THE LAMB CALLING HIS Follovvers TO Retirement Being an Humble Enquiry into the duty of Churches Ministers and all that fear the Lord under the present dispensation of God By one that would be found though unworthy the Lords Witness and Servant and of all his SAINTS 1 COR. 4. 5. Judge nothing before the time Printed in the year 1662. TO THE READER THe different apprehensions of the People of God in this day concerning their present duty being cut off from their publick liberties of Worship gave occasion to the ensuing Enquiry some judging it of absolute necessity to assemble openly though they expose themselves or at least their Teachers to the utmost hazard others that Retirement is that which the present dispensation calls for which later this brief Discourse endeavours to prove as justifiable from the Scripture and the practise of the People of God in former Ages but more especially to be the voice of the Lord to his people in the present day in which there is a concurring judgement of many But that Retirement which is first called to namely unto the Lord Jesus himself which is briefly prest in the former part is that which is commended to all as absolutely necessary as ever they expect to be found under his wing at his coming and appearing and Reader hear the call of Jesus Christ therein that thou mayst lay up thy immortal soul with him that when storms are coming upon the World thou mayst be found in thy Sanctuary in thy Chambers of Rest and Safety where they shall not reach thee As to the Case of Retirement from open Assembling it is plainly stated from Scripture evidence as is humbly apprehended wherein if there be not enough said to satisfie a doubting Conscience yet at least there may be sufficient to engage humble and sober minds to a mutual forbearance The duties of all Saints under this Retirement are but briefly hinted because of brevity and in that they have been more at large prest by the Servants of God in the two years of mercy we have enjoyed as the peculiar blessing of this City to the honour of the Lord Jesus the establishment of the Saints in the faith and worship of the Gospel and in the Resurrection of the Cause of the Kingdom of Christ in these Nations the vindicating and asserting whereof hath as is hoped left a gratious and powerful impression and savour upon the Spirits of the Lords people that so they may be found the more quietly submitting to the dispensation of the Lord as blessedly establisht in the forementioned truths and may in those holy principles in which they have been built up continue in a more private way edifying one another in love as those in this their retirement that are waiting for the speedy return of their Lord that when he comes he may find them so doing This you may do as under the wings of the Almighty in a probable security and not hasten your selves into your own sufferings and if the providence of God single out any of you to a suffering testimony in the loss of liberty or goods or to banishment verily you will know the tender heart of Jesus Christ towards you and his faithfulnesse in making up all to you and yours and that in this life a hundred fold Be quiet you Captives of hope for in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into corners any more but thine EYES SHALL SEE THY TEACHERS Do not think that the Lord is now at the end of twenty years work and that the present dispensation is the last issue of all his glorious providences you have sometime believed that the Exaltation of the Lord Jesus would be the issue of all the shakings the Lord hath made in these Nations and you have as great if not a greater ground to abide in the same Faith as ever Take heed of a bewildred Spirit under the dark providences the Lord is leading us but consider what the Lord hath been doing and what work hath been upon the wheele and by faith labour to look to the end of the Lord and you will be able quietly to wait for him I wish the Case in hand had been stated by an abler hand but finding nothing herein I have found my Spirit often looking for light from the Father of lights drawn out to cast in this mite to the present Generation of the righteous as hoping that the voice of the Lamb is in it in the main scope of it And though it may be in what is hinted about the death of the witnesses I may differ from some of the Lords Servants yet I promise my self their forbearance it being an houre of enquiry and we would be all glad to know the mind of Christ in our day Something more may be offerd to consideration to clear those hints and of the nature of the Kingdom of Christ in this World if the Lord permit Now the blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve all his in this houre of temptation and lead us into his whole Counsel and Will to whose immutable grace I commend thee in the patient waiting for Zions Redemption The 25. of the 5. Month 1662. Resting Thy Brother and Fellow-Servant in the Patience of Christ ESAY 26. 20. Come my People enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast THE special Wisdome of the People of God in all Generations under the variety of his dispensations hath been to know what the Lord hath spoken and called his People to under them in the knowledge of which hath been bound up their mercy and peace in every Generation All their miscarriages have been for want of attending hereunto either in a day of peace and outward blessing or in a day of affliction and judgement The safety of this people to whom this word was spoken Enter into thy Chambers c. did lye in the obedience thereof at that day which let us a little more particularly consider This Prophet though many years before the day of it spake of the Captivity of Judah and also of her return and restauration with the blessings that should attend it which restauration he more at large begins to discover at the 14. Chap. For the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob and will yet chuse Israel and set them to their own Land c. Upon which the Prophet having denounced the burden of the Lord against Babylon Chap. 13. threatens all other Nations to the 25. Chap. that but helped in or rejoyed at the day of his Peoples Captivity as Moab and Syria and Egypt and Tyre c. As is more generally exprest ch 17. 12 13 14. Wo to the multitude of many people which make a noise like
a holy Seed from one generation to another and not to be exposed to the blood thirstiness and rage of their persecutors though still honoring himself by the suffering of some And as this hath been the practise of the Churches of Christ in times of persecution so of particular Ministers and Witnesses of the Lord in all ages namely as they were led by the spirit of the Lord to retire from particular persecution especially when their case was different from the rest of the saints as in som ages it hath bin the first blow was at the Ministers of Christ so Moses fled before the face of Pharoah and dwelt in the Land of Midean till the time of deliverance came to the Israelites in Aegypt Exod. 2. 15. So David from the persecution of Saul who retired into the Wilderness where the Lord hid him till the time that the promise should be fulfilled in his reign over Israel 1 Sam. 19. 18. though in his retirement he was deprived of the Institutions of the Worship of God in the temple as he complains complains in several Psalms Elijah had given an eminent Testimony against Ahab and the abominations of that day and prophesied the wrath of God to come upon Israel But when he knew the mischief that Ahab intended and he had finished his Testimony the Lord commands him to go and hiâ—â—e himself 1 Kings 17. 2. 8. and Chap 10. 10 And we know Elijah was an eminent Type of the Witnesses of Jesus Christ under the New-Testament Babylon though in the third year when it should rain again according to the word of the Lord which made way for Elijah's appearance he shewed himself to Ahab and God was with him to deliver him But when Jezebel sought after him again ch 19. he went into the Wilderness and hid himsel in a Cave v. 9. At the same time before the three years were finished and the Persecution by Jezebel continued against all the Lords Prophets 1 King 18. Obadiah hid the Prophets by 50. in a Cave who at other times were publikely prophesying So when the King had sent out a Warrant and Officers to take Jeremiah and Baruch Jer. 36. 26. 't is said The Lord HID them which implied their own retirement at that time So our Lord Jesus himself when he heard that John was cast into Prison he retired into Galilee Matth. 4. 12 And when he further heard that he was beheaded he withdrew into a desert place Mat. 14. 13. And so when the Jews sought to kill him c. till his hour was come which places are ordinarily urged by interpreters upon them for the case in hand So our Lord Jesus allows his Disciples Matth. 10. when he sent them forth as sheep among wolves ver 10. that they should then be wise as Serpents walk with such a wisdom as becomes sheep among Wolves which is not rashly to put themselves into the mouth of the Wolf And ver 17. bids them beware of men and then being persecuted into one City â—o flye unto another v. 23. the 〈◊〉 that word being to direct them that when Rulers by their Edicts will not suffer them to preach in one place they might go to another if not in publike then in private and from House to House as the providence of God should lead them When the Jews sought for Paul at Damascus the Disciples did not press him to expose himself to be delivered up into their hands in appearing openly there but on the contrary at a hard rate conveyed him away Acts 9. 23. 2 Cor. 11. 32. In Damascus the Governor under Artas the King kept the City with a Garrison desirous to apprehend me and through a Window in a basket was I let down by the wall I escaped his hands which the Apostle there sets down among his persecutions when the Governor of the City would have apprended him he thought good and the Saints with him so judged to withdraw and yet he was not judged unfaithful or fearful in so doing So Acts 14. when Paul and Barnabas had spoken holdly in the Lord for a time at Iconium when they understood that the Jews and Gentiles with them made an assault at their meeting to use them despightfully and to stone them they were ware of it they thought it ground enough that they were ware of it and so fled into the next Province into Lystra When the Jews laid wait for him Act. 20. 3. he went not into Syria but returned thorow Macedonâ—a And when the Jews had gathered a company of lewd fallows to assault the meeting at Jasâ—ns house Paul and Sylas withdrew Act. 17. 5 6. for they found them noâ— ver 6. And at Berea the Brethren sent away Paul ver 14. So when he would have hazarded himself the Disciples suffered him not Act. 19 30. And when he would go up to Jerusalem all the Saints besought him not to go judging in an ordinary way he ought not till they nnderstood that Paul was under an extraordinary impulse of Spirit to go and then they ceased The case of those famous Ministers and witnesses of Christ at the See Book of Matt beginning of Q. Maries persecution who preached not after the Queens Inhibition and Proclamation though it were not a binding Law as appears by the Declaration of their Faith they gave forth when prisoners in the Kings Bench in which they thus express themselves We are not here in prisons as Traiâ—ors or seditious persons or transgressors of any Laws of this Realm Inhibitions Proclamations or Commandments of the Queens Highness or of any of the Councils God's Name be praised therefore c. Subscribed by Dr. Taylor Philpot Bradford Hooper Rogers Saunders c. the most eminent Ministers and Martyrs of that day who it appears preached not publickly after the Proclamation and Act of Parliament but were committed as having been men famous in King Edwards days and had preached to warn the people against Popery in the interval before the Proclamation was published and were taken after and were put to death because they would not deny the Truth they had formerly preached which the servants of Christ at this day hope through grace they shal not do if called to a tryal thereof and how far several of the servants of the Lord have exposed themselves notwithstanding a former Proclamation and the latter Act of Parliament and particular charges that way lye against some of them sober Christians may judge and not passionately censure any of them and the due consideration thereof and of what hath been said in this case may be more then enough to remove their prejudice or mistaken herein So that here is both precept and multiplied examples both of the Old and New Testament of the Prophets and Apostles and the ordinary Ministers of Christ that when particular and personal persecution hath been against them a design to apprehend them and a lying in wait for them they have at such a time withdrawn and
6 Though in this case also 't is not easie to lay down the uâ—most extent of duty sometimes the Witnesses of Christ have â—â—eely and openly upon their convention and examination without any proof against them witnesâ—ed to the whole tâ—uth and maâ—â—er of Fact as carryed â—orth 't is to be charitably judged by the Spirit of the Lord thereto as in Stephens case and Peter's Acts 3. Others have kept silence and held their persecutors to proof of matter of Fact against them yet so as they would not deny the Truth which is a Testimony to it Now such a witness-bearing before the Judicatories of men as the Spirit of the Lord carries forth our spirits is another way of having the Testimony of Jesus Christ Now if the Lord help this generation of his people to be faithful to their Light in these particulars they shall be found the Lambs followers keeping the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus But for any to judge that nothing else is a finishing a faithful testimony but for the servants of Christ to put themselves into the mouths of those whom they know wait to devour them and have laid a snare for them and that such are unâ—aithful or fearful or worse that think iâ— not their duty certainly when good â—ouls are come to themselves and shall particuâ—â—â—ly know and weigh the cases of the Lord 's poor servants without which 't is unreasonable to judge we shall all have a tender hearted forbearance one of another as that case requires Obj. 2. But was not this the practice of the Apostles Acts 4. when commmanded not to preach any more in the Name of the Lord Jesus they answered They â—ught to obey God rather than men Ans 1. I humbly conceive that the servants of God at this day if they were in the like manner called before Magistrates and were charged by them as the Apostles were namely Not to preach at all nor to teach in the Name of Jesus for so it was they would answer as the Apostles did would continue preaching where the providence of God opened a way to them as they did 2 We do not find it exprest that Peter and John preached openly in the Temple after that though they witnessed and preached elsewhere until the Angel of the Lord opened the Prison doors and commanded them to go and speak in the Temple Acts 5. 3. The Apostles having an extraordinary Annointing were to witness to all Nations that they had seen the Lord and that he was risen from the dead which is not the case of every particular Minister They went and preach't by the special dictate of the holy Spirit in one place and not in another 't is not so with ordinary Preachers And the same Spirit that led them forth sometimes to expose themselves to hazards at another time led them to withdraw from danger as hath been shewed Besides it doth not appear that there was any more than a meer prohibition not to preach to Peter and John by the Council of the Iews without any penalty of imprisonment or banishment expressed 3. Obj. Is not there a strict command that the Professors of Christ should not forsake the assembling themselves together Heb. 10. Ans Let it be considered what forsaking of assembling this was It was the departing from all Christian worship and fellowship a casting off their pâ—ofession as ver 23. Let us hold fast our profession such a forsaking as was a leading to an Apostacy as is clear in the following verses For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth c. which is annexed as a reason of not forsaking their assembling this will not be judged the present case 2. Saints therefore do not forsake their assembling in that sence while they hold fast their profession and labour to keep up worship in a more private way where they may likely assemble more peaceably and with less distraction for so those Hebrews did and all the Churches as hath been shewed Meeting is a duty but meeting openly is an accidental thing 4. Obj. But how are the servants of Christ consistent to their own Doctrine who press others to be partakers of the sufferings of Christ and would prepare them for it when they do not expose themselves to the utmost Ans There may be a prodigal casting away of liberty or life as well as a giving them up upon the Call of God 'T is certain that 't is a duty to offer up every Isaac to the Lord when he Calls for it but we must see our Call to be clear we should through grace be ready rather to suffer the loss of all things then to deny the truth and to follow the providential leadings of God thereto But that 't is our duty and call from the Lord to continue publikely witnessiâ—g and to expose our selves to the utmost hazards rather then give place though we know the snare is laid for us and we in all likelihood put an end to our Work in so doing is not yet proved to our Consciences from any Word of God but indeed the contrary is cleare to them If it be said that the judgement of some Saints is a Call herein I answer That the Judgement of many more may be put in the ballance against them who judge otherwise which may have as great or it may be a greater weight with them Obj. 5. But did not Daniel worship openly notwithstanding the Decree Dan. 6. Ans Whatever is said to the contrary it will easily appear that the prohibition and Decree was that Daniel should not pray unto his God at all as v. 7. That whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or man for thirty dayes save of thee Oh King c. Not that Daniel and the Jews should not pray towards Jerusalem So that the Decree concerned natural moral Worship and not positive instituted Worship which may sometimes be dispensed with 2. Daniel in this case had an extraordinary Annointing upon him as a Prophet which carried him forth in this particular which in every circumstance is not to be made a standing Rule Besides we do not hear of such an open appearing of the rest of the people of God then in Babylon And let it be seriously considered that sometimes God hath indulged his people in the matter of positive Institutions as the Israelites in Egypt who were obliged to sacrificing if they could have had liberty but we do not find it practised while they were in Egypt So of Circumcision in the Wilderness there was an indulgence of it and that rolling away the reproach of Egypt mentioned at their circumcision Josh 5. 9. was not the reproach as some learned Interpreters judge of not being circumcised but of not being brought for so many years into the promised Land which 't is like the Egyp ians reproached Israel with So the Building of the Temple which was Institution ceased Ezâ—a 4. last upon the
prohibition till the 2d year of Darius whose indulgence they might have soon had but neglected it and built their own houses and were reproved by the Prophets for their neglect therein And that word as urged by blessed Mr. Burroughs in this case and other of the Servants of Christ is not to be slighted Mal. 9. I will have mercy and not sacrifice which may wel hold forth this That the Lord hath more respect to a Work of Mercy than to a Sacrifice a lawful preservation of a man's self is a moral duty a work of mercy not only to himself but others to which end a Sacrifice of instituted Worship at certain times and in some cases may be omitted Obj. 6. But 't is objected That the case is not the same with that of our Saviour and the Apostles whose lives were in hazard but now it is not so the Liberties and Livelyhoods of the Ministers of Christ are onely endangered Ans 1. The loss of liberty livelyhood with the ruine of their Families is as a lâ—sser death the preservation of which is a moral duty But let the case well be considered what three Months Imprisoâ—ment in such nasty holes as the Lonâ—on Prisons are and it may be understood to amount to little less than life and upon what terms liberty may be had at the three Months end is not so easie to determine it cost one eminent * Mr. S. Minister his life already But if it be stated to be onely the loss of liberty it will be a tender case of Conscience whether for once or twice appearing in publike a Minister is to hazard his service of the Câ—uâ—ches aâ—d People of God to whom hâ— may be useful in a more private way Obj. 7. But such a withdrawing may be aâ— offence â—o some Sâ—ints though most otheâ—â— be satâ—fied Ans I shâ—ll here speak a little to the case oâ— offences because Satan hath formerly had great advantage upon the Spirits of the Lâ—rd's people this way 1. There are oâ—â—â—â—ces that com by the ungodly perâ—ecuting world who lay stumbling blocks in the way of the people of God by their persecuting them to such it is said Wo to the â—orld because of offences Mat. 18. Saints are not surely to pronounce those woes one upon another upon different apprehensions of duty 2. There are offences that arise among the Churches and people of God themselves such are 1 Either really given one to another Or 2dly Through misunderstanding weakâ—ess passion or temptation are unduly taken and not given 1. Concerning the former namely offences really given which will too often be while we sâ—e but in paâ—t and are holy but in part the Spirit of God calls for all forbeaâ—ance compassion and restoring one another and bearing one anothers burdens according to the Royal Law of Lâ—vâ— Gal. 6. 1 2. Eph. 4. Phâ—l 2. Col. 3. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 8. â—rom which Scripâ—ures let Saints and Members of Churches learn what Spirit and carriage is required one of another in case of offences which through miscarriages mistakes and hours of temptations will befall the poor children of God while they are in the flesh and therefore do call for such an exercise of grace one towards another and not for rigid censuring debasing treading one anothers names under their feet or worse if it may be which are fruits of the flesh and of the pride of our own hearts when we set up a Throne in our own spirits and all must bow and â—all down to it to be judged either as to matter of Judgement or Practise and wonderfully please our selves in it which will not well consist with a wel humbled heart 2. There are Offences upon the Spirits of Saints that are taken but not really given through weakness of Judgement mis-guided Zeale Rashness and Passions and not attending to a well studyed and rightly informed Judgement whereby the Tempter waits to stumble good sculs and to hinder their peace and communion with the Lord. Hence the Wisdom of God takeâ— special notice of the evils that befall the spirits of men in this case A Brother offeâ—ded is haâ—der to be non than a strong City and their conteâ—tioâ—s are liâ—e â—â—e â—â—rs of a Castle Prov. 18. 19. Yea let it be seriously attended to by all that fear the Lord whether all the Teachers that have been among the People of God have not riâ—eâ— either for want of a compassionaâ—â— bearing of offences given or by taking offences unduly when not really given and by which Satan hath been graâ—fied and the uâ—converted world hath been stumbled and all for want of thorough-heart â—umiliation Wisdom Love in the Spirit whereby they should be able to â—udge â—oberly and walk in peace as becometh Saints But oftentimes this temptation hath not rested here but as it hath been observed by holy men that all backfliding and apostacy begins in taking offence first offended at one thing or person then at another and â—o at more till they drink in prejudice against the Servants of the Lord and the Way they walk in â—â—â—l from all sound and searching Ministery and so run from Mâ—uâ—tain to Hill from one thing to another till they come to nothing unâ—ess the Lord in rich 〈◊〉 â—â—covâ—r them by a sound Wâ—rk of Humiliation upon them 〈◊〉 laid in that Parable Matthew 1â— 12. That he that hath not râ—ot in hiâ—self in â— time of persecution is offenâ—â—â— Various wayes hath Satan to offend and stumble them Our Lord Jesus warned his Disciples of this Matth. 26. 31. Then saith Jâ—sus unto them All â—e shall be offended because of me this Night c. And when the Lord promiseth to bring back the Captivity of his people he saith to his servants Cast ye up cast ye up prepare ye the way take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people Then will the Lord remove their offences and heal their spirits and they shal walk on in the way to Zioâ— and shall not stumble any more Obj. 8. But doth it not proceed from carnal fear in such as judge that retirement is the duty of this day Ans A grain more of love may cast it that the Lord's servants and such of the Churches that so judge and walk do walk after their light conviction and satisfaction of conscience which happily a little time may determine Truly most of the sons of men have an Absoloms spirit and say in our hearts What would I do if I were in such or such an ones case wherein our own hearts wonderfully deceive us Yet if any of the servants of the Lord have a more then ordinary impulse of spirit at this time as it may be some have had since this dispensation of giving in their testimony 't is bâ—st to leave them to the Lord without judging each other Concerning the Ministers of Christ I would humbly say thus much That iâ— they shal be found in their particular practice faithful to the light and