body c must be dead because of sinne when the spirit is to live for a better righteousnesse sake And so I come to the second particular the Government Ecclesiasticall which imediately receded the other in the Infancy thereof The instruments and formes whereof hath also beene various before the time of Christs fleshly presence the reason of which was the good pleasure of the Fathers will the divine mystery of his Grace since revealed to us in the fullnesse of time for the most part hid in d him whose dispensations works alwayes appeare most perfect in the end During the infancy and minority of the mysticall body of Christ the Church then begun it seemed good to him here and there to enlighten and by a secret and inward call to seperate and segregate from the Common masse of mankinde such as should hold forth according to the measure of faith then dispenced the word of life That in divers wayes manners e and formes of discipline were made instrumentall in their generations to congregate as time and place afforded the children of truth Gradually first preparing and then through union of affection couching them in their due place as so many pollished stones upon that precious corner and first foundation stone of the spirituall Temple Christ Jesus I purpose not here for brevity sake to write severally of the particular Formes in those Ages past but rather with the * Authour of that forenamed Pamphlet I shall fall in with his Method in that Forme since as a Government for us more practically imitable It was evident then according to Scripture when the full time appoynted of the Father for the spirituall liberty and age of the Church was come He sent forth his Sonne into the world cloathing him with humane flesh and in the substance and shape of man put him under the Law That in his pure flesh in mans stead and for his benefit he might actively and passively performe what God or man by any Law could possibly require and though he knew no sinne neither was a transgressor of any Law yet he being instrumentall in the Creation of man the first and supreme * head of man by relation a * brother to man and by a peculiar right had an interest in man it was both just and reasonable that he onely as the fittest person should principally transact the affaires of man and for that end he was by God in the behalfe of all fallen man imputed a sinner numbred amongst transgressors made a curse by suffering upon the Crosse as a Thiefe and Murtherer that so thorough this Gods peculiar ordinance and acceptance he might no more remember or punish eternally the transgressions committed against the first Testament as also to give a sure ground of future hope that the bodies of the faithfull one day shall be perfectly redeemed from the power of sinne death and the Devill unto which by a righteous sentence they became with others most miserably captivated with all to give good assurance to all such by the death and sealing bloodshed of this Sonne of God which was appoynted to be both the testator and Mediator of the new Covenant t eternally stablished upon sure promises their spirits once cleansed from the filth and guilt of the old May now by a new and living way thorough the vaile of his flesh have a free passage into the most holy Sanctuary and presence of our heavenly Father in the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God and for that end this our great high Priest and Apostle of that faith which wee should professe during the time of his abode upon earth he made it his own because the Fathers worke to dispence light according to his will in matters of this Nature that so by it he might publiquely gather unto himselfe all those children of God that were capable Subjects for an audible administration and for that cause he was pleased to elect not onely twelve principall but many others to whom he did impart those mysteries that they might afterwards as good Disciples and Scribes before instructed communicate the same Upon whom after his ascention he poured out his spirit in the dispensation of extraordinary gifts that so by them the foundation begunne and forme prescribed for such a sprituall structure might successively be carried on in all succeeding times untill the very top stone should be layed and grace grace cryed thereunto It s easily conceived then by that 's past who were the Mr. workemen and what was the matter for this building but for evincing a double mistake in our pretended Mr. Builders It s necessary the matter of it be a little further considered It being affirmed by some on the one hand that all persons in a Nation yea infants are fit materialls for this Caelestiall Fabricke The folly of which opinion appeareth in that it is not onely contrary to the practice and direct precept but also the true nature and end of this institution by Christ Besides what benefit can acrew to Infants and others almost as uncapable to be made Members by any initiating ordinance since they are in no capacity through naturall weakenesse visibly to doe or receive any good neither hath God at any time or anywhere as is falsly by them premised engaged through an unwarrantable use of Baptisme to wash away originall sinne Regenerate visibly unite to himselfe and save Infants for why then doth not answerable effects follow Time quickly shewing that many thousands so baptized become Abhominable and Reprobate to every good worke Strange therefore it is to see how these men have been pusled to evade the cleare light of this Scripture Go discipline and baptise and that other Scripture he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but to these persons it seemeth fulfilled if they injoyne others to professe faith for them which visibly have none as if one mans bare profession which is not probably reall were with God meritoriously saving for others in like manner are they pusled about Circumcision which they say Baptisme cometh in the roome of when its clear to them which wil understand that Circumcision was no initiating ordinance for a Church and Gospel fellowship It being but a signe of an externall Covenant and stipulation made with Abraham and his Seed for a revive of the first Testament touching a civill and unblameable conversation in the flesh For sayth God my Covenant shall be in your g flesh So that all Israel after the flesh by the Law gendering to bondage were not Israel after the spirit borne of the free woman gendering to a spirituall liberty And this I am induced verily to believe for these Reasons viz. First Because all those that partook of Circumcision by Scripture proof were rigedly bound to a personall and perpetuall performance of the Morall Law in reference to the outward man h which our Saviour yet testifieth none of them did * keepe nor indeed could as
they might the Ceremoniall and other Lawes Secondly From the nature of the law it selfe which in Scripture is compared to fire hammer Sword c. whereof circumcision was a figurative signe shewing it to be no lesse then a keen cutting instrument through the penalty which by a secret insition was to seperate that caule skin or film spread over the Spirit eye judgement of reason at first occasionally entering in by the sences now through custome being so habitually contracted in mans nature as it proves to some many times an incureable disease i Necessary it was then that from the eight day of the wombe at the first budding of the sences they should bee gradually and regularly disciplined accordingly And as for time so for place this signe was very significant it being done there from whence instrumentally was to bee acted the strongest and most burning lust of humane and naturall concupiscence the difficulty in suppressing which and the danger of neglecting was secretly hinted by the paine sorrow and bloodshed in this ceremonial transaction neither is the persons lesse observable God shewing by such an administration that it was the male not the female that was first intrusted from whom as the head and stronger vessel he cheifly of him required performance or else his blood must go or some others for him must doe and suffer what in Gods account is a satisfaction equivolent Thirdly When circumcision and the Law was most in force and highly exalted and through a sence thereby of mans weaknesse though it became instrumentall to beget as upon Hagars knees faithfull children unto Abraham Yet Gospell and Evangelical righteousnesse as a spring and river of life sweetly yet secretly was then running under allegories tipes and ceremonies in a ministration distinctly differing from the former for they all dranke of the same spirituall Rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ and they all were baptized as wel as circumcised though mistically under a cloud and in the Sea where water and not blood was the materiall substance of this ordanicall Sacrament Fourthly From the nature and end of baptisme it selfe which is not to bee paraleld so as to come in the roome of circumcision The matter and manner of which holy institution presenteth to our view and serious consideration these severall things following First That it is neither circumcision nor any other ceremoniall reparation but an absolute Sacramentall dissolution of our bodily elements into their first principles as best suiting with a visible Gospell administration From which secondly was lively represented to the eye of faith not sence by the death of the body a spirituall freedome from the imputation of sin * power of the law curse death and the devill The ground of which is this in that God at first gave this Law principally to be binding to the sensitive and weaker part the inward man from it being destinct although united makes but one person l upon which the outward being first in the transgression and by occasion an inlet of sin to the other It pleased God to impute that sin and charge the punishment upon it when yet by a decreed union If faith in an unexpected promise had not intervened the inward had also been in the same predicament from the neernesse of which union of these two destinct natures there is a communion of operations and proprieties so that what may be affirmed of one and the same person at one and the same time in referrence to one nature may be denyed of the other so that by one he may be said to be earthly dead under the law c. and by the other he may be said to be yet heavenly not living under that Law holy blessed and under the protection of God for ever And yet again where faith in a promise is not there a person in both natures is perpetually miserable but where it is that person in both Natures is eternally happie Yet in order first the one and then the other this then asserted is cleared if we observe that when God came to execute judgement he progressively past sentence upon that which was the first occasion of sin beginning with the Serpent then the woman and last of all with the earthly man making good his former threatning That in the day it did eat it should die For earth it was and to earth it should return which was the substance of the outward not the inward m man Thus then this exact compounded elementarie substance at first a fit instrument for the celestiall Spirit to transact a terrestial service being under the sentence of death it became not only unserviceable through a declining weaknesse but it caused also a spirituall death dulling the edge and quenching the sparklings in the Intellect of the divine off-spring for the cheering and reviving again of which he was pleased by a promise in a blessed seed of the same substance to give hope to the one by dying of a better Resurrection and through the quickning spirit for the present to give the other deliverance from a sinful captivity Now a figure of this death of the body was lively held forth by the bodies blood of Beasts which were to be offered up in Sacrifice as a present attonement for the reprieve of all sublimary created things of the same elementary substance until the substance of that which was chiefly tipified and intended namely the body of Christ in which as a spiritual publike person all the bodies of the Saints was included in the offering up of which the wil of God being done he hath consecrated for ever through that will those which by faith in his blood were sanctified Thirdly Baptisme was also ordained that it might be not only a similitude of that union and communion of the body of Christ with the faithfull but also that it might hold forth by this union to a visible part in the behalf of the rest of the members of the invisible body a community of the same Spirit vertue life resurrection and glory of the Head And this we find excellently set forth to us worthy our serious perusall in the sixt and seventh Chapters to the Romans the Apostle in the seventh shewing That now the first husband the body to whom the Spirit by union was marryed it was dead to the Law in the body of Christ so that now the spirit without being counted an Adulteresse might make choice for a husband him that is raised from the dead That by such a union it might bring forth fruit unto God for faith he when we were in the Flesh the affections of sin which were by the Law had force in our members to bring forth fruit unto death but now we are delivered from the Law he being dead that is to say the body in whom we were holden that we should serve him in newness of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter Fourthly and lastly by the
water in Baptisme covering the earth of mans body it being plunged therein was further signified the sanctifying and renewing again of the body through that Spirit which by a first moving on the surface of the waters gave being in the creation to all things of the same Elementary substance which should be as certainly performed as mans body came forth of the waters a sure testimony of which was evident in the head and others the first fruits of the same by this then as I conceive hath been confuted the first error shewing that Infants and many others upon these grounds are not fit matter for a visible Church or Congregation and though I have in this exceeded an intended brevity yet in things so greatly Important it will I trust be excusable for this seriously considered will put an end to those bitter long disputes and voluminous Treatises about the Law and Gospel Gods seeing or not seeing sinne in reference to the one or the other Covenant c. The Error on the other hand is in some that conceive them only fit which for knowledg and practise are seemingly more eminent whereas at first a Gospel conviction and need of a Christ and a voluntarie submission to his government for a further Instruction through doctrine and discipline was a good ground of admission For Christs Kingdom in the Church is a Kingdom of Grace long-sufferance and meeknes The Subjects whereof at first are very rough hewed not polished stones weak in knowledge and many times more in practice Those Ministers and strong Christians then intrusted ought to bear the Infirmities of the more feeble carrying these Lambs in the bosome of Love leading gently and guiding these younglings in grace like good Pastors so truly knowing the state of their flock as to distinguish them by their names natures and manners that so he might accordingly feed them with knowledge and understanding Not in civill contentions but Evangelicall conclusions but how rare are such at this present what plenty of those shepherds that God so * passionately and pathetically reproves in Ezekiels time that he said Eat the fat and clothed themselves with the fleece of the Sheep but did not care to feed so as to strengthen the weak heal the sick binde up the broken bring again that which is driven away neither sought that which was lost but with cruelty and rigour did they rule them The Lord himselfe then the great and living Shepheard there promiseth to supply their place and doe that for his Sheep which was neglected by those evill Shepherds that is to say to lead them into green Gospel pastures refreshing them with the sweet and pleasant springs of salvation strengthening the weak healing the sick c. As it followeth excellently in the same Chapter The next thing then to the matter is the form of this government which was first those Ministeriall officers as to be ordinary and perpetual were Pastors to instruct and teach Deacons to collect keep and disburse the publike stock Elders among themselves to over-rule and end all civill and occasionall differences Seers to watch over each particular Member which was to present as need required the true state of things to the Church there was also a forme of Sacraments one of Baptisme of which is already spoken One other and main end of which was to distinguish all visible members within from them without putting such into a visible capacity thereby of those benefits before exprest to which then was added the Sacrament of the Lords Supper through which those before baptized were made to drinke into that one Spirit which spiritually quickned it by faith in the blood of Christ running through the veins of the whole body typically represented by way of Communion in the Element of wine to the very senses of the faithfull all those benefits of Christs death and resurrection which upon frequent meeting they were publikely to hold forth in remembrance of the same After these next in order was the forme of doctrine that is to say first To acknowledge God even that Father of whom originally and effentially were all things either temporall or spirituall according to whose supream will all the distinct families in heaven and earth was both ordered and named As also that Jesus Christ his first begotten son was that person by whom all things was made is now preserved redeemed and shall again what belongs to him be restored for which cause he descended suffered ascended according to the Scripture sitting now at the right hand of God untill all enemies are made his footstool which once performed he shall then deliver up the kingdome to God the Father which then shall be all in all to the whole body filling every part according to their measure with his owne fullnes as he now doth the head for the effecting of all which glorious promises in the behalf of the holy visible invisible militant and at last triumphant Church That there is one infinite invisible incomprehensible most omnipotent Spirit which is that of the Fathers communicated to the Son and from him as head to the whole body The fift was the form of discipline which was this every Officer in their proper place through meeknes and love by exhortation instruction reproof and if need require with consent of the Church through excommunication to use their utmost endeavour to present such who have voluntarily submitted unto their Government blamelesse in the day of Christ And then the last of all is the supream end namely the preservation of each Saints propriety in their spirituall names priviledges and benefits of an eternall life so as each member in their proper place may according to the effectuall working and power which is in the measure of every part receive the increase of the body unto the edifying it selfe in love untill we all meet together in the unity of Faith and that acknowledging of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Thus as briefly as I could hath been shewed also the Governours Government matter forme of doctrine and discipline with the distinct and supream end of this Ecclesiasticall Government of Christ The third thing promised to be considered was this In what respect these two Governments so diametrically opposite as heaven and earth may yet agree and dwell together in a Nation City Family or person First they may agree in this that the son of God is constituted and by publicke inauguration is Crowned and anoynted King and Head of both these principallities and powers with their severall Instruments and weapons whither Carnall or Spirituall Secondly they may accord in this that the spirituall deserves the right hand of fellowship since all sublimary things had a being with the externall for ends subservient to this which when it shall perfectly be accomplished in the Nations This exterior Government shall be dissolved and cease The Kings and Rulers of the Gentiles
THE True Primitive State of CIVILL and Ecclesiasticall Government Discussed and Cleared Also a VVay briefly propounded to reconcile the Saints by what names now soever distinguished In Unity of Doctrine and Discipline according to our Covenant in a Government neerest to the Word of GOD With all lowlinesse and meeknesse with long suffering forbearing one another in love Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes. 4. 2 3. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether wee bee bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. Imprimatur March 12. 1648. Henry Whaley Advocate London Printed by Robert Ibbitson in Smithfield near the Queens head Tavern 1649. TO THE Right Honourable the Great Councell in Parliament now Assembled and the Councell of State Right Trusty and Right Honourable Senators I And not I only but many farre more considerable have been Spectators of those Intricate Mazes and indefatigable troubles which you as our Worthies have for above these six years past undergone not to be paralelled to any time save that of Israels deliverance from Pharaoh out of the House of bondage which you as so many Noble Instruments by the strength of the Arme of the Mighty God of Jacob have performed to the present accomplishment for us as great a deliverance For the which blessed be the God most High as also for that after so great winnowing there yet remains so considerable a number of you found faithfull to your trust and though this may be esteemed by you Honourable Worthies a boldnesse in the presenter neer unto presumption to mention your Honours Names in this Epistle for which I have nothing to plead for in excuse but this namely that your Honours are neerly and greatly concerned in the Subject matter of this ensuing Discourse which if He that is the Head of all Principallities and Powers the Mighty Counsellour by whom Princes decree just things shall strengthen and guide you to follow I and not I onely but all Conscientious men and true Christians shall therein have their desires and you their prayers So resteth your most humble and devoted Servant not worthy to be named as considerable D. P. To the Reader I Had a great dispute in my spirit in this very nick of time whether I should speak or keep silence that not only because in these evill dayes vanity and troth not truth is either through prejudice or willfullnesse approved and extolled amongst men but also through a sence of my stammering imbâ—cility at being unlearned in humane Sciences I was afraid to shew in publick this my opinion For I sayd in my thoughts that dayes should speake and multitude of yeares should teach wisedome but since I understood that it is the inspiration of the Almighty that gives understanding I durst not smother that little light under a Bushell which he hath as a Talent given me to improve for his Glory and the Common good upon this ground then I have adventured to cast my Mite into the publique Treasury presenting these ensuing Lines to thy serious perusall the principall theame and substance of which is to shew how this our tottering Fabrick both in Church and State may againe be re-setled upon the sure Basis of a true Primitive Institution And here if in this transaction I have not so managed it as a businesse of so great importance doth require I hope my former acknowledged weakenesse will plead for me a favourable excuse if not acceptance And lest a string of reproofe by any over-winded expressions in this my Booke may sound harshly in the eares of some so as to hinder the melodious harmony of an intended Union by me held forth I shall endeavour againe to loose it by an ingenuous acknowledgment For I professe as in the presence of God I am no enemy to any mans person being sorry to see much more to use either the name of a Leveller or Presbyter having in both very loving friends if I could by any other names distinguish them to a vulgar understanding which yet are justly to be blamed and withstood because they go not the right way to a civill or Ecclesiasticall Peâ—ce There is onely one word that hath escaped me that probably may give occasion to some to take offâ—nce and that is in the 15. Page towards the end where quoting the Prophet Hosea it is said That God hath justly given up these men that is to say some of our conceived wise Diviners and pretended Prophets to folly and a dog raging madnes rather then a rationall or Christian Spirit And heere I could wish I might not say so of some which bite and snarl at their brethren not shewing yet any true reason wherefore but God forbid I should say so of all and truely because of offence if it could have beene timely prevented I would have said so of none Yet is this a terme the holy Spirit hath used in way of reproof of some of the same Function though in another case when he calleth them both dumbe and greedy dogges and againe for feare of mistake because I have desired there might be no imparity of Persons in the Ministry in reference to humane learning that therefore I should be thought an enemy to learning no certainly I could wish the Universities might bee kept up and maintained in their former luster that so as God shall bring forth by the hand of providence we may by such a common and comendable gift still finde instruments that in some cases might bee more usefull then others either in Church or State And lastly though I have highly commended the Excellency of this outward Forme which indeede ought to be observed yet I hope none is so ignorant as to thinke that the true glory and beauty of Christs Church is not more principally within but since both are concerned in reference to the outward and inward man therefore it was that Israels deliverance out of Aegypt was a deliverance in an outward way of Worshippe for both upon which ground it is not to be doubted that through the great power of our Redeemer wee shall at this time not onely have a deliverance in the inward but also a freedome of the outward man else should wee have nothing wherewith voluntarily to tender as a Worshippe to God For these Reasons as also for some occasionall faults in the Printing I have contrary to my intended purpose presented thee with this Epistle wishing a favourable construction of the whole at least or of my good intention herein And so I shall ever rest Thine to command in the Lord D. P. ERRATA Page 1. line 28. for Counties read Countries p. 3. l. 14 for surplace surface p. 20. l. last leave out thirdly page the last line the 25. r. Sectaâ—â—â—s truly so called THE True state and forme of Government Civil Ecclesiastical discussed cleared NOt long since
there was in publicke a little book intitled A Shrill cry for the resolve of 13 Queries in which with many other things touching the Covenant c. very considerable there was inserted the primitive institution and supreame end of a Civill and Ecclesiasticall Government in a more full pursuance then of what was there so briefly presented I shall indeavour in this insuing discourse to hold forth these 3 particulars as very necessary further to be discussed and cleared in these times First wherin each particular Government with their distinct and peculiar interest doth a part consist 2. In what particulars they may harmoniously accord 3. Some probable meanes propounded tending to settle each in their primitive glory To begin then with that Government which is called Civil First acted upon the Theater of this world yet in force which as touching the forme since hath been very contingent uncertaine God sometimes deputing one as supream to give out Lawes and rule the Nations Sometimes permitting others by right of Conquest to impose Laws upon the subdued multitude some were elected Kings to whose lawes the people voluntarily submitted Others by their Representatives proposing Laws to these elected Kings by which they would bee governed And lastly some few have been elected in severall Counties to Governe and transact for the good and benefit of the whole These and such like are usually distinguished by the names of Monarchy Aristocrasie Democrasie c. The reason of which variety hath been the universall corruption of humaine flesh Governours being drawne aside by their own concupiscence through ambition and self-interest and other causes to pursue ends destructive to common-safety But from the beginning it was not so for if man had stood the most pure and primitive had been that of Monarchy Adam being intrusted under Christ to weild the supream Scepter of this terrestriall Diademe which probably might have continued to all succeeding Generations The subject matter for which Government would have been his owne Off-spring and fellow creatures The forme most excellent each Minister under him in their proper place orderly and sweetly dispencing an equall distribution to God and each particular being The rules and bounds for which was the law of nature reason morallity The disciplin was by instruction exhortation example and such like to draw forth and exercise daily the intellect of all intelligible creatures in the things before recited So as from non-age to ful-age each particular according to their measure and proper place might become serviceable to the universall and publicke good There being yet this difference in the state of innocency though continued between Adam and his progeny that as he was created a perfect man his internall faculties was acted readily from himselfe as several objects and relations were presented in their time and place whereas his posterity stood in need of a continual inculcation of instruction from others before they could act their inward principle dexteriously and habitually in a way of nature and reason to which other parts of discipline before expressed in this state of corruption is necessarily to be added sharpe reproofes and severe corrections The next and last particular appertaining to this Government is the supream end Namely the preservation of each mans propriety in name goods and other things of this life And herein the particular and intire interest of this and all other civil sanctions doth consist A first Testament and Covenant once in the power of man to keepe most perfectly which since through weakenesse of the flesh fruits and effects of the fall is now impossible precisely to be performed All men in nature thereupon by a just sentence as under the first breach of this Law becomming children of the curse wrath and death wee need not wonder then at the revolutions and changes of Government since every thing else now is restlesse untill it returne to its primitive and supreme center from whence there was suddainely so great an Apostacy that the whole earth was filled with violence insomuch immediately after mans commecall scheane of Terestiall glory became dissolved into a watery Tragedy a few inconsiderate persons for number only excepted preserved from being overwhelmed in that universall deluge which no sooner by multiplying had againe filled the surplase of the earth but the like universall corruption appeared All fixed principles for pure Nature Reason and Morallity was by it eaten out and became obliterate which doubtlesse was the cause why God in the next Age did againe minde the same through the figure of circumcision as also not long after in that terrible manner upon Mount Synaia in Iudea the Hemispheare of Nations give out his Law to shew man once more not onely from whence he was fallen but to stirre him up thereby to his former duty the matter whereof was engraven in Tables of stone evidently to be seene and read of all men And although heere againe the forme of this Government then was Monarchicall yet was it not therein an indisputable president and patterne for other Nations or succeeding times for though it should be admitted that this was most Primitive and in Gods esteeme most Excellent either in Adam and those other Anoynted Kings to whom extraordinary assistance and abilities was given for performance of such a trust as particular Types of Christ Yet experience tells us through changes and reason and providence dictates no lesse that where this immediate Divine Assistance is wanting to guide any single supreme in evill times of defection that Government proves dangerous and those Governours probably most safest for that people which shall through providence be admitted to Rule after a sensible feeling and late deliverance with them from under a yoke of Tiranny It not to me seeming likely that such who have seene justice done upon others themselves in it being instrumentall should through Tiranny by any Law make heavy yokes for their brethren and in it their owne Posterity which if they would be most inexcusable because they of all other in this latter Age of the world have seene most examples and presidents of the good and evill of Government Thus much then of the first particular in which is briefely shewed the Ministers matter Forme Lawes discipline end and intire Interest of all Civill Government both at first and since which because it was held excellently forth in the Common-wealth of the Jewes It was called a Sanctuary a yet worldly and fleshly far different from that which concernes the inward and spirituall man which though the ministration of it be in the flesh yet it is not after nor for the present little appertaining thereunto It being untill the day of our bodily redemption b under the discipline of the first Testament for corrupt flesh as all now is must as grasse and the flower of the field first wither become dead vanish away in the judgement of those which are to be fit matter for the second and new Testament for the