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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	spirit_n	word_n	write_a	2,319	5	11.0747	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78217	Ichnographia. Or A model of the primitive congregational way: wherein satisfaction is offered, by unfolding (according to the Scriptures) what the right order of the Gospel, and way of the saints in the visible worshipping of God is, in the dayes of the New Testament. And how the saints in these dayes may walk up to it, notwithstanding their present hindrances. Together with the maine points in controversie, touching the right visible church-state Christ hath instituted under the Gospel, with the extent of church-officers, and power of particular visible churches, and continuance of divine ordinances and institutions under the defection and apostasie of Antichrist. By W. Bartlet, Minister of the Gospel, at Wapping.	Bartlet, William, 1609 or 10-1682.	1647 (1647)	Wing B986; Thomason E381_17; ESTC R201418	140,788	175

where Christ hath left men free there they are not to be bound Now if they deny men power for the lesser then doubtlesse much more for the greater but the first is true therefore the latter And lest Christians should abuse this liberty of theirs in the use of things indifferent he himselfe hath provided divers rules for this purpose in the Word Rom. 14.19 15.2 1 Cor. 6 12 23. 1 Cor. 10.32 1 Cor. 14 40 Rom. 14.13 10. It takes away from men the very power of tempting and enticing their brother to follow after their wayes and counsels in this businesse of Worship as Deut. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 10. The Scriptures hold forth that the greatest Powers on earth are to subj●ct themselves to those very Lawes and Ordinances for Worship that Jesus Christ hath already made and enjoyned and not to make lawes to themselves or others as they themselves thinke best P●al 45.11 Psal 2.10 11 12 Mat. 28.20 Phil. 2.7 8 9. 1 Pet. 3 22. 11. The Scriptures shew us that our duty is to heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches after they are constituted and planted and not what Angels or men say as Rev. 2.7 11 17 3.6 13 22. so that men have nothing at all to doe with these matters e●●her in the beginning or carrying on of this Church-work but we are to rest satisfied in what the Spirit by the Word holds forth to us Esay 8.20 12. The Scr●ptures shew that the Saints have a liberty of rejecting and refusing whatsoever they shall find is not agreeable to the revealed mind and will of Christ in the Word when it is charged on them as matters of faith and req●ired in conscience to yeeld subjection thereto as 1 Thes 5.22 Col. 2.20 21 22. 1 Ioh. 4.1.2 Act 17 11. Gal. 5.1 13. The Scriptures forbid us to turne to the right hand or to the left in matters of Gods worship Deut. 5.32 18.19 Josh 1.7 Prov. 4 27. and there is a p●omise to prevent it Esay 30.21 and a blessing to the observation of it in Iosh 1.7 15. The Scriptures cha●ge us upon paine of death not so much temporall as eternall not to adde to or diminish from what God hath set down in his written Word touching the matter and mannee of his worship Deut. 4.1 12.32 Prov. 30.6 Revel 22.14 19. The reason of it may be this because to adde thereunto argues Gods word to be defective and insufficient and to diminish from it argues it to be superfluous wh●ch for men to doe is abominable and for which we shall be proceeded against as lyars Prov. 30 6. 15. The Scriptures shew us that God rejects whatsoever he commandeth not in his Worship Levit. 10.1 Ierem. 7.31 19 5. 16. Lastly to adde no more the Scriptures shew us the honour that attends this worke is proper onely to Jesus Christ and fittest for him who is the builder of his owne house himselfe and not the creature as Zech. 6.13 and Psal 22.27 28 29 30. and to speak as the thing is this honour and glory that attends the forming of this Church-state and right order of worshipping JEHOVAH in the dayes of the New Testament is a Crowne that becomes not the head of Angels or men but Christs alone And therefore let them all vaile Bonnet to him and cry out with those ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands Rev. 5.11 12. and say Worthy is the Lambe that was slaine to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing Ver. 13. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lambe for ever and ever Ver. 14. And the foure beasts said Amen And the 24 Elders fell downe and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever And so let all those doe that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen And so much for the second branch 3. Now I come to the third branch of the Proposition which is this That Beleevers are bound every where to observe what Jesus Christ hath done this way and to submit and subject themselves willingly thereunto This I need not be large in the proofe of seeing the Scripture is so cleare for the truth of it 1. T is clee●e by way of Prophesie that they shall doe so as in Psal ●10 3 They shall be a willing people in the day of his power in the beauties of holinesse and * Et haec est dignitas Ecclesiae quod voluntario confluit non tyrannide coacta Ibunt dicit non trahentur vi neque bellis adigentur sed sua sponte voluntarii aud●to Evangelio ibunt tracto nimirum occulto illo paterno tractu hilares non metu sed amore evocati Ibunt non subsistent ad vocationem Dei non moras trahent c. Oecolampad in loc Esay 2 2 3 4. Jer. 50.4 5. They shall not be forc●d by outward violence to this worke nor have their excuses to delay their comming as those Luk. 14. 2. By way of precept and injunction Psalm 45.11 Mat. 28.20 3. By way of threatning Psal 2.12 Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish from the way So Luke 19.23 But those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne over them bring hither and slay them before me 4. By way of encouragement from the many and singular priviledges which such shall have that thus honour Jesus Christ as their onely Lord and King which priviledges I shall not here set downe but refer them to their proper place in Chap. 5. where I lay downe severall Arguments to work and win over the Saints to the practice of their duty this way And so much for the 3. branch 4. Now for the discovering and confuting of those that are contrary minded there are divers sorts of men that more especially oppose this former Truth The first sort are those that affirme there is no such externall visible politicall Church-order that Christ hath instituted 1. Such as de● Divine Gospe● Institutions appointed by Jesus Christ fo● his Saints to observe in the dayes of the New Test to which the Saints ought to conforme and subject themselves But all the government that Christ hath in beleivers is only internall by the spirit As for externalls as officers ordinances and government either they looke on them as forms shadows that are to vanish and have no more being since the comming of Christ but are swallow'd up in the substance so deny them altogether or els as things that are left indifferent to the discretion of the Saints which they may use if they shall thinke fit or forbeare if they please Now how fully is this errour confuted by the truth that hath beene formerly laid down For

creature when would his great name be hallowed when would his kingdome come or when would his will be done this way 2. In that there is much rubbish to be cast out that stands in the way of building and setting up this work of the Lord as there was at the building of the wall of Jerusalem Neh. 4.10 a kingdome within us as well as without us to be subdued bef●re this worke of the Lord can take place What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what strange holds of carnall imaginations and reasonings are there in the hearts of men against this worke of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 places of defence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 safe as the Apostle calls them 2 Cor. 10.4 5. How doe men love the reliques of Baal long after the flesh-pots of Egypt their old superstitious wayes of worship they have been accustomed unto how doe they to this day mourne for Tammuz T is no easie matter to prepare the hearts of the people to meet the God of their Fathers and before this be done it will be hard to build this house and Church of God and to doe this the arme of the eternall God must appeare or else all is in vaine as the Psalmist hath it Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it So here especially this house of God that cannot be set up before the hearts of men be prepared Doe not we see by sad experience to this day that people look upon the right order of the Gospel as a light vaine novell thing those too that pretend to great knowledge Now this very opinion of novelty that men have touching this way of Christ is such a hindrance to this work that unlesse the Lord put forth his power on the spirits of men t is not all the men in the world are able to bring them to embrace Reformation and therefore doubtlesse this is Christs work and not the creatures Gods and not mans 6. Lastly to adde no more to what hath been laid down for the clearing of this truth take this onely That the Scriptures do wholly exclude and shut out the Creature from having a hand in this businesse and attribute all to the Lord and this I shall make out I h●pe very plainly and to abundant satisfaction 1. It is evident that the Scriptures never speake in the plurall number of Heads over the Church primary and secundary but only in the singular number of one Head viz. Christ who hath absolute and sole power ju●isdiction and authority in the matters of R●ligion and Worship as Ephes 1.22.5.23 Col. 1.18 2.10 19. and therefore they speak onely of one Law-giver James 4.12 and the government on his shoulders onely and not on any other with him Esay 9 6. 22.21 22 23. 2. It is evident that the Scriptures deny all headship and Lordship to any other besides Christ in the Church 1 Pet. 5.3 Psal 45.11 3. Our Saviour himselfe forbids it to his Disciples and Apostles that were to follow him Mar. 10.42 Luk. 22.25 Mat. 23.8 to 13. Mat. 28.20 4. The Apostles themselves after his departure who had most right of all other to this power altogether disclaim it 2 Cor. 1. ult professing their work was meerly a service and ministery Act. 1.17 not a Lordship as we have noted before And therefore when you meet in reading the Scriptures with such places as these as I ordaine and as I give order in the Churches you are not to understand it of any absolute but onely a derived power from Christ to establish in the Churches what Christ commanded and gave them in commission nothing of their owne but as 1 Cor. 11.23 that they received from the Lord that they delivered to the Saints 5. The Scriptures in an expresse manner forbid Beleevers to be the servants of men in this point as to bow our consciences to their injunctions in the matters of Worship 1 Cor. 7.23 in Civil things we may and ought but not in divine and spirituall things there Christ alone must have active obedience Psal 45.11 and hence it is that the Scriptures doe charge us not to serve God after the traditions doctrines and commandements of men let them pretend never so much holines and zeale for the glory of God Mat. 15.9 Col. 2.7 8 20 21. the reason is because God will be worship●d after his own mind and will revealed to us in the Scriptures and not after the wisdome of men 6. The Scriptures reprove and sharply rebuke such as stoop and bowe their consciences to the precep●s and commands of men in serving and worshipping of God as Hos 5.11 Esay 29.13 Gal. 4.9 10. 7. The Scriptures hold it forth as matter of commendation to the Saints when they have withstood the authority of men in the matters of Gods worship and rather suffered their bodies to die then their consciences to be defiled by ye●lding to their humane injunctions as the three Children Dan. 3. Revel 3.4 14.4 8. The Scr●ptures hold it forth as a property and character of Antichrist to make Lawes and impose them on the consciences of m●n 2 Thes 2.4 and so Rev. 13.16 17. 9. The Scriptures take away whatsoever may be thought to be a warrant for us from men to worship God by besides which Jesus Christ hath left us a rule to walk by in his written Word 1. They take away the wisdome of men as a warrant for us in the worship of God as 1 Cor. 3.20 Coloss 2.20 21 22 23. 2. They take away whatsoever seemeth good in our own eyes Deut. 12.8 Esay 66 3. 3. T ey take away mens traditions and customes Mar. 7.9 Colos 2.8 Act. 21.21 Deut. 18.9 Levit. 18. ult Jerem. 10.3 and whatsoever inventions of men as Psal 1●6 29 39. Ps 99.8 Deut. 4.2 12.32 Prov. 30.6 4. T ey take away the very will and commands of men as Hos 5.11 Amos 4.4 Mat. 15.9 Mar. 7.7 Col. 2.22 Tit. 1.14 Esay 29.13 5. They take away whatsoever word or doctrine comes from Ministers or any other which cannot be resolved into the written word of Christ as in Ezek. 13.3 7. Esay 8.20 Gal. 1.8 9. 1 Cor. 4.6 6. They take away all good intentions of men in this businesse as ●o 2 Sam. 6.7 1 Sam. 13.9 10 13. 1 Chro. 15.13 2 Chro. 26.16 7. It takes away all examples of men though never so eminent Ezek. 20 18. 1 Cor. 11.1 8. It rebukes the counsels of States for their boldnesse this way and layes it as a blot on t●em shewing that by this means people have been brought to Idolatry as 1 King 12.26 27 28 29 30. 2 Chron. 25.16 Jer. 19.5 7. Mich. 6. ult 9. It takes away from men all power to make Lawes to binde the Consci●nces of Beleevers so much as in things that are indifferent * Vid. M. Burr Heart-Divisions p. 159 160 161. where he discourseth excellently to this point For

again And therefore considering that the absolution of excommunication doth pertaine to the Churches it followeth that the excommunication doth in like manner appertaine unto them And so afterwards he sheweth that the Peoples consent was required in things of this nature and that the Ministers did not take upon them of their own authority to excommunicate c. and shews the truth of this from the authorities of Cyprian and Augustine p. 187. and so before p. 35. of his first reply in the case of a Churches neglect to call a Minister or to consent upon one that is unmeet he sheweth that the power of Elders in other Churches is no other then of Admonition or sharpely chargeing them that they forbeare such an election or in case it be done not to confirme it and in case these Churches neglect their duty or the Church which is admonished rest not in their admonition then to bring it to the next Synod and if it rest not therein then the Magistrate is to do his duty and the same he confirmes in his second Reply Tract 7. p. 80 81 82. where he maintaines the Church of Corinths joyning with the Apostle in the excommunication of the incestuous person Thirdly Master Dudly Fenner Fenner de sac Theol l. 7. pag. ●77 278. that was contemporary with Master Cartwright and joyned with him in the publique Ministery to the English Company in Antwerp in his Treatis● De sacra Theolog to which Master Cartwright in an Epistle prefixed to it gives a singular testimony Lib. 7. p. 277 278 279. hath much to th●s purpose Among other passages this is not the least for our purpose that in matters maximi momenti i. e. of the greatest moment as Censures elections of Ministers c. they are to be done in the Assembly by the authority of the whole Church And if the people have any thing to counsell or object they have liberty to bring it in and afterwards matters are to be concluded when they have beene heard speake and have given their consent Fourthly Master Parker Parker de Eccl. ●olit l. 3. c. 12. who is so large and full for what we affirme that it would require a whole volume by it selfe to translate what he hath written to this purpose In his third booke De Eccles pol. Chap. 12. he hath no lesse then 22. Arguments to prove the superiority of Churches over their owne officers and he that reades him diligently shall finde that from the authority of Scriptures Ancient and Moderne Writers and other unanswerable reasons he proves the authority of Churches to be in themselves and then Lib. 3. Chap. 22. p. 329. and so onwards he shews that Synods and Classes have no other power over those Churches then by way of counsell and admonition whosoever reades that 22. Chapter shall finde him to prove it six wayes from the ground from the forme from the matter from the object from the manner of proceeding and from the end of those Classicall combinations All which would be too large to translate Where let the reader take notice that he doth not simply deny the use of synods and combination of Churches into Classes as we doe not but onely their superiority that is challenged to be due to them over the congregations of the Saints which we cannot see to be any other then an usurpation not given to them by Jesus Christ Fiftly pious and learned M. Perkins ●erk his Expos 〈◊〉 Revel c. 2. ● 2. and v. 20 in his Exposition on the three first Chapters of the Revelations affirmeth that Jesus Christ gave to every one of those seven Churches in Asia power and Authority to preach the Word administer the Sacraments to reprove evill men and exclude all obstinate sinners from all spirituall priviledges among them His words are these chap. 2. ver 2. Christ hath given to his Church a power judiciall to suspend evill men from the Sacrament and to excommunicate them from the outward fellowship of the Church for else he would not have commended this Minister with his Church for the execution of his power And the reasons saith he alledged to the contrary are of no force And at ver 20. of the same Chapter he saith We may learne two things 1. The large power that God gave to his Church which was besides the power to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments a farther power to appoint who should preach amongst them and who shou●d not and also power to represse evill men and women and so keep them in order The like power was given to the * Now the C● of Ephesus w● a particular v●sible Church having powe● of governme●● within it self Master Perki● shewes and cleare from t●● Scripture church of Ephesus as we have seene saith he before and the like power did God give to all Churches as we shall see if we read the Histories of the church And great cause there is hereof for without this authority no church could long stand and be a church Sixtly Holy Baynes Baynes Dioc● Tryall pag. 1 printed 162 that eminent light which succeeded Master Perkins We affirme saith he that no such head Church was ordained either virtually or actually but that all Churches were singular Congregations equall * This godly learned Autho● with others d● use the word Independen● not simply b● in some respec● not in respect of God and Christ th● Spirit the scriptures principles of reason and equity for so we acknowledge all Churches to be dependen● but in respect of men onely and as it refers to other Churches or subordination to them in poi● of power and authority because we know of no such ordained by Christ in the Word INDEPENDENT each of other in regard of subjection So in pag. 21. touching the Churches of Geneva he shews by answering to an objection was made from thence 1. That they have power of governing themselves but for greater edification voluntarily confederate not to use or exercise their power but with mutuall communication one asking the counsell and consent of the other in the common Presbyterie 2. He shews that it is one thing for Churches to subject themselves to a Bishop and Consistory wherein they shall have no power of suffrage another thing to communicate with such a Presbyterie wherein themselves are Members and Judges with others And then afterwards he shews that Geneva made this Consociation not as if the prime Churches were imperfect and to make one Church by this union but because though they were entire Churches and had the power of Churches yet they needed this support in exercising of it and that by this meanes the Ministers and Seniors or Elders of it might have communion marke that Communion viz. among themselves not jurisdiction over others So pag. 81. where after a large discourse touching this power that was in the particular Church of Corinth he concludes with these words Finally saith he the Church●s of

if Christ hath instituted as we have shewed such an externall Church politye for his Saints to observe to his comming again how then dare men deny it may they not as well deny the scriptures themselves by placing all in the office and worke of the spirit within us without the use of any externall rule or meanes to worship God by And the truth is that to this at last men come speaking very basely and unworthily if not blasphemously of the scriptures But before I leave those men if it may please the Lord to sh●w them the ev●ll of their way I would faine know of them whether it were not the practice of Jesus Christ himselfe in the dayes of his fl sh and his Apostles after him whom he substituted in his roome and appointed to give out his divine will concerning the ordinances of his kingdome to live in the use and practic● of outward worship and ordinances Did not Christ himselfe pract ce preaching praying Baptisme Supper c. and so the Apostles after him and did they not give the Churches this in charge that they sh●uld tread in their steps and be followers of them as they were of Christ and can it be denyed that the O●dinan●es of God are those sacred things in and by which the Saints come to have lively fellowship and communion with God N●ither let men think it sufficient to say that they have fellowship with God without and above ordinances for then it would follow that men should live in fellowship with God without worshipping and serving of him in that way he hath prescribed viz. by observing those duties and ordinances which Jesus Christ hath instituted and commanded in his Word as preaching prayer singing receiving the Sacraments executing the censures c. in Church fellowship as hath been and shall be farther noted in the following discourse And therefore if these men desire to be found in the number of those that Christ calls his friends ●●hn 14.15 let them labour to doe what he hath commanded them and not slight the way of his visible worship and ordinances which he hath instituted for his Churches to walk in till his comming againe when he shall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father and have put downe all rule and authority and power in 1 Cor. 15.14 2. The other sort of men contrary minded to this blessed truth are those that teach and write for sound doctiine that Jesus Christ hath not sole power of headship over the Church in appointing and ordering this visible Church-state for all Nations to observe and ke●p but it is in the power of men also to appoint and set up a frame of Church-Government and order for men to serve and worship God by according to the nature and frame of those States and Kingdomes wherein they live and the foundation they build on is by distinguishing betweene a Supreame principall headship and a Ministeriall subordinate headship They doe not deny but Christ is the supreame Head over all but then they would faine make the world believe if it lay in their power that there is a secondary and subordinate headship which Iesus Christ hath deligated in his room and hath left power and authority with to make lawes to his Church and they say that this Ministeriall headship may stand wel enough with the Principal and Supream as a Vice-Roy may stand with a King but I utterly deny it affirming it to be a distinction coined in the Popes conclave at Rome and holy Baines in his Commentary on Col. 2.19 shews it to be altogether unsound 1. Because it is contradictory for it is such an essentiall property of an head to be principall and have rule that what is not thus is not an head 2. Who ever heard of any secundary ministeriall head in a naturall body without deformity Now it is a naturall body with which Christ doth compare himselfe in this respect 3. That which is a ministeriall head must doe the work of an head but that none can doe the work is double internall or externall influence regiment or direction Of the first it is granted for the other of Regiment The Apostle themselves w● not Heads of but servants 〈◊〉 the Churche● Id. ibid. the Scripture denyeth it to any but Christ the Prince of Pastors leaving to all other a power ministeriall onely to serve the Churches as superior unto them 4. No Direction which is dependent is the direction of an Head as the hand leading and drawing up the foot directeth it but is not an head to it because the direction of the hand commeth from the principality of the head reported unto it As for those instances that are brought for the upholding of the former distinction he answers them cleerly and shews that the union of the Church the Scripture teacheth to depend on Christ and his S●irit and not on a visible head Men may have many names properly attributed to them but this improperly Kings may suffer men to be called Noble Wise Rich but to be called Kings within his Dominion is not permitted because there is nothing more derogatory from the glory of his Crowne So here And what this l●arned man hath spoken in the former place is confirmed both by Ancient and Moderne Divines against the Papists as is easie to prove And sufficient might be added from the Sermons which have been pr●ached for these severall yeeres before the Honourable Houses of Parliament by learned men of all sorts but I suppose it is needl●s in a busines so cleere and palpable Now if Jesus Christ be sole Head and none joyned in commission with him for the ordering of these affaires that concerne his own and his Fathers spiritu●ll and eternall Kingdom then doubtlesse no Powers on earth Civill or Ecclesiasticall can challenge that honour and authority to themselves which is onely p●oper to Jesus Christ and which he hath reserved to himselfe alone and is communicable to none other besides him Now there are some things which Christ hath reserved to himselfe as for example to erect a spirituall Church and Kingdome to himselfe like himselfe 2. To appoint a ministery worship order government both internall and externall sutable thereunto 3. To give out glorious Gospell truths and doctrines of salvation for the Saints to belleeve and practise 4. To raign and rule in and over the hearts and consciences of the Saints by the mighty Scepter of his Word and Spirit 5. To forgive sinnes to heale diseases to blesse O●dinances to c●allenge praises command homage duty service of the whole man from sinners these and the like things are proper to J●sus Christ as he is the great high Priest Prophet and King of his Church and not communicable to Angels or men and therefore let not humane powers take that to them which is none of their due but belongs to Christ alone Quest What is their due then Ans M. Sprig in his Ancient Bounds hath spoken so much and

17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. If any man defile the Temple of God and that of 2 Cor. 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For ye are the Temple of the living God In all which places with diverse other that word Temple is used for the visible Church because the Apostle there speakes to and of the whole Church of Corinth conjunctim Ye are the Temple of God c. So that by Temple here where Antichrist sits is to be understood the Church of God Obj. You will say by Temple is meant the consciences of Gods people in that place of the Thessalonians Ans 1. Grant it yet that doth not make void the other but rather confirmes it 2. We never read in all the Scriptures that the conscience is so called but the church of Christ is frequently so styled as wee have shewed before and therefore either its the Church of God Antichrist sits in or it is not if not then that Scripture is not true but if true as cannot be denyed then there is a church-state remaining under Antichrist Obj. But how can this church-state remaine where there is such a generall defection as there is under Antichrist Rev. 13. Ans We must distinguish between the corruption of things and the things themselves between the essentials of a church-state and the accidentals now it cannot be denyed but in respect of the accidentalls of a church-state so all is lost under this defection of Antichrist that is in respect of the right order and administration of Ministery Ordinances and government but not the essentials of these and so long as these remaine the Church-state is not lost for we cannot reason from the corruption of a thing to the nullity and non-being of it as for example the children of Israel and vessels of Gods House that were carried captive into Babylon and prophaned by their being there yet so long as they were not destroyed and broken in pieces they were brought back again to Jerusalem and sanctifyed from their pollution and set againe in the Temple as before and the Lord owned and accepted them notwithstanding their being in Babylon so here the Saints and ordinances the Ministery Seales and Censures of this instituted Church of Christ though they have been under Antichrist yet so long as the essence of them remaines they may be brought back from Rome and reduced to their former purity and first order of the Gospell not that they have a new being but rather they are brought to their wonted wel-being and primitive institution Obj. But doth not this then make the Church of Rome a true Church having the essentials of a true Church-state in it Ans No not a jot no more then a Theeves having the goods of an honest man in his house which he hath stollen makes him to be true he is a thiefe still So here Rome is still Rome the mother of Harlots stil notwithstanding her possessing of the essentials of Christs holy things we may see it clearely in Babylon of old the type of Rome when the Jewes were carried away captive with the holy vessels of the Temple t was not the being of these in Babylon that made her the church of God but she was Babylon still full of abominations there was Bel and Merodach her great Idols and Images still worshiped Ier. 50.2 and as God once overthrew the Type as he overthrew Sodome and Gomorah so that not so much as a son of man should dwell there ver 40. So shall be it with the Antitype Rome the mother of fornications the habitation of devils and the hold of every foule spirit Rev. 18.22 23. and the good Lord for his Son and Syons sake hasten it 4. If Church-state and Ministery and Ordinances be all lost under the defection of Antichrist then the Scriptures also are lost which are the churches treasure and as a Depositum were once delivered to the church to keepe Iud. 3. but we find that the Scriptures are not lost but by the power of Christ they have been preserved yea recovered out of Babylon and freed from those horrible corruptions they were exposed unto while they were in the hands of Antichrist and why may not the Ordinances as well as the Scriptures the church as well as her treasure 5. If this Church-state and Ordinances should not continue but were all lost and ceased then it would follow that there were no meanes left ordinarily for the conversion and salvation of poore lost soules but the contrary to this appeares as wee find by experience for 1. We have the word of life in the sacred Scriptures to be our Cynosura or rule and guide to direct us in the way to life 2. We have the holy Ghost accompanying the Ministery and preaching of this word in an effectuall manner to the calling and conversion of multitudes and bringing those that are called out of their Antichristian-church-state to Sion and to worship God according to his own revealed will 3. We have Pastors and teachers lawfully called and set apart to the worke of the Ministery and faithfull dispensing of this word of life and other ordinances that concern a true visible Church-state according to the practise of the Primitive Churches as we before shewed now where there are the same word and ordinances the same Officers for kind with those in the Apostles dayes to dispense and administer them and the precious presence of Christ in his Spirit accompanying them to make them effectuall though perhaps not in such an ample large measure as in those Primitive times there we may conclude the ordinary meanes for salvation are not lost but still remaine and continue Ob. But it is objected that those that are called now in these dayes to administer the holy things of Gods house are not so qualified as these were in the Primitive times they have not those extraordinary gifts of working miracles as they had Ans 1. I would faine know whether all those that were in office in the churches of Christ in those times had those extraordinary gifts as the Officers of the Church of Ephesus 1 Cor. 12.29.30 Philippi Corinth c. doth not the Scripture shew the contrary 2. I would faine know whether the gifts of working Miracles be so essentiall to the Ministery as that there can be no true Ministery where these are wanting If so then many in the Primitive times were not true Ministers of Christ as Iohn the Baptist Apollos and those Pastors and Teachers that were in the severall Churches of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture For we cannot find in the least of their working miracles and yet they had a true Ministerie If not why then do men refuse the Ministery that hath no miracles 3. I desire to know where it appeares or how it can be made out that the Primitive Saints Ministers or People were given to succeeding ages as patternes for extraordinary gifts of Miracles that they were left as patternes of

grace and helps of faith and love and repentance and obedience to the truth of Church-fellowship is without controversie Eph. 4.12 13. but not of the former And the Apostle makes it cleere in Heb. 2.3 4. that the chief end of gifts of Miracles was to confirme the Gospel of Christ then sent forth to be preached which now needs not for as M. Thomas Goodwin lately in one of his Lectures on the Ephesians shewed common education serves so farre now as Miracles did of old which were not to begin a saving justifying faith for that was the office of the Word but to make men to attend the Word which now education doth and therefore there is no such need of a Ministery with Miracles 4. Doth not the Scripture abundantly shew us that working of Miracles may be in a false Ministery as Marke 13.22 2 Thes 2.9 10. Rev. 13.13 14 Rev. 16.14 and 19.20 and in such as Christ will not owne for his at the last day as Matth. 7.22 23. 5. Doth not such an opinion as this of requiring gifts of working Miracles in those that are called and sent to preach and administer ordinances bring a great disparagement on the truth it selfe for if it be not able to make it selfe evident without Miracles is it not a great Argument of its weaknes and insufficiency whereas it s farre otherwise with the truth as Ephes 5.13 6. Doth not this opinion directly crosse and contradict that of our Saviour Joh. 16.8 and derogate from the authority and power of the Spirit for there he tels us that its the office of the Spirit to convince the world of sinne of righteousnes and judgement now to say that this worke cannot be done unlesse there be Miracles wrought by men that are the Spirits instruments what is this but to derogate from the Spirit and to make the efficacy of the Ministery to depend more upon the externall working of Miracles then upon the internall working of the Spirit whereas the greatest Miracles that ever were wrought by the Apostles or others can never prevaile to gaine the hearts of wretched sinners to the embracing of the truth nor convince them of sin righteousnesse and judgement if the Spirits presence be wanting and therefore many times wee find amongst the Jewes that notwithstanding all the Miracles that Christ himselfe and his Apostles wrought before them they continued obstinate and hardned in their sinnes so that the efficacy of the meanes depends on the Spirit and if so then there is no such necessity for working of Miracles to convince men of the truth for be the externall meanes or instrument weake or strong it matters not so the Spirit employ it and commonly we find it to be true by experience that the weaker the secondary cause or meanes is the more glorious doth the power of the Spirit appeare according to 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. 7. Lastly what greater miracles can there be wrought by men to evince the truth of their calling then by casting out of the Devill from men and womens soules and consciences and the opening of the eyes of their understanding Act. 26.1 John 5. ● the raising of them from the death of sin the healing and sanctifying of their corrupt natures c. by the power of the Spirit All which are far greater Miracles then corporall dispossession healing of mens bodies opening of their bodily eyes c. and the power of Christ appeares far greater in working of these Miracles then in all other miracles whatsoever and of these kind of miracles I conceive that Scripture is to be understood Joh. 14 12. where Christ promiseth that his Disciples after he was ascended to the Father should by the power of the Spirit doe greater works then those himselfe wrought which I suppose he understands of those spirituall works of wonder that I have formerly mentioned in the raising poore soules out of the grave of sinne opening the eyes of their blind and dark understandings c. The truth of the Proposition being thus cleared I now come to some inferences 1. In the first place it will cleerly follow that those men are mightily mistaken and out of the way that stick not to affirme that the Church-state and order of Government thereunto correspondent which Jesus Christ hath instituted is mutable and ought to be suited according to the Lawes and Government of particular States and Kingdomes as if the Churches of Christ in the Primitive times had a mixt government and administration of the Ordinances according to the lawes and customes of the countryes As for example the Church of Christ in Asia had one way of government the Churches in Galatia another way of order and government and the Churches in Judea another Whereas the Scripture affirmes the cleane contrary scil that Jesus Christ hath left but one order of Church state and politie for all his Churches to observe and make use of which as I have shewed in the essentials of it is unchangeable and to be observed and kept to the appearing of Jesus Christ the author and instituter of it 1 Tim. 6.13 14. and therefore what the Apostle ordained in one Church he did in all as 1 Cor. 7.17 And this is the judgement of learned Whitaker against Duraeus and Cartwright against Whitgift who handles this point very largely in his second Reply his words are these Thus saith he to Whitgift where the Christian Magistrate is given of God to keep the order which God hath set in his Church you bring him in as a breaker and changer of the order which God hath appointed by his holy Apostles But the godly Christian Magistrates may understand that as neither our Saviour Christ nor any wise and well instructed Ministery under him will meddle with any order or forme of Common wealth lawfully instituted of them for the better government of their people but leave them as they find them So they ought to leave whole and untouched that order that Jesus Christ hath placed in his Church And as the Author saith truly in another place that Christ came not to overthrow civill governments even so he saith it is as true that God sendeth not Kings to overthrow Church Government planted by Christ and his Apostles Yea so much more absurd is this latter then the first by how much they ought to have more firmity which were set downe by the Lord himself then which were by men For what sonne of Adam shall presume to alter that order which the Lord himselfe from heaven hath set c. And therefore certainly Iesus Christ will give such men but little thanks another day for their endeavour to make his Institutions as a nose of waxe to be altered and changed to whatsoever forme and fashion men shall please in every Civill State and Kingdome on earth 2. But I shall passe from such Formalists and Time-servers to another sort of men who although they allow not of an alteration of Christs Institutions and Ordinances