his flesh with his eyes and not others should he see Christ his Redeemer in the latter day stand upon the earth whom he should behold for himself and not another So then the very same Job that then was in misery the very same Job was afterwards to see the Lord to which add that the very same body that suffereth with Christ the very same body shall raign with Christ for it is against pure justice that one body should suffer with Christ or for Christs sake and then another body glorified and that body which suffered to perish for ever this cannot be in justice which also proves that the same body shall arise out of the dust And so I pass to the sixth Reason further to prove that the dead bodies of men which now are asleep in the dust of the earth shall awake live and be raised again from the dead which is Reas 6. Sixtly Because Daniel further confirms the truth of this saying Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12.2 In this text there is these two things considerable the first is that such as sleep shall awake and Secondly the place where that they sleep and that is in the dust and Thirdly that it is not meant spiritually that is to say to awake out of a state of a sleep of sin to Righteousness because some of those that awake do awake to everlasting shame and contempt which cannot be taken in a spiritual fence for I hope no man is so void of understanding as to think that such as awake out of sin and stand up from a spiritual death that they awake to everlasting shame and contempt but some of those that do awake Daniel saith do awake to everlasting shame and contempt which sheweth that those that die and sleep in the dust that the very same shall arise again even that which sleeps both of good and bad some to everlasting Joy and some to shame and everlasting contempt which clearly proveth that the dead bodies of such as sleep in the earth shall even they themselves and not another arise And thus I pass to the seventh reason to prove the Resurrection which is Reas 7. Seventhly Because Saint Paul saith That the dead in Christ shall rise first Now this cannot be meant spiritually first because those that be in Christ cannot be spiritually dead that is to say dead in trespasses and sins and secondly if it should be Objected that there may be dead branches in the Vine John 15. then I answer that such shall forthwith be cut out and have no priviledge by Christ but the dead in Christ spoken of both by Saint Paul and Saint John have priviledge by being dead in Christ which means the death of the body and the Resurrection of the body from the dead that is to say the godly even such as live and die in Christ shall arise a thousand years before the wicked as you may see 1 Thes 4.14 15 16. compared with Revel 20.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that this is no spiritual Resurrection but a Resurrection of the body is plain because it is that which the Apostle is a speaking of in that place as you may read 1 Thes 4.13 14 15 16. In these words I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them that are a sleep that ye sorrow not even at others that have no hope For if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again EVEN SO mark that them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we that are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall be ever with the Lord. From whence we may see clearly that the Apostle is speaking of the Resurrection of the body for saith he If we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again EVEN SO them ALSO that sleep the even so implyeth that as Jesus slept and rose again even so shall we sleep and rise again and we may know that the same body that was crucified unto death and was buryed even the same body rose again for so saith Christ to Thomas after his Resurrection Come feel the Print of the nails in my hands and reach hither thy hand and feel my side that is piersed so that we may see it was the same body which was crucified dead and buryed which also rose again even so shall our bodies even the self-same body arise out of the dust of the earth and come to Judgment And so I pass to the eight Reason to prove that those that are now asleep in the dust of the earth shall arise from the dead which is Reas 8. Eightly Because Christ hath proved it from the Scripture and the Spirit of God in his People have caused them earnestly to hope and wait for it and first that Christ hath proved it read Mat. 22.31 32. in these words As touching the Resurrection saith Christ of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living In these words Christ is proving the Resurrection in opposition to the opinion of the Saduces which held that there was no Resurrection but Christ tels them that they did err no knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God as much as if he should have said if you had known the Scriptures you would have believed and acknowledged the Resurrection for they bare their Testimony to the truth thereof or if you had been well instructed about the power and omnipotency of God it would not have seemed to be a thing so incredilous unto you that God should raise the dead for saith he God did tell Moses that he was the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob and God is not the God of the dead but of the living but now Abraham Isaac and Jacob is dead as if Christ should say therefore God is not their God upon your account O ye Saduces but God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob for they live to him that is in his account for God seeth all things past present and to come and calls things that shall be as if they were Rom. 4. And so he seeth all men risen from the dead and stand before him alive in a Resurrection and thus all live to him viz. in his account and this is to be understood in this text as I before have
said so then there was a sort of men then even as there is now which did deny the Resurrection of the bodies of the dead which are in the dust but Christ opposeth them and proveth That there is to be a Resurrection And Secondly the Spirit of God in his people have caused them earnestly to hope and wait for it as you may read Heb. 11.35 36. in these words Others had tryals of cruel mocking and scourgings yea moreover of bands and imprisonments and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection From these things which have been written you may see that both Christ have proved and the Saints earnestly hoped and waited for the Resurrection and indeed and in truth it was never questioned by the godly for when Christ tels Martha that her brother Lazarus should rise again I know saith she that my brother shall arise again in the Resurrection at the last day she never once questioned but that her brother even the same man Lazarus should arise again at the last day which sheweth that both Christ and the Saints doth prove and acknowledg that those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise even the same bodies only incorruptible and come to Judgment And so I pass to the ninth Reason to prove that those which are asleep in the dust of the earth shall arise which is Reas 9. Ninthly Because otherwise were the Saints in a worse condition then the wicked for they bear about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus and suffer deeply and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and the wicked they eat and drink and take their pleasure now if there be no Resurrection then the wicked were in the best condition for if there were no Resurrection then there would be no judgment and then the word remember for all this God will bring thee to judgment were of no force and I never yet read of a day of judgment since Adams being cast out of Paradise to be till after the Resurrection and then no Resurrection no Judgment then I may say with Saint Paul Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die but that there is to be a Resurrection and that it will go ill with the wicked read John 5.28 Dan. 12.2 and the like But if there were no Resurrection then the righteous were in the worst condition as you may read 1 Cor. 15.16 17 18 19. in these words For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain and ye are yet in your sins Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable From whence we see were it not for a Resurrection the wicked were in the best condition and the Saints of all men the most miserable because of their sufferings but it is not so for they are in the most happiest condition And thus I pass to the tenth Reason to prove that the dead as before said shall arise which is Reas 10. Because the Scripture saith that our vile bodies shall be fashioned and made like unto Christs glorious body as saith the Apostle Phil. 3.20 21. in these words For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who will change our vile bodies OR RENEW OR REFORM OR PVT IT INTO A BETTER ESTATE AS THE WORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Qui reformabit corpus WILL BEAR IT that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body From whence we may see that the dead shall arise and have their vile bodies renewed or reformed even changed into another estate and condition yet the same body and made in fashion like to Christs glorious body so then it is not another body but these our vile bodies fashioned and made like to Christs glorious body which proveth that the same body which dyeth the same body shall rise again only corruption and imperfection taken away and this agreeth with the whole current of Scripture And thus I pass to the Eleventh Reason to prove that such as are returned to dust shall again awake and come forth out of their graves unto judgment which is Reas 11. Eleventhly Because the Scriptures saith That all things even the whole Creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption and restored into its primitive estate only those excepted who have voluntarily made themselves miserable for ever yet even they shall arise with such a body as shall not die any more the greater will be their misery And that there is to be such a Resurrection read these Scriptures Acts. 3.19 20.21 Rem 8.20 21. in these wordes Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord And he will send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him viz. Adam who hath subjected the same in hope for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God for even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the Redemption of our bodies From these Scriptures and more that might be added of this nature it doth appear that the bodies of the sons of men shall be raised again from the dead and he restored into that estate wherein they were created and also into the glorious estate that the body of Jesus Christ himself is in for when he shall appear we shall be made like him and he hath a body of flesh and bones which proves the Resurrection for if it be not the same body that goeth to the dust which is raised again but another body then it is a new Creation and not a Redemption by a Resurrection and then is not the Scriptures true which saith O Death I will be thy Death and Death shall deliver up her dead but God and the Scriptures is true and all them that do deny that the dead bodies shall again live and arise out of the dust of the earth are lyers And so I pass to the Twelfth and last reason although I might add many more if time would permit to prove That the dead which sleep in the dust both good and bad shall arise and come to Judgment which is Reas 12. Because the Scripture saith that although we must needs die and be as water spilt upon the ground yet God hath used a means that those that are thus banished should not be for ever expelled
Pope and the Priest did confess by their practise that the person baptized must confess his sins himself or some other for him which sheweth also That the Person baptized was first to confess his sin and promise amendment of life and so must be of mature years before baptized And now the greatest part of people being ashamed of Pope Ignatius vanity I know not what they will do if they understood what they learned in their old Catechism but in very deed and truth I am ready to beleeve and that not without ground the more is the pity that men are so implicit in their Faith as to beleeve and practise such things in the worship and service of God because it is in custom amongst men as they are not able to give an account of either to God or man nor satisfie their own Conscience if they would but suffer themselves to be brought to a tryal but go on like a blind Horse in a Mill that hath his circuit limitted and cast up for him to go in And is not this a miserable delusion of the Devil whereby he hath blinded the eyes of the understandings of them which beleeve not to think if they take their practises from such and such wise learned men that they shall do well enough not minding what the Lord hath said which shall stand sure to a thousand generations That he will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and yet these foolish men will be so wise for their bodies that if they take but a small piece of silver of either of these wise men they will turn it over and over again to see whether it be silver or counterfeit coyn but as for their Souls they run a hazard leaving the tryal of it until the last day and then when Christ saith Who hath required these things at your hands being not able to give an account they stand speechless and so receive the sentence Take ye that unprofitable Servant and bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness and there his Portion will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth And thus I come to the Seventh Reason to prove Beleeving Men and Women to be the only fit subjects of Baptism which is Reas 7. Because Faith is required of all such as appear before God in any Gospel-Ordinance or administration because the Gospel-administrations are the administrations of the Spirit and so require a spiritual faithful seed to participate thereof contrary to the administrations of the Law which were carnal Ordinances for the Law was not of Faith but the man which did it should live in it but the Gospel is Faith and that which requires Faith in all that come to God through it for as saith the Eunuch See here is water what hindreth me to be baptized And Philips Answer was If thou beleevest thou mayest Acts 8.37 implying that Faith was that which would give him admittance unto it or the want of Faith would hinder him for he that cometh to God must beleeve that he is a rewarder of all them which diligently seek him And indeed we may see that through Faith it is that we stand in the Grace of God and new Covenant Rom. 5.1 2 3. And so much briefly to the Seventh Reason to prove beleeving Men and Women to be the only subjects fit for Baptism And so I come to the 8. Reason which is Reas 8. Because Baptism represents the new Birth and is a demonstration to the world that the Person baptized is new born of Water and of the Spirit and is significantly called the washing in regeneration and renewing the Holy Ghost Titus 3.5 Which sheweth that they only are to be baptized which are new born and thereby to represent to the world the work of God upon their Soul that as they have their Hearts sprinckled from an evil Conscience so they represent it by having their Bodies washed with pure water not that the water it self as barely considered water is pure no but the Commands of God and his Ordinances are pure inlightning the eyes and so to the pure all things are pure and so the Water in Baptism may be called pure it being a pure Ordinance and representing a pure work of God wrought in the Soul And hence it came to pass that our blind Priests gave thanks to God when they had strewed or sprinckled a little water on a Childs face that the Child was regenerated and born again as though Baptism conferred grace which if so doubtless Simon Magus also had not been in the gall of bitterness after Baptism unless he could and had fell from Grace O you blind guides what can you declare a Person to be the Child of Wrath and a Child of God and an heir to heaven in half an hours time without seeing any visible demonstration of the Work of Grace wrought upon the Soul and yet notwithstanding although you do give thanks to God that they are regenerated and born again yet so soon as they be capable to be Preached to you tell them if they will not Repent and Beleeve and such like things they shall be Damned and yet deny any falling from Grace What kind of strange confused Doctrine is this What half an hour a-go a Child of Wrath but now being sprinkled it 's Regenerated and born again and an heir to heaven and shortly in a damnable estate again so that if it do not Repent and the like it must be damned Oh strange Confusion It makes me admire how the understanding of the wise comes to be so confounded only God hath confounded the language of the builders of Babel and hence it comes to pass that their language is so confounded Take heed therefore of building of a way to Heaven of your own inventions But to pass this Discourse you may see that Baptism represents a new Birth and therefore the persons baptized must first be new born for that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spiritual therefore beleevers which are born again are the only fit subjects of Baptism And so I pass to the 9. Reason to prove beleevers the only subjects sit for Baptism which is Reas 9. Because Baptism is a visible manifestation of a Covenant made between God and the Soul whereby the Soul visibly puts off the old Man viz. the lust of the Flesh and puts on the new Man Christ Jesus in righteousness and true holiness not to serve any longer according to the Will of the Flesh but to God in newness of Spirit and this is that the Apostle saith to the Galatians Gal. 3.27 That as many as were baptized unto Christ had put on Christ which sheweth That Baptism is a visible putting on the Lord Christ which requireth Faith in the person baptized for if a person should be baptized ten thousand times and have not faith he puts not on Christ and so
namely Mans Mortality A DISCOURSE Touching the Mortality of the Soul IN order to the clearing up of this Subject of Dicourse I shall lay down this Position which is That man by sin made himself wholly mortal So that when God shall take away his breath which is from the time of death till the time of Resurrection he is no more then what he was before God breathed into him the breath of life which was but dust and also to dust he doth return and the word Soul is used for illustration sake and very large in its acceptation in Scripture sometimes to be understood one thing sometimes another that no man living can say of any one thing this is the soul and this is not but the whole individual man is taken for the soul and where there is spoken of soul and body there is no more difference than there is between Spirit and breath only it is spoken by way of illustration and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie several things as the Mind Will Soul Delight Pleasure Affection Disposition Phantasie Life Breath Wind Blast Wrath Anger Memory Thought Stomack Courage Advice Opinion Heart Witt Stoutness Willingness Promptness or Readiness of Mind also Sleep and also Man these many significations and more is derived from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we read in our Translation Soul But leaving these things I shall come suddenly to the Reasons and then answer some Objections but first see some Scriptures which proveth that Man is wholly mortal and first see the words of the Wise man Eccles 3.19 20. in these words For what befalleth the sons of men befalleth Beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they have all one breath so that man hath no preheminence above a beast for all is vanity all go to one place all are of the dust and return to dust again Agreeable to the Word of the Lord Gen. 3. Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return and this is also further amplified by John 4.7 8 9 10 11 12. in these words For there is hope of a tree if he be cut down that it will sprout again and the tender branches thereof will not cease though the root thereof wax old in the ground and the stock thereof die in the earth yet thorow the descent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant but man dyeth and wasteth away ye man giveth up the Ghost and where is he as the waters fall from the Sea and the floods decay and dry up so man lyeth down for we must needs die and be as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered neither doth God respect the person of any man yet he hath used a means that his banished shall not be for ever expelled from him From whence we may see that the estate of man is compared to the floods that are dryed up that is become as it were nothing and is so to remain until the resurrection for by sin and death we are banished from the Lord yet he hath used a means namely to bring us forth again at the Resurrection that his banished should not be for ever kept from him but if the righteous go to heaven so soon as they die how are they banished from him and become as water spilt upon the ground For what man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Selah Psal 89.48 2 Sam. 14.14 No he cannot deliver his soul from the hand of the grave when God sets his heart to look upon man as you may see Job 34.14 15. in these words If he set his heart upon man if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath all flesh shall perish together and man shall again return unto dust From these words we see all flesh is to perish and man is flesh yea the whole man for that which is born of flesh is flesh now the soul of man is born of flesh and if it be not spirit it must die and the Apostle saith that the first man meaning the whole man was earth earthy and as is the earthy so are they that are earthy howbeit it was not first that which was spiritual but that which was natural and then that which was spiritual speaking there of the man Adam and the man Christ affirming that the first Adam was an earthly natural man and the second Adam viz. Christ was a heavenly spiritual man so then the first man thorow his sin made himself mortal even the whole man there is a multitude of Scriptures that proveth this thing but time being very pretious with me I cannot at this time set them in order before thee but shall pass to some few Reasons to prove man wholly mortal and the first is Reas 1. First because Christ dyed soul and body to purchase our souls and bodies from the grave and if Christs soul dyed it was really to that end that our souls might not lie in the grave and if we had dyed only in body then Christ had dyed only in body but the whole man being mortal and returned to dust Christ also poured out his soul to death and made his soul an offering for sin as saith the Prophet Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed mark that he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand 12. Because he hath poured out his soul to death and he was numbred with the strangers and he bore the sins of many c. From hence we see that Christs SOVL dyed that ours might live again and not be left in the grave which proveth that our souls are mortal and die and so I pass to the second reason to prove That the whole man is mortal which is Reas 2. Secondly because if mans body be mortal and that die and his soul immortal that live then man hath two lives two distinct Beings which is not for if there be two distinct lives and two distinct Beings then Adam was two distinct Creatures and then it cannot be said that as by the offence of ONE Judgment came upon all men to condemnation for Adam upon that account was TWO distinct beings having two distinct lives but man having but one life the whole man must be mortal or the whole man immortal and that the whole man is mortal the Scriptures and our experience doth witness Reas 3. Again Thirdly Because otherwise Christ had done Lazarus wrong by raising him from the dead for if his Soul had been in Heaven four dayes and then Christ fetched it from thence it was so far from an act of love to him whom Christ so well loved that it was great prejudice and also I strange that Lazarus did not mention one tittle of the glory of Heaven if he had been
and 14 and 15 pages of his former Book intituled The condition of Adam in Paradise where he saith that the whole man begets the whole man and also else where saith that if Adam did not beget the whole man viz. the soul then did he not beget a perfect and compleat creature as the beasts do in their kind Page 12. To which I answer and say and first how my Antagonist will be able to prove the soul as he calls it to be that which was created after Gods Image I know not for the Scripture saith Gen. 1.26 that God said let us make Man after our Image not let us make a soul after our Image and when God had made man out of the dust of the earth after his own Image then he breathed into him the breath of life and then that which was made after Gods Image e. i. the Man became a living soul so that it was not a living soul that was put into man but the man that was made of the dust of the earth became a living soul by Gods breathing into him mark that But no more of this because I have spoken of it already in this Subject of Discourse But secondly cannot the soul be mortal because it is after Gods Image how then came Christ to die if not mortal and yet he was after Gods Image for he was the express Image of his Fathers Person Heb. 1.3 and yet notwithstanding was so mortal as to die body and soul Isa 53.12 And also the Apostle saith that the Man not soul is the Image and glory of God 1 Cor. 11.7 and yet man dyeth from whence you may see your self answered and your reason or argument nothing worth And as to the other matter viz. the souls Parentage I have received much light in it although not by my Antagonist for I do suppose that he wrote things from others for arguments sake which was not his own judgment and therefore he spake so cloudily but that which caused me to examine the matter more nisely was the words of a beloved brother in a private conference between him and my self about the business in the which amongst the rest of his discourse he offered this thing as an obsurdity which would follow if the souls parentage was not on earth for saith he it hath been known that sometimes there hath been such acts of uncleannesses in propagation as the Parent with the child and the child with the Parent and severall acts of uncleanness hath been committed now me thinks saith he it is obsurd to think that the pure God which hates uncleanness in the least to seem to own such a thing as to create or give a soul or to put his hand to the work as we may say in such an unclean action but every creature having seed in it self doth bring forth of it self according to its kind and the man which doth abuse Gods ordinance and way in propagation must at last suffer for it c. This and such like Discourse did put me upon the search and tryal of things since my last book was written whereby if time would give me admition at this time I could give you an account of it more at large but time fails me and calls for brevity and therefore shall say no more to this Subject of discourse but this that is The Souls Immortality hath been the conceit of the Heathen Philosophers which did suppose that mortal vertue should be rewarded hereafter for that all men injoyed blessing alike here in this life and not knowing that there was to be a Resurrection of the body whereby persons might receive the reward of what they have done in the body they have Imagined such a thing as the soul to live and receive a reward hereafter and indeed the Church of Rome have readily received such an Opinion also from whence the Church of England have received it by tradition and I am ready to believe that the Church of Rome have also abused our Greek Copies in many particulars to bear a face toward their opinion as that text in Mat. 10.28 and the stop Luke 23.43 and many such places as in reference to this Subject and others also but however the wisdome of God is such as that they cannot bury the truth because he hath given to his people that spirit that gave forth the Scriptures to reconcile and keep the whole body of the Scriptures in a sweet harmony but as for us that believe that there is to be a Resurrection both of the just and unjust let us not imagine any such thing as a Souls Immortality till the Resurrection but know that our reward shall be given to us at that day Me-thinks the Church of England seem to deny such a place as Purgatory and yet hold an Oppinion that is the rise of it and maintains it for say the Papists when persons die they do not go to Hell or Heaven but the soul goeth to a place between both viz. Purgatory and not to the full joy or punishment and so say the Church of England in effect that the soul is not in the full joy or torments till after the day of Judgment as though they could go to Heaven into Gods presence and yet not have there full joy as though in his presence there were not fulness of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore and also as though when souls have been cast into Hell and have been punished there they shall be brought from thence again to the Judgment seat of Christ to be tryed whether they have deserved Hell ye or nay O strange conceit of the pure Justice and righteous dealing of God in his punishing sinners what shall souls when they have been long in Hell come out again and enter into a body it 's some comfort to them that they shall be a little while out of torments but if they come from Hell they have paid the utmost farthing for when they are once there they shall in no wise come forth untill they have paid the utmost farthing These and many such things I might spend time about but this I shall leave with thee courteous reader know that when God takes away mans breath he dyeth and so dust returns to dust and the Spirit viz. breath to him that gave it and that breath that returns to God as it made the man that was made of earth to become a living soul capable to enjoy what God gave him even so in the Resurrection when that dust is raised by God and every bone and member in its proper place then shall God give forth the same breath of life again into every man and so they shall be thereby capable to receive according to what they have done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil and to this the Spirit of God bears witness in the holy Scriptures And so I leave this Subject and come to the next which is Gods love to the whole
13.8 Which saith Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines but do all things according to the pattern which the Lord Jesus hath shewed us in his last Will and Testament and as many as walk according to this rule as Paul in another case saith peace be upon them and mercy upon all such Israelites of God and thus I passe to the fifth ground and reason to prove that all the Laws Statues and Ordinances appointed by Christ in his last Will and Testament are to remain practicable and to be practised by the Lords people Reas 5. It further appears that all the Statutes and Ordinances of Christ are to be practised by the Lords people till his second coming because when the Apostle Jude speaks by the holy spirit of some that would be as wandring stars which had turned from the simplicity of the Gospel he exhorts the Saints earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. which agrees well with that prophetical saying of the wise man Solomons Song or the Cant. 1.7 8. which saith Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flockes of thy companions If thou know not O thou fairest among women go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke and seed thy kidds beside the shepheards tents The which both places sheweth plainly that the people in after ages should walk in the same footsteps and by the same rule that the primitive Church walked in for that text is a prophesie of these times or that which very much concerns these times as we may see from Chap. 2.9 10 11 12 13 14 15. in these words My beloved is like a Roe or a young Hart he standeth behind our wall he locketh forth at the window shewing himself thorow the lattesse My beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my fair one and come away for loe the winter is past mark that the raine is over and gone The flowers appear on the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land The fig tree putteth forth her green figgs and the vines with her tender grapes give a good smell Arise my love my fair one and come away O my dove thou that art in the clefts of the rocks in the secret places of the stares let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely Take us the foxes the little foxes that spoile our vines for our vines have tender grapes From this text we may learn or observe these things first that Christ doth manifest or shew himself to his People now although not so visibly to be beheld or tooke notice of by others no but as it were out of a window or thorow a lattesse secondly that it is a prophesie that concerns us is clear from these words for loe the winter is past meaning the sharp persecutions of the Romish Whore which hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of fornication and the Kings thereof to commit fornication with her and so they by her appointment have persecuted the Saints in their severall dominions and so have caused the people of God to creep as it were into the clefts of the rocks out of the which they are to come forth and the next and last deceit of the Devil is to transform himself like unto a Angel of Light and so shall destroy more by subtilty then by violence and that is his design in the last daies as Christ and his Apostles have foretold at large the which we see to be accomplishing a great pace in our Nation which sheweth that these are the last dayes and also this text speaking to the same thing saying Take us those foxes those little foxes that spoile our vines for our vines have tender grapes Which is to be understood that when the Church is young and newly come forth out of those troublesome times that many shall be spoiled by the subtilty of the Devil putting it into the hearts of the sons of men to pervert the Scriptures and turn men away from the good ancient paths of Christ which makes the Spouse inquire in the midst of these varieties of opinions where Christ would have his Flock to rest and his answer is that they must Goe by the footsteps of the flocke that is in the very steps or way that Christs flock of old walked in and contend for that faith and hold fast the profession of that faith without wavering because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever and thus it appears that all the Laws Statutes and Ordinances which are comprehended in the last Will and Testament of the Lord Jesus are practicable and are to be practised by the Lords people and thus I passe to the sixth ground and reason to prove that al Christs Statutes and Ordinances as before mentioned are perpetuated and to remain till the Lords second coming Reas 6. It further appears that all Christs Laws and Statutes are to remain because the author to the Hebrews 10.28 Set the transgressors under Moses law as an example to those that despise or observe not Christs laws and if all Christs Laws Statutes and Ordinances which are written in the new Testament and confirmed are not as perpetual as Moses law then it cannot be a more greater transgression and a more sore punishment to disobey them for Moses laws was perpetuated with a cursed is he that continueth not in all things that is written in the book of the law to do them and all the people shall say Amen but Christs Laws which are written for many of them were not perpetuated but lost their authority and dyed with that age or generation as saith Mr. Henden and some are so bold as to say that not only some but all the Statutes Ordinances of Christ which are written in the new Testament were only theirs or belonging to them in that age and not to us and in my understanding one speaks as true as the other for he that saith some of the Laws and Statutes of Christ are to cease and yet cannot prove that the will of Christ is cancelled nor shew where Christ or his Apostles have said that these Statutes and Ordinances must cease at such a time were as good say all must cease one having as good a warrant for what he saith as the other But passing this all that was written in Moses laws was to be observed kept as wel when they had lost that gift of Vrim and Thummim after their coming forth of Babylon as before For we find that the book of the law was to be read and the People to observe and do it according as it was written therein and we find that good Josiah
Had the primitive Churches a Command from Christ to preach and gather Churches the very same Command have we unto the worlds end Mat. 28.18 19 20. Had the primitive Churches gifts of Gods Spirit so have the Churches now even so many as are useful for the comfortable being of the Church although others which were more primely concerned as to Unbelievers for to confirm the Gospel that it might be a standing Rule to be observed and practised to the worlds end did cease for so it was under the Law the Law of Moses was once confirmed with Signs and Wonders but there was no such thing looked for when they came out of Babylon it was enough that it was once confirmed admit of this Argument to prove Signs and Miracles now out of use which is If Signs and Miracles serve not for Believers but such as believe not to bear testimony to the truth of the New Testement of Jesus Christ then they are altogether unuseful to us in these Nations who do believe the Testament of Jesus But Signs and Miracles was for that end viz. to confirm the Truth of the New Testament to Unbelievers And therefore of no use in these Nations where all or the most part believe it But those things which are useful to Believers they remain in the same power and efficacy as that Ordinance of Prayer with the Sick and annointing them with oyl is known to be as powerful and efficatious in our dayes as ever and all others which conduce to the Churches comfortable being I know many that can and will if they be called unto it witness the truth of this thing I speak with much confidence it being truth upon my knowledge and so I shall leave this at present supposing that I may have occasion to speak more of it anon and now pass to the next thing which is the four Reasons annexed to this to shew the difference between the new stated Churches as Mr. Henden calls them and the primitive Church which are Faith must foot upon a call saith Mr. Henden as done in obedience to the heavenly voyce but now there is no call for visible Church Marriages Answ By the same word that the primitive Churches practised Ordinances which was by Christs word and voyce we also practise them for his word even the same word was to go into all the world unto every creature Mark 16.15 16. Mat. 28.18 19 20. And by the same Word every creature was to believe and practise the Ordinances in order to their eternal happiness and therefore the same call and whoso practiseth them from the same call with an honest heart obeyes the heavenly voyce And whereas Mr. Henden saith there is no call for visible Church Marriages Answ There is the same call that was in the primitive age for there was but only espousing and making fit for the Maariage day which is not to be till the change of the Gentiles and the same espousing and making fit for the Marriage we are now about as the Apostles in their day was as I before have shewed and so I pass to the second Reason cited by Mr. Henden which is God having promised to spirit these again Faith must relie upon that promise until it be fulfilled page 15. Answ That Faith must relie upon Gods Promises as well as to act from the Command is granted but Christ hath promised his spiritual presence alwayes to the end of the world in the observation of his Ordinances therefore they were never without the Spirit or their spiritual efficacy and as for the pouring out of the Spirit again it s not on the Gentiles but the Jews who now are shut up under unbeliefe who at the second coming of Christ viz. his personall coming shall have the Spirit poured out upon them I mean the whole House of Israel and not before and then they shall be a holy people to the Lord read Zech. 12. from the first vers to the 12. but as for the Gentiles I never find that the Spirit is taken from them viz. the faithful since the primitive times take heed of confounding the Promises made to the Jews with them made to the Gentiles which I find to be your practise which causeth you to speak and affirm things you know not where of but I am sparing to speake considering your gravity and so I pass to the third reason which is Thirdly Profession a lone saith Mr. Henden can no more give life to Ordinances from which the glory of the Lord is departed then it can infuse a living soule into a dead Carkas Answ It 's true if once the Lord have left his Ordinances Mens profession cannot make them lively Oracles but it hath been already proved that Christ is so far from leaving them that he hath promised his Presence in the performance of them to the Worlds end and what you can say of the departure of Gods glory from any Ordinance I can say the same of the Ordinance of Preaching and Prayer which you say you own but Gods glory is not departed from his Ordinances and so I passe to the fourth and last reason which is say you This pretended Faith void of the call and Promise of God and the vitall influence of its prims Original cause is but a meer work a bare creature Foundation by far too week to lay a Gospel fabrick upon Answ This reason is comprehended in the former the which causeth me to say again that this Faith in the practising of all Christs Ordinances is neither void of the call or promise of God read my Reasons to prove their continuance before cited moreover we know that the neglect of the practising of the Ordinances although it may be before a long time so as that they may be lost or unknown yet if they be found written amongst the Statutes of Jesus Christ it s enough to warrant the reviving of them into their former practise without a new call witness the Ordinance of living in Booths being lost for above four hundred years even from the daies of Joshua Son of Nun until their coming out of the Babylonish captivity as you may see Nehem. 8.14 15 16 17. and as to the foundation of the Gospel fabrick you speake of I say that the Foundation of it is already laid and confirmed and we only according to Gods appointment do build thereon and not lay a new Foundation namely we walk not in a new form or Fabrick of Order but in the same good old Ordinances and Fabrick of order which Christ and the Apostles laid and the primitive Churches walked in and we commanded to follow their steps which Foundation of the Fabrick is not only laid as a platform for us to build upon but it s also already confirmed which was the answer that I gave to Mr. Henden in our conference saying our Baptising was no new Baptising but the old way of Baptising both in respect of the form of it and subject Baptised
confirm it again when Israel came out of Babylon nor after the Book of the Law was lost and found again in the dayes of Josia no more need we any Sign to confirm that which is already confirmed and also we know that John did no Miracle and yet was an approved Administrator Again whereas Mr. Henden said that he was a legal Minister and a Minister of condemnation which had no visible demonstration from the spirit viz. Miracle The answer was then Mr. Henden was a legal one and a Minister of condemnation because he professeth himself to be a Minister and yet never work a Miracle that ever I heard of there was much time spent upon a kind of running discourse to little edification for that which I would have had done in order to the legal managing of the discourse was that there should have been one question stated at a time and that managed but when one began he spoke of several things and so confounded one with another and cleared it not as it should be I could repeat what was said about the four Winds and what was said by Captain Tucker as to the grounding of faith upon the obscure and dark Prophesies which was well minded although not well weighed by our Antagonist and as I think as little understood I have found it a sure maxime that the greatest confidence amongst men hath the least reason to warrant it which is sad And whereas Hebrews 12. was brought together with Galatians 4. to prove the Church to be called Mount-Zion neither of the places proveth it the Apostle to the Galatians tels us that it is the Covenant which is called Jerusalem which is from above and from the Hebrews we learn also that it is the Covenant or the thing Covenanted and whereas he saith that we are come to Mount-Zion he also saith that we are come to an innumerable company of Angels and to God the Judge of all things and the Spirits of just men made perfect so that we are come to one as well as to another and to neither of them but by faith in the Covenant for while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith and not by sight And Paul doth not say to the Galatians that ye are Mount-Zion or Jerusalem but Jerusalem which is from above is the Mother of us all so then it was the Church which was called Jerusalem but Jerusalem from above was the Churches Mother mark a difference between the Children and the Mother and secondly the Author to the Hebrews doth not call the Church of the Hebrews Mount-Zion but tels them that they were come to Mount-Zion viz. the Covenant of Mount-Zion and the Heavenly Jerusalem but I shall leave these things at present and pass to the Answer of some Objections usually urged against the perpetuation of Christs Ordinances or the constant practising of them and the first that I shall speak to is Object 1. There was a time when God did appear in his Ordinances which shewed there was the power of the Spirit went along with them as Peter in his Ministry in converting three thousand souls at one Sermon saith Mr. John Henden but now we see not the same effects therefore the cause ceaseth God hath left them and they are become as a dead carkass without a soul Answ It is very true there was a time when there was such need of a visible demonstration of Gods Spirit to go along with his Ordinances to bear witness to the sons of men that they were the Ordinances that were approved of by the Lord that they might be a pattern or platform for all men to walk in to the Worlds end and hence it was that when God gave to Moses and the rest of the Children of Israel the pattern of the administration of the Law he gave it with the visible demonstration of his own presence with thundrings and lightenings and the Mountain smoaking with a visible maifestation of Gods glory with and upon Moses so that his face did so shine with the Glory of God when he came from the Mount that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold him by reason of the brightness of the Glory of God shining upon him this was his appearance when he came down with the Tables of the Law written by God so gloriously did God appear in the giving forth of it but afterwards all that the Children of Israel were to do was to have the words of the Law read to them and they to do it or keep it and not to say who shall ascend up into Heaven for some visible demonstration but the Law is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maist do it saith Moses Deut. 30.10 11 12. even so saith St. Paul Rom. 10.6 7. The righteousness of faith speaks on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend up into Heaven to fetch Christ down from above c. but what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart So that true faith giveth heed to Gods word and looks not for miracles for so saith Christ blessed is he that hath not seen and yet believed for a sinful and an adulterous generation seek a sign but none shall be given unto them c. Secondly If no Ordinance may be an approved Ordinance of God but such an one as hath a visible manifestation according to Mr. Hendens sense as aforesaid then he himself never met together so as God did approve of it because we find that when the Disciples met together the house spoke where they were assembled Thirdly his Ordinance of preaching hath not the Spirit with it because instead of converting three thousand at one Sermon I suppose he never converted three hundred in his life nor scarce half half so many and as for the Ordinance of Prayer I never heard any of those that usually hear Mr. Henden say that he hath prayed till the place hath spoke where he was praying as it did when the Disciples were a Praying Acts 4.31 and as for the Ordinance of Preaching and praying and the like Mr. Henden saith he owns to continue in all ages uncorrupted and they had once as great a visible manifestation as any Ordinance that I know of and yet there is no more appearance in a visible manifestation in them now than there is in any other Ordinance which Mr. Henden cryeth down and I may fitly say to Mr. Henden as Christ said to the Scribes and Pharisies which did much dote upon signs and miracles that the Kingdome of Heaven cometh not with Observations as gadding after miracles saying loe here or loe there for the Kingdome of God is within you that is as if he should have said it consists more in inward glory than outward glory or manifestation for the Kings daughter is all glorious within and the proper work of the Spirit is within as Christ