him Psal 50.21 and makes him possess the sins of his youth Job 13.26 God doth by the Scripture as in a Glass give the sinner a sight of his sinful Nature shews him the sinfulness of his sins Rom. 7.13 God doth by his Spirit and Word convince the sinners conscience of his Transgressions against his holy Law and against the Gospel of his Grace The holy Spirit ordinarily by the Ministry of the Word convinceth the sinner of his Original corruption tells him that every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Jam. 1.14 15. The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 The soul that sins shall dye and also convinceth him of his Actual Transgressions to wit his sins of Omission and his sins of Commission both in doing that which God hath forbidden in his holy Word and in not doing that which he hath commanded or not as he commandeth it to be done God convinceth the sinners conscience of his sinning against Light against Checks of Conscience and many good Motions of the holy Spirit and shews him how he hath sinned against the mercies patience and long-sufferings of God and how he hath sinned under God's chastisements corrections and righteous Judgments and that neither the Word of God nor his Rod hath wrought Repentance in him nor caused him to turn from his sinful courses The sinful sinner being under this great work of Conviction of Conscience begins to see and apprehend the vileness of his Nature and the sinfulness of his sins to be such so many and so great that he trembles and is afraid of Death and Damnation he begins to have some sense and feeling in his conscience of the wrath of God and fears he shall dye in his sins and go to Hell and be damned to eternity Now the terrours of the Almighty are in his conscience his heart is filled with horrour the sting of sin hath wounded his Spirit and a wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 and being pricked in the heart cryes out What shall I do Acts 2.37 I am a sinful sinner a vile sinner a lost undone perishing sinner Woe 's me that ever I was born I am a damnable wicked wretch my heart is deceitful and desperately wicked Ah my vain thoughts my vile affections my evil concupiscence my sinful lusts Alas alas my idle words and blasphemies and my ungodly life and sinful conversation Woe and alas the deceitfulness of sin hath so hardened my heart that I cannot Repent and I have been so accustomed to do evil that I know not how to Reform and amend my life and forsake my sins and if I go on in my former sinful courses I shall certainly be damned Hereupon the sinful sinner sets upon Reformation saith to his sinful companions as David did Psal 6.8 Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity And saith to his Lusts as Ephraim did to his Idols Hos 14.8 What have I to do any more with sinful lusts and pleasures Now the convinced sinner resolves to leave his sins that he fears else will damn his soul and now he begins to perform some holy Duties he will hear Sermons and read the holy Scriptures and good Books and pray And it may be the convinced sinner will mourn for his sins and humble himself as Ahab did and Reform some of his evil courses And by this Reformation Humiliation mourning for his sins and performing some holy duties the sinner may have some calm and feel some quiet in his conscience for a season and begin to hope all will be well with him until the Reigning power of sin that hath yet the dominion over him prevail against him and he being yet a servant of sin and free from Righteousness as the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. v. 20. yieldeth willing and ready obedience to his own lusts that inticeth him to sin and when his lust hath conceived and brought forth sin then his conscience accuseth him and Satan now begins to suggest that there is no hope of pardon nor salvation for him Now his latter end is worse than his beginning and therefore the Devil tells him It is in vain for him to pray any more or to hear any more or to perform any holy duties And now the convinced sinful sinner judgeth his Soul's state and condition to be worse than ever it was he hath so many dreadful Temptations he is so filled with blasphemous Thoughts that he begins to be a terrour to himself and is tempted to chuse strangling rather than life he is so tormented in his conscience and so tempted by Satan and terrified with fears of Hell He sees now the Law curseth him Gal. 3.10 and the Gospel judgeth him 2 Thes 1.9 And he is made to receive the sentence of Condemnation in himself is made to read it in the written Word of God Joh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already Now God goes on with his work of Conviction which he had before begun in the sinful sinners Conscience and sends his holy Spirit to convince and reprove him of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Joh. 16.8 9 10. And the Spirit by that Scripture Joh. 3.18 or some other Scripture to that purpose doth thoroughly convince the sinner that although his pride passion worldliness uncleanness prophaness his lying stealing swearing drinking whoring or any one or other of his sins deserves eternal Death Rom. 6.23 Yet that sin for which the wrath of God abideth on him and for which he is by the written Word of God condemned already is his great sin of unbelief Joh. 3.18.36 and Heb. 3.11 18. God hath sworn that those who do not believe shall not enter into his Rest that is into Heaven Heb. 3.18 19. Take notice Reader that in Conviction of sin because we believe not the holy Spirit doth by the Word convince the Sinner First That he is an unbeliever and hath not obtained the precious Faith of God's Elect whereby the Soul is united unto Christ Eph. 4. v 13. adopted the Child of God Gal. 3.26 justified and all its sins pardoned and at peace with God Rom. 5.1 and now the convinced sinner sees he is without God without Christ and without Faith Secondly That he must believe or he cannot be saved Mar. 16.15 16. He that believeth not shall be damned His praying mourning reforming though they are good in themselves and are his duty yet the doing these or any other yea all other holy duties without this precious Faith in Christ will not cannot save him and now the sinner is convinced that there is an indispensible necessity of his believing in Christ for salvation Thirdly That he cannot believe Faith is not of our selves it is not of Works Eph. 2.8 9. They err not knowing the Scriptures nor the holy Will of God revealed therein who say that men may believe if they will
with Thanksgiving and after the Bread is so consecrated he ought to break it in pieces and give it unto the Communicants expressing the words of Jesus Christ saying Take eat This is my Body And after the Communicants have eaten the Bread the Minister ought to take the Cup with Wine in it and in like manner consecrate it by Prayer and Thanksgiving and then give it all the Communicants expressing the words of Christ saying Drink ye all of this for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins Luk 22.20 Matth. 26.27 28. And the Minister also having received with them 3. They all ought to praise God together in singing an Hymn as Christ and his Disciples did Matth. 26.30 Mark 14.26 Singing is also a Gospel-Ordinance which ought to be performed by the Church as a part of God's Publick Worship Isa 52.8 With the Voice together shall they sing The Matter that we are to sing is the Word of God namely the Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs contained in the holy Scriptures the Written Word of God Col. 3.16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom c. The Manner of Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs is to Sing in Meeter and Measure with audible Voice as our English manner is The Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs in the Book of Psalms were Sung in Meeter and Measure As they that understand the Hebrew Tongue know well The End of Singing is to make Melody in your heart to the Lord Eph. 5.19 Singing with a tunable Voice makes Melody in our Ears and stirs up our pure Minds to rejoyce in the Lord but Singing with Grace in our Hearts doth make melody to the Lord. Though the Voice of the Church espoused to Christ was sweet and pleasant unto him in the Song of Songs Cant. 2.14 yet the Spirit acting Grace viz. Faith Love and Joy in the Hearts of the Saints is much more sweet well-pleasing and acceptable unto God than their Voice in Singing Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs to the Lord Col. 3.16 Singing with Grace in your hearts to the Lord. Query Did not some of the Saints in the Church at Corinth Sing other Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs which they themselves indicted and sang alone by the Spirit with Grace in their hearts to the Lord Answer I think some Members of that Church did compose a Psalm upon occasion 1 Cor. 14.26 And it is my Opinion That a Minister or Member of the Church if he hath received a Gift of the Spirit to Sing may Sing in the Church to Edification 1 Cor. 14 15. yea and ought so to do 1 Pet. 4.10 11. But this I say First That those Hymns and Spiritual Songs which Ministers or Members of the Church do indict and Sing are not Psalms and we are commanded to instruct and exhort one another in Psalms and to Sing Psalms as well as Hymns and Spiritual Songs Eph. 5.19 Col. 3.16 And I know that the word Psalms is interpreted David's Psalms the Book of Psalms and the Psalms of David Asaph c. Search those Scriptures Acts 1.20 Acts 13.33 35. Luk. 20.42.24.44 Secondly That those Ministers and Members of the Church cannot affirm will not assert that their Hymns or Spiritual Songs are materially the Inspiration of the holy Spirit as the Book of Psalms were they may Sing with the Spirit and with understanding unto Edification but the Psalms of David and of Asaph and the Song of Songs which is Solomons and the Hymns of Jesus Christ and his Apostles must have the Pre-eminence Thirdly Although I have also through the riches of Free Grace received the holy Spirit and have learned in some measure what it is to pray in the Spirit and to pray with understanding Also to Sing in the Spirit and and to Sing with Understanding yet I rather chuse to Sing in the Church those Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs which are contained in the holy Scripture than any of my own inditing for these Reasons because First Although I should be assisted by the holy Spirit of God to indite an Hymn or a Spiritual Song and Sing it in the Church with Grace in my heart and so make melody to the Lord and edifie the Church yet some matter thereof may be doubtful to some persons that hear me Sing it if that matter be Prophetical or Mysterious and they understand it not or if there should be any words or sentences therein expressed which are not sound words For I pretend not to Sing by the Spirit otherwise than to pray by the Spirit to wit as the Spirit helpeth mine Infirmities which I may be subject to and so through my Infirmity may err or utter some unsound words Secondly When I Sing a Psalm Hymn or Spiritual Song which is written in the holy Scripture of Truth none but an Atheist or an Atheistical Spirit will object against the Matter of it for those Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs were given by Inspiration of God and Revelation of the holy Spirit and I do only translate them into English Meeter and Measure out of the Hebrew Text that the Church may Sing them together with their Voice making Melody to the Lord by Singing praises to the Lord with Grace in their hearts Thirdly The Church cannot practise the Lord's Command given by the Apostle to those two Churches and all other Churches of Saints though they Sing Hymns and Spiritual Songs unless they also Sing Psalms which are by the same holy Spirit that inspired David to indite them expounded and interpreted The Book of Psalms and The Psalms of David c. as hath been proved by those Scriptures aforecited which the Reader is humbly desired to search CHAP. IV. Lastly THE Lord Jesus Christ having finished the work for which he came into this WORLD being to leave the WORLD and return to Heaven whence he came Eph. 4.9.10 did at the Request of his Disciples Matth. 24.3 4. foretel them the Signs of his Second Coming and of the End of this WORLD The Ending Time of this WORLD and the Second Coming of Christ have some evident Signs set upon them And God hath caused those Signs to be Recorded and Written in the holy Scripture of Truth First To strengthen the Faith of his People that they might upon Scripture ground believe that this World shall have an End and that the LORD Jesus Christ will come again from Heaven in Power and great Glory And Secondly To leave all Unbelievers without excuse One Sign of the Ending Time of this World is the last and greatest Apostasie of Professors and the Laodicean Lukewarmness of Ministers and Members in the Churches of Christ The first great Apostasie which the Apostle foretold was a departing from the Faith of the Gospel which Christ and his Apostles had preached and which the Churches their Ministers and Members had imbraced and professed 1 Tim. 4.1 3.
willing to resign your whole Man Spirit Soul and Body unto the Government of Christ as LORD and King to Reign and Rule Guide and Govern you by his holy Spirit and Written Word Not that you can do those things of your selves I have told you without Christ you can do nothing Joh. 15.5 But it is your duty to do them and it is the Free Grace of God to work in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.12 13. that he so working in you you may work out your own salvation with fear and trembling I would through the Divine Assistance of the Spirit and Grace of God make some Application of this our general Position unto the Churches of Saints for their edification First I most humbly beseech all the Churches of Saints to receive this Doctrine of Christ's Second Personal Coming from Heaven And to believe 1. That when HE comes he will glorifie the House of his Glory Isa 60.1 2 7. and will make Zion an eternal Excellency vers 14.15 22. God will build up Zion and then he shall appear in his Glory Psal 102.13 16. Then shall Zion be the Perfection of Beauty Psal 50.2 Out of which God shall shine In that DAY God shall be his Churches everlasting Light and Glory Isa 60.19 Rev. 21.23 Then shall Christ and his Church be each others Crown and Glory Isa 28.5 In that DAY shall the LORD of Hosts be for a Crown of Glory and for a Diadem of Beauty unto the Residue of his People Isa 62.3 Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the LORD and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God Read Zech. 9.16 and Isa 60.13 2. That when Christ comes He will Restore all his holy Ordinances unto their Primitive Power and Purity yea unto an higher and greater degree of Excellency than in the Apostles Daies God will not only give his Churches of Saints Pastors according to his own heart which shall feed them with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3.14 15. but HE will also pour out his Spirit upon Sons and Daughters and upon the Servants and upon the Hand-maids also God will pour out his Spirit Joel 2.28 31 32. Before the great and terrible DAY of the LORD come The LORD will vouchsafe unto his Churches such Anointing of his holy Spirit as the Apostle John witnesseth and recorded 1 Joh. 2.20 27. But ye have an Unction from the holy ONE and ye know all things c. Read v. 27. and Joh. 6.45 Isa 54.13 Jer. 31.34 It is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God And not only be instructed and led by the holy eternal Spirit into the sound and saving Knowledge of all the Truths in God's written Word as the Truth is in Jesus but they shall see with their Eyes those things fulfilled which they have read and heard out of the written Word of God Matth. 24.33 34 35. That Gospel Ordinance of Praising God will then be with greater spiritualness and with more heavenly mindedness performed in the General Assembly and Church of the first Born where all the Sons of God shall sing together even all the Saints and Angels shall celebrate the high Praises of God together Read Rev. 5.11 12 13. Rev. 11.15 16 17. Rev. 14.1 2 3. Rev. 15.2 3 4. Rev. 19.1 4 5 6 7 8 9. The whole Worship of God shall then be performed by the true Worshippers in Spirit and in Truth according to Christ's Word John 4.23 24. for God will then give all his People one Heart and one Way Jer. 32.38 39 40. to worship him with one Consent Zeph. 3.9 14 16 17 18. In that day shall there be ONE LORD and his Name ONE Zech. 14.9 A Restitution of all things Acts 3.21 3. That when Christ comes his glorious personal and spiritual Presence with his Church Heb. 12.21 23 24. Rev. 22.2 3. will occasion a Confluence of all Comforts Isa 51.3 12. and 66.13 and Zech. 1.13 17. Then Zion shall be adorned with spiritual and glorious Beauty Isa 52.1 9 10. and compassed about with peace and safety God will be as a Wall of Fire round about Zion Zech. 2.5 10. Sing and rejoyce O Daughter of Zion for Lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the LORD Read Ezek. 34.23 24 25 28 29 30 31. No Canaanite in the Land of Israel nor none that shall hurt or destroy in all God's holy Mountains Zech. 2.4 Jerusalem shall be inhabited as Towns without walls for God's salvation shall be her walls and bulwarks Isa 26.1 2 3. Then the State of the Church of God will bear some proportional Resemblance to the Kingdom of Heaven for it will then be a sinless state Isa 60.1 21. Zeph. 3.13 and Rev. 14.1 5. and a sorrowless state Rev. 21.1 2 3 4 5. and a timeless state Rev. 10.6 Time shall be no more For the thousand years time of the Church's Glory being finished and all the time of Satan and his Instruments ended who are the Abusers of Time Time shall pass into Eternity of Glory and Beatifical Vision and eternal Life Secondly I would also humbly intreat my Reverend Brethren to declare to the Ministers of Christ Churches of Saints what is noted in the holy Scripture of Truth concerning the WORLD to come the New Heavens and a New Earth and the New Jerusalem Also the Second Personal Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ from Heaven You are commissioned and commanded to declare unto the people the whole counsel of God revealed in his written Word and this Gospel of the Kingdom and Coming of Christ must be preached in all the Inhabited World towards the latter End thereof Matth. 24.14 as a Witness unto all Nations and then shall the End come This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Generation Truth which ought to be Preached and Testified by the Ministers and Churches of Christ in these latter daies though they be killed for bearing this Testimony Rev. 11.3 4 7. Be faithful to Death and Christ will give you a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 and 12.11 Lastly A word of Consolation to those that do believe pray and wait for the world to come and the Spiritual Glory thereof 1. In general for then the Ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting Joy c. Isa 35.10 Then shall be the confluence of all spiritual Comforts to the Church and People of God Isa 60.1 2 3 7 13 19-22 The LORD shall be thy everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory vers 19. All the promises of Grace and Glory shall then be performed which are in Christ Yea and in Christ Amen to the praise and glory of God 2 Cor. 1.20 And then all Prophecies relating to the Churches Spiritual Glory shall be fulfilled Act. 3 19-21 which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets Then will be a superabundant pouring out of
of the Church in any City and Villages adjacent who for Order sake in Gospel-Government hath Priority Pre-eminence and Authority above the rest of the Presbyters or Bishops of the same Church not alone nor without them but when Convened with them to Act Rule Guide Order and Govern with their Consent Suffrage and Assistance according to the Laws of the Lord Jesus Christ the Constitutions and Commandments the Practice and Example of his holy Apostles Act. 15.2 6 19 22. Nor should the Ministers of Christ strive which of them should be greatest Luk. 22.24 25 26. Neither ought any of them to Love and Affect to have Pre-eminence among them as Diotrephes did 3. Epist of John v. 9. (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. Titus 1.7 8 9. 2 Tim. 4.1 2 3 4 5. But a Bishop must be blameless an Ensample to the Flock vigilant patient apt to teach not covetous not greedy of filthy lucre and one that Ruleth well his own House that he may take Care of the Church of God holding fast the faithful Word c. CHAP. III. THE Third Work that our Lord Jesus Christ came into this World to do was to institute those Gospel-Ordinances in which his Churches of Saints must worship God in Spirit and in Truth When the Church is Assembled on the first Day of the week in some convenient place to worship God Christ hath appointed that first of all Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings be made 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Men having their Heads uncovered and Women having their Faces vailed or covered 1 Cor. 11.4 5 7 10 13. reverently kneeling Psal 95.6 Acts 21.5 or decently standing Luk. 18.11 13. They ought not to sit in Prayer-time unless some weakness of body or some bodily infirmity doth constrain them This part of the Worship of God ought to be administred by one of the Elders of that Church who ought to pray in the Spirit and to pray with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 To pray with the Spirit implies two things First That the Minister have a spiritual Gift to pray Zech. 12.10 Secondly That he have the Spirits Assistance in praying Rom. 8.26 To pray with the understanding is to pray with such words as all the Congregation doth hear and understand that they may say Amen 1 Cor. 4.16 After Prayer the Teacher ought to Read the Written Word of God distinctly and give the sense thereof by Expounding and Interpreting the words of that Scripture that so the People may understand and be instructed or taught to know the Will and Mind of God therein revealed for their Learning and Edification as they did Neh. 8.4 5 6 7 8. And as Christ himself and his Apostles also did Luk. 4.16 17 21 22. Act. 28.23 Reading the holy Scripture is an Ordinance of God unto which Christ hath promised a Gospel-Blessing Rev. 1.3 Col. 4.16 And then the Pastor ought to Preach the Gospel and to exhort the People to Repent and Believe the Gospel to be holy and to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesly Labouring in the Word and Doctrine to Convert Sinners to Edifie Believers to Convince Gainsayers and to Comfort Strengthen and Establish them that Believe in Christ Also let the Prophets speak two or three and let the rest judge 1 Cor. 14.29 31. Rom. 12.6 7 8. Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given unto us Whether Prophesie let us Prophesie according to the Analogy of Faith Or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring Or he that Teacheth on Teaching Or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation And he that Ruleth with diligence The Apostles so Preached that many believed Act. 14.1 And it pleased God by the Foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 Our LORD Jesus Christ did command his Ministers also to Baptize them that do believe in him with Water in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit Mat. 28.19 20. Mark 16.15 16. Joh. 1.33 Our Lord himself was Baptized by John in the River Jordan Mat. 3.13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be Baptized of him Ver. 16. And Jesus when he was Baptized went up straightway out of the Water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut immergeretur ver 13. and ver 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immersus Jesus Mark 1.5 9. And were all Dipped of him in the River Jordan confessing their sins We read that both Men and Women were Baptized when they Believed Acts 8.12 But we read not in the holy Scripture of Truth that any Infants were Baptized They that had received the holy Spirit were commanded to be Baptized with Water in the Name of the LORD Acts 10.47 48. Those Men and Women are fit Subjects of Baptism that have received the Spirit of Christ do Believe in Christ Confess their sins and Repent Acts 2 37-41 The Manner of the Administration of this Gospel-Ordinance of Baptism was thus practised in the Daies of Christ and of his Apostles to wit The Person Baptizing and the Persons Baptized went into the Water Acts 8.38 39. And they went down both into the Water both Philip and the Eunuch and he Baptized him That is Philip Dipped the Eunuch under the Water and then they came out of the Water v. 39. The Spirit of God hath inspired the Apostles in writing the holy Scriptures to use one Greek word viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Dipping Joh. 1.25 26 33. Heb. 9.19 21. and another viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Sprinkling So that if to Dip in Water be to Baptize to Sprinkle with Water is to Rantize And the Manner of Baptizing in Water is represented in the holy Scripture by Burying in Water and raising up out of the Water Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.4 whereby is also figured forth the Believer's Fellowship with Jesus Christ in his Death and Resurrection Col. 2.12 Jesus Christ also before his Death did Institute his own Supper Matth. 26.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. and commanded his Disciples to do so and to do so often in Remembrance of him 1 Cor. 11.25 26. and as a Memorial of his Death until he come again ver 26. In Administring this Sacred Ordinance of the Lord's Supper according to the Example of Christ and his Disciples these particular things ought to be observed 1. The Time The Lord's Supper ought to be Administred ordinarily on the Lord's Day that is the first Day of the week Acts 20.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. On the only Day of Sabbaths It is an Hebraism And upon the first Day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread c. And the time of the day was at Evening then Christ administred his Supper Mark 14.17 22. 2. The Minister ought to take the Bread and consecrate it by the Word and Prayer