thee What I have it is from Thee What I can it is by Thee All I am I have I can it is for Thee O my Beloved * Cant. 7. 13. It is a Curse that one should sowe and another reape It is God that sowes shall the flesh or the world or the Devill reape God forbid He that sowes He shall reape saith that person that feeles the Law of His Relation For thus this Person saith to his Lord and his God Thou hast said even because it pleased Thee so to say That all Thine is mine And by Thy grace I say and shall never cease saying of it And All Mine is Thine There is the Law of that Relation Secondly The great God stands to them in the Relation of a Deare Father they to Him as Deare Children God saith to every one of them first or last I am thy Father and call Me so My Father He or she Ecchoes againe to Him Thy sonne Thy daughter there is the Relation The law thereof is this This Heavenly Father in and through Christ makes over Himselfe unto His Childe His Love and all This Child makes a deed of gift as we may say of himselfe backe againe unto his Father through Christ by Whom he received all gives Him all his love and all too little yet he has not the lesse but much more for all his Relations here below well corrected and ordered now God hath all all his love and all his feare and all his service but feare is all And now this Child shall be spared as a father spareth his and so he shall be served For all things in heaven and earth shall serve him and Minister to him if need be And this Child while he is himselfe and not over-taken nor surprized is as tender of his Fathers Name as he is of that he most dearly loveth and as fearefull to offend Him as he is to offend the tenderest part about him the apple of his eye There is the great Law of that Relation also Thirdly The great God stands to them in Christ as a Bridegroome for as was said His love never decayeth as servent at last as at first they to Him as His Spouse He saith to every one of these first or last I am marryed to thee Thou art my Hephzi-bad my delight is in thee I am for Thee and Thou shal◠not be for another Hos 3. 3. There is the Relation The Law is this The Bridegroome is intirely the Brides The Bride is intirely the Bridegroomes His delight is in her that implyes all tongue can expresse or heart can wish open it never so wide her delight is in Him and that implyes also all that is expected from her He sits downe with great delight taking pleasure in her and she with the same delight in her measure taking pleasure in Him There is the Law of that Relation we might be very large and it is hard to speake little of so much as might be said once more Fourthly He stands to them as a Lord they to Him as servants He saith to every one of them Thou art my servant he or she to Him againe Thou art my Lord a Name of as much use and comfort as Jesus is with a Saint and my God There is the Relation The Law is this Thou shalt doe all that I command thee as to the substance or matter forme or manner of the worke what I command thee and as I le have it done all My will and all according to My will The matter of a service hath been rewarded when the manner of doing it hath been revenged I doe it Lord saith this servant speake Lord thy servant heareth Command Lord thy servant doth it As the eyes of a servant lookes to the hand of his Master as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistresse so my eyes waite upon Thee my Lord and my God We will onely name two Relations more The Great God stands related to these His people every one of them as a friend to a friend as a Shepheard to his flock From this and all that which went before we will set downe these Consectories SECT II. FIrst These are a peculiar and choice people a royall Priesthood of whom God saith You are my people They againe Thou art our God and being such they must accordingly be dealt with They shall dwell alone they shall not be numbred among the Nations There shall be a better account had of them who can give a reason of their hope than is of your Disciples Beleevers and Saints of no more account with their God than Infidels are Amos 9. 7. While they can give no other reason of their hope but that they were borne and baptized in the Nation Secondly They are Children and every one expects a Childs portion Childrens
bread to be given unto them and they will not receive it among the Dogs They are marvailously separated Psal 4. We must be separated from them here or in hell live with them for ever Learned and Holy Sibs and now they can no more mixe themselves with the wicked workers of iniquity though they would stoope to their foote or take them into their besome to doe them good than they can mixe with their workes or light mixe with darknesse or Christ with Belial The Children of God they will not at any time or place unlesse by a good warrant much lesse at the Lords Table mixe with the Children of the Devâ—ll their dearest fathers enemies as well as theirs Thirdly They are the Spouse of Christ or His Bride They will through grace carry themselves honourably and as becometh the Law of that Relation And if ever you will deale with them which you will doe if you know the Law of your Relation you must take them out of the throng and tumult of the world as was said The Bride of Christ is a virgin modest and shamefast you must appoint a set time and place to meete with them If ye will not doe so not feeling the law of your Relation upon your hearts they will meete without you and they know who will give them a meeting they doing all they doe decently and in order He Who never failed them hitherto You must take them out of the throng and tumult of the world alone and apart as the Beloved His Spouse Cant. 7. 11. and as He tooke the blind man out of the Towne Mark 8. 23. And Fourthly These are the servants of the most High God And the Law of that Relation gives Law to their thoughts all their saying and doings Their eyes looke up to their Lord what He Commands that doe they and what He forbids that they avoide as an Adder in their path or a she Beare in their way What care they what the principles of Insant Baptisme say if these say but accoring to that we have heard sayd they heare what the Word saith for the word hath bored their eare They follow their Lord going before them by His Spirit in the directions of His word for they know His voice and a stranger will they not follow but will flee from Him for they know not allow approove not of the voice of a Stranger Fifthly They are the Friends of Christ that is the Relation Câ—nt 7. 15. they stand in to Him now He walkes with them in His Galleries and holds them there while He openeth His whole soule unto them All things saith Christ that I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you An Admirable Scripture Certainly Christ hath heard great things of His Father He is the John 15. 15. wisdome of the Father He hath been with the Father from all eternity and the Father loves Him He will tell Him all the Glorious things He hath in His Heart and Christ will hide none of these things from His Friends Judge you now how strong the law of this Relation is with all His Friends will they not deale friendly with Him Thinke you can they allow of any person or thing that offends His glorious eyes will they be a Companion of His enemies deriders of him as the covetous are A mans Companion is as he saith the Counterpaine of himselfe Of all other Mr. Sanâ— page 173. things Company is the worst dissembled as that worthy man hath it from Excellent Learned Preston Truly they can say our fellowship is with the Father and with His Sonne Jesus Christ our Friend And Sixthly Lastly He is their Shepheard they His sheepe they heare Him and follow Him in all things And if they are as sheepe without a Shepheard in sight They have an eye to see their great Shepheard and over-seer of their soules He hath undertaken for them to follow them with His eye upon them where ever they are to deale well with them * Psal 32. 8. Jer. 40. 4. and Him they will heare and Him they will follow An hireling they flie from and with Goats they cannot mixe In a word and a plaine word They are an abomination to the wicked and the company of the wicked visibly Prov. 29. 27. such in Church-Communions is an abhomination unto them They feed in cleane Pastures upon the daintiest meate provided for them They love to feed together to lie downe together to walke together for what Communion betwixt light and darknesse Christ with Belial with the wicked they cannot mixe CHAP. IV. First WE have heard That the Law of the Relation of a Minister for that one containes all those dignities glories titles of honour His Lord hath bestowed upon him calling them Angells His par-Nymphs or spokes-men to wooe and gaine the good will of soules towards Him Ambassadours Fathers Stewards Shepheards Friends we have heard how engageing all this is to a Minister to preach pure Doctrine and to live an holy life which they must doe and cannot doe otherwise having the Law of their Relation written upon their Hearts Secondly We have heard also how engageing the law of the Relation the people stand-in to their God in Christ is to them being felt in them written upon their hearts by the finger of God they cannot but walke this law constraining them in the way of holinesse full-up to that Law and their Rule perfectly and with a right foote as to their course and way or walke though through humane frailty some of their steps may be out of the way SECT I. WEE come now to the third part of our undertaking which was to cleare this way of the Holy from th' objections cast-in even by Ministers themselves as well as by their people in Common account Godly as their people are as so many scandalls or blocks to keepe from entrance upon the way or from a comfortable walking on-ward in it And to tell our observation we have made from our eye and eare this first we find objected Object 1. It is an uncouth way who or how few enquire after it or tread in it Not one Minister of ten yet reputed Godly nor one Man or Woman of twenty Nay may we not say scarcely one Minister of an hundred or ten of a thousand among the common people To this we reply Ans Granting what is said and cannot be denied for where ye heare the Ministers contradicting you shall heare the people blaspheming and this ye and we heare every where But this proves the Holinesse of the way because it is spoken against every where contradicted and blasphemed Act. 13. 45. 28. 22. The way is as Christ Himselfe was a contemned slighted person who asked after him and as the Church is That walkes in it which was said This is Zion which no man asketh after that is very few Jer. 30. 17. But note it in passage they that enquire not after this way
enquire as little after Him who is the way the Truth and the life Who points His people to this way leads them in it and carryes them as in His hand to the end of the way eternall life But this can be no greife to us nor offence of heart That the way is so contemned seeing Christ is so slighted and His Church so vilified It is good to fare as Christ fareth and His Church fareth The Spirit shall have the better cheare if not at present yet anone The way to Heaven is not the wide way of the world which windeth to the Devill but it is a straight way which few walke in for few walke godly in Christ Jesus Holy Bradfords words Object 2. Observe it well and you shall see the poorest and meanest of a parish goe this way and but a sprinkling of them neither here one and there one and yet so confident they seeme to be of their way they would have all walke with them calling them to their foote Ans Indeed they would to speake to that first wish as that all could prophesie so all were as they are excepting their bands scornes and reproaches though these they must meete with if they will be godly But they will never yeild unto any That this is any other but an holy confidence and their zeale for God and love to His people That all were the Lords people They wish that they could speake so gloriously of the Churches of Christ we meane as to the numbers of them as ye speake of your Monstruous Church They are all holy every one of them and borne to Church-priviledges But yet they would account it almost blasphemy to say so to them Indeed they could wish they could see many wise men and learned men and rich men walking along with them and yet though they see it not yet they see no cause of discouragement though The day is come which was prophesied off The glory of Jacob shall be made thin and the fatnesse of Isa 17. 4. his flesh shall be made leane we take it we may allude to that Scripture Relating there to a temporall desolation which followed for indeed the wayes of Sion lye desolate and in comparison forsaken The wayfaring men cease therein and those few that walke therein are counted the veriest fooles in the world but by the fooles of the world the wicked and unreasonable men there It was said of old and it is the stumbling block still which flesh and blood will never passe over Have any of the rulers or of John 7. 48 49 the Pharisees Beleeved on Him But this people which knoweth not the Law are cursed They were a poore people still that saw their wants and were oppressed with them who followed Christ These and no other except for His Loaves They must be fooles that is they must know their owne wisdome to be foolishnes their light darknesse their sight into heavenly Isa 35. 8. matters blindnesse their strength weaknes yea rottennesse they must be fooles that walke in this way There is as one saith 1 Cor. 3. 18. Hil Joh. 4. 19. a kind of kingdome which of all the corruptions that are in the nature of man is the greatest impediment and bar unto saving grace and so to the walking in His way The a Rom. 8. 7. carnall mind or wisdome of the flesh It cannot endure this way being enmity it selfe against it for such it is against God Thy wisdome and thy knowledge it hath perverted b Isa 47. 10. thee and it is noted as a wonder That a great Company of the Priests were obedient to the c Act. 6. 7. faith That the Carnall Ministery should hearken after these things it were a wonder Learned men and wise men after the flesh these are Lords they have no need of God they can live without Him They bid for the most part defiance to Him and His wayes they would rather dye than be pent-up in so straight and narrow a path Indeed these Learned men men puffed up with their Learning these knowing men but yet know nothing as they ought to d 1 Cor. 8. 2. know thinking they doe know and are lifted-up with that thought these wise men are as brutishly ignorant as we a brutish and sottish people are at these two principall points for how little doe they know about originall and actuall sinne which is their disease and how little about Christ who is their Physician these are Mr Burges his words So then they that are wise and learned Pag. 41 after the flesh must become fooles that they may be wise and taught to unlearne their Learning as â—o any Confidence in that flesh before they can learne Christ and know that they know Him walking in His way They to whom the Mysteries of salvation are revealed must be babes By whom is not meant those that have no knowledge or are Children in understanding but such as are lowly and humble and weake comparatively with others and so carry themselves as weaned-ones yet have their understandings opened and have a saving knowledge of Him Who is eternall life and their life And this may suffice to remoove that block of offence Object 3. The principles of this way are not peaceable for we see what worke they make and what differences are caused between Neighbours and Friends Ans We can say little to the peaceablenes of this way we are verily perswaded which was more than once hinted before flesh and blood will find no peace nor pleasure in it It is a way most If you labour to doe the worke of the Lord pray thinke it not strange if among men curses be your reward and detestation your wages Dr. Owen Jer. 15. 19. Pag. 10. Cum ab hominibus damnamur a Deo absolvimur crosse or contrary to one principle at least of Infant Baptisme And therefore seeing that is reported to be a peaceable principle this way and every step in it standing in the greatest opposition to it as doe the remotest extreames this way can have no peace in it as the world calls peace nor shall they have any peace from men that preach-up this way and walke in it But we hope the way is not the more to be disliked for this but the more to be liked and the rather to be chosen It is condemned of men it is approved of God and that peaceable principle of Infant Baptisme the more to be loathed It is a way of holinesse else those people and Ministers that have the Law of their Relation written in their inward parts would not walke in it And Holinesse we know with the way of it is a meere contraction to flesh and blood and a very torment to it as flesh and blood is a very bloody enemy to Holines It would persecute and drive holines out of the world not thinking enough if it could helpe it to drive Holines out of the heart whereat the flesh is
at last in Sion here below and Hypocrites shall never come into the Sion which is above Some Hypocrites will come into the Church when she is most refined there is no keeping of them out till they discover themselves and so are cast out or Apostatize and so goe out of themselves possibly the Church Militant may be so purged and reformed at last that as there shall be no prophane in her so but a few Hypocrites But into the Church Triumphant we are sure the closest Hypocrite shall not Enter God will wash off all the varnish and paint which they have put upon the face of their profession with Rivers of Brimstone and will give them then the cup of His fierce wrath to drinke unto Eternitie We have been the larger upon this Scripture because we find it so fully enlarged to our hands and it was so good and so full to our purpose that we could part with none of it Secondly Seeing this is the promise of God and what He hath spoken with His mouth He will fulfill with His hands He will find faithfull men who shall be His hands in all the peoples sight for this separating this reformeing worke this making a difference They shall lay-out themselves to the utmost of those abilities their great Lord shall give unto them That the Saints may enjoy unmixt Communions here below and live together as if there were not another among them we say they shall endeavour this matter full-up to the promise That the wicked or Belial in the originall he or she that will not beare the yoke of God shall no more passe through thee much lesse stay and lodge in Nahum 1. 15. thee that is the promise no man shall be yoaked with you but See the exposition Job 19. 386. he that beares the yoke of Christ This will be the day of Sions glorious liberty when all within her liberties beare the yoake of Christ and none shall be unequally yoked This is the glory of the Saints below and this shall be perfect in the state above but all the faithfull in the land breath and endeavour after this and the more earnestly because this is promised and they thinke the set time is hastening when it shall be performed for they cannot doubt but that there shall be as great a portion of the Spirit of holinesse and of unity and as eminently powred out upon the Saints in these latter ages of the world as there was upon the first Gospell Church Act. 2. 1. They were altogether in one place with one accord as if they had all but one soule and they continued in the Apostles Doctrine so in fellowship one with another And Thirdly That all the Godly truely and indeed such all over the land Ministers and people must make a difference a separation according to the Command of God and the practise of the primitive times all along upward to this day as to the point of Church Communion and fellowship one with another for as sure as they are sanctified ones they are separated ones dedicated to God for the promoteing His glory and carrying on the interest of Christ in their owne and in the hearts of others Man is a sociable Creature * Man would rather endure the greatest misery together with his friends than enjoy the greatest happinesse by himselfe alonâ— Dion third Orat. he loves not to be alone unlesse he be in meditation and he is not lesse sociable because he is more holy but he is more choice of his Company As every good man is and ought to be a mans Companion being as was said a Counterpaine of himselfe he cannot now converse among the wicked upon choice and with delight unlesse he could convey good unto them more than he could delight to be with those possessed men among the Tombs Mark 5. 3. It is with the Saints now as it was with the primitive Church they associated themselves in those dayes so they must now They continued in fellowship one with another as well as in the Apostles Doctrine so they must doe now They were all of one mind and therefore fit to make one body so are they now as to the maine and principall things required of them walking together in Church Communions and Gospell fellowship The Communion and fellowship of the Saints is the lower heaven of the Saints as saith that worthy man Therefore they can no more converse Upon Job 16. 54. among the wicked upon choice than David could choose to live in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar A savage and wild people without the verge of the visible Church such company is like the torment once invented of chaineing a live-man and a dead-man together The Godly in Christ Jesus count it a great evill to be joyned with unsavoury dead wretches at any time or place much more will they avoide it where they can at the Lords Table the onely place the wicked will joyne with them in David prayes Gather not my soule with sinners Psal 26. 9. If we would not have our soules gathered with sinners hereafter for the present we must take heed of joyning with them A good Gentlewoman as we have heard being much troubled in Conscience and ready to goe out of the world prayed thus O Lord let me not goe to the place where the wicked are for Lord thou knowest I never loved their Company here And this ye may have read also Looke with what Company we delight our selves-in here below with them we shall be and converse for ever either in the highest heavens or in the lowermost hell We would adde this more to confirme us in this Truth That the righteous can no more upon choice be with the wicked than sheepe and lambs can be with grievous Wolves and Tigers looke as of what nature the Appetite is of the like nature must be the food Carryon or such like filth will serve the Raven not the Dove earthly food will satisfie a naturall appetite and heavenly food will satisfie the heavenly appetite that and no other so looke of what nature the man is the like shall his Companion be if he may be at his owne choice with whom he will have communion specially at the Lords Table The meaning is Saints desire to feed with Saints and they will feed with them at the Lords Table else they will not come at it They are as choice of their company as they are of their meate in all places but specially at that place They desire to have Communion onely with Saints and that the pretious may be separated from the vile that their feeding may not be with grievous wolves but with the harmelesse innocent and peaceable lambs of Christ for if Christ is the Center and resting place of all the affections of the Saints as most certainly He is then must the Saints abound in love one towards another in and for Christ which they cannot evidence any other way but by
c. Ames in pe religione potentissimum Idolum the belly swayes most in every religion though where that is served Christ is destroyed and they who make their belly their God makes the Lord Christ but an Idol And this be spoken to bid you beware of the world if with full purpose of heart ye would worke for the Lord or have a thought of joyneing with Gods people or of their joyning with you ye will breake the staffe of beauty and bands quickly and away ye will goe as Demas did having embraced the present world Secondly Is it not because ye doe not stand in Gods Counsell ye doe not aske at His mouth Therefore your Judgement is so mistaken in the matters which doe concerne the glory of His house and manner of His people in all times specially those which were as ours have been yea are fierce and perillous reforming times A godly man lookes fixedly up to His God and then downe to His Word he will goe as far towards peace with all men as his light will guide him and take Holines with him he dare not step one step in the darke for then he certainly falls into sin more cannot be desired and lesse ye cannot doe if you doe your Duty in great matters and in small looke to have a word for what you doe so shall you doe things decently and in order else all will be out of order as now they are SECT III. BUt this making a difference and separating between the pretious and the vile is the stone of stumbling and gives great offence It doth so and so it ever did and so it will and it must so doe To take away this offence we say first First Holy Paul speakes fully to this we thinke doe I now perswade men or God that is doe I endeavour to perswade with you in the things of men or in the things of God and the Lord Jesus Christ doe I plead His cause or mine owne or doe I seeke to please men would I endeare my selfe to you or Him to you and His matters of so neare concernment to your pretious soules This I know and would have you to know If I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. It is not possible in these matters but ye must offend God and His little ones or ye must offend men who cannot possibly be pleased But where and when God is highly offended which of these will ye offend when ye can no more please both than yecan serve two Masters you can remember who said it The Lord God is a glorious Friend and as dreadfull an enemie Therefore He had rather offend the whole world than Him for what can the world doe to please or quiet the Creature when God is displeased or to disquiet displease or discompose him when God is pleased with him when He giveth quietnes who then can cause Job 34. 29. trouble and when He hideth His face so we may understand it who then can behold him Who can endure the hideing of Gods face we may safely understand it too If God hide the face of a man that is condemne him passe sentence of death upon him of which hideing or covering the face was a symbol Esth 7. 8. who can behold Him who can see His face have communion Mark 14. 65. with Him whom God hath put from Him having separated him to destruction It is not then to be regarded what offends men but what offends God Feare we God and desire we of Him That He would strengthen us with All might according to His glorious power to walke worthy of Him unto all well-pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke and encreasing in the knowledge of God Ye will need all Might to enable to all pleasing and to fence you against the feare of men when ye are upon this separating worke So true is that of the wise man The feare of Prov. 29. 25. a man bringeth a snare but who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe or set on high Secondly Observe what God Commands and buckle-up to the obedience of it and know ye have warrant sufficient for this Have not I commanded you Come out from among them and be 2 Cor. 6. 17. ye separate and touch not the uncleane thing and I will receive you Ye say this is not meant of separating from a Church we say so too And that no such profession of separation is required from this or that or any Church but onely a separation from the world especially at the Lords Table The Church is that from which the rent is Haeresie divides from the head Sâ—hisme from the body Apostacie from both Schisme is a renting from Churches and from Saints Separation commanded by God and practised by good men is onely from the world and that which is of the world that they may Cement and sodder together being united to Christ their Head and by charity one to another so this separation is not for want of Charity but in all love and humility together which makes them goe stooping one towards another that they may advance one th' other Heaven-ward The Godly cannot joyne with the world in their worship for then they must joyne with them in their sin so they are not so much drawne from the world as driven from the world suâ—ati non fugitivi The blame of Schisme saith Voetius must not be upon those who forsake those that have forsaken Christ and His Truth Therefore as not the punishment but the Cause makes the Martyr so non decessio sed causa facit schismaticum not the departing but the câ—use makes the schismaticke he or she one or more that is a true separatist can say calling God to record upon their soules That love to God To their owne and others soules is the cause of their separation not want of love to their Neighbour which may remind you of what that Excellent Italian Divine Zanchi said separating from the Church of Rome I now seventy yeares old testifie together with my whole family to the Church of Christ to all Eternity That I separated from Rome with no other intent but to turne againe to Communion with her so soone as she is turned to the Lord and is become as that Church was whose praise is in the Gospell Beloved of God called to be His Saints Rom. 1. 7. So they that are followers of God as Deare Children can say from whom soever they separate now to them they will gladly returne anone when they shall be turned to the Lord which they pray-for without ceasing Thirdly In the last place This fellowship of the Saints one with another at their private meetings hath a very ill resentment with Godly Ministers and Gods people also so we have heard and so indeed we find it to be And it should be surely is of a sad resentment to all the Godly in Christ Jesus all over the Nation
seeme toyes as such contemne them but doe not hostilely persecute them And 3 he would humbly offer to Consideration what Learned Mr William Jenkin hath for the clearing the two cheife Heads of Controversie here debated-on Admission of all Infants to Baptism And grown persons to the Lords Table In his exposition upon Jude second part pag. 274 275 276 277 278. After these three things as the Author was saying he humbly craves leave he may close his booke with the very words as Augustine closeth his of the City of God Videor mihi c. I thinke with my selfe I have by the supply of His Spirit done my Dutie and discharged the Debt I saw my selfe bound to pay to my Lord to His house and His people Now they that thinke I have said too little they also that thinke I have said too much Let both th' one and the other pardon me And they that thinke I have said enough Let them give the praise not to me I wholy disclaime it but to their's and my Lord God with me Amen And Observing Lod Vives in his Commentary speaking as properly take his words too If I have spoken that which pleaseth let the Reader thanke God in my behalfe if any thing that displeaseth let him pardon it for the Lord God's sake And for that which is well spoken let him pardon that which may be ill spoken though never so well meant The following words doe not fit this work nor this place for the Author cannot expect that from the Readers though never so Curteous which having neither time nor oportunity he could not possibly doe himselfe he meanes the Correcting the mistakes here which must be many when th' Author could at no time be advised with And to point to one or two mistaks where the sense may be mistaken by it were there leysure for it would little advantage the Reader for quid exempta juvat de pluribus vua The Reader readily grants that favour he himselfe may crave An Advertisement of certaine Bookes sold by Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley With a short Apologie of the Author premised why he is willing such publick notice should be given thereof TRUTH hath said it How can ye beleeve which receive honour one of another and seeke not the honour that cometh from God onely These words gave some check or discouragement at the first but after due consideration encouragement rather for if this be the Aime and End of publishing to the world these Books the seeking honour of men or loving the praise of men more than the praise of God If by these meanes it might be gained Then let the Lord God blast the work and the work-man Make him and it as the untimely fruit which withereth before the Sunne But if the work-man in all this hath through Grace Holy Aimes and pure ends The Glory of God and the good of his Neighbour in rendring the doctrine hereafter mentioned and the bare-mentioning thereof is enough to render it an abomination throughout the land which causeth desolation there Then let him and his work be blessed And let his God remember him concerning this also and spare him according to the greatnesse of His mercy Amen THE LORDS TABLE ought not to be spread like that in an Inne for all commers published that it might prove an Antidote against the spreading infection of that poysonfull doctrine That all are to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper It being one of the most effectuall principall meanes for reall Conversion saith one next mentioned the other say the same thing though not in the same words held-out in three pernicious Pamphlets which eat as doth a Canker The one published by M William Prynne some yeares since called A vindication of foure serious Questions Th' other by Mr Humpheryes notorious all over the Nation The third by John Timson this last yeare after learned M Joh Collings would have forbad th' errour of the man which some may call his folly or madnes speaking in most pages of his said Pamphlet as a man that had deposed reason and so could speake cross to sacred Scripture right reason and the judgement of all the orthodox Ministers and people that ever were or now are in the world FOVR GRAND ENQVIRIES wherein the foundation whereon that bloody and damnable Doctrine aforesaid beareth is loosened viz. That all persons baptized into a Church are all holy and eo nomine have a right to all Church-Communions they and their children how abominable soever they are so be they are not suspended from not excommunicated out of the Church nor are children in yeares fooles or mad men LAW-POWER wherein we may see The Way of Holinesse paved forth before us and troden-in by all those Ministers and people who have felt the law of their Relation written in their hearts A TREATISE OF PRAYEY wherein two Questions are resolved touching formes of prayer both in the Negative That they are not good for the evill nor of any use for the good to teach them to pray And six touching the Lords prayer all in the Negative two onely are specified here 1 That the intendment of our Blessed Saviour was not that His Disciples then or now should pray in those very words 2 Nor is the repeating that prayer in the pulpit the Tessera of a Godly Minister because the hudling that prayer after the manner may shew the man not so serious as ridiculous in praying INFANT BAPTISM is not the priviledge of all Infants upon the bare account onely of their parents Baptism published together with the FOVR ENQVIRIES to prevent the evill may be taken-in from some unscripturall passages not becomming sound doctrine which the Reader may find in a Dialogue concerning the practicall use of Infant Baptism towards the end of the same composed by a learned Divine and as is meet to think orthodox pious and Godly in other points though in his zeal at this point it is conceived he hath erred with his pen not taking the Word of God for the Rule and Reason thereof CHRISMAS DAY no Holy Day published to prevent those heathen and raunting practises superstitious customes Abominable prophanesses in fashion at that time A MINISTERS DVTY to Declare against all precepts and practises contrary to sound Doctrine and practise of Christ Himself and all those He accounts faithfull putting them into the Ministery Wherein it is proved also That if a Minister will live peaceable and quiet among sinners he must suffer them to be at peace and quiet with their sinnes peaceablenesse of sinners being nothing else but impiety not opposed in themselves or by others for who ever is not opposed by the streame goeth with it and altogether who will to the Lords-Table A CHVRCH-COVENANT lawfull and needfull to be entred into by all that intend to walk in Church fellowship according to Gospel order The Authors Name is annexed to th' Epistle before these Treatises and the Reasons of making them so publick are given on the back-side of the generall Title page Direction to the Binder GEnerall Title Appeal Conference Infant Baptism Lords Table Christmas Formes of prayer Ministers duty four Grand Enquiries Law-power Covenant the Account and Exceptions may be stitched alone If altogether then Account before the Appeal and Exceptions after Infant Baptism FINIS