of God never dictates any thing but what is agreeable unto may be resolved into the Scriptures or t written word of God but the other not e.g. When a man is perswaded that Christ is not God as well as Man that there is no resurrection of the body nor reward nor punishment after this life that sin and grace are both equally of God c. with a thousand such like abominations how shall a person discern that the perswasions he hath of these things are not from the Spirit of God but from Satan and his owne wicked heart but this because they are directly against what is revealed to us in the Scriptures l the Spirit of God never per swading any to such things as he hath himself spoken against in the Word written 5. Moreover to what purpose did the holy Ghost make use of those holy men of God as the Prophets and Apostles are stiled to be his Amanuenses or Scribes to write down and commit to paper what the minde of the eternall God was which he would have made known to the children of men concerning their faith and obedience if the Scriptures are of no more use to beleevers Doubtlesse the workes of God are not in vain he made the two great lights in Heaven the Sunne and Moon the one to rule the Day and the other the Night now would it not be a weake if nota wicked thing for any to say what need we any more the use of the Sunne or Moone is not God himselfe sufficient so here is it not as weake if not as wicked a thing to soy What need is there of the Scriptures when wee have the Spirit himselfe to teach us Besides doth not the Apostle affirme in the first to Timothy that the Scriptures are exceeding usefull and profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And then to the Romans That whatsoever is written is written for our instruction that we through patience and comfore of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 And doth not Christ himself say that one chiefe cause why men erre from the truth is because they are ignorant of the Scriptures Matth. 22.29 And doth he not also requite men to search the Scriptures upon this ground because they testifie of him Mark that well They testifie not simply the Spirit but the Scriptures also they beare witnesse to Christs being the true and onely Messiah that should come into the world with many other pretious ends and uses to which the sacred Scriptures are usefull and profitable as were easie to produce if need were 7. But lastly to say no more how doth this open a doore to all manner of abominations both in opinion and practice for if every man must be left to the private teachings of the Spirit and have no recourse at all any longer to the sacred Canon of the Scriptures what abominations will men and women stick to admit of and beare off all with this The Spirit leads me hereunto I am taught by the Spirit and perswaded by the Spirit so that if a man should be stirred up to lay violent hands upon his neighbour as I have heard a drunkard once did on one that was of this opinion and basted him to some tune and being demanded by the party why he did so he answered him in his own language hee could not help it the Spirit moved him thereunto and take away his purse or his life from him or a vile wretch should attempt the deflouring of a virgin or committing of any other abomination and put all off with this that the Spirit dictates such things to him he is under no law but that of the Spirit would not this be dreadfull both to God and Man and so for any damnable errors in judgement that the Scriptures condemne to the pit of hell and warn us to take heed of as we defire to escape damnation doth not this opinion make way to the entertaining of them when people shall be perswaded there is no use of the Scriptures to bee as a Rule to them to walk by but they are to trust onely to the inward dictates of the Spirit Besides if this should be allowed of that the Scriptures are of no luse but we must trust to the Spirit in all what certainty then can there be in any point of Religion and faith for every one will beleeve as the Spint dictates to him and as many men so there will be almost as many mindes Nay further what bottome will men and women have to build the foundnesse of their opinions upon and that it 's not their meere fancie if they cast away the Scriptures seeing what they conceive to day to be the right to morrow they may be perswaded to be otherwise if they trust to what is spoken and dictated secretly to them and where will your soules end and fix a period in matters of opinion when they once begin to take this course of casting off the Scriptures Doubtlesse they cannot tell themselves there being a fathomlesse depth in the pit of error out of which poore creatures can never extricate themselves being once shut up in it Blessed are those soules that are so taught of God in the Ministery of his Word and Spirit as to feare comming nigh the brink of that pit THus Sirs I have dispatcht the Answers to the forementioned grounds what remaineth in the close of all leaving the successe and issue of all to the Lord Jesus but that I adde one word to perswade you in the bowels of Christ to consider from whence you are fallen and repent and doe your first workes Rev. 2.4 before the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven against you I cannot but apprehend your condition as very sad not only in respect of your sin but of your sorrow that is like to overtake you For as sure as the Lord liveth all those that refuse to kisse the Sonne and will not have him to rule over them but doe what in them lies to break his * By bonds and cords is meant the discipline and government of Christ in his Church kingdome as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify Psal 2.3 Now the lawes and ordinances of Christ or his discipliue and government are called bonds cords not that they are so in themselves but because the wicked so judge of them looking upon them as so many fetters manacles that keep them from the enjoyment of their lusts and carnall liberty which is the main cause of their enmitie against them and rejecting of them bonds and cast his cords from them shall perish in the way of their rebellion Psal 2.12 and be brought forth and slain before him Luke 19.27 You cannot be ignorant how jealous the eternall God is of the honour of his Christ and that he is
3.12 which place is to be understood of Gospel-worship as is evident by comparing it with the 2 3 4 5 and 6 verses of the same chapter where the Apostle makes comparison between Christ and Moses and shewes how farre the Lord Jesus Christ excells Moses in building and ordering the House of God with all the Ordinances of worship belonging thereunto under the Gospel And thus Cain is said to goe out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4.16 or from Gods * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. à facie Domini face Now what is signified by this but his being removed from the wayes and meanes of enjoying the favour of God which are his * So the face of God is frequently taken in Scripture Psal 24.6 Psal 27.8 Psal 105.4 Jonah 1.3 Quare non dubito sub hac voce notari adminicula quibus Deus nos ad se tollit ex sua immensa gloria ad nos descendens atque in terra nobis proponens imaginem â—â—elestis suae gloriae caeterum quia in unius Dei arbitrio est se nobis conspiciendum praebere quod facit in verbo sacramentis in hoc intuitu oculos retineri decet ne nobis contingat quod Papistis c. Calv. in Psal 27.8 Vide Sal. Glass Philalog sac in verb. p. 104. Ordinances and therefore called his Face because in these he useth to manifest himselfe to his people as two friends are said to doe when they speak face to face to each other 22. Whether the promises of the Gospel excepting onely that great and absolute * Psal 2 8. Ioh. 6.37.39 Isai 49.8.9 first promise of calling the elect to Christ do not carry and contain in the bowels of them the matter of Rewards and those rewards stand in * The promises are free in fieri being made onely out of grace but conditionall in facto esse being performed and accomplished with dependance on duties in us Reign Synf of Sin p. 337. 364. Vide Stock on Mal. cap. 2. Relation to presupposed services and duties to be performed by beleevers in order to their enjoying those Rewards as Matth. 7.7 8. Ask and it shall be given to you 2 Thess 3.4 Gal. 6.9 Heb. 3.14 2 Pet. 1.5.8 10 11 And whether a person can expect the performance of the Reward on Gods part that neglects the duty required on his own part 23. Whether one main end of the new Covenant of grace mentioned Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.9 10. wherein God promiseth to give his Spirit be not to enable Beleevers and cause them to walk in all the Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus according to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The roat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very emphaticall and fignifies ad certum usum aptare vel disponere i. To dispose fit a person for employment taken from dressing and making ready of meats and sacrifices under the Law Vide Sheind Lexic penta Hutt Heb. Bib. cum Cub Leigh erit sac Heb. in Radie. Ezek. 36.27 And whether a departing from Ordinances and ceasing to walk in a right observation of them be not a terrible shaking if not a making of this glorious new Covenant of grace in this respect void to the Saints For to what purpose is there a Covenant made with the elect in Christ to enable them to walk with God in all the righteous Statutes and ordinances of God if there be none to be observed by them 24. Whether a persons ceasing to perform the duty of prayer and other duties of Gods worship and to live onely in God as such say that are against Ordinances be not destructive to the Mediatorship of Jesus Christ and all his glorious offices belonging thereunto especially that of his Priestly office whereby hee makes continuall Intercession for true Beleevers and by which we are made acceptable to God Rom 8.34 Heb. 7.25 Ephes 1.6 And whether in this respect it be not to raze the very foundation of all our faith and hope in God for justification and acceptation alone by Christ yea a razing of the very foundation of all true Christian Religion and according to the Apostle to preach another Gospel Gal. 1 8 9. For if there be no more need of the performance of the duties of Gods worship in which through Christ we draw nigh to God but the soule is to bee caught and swallowed up wholly into God as these men speake that deny the use of Ordinances then to what purpose is Christs Priestly office now on foot to make our persons and Gospel spirituall sacrifices and services of prayer and praises acceptable to the Father Heb. 13.15 1 Pet. 2.5 25 Whether to leave off and altogether to cease the use of Gospel-ordinances and duties of Gods worship be not directly against the revealed will and minde of God and Jesus Christ contained in the Scriptures that * Isa 29.18 Ier. 29.12 13 Zech. â— 17 Ioh. 10.16 Ephes 6.18 2 Tim. 2.22 1 Cor. 11.26 Heb. 3.7 11. Heb. 10.25 Jam. 1.18 19 ad finem expresly command require the continuall performance of these duties as hearing the Word Prayer administration of the Seales Church-communion c. And whether this practice doth not proceed from a Popish Prelaticall and Antichristian Spirit to make and bring persons in a great measure to forsake the holy Scriptures which ought to be the * All Writers both ancient modern that are sound and Orthodox averre so much as may be seen abundantly in their works against the Papists and Hereticks in all ages from the Apostles to to this day only and sole Rule in all matters of faith prefer mens private thoughts opinions inventions and unwritten Traditions above them as is the practice of idolatrous and Antichristian Papists to doe yea whether such a principle as this to cast off the duties of Gods worship so expresly commanded in the Scriptures to be performed be not with the Papists the great enemies of Christ and his Gospel-institutions to call for an Index Expurgatorius to correct and cancell those many pretious Texts and places in the Scripture that are point blank against this dangerous opinion of forsaking Church-Assemblies and use of Ordinances as they doe many places of Paul in his Epistles that hold forth justification E sola fide i. by Faith alone without works 26. Whether the Scriptures doe not number and reckon such persons as cast off Ordinances amongst the vilest of men as prophane a The children of God by nothing are better known then by calling upon him Barlow on 2 Tim. 2.2 Let them goe branded like Satans slaves sounes of Belial who omit this duty Id. ibid. Atheists and Hypocrites that make not conscience of the observing of them but cast his Lawes behinde their backes and count them grievous and doe what in them lies to make them void as Nehem 9.26 Psal 10.5 Psal 119.126 Psal 53.4 Mal. 3.13 14. and in especiall that of prayer
of themselves it is to be feared they are so offended with ordinances and speak so contemptibly and undervaluingly of those that use them I shall say no more to such on this particular but wish them to be cloathed with humility and better to study the grounds of their own leaving ordinances before they call into question their brethrens in the use of them 5. The fifth ground upon which people build their neglect of Duties and casting off Ordinances is this That they look upon Ordinances and Duties of worship as Prayer Preaching admistring the Seales Church-fellowship c. as poore low dispensations weake formes childish things and such as be not so consistent with a persons living in God c. but out of which God doth lead his people to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit Now for answer to this First I desire it may bee seriously considered Whether the Ordinances and Institutions of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ are low things poore weake childish dispensations Are those low and childish things in which the glory of Christs Wisdome Power and Faithfulnesse doth shine forth And are not the Scriptures divine Institutions and Ordinances of Christ held forth in them such Dispensations How then darepoore sinfull dust and ashes thus reason and argue Is it not rather a cleare Demonstration that such men and women as thus speak have low and base thoughts of Christ in the managing of that great busines his Father hath intrusted him with about the ordering and governing his House Kingdome Let that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.7 8.9 10 11. be seriously weighed and then tell me whether the Dispensations of Christ under the New Testament be low things and childish The Apostle in the former place shewes clearly that the very dispensation of the Legall Covenant ministery and ordinances was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glorious but how much more then saith he must the Evangelicall Covenant ministery and ordinances under the New Testament be glorious If the ministration or dispensation of Death and Condemnation under the Law and that which was to be done away was glorious how much more the Ministration and Dispensation of the Spirit under the Gospel which is perpetuall to remain so that we see that the Dispensations of Christ under the New Testament are all glorious things and if so how dare any speak so disgraeefully of them as to call them poore low weake childish things Doubtlesse the Lord Jesus will give men and women but little thankes for those * hard speeches of theirs they have uttered against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at his comming to execute judgement upon all ungodly ones Jude Epist v. 15. Besides I desire such persons as speak so ignominiously of the Lord Jesus ordinances and Gospel-institutions would but answer mee or rather the Lord Jesus Christ to these few demands 1. Is the Name of the great and glorious Jehovah a low and meane a poore and childish thing and is not his Worship his name 2. Is the publishing and bearing forth his Name before the world a low and childish thing and is not the Ministery of the Gospel so much Acts 9.15 3 Is the sanctifying this great glorious Name of Iehovah a low childish thing And do not the Saints do so much when they drw nigh to God in the performance of the duties of his worship Lev. 10.3 4. Is Glory a low thing and not worth the looking after and is not Mount Syon and all the holy Assemblies so stiled Esay 4.5 60.7 In a word are not all the Vessels of the Lords spirituall Temple and House under the New Testament clean and holy And shall we call that common and unclean that the eternall God the King of Sion hath cleansed and sanctified As Christ said to Peter Act. 10.15 so may I say to such men Cal not those things common and unclean that the Lord Jesus the great Judge of quicke and dead hath cleansed and sanctified and set apart for his use and service call not the ordinances and institutions with the holy Saints and servants of Christ that are called out of the world to make use of them in order to the lifting up of the glory of their Lord and Master their Head and Husband poore low weak things If Christ will own them and honour them let men take heed how they despise and dishonour them 2. Whereas it is said that the use of such Gospel-ordinances and Institutions of worship are not consistent with a persons living in God I utterly deny it my reason for it is this because those things that are subordinate in their nature one to another may very well stand together without confounding and destroying one another And so is it here Divine ordinances of Worship as Prayer Preaching hearing communion with the Saints at the Lords Supper c. are subordinate wayes and meanes which Christ hath appointed to further not hinder a beleevers living in God And the more the Saints are in the use of those meanes with upright and spirituall hearts the more they are furthered therein Indeed living in God and living in ordinances cannot stand together because a person cannot give his heart to two lovers at once but living in God and using of Ordinances as meanes in order to the enjoyment of the end may very well stand together As for example A person that depends on God for his naturall life eats and drinkes and sleeps and marries and takes physick and useth these and other like meanes in order to the preservation of that life and the use of these meanes doth not null or make void his faith in or dependance on God Indeed placing our life joy comfort excellency in these and putting our confidence in them cannot stand with a persons living in or depending on God because it is to make them our gods not the Lord but where there is only a conscientious use of them in obedience to the will of God and in order to the furthering of his providence there a person may bee said to live in God and depend on him very well notwithstanding his use of these And thus it is in respect of a Christians spirituall life he lives in God alone through Christ and makes him alone the Rest and Center of his Soule and yet makes use of Prayer Preaching reading the Scriptures fellowship with the Saints c. as the meanes which Christ hath appointed in order thereunto And therefore what can be plainer then this that we affirme viz. that living in God and using of Ordinances are consistent and may well stand together And what horrible wickednesse and Hypocrisie is it in * I charge not all but some more especially that are 〈◊〉 of this opinion and practice who are grown very loose and prophane in their worship many of those that deny the use of Ordinances and affirm that living in God and using of ordinances and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may read the nature of many things in their offects All the Ordinances of worship bear this Inscription Holinesse to the LORD and are appointed to work holinesse in man Caryls duty and endeavour of the Saints p. 28. 1 Pet. 2.5 Col. 3.16 c. And whether there may not bee abundance of sweet delight and soule-satisfying comfort and content found if holy and spirituall hearts meet with them and are acted on Christ in the use of them 9. Whether those Divine and Spirituall Offices Officers and Ordinances instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ are not his u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rota Chariots using to run on wheeles Chariot in which he rides gloriously in his Church and Kingdome and by which through his Spirit he not onely subdues his enemies and conquers the hearts of Sinners to himselfe that his father hath given to him from all eternity but more and more workes over the hearts of the Saints themselves to a further degree of subjection to his Scepter Cant. w Ainsworth by this Chariot understands more especially the Church and Ministers of the Gospel holding forth the word of Truth and Christ in the midst of them sitting teaching governing and triumphing So Merc. in loc 3.9 10. Psal 45.4 Rev. 6.2 And I saw and behold a x By white Horse Paraens on the place understands the Church puritate doctrinae disciplinae nitidam and by him that sate on it Christ who is carried or born as it were in the Ordinances with great triumph according to Acts 9.15 white horse and hee that sate on him had a Bow and a Crown was given to him and hee went forth conquering and to conquer 10. Whether there be not many singular choyce y 1. Promises of salvation to worship in generall Rom. 10.12 13. 2. Promises in particular and so 1. to the duty of prayer 1. Of Preparation and assistance Psa 10.17 Rom. 8.26 2. Of Acceptation Esa 60.7 Ezek. 43 17. 1 Pet. 2.5 3. Of consolation Esa 56.7 4. Of answering and recompensing Psal 86.5 145.18 Ephes 6.8 Matth. 6.6 Jam. 5.15 16. Joh. 14.13 15.16 16.23 2. To preaching and hearing of theword and administring the Seales Matth. 28.20 Prov. 8.34 35. Esa 55.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 10.16 Esa 25.6 Psal 36.8 Cant. 2.3 4. 5. 1. Esa 12.3 3. To conference Mal. 3.16 17. 4 To sanctifying the Sabbath or Lords day Esa 58.13 14. Esa 56.2.5 6 7. Jer. 17.24 25. 5. To praising of God Psal 50 23. Psal 7.5 6. 6. To the Assemblies and Church-meetings of the Saints to worship God 1. Of Christs presence with it Mat. 18.20 2. Protection over it Mat. 16.18 Psal 84.11 Esa 33.20 21. Esa 4.5 3 Blessings of all sorts upon it Temporall spirituall eternall Psa 84.11 1 2.15.128.56.92.13 14. and 94.14.65.4 Promises made by Christ to beleevers whiles they abide and continue in the right pure use of those Ordinances and duties of Worship and many sad and direfull threatnings and comminations to those that neglect leave and forsake the use and practise of them Psalm 97.7 Ier. 10.25 Heb. 10.38 39. Luke 10 11 12. Heb. 12.25 11. Whether to cast off the use of Gospel-ordinances to pretend onely to live in God be not to make Christ and his Spirit to act contrary to their own Sacred Lawes Institutions and Injunctions of Worship given to beleevers in the Scriptures to follow and when or where it was or is to be found in all the Scriptures that Jesus Christ hath or doth so lead the Saints out of or take them * Vid. Quaest 39. off from the duties of his worship and bid them to cease calling upon the Name of the Lord seeing the Scriptures hold forth the contrary 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing 12. Whether a beleevers living in God or in the Spirit and bosome of the Father and using of Gospel-ordinances may not very well stand z The nearer we are to God the more in love we shall be with spirituall exercises and with all meanes to draw nigh to him as Bookes Sermons good company c. Dr Sibbs in his Saints Happinesse p. 65. together And whether the right use of those a Therefore the Lord converghes himselfe to the poore soule by an ordinance which is such a thing as consists of a spiritual and yet an external and sensible nature An Ordinance is the subject by which God communicateth himselfe and his goodnesse with a power of his Spirit to carry them to the soule as by preaching of the word to the care through the sound of a mortall voyce by prayer consisting outwardly of sentences and order by the Sacrament also standing of outward weak Elements The Lord carries to the soule by these most inward and spirituall things Rog. Treat de Sacram. p. 247. Ordinances which Christ hath commanded will not very much further and advance a persons living in the God of those Ordinances considering that through the presence of Christ with them and the blessing of Christ upon them the heart of a beleever is made the more spirituall and heavenly 13. Whether the Scriptures doe not joyn the greatest enjoyments of God with the greatest performance of duty towards God and the greatest faith with the greatest obedience and the greatest sense of love with the greatest care of service as Psal 119.32 2 Cor. 5.15 1 Thess 5.16 17 18 19 20. Luke 12.48 b The Apostles meaning is that we not onely try approve and practise those things which possibly may be pleasing to God in some low degree such things as set us a step beyond his displeasure but we must search and doe those things which give him highest content and carry us furthest into his favour Things which come up to the exactest Rule and beare truest proportion to the standards of Truth and Holinesse Car. present duty and endeavours of the Saints p. 9. Eph. 5.10 Luke 7.47 14. Whether to live in God and neglect the use of Ordinances be not a dividing between the end and the meanes Christ having sanctified Ordinances as pretious c Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Prayer and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Hence it is that they are called the Banners Ensignes Standards of Christ and the Ministers the hearers thereof For as Souldiers flock to the Standard and Ensigne so doe the Doves of Christ to these windowes c. Rog. pract Chat. p. â—01 helps and furtherances to the Saints in their fellowship with God and one another 1 Ioh. 1.3 4. Acts 20.32 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Pet. 2.2 And whether to divide between the end and the meanes which God hath decreed and Christ instituted bee not to make in this respect the will and minde of God and Jesus Christ voyd and of none effect 15. Whether those that are true beleevers should in the least refuse to own and to act
to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit 6. That none are to pray or perform Duties at any time further then they are moved thereunto by the Spirit 7. That the use of Ordinances is more Legall then Evangelicall and engenders to bondage rather then liberty looking more to a covenant of works then grace the Gospel requiring beleeving not working 8 Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule 9. That there are many places in the new Testament which hodl forth the non-performance of duties and laying aside the use of Ordinances as Heb. 8.11 1 Iohn 2.27 Rev. 21.22 23. 2 Pet. 1. ult These are the grounds upon which people build their leaving and casting off of Ordinances some of them respect those that are meere Atheists and others respect such as pretend to the greatest perfection of holinesse attainable in this life I shall by the help of Christ make answer to them all as they are laid downe in order to the discoverie of the unsoundnesse of them 1. Touching the first of the former grounds upon which people build the casting off the use of the holy Ordinances of Christ and duties of religion it was this That a person may doe well enough c. without the use of them Now in answer to this for the discovery of the unsoundnesse of it I utterly deny it and affirme the contrary that such as cast off the use of Ordinances 1 Cor. 3.22 or live in the neglect of them cannot possibly doe so well nor so comfortably enjoy themselves in the neglect as they might if they did conscionably performe them and my reason for it is this which I conceive is ungainsayable Because whatsoever such doe enjoy in order to their welfare and prosperity here in this world though in the greatest fulnesse they doe not enjoy it with the blessing and favour of God they may enjoy them but not comfortably because not through a promise nor by vertue of having interest in Christ through whom all our enjoyments become blessed to us and without whom all good things become evill and accursed to us Now such cannot possibly enjoy their good things through Christ a promise that neglect prayer c so by consequence not enjoy them nor themselvs comfortably because those mercies that come to us through a promise and by vertue of our interest in Christ they come in the way of Prayer and the use of Ordinances for the same God that hath made a promise to be our God and to make us blessed in the enjoyment of himselfe and his mercies hath also said that he will be sought unto for all those mercies before we shall enjoy them as Ezek 36.37 And when a person is once in Christ his being in Christ doth not take him off from duties but rather puts him upon the diligent performance of them And hence it is that the Spirit of Christ that dwells in beleevers is called a Spirit of prayer and supplication Rom 8.15.26 Gal 4.6 Zech. 12 10. And Christ hath promised beleevers to grant them their desires upon their asking his Father in his name John 14. and 15. and 16. chapters Matth. 7.7 with many other places to the same purpose and hereupon he enjoynes beleevers to watch and pray and ask necessaries daily at the hands of God their Father for the good both of their bodies and soules their temporall and eternall welfare Matth 6.11 12. So that 't is not faith in Christ and a promise that in it selfe simply considered makes us partakers and possessors of the good things of God with comfort but faith exercised and put forth in prayer and use of holy Duties and Ordinances of worship Faith in Christ and the covenant of Grace layes claime to the good things of God yea God himselfe blessed for ever is his Portion but Prayer fetcheth them in to the soule through Jesus Christs mediation And therefore as persons living in the neglect of duties discover themselves to be destitute of the Spirit of Christ and consequently of true faith in Christ so they manifest themselves to have no true right to what they enjoy as men and women in Christ nor to have them in mercy from God or in a capacity to enjoy a holy and sanctified use of them but are under all with the curse of God upon them so that as the wise man saith the very prosperity of such fooles destroyeth them Prov. 1.32 The second ground upon which people build their neglect of duties and casting off ordinances is the Eternall purposes and decrees of God who hath by them appointed how things shall be and there is no altering of them by our fasting praying c. or performing any duties of worship whatsoever Shall wee think say some that the judgement of the Sword Pestilence and Famine that walked up and down the Kingdome as the Executioners of divine Justice in an uncontrollable manner have been in so great and wonderfull measure removed from the prayers and supplications of any or all the Saints in England and not rather from the predeterminate Councell and decrees of God To which I answer That the Decrees of God doe not exclude in the least the use of the means towards the effecting bringing about of them but as God hath determined in his eternall counsels what he will doe for the good of any of his people so he hath also determined that the means shall be used for the obtaining it Yea we finde in Scripture that this is made a certain signe that God hath determined to do us some great good when he stirreth up our hearts to be earnest with him in prayer and the use of other lawfull meanes for the obtaining it as we may see in Daniel 9.2 compared with Jer. 29.10 11 12 13 14. where we finde in these two Scriptures two things to our present purpose 1. That God had purposed the deliverance of his people from their Babylonish captivity after 70. yeares were expired 2. That he purposed also and foretold by Jeremy that neare about the expiration of those 70. yeares a Spirit of Prayer should bee given to them and they should goe and pray unto the Lord for their deliverance and hereupon Daniel is stirred up about the end of those 70. yeares to a more then ordinary seeking to God by fasting and prayer for the accomplishing of his promise as is cleare from Dan. 2.3 and how much is the Lord taken with it verse 20 21 22 23. so that we may from hence easily see that
very absurd and vile and an abuse of Gods goodnesse that therefore you must not work together with God as rationall creatures c. p 743. So Mr Greenhill in his elaborate Lectures on Ezekiel Chap. 3. verse 1 2 3. p. 293. Observ 1. hath these words The godly must act and put forth their graces towards further reception of spirituall things When Christ will give Ezekiel Donum Prophetiae a Roll to eat he opens his mouth he sets a-work his faith to receive this gift of prophesie Faith in the habit is like the mouth shut up nothing enters but in exercise it 's like the mouth open and ready to receive It 's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies we should therefore beforward and stirre up our soules and graces to the receit of such mercies It 's a lazy and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing Grace is an active an enabling thing and where there is a principle of life as all godly men have there is a specificall difference between that man and another that hath it not a man without it cannot act nor stirre up himselfe to a further reception of spirituall things because he is dead but a man that hath it can ought to quicken up his own soule to spirituall things The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him and he opened his mouth exercised his Faith to take what the Lord should give The Apostle Paul bids Timothy stirre up the gift of God that was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 He would have men deal with their gifts and graces as they doe with fire vnder the ashes they blow them off and blow the fire up and there is a flame fit for service Sloth feare infirmity carnall reason are ashes that doe oft cover divine fire that it seems dead but we must stirre up our selves blow off those ashes and blow up the fire of grace that it may burn and shine be usefull to our selves and others The Prophet complains in Esay 64.7 There is no man that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of me they are like men asleep that sit still and doe nothing The vulgar is Non est qui consurgat So that I conceive as it is in the great businesse of a Beleevers mortification of sin so it is in the performance of prayer and other religious duties the Rule by which a true beleever is to walk in the performance of those duties is not to sit still and doe nothing till hee is wrought upon by the Spirit but hee is through the strength of grace received to act his * They that speake against performance of duty might as well speake against the actings of faith exercise of grace for prayer is nothing else but the communication of the soule with God the actings of faith exercise of grace Bolt ut supra faith on the truth and faithfulnesse of God in the promise who hath undertaken to give in assistance to us and ability to goe through that worke hee calleth us unto and requireth at our hands For the same God that calls us to duty hath promised to give in strength by his Spirit to discharge it and this faith is to rely on and make use of for its encouragement in all the workes the Lord calls a beleever to the performance of not but that faith and all other graces are the Spirits but because the Spirit doth not act without them in a true beleever For doubtlesse such as are truly incorporated into Christ and made one Spirit with the Lord are not acted as dead stockes as if every time and moment of their acting Godward they received new life from the Spirit of Christ And I am confident for want of the knowledge of this it comes to passe that many formall easie Professors take such liberty to themselves to live in the neglect of holy duties because they say they can doe nothing of themselves further then the Spirit moves and quickens them as if one that is in Christ were altogether without spiritul life and motion longer then the Holy Ghost falls upon him as in the first act of conversion From whence it must needs follow 1. That there are no habits of grace nor inherent workes of holinesse wrought in beleevers at their first Conversion and Regeneration when Christ is formed in them which is contrary to the b Iohn 1.16 2 Cor. 5.17 Ephes 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Scripture and all found Writers 2. That whensoever a beleever is without the motions of the Spirit as in times of sleep and bodily rest or times of temptation yea falling into sin as the best are subject to doe James 3.2 then he is not to be lookt upon as one in Christ which is as absurd as unsound 3. That all those c 1 Tim. 4.14 25. 2 Tim. 1.6 Luke 21.26 Ephes 6.18 Iam. 1.19 21. Phil. 2.12 1 Cor. 15. ult exhortations to beleevers that concern the stirring up their grace their watchfulnesse to the performance of religious duties their working out their salvation with feare and trembling Their giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure their fruitfulnesse in good workes and abounding in the work of the Lord c. are void and of none effect making beleevers under the Gospel and new Covenant of grace to be in no better condition then those that were under the Law a Covenant of works who had their duties discovered but had not grace and power given to them to enable them to the discharge of them which is contrary to the Tenor of the new Covenant which all those have a share in that are in Christ and can say in some measure as Christ their Head did Psalm 40.7 8 9. compared with Heb 10.7 8. I delight to doe thy will O. my God yea thy Law is within my heart 4. That there are no just grounds for Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures to d Mat. 26.40 Mark 16.14 Luke 24.45 Mat. 25.26 Heb. 5.11 12. 1 Cor. 5.2 Rev. 2.4 Rev. 3.15 16 17. charge home the guilt of sinnes of omission and neglect of prayer repentance mortification of sin c. nor the guilt of carelesnesse slothfulnesse negligence luke-warmnesse in the service of God upon such as are beleevers which is frequently done by them as we may read in the New Testament for if they can act no longer nor no further then the Holy Ghost acts them as â—t their first conversion then why should they bee charged with such faults and commanded to amend threatned if they doe not as Rev. 2 4 5. seeing God deales not with beleevers in Christ under the Gospel any longer by a Covenant of works but of grace though the Covenant of Grace bee full of justice and in the hands of him who orders it in righteousnesse whose e Psal 89.32 33. Scepter is a righteous Scepter and will correct
sanctifie to himselfe a people zealous of good workes where he gives us also a character of those that are the peculiar redeemed ones of Christ that they are such as are not onely freed from the power and thraldome of their lusts but are made zealous of good works To this place many more might be added as Luke 1.74 75. Jam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. Ezek. 11.14 6.27.37 But thirdly it 's considerable to examine and enquire what this Liberty is which the Gospel brings with it to beleevets now without question it cannot be meant of a lawlesse liberty a carnall sensuall sinfull liberty a liberty and freedome to dishonour Christ to cast his Lawes and Ordinances behind our backes and to live as we list It 's as cleare as the Sunne at noon day that the Gospel brings no such liberty with it to the world indeed the Devils Gospel doth and Antichrists and Mahumets they give to people elbow-roome enough as we use to say in the wayes of sinne but not so with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.14 Rom. 6 14. 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Ioh. 3.3 Rom. 6.1 2. for this saith Christ came to redeem us from iniquity this sayth sin shall have no Dominion over us this saith whosoever names the Name of Christ must depart from iniquity this saith hee that hath true hope in Christ purifies himselfe as Christ is pure this saith we are not to continue in sinne that grace may abound nay it demands a reason how men can imagine that those that are dead to sinne through interest in Christ should live any longer therein * 1 Pet. 1.14 15. 1 Cor 15. ult Phil ◠11. T it 3.8 2 Cor. 7.1 Phil 3.13 14. and doth not the Gospel of Christ say also that wee should be holy as Christ is holy that we should abound in the work of the Lord that we should be filled with all the fruits of righteousnesse that we should bee zealous of good works and maintain good workes and perfect holines in the feare of the Lord forgetting what is behinde and pressing after what is before c. 4 Besides fourthly the use of Ordinances and performance of duties under the Gospel is to bee lookt upon as a Beleevers priviledge not as his burthen and if the commands and service of Christ be called a Yoke and a Burthen and Bonds and Cords in the judgement of men yet it 's an easie yoke and a light burthen such cords and bonds as are gentle so that as the Apostle saith his commandements are not grievous 1 Joh. 5 3. The pedagogy of Moses indeed was burdensome and grievous so that our fore-fathers could not beare it but not so with the service of Christ under the Gospel when heavenly and spirituall soules are in it Indeed when carnall hearts enter upon or tarry any time in and under the service of Christ they are as under a burthen and the worke they are about is a burthen to them and what 's the reason but this that there is an unsuitablenesse between the work and their hearts neither come they to enjoy communion with Christ in Duty but come to the very duty as men do to their task or daily labour Vide Bolt true Bounds of Christians Freedom p. 213 214. now that person that hath to doe with nothing but duty in duty cannot chuse but finde that duty tedious and irksome to him as the ordinances under the Law were to the carnall Jewes that did not eye Christ in them But now on the other side when a gracious spirituall heart comes to a spirituall duty not to the duty so much as to God and Christ in the duty to converse with the Father and the Sonne in the Spirit how sweet and delightfull then are times of duty unto such soules so that the performance of duties in a right manner is no Legall thing nor matter of burthen and griefe to the Saints but that which affords them the greatest sweetnesse content and satisfaction that is to be enjoyed on this side glory and so is to bee lookt on as matter of priviledge not of bondage 5. To say no more whereas it is said that the Gospel requires beleeving not working if by working you understād the purchasing of life and salvation at the hands of God by our performances the justification of a sinner before God c. it 's granted the Gospel requires it not at the hands of sinners because it offers more grace that is it shewes us the work is done to our hands by Jesus Christ he hath procured our ransome satisfied his Fathers Justice appeased his wrath procured peace and reconciliation and that firmly through his own blood and wrought all our workes for us this way Esay 26.12 And our duty is primarily and above all to beleeve this and accept this as it is held forth in the Gospel Iohn 6.29 1 Iohn 3.23 because the great work of God and commandement of the Gospel is to beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus that we may be saved But if by working wee understand the fruit that flowes from our beleeving in Christ and taking hold of him to justification and salvation viz. a holy study in all our wayes to please God and doe his will to walk in a childlike fear and reverence before God and have respect to all his commandements that in all things we may be found to the honour and praise of him that hath loved us and called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light c. then I suppose there is none whatsoever that pretends to Christianity especially if he have in an experimentall manner felt the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart but will acknowledge the Gospel requires such working And the whole scope of the New Testament is so cleare and plain for this as that none but such to whom the Gospel is hid can be ignorant of it If any desire further satisfaction herein for it would be too large for me to produce all that might be spoken to this particular let him read those Gospel * Downam of Iustification l. 7. c. 1. p. 434 435 436 437 438. Bisco's golrious mystery of Gods mercy p. 298 299. Eatons Hony-comb Boltons bounds of Christians freedom Burges Vindidiciae legis p. 39 40 41 42 43. with many other c. Treatises that are abroad concerning this poynt 8. Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule Answ I find an answer to this objection in Doctor Crisp vol. 3.
p. 93. 94. 95. which because his workes have been of great esteeme amongst such people not long since and because he speakes fully to the point in hand I will here transcribe as they are in the book set downe the words are these p. 94. What serve all the Ordinances for will you say Is not here a crying down of Ordinances There will be still this scandall cast upon us But let me tell you there is a most comfortable use of Ordinances though they serve not to such high purposes as these are I say though they are not efficient to beget and finde out and reveale to the spirits of men the things that concern God yet beside the efficient revelation of God to be out God from the Spirit alone there is a passive Instrument by which the Lord doth make himselfe known to be the God of his people but that way is meerly passive not active 1. Passively God makes himselfe known to be the God of his people by the word of his grace and faith laying hold on the word of grace revealed and more subordinately in prayer fasting receiving the Lords Supper and such ordinances so farre as they are mixed with faith Now give me leave to communicate to you the full use and utmost extent of Gods thoughts concerning the ordinances that he hath propounded how farre forth he would have the creature look upon the ordinances and as much as may be put upon the use of them so farre forth as they are usefull Know therefore as I said before that all these ordinances are but passive wayes of conveying this great gift the knowledge of God to be our God I mean more plainly thus These ordinances are onely of and in themselves empty dry Channels or Pipes through which the Spirit of the Lord brings from God himselfe the Spring those riches and conveyes the same into the Spirit of a man Look as a channell digged in a dry ground is the way through which the Spring conveyes his water unto a cistern the channell it selfe communicates none of its own onely it is a passage through which the Spring conveyes his water So are all the ordinances even faith it selfe prayer and all other Services they are but channels through which the Spirit of the Lord passeth and bringeth from the Lord himselfe the Spring and Fountaine the revelation of God to be our God In all the rest of the gifts of God which he hath so freely bestowed never a gift of Gods Spirit procures any thing of its own our faith hath nothing of its own fasting and prayer have nothing of their own but as the Lord hath been pleased to make these ordinances to bee passages to convey himselfe to the sonnes of men and so they are to bee made use of by the sonnes of men Faith as it apprehendeth the Lord Jesus and other Ordinances as therein true faith is exercised and no otherwise And indeed beloved this is the loadstone to provoke persons to the use of all ordinances God hath ranked them together that the Lord hath so much and so often promised through them to convey himselfe You are kept through the power of God through faith saith the Apostle unto salvation As if he should have said The Lord doth convey himselfe and the manifestation of his own salvation through our beleeving The Spirit of the Lord passing through the Ministery of the Gospel as the breath of man passeth through a Trumpet the Trumpet is the instrument the breath is the Spirit of the Lord the Trumpet adds nothing to the breath Now know beloved so far as you wil attend the Ordinances because God calls out to Ordinances and because you have heard the Lord to promise to bestow such things upon you in the ordinances so farre you shall attend the ordinances according to his pleasure but when you ascend so high that the ordinance doth get things then you rob the Lord and give more to ordinances then God hath given Now though the ordinances have no efficiency of their own in the nature I have spoken yet there is good cause for all Gods own people to esteem very highly of ordinances and to be joyfull of ordinances and to long much after ordinances to make much of them for why the Lord hath made his promises to be found of them to be with them in ordinances In the day of adversitie call thou upon me and I will deliver thee And here by the way know from hence what is the expectation of beleevers themselves which they ought to have of the Lord for such things when they come to such ordinances that so when we attend the Lord in his ordinances we may find him in them c. Therefore as the poore man lay at the Beautifull Gate not because the Gate would relieve him but because it was a place of concourse where honorable men resorted from whom he might have Almes so in the Ministery in fasting and prayer and all other services there is the gate of the Temple of the Lord there is the place the Lord makes usually his concourse and resort there is the place God appoints to give the meeting therefore in expectation of the Word of his grace that we may find him in Ordinances we doe resort to them Now what derogation is there all this while from the Ordinances while we make the but thus passive The richest treasure in the world may come to a man through the poorest vessell the treasure is never the further off nor never the worse because the vessell is poore It is no matter of what price the meanes of conveyance is so that the thing we desire be conveyed to us by it onely we must not give it that which is above its due c. And this shal be encouragement sufficient to wait upon all ordinances of all sorts where the Lord appoints that he will for his owne sake give you a gracious answer and bestow all good things upon you that you stand in need of in ordinances This is motive sufficient I say to stirre you up to attend upon ordinances and yet not to make Gods of them to ascribe that to them which belongs alone to God who doth all ordinarily through ordinances which is the only way to disappoint you of your hope when you expect help from them 9. The 9. ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Ordinances is the severall Texts of Scripture which seem to plead for the Non-performance of duties and laying aside of all ordinances in the ties of the Gospel As They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the Day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 But the
souls then now it is whether the Saints were not more amiable in your eyes then now they are comunion w th them in prayer c. a little corner of heaven in your apprehension the society of the wicked more loathsome whether you were not more tender in your consciences concerning the commission of sin and more afraid of dishonoring God then now you be whether you were not more carried out and enlarged in doing of good more spirituall in your walking talking affecting acting then now you are more humble in your own eyes and watchfull over your owne hearts making conscience of all your thoughts words and wayes whereas now you thinke there is no necessity of such strictnesse though the holy Ghost tells us that as he that hath called us is holy so ought we to be holy and that in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Now I beseech you deare soules consider can that possibly be the way of truth the way to glory that renders you worse then you have been more unholy unspirituall uncircumspect unprofitable to Christ then you were wont to be I beseech you deale plainly and impartially with your own soules Don't you begin to find a change in your selves in respect of the former particulars you can now dispense with the duties of your relations both towards God and man which formerly you could not in the least doe Now I pray consider can these things stand with a persons living in God Can living in God and living in sin stand together Can the Ark and Dâ—agon stand together O that ever Satan should thus beguile any of your pretious soules In my weake apprehension the higher a person lives in God the more holy he is the more like to God the more crucified to sin and the world the lesse desirous of liberty to the flesh the more studious of doing those things that are pleasing acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ And whereas many talk of their liberty which they have above others when they have cast off all duties and ordinances to live in God I would fain know whether that liberty be not a lawlesse liberty and whether the excellency of a Christian can possibly lie in it or wheter living in God can stand with such a liberty If to live in God be to take liberty to thinke and speak and doe as we our selves list and to be without all check and controll in our way both of God and Man then wee may cast away the Scriptures in deed and all religion and every one walk after the imagination of his own heart But deare soules be no longer led away with such deceivings and deceivers that promise you liberty but in the mean time are servants to corruption themselves and are overcome and brought into bondage and seek to doe the same by you O hearken no longer to their Syren-like Songs but bow your eares to the voyce of Jesus Christ crying to you Return return repent repent and doe your first workes for I am married to you I am loath the death of sinners why will you wilfully cast away your pretious soules Though you have dealt unkindly with me and forgotten those sweet embracings you formerly enjoyed from me when you made conscience of the duties of my service and worship yet return return for I am a God that delighteth to shew mercy and whom mercy pleaseth though you have in some measure denied my Name and been ashamed to own it before the Heathen yet repent and doe your first works and I will take you and bring you to my holy mountain and you shall goe no more out and I will write upon you the Name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Jerusalem which commeth down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon you my new Name Now the same blessed God and our Saviour that spake these words set home these things upon your hearts and make them effectuall for that end for which they were written Amen FINIS A Catalogue of those never enough to be abhorred opinions that some of those more especially that cast off and renounce the use of Gospel-ordinances doe professedly hold and maintain FIrst There 's no God nor Devill Heaven nor Hell but what is within us 2 There is no truth nor power in the Word but as it is made out so to my Spirit i. the Spirit speakes it so within me 3 The sayings and wrtings of the Prophets and Apostles in the Scriptures and of other Saints are of equal value and truth because by the same Spirit 4 There are many silly vain grosse and contrary things in the Scriptures poore men they speake according to the present temper of their Spirits 5 There may be and some are above the profiting power of the ministery of the Word and use of the Scriptures 6 There is no sin in the Saints they are under no law but that of the Spirit which is freedome 7 There is no sinne against GOD For wee cannot reach him 8 That Gods dealings with all good and bad are in love for God is love 9 There is no state after this life but at that which is called Death all good and bad are swallowed up of God 10 That sinne and grace are equally of God and agreeth to his will 11 That all persons and things act and are acted as God will have them 12 That whatsoever men can that they doe and in all according to Gods will 13 That there is no resurrection of the body nor reward or punishment after this life 14 That there may be as much of God seen and enjoyed in any servile labour as in the Ministery of the Word Prayer c. and that they have more 15 As for that men call worship of God conscience c. they know not what it meanes 16 That solemne Religious duties in publick or private are but formes bodily exercises meerly Legall 17 That men may as well work or play on the Lords day as on any other And as for them to whom God is departed out of Ordinances and abundantly answers another way it is better 18 That the soule is the breath of God 19 That it is the Saints priviledge to be one Spirit and therefore see no reason why there may not bee a community in all things 20 That none can be certain whether he be in the truth or error but themselves because depending upon the teaching of the Spirit yet they themselvs soe 's not knowing what they shall hold for the future 21 That they cannot joyn in prayer with others because of confession of wants sinnes drawing neere to GOD and Petitions for the Lords presence giving out of help c. with which they cannot close because denying the first and enjoying the latter 22 That as for wantonnesse licentiousnesse Libertinisme and turning grace into wantonnesse taking occasions from mercy to sin c. they know not what you mean they are not incident to Saints 23 That they will and think they ought to follow their light though they are to lose heaven and gain hell presently for it if there be such things 24 That such as are one in the Spirit of love it is a great wrong for any to hinder their union and communion in any thing 25 That what men call Bastardy is onely upon the account of the men of the world who marry and are called Bastards Heb. 12. not with God with whom Saints are as Angels in community Luke 20.34 35 36. 26 That they have already for Spirituals what they expect and lack nothing and act Faith onely for Corporall subsistence 27 That what the Saints because of others basenesse and wickednesse doe now in secret they shall doe openly Matth. 20.26 27. 28 That there is nothing fleshly or carnall in the Saints persons or actings but all spirituall and holy 29 That there is no Trinity of Persons in the Godhead 30 That there is no distinction between God ana Christ 31 That all are born without sin and Saints live without sin 32 That a Saint may out-live all his religion all ties upon his conscience and yet remain a Saint A true Copy of a Letter from Plimouth February the 12. Relating the manner of Gods working upon one that had cast off the use of Duties and Ordinances sent by an approved and known godly man that was an Eye-witnesse I Have onely one thing to tell you and 't is a remarkable passage of Divine Providence There is one Nicholas Earle a Shoomaker sometimes of Totnâ—s and now a Souldier in the Fort who having within this moneth given way to the studying of estranging himselfe from God conceiving that there was no need of Ministers but that they must down Sacraments but Ceremonies Sabbaths not to be kept and thereupon was resolved to open his windowes the last Sabbath and to that end disputed and argued with some about it the Saturday and then charged his wife not to teach his children prayers or Duties or Commandements and my man George being present saw him in his hot contestation fall to the ground roaring and crying and taking deep detestation against those that bare the Image of God commending himselfe onely a Saint and others out of the way He was against singing insomuch that when the Souldiers in their daily duties in the Fort sang he spake to them and said they did lye like Devils The man that Saturday night was under deep temptations strange apparitions the Devill seeming to appeare to him with strange roaring The Sabbath day he sent for me and when I came at first sight I was welcome but suddenly I was loathsome and he spat in defiance of me I saw him in that temper and fit I left him But the munday about Noone the man came to himselfe hath a strange conviction of his error whereas before he left giving of thankes before and after the receiving of the creatures now he is troubled at the thoughts of it acknowledging his error I have had conference with him and he cannot be thankfull enough that God hath so soone returned him He desires the Ministers to blesse God for his return and pray that he may be stedfast This I write as certaine and that you may acquaint others to take heed how professedly they keep out of Gods way he wisheth all his friends to take warning by it M. P.