specialâ— mercies and particular experienceâ— that the Lord hath done for a beleever when his soule was broughâ— into great adversity and when the Lord delivered him the Spirit oâ— God in the dayes of his mirth bringeth into his mind and causeth him with heart and lips to blesse thâ— Lord in the Congregation for his mercies received Thus Hannah that was barren â—he Lord made to keep house and â—o be the joyfull mother of a sonne â—ingeth her song of praise 1 Sam. 2. â— My heart rejoyceth in the Lord my â—orne is exalted in the Lord my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies because â— rejoyce in thy salvation Mary the mother of Jesus singeth her Magnificat My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luk. 1. 46 47. So when the Lord had made good unto old Zacharias what hee had foretold him concerning his sonne John Luk. 1. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. being filled with the Spirit breaketh forth into his Eucharistia of praise Luk. 1. 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed his people Yea and old aged Simeon singeth his Nunc dimittis Lord let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation Nay King David upon his harâ— warbles out the speciall mercies and favours and deliverances Goâ— had done for his soule Psal 103 Blesse the Lord O my soule and 〈◊〉 within mee blesse his holy Name Blesâ— the Lord O my soule and forget 〈◊〉 all his benefits Who forgiveth all thiâ—â—â— iniquities who healeth all thy diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with lovinâ— kindnesses and tender mercies â— Nay the Psalmist exhorteth thâ— Traveller the sicke man and thâ— Mariner to praise God for theiâ— speciall mercies received Psal 107. Hence holy Paul saith I will praâ— with the spirit and I will pray witâ— understanding also I will sing witâ— the spirit and I will sing with underâ—standing also Else when thou shalâ— blesse with the spirit how shall he whicâ— occupieth the roome of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks â— Cor. 14. 15 16. So that to sing blesse and give thanks in the language of holy Scripture is all one Hence as spirituall Prayer is a Sacrifice Psal 141. 2. offered up unto God our Father in the name of Christ to comfort solace and cure a sad and grieved spirit so spirituall praise is a Sacrifice tendered to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ through Christ Heb. 13. 16. by a merry and rejoycing Spirit for the speciall mercies and blessings spirituall and temporall that the Lord hath bountifully bestowed on him According to that of the Apostle Iames Is any afflicted amongst yoâ— let him pray Is any merry amongst you let him sing James 5. 13. 3. Thirdly Sacrifice is a broâ—en and a contrite heart for his sins and his dayly failings he hath committed against a crucified Jesus when God powreth upon his people the Spirit of grace and supplication Zech. 12. 10. The more the Spirit of Christ openeth the eyes of their spirituall understanding to looke up by faith upon a Jesus who for their sinnes was peirced the more will their hearts bee pierced with godly sorrow for their sinnes which bringeth repentance to salvation never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. and to loath themselves in their owne eyes for all their spirituall and corporall abominations Ezek. 36. Hence beleeving David the King that sorrowed after a godly manner for all his iniquities said The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit A broken and contrite heart for sinne oâ— God thou wilt not despise Psalm 51. 17. 4. Sacrifice is a free ready and cheerefull contribution to the poorâ— and needy members of Christ Hebr. 13. 16. To doe good and distribute forget not for with such a sacrifice God is well pleased Phil. 4. 18. 5. Sacrifice is an holy life which the Spirit of Christ formeth in us Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you brethren upon the mercifulnesse of God that yee present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 1 Cor. 6. 20. Yee are bought with a price glorifie God therefore in body and spirits which are Gods Thirdly The Altar that sanctifieth the person and the Sacrifice and maketh them both acceptable unto God Is Jesus the Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. Yee also as lively stones that have received life from Jesus the living stone are built up a spirituall house and holy Priest-hood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ To this Spirituall House or Church of the New Testament gathered according to the royall Commission of King Jesus Matth. 28. 18 19 20. as the Churches in Judea in Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus c. were constituted The Promises were made First that God would bee a Father to all those that did obey his voice and come out from among the Jewes Heathens and Gentiles and separate from their false waies and superstitious worship and touch not the uncleane thing and he will receive you And yee shall be his Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord the Almighty 2 Corinth 6. 17 18. Secondly for all the defects that these commit against his Spirituall worship they have this promise The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne clenseth them from all their sinnes 1 Iohn 1. 7. 1 Iohn 2. 1 2. Thirdly So many as have been bâ—ptized into the name of the Lord Jesus that is into the profession of Faith that the Apostles taught to wit that men should beleeve in a Crucified dead and risen Jesus whom God hath exalted to be Lord and Christ had the promise of receiving the gifts of the holy Spirit How prove you that to this Faith and Baptisme the gift of the holy Spirit was granted Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receive the gâ—fts of the holy Spirit For the promise of giving the holy Spirit is to you and to your children as Joel the Prophet foretold I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your Sonnes and Daughters shall prophesie and your old men shall dreame Dreames and your young men shall see Vâ—sions and also upon the servants and upon the handmaides in those daies I will powre out my spirit Joel 2. â—8 â—9 And all that are a farre off even so many as the Lord our God shall call verse 29. and to the twelve in Asia â—he promise was made good Acts 19. 5 6 7. And when this Spirit is come he will guid thee into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall â—ee speake and he will shew them things to come John 16. 13. Yea to be to the whole Church as a River that shall make glad the City of God Psal 46. 4. compared with John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come
learned saying Read this I pray thee Anâ— hee saith I am not learned Esay 29. 11 12 So that it is not in him that is learned noâ— in him that is unlearned to discover the mystery of iniquity by which Antichrisâ— hath filled the Temple so full of smoak that no man can see how to enter into it untiâ— God enlighten him which caused the Lord Jesus in the dayes of his flesh to break out into an Eucharistia of praise looking on his Disciples I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned and hast revealed them unto babes Even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight Mat. 11. 25 26. That the whole glory in discovering of truth to any might be given unto God Thirdly Know gentle Reader who art a searcher after truth in these inquiring times that the Publisher wrote this Treatise to discover that the difference lieth not so much amongst us in point of Baptisme as it is about the Doctrine of the Faith of Jesus the Christ the Sonne of God which whosoever beleeveth and confesseth that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God it is lawfull to baptize him Act. 8. 36 37 38. And to which Faith of Jesus the Christ and Baptisme the promise of receiving the gifts of the holy Spirit is given Act. 2. 38 39. And though for publishing this mystery of Faith which hath been hidden for some Ages and Generations that are past hee suffer reproach and contempt from the hands and tongues of some yet if the will of God be so it is better hee suffer for well-doing then for evill Yet the love that hee beareth to the loyall Covenanters in the Nation constraineth him to doe it rather then his Country-men should ever remaine in blindnesse under the power of Antichrist Thine who is the unworthiest of all the servants of Christ who is content it should be said of his good name that is as a precious oyntment as Luther said of Moses his body Let it die and rot so God may be glorified and Jesus the Christ exalted in all his royall Offices FRAN. CORNWELL A DESCRIPTION Of the Spirituall TEMPLE THe Spirituall Temple of the New Testament the New Jerusalem which came downe from heaven the Bride prepared for the Lambe the Lord Jesus the Christ Revel 21. 2. may not be unfitly compared to the materiall Temple of Jerusalem in the letter whose foundation stone was of earth whose materials were hewen stones compacted into one edifice or Temâ—le the furniture thereof was an Altar a Sacrifice and a Priesthood who were made after the law of a carnall Commandement Heb. 7. 16. which was typicall and was not to continue for ever but onely to the time of Reformation and then the glory of it should vanish away In which materiall Temple none must come thither to worship but the circumcised Jewes and Proselytes for the uncircumcised and unclean were an abomination and must not enter in at the gates thereof Ezek. 44. 6 7. And for the defects the people of Israel and Judah committed in their worship so long as they continued in their integrity the high Priest went once every yeare into the Holy of Holiest and that not without bloud to offer up for himselfe and for the errours of the people Heb. 9. 7. Yea and great were the priviledges that belonged to the Jewish Church To them saith Paul pertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Who are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9 4 5. But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not made of this building Heb. 9. 11. reareth up a spirituall structure or house 1. Whose Foundation was the living stone who hath life in himselfe Jesus the Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. Seeing other foundation no man can lay save that is laid Jesus the Christ 1 Pet. 2. 4. For there is salvation in none other Acts 4. 12. 2. The spirituall Materialls are such as are borne of water and of the Spirit Joh. 3. 5. Who are they which are born of the Spirit Such men and women as through a Gospel Ministry are brought to beleeve and manifest by their confession that Jesus who was crucified dead and risen is the Christ is borne of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. For no man can say that is confesse that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Spirit and being born of water they are manifested to be lively stones that have received life from Jesus the Christ the living stone 1 Pet. 2. 4. and fit spirituall materialls to be set into the spirituall house 1 Pet. 2. 5. 3. What is the Forme of this spirituall house Union They which gladly received the word were baptized and were added unto the Church and so were compacted into one spirituall house whereof Jesus the Christ is Lord Heb. 3. 6. But Christ as a Sonne over his owne house whose house are we if wee hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end And these continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and prayers c. Act 2. 41 42. The Furniture of this spirituall â—ouse of the new Testament whereâ—f Jesus the Christ is the King Priest â—nd Prophet is a Priesthood Saâ—rifice and an Altar but all spiriâ—â—all First The Priests whether they â—e Male or Female they are all â—ne in Christ Gal. 3. 28. Yea every â—ember of this spirituall house are â—ade Kings and Priests to God the Faâ—her Revel 1. 6. Yea and the whole Church united into a body is a choâ—â—n Generation a royall Priesthood an â—oly Nation a peculiar People that they â—â—ould shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into â—is marvellous light Which in times â—ast were not a â—eople but are now the people of God 1 Pet. 2. 9 10. Secondly The Sacrifices that â—â—ese Priests offer are all spiriâ—uall 1. The first is Prayer which the â—pirit of Christ formeth in the heart â—f a beleever whereby hee layeth â—pen all his spirituall and temporall wants unto God his Father in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ through whom hee hath received a promise to bee heard and to have his request granted Joh. 16. 23 24. 2. Secondly Praise is a spirituall sacrifice offered up unto God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13. 15. Which is done by praising God in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs which the Spirit oâ— Christ formeth in us to sing and make melody in our hearts to thâ— Lord Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. What is a Psalme It is a rehearsall of those
25. yet they deny him their King and Pâ—ophet in all his outward administrations in admitting of members into his Spirituall Kingdome stablished â—ccording to Christs eternall Commission Mat. 28. 18 19 20. and are â—uilâ— upon wood hay and stubble 1 Cor. 3. 12. Now though these preâ—end to come out of Babylon yet they persecute scofâ—e and deride all poore weake enqâ—iâ—ing soules for seeking after the pure wayes of that spirituall Worship that Jesus the Christ hath appointed and established in all the Churches of the Saints gatheâ—ed according to the Pâ—imitive pattern Act. 2. 41 42 43. as the watchman â—id the Spouse Cant. 5. 7. Wee condemne onely those that sinne through a wilfull contempt because the evâ—ll of their halfe-way Reformation is discovered by them whom God hath raised up to declare his truth in an evill day Now when these sorts of men shall bee so farre from repenting of all the evill that they have done to the servants of the Lord Jesus in this kind that they still persevere in persecuting them for the truth they deliver as the Jewes did of old the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets as it is written 1 Thes 2. 14. For yee brethren became followers of the Churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus for yee have also suffered like things of your owne countrymen even as they of the Jewes Verse 15. Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their owne Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men Ver. 16. Forbidding us to preach to the Gentiles that they may be saved that they may fill up the measure of their owne iniquity that the wrath of God may come upon them unto the uttermost Upon these sorts of men not we but the Lord Jesus hath set this dreadfull doome This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill For every one that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should bee disâ—overed John 3. 19 20. Not wee but the good Spirit of â—ur God condemneth all those that â—inger after false and Antichristian wayes When Babylons down-fall â—s pronounced Râ—vel 14. 8. Babylon â—s fallen it is fallâ—n that great City because shee made all nations drunk with â—he wine of her fornications V 9. Afâ—er that followed a third Angel that cryed with a loud voyce saying if any man be hee high or low rich or poore noble or ignoble bond or free male or female worship the Beast that Antichrist of Rome that exalteth himselfe above all that is called God or worshipped or his Image that is his Government that receive their power and juâ—isdiction from in or under him or his mark viz. his Canons Constitutions Edicts or Decrees into their hands viz. to fight or write in the defence of them or into their foreheads to plead or preach for them mark their doome The same not that doe it ignorantly through unâ—belieâ—e that are mislead by theiâ— Teachers but they which sinn against knowledge obstinately to defend their Antichristian practicesâ— shall drink of the wine of the wrath oâ— God which is poured out without mixâ—ture into the cup of his indignation anâ— they shall be tormented with fire anâ— brimstone in the presence of the holâ— Angels and in the presence of the Lambâ— And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they havâ— no rest day nor night who worship thâ— Beast and his image and receive thâ— mark of his name Revel 14. 10 11â— The good Lord of his great mercy grant to all those that belong to his election that linger after false and Antichristian wayes and practices repenting hearts to forsake their sinnes that none of that evill threatned fall upon them Amongst which marks of the Beast Is not the decree of Pope Innocentius the third Decret Gregor lib. 3. â—it 42. cap 3. as Doctor Willet in his Synopsis Papismi de baptismo infantiâ—m citeth That whereas Circumâ—ision by the commandement of God was conferred upon the inâ—ants as well as the elder sort so Baptisme also which succeedeth in â—he roome thereof and is more generall to men and women must â—e conferred to both By which Decree the Nations in name and title have been christianized though â—n the power they have denyed it and have killed many a precious Saint under the brand of Hereticks for opposing it whereby the inhabitants of the earth have beene made drunk with the wine of her fornication Revel 17. 2. But the Spirit of God describeth the true Church after Babylons down-fall Revel 14. 12. Here is the patience of Saints here are they which keep the commandements of God and the faith of Jesus And is it not a commandement of God that all Churches should be gathered according to the Commission of King Jesus Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Mar. 16â— 15 16. Wee onely condemne those Churches that persecute Christ in his members from city to city as Saul did Act. 26. 9 10. foâ— keeping the commandements oâ— God and the faith of Jesus Matâ— 16. 16. 1 Joh. 5. 1. as no true Churches of Christ but rather Synagogues of Satan for no hurtful thing shall be in the holy mountaineâ— Esay 65. 25. The wolfe and the lamâ— shalâ— fold together and the lion shall eat straw like an oxe and the dust shall the serpent eat They shall not destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lordâ— As likewise Esay 11. 6 7 8 9. If the Churches that men now contend for coming out of Babylon by degrees should crucifie Christ in his members for contending for the faith of Jesus the Christ once given to the Saints Mat. â—6 16 17 18. yea reproach whip crop and persecute them for holding the Commission of their royall Master Jesus the Christ Mat. 28. 18 19 20. that Antichrist by his Decretals and Popish Councels hath defaced as of late the Arch-Prelate of England did some Worthies that stood for a Reformation according to the light God discovered unto them then they in such an estate were no true Churches of Christ but Congregations that are hardened and speake evill of the way before the multitude and are to be separated from Act. 19. 9. But if they be meek and gentle peaceable and willing to bee instructed inquiring after truth it being discovered by the true Spouse whom God hath enlightened to direct them wee contemne not those daughters but rejoyce in their fellowship tender them as lambes of Christ that have a longing desire to be added to that sheepfold whereof Jesus is the true shepherd though as yet ignorant of the way of truth in many things But as for the neutrall party thaâ— are neither hot nor cold but luke-warme God will spue them out oâ— his mouth Revel 3. 15 16. Whether the Church of Chrisâ— is not now to be recovered out oâ— an Antichristian estate that denyeth that Jesus is