2. We have not so much as heard whether there bee any Holy Ghost much lesse enjoyed it and therefore they were baptized now in Christs name for to receive the Spirit Vers. 5 6. or the inward baptisme with the outward but now we admit no members but such as we verily beleeve and judge to have been baptized into Christ and so indeed dead and buried with him in baptisme and such as have the inward baptisme of fire and the Holy Ghost which is the substance and thing signified Thirdly This baptisme or washing of John was to fore-run Christ. Vers. 4. That they should beleeve on him which should come after him But the baptisme that Christ hath instituted is to beleeve Christ is already come dead and buried rose and ascended and therefore of another nature for John who baptised Christ was baptised by Christ and with Christs baptisme the fore-running administration was as Johns passed away in the Apostles daies which when the Disciples heard and understood they were baptised with Christs Ordinance Vers. 5. Object 3. But we doe not account that baptisme which you were baptised with any thing and therefore we intend not a baptising againe for that we abhor say some godly people but we beleeve that baptisme you so call to be none and therefore would have you baptised before admitted Answ. Baptisme is Baptisme though corruptly administred and should we grant you a graine too much yet too little to make you weight that we when Infants were undue subjects yet the want of due order makes not the Ordinance no Ordinance no more then the preaching the Word to such as doe not hear or understand it makes the Word to bee no Word If they had the essentials of baptisme they had enough and need not nay must not de novâ— take it up againe The substance will stand without the circumstance or ceremony Now who can deny but the godly have had the essentials of Baptisme viz. matter and forme materia vel est remota vel proxima the matter is the water generally but the washing especially The forme without speaking de modo is the baptising them in or into the name of the Father of the Son and of of the Holy Ghost Now the godly have had this matter and this forme in their baptisme therefore were baptized But still you say you were not fit subjects what then is therefore the Ordinance no Ordinance Suppose my glove were put upon a childs hand would it therefore follow that it is no glove because it is not the childs glove and fits not the childs hand nay surely so long as there is the matter and the forme of the glove it is a glove but Object Fourthly You were not dipped in the water which is the right baptizing Answ. First It is true the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie to dip we say with Beza out of Matth. 3.13 to dip not to dive over head and ears but to dip as in Num. 19.18 Ruth 2.14 1 Sam. 14.27 Deut. 33.24 non per modum immersionis sed effusionis that is not to drowne throw downe dive all over keep under water but onely to dip And Secondly The word signifies to wash also and so is used in Scripture Luke 11.38 the very word there wash is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptize or dip Now Thirdly Washing is the maine thing meant by the institution of this Ordinance of baptisme of water ad corporis â—blutionem non modo per immersionem verum etiam per aspersionem vel effusionem aquae Thus Heb. 10.22 Let us draw neer to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled i. e. with the inward thing signified viz. the blood of Saints and our bodies washed i. e. with the outward thing signifying with pure water there you have it expressely in the terms of sprinkling and washing as also in Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you So the Apostle points at this 1 Pet. 3.21 and as Mr. Hooker observes in 2 Chap. 3. Part of Church Discipline God is said to save us by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which is said to be powred out upon us Eph. 5.26 Tit. 3.5 6. following the resemblance of water powred out in the washing of baptisme which brings me to the fourth thing Fourthly Consider how we are baptized by the Holy Ghost so are we to be ad proportionem similitudinem by the water Act. 1.5 but we are not dived or drowned as yet into the Holy Ghost but onely the Spirit is powred upon us as yet guttatim as it were Act. 2.33 and 11.15 it falls on us we fall not into it although it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now we are baptized by the Spirit when that is applied to us first and administred upon us So that baptisme may be by sprinkling or powring water on and diving or plunging over head and ears in baptisme is not necessary and being a forme one is of as much force and as significant as the other and all is left to liberty For the casting water on the body resembles the nature of burial as sense will suggest in casting the mold and dust upon the dead as well the diving of the body into the water resembles the casting of the body into the dust and so the powring on of water the powring on of the Spirit or the sprinkling of it the sprinkling of Christs blood to wash c. so that this is left to liberty to doe that which is most orderly useful and significant whether to sprinkle powre on dip or dive and indeed I dare not deny my judgement to reach thus far for dipping above the other formes of sprinkling or powring that were it as orderly in our Church and used and no offence to weake souls I should sooner be induced to dip one that was never before baptised then to sprinkle one for to me it would be more significant and full and pregnant with former practises but all is one and signifies the same thing and is of the same use what need we jangle about Colours object 5 Fifthly But you were baptised by a corrupt and unlawfull administrator before Answ. Suppose that should be granted also which we may choose whether we wil or no for I am perswaded many godly were baptised by such as were orderly sent forth but I say grant this yet his corrupt hand or foule fingers doth not null the Ordinance and make it no baptisme a jewell though in a foule sinke an unfit place for it yet is as much a jewell in its self as if it were in a silver Cabinet Baptismus datus a meliori non est melior quia efficaciam ex merito spiritu Christi non alterius Secondly Let such dear Friends whom I highly prize and have in my heart and yet as yet cannot be of that judgement
varietate unity in verity though in variety of formes and ceremonies yet true unity stood well with the differences and varieties of formes c. because it was in the Spirit Psal. 45.13 the Church was all glorious within though without her outward cloathing was wrought with variety and diversity of needle-work Thirdly One Faith in all therefore Vnity is urged seeing all Saints in all ages Moses David Daniel Apostles and we now and all that were are and are to come under all forms live in one and the same mystery and truth of Faith 2. Cor. 4.13 apprehending the same Christ applying the same Salvation so are all the Churches Independent Baptized c. in one Faith though not in one Forme they live not by forme whether you call it a Conformity with the Prelates or Vniformity with the Rhemists or either with the Presbyterians or neither with us but they live by faith Not on this or that forme or worship so as to think our selves therefore good and others evill this is contrary to our life of faith which is all on Christ. This onenesse of faith est una eadem totius Ecclesiae Zanch. which is one and the same in every particular Church and throughout the whole agrees very well with the diversity of gifts parts formes c. so in and through all one and the same Christ be apprehended Therefore Vnity may well stand with it in all the Churches Fourthly he calls for Vnity from all that are called into one hope of their calling all that are called by the inward and effectuall voice of God into one and the same hope All hope for the same thing none for better or greater then another Unit as consist it in hoc quod una eademque sit omnibus spes una eademque omnibus proposita haeraditas coelestis Zanch. For 1. Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye were all alike called into the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. All the Churches doe a like expect the appearances of Christ the day of his comming the effusion of his spirit the restauration of Zion the reigne of Christ and the inheritance of the Saints Ergo Vnity for it is for such as differ in their hopes to differ in their love and waies Fifthly One Lord no more Lords but Jesus Christ nor no other Lawgiver in and to all the Churches therfore all should come under one Lord. For 't is divers Lords and masters that make divers Lawes and minds and wills and ends Hence a rise divisions indeed but one Lord and one Law one master and one mind should be in all the Churches Besides he is Lord to all alike as much to one as to another Ergo Vnity Sixthly One Baptisme with which all Churches are Baptized 1. Cor. 12.13 For by one spirit wee are all baptized into one body This is not the signe which hath beene often altered but the substance which will never be altered not the powring on of water but the powring on of the Holy Ghost in gifts and graces which is in all Christs Churches and the Baptisme of Christ indeed All that are thus Baptized with the spirit are Baptized into Vnity into one Body wherefore the Welsh Curat with his Welsh Crue would doe well to learne better English seeing he would insinuate that he is a Welshman of Cardiff yet is the Apostle of the English as he saith as Paul a Jew of Tarsus was yet the Apostle of the Gentiles then to asperse and despise those Churches of Christ that are under the administration and baptisme of the spirit He professes openly and in Print proclaims himselfe to have Pauls spirit he might have sayd Sauls spirit not to build up but to destroy so I thought the Churches For many of them are indeed such seducing dangerous spirits which cause division which I confesse I feare are many of them crept into some Churches Now as fiâ—e with fire and water with water agrees well enough so will all the Saints till there come in an Antipathy of spirit amongst them and as fire with water cannot agree together but make a â—â—ge nâ—yse quarrell and fight together and oppose one another violently with thundring threatnings till one destroy another unlesse one be thrown from the other So is it with such contrary spirits as are crept into the Churches till they be out againe fire with fire agrees because being of one and the same principle and spirit it addes to and edifies one another so the Saints with Saints c. but water and fire cannot because the water is of another principle and spirit and seeks to destroy the fire so it seems the Ranters spirits are Christ-Crucifying and Church destroying spirits by their owne confessions and in Antipathy to the Churches and Saints in fellowship that seek to build up and edifie one another and all in Christ but when this spirit comes the Welsh Curate tells us 't will doe all that may be to destroy us O that the Churches would then have a care in the admission Of such who as in Rev. 2.2 say they are Apostles but are not for they are Apostats And the Church of Ephesus was highly commended for their strict triall of them and for finding them liars seducers and false Teachers so let us doe and let us all march on to the Land of Promise under one and the same hope of our calling whereunto we are called and as baptized by one spirit into one body Seventhly Vnity is urged among all the Churches for that they have one God and Father of all One Father without respect of one more then another God and Father to all alike all alike deare to him 2. Cor. 6.17.18 who delights in all alike and walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks without respect more to one then to another as that one is better meâ—tall then another seeing all are alike borne of God and all alike in one Covenant and in one Jesus Christ Mediator and Head of the Covenant therefore he calls for Vnity for that we are all a Kingdome of Brethren Mal. 2.10 one God and Father of us all 2. Above all We are not one above another but one aequall with another but only our God and Father in Christ is above us all Mat. 23.8.9 we are all his children and all alike live in his Will he alone commands and blesseth us all alike therefore we should be all in unity Psal. 133.1 O sweet for Brethren to live together in unity 3. Through all All alike professe him possesse of his nature and he through all the Churches and Ordinances appeares abroad too Isay 2.3 Micah 4.2 Ergo unity amongst all 4. And in you all He dwels in all the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 6.16 Jo. 14.23 his presence is in this body of Christ mysticall as it was it was in Christs body when
with them till a positive warrant for it in the word I say let them but consider this latter baptisme of theirs will be found guilty on the same grounds they charge ours viz. unlawfully administred or by an unlawfull administrator or one not lawfully called to it Some doe it as if they had extraordinary warrant for it whilst extraordinary officers had their Call and Commission immediately from heaven which they cannot prove but we can prove they are ceased Others doe it upon their own private motion and meer supposition that any gifted brother or ordinary disciple that by his gifts and instruction hath won any to this opinion hee may baptize him and so make him sure but if so why did Christ ordain officers and set them in his Church for this purpose and no man saith the Apostle taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God Indeed I did much wonder at the boldnesse of one in Dublin to doe this and yet knowne to be a man of a most dissolute carriage and conversation for cursing and swearing and blaspheming saying A pox upon all Ordinances and Formes and he would downe with them and the Devil take prayers in such desperate wayes as would make an honest mans heart ake and a man of a most malicious spirit studying to doe mischiefe as indeed most of that judgement there are to all that are not over head and ears in with them in their opinion thereby they bring a very great scandal upon the Gospel and hereby they make many enemies to the way they are in as if it could not bee of God but these things are their shame the Lord humble them for it for in these things they exceed all others of that practise that ever I met with whilst many of that judgement here in London other places may be set for eminent examples both to them at Dublin and us here of sweetnesse patience humility obedience self-denial and love even to all Saints and indeed such in whom my soule much rejoyces and hath been much refreshed but I do not finde what lawfull call they have that do administer this Ordinance of Baptisme anew to any And it is not the purse of a True-man in the hands of a Thiefe that makes the Thiefe a True-man But In the last place to bring up the Reare and so all judgements into one that is in the Spirit Sure none can deny but those truly spirituallized in Christ Jesus have the efficacy of baptisme though they were baptised in their infancy which is a Spiritu sancto the inward worke with the outward washing the inward grace and baptisme of the Spirit within 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.6 an insition or incorporation into Christ himselfe Now what can we desire but this in any member that is to be admitted so that grant there were many failings in the outward administration as long as we see so good successe and such a blessing with it though much might be omitted in the outward order of it which might make us judge therefore the Ordinance the lesse useful and more uneffectual but I say as long as we finde the fruit and effect of baptisme to follow this Ordinance in a lively manner upon their soules we are satisfied This covers all former failings and the outward is swallowed up in the inward which is that that we account qualifies them and us and fits them and all for orderly admission and not the outward dipping which many make and call their fundamental Ordinance without which they say they must have no communion with us though wee bee ever so holy or godly Oh I fear such set up the Forme too much and make as meer an Idol of that as others doe or did of Infant-baptisme by attributing to that very empty signe nothing in its selfe Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but a new creature in Christ Gal. 5. what is only to be attributed to Christs baptisme of the Spirit and to his power and powring out from on high And lest I should be thought to censure too severely I shall insert a Letter which was sent to some members of the Church at Dublin with whom I walked there to some few members that those of Waterford held private correspondence with on purpose to break us which they both threatned by the Captaine that brought it and endeavoured by instruments which they had a◠worke on purpose in private places with those members to whom they writ this Letter which was indeed of dangerous consequence and did much mischief in the body and made a sore rent at first from us by some whose judgement were blinded though blessed be our God that keeps us night and day the little Foxes were catched and could not root us up and all the effect was to draw that party from us a great mercy to us who were so rigid in judgement against us who did lamentably raile upon us and cruelly afflict and wrong us that would not run rashly with them into that way But as Paul said of Jannes and Jambres their madnesse is made to appear to all A Letter from Waterford The Church of Christ in Waterford walking in the faith and order of the Gospel do wish all grace and peace to the Saints in Dublin Beloved Friends WE hearing that there were many of you that do not onely beleeve but have professedly put on the Lord Jesus Christ by * Baptisme did think it our duty in the bowels of love to enquire of your estate and we hear that you doe not walke up orderly together but are joyned in fellowship with such as do fundamentally differ in judgement and practise to wit such as agree not with you about the true state of a visible Church nor the fundamental Ordinances thereof Now the Prophet saith Can two walk together except they are agreed but that we may manifest to you beloved that wee have a ground and occasion of griefe and offence at your so walking as we shall make appeare from cleare sight of Scripture Consider the Commission in that of Mat. 28 19.20.* where Christ layeth down an order that is binding which is this That they should teach all Nations baptising them teaching them to observe whatsoever he had commanded them ye see here is an orderly way commended to teach to the Nations secondly to baptise such as are taught and thirdly to teach such as are baptised to observe whatsoever Christ had commanded that is as we understand all the Laws of Gods house the baptised person is to submit unto and by the Ministers taught the observation of and this Order is binding And secondly It appears the Apostles did so understand the Commission because they taught and practised this Order and this onely to wit first preached to conversion then baptised Thirdly put them in the practical observation of what Christ had commanded in and to his Church Againe else the Ordinance of the Supper would be prophaned
if that should bee received before that fundamental Ordinance by which we put on Christ and are ingrafted into Christ and planted into his death Now we say this is a prophanation of Gods Ordinances the Jewes might as well hâ—ve admitted such uncircumcised persons to eat of the Passeover but the very end of Church-fellowship is the observation of all Christs commands as the Commission holds forth but this your practise crosseth in that you agree to walk with such as have not nor practise the Ordinance of dipping Beleevers and by your communion with them in Church-administrations you are made guilty of their sin of disobedience you willingly having communion with them in Church-admininistrations for Beloved you may upon the same principal admit into fellowship one that will not receive the Lords Supper but pleads want of satisfaction of that to be his duty another that will not owne the Ordinance of preaching but conferre onely as some such we know and others that will not give almes or contribute to the necessity of the Saints and thus in a word upon the same ground that you admit one that walks in disobedience to the Ordinance of baptisme whether through ignorance or error you may admit all manner of disobedience into your Society upon the same ground which is a total destroying the end of Church-fellowship which is to bring up every member to a visible subjection to all the Lawes of Christ their King or else cast them out of that Society as old leaven Besides as we must not allow in our selves any known sinne unrepented of so must wee not allow it in any in the fellowship but when wee shall begin and constitute a Church-fellowship to walke in sin and disobedience this is a horrible impiety Besides in the fifth place there cannot be a true visible Church union without baptisme as appears Eph. 4. * and beginning where the Apostle pressing union brings all these things essentials that must be agreed in to make a people one and that he takes for granted the Ephesians did agree in the same which as he saith There is one hope one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Now observe a true Church must of necessity agree in owning one and the same Lord secondly one and the same Spirit one and the same Baptisme one and the same Faith without which they cannot walk together in the Lord. Againe many of these unbaptised persons doe justifie that Idol of childrens baptisme and consequently the Church and Ministery from whence they had it And you having communion with them judge what you do bring your selves into communion with by entertaining persons into communion with you that are unbaptised Thus beseeching you to beware of by-pathes that our Lord and his Ministers have left no footsteps for but rather beloved meet together and lead one example of sweet communion distinct using all means to convent such as have any fear of God that they may come into you through the door and not at the window as Christ saith in another case And thus leaving you to God and the word of his grace that is able to build you up we remain in the name and in the behalfe of the Church Yours in the Lord Tho. Patient Wil. Burgis Ed. Hutchinson Ed. Marshal Rich. Sutton James Standish Swads Tho. Brenton Peter Row Wil. Leigh Geo. Cawdron Rich. Ladbrooke Edw. Roberts Dated at Waterford Janu. 14. 1651. This Letter was brought by Capt. Vernon and A.G.A. to some seven or eight of their judgement whom they withdrew from the Church into private meetings on the Lords dayes especially where they with them that were sent from Mr. Patience clandestinely consulted how to carry on their designe against us These and none else are their Saints BEleevers * and such baptised ones i. e. Anabaptists they put together as if none were beleevers but Anabaptists Some of that judgement that were in fellowship with us they write unto as to Beleevers and exclude others that differed from them in that point of Rebaptisme Besides they account them disorderly walkers that have so much as Christian communion with us unlesse we would be dipped They say without this wee fundamentally differ from the true state of a visible Church Let discerning men judge then the foundation and dangerous scituation of such Formalists Fellowships I who by their owne confession have laid their foundation in the Water and on the Sand not on Christ the Rocke of ages that is Christ himselfe laid in the Spirit c. Vide cap. 14. lib. 1. In this sense they ought to read that Scripture which they mention with too much wrong to it as they use to doe qui Scripturis auferunt non afferunt it is Amos 3.3 Can two walke together unlesse they be agreed The Prophet means not Can two walke together unlesse washed together or unlesse in one Forme judgement opinion or practise for as Arias Montanus observes this was their sin for which he threatens them in v. 2 4 5. viz. for their great agreement in false Formes to adore Images and make them Idols herein they were very harmonious and unanimous to their cost and calamity sayes Theodoret. But the Prophet means they must be one in the Spirit Eph. 4 3 4. Even as Two Travellors who have one and the same end of their journey vid. Diodate minde one and the same home heaven happinesse therefore the word is pariter Can they walke alike without they be of one spirit thus sayes honest Calvin too Est igitur arcana ita consensio Spiritus sancti and to apply this to the forme or judgement as that there must be an agreement in dipping else none in beleeving or that there must be agreement in the outward else none in the inward is to make Faith a forme Religion a fancy to take a meer outside appearance and opinion for the inward power and life of godlinesse which is an agreement in Idolatry but not in the true worship of God Spirit and Truth so that these Gentlemen mistake the Prophet and compel a construction as it is coyned in their own brains * The Commission is next let us see what they would force from those words in Matth. 28.19 20. All power is given me c. Goe therefore teach all Nations and baptise them c. This hath been their hold for many yeers out of which they have been hunted by hundreds of orthodox able Writers which save me a labour but onely this I say 1 The Praeface viz. v. 18. All power is given me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is jus agendâ— tells us that this Commission is to bee executed by Christs power i. e. by the Spirit vide Pareus in loc so that some affirm this was the baptisme of the Spirit which Christ speaks of her 1 Cor. 12.13 which the Aâ—ostles as Apostles had commission in to baptise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. into the name of the Father Son and Holy
though the Letter alters as the soule doth though the body be altered variante materia yet forma manet eadem But let these uncharitable Formalists and unkinde unchristian friends know that by this Letter and their suitable practises seeming to answer most cruell and unchristian principles that they have frighted many of their wel-wishers from them for Fishes will not be catched in a bloody net though some Commanders or great ones amongst them may drive many times some silly little ones in And indeed I fear that Religion which lyes so much in the Form or outside will doe but little service in the day of the Lord to shelter us from heat and storme yea I fear that the life and kernel of it is already perished when ear-wigs and vermine have eaten so into it and can finde a hole through the outside of it to go in and out as they list You know what I mean and be PATIENT In this Letter you find Reader how Dipping called their fundamental Ordinance without which they were to have no communion with us but either to draw us thereto or else to cast us out for old leaven and be distinct from us Now it appears not to me to be a fundamental Ordinance on which as on a foundation should lye the Church no though it bee taken in their owne sense for the true and right administration but rather it is an initiating Ordinance or entry through which we enter into the Church so that there is a great difference between a foundation and an entry or doore And for their calling us persons unbaptised and threatning them that have any communion with us as guilty of the sinne of disobedience We have proved that we have passed through the water and the fire and the Lord hath been with us and his Spirit rests upon us We have been under the element of water and the baptisme of the Spirit and if these satisfie not wee are to seek in a new way which they make their Foundation but it is of water and will not hold long whilst Christ is our Foundation who is a Rocke and standeth sure As for the particulars in that Letter they are easily answered and have been often over and over The Baptisme therein mentioned out of Eph. 4. which the Apostle indeed makes an argument of union is the one baptisme of the Spirit not the sign so often altered but the substance by which all beleevers in all ages under all forms and dispensations are and ever were all baptised into one body both before Christ and since 1 Cor. 12.13 this is Christs baptisme Mat. 3.11 Now the unity of the Spirit consists not in uniformity in that outward forme and element for men may and do differ for all that but in the baptisme of the Spirit which the Apostle plainly speaks of it is an unanimity not an uniformity as we shall find out hereafter wherfore let all wise sober spiritual discerning Christians yea even of that judgement which are without exception many of them but tell me First Doe not these lay too much upon the Letter to call it a Fundamental Ordinance without which they are to have no communion with us but to cast us out for old leaven and which in the very element they lay downe to be a putting on of Christ an ingrafting into Christ a planting into his death c. Now let any judge if this be not an Idolizing of a Forme which they cry downe so much in others is not this a worshipping of the Element to attribute so much to it as is true in no baptisme but of the Spirit Surely this must bee grownd to powder But Secondly Ought we to be so severely sentenced as to bee cast out for Dung old Leaven and uncircumcised ones because we could not nor can we find a word to warrant our consciences in the practise of this which is their opinion Oh! uniformity enforced sayes one is the very break-neck of peace and love we durst not have dealt so with them it is point-blank against our principles and practises Thirdly Ought any sober sound Christians to have sent any such Letters to make a breach in a Church and by secret and under-working instruments to doe the more mischiefe without any discourse or knowledge of us as from our selves that were not of that opinion and onely for one Form wherein neither the unity of the Spirit nor our communion with Christ Jesus can consist this I am sure was none of Christs doctrine nor device to sow such seeds of Divisions But I shall leave them to the Lord who loves not confusion nor I am sure can allow of such unchristian practises like carnal men to watch for our mischiefe and to lye in wait for our bâ—ltings and to render us odious to all as persons fit for excommunication and onely because wee could not turne againe to that low and beggarly element I mean so to us now that are in and under the unction from on high For Act. 11 15. when they were under the Holy Ghost which had fallen upon them then came to minde in Verse 16. John baptised with water indeed but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost that is far beyond the other of water And should wee be so foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mad Gal. 3.3 having begun and thus far gone on in the Spirit to thinke or seek to be perfect by the flesh no! God forbid therefore our sufferings are sweet even as drops of Christ blood and draughts out of Christs cup for our consciences sake Well I could wish them to be more moderate lest haply they be found fighters against God Act. 5.39 that have been too rough to the poore harmlesse Saints at Dublin on this account And let them do all in peace and by love as becometh Christians and not by plottings power force or censures as the carnal Churches of Antichrist to this day and let them not busie themselves too much about empty things so as to presse and promote traditions for truths the letter for the Spirit the creature in the room of Christ and husks and shadows that are past away as to us or to passe away in the room of righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost That although we differ in judgement yet wee may be all of one Body one Spirit one hope of our calling having one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all above all through all and in us all it is this that keeps the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace This leads me to the next Chapter CHAP. V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regneh In admitting none that are godly are to be put by though of different opinions but all Believers are to be received yea of all judgements WE have heard how the Word warrants all that are godly that are fully satisfied of the way and excludes all the wicked and
Scriptures is able to beget in us faith Rom. 10.17 Ergo the Spirit of God is to be our interpreter of the Scriptures wherefore if Pope Prelates Synods Classes Father Presbyter or any other give us the sense of Scripture and that thence our faith ariseth of the Scripture understood why then our faith must needs be built upon that Popes Prelates Synods Classes Fathers or Presbyters sense And another argument the Protestants fetch against the Papists which serves us is that the Scriptures cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit wherewith they were written 1 Cor. 2.11 For who knoweth the minde of God save the Spirit of God And 1 Joh. 2.27 You have the anointing and you need not that any man teach you c. because as Augustine saith Magister est omnium qui habitat in nobis omnibus c. We are all fellow-scholars saies he we are not your teacher but he is teacher and master of us all who dwelleth in us all c. We further affirm with the former Protestants that the Scriptures are necessary to be known by all the people of God the reading hearing and understanding of them begetting faith and that it is not enough to hear the Minister preach for the Bereans searched the Scriptures Act. 17.11 Joh. 5.39 2 Tim. 3.15.17 Whereas some say it is enough to have what the Minister or Presbyter gives it puts me in minde of Mr. Bradford's answer to one Willerton Fox 1612. who told him that people ought to learn at the Priests hands Aye saith he why then saith he you will learn the people to preferre a Barabbas before Christ and to crucifie Christ for so the people learn'd it of the Priests Moreover we declare that all things necessary to the esse bene esse of a soul are expressed in the Scriptures or included in them and concluded out of them whether concerning faith or life and that nothing absolutely necessary is to be found besides the Scriptures Joh. 20.31 2. Tim. 3 16. whether for teaching improving correcting or instructing So that we overthrow the necessity of all traditions rites forms or the like here whether praeter or contra Scriptura For as Augustin hath it qui praetergreditur fidei regulam i. e. Scripturam non incedit in via sed recedit a via He that goeth beside the Scriptures goes not in but from the way this truth hath been attested and sealed to by the bloud of many Martyrs Dr. Taylor Fox p. 1522. col 2. Holy Bradford 1626. col 1. and that valiant souldier of Christ and stout Champion Mr. Hawkes Martyr p. 1586. col 2. saith Is not the Scripture sufficient for my salvation yea saies one of Bonners Chaplains but not for your instruction Ah! saith he then God send me the salvation and you the instruction Now let us not be mistaken though we say all necessary is in the Scriptures yet we deny not but there may be some use for orders sake of rites and formes but not to be forced knowing nothing necessary to salvation that is not in the Scripture Deut. 12.32 Rev. 22.18 Mat. 15.3 Act. 20.27 26.22 seeing the Scriptures are the rule and measure of faith they must not come short of the measured viz. faith for all things necessary to faith must needs be contained therein But Lastly the Scriptures are not so obscure and dark or undiscoverable as they would insinuate and urge upon poor people For as Prosper saith Parvuli magni fortes infirmi habent in Scripturis unde alantur satientur No age so young no wit so small which Scripture doth not fit There 's milk for babes and yet withall there 's meat for stronger wit So Prov. 9.35 yea the Revelation chap. 5.5 is a Book opened and as Augustine hath it De doctrin Christian. lib. 2. c. 9. In iis quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inveniuntur ea omnia quae fidem continent moresque vivendi in plain and easie places of Scripture all things necessary to faith and manners are manifest Nay the Councell of Toletan 5. c. 16. decreed the Apocalypse to be preached by every Minister from Easter to Whit-suntide so that they strictly enjoyning it accounted not this book of Revelation it seems so hard as men would perswade us to in our daies whereby they forbear to read preach or expound it but if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 It is sent especially to the Churches and is to be taken and opened by them But thus far for the first generall Doctrine wherein Papists and Presbyterians are too near one another and we are farre off from both even out of the sight almost 2. They are something alike in their Doctrine about Baptisme both with relation to the Ordinance the subjects forms and effects of it As first in imposing an absolute necessity upon it Papists say it is simply necessary to salvation Concil Triâ—dent sess 7 can 7. Bell. lib. 6. de Baptism cap. 4. such a necessity or nigh unto it do those hold who baptize the babes of all sorts put upon it and the very argument of the Rhemists on Joh. 3.5 and the Jesuites Bell. ibid. have they often urged to me viz. Vnlesse a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God And I have heard some of them severely inveigh against such as neglected to bring their children and to baptize them by such a time for fear a childe should die unbaptized and the Parents for their neglect be under the judgements and wrath of God But we differ from them whilest we decline that necessity of Baptisme to Children and whilest we affirm with such as were ever held orthodox in judgement amongst men vide Synops. 12. contro q. 3. that the Children of the faithfull that are holy are holy before they are baptized 1 Cor. 7.14 And this truth is attested by Richard Woodman a holy Martyr Fox p. 1994. who saith I read in Scripture he that beleeveth not shall be condemn'd but no Scâ—ipture saith he which is not baptized shall be damned neither dare I say so for all the goods under heaven In the Greek Church Nazianzen saies in sanctum laâ—acrum their usuall time of Baptisme were but in feast of Pasch. and Pentecost which would not have been so seldome if the want of Baptisme had been so dangerous to Infants We deny not the ordinance but that there is much Popery peeached up and pleaded for and practised in their ordinance of sprinkling Infants all discerning men see and are ashamed of and cry out upon it as unsufferable and too impudent and as having too much of the whores forehead in it Furthermore although the veriest Jesuite do grant the positive necessity of baptizing babes to be grounded upon tradition and not upon Scripture Bell. lib. 4. de Ver. and so to baptize
that grow there of thorns or thistles a dry desolate place Zeph. 2.13 where the trees are burnt up and the pastures most pitifully scorched up and made scarce by the hottest beams So a loud lamentation is made in Isa. 64.10 The holy Cities are a wildernesse Zion is a wildernesse Jerusalem a wildernesse and thus hath the Lord laid his complaint against his people for their fruitlessenesse formerly and what could he have said more grievous or sad But see O what sweet dayes do enter in and on us Gods precious ones shall be abundantly and now daily more blessed from above to make us blossoming bearing and branching yea his Saints shall so flourish in Isa. 35.2 by seeing the glory of the Lord and the excellency of their God The Church is barren and fruitlesse when ignorant and sightlesse of that fructifying presence which shall be in the midst of her and then Florens florebit exaltans exaltabit so in Isa. 55.12 13. All the trees of righteousnesse shall clap for joy and instead of the thorne shall come up the firre-tree and instead of the brier shall come up the mirtle-tree as in chap. 5. and it shall be to the Lord for a name and for an everlasting signe that shall not be cut off Good shall be in the roome of the bad and sweet of the sowre Cedars for shrubs serviceable and seed-bearing-trees for barren brambles and uselesse fruitlesse bushes and then the barren and desolate shall bring forth more children then she which hath an husband Gal. 4.27 These Promises are putting out and springing forth their bud as the Garden that causeth the things that are sowne to springe forth even so the Lord our God will cause righteousnesse and praise to springe forth before all Nations and in Zach. 9.17 Corne shall make the young-men cheerefull and fruitfull to grow and new wine the Maids thus shall the wildernesse be like the fruitfull vallies full of Lillies and of the loveliest Roses of Sharon and Carmel Thirdly a Wildernesse hath no ready roade nor beaten path nor noted marke but a man may be soone lost let him looke on this side or that side backward or forward he knowes not what to doe nor whither to goe for he can get no Guide Now in such a Wildernesse was the Church too she was at a losse and hath been above a thousand years the Saints poore Soules seeking up and downe hither and thither this way or that way but yet in a Wildernesse yea many Professors formerly have as the Lord hath said Jer. 14.10 They have loved to wander and they have not refrained their feet but have walked after the imaginations of their owne hearts and after the Baalim which their Fathers have taught them Oh! so so were we lost most miserably in mens imaginations and devices and Doctrines too too much I say to this day for matter of true Doctrine and true Discipline Well but what wil the Lord now doe for her deliverance out of all these false wayes and Wildernesse-worship why he will send his Spirit to be her guide into his holy truth as he hath promised and he himselfe Isa. 58.10 11. Will be her light in obscurity and her noon-day in darkenesse and will guide her continually and satisfie her soule in drought and make fat her bones and make her like a watered garden and springs of water never dry and in Isa. 30.21 the Saints shall beare the word saying This is the way walke in it and then they will cast away all false wayes and worships c. as a menstruous cloath saying get thee hence as to an excrement the word signifies Now the Father seekes for Spirituall worshippers to whom he will make out his minde in order to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Gospel which is hid to them that are lost and such as are most in the wildernesse least see it or seeke it but now the way is discovered to the Saints who desire of all others to walk therein For it is with a naturall man as it is with every thing else that desires naturally to goe to its owne center or place but regards not the way as the stone that falls naturally regards not which way and the fire that ascends naturally ascends any way and so all men naturally doe but God hath promised us his Spirit to lead us and his Grace to teach us the way wherein we must walke which is one and the same for all Saints though others regard it not But Fourthly a Wildernesse is a most dangerous place where a man is almost every moment like to be made a prey to the widest mouthes of the wildest mercilesse and bloudy Beasts that seeke to satisfie their never-satisfied hungers with such strangers In such a condition hath the Church been ready to be torne a peices every day by such unexorable enraged wild Beasts and bloud-suckers feeding upon the flesh of the Saints such as have inhabited in the dennes of Darknesse and cruelty the Villages of Kedar they are called in Scripture-language barbarous cruell mercilesse Beares Lions Tigers Leopards Adders Serpents and what not to delineate their dispositions against Gods people and innocent ones their feet are swife to shed bloud and they have hunted after the holy and upright ones and have laine in secret to set upon them see Psal. 74.19 20. O deliver not thy turtle Dove unto the multitude of the wicked for the darke places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty O let not the oppressed returne with shame let the poore and needy praise thy name c. The Church is this Turtle Dove in daily danger of being destroyed whilst she is in the Wildernesse amongst the multitudes of mercilesse and matchlesse Beasts of prey whose mercies are cruelties yea their tenderest gripes are terrible griefes unto the Saints whilst such say in their hearts ver 11. Come let us destroy them together the Saints are such harmlesse Doves weake poore timerous and mournfull but innocent loyall chast and faithfull to Christ their Mate and poore soules sadly opprest and persecuted up and downe from Country to Country by an accursed crew of cruell Kites c. Birds and Beasts of prey have so hated and hunted them up and downe that they durst not appeare openly till now of late but lye lamenting in some by-holes and corners from the cruelties and crafts of those Cannibals but the Promises which are pregnant and big-bellied for deliverance in these dayes are many and they are ready to be Midwived for the Churches freedome from this comfortlesse condition as in Isa. 11.5.6 7. for first the loynes of Christ and his lovely Body the Church shall be girded about by a girdle of righteousnesse and faithfulnesse the Saints are an ingirded and an inclosed company as after will appeare then the Wolves Leopards
word is an adjunct separable and not a note essential and inseparable for certainly as sensitiva faculâ—as is in a man yet not the true note of a man because it is but a common adjunct and not proprium in quarto modo as wee say So preaching of the Gospel is in the Church but not the note of the Church as all the Popish and Antichristian Antagonists would have it because it is a common adjunct and others have it also But for the Sacraments as I said before they must be administred in due order and to due persons and in a due way of worship and Discipline otherwise without doubt Saints may and must remove and separate for Gods greater glory and their better and more spirituall edification as Psal. 55.6 And I said O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest I would hasten v. 8. my escape Why so would David separate so what is the reason see verse 11. Wickednesse is in the midst thereof Deceit and guile depart not from her streets Wherefore dearest Friends read with a resolution to submit and that yee may no more be separates from Christ nor Schismaticks to your owne poore soules the Father of our Lord Jesus fill your hearts with that Spirit which writes these things unto you Little Children Fathers and young men looke about you for wee live in these last dayes wherein we expect most Joel 2. plentifull out-powrings of that blessed Spirit which convinces the world of Truth Righteousnesse and Judgement Joh. 16.8 And to conclude thinke it not enough to have outward Ordinances in Parish-Churches though God knows they be but as Pharaohs lean kine eating up the Fat as the preaching the word the holy Sacraments c. why Sirs to let them loose and run ranging about without bit or bridle may be to your cost and it may be they may dash your brains out at last but it is Christ must curbe and correct and direct them that they may be administred in due order to you within his line and limitation and then they will be blessings It is upon record of Austin that he would not say his mother gave him milke but God by his mother so will God by these means and Ordinances feed and fatten your soules in Sion and in his particular Churches and Assemblies But alas a day how lamentably men live as to Christs order Ordinances so they be but rich and bear a religious outside as K. John once said of a Buck when he had opened it O it is fat and yet it never heard Masse So because many thrive and live in credit rich and accounted religious that are not of the Churches many make little of it but I hope the Lord will convince them by his light And so much for the first part of the Forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zaba Chap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Aguddah This shewes the second part of the second part of the Forme of Church-fellowship First that the Saints separate as before are to be knit gathered and united together into one Body THe first part of the Forme is well proved but it is likely not so well approved without the second doe second it viz. That the Saints separated from the worlds false-wayes and worships and from all Parochiall Churches unwarrantable Discipline and Directories doe forth-with set upon Christs owne way and worship Discipline and Doctrine delivered to the Saints for after they come out of Babylon they must hast away into Zion or else they will be lost in the Wildernesse For what is the cause of so much complaint all men with the Ministers make up and downe and deplorable out-cryes of many that are mixed and loud lamentations are heard out of the Wildernesse of many wooded wilder'd and wandring and at a most miserable losse And what is the reason of all this I pray that so many Professors that have been abundantly precise and strict in their practises and curious in their conversation and such free frequenters of the meanes daily and diligent followers of their Ministers and so exceedingly holy in times past have since their separating from Parishes and Popish Institutions and Injunctions forsaken all publicke Dispensations denied Ordinances followed Familisme and run on even to Rantisme And what is the reason of all this Indeed I am ready now to reprove those Ministers whom most imagine without reproofe though able and otherwise accounted eminently godly yet too too slack and remisse in setting forward the building of the Lords house that say it is time enough and what needs such hast whilst they themselves dwell in their seiled houses the Lords lyes waste and worne out of mind O sad Consider your wayes saith the Lord of Hoasts How can yee be content to sit at ease to hold good Livings and to feed upon the fat of the flock and yet so easily to neglect them as to let them stray in the Wildernesse Oh! are not such who make the sorest and saddest complaints of them they call Anabaptists Seekers Familists Ranters c. are not such very much the cause of their miscarriage For seeing Saints must separate from such false wayes and worships why doe they not lead them then into Christs owne wayes and worship according to Gospel-order but suffer the poore soules and out of honest zeale I am perswaded at first to be lost in strange and straying untrue and untrodden paths Truly truly in all my applications to some very learned godly and most eminent Preachers with all the pregnant and pressing Arguments I could provide for this purpose that I might prevaile with them for and perswade them unto this work of the Lord as Fellow-labourers with me therein I found their Answers they made me me thoughts ever to smell too much of the grease of great Livings or else of man-pleasing or else and for the most part of Tyth-oppressions they may thank themselves that so many run into erroneous wayes For besides a Segregation a visible aggregation to the Lord Christ in his wayes and worship with the Saints separate making up one body of Beleevers iâ— of an absolute and undeniable necessity and followes next which I now come to Such Saints as are separate from Parish-wayes and Popish worships c. being ashamed of them and of all the follies of those false Church-states are forth-with to see the forme and fashion of the Lords house and not before are they to enter in Ezek. 43.10 11. and this is the Lords Law ver 12. now to such I shall shew the forme which followes for in the formation of this new Creation Christian Beleevers are to become first one body secondly a body Independent as it is termed by most But to the first in this Chapter viz. That Saints separate as before from the multitude as Acts 19.9 it
and voluntarily embodying without the least compulsion having communion with the Father and the Son 6. all seeking the same End viz. The honor and glory of God in his worship Herein though at length yet in strength have we as full a definition of Christs Church as I can collect and it is a compendium of what I have hitherto delivered in these Leaves Now on the other side An Antichristian Church is a mixed number of the multitudes of the world not allowing the difference between the holy and prophane being subordinate to a Prelatick power without the most spirituall presence of God being gathered and ordered by the Rules and Directories of men and maintained by Civill and Coercive powers not seeking the setting forth the praises of God as a peculiar people with one consent Now as Antichrist hath his Throne therein and sits and swayes as Lord and Lawgiver so in the Assembly of Saints Christ hath set his Throne and he alone is Lord Head and Law-giver of his Church which is the point I am now upon And all this and more then this I shall prove too by Prophesies Precepts and Practises in all Churches To begin with Isa. 9.6 And the government shall be upon his shoulders his name shall be called Wounderfull Counsellour the mighty God c. Verse 7. Of the encrease of Government shall be no end he shall sit upon his Throne and Kingdome to order it and to establish it c. Isa. 22.21 22. I will commit thy Government into his hand and he shall be a Father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the Key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulders so hee shall open and none shall shut and he shut and none open The Key to let into the Kingdome of Christ is the Spirit Rev. 3.7 8. and where the Spirit is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3.16.18 and the Sonne makes free indeed Joh. 8. from hence it is Saints are all let into one body by one Spirit 1 Cor. 11.13 and through the Spirit are become an habitation to the Lord Eph. 2.22 so the Keyes mentioned in Matth. 16 19. to open and shut are declared Joh. 20.22 to be the Holy Ghost and thereupon whose sinnes they remit or the Church forgives are forgiven but whom yee doe not are not that is by the Holy Ghost being the Key the meaning is during the direction of the Spirit yee the Church have the Key to open and shut binde and loose which is laid upon the shoulder of Christ and acted by his Authority For he is the Ruler and Instituter thereof Hence also in Zach. 6.12.13 And hee shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne c. None but Christ hath this Commission from the Father to rule here Matth. 11.27 Matth. 28.18 all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authoritative power is his Hence it is we are called continually upon in order to positive Precept to submit to his Scepter acknowledge his Sovereignty and Zach. 9.9 Cant. chap. 3.11 Psal. 2.12 and royall Prerogative 1 Tim. 6.15 James 2.1 and onely Headship Col. 1.1.18 and 2.19 Eph. 1.22 and 5.23 which hath been the zeale of true Churches against all Opposers As the Apostles said Acts 5.29.31 to the Priests and others that commanded them to preach no more Christ We ought to obey God rather then men who hath exalted Christ to be a Prince and Saviour and we are his witnesses But this will appear by and by In the interim It is in all reason as well as in Religion that Christ alone rule as Head and Law-giver seeing none but Christ was able to institute this Gospel-Church-state therefore none but hee is to order it both which appears in the proofes above Now there is not a Man alive neither Moses David nor Sâ—lomon had understanding enough to undertake such a taske no nor Christ himselfe as man meerly in abstracto no nor all the Angels in heaven onely the Sonne of God that fetched it from the Fathers bosome First This typified Salomon his own self as I may say with his own hands Cant. 3.9 as with his own head builds this Chariot of Lebanon for were it left to mens wisdome or wills what a Chimaera or Monster must of necessity be set up in the sight of all Secondly And surely every man would abuse and beat his Brother and bring him into the hottest furnace that did not fall downe to his Image and bow down to that Babel which is in his breast Thirdly Besides ability would bee deficient in the best of men about such a worke so much rubbish is to be removed that men might breake their backs but doe no good of it for as in a house fallen to the ground before the foundation of it though it be good be found out for another superstructure or to build upon it a new the old heaps and confusions that hinder the comming at the foundation to build upon must bee removed and carried out of the way which will cost continuall labours and perplexable paines too and the longer these heaps have lay the more setled and the greater the toyl and the time will be to bring them off Now there is no building untill this for then the foundation and the building will be dis-united and the building being laid upon the rubbish cannot continue without Christ carry away the ruines and rubbish which have lay so long for above a thousand yeers of this fallen Church-estate of Christ I meane so to men we must say as Nehem. 4.10 We are not able to build O what abundance of false conceptions sinister thoughts harsh censures resolute carriages carnall reasons and what loud and large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.4 5. and corrupt imaginations in most men must be removed before they can be built cleare upon Christ the Foundation Now it is not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord unlesse the Lord build the house they labour but in vaine that would build it Psal. 127.1.2 None but Christ by his Spirit can remove these ruinous Masses strong holds of carnal reasonings and corrupt resolutions against his Church-way which is according to the order and Discipline of the Gospel whence it is as before I am free to affirme that none else is fit to rule rectifie and order in his Church hee being Lord and Master and onely Head thereof he is owned as the Master Joh. 13.13 14. Ephes. 4.4 5 6. Matth. 10.24 Mat. 23.18 For First Masters may and must have the commands of or rather over their servants and will not suffer them to bee their owne Masters or to Lord it over others or to have more Masters in his service Thus the Saints have but one Lord Eph. 4.4 5. that is Jesus Christ who can command them as having
So the Church is dilated into many Congregations but every good Christian is the Church contracted and condensed into one Bosome being alike built upon the Rockie Foundation which will never faile CHAP. XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahezachecha That all the children of Sion called home are bound to make haste and to enter into this Way of Christ among his Companions in the Gardens THe next newes is that wisdome stands in the streets and calls to all yea the simple and poore to eat of her bread and drinke of her wine to forsake the foolish and to goe in the way of understanding she cries at the gates at the entry of the City at the coming in at the doores Prov. 8.1 2 3. yea shee hath sent out her Maidens the Ministers to cry aloud by preaching her doctrine Prov. 9.4 and her Discipline Prov. 9.1 For wisdome hath laid the foundation and hewed out her pillars as you have heard before what follows why hearken unto me O yee children blessed are they that keep in my wayes blessed is the man that heareth mee watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors The gates of Zion are the particular Churches of Christ into which Christ calls all that have communion with him Arise and come away which as Ainsworth sayes Beleevers are bound to doe and must labour forthwith to enter in and being come in to abide there and to contend together for the faith Phil. 1.27 which was once DELIVERED to the Saints For this is foretold in Isa. 2.3 and he will teach us his wayes the very next step is this and we will walke in his pathes as soone as ever we know the way of Christ the Lawes Ordinances Institutions and Discipline of Christ wee must make no delay at all but put into practise and enter into his way It argues carnality to procrastinate and put off Christ and to delay our comming at the call of Christ when wee have clearly and distinctly heard it Luke 14.18 and alwayes observe that it is something or other of the world that is the let but as Micah 4.2 sayes and Jer. 50.4 They shall go and seek the Lord and aske the way to Zion saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant Iâ—unt non subsistent ad vocationem Christi non moras trahent Oecolamp in loc So Psal 110.3 besides the Precepts Psal. 45.11 Mat. 28.20 and loud calls aâ— before the many menaces used in the Scriptures against Rebels and such disobedient subjects doe sufficiently testifie to this truth Psal. 2.12 Luke 19.23 1. Cor. 16.22 and the practises of the Saints in primitive times yea though times of hottest persecutions and fiery trials yet their then ready obedience to this order of Christ doth very much manifest the reality of this assertion viz. that Saints are bound by vertue of positive Precepts to joyn together somewhere in a Gospel-way and order as hath been before handled Act. 2.41 42. 1 Thes. 1 4 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 8.11.22 2 Cor. 8.5 Cum multis aliis Now is there not reason enough for it For First What other visible way for Beleevers to walke in together reason 1 and to worship in hath Christ brought out of his Fathers bosome and left behinde him when he ascended on high till his second coming but this see Eph. 4.11 12. Secondly What an apparent peece of disobedience and contempt of Christs Call and Command is this to live in Babylon streets or as Lot in Sodome notwithstanding the Angel of the Sunne is sent to cry aloud in our eares to come away into Sion and to make a habitation for the Lord to live in Isa. 52.11 Rev. 18.4 2 Cor. 6.16 17. Eph. 2.21.28 yea and the Spirit is to be our conduct Jo. 16.13 and 14.26 and knocks at our doors and tarries to know if we are ready and to put us in minde of making haste by many motions and instigations and instincts O then how roughly doe they resist the Holy Ghost and quench the motion of the Spirit that stirs in them and strives with them Act. 7.51 1 Thess. 5.19 which is a sinne of the saddest consequence if after they are convinced Mat. 12.31 Marke 3.28 29. Heb. 10.26.27 agnitam veritatem flagitiose insectari So Saul Julian Latomus of Loraine and many others sinned the sinne of death that is they madly and maliciously resisted the truth despised and despited the wayes of Christ notwithstanding their consciences checks and the Spirits motions and so did Stephen Gardiner Fox Act. and Mon. Fol. one thousand nine hundred and five and divers others O sad sad sinne to sinne against the office and operations of the good Spirit of grace which is more then to speake against his person in ignorance for so did the Sabellian Eunomian and Macedonian hereticks who yet found mercy Wherefore have a care how yee dare to live in the loathsome Babylonish wayes of confusion after yee are called out thence and convinced by the Spirit since of the gates of Sion whilst the Spirit moves in you to make haste into Church-fellowship he is doing his office in you look you to reason 3 yours Consider the abundance of ill consequences which must unavoydably follow this disobedience to Christ or this neglect or omission of these wayes of holinesse or Gospel-fellowship for First The worship of God or service to Christ Jesus which should be our joy and meat and drinke suffers by it which is more acceptably and orderly performed with joynt consent and in communion of Saints Rom. 15.16 1 Cor. 1.9 10. Zeph. 3.9 the Lambe is said to solemnize publick service upon Mount Sion with a hundred forty and foure thousand Saints there their voice is like the voice of many waters and mighty thunders Rev. 14.1 2 3. in the songs of praises and in their prayers but for this I refer to Ainsworths Communion Chap. 16. Secondly without this the Saints must needs fall short of that duty of edifying one another and of building up one another in the most holy faith but then they grow Jer. 23.3 4. Ezek. 34.14.16 and walke in light Isa. 60.3 1 Jo. 1.17 and love Eph. 5.2 1 Thess. 4.9 1 Pet. 1.22 and unity of the Spirit Phil. 2.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 13.11 Eph. 4.3 instructing and provoking one another to holinesse and good works Mal. 3.16 Jude 20. 1 Thess. 5.11 Heb. 10.24 therefore are they implanted together to flourish in the Lords Courts and to bring forth fruits Psal. 92.13 14. which will not faile for the waters run out of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47.1 Thirdly otherwise they have not that mutuall aid and assistance for the counsel and comfort of one another which they ought to have Rom. 12.3 1 Cor. 12.22.26 Fourthly nor is there that unanimous compliance or united force made against the opposers of the truth
art subject to wandrings now and may be runnest in a full career without stop or stay warning or check besides you have not here without in your Parishes the benefit of many ordinances as exercising of gifts prophesying one by one and frequent communication and conference in the things of God Mal. 3.16 And such-like pretious benefits as are in this Church-way to be had at large for your edification 4. And lastly it is just with the Lord to leave thee to thy lusts to swear in his wrath thou shalt never enter into his rest never to make one motion more at thy soul by his spirit to enter into this way or once to encline thine heart thereunto If now now I say after so many clear calls thou doest resist the Holy Ghost Wherefore as Heb. 3 10 11 12 13. harden not your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dry up or wither do not snib or nip off those buds or blast those blooms which are in you and like to set so fair for fruit nor by the hardness of your hearts and unkindness and cruelties to the conceptions of Christ within you do not dry up those sweet sappy motions which are made in your heart by his spirit if you do you will prove but a barren branch a withered sear stick to be cut up for the fire John 15.16 Heb. 6.8 they are nigh the curse that do so in the deceitfulness of sin i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex à privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn out of the way of Christ by some fallacy or other who ever refuseth this way of Christ runs a desperater hazard then he is aware off wherefore then let him take heed take heed And let Ministers so called look about them too and beware for a greater alteration is yet to come and to befal them then ever hath been before O then Sirs that they would be busie about the Lords house and no longer delay it or do it by halves Numb 14.24 or by haltings between too Do they yet know what was the meaning of the last lightning and thunder the last year which grew so angry at their Morter-Churches and Parish-Temples what houses were burnt or beaten down to the ground but those Churches and on that day of worship too and in several Counties too and which is not without a Mystery but it shall be plain and made an History ere long in the interim it were well that Ministers and all would take warning and sin no more by dishonoring God in idolizing forms and humane inventions or in worshipping of Christ in Anti-christian ways and traditions least a worse thing happen unto them Was there ever any that hardned his heart against the Lord and prospered at last Job 9.4 But some it may be will say Sir You forget your self and so I would whilest you urge so much your Form of Discipline For we look for Zion more spiritually and for spiritual worshippers Answ. 1. It is not so much the Form as the Faith that I would urge I mean obedience to Christs positive commands as I told you before although some soar too high into the air that account the Practical Part of Worship a meer Form 2. I urge it not so much to be Church-members as Christs-members but first to have fellowship with the Son and then with the Saints as I said before but I say both these are enjoyned to be enjoyed Yet I say further whilest in the Form out of the Form and whilest under it yet above it and so are all Saints in the Church spiritual worshippers of God John 4.23 yea in spirit and in truth together Wherefore let none be so censorious as to say We are all for the form of Discipline when indeed we are least for it and would have all our Brethren to live above it in their Spirits with God and with Christ in the Temple and the Light of the New Jerusalem We live in them as Abraham lived in Tents and David in Tabernacles 3. We also look for Sion more spiritually but this is in order thereunto Before we can get into the City which is all glorious within we must pass through the gates as appears Psal. 87.2 3. His foundation is in the holy mountains The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God! There is first the foundation laid by the Lord himself and then secondly the particular Churches or the gates of Zion which the Lord so loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then thirdly the City its self which is so glorious But I say before we can come into the City we must enter through the gates which are these Churches gathered So that this is in the way to that City where Salvation is placed Isa. 46.13 This is the way to Zion as Jer. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn our selves together c. We must ask first the way i. e. the Churches and when we are in the way then for Zion And thus the Saints come to Sion Jer. 3.14 Isa. 51.11 35.10 i. e. By this way and through these gates we must first live in Tents and then in the City Heb. 11.9.10 First in Tabernacles then in the Temple and that those that would live in Sion in her glory and full effusion of the Spirit must be in the Churches in order thereunto which appears plainly in Chap. 9. lib. 2. For the Lord will be known in her Gates Towers and Palaces Psal. 48.3 44.12 Quaere How we should groundedly know we are fitted for this Communion of Saints in Church-society as hath been pressed answer 1 Answ. 1. There must be clear satisfaction to your judgement and full perswasion in your brest Rom. 14. the whole Chapter especially Vers. 1 2 4 14. Acts 2. 19. 8. Saints ever first believed and were fully perswaded and then they entered 2. You must be exceedingly longing and desirous after it and then make ready for it be freely willing to it by the Spirit of Christ in you Psal. 110.3 Jer. 50.4 5. For all in Christs Kingdom are voluntiers 1 Thes. 1.6 7. Acts 4.32 2 Cor. 8.3 5. 3. Such are made free to follow Christ any where soever Revel 14.4 And as they come at his call Mark 1.18 so they are prepared to leave all and to take up the cross Mat. 19.27 accounting before hand what it will cost them so that they pass not a pin for storms and afflictions which they expect before hand as 1 Thes. 3.3 Phil. 1.27 28. but they will hold out to the end 4. What is the object ye look on in these overtures of your affections It is the King in his beauty O the sweet Soul-ravishing presence of
God in Christ in grace and glory This makes these Tabernacles so amiable his goodness in these gardens is so desireable Psa. 87.2 3. Isa. 33.17 Psa 27.4 Act. 2.28 Ps. 84.1 2 7 10. 63.1 2. 2 Cor. 3.18 6.16 5. Have ye a clear discovery of your fellowship with the Father and his Son Then ye may from the same principle and by the same spirit have fellowship with the Saints 1 John 1.7 but be sure ye begin in Christ first or else the foundation is not laid else ye will fall out and down in the dust 1 John 2.19 ye cannot continue else and then will your ending be worse then your beginning 6. What is your end is it that as the chosen ones and those bought by Christs blood you may set forth the praises of him that called you out of darkness into light 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Thes. 1.11 12. and is it nothing else but in subordination to this why then these are good grounds But many there be that have base by sinister ends for which they creep into this Church-way who are or will be ere long a scandal to the Gospel and do bring a scorn upon the truth O! how often hath it been said in Dublin and that by such whose sincerity is without exception with bleeding hearts Look yee there is one that could not tell how to live but hath lost his trade and for some place is got in to be a member of such a Church and he is now preferred and made a Gentleman c. Nay some have been so bold as to boast of it among themselves as if nothing else byassed them into these ways but politick ends O sad such as these do bring the ways of holiness into contempt they grieve many that are in and keep out many that are not in they raise fractions within factions without they open the wide mouthes of the enemies to blaspheme and they side for lucres sake or lusts sake with the great rather then with the good Ah! alas and indeed though upon the naked knees of our souls we cannot be thankful enough for the liberty the truth hath and that holiness and Religion is so much advanced Yet I do verily believe never more Hypocrites then now who because they know none but honest men must be preferred into places or offices do dissemble with God and men get into Church-fellowships the name of a Church-member making them of note and exercise their gifts and get up into Pulpits which God forbid but they should orderly and change their words ways and works but not their hearts Gen. 4.3 Hosea 7.16 These are lights before men but darkness before God Matth. 6.2 5 16. Isa. 58.2 and though these do not the evil which they love in their hearts if they durst do it or could not be seen by men yet they will do the good which they love not to be seen by men Numb 14.2 4.40 O these these are the scandal of this age this Land this Reformation and of the Church of Christ whererefo beware ye be not byassed by such sinister carnal fleshly ends for the Hypocrites hope will come to nothing Job 8.13 Their flower will fade and their joy is but for a moment Job 20.5 When Religion is much in fashion it is much a fancy and then most men will swim with the stream Thus have I roughly offered a few directions and have lent my hand by a few helps to such as do seek the way to Sion but least they leap before they look they will do well to weigh them in the ballance of the sanctuary and because many Church-fellowships in my judgement given me by the Word and Spirit are in a doubtful state at present and which I think must be purged with the Refiners fire and Fullers soap I do therefore beseech you seriously to seek such a society as hath 1. The sweetest harmony and most love and to all alike 2. Which hath Christian liberty and no one is robbed by the Rulers of his or her right 3. Where they live more in the Spirit then on the Forms 4. Where holiness is highest and appears in most power 5. Where every Saint may walk according to his light so he be holy humble c. though he differ in some things from others 6. Where you see most self-denial humility of minde and ready serving one another 7. Where you see most order and Gospel-decency 8. Where appears most sympathy and bowels of love and pity 9. VVhere their unity consists not in the unity of the foâ—m but in the unity of the Spirit 10. VVhere you finde most readiness to meet together to instruct counsel comfort and build up one another in the most holy Faith and where there is not honor given or taken Joh. 5.44 after the manner of men or a having mens persons in admiration Many such things I might offer now but I shall take more liberty hereafter onely these things in brief I lay before you till the next Books And this I do the rather being induced thereunto by abundance of experience afforded me through Gods goodness from variety of observations which I have taken of many gathered Churches in England and Ireland as they now stand The Lord open your eyes to see and your ears to hear and lead you by his light and Spirit of truth into his holy tabernacles Psal. 43.3 Thus far for the first Part of this Platform wherein you have the totum essentiale of a true Church of Christ from The Efficient Causes The Material Causes The Formal Causes The Objective Causes The Instrumental Causes The And Final Causes All this is to shew what is requisit before embodying but the next part relates to what is to be done in and the last to what is to be done after embodying together The End of the First Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Challah The Heavenly Nymph OR THE BRIDE Rising up to Perfection and preparing for the coming of her Bridegroom Being the Second Book of Church-Discipline Wherein appears the BRIDES beauty in her Members and Complexions her submission and obedience to Christ her Modesty and her Chastity her Humility and her Loves with other Graces and Ornaments that appertain to her AS ALSO The BRIDEGROOMS great love to her more then to all other the dwellings of Jacob Psal. 87.2 his care of her his special Presence and abode with her his Royal maintenance to her and provisions for her according to his owne fulnesse and the riches of his Grace that filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 Or you have in this Book a sight of the Moon shining though under Clouds and thick darknesse as she receives her light and life from the Sun in the former Book Or Christ her Head coming in glory being big-bellied with the precious Promises and Prophesies and Types never before so opened and which are travelling to be delivered in these latter dayes
behold Canaan But now he makes us willing to enter into the way with all our hearts full of wishes and desires which makes us swift in motions 3. Removendo This Spirit removes the remora's answers all objections takes away all impediments and puts us on through all difficulties whatsoever though Satan like a roaring Lyon robbed of her whelps rage at us and assault us with his rough Claws and sharpe temptations though the flesh flie upon us with full-mouth and foul-mouthed language and invectives Though the world frown on us and threaten never to look well upon us and friends forsake us neighbors estranged to us acquaintance persecute us and all threaten to begger us yet I say the Spirit makes us to triumph over all and carries us through all as more then Conquerors and thus Cant. 5.6 7 8. The Spouse through inward temptations Vers. 6. When Christ had in her eye left her forsaken her nor regarding her prayers or tears and outward troubles Vers. 7. Yea when the watchmen that should have been her friends frowned on her yea smote her till they fetched blood from her and the keepers of the wall abused her and took away her vail and tore it in peeces on purpose to put her to open shame and to show her nakedness before all in the streets to hoot at after her and to hurt her and to make the world believe she was an Harlot and not a true Spouse of Christ yet for all this that Ministers and Magistrates were both against her yet I say the Spirit carries her on And thus the Psalmist sayes Psal. 44.10 11 12 13 14 15. yet 17 18. Thou makest us a by-word a reproach a derision a spoil to them that hate us as the appointed for slaughter and broken in the place of Dragons and confusion is ever before us and for all this Vers. 17 18 20. Yet yet have we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsly with thee nor is our heart turned back from thee nor do we decline thy way no not yet and why But because the Spirit of the Lord carried them through all thick and thin as we use to say and so it is here the Spirit removes all thy rubbidge-corruption that would hinder thee and throws down to the ground every strong hold or imagination thou hast against this way 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Which before he admonished thee of and motioned thee to and 4. This Spirit confirms thee in it as well as conforms thee to it and therefore he is called the witness in thee 1 John 5 10. If any false witness do arise and rail at this way of Christ as the theif on the Cross did revile Christ. If thou meetest with any arguments from flesh and blood against it that would fain weaken thy faith and foundation why yet the Spirit bears testimony within and that upon his own knowledge that thou art in the right way Joh. 16.13 And this witness within and the word without do both agree in their testimony Yea furthermore the Spirit is called a seal Eph. 4.30 And set me as a seal upon thy heart Cant. 8.6 That is that I may be not onely near to thee but on thy heart even in thee as thine own spirit A seal is more then a witness for it carries the witness with it and is not onely a witnessing to us but a work upon us and in us carrying the image of him that sealeth us sayes Sibs in his Fountain Sealed Now a Seal serves to confirm and thus doth the Spirit seal instruction to us Job 33.16 that is confirms us in what the Word instructs and declares Besides this Seal is for distinctions sake as Dr. Sibs saith to distinguish which is the Lords way and worship from all others of mens making 1 Tim. 2. The Lord knoweth who are his and who are not his This distinguishes the precious from the vile Jer. 15.19 And by this seal the Lord knows his and the Saints know which is the Lords For the seal sets the Lords image on his way and worship Moreover a seal signifies a propriety and right to a thing as Merchants use to seal their wares that others may not claim a right to them So Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart the righteous for himself He hath set his mark on them in the Hebrew it is the Lord hath culled out and severed in a most excellent manner i. e. by his Spirit the righteous that is in Hebrew Chasid the holy One Acts 13.35 full of holiness goodness piety grace to himself And as the gracious man so the gracious way of Christ he hath set apart for himself i. e. as his way and his right Thus every Saint sets his seal to in John 3.33 who being convinced by the Spirit as before and now confirmed by this testimony within him which holds against all opposers he gives his testimonial to the truth Deut. 32.4 and bears witness to the way of Christ Joh. 15.26 27. and sets to his seal and subscribes to it and chuses it to walk to live and die in So that they are Christs witnesses and do bear his testimony with the Spirit as well as by the Spirit Acts 5.32 It is the Spirit which assures them as well as perswades them whereby the will is set upon the wheel so after the Saints believed they were sealed sayes the Apostle 5. This Spirit then rests on thee and on that way thus witnessed and sealed to as the Dove did upon the Ark yea as the Spirit did rest and abide upon Christ John 1.32 whereby he was known so hereby by the same Spirits resting on us we are known and the way and worship and Church of Christ is known to be from above So 1 Pet. 4.14 Happy are ye for the Spirit of the Lord and of glory rests upon you And Paul saith The power of Christ rests upon him 2 Cor. 12.9 The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as the Dove which wandred about and not found rest nor where to set the sole of his foot In this world iniquity doth abound and the waters are up and the floods are so high that the Dove i. e. the Spirit comes again weary and spent into the Ark and from thence is sent out So that this Spirit found Christ such an Ark and rested there and findes the Church such an Ark and rests there yea a Saint in a sence such an Ark and rests there And from thence he is sent out by Messengers means of Grace c. abroad and about the world to finde footing among them without but oftentimes he returns with this tale That the waters are too high yet But here the Spirit rests and by this the Church is known to be Christs We are all baptized by one Spirit saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 Into one Body and made to drink into one Spirit So
many nice indirect and unprofitable questions or the like Now for orders sake and the peace of the Church when they have appointed whom to speak for the Church the person formerly propounded enquired of and now to be admitted is called in His name is called and prayer made for direction from above that they might have a discerning spirit in this great work to put the Lords difference between holy and unholy sheep and goats and remembring promises made as in such cases This done the person to be admitted doth express his earnest desire of entring and so is to be received upon a threefold Testimony Negative and Affirmative The first is When he is propounded and no body can object against the person propounded which is desired of any that can and upon what grounds For Acts 9.26 though Paul assayed to joyn himself to the Church yet so long as the Disciples were afraid of him and did question him and were in doubt of him he was not received Wherefore he is propounded to them all to know who can object any thing as Mr. Dudley Fenner said before But further 2. Another testimony of him is from others who can give him a testimony upon their own knowledge and for how long if there be any Church-member whose testimony is most valid can so do it will do well as Rom. 16.1 Col. 4.12 13. whose testimonies are many times writ down and upon record for future use if need be Or else such as testifie from the mouths of others as those that the Church sent out to enquire of him giving in their best information and experience of the person and this faithfully and especially touching his unblameableness in conversation as much as may be But 3. For a further and fuller and most satisfactory testimony that comes from within the person to be admitted being desired for the Churches satisfaction to make an account of his faith and of the work of grace upon his heart he does so as we have said before and shall show in the next Chapters what manner of confessions are made or experiences produced But now if enough be not spoken to the satisfaction of all he that hath any doubts doth ask some question for his satisfaction and none can deny that liberty Now this testimony is for the most part most sweet and useful indeed and deserves to be registred Some of the most special that I have met with and written down I shall instance in in the Chapters following and often times from a gracious heart they come undeniably before they have done Although we grant that some are very imperfect in utterance and cannot express themselves so well as others that it may be are most gracious precious Christians Then one of these ways we take either to get what we can from them by asking them some easie questions and that discreetly too and yet such as are useful for that season and so receiving such broken and imperfect answers as they give though they be but words dropping sweetness and savoring of grace yet put together may make weight and will signifie something well-spelled I remember once in Dublin a sister propounded to be admitted as before was thus quaeried with by the Churches appointment and answering at first very fearfully and uncertainly so that some were unsatisfied and desired that she might be past by for this present till the next meeting not daring to put her by because she was an approved godly Christian in life But when she heard this she burst out into tears bitterly before the Church and amongst many other words which argued a broken heart Sir saith she to me then present it was but the last Lords day saith she you preaching over the water said Christ called us freely without any such qualifications first and that he said Joh. 6. that those that come to him he would in no wise put by and upon these promises I am come the Word hath called me and Christ hath called me and bid me come and I must come without any worthiness in my self and shall I now be put by With that poor heart her passage was stopt with tears for a while which drew tears from the tender hearts of divers in the Church who observed a great deal of grace thorough these weeping words and yet her bold challenge of the promise and of an interest in the Church Christs Body upon as free account without any formal qualifications as she had an interest in Christ the Head having the like call c. though there might be a mistake in such an apprehension for qualifications are requisite in this external union that are not in the internal we must take Christ on his terms and the Church on hers yet I say as when the Sun shines through a watry cloud so she appeared gracious and amiable in the eye of the Church and upon debate her love faith zeal obedience and grace appearing to the satisfaction of all this tender soul was received I remember Master Fenner in his Sermon called Christs Alarum to sinners mentions a story of Demosthenes That when a man came and told him how a Neighbor had abused him and beaten him uttering it coldly and carelesly and spoke it as if he dreamed Demosthenes answered the man That he could not believe it No! saith the man in a passion do you not why he took me thus and held me here and struck me thus and thus the man acting it now zealously c. And do ye not saith he call this beating will you not believe it yes saith Demosthenes now I believe thee for now thou speakest as if it were so indeed So many will hardly believe any to be a Christian but such as can word it well and speak and act zealously but let them take heed of grieving tender hearts in expecting too much from them after the formal way of speaking least they should send any away that keep not touch to their fancy and form For as Dell saith and it is true It is a most pestilent doctrine to make things necessary that are not so for God regards not the form time or circumstances of such things as to him but they are left to us to be used according to the wisdom and discretion of the Church without tyes upon the spirits of any It is not the form but the faith nor the appearance but the power of godliness which we are to eye and own and which God does eye and own In the mean time seeing the Church whilst she is with men and dwells with flesh and blood must use some external rites which are not absolutely necessary by which the Church is nothing sanctified nor satisfied and things meerly of outward order and decency Yet let her be sure to observe these rules 1. To order none of them as of necessity or as if they were enough to take in
Ghost which water-Water-baptisme could not doe Orig. An. 200. in Rom. but how ever it was to be executed by Christs Spirit 2 The command is Teach them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them my schollars now little ones as well as great ones Infants as well as growne ones may be his schollars in his school to learne for a little childe that knowes not a letter in the book is a schollar as well as others that do so not onely the lowest boughes but the uppermost and least twigs partake of the nature of the root But What do they infer 1 That none must be admitted but such as are baptized we say so too but we deny they must be rebaptized And whereas they instance in the Apostles practise they would doe well to cleare up the difference of old betwixt adulti and catechumeni for qui bene distinguit bene docet otherwise they will but lead about the blinde and leave them in the ditch in darknesse 2 They say this is that fundamental Ordinance by which we put on Christ. Ans. To call the watry part of baptisme viz. in abstracto I say the element the fundamental Ordinance by which wee put on Christ and are ingrafted into Christ and planted into his death c. is to make no lesse if not more then an Idol of it and so it is to attribute to Dipping what is onely attributed to Christ himselfe for what is Idolatry but exhibere cultum Dei honorem Christi creaturae Th. Aq. 22. q. 94.10 to give the worship and service of God the glory and honour of Christ to a contemptible poore creature Is not this to say Lo here is Christ but beleeve them not O sad sad sinne of this age that Professors should fall down so to this Image which they imagine must doe all for them without which no salvation Were ever the Pontificians or Prelates more uncharitably rigid for it to Idolize it on Infants then they are to Idolize it on grown ones that then presently they are accounted Saints Beleevers Christians ingrafted into Christ c. as if Dipping did all Alas a day what could the Pool of Bethesda doe till the Spirit moved the waters there was no healing O this soule-dangerous and dreadfull glorifying the forme Idolatry is gravissimum peccatorum say the Schoolmen and makes the shortest cut to confusion The Lord help poor Ireland still the land of Idols and Ire 3 They say the Jewes might as well have admitted uncircumcised ones as they uâ— to have communion with them O charity where art thou that thou shouldest live longest and strongest of all O unchristian and uncomfortable tenet For 1 Their non-communion with such was by the command of God but yours is not with us 2 Jewish Church was national ours not 3 Jewish worship was in the forme but ours in Spirit and Truth 4 Jewish eating the Passeover was typical 5 Circumcised ones after the flesh was enough with Jewes but it is not with us 6 We have been baptized as you put it in the room of circumcision and more answerably unto it then you 7 The case being altered as it is now we finde that Jews and Gentiles circumcised and uncircumcised had sweet communion together Act. 15.5 Gal. 2.3.7 12. 1 Cor. 12.13 in severall Churches so that the outward forme was left to liberty Rom. 14.2.5 as a thing of nothing Gal. 6.15 as it is nâ—w to be 8 Their end and their beginning they make one viz. Dipping i. e. their all in all and indeed very indiscreetly and disorderly they lay that downe for the end which is the Rule by which they are brought into fellowship so that it is like enough Logicke is the language of the Beast to them that know not how to define Church fellowship Lastly Because I want room to write more They conclude that because of their great disobedience in joyning with us they must make amends by casting all of us that would not be dipped out of Church-fellowship for old leaven and accordingly the members of them sent from Mr. Patient with those of them that walked with us consulted often together conspired and plotted and laid snares in designes to break us in peeces but when that would not be they bruited abroad scurrilous and scandalous reports of many of us to represent us wicked and unworthy to the world and others after that they thought to have excommunicated us for old leaven but the Lord would not suffer it so that their plots and designs brought forth nothing but wind which became a blast to themselves at last But whereas they say they may as well admit all manner of wicked men as one that wil not be dipped do but observe their spirit in deifying Dipping and in vilifying the Spirit that without this though we be under Spirit-baptisme we must not have so much mercy shewn to us as to partake of Church-Priviledges is this doctrine of Christ or the Devil but I pray mark their ground for you may say they as well admit one that will not partake of the Lords Supper c. Ans. Suppose one should be admitted that were unsatisfied therein were that a sinne But Secondly we deny this their haire-brained assertion for that there is positive command for the Lords Supper Preaching Almes c. and so there is not for Dipping but all the Scripture is against Re-baptising as being but the Idol of the Braine and a brat that must be dashed a peeces Psal. 137.9 * The next thing to this Commission with their several forced and unworthy Inferences In the fifth place they would faine insinuate a necessity of Dipping out of Ephes. 4.4 5. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace he saith not the union of the Forme but of the Spirit which is preserved not by outward formes but by inward principles Then follows Verse 4.5 One Faith one Bapâ—isme c. all these must be to make up the Vnity of the Spirit and it is true that they all must owne one and the same Baptisme but what is that I pray not dipping but Christs Baptisme Matth. 3.11 We are all mark all Jewes and Gentiles before and since the Law before and since Christ all Saints of all ages members of one Body viz. the Church of Christ mystical and all this by one Baptisme 1 Cor. 12 13. For by one Spirit we are All baptised into one Body Now this cannot be as by this Letter they would faine have us beleeve by water for so all Saints in all Ages were not so baptized into one Body or Church for before the Law this was not the fundamental point which these men say we must hold so that they peel but the barke of the tree and the Goars may doe so but we feed upon the sap and substance This is a principle of spirituall union viz. the baptisme of the Spirit which all Saints of all judgements must doe and have enjoyed for the life remains
tantum in se perditionis habet quantum quod reliqui ad peccandum inducuntur Chrysost. Hom. 25 in Epist. ad Rom. Secondly It is a scandal with reference to Christ. Vers. 15. for whom Christ dyed O! what will the world say what are these Christs Disciples that gurn bite at abuse despise refuse and condemne one another thus is this all their charity of weake ones to shut them out of doors and besides how dare you to offend one of them for whom Christ dyed doe ye thinke they are of so little worth for whom Christ dyed that you will not receive them what do you make of his blood what a scandal is this Further the Apostle to enforce this findes out this scandal to reach to Profession Religion the truth and Gospel its selfe In Vers. 16. Let not your good be evil spoken of or your Gospel liberty and way of Christ be defamed nor truth traduced nor Doctrine nor Discipline nor the Kingdome of grace as Olevian sayes be blasphemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or evill spoken of 1 Tim. 6.1 1 Pet. 2.12 1 Cor. 29.30 How eagerly did Mr. Prin Bastwick and others take advantage to write and print all they could against this Gospel of Christ for that the niceties and curiosities of some Church societies did exclude others that were not of their judgement though truly godly and holy Therefore for the Gospels sake receive them and have special regard for by not admitting such and judging hardly of them you will open the mouths of Gods enemies against the truth and give them advantages against the way whereby with Bernard in Serm. Ezek. 38.17 the Church sustaines great damage even by her own Children Reason 9. Runs from Vers. 14 15 c. I am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ nothing is unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth it so c. from this Concession that nothing of its selfe is unclean comes out a correction Vers. 15. Therefore condemn not thy brother for eating because it is an erronious conscience that makes a thing unlawful For all actions receive their qualifications according to the will of the Agents and the will acts according to the object a thing apprehended by reason If thou judgest by thy light that to doe this is sinne and yet thy will carries thee to it why then it is unlawfull indeed and thou sinnest to doe it but if thou judgest it no sinne it is lawfull according to thy light and conscience to bee by will carried thereto therefore let thy light be Gods light grounded on the word and then be perswaded It is miserable to doubt in things commanded and to be commanded in things doubtful and indifferent praejudicium non est judicium sed vitium Things indifferent are lawful to him that esteems them so and unlawfull to him that esteems and is perswaded they are unlawfull see Chap. 1. therefore let not one censure condemne cast by or grieve the other but receive each other in charity and bowels of love and each walk according to his judgement and perswasion ch 1. Reason 10. Vers. 17. For the Kingdome of God is not meat reason 10 and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost This Argument is taken a natura rerum mediarum from the nature of things indifferent and drawne up from the definition of the Kingdome of God from the Thesis and Antithesis take this argument in forme thus for those things the Kingdome of God consists not of we ought not so to contend but meats drinks outward formes and Covenants c. the Kingdome of God consists not of c. ergo c. contend not so for such indifferent things as to judge or not to admit and receive a brother The Kingdome of God consists not of things doubtful or indifferent but absolute and necessary Luke 17.20 21. 1 Cor. 8.8 therefore none are to be shut or kept out of this Kingdome for their judgement in things doubtful or indifferent This Kingdome sumitur pro regno gloriae sometimes is taken for that of Glory the Fathers which is to come ubi Deus erit omnia in omnibus and by some pro regno gratiae and so here for the Church of Christ the Kingdome of the Son the state of grace here but take which you will they are both of one kind of one make have one and the same matter forme and end and neither of them consists in outward forms or is in meat and drink or the like but both of them consist in righteousnes peace joy in the Holy Ghost that is the substantialia regni are one the same and such members as are fit for one are fit for the other These are Characters of such Citizens as are fit whose Christianity Religion Profession enchurchment c. lyes not in meat and drinke that is in the outward formes letters and things left to liberty whether to do or not doe but in righteousnesse inherent and infused and also expressive and declared in faith and holinesse and in their duties of obedience and in peace which follows justification and unity one with another which is unity of the Spirit the Holy Ghost being the procreant cause of this peace and love and joy which issues and runs out of such a righteousnesse and peace before spoken of now those things are necessary which the Kingdome of God consists of Oh then that differences should arise about such things as the Kingdome of God consists not of but can as well bee without as about Covenants Confessions and Subscriptions and such things that are indifferent or that are doubtful as the subjects of baptisme and whether dipped or sprinkled or such like being left without positive warrant in the word Oh then learne learne to put a difference where the Lord puts a difference as between things spiritual and things carnal things of a middle nature and things necessary which the Kingdome of God the Church of Christ cannot be without And let us make no difference where the Lord would have none Reason 11 from Vers. 18. For he that in these things serves reason 11 Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men The Argument is thus He that is the servant of Christ is to be received but he that is righteous and beleeves and obeyes the Gospel whether he eats or eats not notwithstanding these formes is the servant of Christ therefore to be received Thus the argument is a genere but from the effects 1 Gods acceptation 2 Mans approbation He that is acceptable to God is to be received but he that serves Christ beleeves in Christ and obeyes the Gospel in righteousnesse peace and joy of the Ghost though he be not of your opinion in things indifferent doubtful yet is acceptable to God therefore to be received Further thus from the other effect Hee that
you must admit and receive and raâ—her abstaine from those things then as to him then render offence or cause him to stumble for though thou bevest this or that may be yet have thy faith to thy self Vers. 22. and not for another Thus you have the scope of the whole Chapter to ratifie this undeniable assertion laid downe at first for receiving of such as are weake though differing in opinion and this point lyes cleare in many other Scriptures besides both Prophesies and Precepts and practise of primitive Churches You have it prâ—phesied in Micah 4.5 This Chapter begins with the promised happinesse and eminency of the Church of Christ foretold these latter dayes and amongst other things this is one Promise made foretelling her eminency thereby and her exceeding glory above the glory of former ages for that all Nations shall come that is not meant sayes Gualter All of all Nations but many peoples of many languages under many wayes formes orders and dispensations shall come in to the Church of Christ Jew and Gentile bond and free of all sorts and opinions that are the Lords under the reigne of Christ shall come in though Jew and Gentile are at as much variance and distance for their different judgements one from another as may bee yet they must be one in one For there is but one Body of all beleevers of all judgements Eph. 4 4 5 6. in all ages under all forms of all degrees and measures of light and life Eph. 2.15 Col. 3.15 having all the same faith for quality in the same Christ and all live on Christ by faith not by forme Thus all of us will walke every one in the name of his God and we will walke also in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Every one according to his light and measure obeying God constantly and then saith the Lord I will assemble her that halteth between God and Baal 1 King 18 two opinions and make even her a remnant and a Congregation over whom I will reigne in Zion Besides Ezek. 36.37 38. you have the richest blessings reserved for the last dayes when Paradise shal be restored and the Church shall become the Lords Eden in vers 35. I will increase them saith the Lord with men like a flocke how is that i. e. thus in a flocke alluding to a shepherds flocke there be old and young Lambs and Ews Isa. 40.11 of several sorts sizes colours complexions yet all make but one flocke and it is not the difference of the fleece of the colour or outward appearance or tone or bleat or going or weaknesse or leannesse or raggednesse that makes it none of the flocke so long as it is a sheep still as long as none of these differences are such as make it no sheep So the Church of Christ shall consist of Saints though they differ in opinions so long as those opinions cannot make them no Saints that are under variety of dispensations administrations forms opinions and severall measures of grace and spirit And yet the Lords flocke a holy flocke Verse 38. all having one Master-Shepherd serving one and the same God as Zeph. 3.9 I will turne the peoples of all Nations to a pure language i. e. of the Spirit and then all under all formes orders languages whatsoever all shall serve the Lord with one consent all shall agree in one and consent in that to serve the Lord and to draw together with one shoulder as the simile runs from a yoake of Oxen drawing together yea the Leopard and the Kid the Lion and the Lamb shall lye down together See this also foretold by Zach. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned together and Zach. 8.23 of all languages shall take hold of him that is a Jew saying We will goe with you for we have heard that God is with you that is Men enlightned that have found the Lord as in verses before and are united to him they shall now enter into the Church of Christ where the Lord is with them Though they be of all Languages Nations habits forms and appearances so they be but holy and seekers and servants of the Lord as before they must be received though there be as large a difference in things outward and formal as between other Nations and the Jews yet they must be all one and brought into one body God will gather all his people into one and every year he is hastning this designe to bring all into one But for further proofes see Phil. 3.15 16. If any be of another minde what then not put him by no but walk with him for God shall in time reveal it to him Neverthelesse whereunto we have already attained and are all of one minde and judgement let us all walke together as Phil. 1.27 and Phil. 2.1 2. by the same rule of Christ let us minde the same things that is of God the honour and glory of God the worship and service of God thus much to me lyes under the Commission Christ gave in Mat. 28. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep them charily whatsoever commanded and commended to them in Discipline and Doctrine now this was one in Mat. 19.14 to admit even of Infants in Christ of such who are as weake simple innocent and as unable as little ones to speak or expresse themselves c. yet such are to be by Christs Disciples Christs-Church received and admitted as well as others that are of a more manly growne and strong stature in Christ for of such as these little ones as well as of strong ones consists the Kingdome of heaven Moreover we might muster many Authors together to beare testimony to this truth but besides what was said before we shall finde the examples of all Churches in primitive times to take in all Saints though of different opinions if holy and beleevers in Corinth Rome Galatia Antioch c. where were Jews and Gentiles circumcised and uncircumcised and such as did exceedingly differ in opinions thus Rom. 14. Gal. 2.11 and 5.1 and Act. 15.1 2. and 1 Cor. 12 13. for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body whether Jews or Gentiles bond or free so after the Apostles dayes as appears by Ecclesiastical Writers all that were godly in Christ Jesus without respect of persons or opinions were received their faith in Christ and love to all Saints was looked upon as necessary and enough as Mr. Fox observes till the hot contest between the Asians and the Romans about the observation of dayes An. 157. and then in Antoninus Pius's reigne was Polycarpus faine to goe to Rome to Anicetus then Bishop of Rome and though they two differed in opinion yet were they one in most sweet kinde and Christian communion and both avoided the breach of unity or peace
same for matter and substance made by all An Account of Faith as it was made and given in by word of Mouth on the Eighth day of the Eighth Moneth 1651. In a Publick Meeting-place at Dublin upon his entrance into Church-fellowship there By J. R. c. I Acknowledge and profess from my very heart before the Lord and you all here present That I do believe there is but one God who is omnipotent omniscient omni-present and an infinite and all-glorious Being and distinguished into three subsistences or if that word offend I will say into three personal proprieties and relations according to his several operations and administrations namely of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The Father is of himself the Son proceedeth from the Father and the Spirit from them both And although the Saints cannot take hold of God as God incomprehensible and inapprehensible yet they know him as a Father as a Son as a Spirit dwelling in them and so far as his several attributes makes him known to them First Concerning the first Person so called of the Trinity or God the Father that he is the great Creator and Governor of all things in Heaven and Earth eternally distinct as in himself from all Creatures as Creatures in his absolute Being and absolute Well-Being And that this God shall judge the World But Secondly Concerning the second in the Trinity the Son Jesus Christ of whom Moses the Prophets and the Apostles wrote and in whom all the Scriptures are and shall be fulfilled I believe him as he is both God and Man making a compleat Mediator and as God equal to the Father as Man of the tribe of Judah the line of David the seed of Abraham and born of Mary c. And as both the onely Mediator between God and Man And he was from everlasting and yet as Man from the Womb he was separated called appointed and anointed most fully with all gifts and graces necessary for all mankinde Concerning his Offices That he is King Priest and Prophet First As the Prophet he hath revealed his Fathers whole will so far as is necessary to Salvation in his Word and Ordinances and speaks it to his Church and Saints by his Word and Spirit Secondly As Priest being consecrated for us he hath appeared to put away sin and hath offered himself the sacrifice for the sins of the people once for all laying down his life for his sheep and he hath absolutely abolished all legal and Ceremonial rites and shadows and is now entred into the Holy of Holies and sits at the right hand of glory making intercession for us Thirdly As King in general all power is given him in Heaven and Earth and he doth exercise his power over men and Angels good and bad for the safety of his Saints and destruction of his enemies till he hath made them all his foot-stool In particular that Christ is King over his Church and shall reign on Earth spiritually in the hearts of his Saints and by his Word and Spirit he gathers all his peoples together from Idolatry Superstition Darkness c. into his own Spiritual way of worship and holiness and brings them to the Father and by his Spirit he makes them a peculiar people a royal Priesthood a holy generation and instructs and governs them by his Laws prepared for his Church and people Thirdly Concerning the Spirit the third of the Trinity that he is sent by the Father and the Son to make application of the whole work of Redemption to those whom the Father hath given to the Son by his decree and whom the Son hath brought to the Father by his blood according to the everlasting Covenant made between the Father and the Son which the Spirit carries on to us as the Covenant of Free-grace for our Salvation By the operation of this holy Spirit in me This Grace was begun first by and through the Law which awakned me so as that I saw I was lost and undone for ever and then by the Gospel whereby Christ was revealed to me and in me by his Spirit and his righteousness cleared up mine But of this hereafter This Spirit applyed Christ Jesus as far as I knew him manifested to and in me by which I was brought at length to close with Christ and that so unfainedly that I resolved to loose all before Christ. So such are First by Christs righteousness justified Secondly by his Spirit adopted sons Thirdly by his Grace sanctified and really changed to the piety and purity of Gods holy Image gradually and Fourthly Glorified and changed from misery to happiness which begins in the inward sence of Gods soul-melting love to them in Christ from whence is the hope of glory and assurance of salvation joy peace and happiness within c. Fifthly Concerning the Scriptures in Old and New Testament they are the Word of God as they were writ and indited by the holy Spirit and that they are the standing rule left us both for our knowledge and practise doctrine and Discipline here below Sixthly I believe that by the first Adams disobedience we all fell and that we are all by nature the children of wrath dead in sins and trespasses and that those who live and dye in their sins cannot be saved nor any without regeneration or new birth Seventhly Concerning the Church of Christ I know it is but one Body Universal and Catholick and that is of all Saints past present and to come invisible and visible yea spiritual and formal But this I also believe that God hath left a rule in his Word for Particular Congregational Churches here upon Earth as the visible to make up his one intire and universal Body Eighthly Now concerning Christs particular Churches I believe as I have preached and proved such a Church to be a Fellowship called out of the world and united to Christ As Members to the head and all one with another according to the Word for the worship of God and the edification one of another and that such must be separate from false ways worships Antichristian superstitions observancies c. and willingly joyn in Christian Communion and Covenant or resolution of cleaving close to the Lord in this his way with purpose of heart and by free confession of their Faith and subjection to the Gospel and therein especially I believe That the Ordinances of Christ are to be freely and frequently dispenced as preaching praying prophecying one by one Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Sacraments Censures Offices and Officers and often and ordinary exercising of gifts And that there is a chusing of and setting apart Officers by the whole Body and that none doth orderly do the office of a Minister among them but such and besides to omit many other things and bring all up in this rear I do really believe that such orderly Churches have priviledges royal oracles and seals and
upon me wondred and asked me how I did I told them well at which they wondred more not thinking it possible but rather that I knew not what I said and telling them I was going forth though they thought me more mad then wise yet away I went to the Church who were yet praying and that hard blessed be the Lord that heard them and drew out their hearts on my behalfe My comming amongst them to tell the mercies of God was much like Peter in Act. 12. verse 16. at which they were astonished but as he Verse 17. Verse 13 14 16. So I did declare unto them how the Lord had brought me out of prison my bed my sicknesse so that this renewed pledge to us did throw us altogether upon praises and thankful returnes being so sweet and seasonable an experience that I hope it will never be forgot whereby the Church as it now is was exceedingly satisfied and ratified to this day that God was with us yet of a truth as much as before from which day as well as ever before I dare assuredly say the name of this Church may be The Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 as Mat 28.20 These things I have added to this fifth Reason whereby we were abundantly obliged for future to trust in the Lord so that experiences declared do much advantage others to relye upon him and to beleeve in him Ps. 37 40. and to plead with him the experience that others have had of him at such a time in such a need and extremity of trouble and sicknesse And as waters run strongest in narrowest passages so doth Gods Power and Providences appear most and greatest in greatest straits But thus for the second sort of Reasons Reason 3. Relates to themselves that doe declare their experiences for it is not enough to heare them but to have them as it is Joh. 4.42 First Hereby they try their owne satisfaction examine their assurance and plerophory by bringing all to light as the honest Draper doth his cloath to give any leave to object what they can against the goodnesse of it so Hall sayes in his Contemp. 4. part P. 120. Now a man that owes twenty shillings may as wel pay in silver as in gold and have as good a discharge given him but if he paies it in gold then it is discharged in one piece without telling or further trouble but if in silver then it is in many pieces and requires the pains to tell it over before he be sure that it be right so is it here the Saints have assurance of all discharged and payed and themselves set at large the Creditor reconciled the Law at an end c. and all this by the immediate testimony of the Spirit which is with more speed and lesse trouble as Eph. 4.30 or else by the markes and effects in many peeces which will aske much paines to examine and tell over And thus in the experiences by several peeces of good coine stamped with Gods image you have their assurance or pleonasmes of joy and love and light and all brought out so that they being openly attested and approved the Saints are thereby often advantaged for future attempts and troubles and suits in Law so that there is great reason the Assurance be brought out to light yet we must beware that mens applauding or approving of us or our assurance deceive us not wherefore let us a little call to account how a Saint knows that his assurance is real substantial and not shadowy counterfeit false To answer this we have Twin-testimonies and Single-testimonies to know it by the Twin-born testimonies are surest omni exceptione majores and such are infallible but the others are not so these are of two sorts The Spirit with our spirits bearing witnesse Rom. 8.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co-witnesses so Rom. 9.1 so sayes Paul My conscience bearing witnesse by the Holy Ghost both goe together as honest Sibs hath it like a paire of Indentures one answers another and that the Holy Spirits witnesse is a clear testimony see 1 Joh. 3.24 he assures the soule by powerful application as Culverwel in his White stone well observes for the Father chuseth us and hath decreed it the Sonne executeth it to the full and the Spirit applies it and witnesses our interest in it and sets strong and vigorous apprehensions of love and mercy upon our heart they be sweet and secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule-whisperings and spirit-breathing by which the soul and spirit converses together secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have silent entercourse one with another which is not an enthusiastical fancy or illusion but a reall truth which every Saint hath a taste of being inspirations then the Spirit assures or cleares by a pleasant irradiation or brightnesse beaming upon the soule whereby he sees the assurance reall and genuine see 1 Cor. 2 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God So Verse 9.10 by this Divine light what a glorious glosse a rich orjency a lively lustre and an excelling Exposition is upon thy assurance so that although from the flesh thou doubtest from the Spirit thou seest and art assured For seeing is beleeving as we say and you know this witnesse from a fancy to be true by its own convincing nature and efficacy as you know light by light and so you know the Word by the Word and are able to judge all other words false and all other lights painted and all other Suns shadows So you know the Spirit by the Spirit Joh. 16.8 by its owne conviction which it carries with it as true fire carries its owne evidences to declare that it is fire but false fire painted does not doe so The light of a Ranting presumptuous Spirit is but like a blazing Comet presaging his preposterous spirit or preparing a venemous malign and pestilential influence and portending his ruine and the light of an Hypocrite is but a transcient coruscation and flash for a sudden and is put ou◠but the Spirit displayes himselfe to the soul and gives a glistering manifestation of his presence in that heart of his motion in that horoscope and horison and by his owne beams as the Sun is to be seen and paraphrased upon himself and witnesses to himself that he is there so that as one sayes a man may sooner take the glo-worm for the Sunne then an experienced Saint can take a false light and delusion for the light of the Spirit And who would be further satisfied may see Sibs his Fountain sealed Page 169.170 c. The other Twin-testimony is taken from the Word and the Spirit the Law and the Testimony together Isa. 8.20 Deut. 1◠18 Mat. 22.29 the Scripture and the power of God which are to goe both together to give assurance else yee
them at a Font in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost yet how many imitate them therein and how hot the Presbyterians are for this positive necessity and order it is obvious to every eye As for the forme whether in the Name of Jesus Christ or of the Father Son and holy Ghost this hath been a doubt of long standing and this did cause Novatus to disowne the Church of Carthage for that this form of Father Son and holy Ghost and necessary baptizing of Infants were brought in and he and Cyprian were at great oddes about this order Anno. 240. whilest Novatus very earnestly pleads for it as the practise of Christ's Churches in primitive times and all along the Apostles daies to that hour viz. To baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus the Head of his Church After that in Anno 400. was great contention about it but I leave this to further light and liberty only affirm with all the Protestants who are engaged against the Papists about the form Synops. 12. Controv. Q. 3. that the name is taken for the virtue power and authority Act. 3. and so doubtlesse the Apostles baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ and healed in his name and preached in his name only Beda Act. 10. Jussit eos in nomine Jesu Christi baptizari But I know no necessity of a Font nor of sprinkling more then of dipping nor any positive necessity of baptizing Infants who are soonest drowned but that these be left to light and liberty of conscience as things left either doubtfull or indifferent in Scripture without positive precept and I am perswaded for that purpose that every one may do as he is fully perswaded As for Infants the Papists make it a ground of their Baptisme that they have the habit of faith in themselves and so partly by their own faith and partly by the faith of others they are to be baptized Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis cap. 11. So say our Ministers they have the habit of faith though not the act and by the faith of the Parents with that they are to be brought to baptisme but we say with the Protestants against the Papists that Infants have not true justifying faith which is alwaies actuall Gal. 5 6. in themselves nor yet are profited by the faith of others for Scripture saith Rom. 1.17 The just shall live by faith i. e. his own particular faith and beleeve and be baptized not let others beleeve for you for then it were as well that others were baptized for you but this will be enter'd at large I hope in the next part 3. lib. of the body organicall Tertulâ—ian speaking of Infants saies Fiant Christiani cum Christum nâ—sse potuerint Let them be made Christâ—ans and baptized into the faith when they be able to know Christ Et per fidem est cognitio Christi and that is by faith Wherefore we say that children as children have no right to Baptisme and then secondly that parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as parents can't give them a right thereto and seeing Baptisme is the ordinance of initiation or entrance into the Church of Christ it is wonderfull to see how sudden some are to null the very nature of that ordinance But lastly they and the Papists are too nigh one another in the effects which they say such a Baptisme produces in children The Papists affirm that Baptisme takes away originall sin in Concil Trident. Sess. 5. Decret de origin Peccat and in Infants newly baptized there is no mortall sin Rhemists 1 Joh. 1. Sect. 5. So have some Ministers hotly pursued this benefit of baptisme viz. that baptisme wipes away sins going before whilest we dissent and deny this Jesuiticall doctrine applying this to be the effect of Christ's baptisme which none but Christ himself can baptize with Joh. 1.33 Mâ—t. 3.11 viz. the holy Ghost in a spirituall washing our hearts and consciences with the warm bloud of Christ whereof baptisme is a sign if not a seal and in this we have declared our judgement before to be different from the Anabaptists that attribute so much to the form and element as makes it an Idoll But to conclude this it is in baptisme as it was in the pool of Bethsaida if the Spirit move on the face of the waters there is a healâ—ng else none 3. There is too much alliance between them in that Ordinance of the Lords Supper so called I shall instance briefly for I have been too long in this chapter in some few particulars The Papists make it no more then a preservative against sin Bel. lib. 4. de Sacra cap 17. and would have confession and absolution of sinnes to qualifie for this ordinance Concil Trident. Sess. Can. 11. and that none are prepared but such as are absolved and then that all may come but that they must be sure to come fasting to it and eat nothing before all that day Concil Constant. Sess. 13. Bell. lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 22. ratian 4. and then they would have every Communicant highly adore even cultu latreiae and worship the Host c. who doth not is to be accursed Trident. Concil Sess. 13. can 6. And they say even reprobates that receive the Sacrament receive the very body and bloud of Christ Rhem. 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 16. Now although our Ministers I speak of the violentest Presbyterians do not altogether agree with them in these particulars yet they are not far from them 1. For preparation how earnestly doe they presse men to Confession of sins sorrowes legall repentance and the like and bid the people to prepare themselves whilest we say the preparations of the heart are of the Lord Prov. 10.1 Psal. 10.17 Et opera sunt secundum principium a quo sunt and they are good as they are of grace our preparation is to be from Christ in us our wisdome righteousnesse sanctification we hold with the Orthodox Protestants against the Hetero-dox Papists Opinionists and Jesuites that we must have a lively faith who come to this Ordinance but it is to be the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 and that we must have true Evangelical repentance which is for sin as sin but this must be in Christ Jesus repent in Christ believe in Christ for Acts 5.31 32. Christ was exalted to give repentance for remission of sins So that there is no preparation or qualification by any act of our own but all by Christ in us and grace teaching us to deny all ungodlinesse and wordly lusts Titus 2.12 14. For as Mr. Rogers sayes in his right way to be saved pag. 54. many mistake and are deceived whilest they dote for a faith and a repentance of their own make and look for something to ground on in themselves they are like one that does not set a young tree but lets it lye on the ground till he see what 't
1. 3. and so Theodos. So in Augustines time the Christian Emperors took away many lands and dispossessed the Donatists And Aug. renders this reason for it Tractat. in Joan. 6. because it is by the law of a Prince King or Power of the Nation that Ministers are maintained by this or that maintenance in this or that way with these or those lands et secundum jus ipsius possides terram and according to this law or the Nations law do you take maintenance and enjoy your possessions Wherefore the State does great service for God to alter the Ministers maintenance if Tithes do keep up a carnall covetous Ministry and maintain pride idlenesse riot or excesse let them then fall for shame and the Dependents with them for so the Idle Preists will be spoyled but then be sure they be for better use and ends disposed of as belonging to the State though maintenance belongs to the Church Yet this withall I do not defend such as are so earnest to tumble down Tithes for their own ends and private gaines 2. We affirme a competent maintenance and comfortable allowance to all able Gospell Ministers who live soberly and godly to be of divine institution Therefore great care must be had that poor men the Ministers be not as much troubled disturbed disquieted in their spirits and forced to suites or wranglings for their Salaries or Stipends as they have been for their tithes rates or former maintenance but speciall care should be had in erecting their Stipends that the Ministers may be wholly given to their Ministry 1 Tim. 4.15 and that they may receive them without troubles 3. In as voluntary a way as may be which we assert most sutable to Gospell order our Saviour warrants his Disciples as Mr. Owen saies in 's Eshâ—ol to take and eat of those things that were had by their consent to whom they preached the Gospell Luke 10.8 so that the people ought to be free in the manner of payment or allowance In Augustines time vide in Psal. 146. there was no generall law or custome in the Church or nation as now is to pay Tithes For saies he Decimas vis c. will you pay Tithes the Pharisees did so sed tu vix millesimam das but you scarce give the thousandth part Tamen non reprehendo vel hoc fac sic sitio ut ad istas micas gaudeo here 's a good man indeed where is such a Minister as saies with him yet for all that I finde no fault do so still for I so thirst after your welfare that I refuse not your very Crums We see then in those dayes there was no forcing to pay Tithes for he was content with the very crums the ten hundredth part So in Concil Aurelianens cap. 17. Sicut in arbitrio dantis est ut tribueret quod voluerit c. the words are as it is the will of the giver to give what he pleaseth so if he finde him stubborn and obstinate and froward which receiveth it it is in his power to revoke the gift c. So that the word of God hath laid no necessity upon Tithes this lay apparent before the Councell for otherwise they would not have permitted such liberty and have made the maintenance free and voluntary Thus the Bohemians have long since professed their opinion artic 15. say they the Priests preach and say that men are bound to pay them their Tithes wherein they say falsly for they cannot prove by the new Testament that our Lord Christ did command it and his Disciples warned no man to do so neither did they themselves receive them So among the Muscovites the Ministers are maintained by certain free contributions and certain houses are assigned to them and they have no law for Tithes nor maintenance quoad determinationem quantitatis in respect of how much but thus far for Tithes till the next Book 4. Papists and Presbyters agree much in their Names of dayes which seemes nothing but is indeed very unsavory and unchristian as to name dayes after the Heathenish Idolaters and custome from the seven Planets the seven dayes Sunday from the Sun Munday from the Moon c. Rhemist Annot. Apoc. 1. Sect. 6. But we think with the Protestants against the Papists in Contro 9. Q. 8. this ought to be reformed and these dayes are better and more Scripturally as in Mr. Jesses Scripture Almanack termed the first day the second or third c. as the Jewes called their dayes from the Sabbath So other things and names must be reformed as of our months for March is called from Mars June from Juno July from Julius August from Augustus January from Janus c. So also the names of Christmas Michaelmas Candlemas c. must be altered and all such names and things as sprung from Popery 〈◊〉 Paganisme so said Fulke against the Rhem. and Hierom. in lib. de veste sacerdotal in Job Arcturum Orionem c. God forbid saies he that these names should be any longer in Christians mens mouthes Absit ut de ore Christiano sonet c. O then that we would reforme Let young students beware of Heathenish names and books but for this in the next under the head of Vniversities and let us learn our children in the language of Christ and his word and no longer in the language of the Dragon or the Beast I commend such as are to learn this to Mr. Jesse's Scripture Almanack 4. Their practise is much alike about the publick meeting-houses called both by the Papists and Presb. Churches Fro 1. As the Papists and Jesuites do eagerly maintain these meeting houses their Churches to be more holy then any other places Bell. lib. 3. cap. 4. de Sanctis So do most Ministers so cal'd and Presbyterians at this day hold what they can neither prove nor dare to them that discerne openly own viz. a specialty in their Churches as if holier then other places or at least as if God were more present and to be found there and therefore for a world will not allow of house preaching or the like From which we dissent whilest we affirme their Churches no better then then the streets or barnes in themselves and so say all the Orthodox Protestants against the Papists in Dr. Willet's Synopsis contro 9. Q. 6. answering all the Jewish objections which the Papists produce for proofe as that Solomons Temple was so c. But our Saviour saith under the Gospell there is no such difference of places to worship in Joh. 4.21 The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor in Jerusalem worship my Father but v. 24 in spirit and in trith Therefore his worship is not now tied or limited to places or Churches so cal'd As for Solomons Temple it was a type of Christ's body viz. his Church and Temple more holy then
sweet unity love and harmony was among the Puritans and Professors when they were under persecution how they priz'd one another and so it will be again and much more Secondly This Vnity of the Churches will be honoured from Heaven with a large effusion and powring out of the spirit upon them for in that day they shall know the Lord to be their God and as one people they shall acknowledge and never be ashamed and then shall it come to passe that he wil powr out of his spirit upon all Joel 2.27.28 And by this they will bee yet more one then ever before as appears Act. 2.17 and 4.31.32 when those that were filled with the holy Ghost were of one heart and one mind and of one soule neither sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own and then great Grace was upon them all Great grace then indeed Having favour with all people Act. 2.47 This blessed day is hard by us when Jerusalem shall be a praise in the whole Earth round about us but we must be purged first In Ezek. 37.7 as the bones there came together by the shaking bone to bone so will the Churches by the shaking before mentioned in the time of triall cling and come up closer together then ever before Church to Church and all as one Though they were before as the bones scattered so in their affections and far asunder they shall bee shaked together beleeve it and then they shall receive life and breath from God more then ever before v. 9.10 Yea they shall not only be shaked together but tied together with sinewes and cords and lawes of Love that shall never break and this is to be before the full winde from all 4. parts blow upon them and fill them with breath and life So I am assured from the Lord and the Churches shall find it that they must be united together with strong ties and lawes of Love even with the liveliest sinews and strength of affections before they shall enjoy that great and notable effusion of the spirit which is the winde that blowes where it lists in such a measure as from all parts in all gifts graces and admirable administrations as from all quarters to enliven them and multiply them for in that day they will be as an exceeding great army Eze. 37.10 Lastly consider the great and notable day of the Lord is then the next that comes upon us Ioel 2.31 and Zion shall be glorious In the mean time as the lines of a circumference the nigher they come to the center the more they are united and the nigher they are one to another So for certain Sirs the nigher we are to that time the more we are united and the nigher we are one to another So that we shall see every yeare the Churches more and more united and that in the spirit untill the dispensation of the fulnesse of times when all things shall be in one Ephes. 110. The Lord hasten these happy daies I was pressed in my spirit to acquaint the Churches thus much and to call upon them to unity that the enemies might not have such advantages against us as they doe take for our defect in this duty and that our unity consist not in formes but in the spirit as for practicall rules heerto I shall refer the Reader to the following book But thus I have shewn wherein the Presbyterians and Papists agree and are alike in Discipline Doctrine Ordinances and Practises In Discipline for the Church Catholike Head of the Church matter of it force of it foundation of it and in laying their foundation and about the Keyes and Synods and in Officers to all which we have declared our dissent and abhorrance and so for Doctrine and Practises in all in neere fifty particulars wherein I have clearly instanced the Lord make his people in England wise enough to avoyd such Popish tenets and doctrines and give our Brethren that power and will to cry Down with Antichrist Down with Babylon as we do that hear the voice lest pertaking of her sins they pertake of her plagues Rev 18.4 And let them not think me their enemy for telling them the Truth Gal. 4.16 But to the 3. Consid. The 3 Consideration to come to a Conclusion is that the consideration 3 Gospel Order in the Congregationall Church-way which wee have treated of restored to its primitive purity and beauty is one of the great promises of these latter dayes and the spirituall glory of it sparkles in sight of the saints out of many promises prophesies and varietie of the richest types and is to stand apparently distinct by its selfe from all other orders wayes worships or Churches whatsoever as the visible Kingdome of Jesus Christ for his subjects to walk in That it is one of the great promises to bee accomplished in these latter dayes appears Isa. 2.2.3 Micah 4.1 Isa. 35.1 8 9.10 Isa. 30.21 Psal. 110.3 Ps. 46.2.3.4.5 and 48. P. 3. Malach. 3.17.18 Isa. 51.3.4 Dan. 2.32.33.34 Act. 3.21 Dan. 8.3 The higher is last the best wine at last and the glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former Hag. 2.6.7.9.21.22.23 For further Explication though I have beene full in former Chapters yet to conclude this I shall name these 6. speciall Heads which ensue to prove this Generall Assertions without exception The Prophesies and mproises are full for Christs reigne as Head and alone Ruler in his Church especially and most visibly in these latter dayes He alone shall reign over them in Zion and for ever Micah 2 17. Psal. 99.1.2 Isai 9.2.7 and 22.23 Psa. 2.6 And is set up King in Sion He will be greatest in Zion· Rev. 2.26 Yea and rule the nations to Rev. 11.15.17.18 Zach. 14.9 Therefore all power is given him in heaven and earth Church and State Mat. 28.18 to rule all as being more excellent then the mountains of prey Ps. 76.4 till all be under him 1. Cor. 15.25 Thus he â—ides in our dayes conquering and to conquer But to speak to his Headship In his Zion his most speciall habitation and Kingdome Hee is the alone Head of whom all members aptly joyned receive life and growth And this he is to us as he is one with the Father Jo. 17.21 From whom we have life and grace In especiall maner hee is to bee manifested such a Head in these dayes of restauration Hosea 1.11 the children of Judah and Israel though they differ as to form as Independents and Anabaptists c. shall be gathered together and appoint to themselves one Head and come up out of the Land for great shall be the day of Jezreel So the Churches of Christ shall be all one as we said before in Vnity under one Head viz. Jesus Christ. For although the Churches have stood off hitherto one from another as the 10. Tribes did from Iudah and
so weâ—e divided into two parts as Independents and Anabaptists God hath promised to unite them under one Head when as circumcision and uncircumcision shall be nothing but a new creature though for a time by reason of our too much Idol-worship God suffered them to divide 1. King 11.33 Yet God hath promised the elect of them shall be all one under one Head i. e. Christ whom they shall appoint choose proclaime cry up with one suffrage he saith not a King for so he shall bee to the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron but a Head so he shall be to the Churches to testifie the firme sweet and inseparable union they have with Christ as a Head to give vitall spirits power nourishment â—ife wisedome influence and all to them as the members i. e. a more admirable usefull happifying excellent union beyond comparison then can be betweene a King and people And then they shall come up out of the Land the Churches shall arise out of that of Babylon which held them captive out of those forms which made them differ and from those Idols that caused their divisions then shal they come out of that Land that they were in bondage in and bee no more intangled with those yokes Gal. 5.1 and all this in the spirit as Zanchy observes on Hosea because great shall bee the day of Jezreel That is seminis Dei of the holy seed the elect of God that is of Christ as Psal. 118.24 the great and glorious day of Christs reigne and great shall be the day of his Churches i. e. the saints thus congregated that have as before is declared suffered affliction for a short time in the valley Jezreâ—l v. 4. wherfore in a word Exhort all the Churches as Hosea 2.1 say to your brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruâ—hamah say one to another Ammi my people The Lord saith Ye are my people the people that all these things concern and this great day wil come upon O preach this doctrine and say to them Yee are my brethren and sisters O that we would begin this to stir up one another and to provoke one another to love and good workes Heb. 10.24.25 and so much the more the nigher this day is yea to call abroad to such of Israel and Judah that are not yet gathered with you under this one Head that they may make haste to come up out of the land wherein they are captive to the King of Babylon the Beast saying to them without there is mercy and they may be received for though by nature they are Lo-ruchamah and aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel without grace without God without mercy or love yet by grace they are Ruâ—hamah i. e. a people that have found mercy and hope and may be received as we for his bowels are not shut but means are offered Secondly the Prophesies and promises premonstrate the most precious matter which the Church shall be made up of in these last ages as jewels Mal. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his peculium or pick'd out ones in that day So Esa. 54 11 12. Behold I will lay thy stones with Saphires and fair colours upon Christ as the Foundation of his Church which is already laid and from this very day of the laying Christ to be our Foundation God stands engaged to bless us Haggai 2.18 19. From this day will I bless you saith the Lord your Churches shall be blessed upon this foundation shall be laid up the most excellent stones living stones yea the liveliest 1 Pet. 2.5 having the fairest appearance and the fullest vertue and efficacy The Jaspers viz. are those that are heav'nly minded meant by the excellentest Skie-colour'd ones that are those whose conversations are in heaven and contemplations about heaven The windows viz. those that give light or rather through whom light as they receive from the Sun comes to others are to be of Agates or rather as some read it of Chrystals excelling all in purity and sanctity having of that pure river cleare as Chrystal in Rev. 22.1 yea and the gates by whom they enter into the Churches are to be as Carbuncles Trem. saith red stones Carbuncles being of a red colour like fire the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies fiery burning as well as red and seems to carry out the excellency of those that do receive others as gates to let in into the Church viz. being full of the Word and Spirit like fire in the bones by the searching Doctrine of the Word they make trial of those that would enter Rev. 2.2 as fire purges and tries and proves so do they being most excellent in divine and spiritual knowledge yea all the borders of precious pleasant stones all this showes the excellency of the Church for matter which is fore-told by this Prophet especially relating to these latter dayes all the stones of which this building consists even from the Foundation to the topstone yea and to the very borders are to be of the most precious stones the precious from the vile Ier. 15. not good and bad together or precious and common together as have been hitherto but all of precious stones at least so in appearance as Chrystals Agates Saphires Carbuncles and such like holy and excellent Saints shining severall wayes for singular uses with gifts and graces and what is spoken before figuratively follows plainly They shall be all taught of God i. e. by the Vnction from on high 1 Jo. 2.20.27 and built up in righteousnesse i. e. in grace spirit power c. Such transcendent matter to make up the Church in the latter daies lies evident for an undeniable truth in Rev. 21.17 18.19.20 and the foundations of the wall of this City were garnished with all manner of precious stones c. but that this is spoken of the Church here appears in Rev. 21.2 call'd New Jerusalem comming down to dwell amongst men not that Jerusalem above Gal. 4.26 as Paul speaks of it but the Tabernacles i. e. every particular Church of God with men to whom the Lords presence is sweetly promised v. 3. and all former afflictions and persecutions are to be removed v. 4 and times of restitution for new things to be restored v. 5. Now let the Churches that live in the dayes when the seven Vials full of the seven last plagues are to be powr'd out know that the particular description of their glory and excellency is obvious and view-able for though before till those days they wil be but as poore tabernacles with men yet then they in unity as before shall be the Great City having the glory of God v. 10.11 and light like a stone most precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Luminosum Corpus lumen ex se diffundens i. e. the presence of God most gloriously in her viz. such a presence and such a light shall the Churches
Christ p. 1â—7 c. 13 l. 1 Head is the highest over the body and the Excellency of the Body and gives influence to all the Body and governs the Body and sympathizes with it so Christ p. 37 148 149 c. 13 l. 1 Head and Member both is Christ p. 148 c. 13 l. 1 Headlesse body is a lifelesse body p. 148 c. 13 l. 1 In our Head Christ our Eyes Ears Tongue all should bee p. 150 c. 13 l. 1 Head well All is well p. 150 c. 13 l. 1 Head of Gold Christ how hee differs from Heads of Brasse 151 148 153 181 13 1 Harvest follows the seed time of sorrow p. 365 c. 6 l. 2 Heathens are Volunteers to their gods p. 126 c. 11 l. 1 Heaven in the Churches of Christ p. 86 c. 7 l. 1 Heaven in hell what p. 405 c. 6 l. 2 Hell was Christs and is our way to heaven p. 361 c. 6 l. 2 Hell how one may be in it how out again 394 447 448 398 403 c 6 2 Colonel A. Hewsons Experiences p. 395 412 c. 6 l. 2 Hermes visions of the Churches in these dayes p. 46 c. 4 l. 1 J. 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Idols of brass must down presently p. 159 c. 13 l. 1 Idolizing water-baptism which was before by Papists Prelates and is now by Anabaptists p. 303 305 c. 4 l. 2 Idols made of forms hast their fall p. 343 c. 5 l. 2 Idols of forms several ways p. 345 ib. Idolatry in many professors p. 346 ib. Idolizing a Church-Covenanting p. 454 c. 7 l. 2 Jew every spiritual Saint p. 74 c. 6 l. 1 Jew and Gentile all one in Christ p. 392 c. 5 l. 2 J. Jecocks Experience p. 399 c. 6 l. 2 Jerusalem a type of the Church p. 527 c. 9 l. 2 Jews when precious Church-matter p. 54 ibid. Ignorance of Churches object hinders affection to them p. 118 c. 9 l. 9 Ignorance is the mother of false worship p. 241 c. 1 l. 2 Implicite faith not enough p. 244 ibid. Impartiality as to opinion necessary p. 247 ibid. Impudent whoredoms of Parish Churches Minister and People p. 550 551 c. 92 Independent Church every Church of Christ p. 100 c. 8 l. 1 Independency Prelatick as bad as any p. 105 ibid. 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Kelsals Experience second Experience 6 2 King and King alone Christ 19 20 21 22 23 Epist. King in his Beauty most in
utensils and materials holy 2 Chro. cha 4. chap. 5. So now in the Gospel-temple * In his holinesse of Church-Members read that Book p. 88. The Porters that kept out the uncleane Uncleane and uncircumcised ones doe pollute the Temple of the Lord And are not to be suffered Obj. Rutherford Bailey Answ. Expos. Cotton Hooker c. Zach. 9.9 Rev. 15.3 Isa. 33.22 Iam. 4.12 Reasons Expos. 1 Christ is the Churches foundation none are true Church-members but are built up by him and on him What sort of Professors and Professions requisite Ans. affirm Ans. negat not meere verball Sim. Many Professors not Christians Sim. Reall Saints most attractive matter Obj. Answ. Expos. What sort of Professors were taken in primitive times Sim. Not only puncti repuncti but also compuncti a sound worke Wounded for sin crying out foâ— Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repenting embracing the Gospel greedily Strong in the faith In midst of trials 2 Christ's countermand Mat. 21. Expos. Christ's command Expos. Violent violations of Christs Law to take in any but Saints in appearance and so far as we can judge of them Expos. Object Answ. All called by an outward converting calâ— But they are not to enter in till fitted All the Prophesies are â—ull to foretell that the Church in the latter daies shall consist of Saints and such as so appear Such are in the Lambs book of life Sim. Accounted necessary in the Law times and the Baptists time August in Mat 3. Act. 19 4. The Baptist admitted not of scandalous nor of bare professours Ierom 31 32. The sweet and unseparable relation that is betwixt God and his Saints Christ and his Church Christ our Husband Object Christ is Husband of mixed Congregations too Answ Expos. In the Church none members but such as appeared fit so in all ages in the true Church of Christ Object in Judas Answ. 1 Not known openly to the Church to be an hypocrite when admitted 2 Christ knew him so by an extraordinary Spirit 3 Great reason for Judas admission Christs fellowship is the patterne yet 〈◊〉 Judas was in it Sim. 2 King 15.25 Sim. Gods own Ark may have beasts and toads in it Sim. 2 Sam 23.4 5 6. 2 Christs Church is Gods holy Temple 3 It is the Lords house 4 His Houshold 5 It is Christs Body All these relations teach us what manner of persons Church-members ought to be The Church must judge of them according to orthodox rules of charity Vid. Hooker 1 lib. 2 ch Object Answ. Jude v 4. Not gifts or parts to pray preach c. that doe fit or qualifie us for Church members But union with Christ the Head by saving and sanctifying graces so called Sim. Others are but blazing Deceivers who must and will fall of themselves None but Saints can answer the ends of the Institution of Gospel-Discipline 1 The honour and glory of God which none but Saints can Others cannot 2. The promotion of the true light knowledge of God Others cannot answer this end 3. Edifying one another Others cannot 4. Saint-like love ☞ Others cannot learne this lesson Nor answer other ends of Church-fellowship None but visible Saints sutable matter 1 Cor. 1.2 Object Ans. No Scripture distinction of visible and invisible but all one Church 1 Tim. 3. â—5 2 So Ainsworth against Bernard pâ—g 174. and Robiâ—soâ—s Justif of separ p 112. Parish Churches as Churches Antichristian When Parish-Churches began in England Obj. Many Saints in our Parish Answ. Obj. Our Minister godly Answ. Answ. Sim. Object Answ. Expos. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sim. Object Answ. Sim. Churches as Christs Pallaces must be made of the best materials Object Answ. Hearing of the word without the Church Depart yee out of Babylonian bondage and Parochiall captivity A vindication of the Churches Sim. Sim. Hypocrites in them that are not of them Sim. Sim. Hypocrites hinder the Churches growth We in Dublin had this by wofull experience Sim. Some like wolves looked upward when they howled for lambs to be their prey Sim. They have retrograde motions Sim. Caution to the Churches have from our wofull experience Sim. A Riddle Sim. The Riddle opened in and by hypocrites 1 Eunuchs 2 Pumices 3 Bats 4 Fennels Sim. They had need to see on a good colour Sim. And to study tricks to keep their credit Sim. Like a faire white house within a house of Office Sim. Sim. A heavy action against them at the last day With a Judas kisse they betrayed us and gave us up to the crosse Our experience the mistresse of fools is to â—each other Churches Hypocrites must be that the sound may be manifested True matter must be of the Lords owne adding and ordering Hence in Act. 2.41 5.14 this manner of being made a disciple is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to or incorporated 2 Hypocrites hold off Sim. For they are forbidden in Law and Gospel Sim. Fit matter are sound and sincere Sim. The house is in the builders hands As yet in heaps in most places But must bee a fair structuâ—e They without gather up the châ—ps The matter before fitted must be tryed by saw and hammer Hypocrites will fall from the building ere long As Dâ—mas Judas Their hypocrisie will soon appear to all Sim. To the scandal of the Gospel Sim. Church-members miscarriagâ—s are mindâ—d by all and in every mouâ—h New Ranters nought Old Protestants not enough But aspiring growing Saints are sutable matter Genus cum formae constituit speciem The foâ—me hath two parts 1. Separation 2. Conjunction vide Mr. Owens Eshcoll or rules to the Reader 2 Chron. ch 2. ch 3. Sim. The first part of the forme is their separation from them without doors viz. the multitudes and heaps abroad 1 Proved by Prophesies that Saints must be Separates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niphal And sâ—t loose to bonds and bondages without Precious separate from the vile cleane from the uncleane Expos. Good from the bad As Israel was gathered out from others as a people by themselves so are the Saints now to be Delivered and brought out by the Spirit of the Lord God will judge for our former injuries And he wil save us for future And separate us from them without And gather us into our owne Land of Canaan And then be our God and we his people And his Sanctuary shall then be in the midst of us The Lord shall reigne over them especially that are thus gathered out Proved by positive precâ—pts that Saints must be separates Wisdome calls for it Expos. Required in the Leviticall Law Expos. Separate saith the Lord. And then I wil be a father to you Expos. Expos. Them without are a generation of frowardnesse and crossenesse Beleevers did separate from such Then calâ—ed a Church and not before Hence Ecclesia the Church is called 1 Cor. 1.9 3 Proved by the practise of Christs Prophets Apostles and all Saints in Primitive times Jeremy separated Calvin in loc
Because a volunteer hath the end for which he moves before him Res quae est ratio finis ratio finis Second consideration is from the rule of the will Sim. Which is twofold The Rule which certifies is divine Reason Expos. Volunteers have this Rules to order their will how Expos. Propositum est actus voluntatis deliberata c. ☞ Two Things must be 1 Knowledge 2 Desire ☞ Fourth consideration is From the object of the will which is good Good differs how Expos. ☜ Nam appetibile non movet appetitum nisi in quantum est apprehensum Because of the good in this way of Christ. Sim. The universal good that is God moves the will most Fifâ—h consideration from the operation of the will Because such labour most sweetly for the good Austin God is in us the principle to us the object and the end of all Sixth consideration from the instrumentall causes of this voluntarinesse 1 The word Christs sword and Scepter Expos. Ainsworth Mr. Dell. Luther Without addition of Doctors Fathers Councels ☞ And without the iron weapons of Secular powers Luther What Magistrates may do and what not Dublin Without any other indirect means Hypocrites by that means in abundance And such are all but the Word and Spirit Caution ☜ The Power of the Word The Word is the arm that gathers into the Fold and makes men â—un willingly 2. The Spirit makes willing the inferior instrument Expos. ☞ Christs Spirit known Quest. Answ. Sim. How he convinces it 1. By inlightning 2. By in livening 3. By preparing the way and making paths strait The Spirit carries thorough all calamities clearly Expos. 4 By ratifying In the way of Christ the spirit witnesses On his own knowledge as a witness in a Court. Sim. Expos. The Spirit seals An image of God confirms Sibs Distinguish es betwixt true and false Dr. Sibs Fountain sealed Sets a propriety Sim. Expos. Thus God seals And every Saint seals by the same Spirit 5. By resting on thee in the way Sim. This Dove rests in the Ark no where else The Church is the Ark. The Spirit is but one in all Sim. ☞ The difference betwixt Hypocrites and true Church-Members in the voluntary motions into this Church-state Sim. The Spirit is Gods other arm Till then on men come before called Violence is repugnant to voluntariness How voluntarily 1. Directe Sim. 2. Indirecte Virtus no lentium nulla est Trap in loc Many Intruders Caution Order in the Church 1 Cor. 14.33 Expos. Trap in loâ— Ordinationes in ecclesia faciendae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordo formae Et materiae Ritual order and decency Left to liberty Luther ☞ Caution This is no sâ—â— form 1 Christians meet together often fiâ—st and why To prepare for the work Expos. Saints not tyed to one Church And secondly â—o give up their names together 3 Keep dayes of humiliation prayer Which habent quatuor 1 Invocationem Dei 2 Commemorationem beneficii Dei 3 Petitionem 4 Et obsâ—â—rationem All which must be 1 In elevatione mentis ad Deum 2 Fiducia impetrandi And unity 4 The day they are embodyed They appear in publike Powerful in prayer Nehem. 9.1 2. Exhortations Order of Christ opâ—ned and proved Account of faith made Experiences of the work of grace A declaration of full sâ—tisfaction from Gods word By the ablest in pâ—blick In his communion of Saints Chap. 17. Few at fiâ—st those that are without exception fittest and ablest Dan. 2. A Covenant Register Prayer And Resolution And Praises The Church admits when she is alone How rashly some embody Sad sign of a breach Expos. The most solemne Oâ—der must accompany the most solemne Ordinance Sim. Dike Why the first day in publike solemnity It is more to conviction Vide chap. 6. p. 98. c. Christ did so Expos. Jude v. 15 It would prevent many scandals Râ—x Plat. Expos. For the honour of the way Sim. Expos. ☜ Much honour is had by publick embodying Act. 2.24 Expos. ☜ Most consonant to Christs Law Expos. And to Christs practise To the way it self Sim. Frith In Fox Act. and Mon. fol. 1927. To stir up others into the way Expos. But see Hookers Survey of Church Discipline 3. part ch 1. Appear theâ— in publike Sim. Sim. Many wonder at this way of the Gospel till they know it ☜ Dublins experience teaches most of these things mentioned 1. The power is in the Body â—o admit Members Expos. Proved Expos. Mr. Perkins Dr. Ames Mr. Fenner It is nor in the Elders to admit Who are servants A warning 1 Cor. 3. * Vix plebi persuadeo ut tales patiantur admitti So Epist 11. Caeteros cumiâ—genti populi suffragio recipimus And cannot admit any 2. The persons admitted Men or Women 1. What must be done before they be admitted Their names to be taken Strict enquiry made of them By such whom the Church appoints therunto What is enough to keep him off of admission Mr. Hooker 2. What is done when they are to be admitted He is called into the Church Prayer first made Their testimony threefold 1. Negatively When none 〈◊〉 object Fenner 2. Affirmative First from others Affirmative Secondly from himself 1 Pet. 3.3 Experiences If weâ—k in utterance what then Ask them questâ—ons easie and according to the ability of the person Leeson of Dublin admitted Her broken yet broken-hearted speech Sim. Mr. Wil. Fenner ☞ Take heed none be put by for a form Mr. Dell. In outward forms and rites Caution Rules 2 Such as are weak are sent to for their inward testimony So was it at Dublin when Mrs. Amee Avery was admitted Receive the right hand of fellowship End with prayer for them and praises Why so strict to have a threefold testimony Mr. Rutherf Mr. Hooker Women may and must speak in the Church Members of other Churches taken in and how ☜ Church must take full satisfaction No baptising again Euseb. Perkins August Object Expos. The baptisme of Christ that he looks on is with the holy Ghost Baptisme of John and Christ differs Our baptisme before was true baptisme true ordâ—nance if not true order For matter and form Sim. Dipped how Not dived nor drowned under water Sprinkled and washed same with dipped The Holy Ghost is powred on us and falls on us as yet not we into it That which is most significant is best Ans. Sim. The latter baptisme dispensed disorderly and without an administrator lawfully called and sent out Anabaptists in Dublin not like the Christians Far differing from them in London The inward Baptisme the efficacy of the outward should satisfie us Dipping is not the fundamental ordinance of Church-fellowship though initiating What is a fundamental Ordinance Robinson Justif. pag. 230. sayes it is an error which some hold that Baptisme constitutes the visible Church Expos. Baptisme of the Spirit by which we enter into Christs body In baptismatâ— flaminis non fluminis 1 They attribute too much to the
names of dayes months c. Synops. We dissent Fulke Hierom. ☜ 4. They agree 1. That in the Churches God is most to be met with We differ Dr. Willet Proofes ☞ Origen ☞ Origen Witnessed by Martyrs Tindall ☜ 2. Too nigh one another about Churches as dedicated to Saints We differ Euseb. Lib. 4. devit Constant. Lambert ☞ Presbyterians 〈◊〉 truth out of dooâ—s Gospel-propagation by this means Churches how to be dedicated to Saints ☞ 6. Agree against us They alike do take advantages at our râ—nts differences schismes c. Bradford Latimer in epist. ad D. Baynton Hierome Cotton Austin ☞ Sim. Exhortation to unity to all the Churches Expos. Note ☜ How al Churches differing in forms are to be one vide chap. 5. Unity urged 1. Because all one body 2. One Head which is first in ordine Dell. Bullinger 3. Unity can stand well with variety 4. Unity is equality Zanchy 5. Each contented with their place 6. Sympathy 7. By the strings of love which one is drawn by to another 8 Unity is urg'd from the duty of one to another and to the whole Unity urged 1. That one spirits acts all 2. One spirit unites all things under different forms ☞ 3. Acts severally in all and yet but one and the same What breaks the peace of the Church and what not Zanchy Differing in circumstances in Austin's time Buccer For this vide ch 5. lib. 2. at large 3 Vnity urg'd for all that are in one faith ☜ Zanâ—h ☜ 4. Vnity because all alike in hope Zanch. ☜ 5 Because but one Lord 6. One Baptisme idest of the spirit ☞ The Welsh Curate his Rantisme in his Booke so stiled ☞ Sim. Caution to the Churches of that Church-destroying spirits for so they say of themselves 7 Vnity for that all have one God and Father alike of all Above all Through all In all The Churches â—it in unity is a great adâ—antage to Sathan Sim. Vt impâ—ret Dividâ—t is his 〈◊〉 In unity the greatest terrouâ— that can be to Christs enemies Sim. ☞ No feares if we want not in Vnity Sim. ☜ Sim. Three things expected â— an houre of Triall short but shaâ—pe to the Churches ☜ 1 Proph. The Churches more one then ever Sim. ☞ 2. Proph. The spirit poured out upon all Then unity most of all Expos. Sim. ☜ When ☜ 3. Proph. 3. The great dayâ— the Lord the nigher it is the more Churches will be united in every yeare ☜ This Gospel way is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The great promise of these later dayes 1. Christ shal reign over all in these latter dayes ☞ Especially as Head in his Church or Churches Expos. ☜ Christ a King how and to whom And a Head how Zanch. Expos. A word to the Churches ☞ 2. The precious Saints the matter of these latter dayes Expos. Proph. Jaspers who Agates who Tremel Carbuncles who Most precious Stones ☜ Expos. ☜ A word to the Churches When they shall excell ☞ ☜ ☞ 1. Who are Jaspers In what properties they â—xcell 2. Who are Saphiâ—es In what properties they excell ☞ 3. Who are the Chalcedonie's In what pâ—operties they excell Zanch. In what properties they excell Ignatius 4. Who are the Emeralds In what properties they excell ☜ 5. Who are the Sardonyx Ainsw ☜ 6. Who are the Sardius Paraeus In what properties they excell ☞ ☞ 7. Who are Chrysolites In what properties they excell 8. Who are the Berylls In what properties they excell 9. Who are the Topaz In what properties they excell ☞ 10. Who are the Chrysoprasus In what properties they excell 11. Who are the Hyacinths or Jacinths In what properties they excell 12. Who are Amethists In what properties they excell A mystery of the excellency of Church-members in the later daies Precious stones Gathered out of all parts of the world Proph. ☞ Variety in their excellency ☜ When high-priz'd Propâ—◠☜ When Jewes expected to be most precious Church matter ☜ A word to Churches and members ☜ 3. The forme of the Church promised in these last days ☞ How all enter in 4. The end of it largely promised Zanch. Two-fold Brightman ☞ 5. Spiritual unity and order of Churches promised in last daies Expos. Christs prayer 6. The Spirit poured out on the Churches and Saints in a larger measure By six Heads appeare the Gospel-Ordâ—r in Churches is a great promise Expos. The foundation of all this is layd Comfort to us our day is comming ☞ ☜ Et redirâ— in principium 2. The Types promise the fall of false worship and he glorious rising of the true Gospell spirituall worship ☜ Antichrist â—â—yâ—â—fied by Aegypt Expos. ☜ Sodome ☜ Babylon Expos. Pro Antiochus Epiphanes a figure of the Pope ☞ Polanus Brightman ☞ Types of the Churches Palaces of Sion Tabernacles Particular Churches Dr. Sibs ☜ ☜ Jerusalem a Type The Sun Christ must rule the Dâ—y that comes though the Moon hath ruled the Night till now Solomons Temple a type of the whole Church when all Tabernacles shall bee joyn'd ☞ Vid. 5. Zanch. lib. 1. de Hom. creatione v. 15. Pâ—radise and Eden excellent full types of the Church of Christ in these last dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Churches â—ypified The Garden was Gods own plantation The excellency of it beiâ—g his work ☜ 2. His protection of them ☞ 3. The name of them which takes in of all languages Zanch. ☞ ☞ 4. The Seat of them in all the World where the Rivers run Pareus ☜ 5. The East of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas Lactantius ☜ The later days promise in the East whence the Sun shall rise to all the world Jo. 1.1.2 ☜ 2. The members and ordinances typified by trees of Paradise Odinances Church members trees how 1. Rooted 2. of the Lords making 3. The Lord causes them to grow and flourish ☞ ☜ 4. They are to bee the most fruitful of all the Earth ☜ 5. Lovely to the sight Colloquia congregationes gratiam spirent Bernard de Ecc. cap. 412. 6. Excellent to feed upon For all sorts and Senses ☞ ☞ 7. All sorts of trees that the Lord makes fruitfull must grow there 8. The â—râ—e of life in the midst of them Tree of life two wayes ☞ ☜ Diodate The two Sacraments within the Church kept And not to be carried out ☜ ☜ 9. The tree of life and other trees alike ☞ 3. The Spirit and Word typified by Rivers streams 1. From whence the Rivers came aborigine viz. from the East ☜ Two parts of the East 1. Knowne 2. Hidden but only the River runs from it ☜ ☜ 2. For Churches to what end ☞ 3. The River divided into foure heads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diodate Habes Paradi sum conclusuÌ„ Paradisum e mâ—ssum Beru de Serm. Cant. 35. To take in many Nations ☞ ☞ Where Gods great worke first begins as in the pouring out of the spirit The last discovery of the Type 1. No place for Beasts 2. It is not for meer naturall men For none but whom the Lord addes brings in These Churches must be purged ☜ 3. Of the greatest Use as Universities for others to resort unto and to learn in and to goe from to teach others ☞ Universities of what sort in the latter days 4. Such as are placed in this restored Paradise are under the strictest Lawes of the spirit The Law in love The Churches have their law from the Lord Oâ—hers from the Churches ☜ We have first Life and then Law first a Principle and then a Precept ☜ 5. Those therin are never to be idle but every day dressing and keeping it Zanch. What labours are accursed what not 6 Such as are sinners though in the Church must be cast out ☞ 7. Such as are therein may eat freely yea must of every tree ☜ Ripe fruits 8. Such forbid the Tree of Knowledge before the tree of Life ☞ ☞ Expos. An use of humane Wisdome Learning and knowledge in the Churches But not to be preferred first ☜ ☜ 9. The Serpent got in and tempted by the fruits of the tree of knowledge ☜ He tempts the weakest with Gifts Parts c. Churches beyond Universities Saints are the most and best learned ones ☞ 10. Man put in on the sixth day By the Lords own hand 11. Gods speciall presence there Justin Irenaeus Terâ—ullian Eusebius Ambrose alii in lec 3. The Churches of Christ distinct from all others And shal be so apparently to aâ—l Expos. Not Enemies Who Nor Bastardâ— Who ☜ Nor Ammon nor Moab shal enter in But the Edomits shall or the Jews ☜ Exhort To strive against Nationall and parochiall Churchâ—â— and why Expos. Zanch. A word to England Ireland and Scotland about Naâ—ionâ—ll and Pâ—rochiall Churches The standing impudence of Pâ—râ—sh Church Members ☞ Cawdrey p. 83. Sim. About the Sacraments They are guilty of Treason Felony and Whoredome ☜ ☜ ☜ How the Lord will strip them naked 1. Take away all their Ornaments and leave them naked 2. Show them in their blood and fâ—â—th 3. In their imbecillity 4. With a loud cry ☞ 5. Little 6. In utter darknesse Parish Churches the Children of the Whore shall fall without mercy ☞ Churches and Parishes differ much Flaccus Illiricus vide Bernardus Cant. Beda Serm. 14. Sim. But out of the Churches are great things to be done these latter dayes Sim. ☜ A good caution ☜ ☜ Sim. ☞ A Church is not so intire without Officers and Organs Psal. 48.12.13 The Authours resolve to go the rounds and to make a further and fuller search of Sion Peter