best way where she according to her raised expectation has received more of the Holy Spirit and of influences from Christ as a living Member under this Church as the only Head and as the Supream Material Cause of the Church then neither she nor they are under Guilt so far in this Matter But Christ in all this c. Therefore This was drawn from the Material Cause of the Church Supream A further Argument shall be drawn †1 Cor. 6. 15 12. 27. Eph. 1. 22 23. 4 4 12. 5. 23. 30. Col. 1. 18 24. 2. 19. Joh. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 2. and the Titles of Paul ' s other Epistles to the Churches Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 4. 16. from the inferior Material Cause of a Church of Christ which are the Elect Believers and Saints who are the Members and the Body of Christ and have mutual care of and for one another Communion with one another and are jointly helpful to each other and do faithfully and friendâ—â—y discharge the Gospel Duties of Church-Fellowship mutually towards one anotheâ— such as mutual considering of one another c. It is here thus argued If this Sister have joined her self there in Church-Fellowship with them amongst those whom she charitably hopes may be such living Fellow-Memberâ— in Christ with her more and better suited to her Spirit in such a Church-way of Spiritual Incorporation where she has more freedom and better agreement in her 〈…〉 an more Spiritual Communion more really expressed and acted helpfulness as to Spirituals more enjoyment of the Gospel-Duties of Church-Fellowship mutually towards one another than in that Society where she was before and all this as the Inferior Material Cause of the Church then neither she non they c. But this Sister c. Therefore Another is drawn from the Formal Cause of a Church of Christ The Formal Cause or Form or * Eph. 4. 3 4. Acts 2. 41 47. 4. 32. 9. 31. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 27. 10 17. 1. 10 11. Phil. 2. 1 5. Eph. 1. 21 22 23. 3. 17. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 9. 1 Joh. 4. 13. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Eph. 5. 32. that which doth give a spirited Life Being and Motion is the uniting Spirit of the LORD enlivening the church-Church-Body and that Union of Believers in the Spirit with Christ as the Head and with and another as Fellow-Members of the same Mystical Body The Argument thus presenteth it self to be considered If the Spirit of this Sister in Experience according to the Word both were before Admission and hath been and still is since her Admission amongst such more knit and united by the Holy Spirit in Holy Spiritual Union to Christ and to these Fellow-Members where she has more of spirited Life Being and Motion than when amongst those with whom she walked in Society withal before which was broken off and taken away from her as to the quickness and comfort oâ— it as to the former Church in whose fellowship she could not any longer to any good satisfaction continue and where she had little or no expectation after much proof and long waiting to have it otherwise as the Case was circumstanced she being now made more sensible that her Spirit doth more close with and is more one in Union and Communion with the Spirit of that Church in this Church-way of Ordinances with whom she is joined and all this as the Formal Cause or Form or that which doth give a Spirited Life Being and Motion to a Church then neither she nor they c. But the Spirit of this Sister c. And therefore From the Final Cause a strong Argument may be drawn and its right words are forcible †Isa 43. 7 21. Jer. 13 11. 14. 21 Eph. 5. 26 27. 4. 11 12 13 15 16. 1 Cor. 12. 13. 10. 16 17. Luke 12. 32. 1 Cor. 14. 3 26 40. 10. 16 17. 2 Cor. 13. 10 The Final Cause or the great End or Ends for which Jehovah Aelohim has formed his Church and for which Christ gave and delivered up himself in respect of him is his Glory the Honour of his Name in the World that it may be as a Throne of his Glory the purging and cleansing of his Church and People their enjoyment of Spiritual Priviledges and Benefits purchased by the Blood of Christ their nourishing growing more up into and further perfecting in Christ their receiving more of all Spiritual Supplies from Christ their mutual Edification being built up more and more in their most holy Faith their possessing of signed sealed witnessed delivered free gracious Grants from the Father through his Son by his Spirit in the word of his Truth of Grace and at the last their everlasting Happiness in a clear sight and full enjoyment of the Heavenly Glory in his Eternal Kingdom in the better Country In the mean time the giving and receiving of Spiritual Alms Bread and Wine to hungry thirsting Souls as necessary Provision in their Voyage whilst here in the way The Argument is thus formed If this Sister after long Experience and much waiting and earnest Praying could not attain the forementioned Ends of Church-Fellowship in that way wherein she walked before whereas since she passed into Church Communion with others the LORD has graciously given her to enjoy in growing Measures much of these desired Ends and some good Beginnings as she hopes of the filling up of these in the Heavenly Country where she longeth and waiteth prayeth and prepareth to be with her LORD in the most pure and Glorious Church then neither she nor they c. But this Sister after long Experience c. Therefore Two other Arguments may be drawn from the just Right and due Property of this Sister * 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. Deut. 18. 6 7 8. The Gifts and Graces and Experiences of all the Faithful Ministers of Christ in the same City especially being one with Christ and his Word in the Faith and Order of the Gospel are a part of every Believers Portion there which they may use as their own especially when actually really more to their Ediâ—â—cation as Providence doth give opportunity From hence it is thus argued If this Sister in this have acted but as her just Right and due Property is to enjoy this part of her Spiritual Portion and if they have but done her Right in granting her what is her own as due unto her then neither she nor they c. But this Sister in this has acted c. Therefore Also from her lawful Liberty This Sister reserved a Liberty if she found in Experience that her continuing there were not to her Satisfaction and Edification that then it should be free to joyn her self to some other Church of the same Faith and Order in the main of 〈◊〉 Believers and Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers where she might be more to her Soul-profiting â— and †Rom. 13. 7 8. Prov. 3. 27
Teacher of others who much needed to have been instructed himself though he had a great Name amongst Ministers and People The Forms of Prayer were gone the Fire had turned them into Ashes He had composed many of those Forms of his own upon several Cases with great variety most Hearers could scarce discern it to be a Form of humane composure but the LORD took him at his Word and he must now trust to the assistance and inworking of the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication who has not been thus far wanting when aright depended on About seventeen years since when the Act for Vniformity came forth and the Profession of Assent and Consent and Subscriptions were required the LORD soon stated the Case and resolved the Question upon Shem's Mind and Heart not so much as to touch that unclean Constitution of humanely invented Worship and so he has continued ever since a total thorow Nonconformist though Afflictions and Persecutions have abidden him from that time After this the LORD honoured him with somewhat of a Vision in the Spirit wherein two of the choicest Revelations were made manifest to him and in him For in a very dark evening whilst a Prisoner a little before his going to his Lodging he bowing his knees in Prayer was on a sudden taken up in his Spirit as if he had been actually in Heaven This was about fourteen years ago answering somewhat to that of Paul * 2 Cor. 12. 1 4. where he had a clear view of Christ in his Glorified Humanity by an Eye of Faith He sitting in the sides of the †Iob 23. 3 4 8 9. 26. 6 7. Psal 48. 1 2 3. 75. 6 7. Isa 14. 9 15. North which was as real to him as if he had conversed with Christ personally in the flesh and it is still so when he is in a right worshiping Frame being led to him as to the one Mediator and Advocate to carry on all his Affairs in the Court above The other was ‖ 2 Cor. 13. 14. 1 Joh. 1 3 7. Mat. 28. 19. John chap. 14 15 16 17. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Ps 11 7. Their Faces or His Faces His or their Aspects See Ainsworth in loc Numb 12. 8. Heb. 6. 19. 20. 10. 19 22. A Self-evidencing view of those Glorious Appearances of Father Son and holy Spirit and distinctness of Communion with each of these in their several subsistences shining forth in the Face of Jesus This sight covered his Spirit with such a shining Light and bright Glory that their faces viewing him was such an heavenly Manifestation of unveiled Aspects as dwells with him to this hour and is more or less in every solemn Duty of Instituted Worship a guiding of his Spirit into that within the Veil whither Jesus the Fore-runner is for him entred And this has been revealed to him to be his being baptised with the holy Spirit Mat. 3. 11. Act. 1. 5. 11. 16. This Object raised him into an higher way of Later-Day-Glory-hymnifying than his former way of singing by Mens Forms read out of a Book could reach unto And thus it is through continuance of special Favour with him to this day and will ever live with him for it espoused and somewhat married his whole Man Body Soul and Spirit to each of these Three in One Jehovah * Isa 54. 5. Psa 149. 2. Job 4. 17. 35. 10. Eccles 12. 1. as to his Husbands Creators and Makers To the Father as the Father to the Son as the Son to the holy Spirit as the holy Spirit Makers Husbands Creators PAVL * Act. 26. 16 17 18 19 20. Gal. 1. 1. Eph. 1. 1. 3. 7 8. Act. 9. 15. Ro. 11. 13. 1 Tim. 2. 7. Gal. 1. 16 17 18. He had such a Call to the Office and Work of the Ministry as was not common for he was an Apostle by the Will of God and not of Men neither by Men but by Jesus Christ neither was the Gospel which was preached of this Servant of Christ according to Man for he neither received it of Man neither was he taught but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ who at that very time when he so remarkably converted Paul called him hereunto saying to him Arise and stand upon thy feet for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose To make or ordain thee a Minister and a Witness both of those things which thou hast seen and of those things in which I will appear unto thee delivering thee from the People and from the Gentiles unto whom I now send thee To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God That they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance amongst them who are sanctified by Faith that is in me Whereupon he was not disobedient unto the heavenly Vision but shewed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the Coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and do Works meet for Repentance This preaching Office he presently set about Immediatly he conferred not with Flesh and Blood neither went he up to Jerusalem to them that were Apostles before him being * 2 Cor. 11. 5. 12 11. Eph. 3 8. 1 Cor. 15. 8 9 10. 3. 5 6 7 22. nothing inferior to the chief of the Apostles yet calleth himself the least of the Apostles and an Abortive and pronounceth himself unworthy to be said to be an Apostle because he persecuted the Church of Christ He was but a Minister by whom many of the People believed yet appointed of God for those great Ends of bringing in of Sinners to Christ and of building them up in Christ that the LORD might have all the Glory for Paul was not any thing in and of himself The LORD wonderfully owning him and blessing of his Labours in such large-spreading and deep-rooted Conversions in planting of New-Testament-Churches and many other ways false Apostles and others envying and opposing of him do now call into * 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2 3. 2 Cor. 13. 3 4 5. question his Call to the Ministerial Office and Work whether it were lawful and right or not because it was not some way as theirs was which they would have imposed upon him to which he could not submit This puts him upon making of an †1 Cor 9. 3. Apology to defend and magnify his Office wherein if he were a Fool in glorying if any so thought or judged him it was chargeable on those who so compelled him thereunto that the Minds of young Converts might not be troubled nor the Work of the Gospel other ways hindred Those Arguments which among others he doth urge for the Proof of the Lawfulness of his Call were drawn from his being * Gal. 1. 15 16. So was Jeremiah ch 1. 5. So was John the Baptist Luk. 1. 15 16. So Christ and so Isaiah
Scripture-Learning and for the procuring of a more exact literal Translation of the Old-and New-Testament into our Mother-Tongue and for the more religious educating of Children in Families and in Schools and for the relieving of the Poor and for such other good Works and to enquire what may be further a Duty upon us towards the two and the ten Tribes of Judah and of Israel to help forward their Conversion as also what the Spirit has to say more particularly and especially to our Churches and to other Churches in this great Providential-day and such like publick-spirited Inquiries and all this for the promoting of the Honour of our LORD and of his Word Works and Cause the Purity and Peace of Churches and Salvation of Souls Thus through Grace and Mercy obtained from our LORD we discover and declare our readiness to joyn in with you in what is the work of our Day and Generation and so commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you and us up and to give us an Inheritance among all them who are Sanctified Shem Acher Now that Shem Acher's Ends towards the latter-day-Glory might be promoted and that Shem might prosecute so good a design in the use of all those lawful means which his Line could reach into in his place for the finishing of this part of his Testimony for Christ for the Word of Christ for the Law of his ten Words and the annexed Judicials and for the Seventh-day-Sabbath more especially whilst others were following of the King with Petition upon Petition subscribed with multitudes of Hands from Cities Towns and Counties By Shem's direction this following Address was put into the Hands of the King Honoured SIR THe Land doth tremble it is broken it shaketh the right Way and proper Method to heal its Breaches is plain and evident You have seen the Hand of the LORD stretched out against the Popish Plotters in a continued Discovery for many Months of their bloody Design If the LORD Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings would graciously give you a Heart for it and then put it into your Heart openly at the next Session of Parliament to declare that It is your full Purpose and firm Resolution in the Strength and Supplies of the Almighty God to set up the Laws of Christ in the Scriptures of Truth as the one and the only Rule of your Government for which you have their own Authority in express Words The Law of God is the Law of the Land Then will your Name be transmitted to Posterity in the English Chronicle with a Crown Royal upon it Those who honour Christ he will honour This from a mean Handmaid Elizabeth Hooker The Sabbath of my Mighty God make thou it Precious O my God of Deliverance A like Address was made by the same Advice and Hand to the King to the same Effect in answer to that loud awakening Call by that signal Blazing Star for the promoting of the same grand Design of exalting of Christ and of the Word of Christ And a third sometime after to the present Mayor of London for the like End As Paul's manner was accordingly Shem Acher in his place finding some Disciples of Christ at his first coming to live near London to do work for his LORD and for Souls they agreeing to desire him thereunto and expressing this desire to him that seeing they were a few scattered Sheep without a Shepherd not being fully then satisfied to join in Church Fellowship with any particular Church as so constituted and so walking in London they declaring their being satisfied in one another and in him that he would administer the LORD's Supper unto them which after Conference with them and divers of them having profited under his ministerial Labours and having been baptized by him accordingly he did at Bethgnal-Green in the year seventy four withal declaring both he and they that this was a providential Communion in all the Ordinances of Christ's new Spiritual House towards the latter-day-Glory so far as for the present according to our Scripture-Light they can regularly come at them and so long as the LORD should continue them somewhat near together in their Dwellings this was assented unto and agreed upon by those baptized Believers and Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers A little after this some difference in Judgment arising amongst them which Shem Acher foresaw and told it unto some a remnant of them who were more of one Mind agreed at a meeting in seventy five to own the LORD Jesus Christ to be the one and only LORD and Lawgiver to their Souls and Consciences and the Holy Scriptures of Truth as the one and only Rule of Faith Worship and Life according to which they were to judg of all their Cases Then did they pass into a Church For at that meeting upon this Agreement without any particular Church-Covenant about controverted Matter they did firmly lay all their Churchbottoming and building upon this Rock and Foundation even upon Christ and upon his Word A little before their thus passing into this Church State and Relation the two Sabbath Churches in the City desired his Labours at sometimes with them in the use and exercise of his Gifts which he consented to upon their importunity the LORD assisting him and prospering of his Labours upon the Hearts of several whose longings still encreased to enjoy more of his Ministerial Labours after that he had gathered some Disciples of Christ and was in a Church-way with them and had a distinct Meeting-place in the same City where he met with the Church and others who gave their Attendance at that Assembly where his service was accepted of the Saints so that they were mutually refreshed whereby they had in much experience a savoury taste of the Spirits of one another divers of the Brethren and Sisters of one of those two other Churches of Sabbath-keepers imparting some of their inmost Cases unto Shem Acher who has here upon this occasion a weighty Case to propound As to the Matter of Fact which is attested to be true by the whole Church who knew what doth follow with whom he doth walk Shem Acher doth suppose a Sister of another Sabbath-Church in the same City imparted this Case of her Soul unto him reporting to him that for some years she had been muâ—h oppressed in Heart distressed in Spirit broken and distempered in her bodily Constitution for want of that Spiritual Life and Liberty Purity and Peace Sweet and Satisfaction which she enjoyed not where she sat before but since she came under the Ministry of Shem her communicated Experience is that she has met with that Presence of the Holy good Spirit and of Grace sealed upon her Heart here to her Edification Comfort and Healing whereupon she desired to be in full Communion with Shem Acher and with the Friends in Church-Fellowship with him he laying this Gase in the several Circumstances of it to Heart the particulars whereof he
Saints being injurious to the Christian Churches and a Blasphemer of God of Christ God-Man and of his Truths Worship Cause Ways and Disciples suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven and he fell to the Earth and heard a Voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And he said Who art thou LORD And the LORD said I am JESVS whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kick against the Goads And he trembling and astonished said LORD What wilt thou have me to do And the LORD said unto him Arise and go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do The History of this wonderful Work he is now ready to own and to declare before Princes Priests or People where he had a Call and Opportunity preaching up that Christian Doctrine and Discipleship which but a little before he endeavoured to persecute down counting all his former self-righteousness formalworshippings creature-advantages outward Church-priviledges vain affectation of human wisdom by Philosophic Studies to be as dung and as Dogs-meat for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus his Lord for whom he suffered the loss of all things that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith And now he lays aside his old human Set-Forms and prayed in the help of the interceding Spirit Framing of such arguing Requests within him as his present Case called for Thus he who had been one of the prime of Sinners is now become one of the greatest Exalâ—ers of the Father's rich Grace and free Love of Christ's Alsufficient Satisfaction and prevailing Intercession and of the holy Spirit 's powerful gracious working SHEM ACHER The way and manner of the holy Spirit 's working upon him hath been various at several times yet in a marvelous gracious manner even from his Childhood and in his Youth oftentimes by Terror now and then by Bands of Love He lay for many years under a spirit of bondage to Fear being very often frighted in terrible Dreams wherein he fell into deep Waters the Earth sliding away from under him whilst he endeavoured to climb up to the top of an Hill or Rock for safety which he was not able to do falling over Bridges into the Sea and down from thence into the Gulph and horrible Pit though at that time he little understood that thus was the positure of the Creation as to the lowest World The Devil many times seemed to be at hand running to lay hold on him though always he escaped yet so terrified as awakened him and left cold sweats upon him yet this kept him several years in aw and held him back from many Sins Once when he was tampering about one Sin which was preparing for another Sin though he did not then actually commit either the one or the other a Voice with power smote his heart as with a Thunder-bolt from Heaven What if God should strike thee dead and damned upon the place which quickly sent him to his private Chamber and set him about Praying Reading Confessing Humbling work and at other times he was put upon Fasting thinking with himself to conquer Corruptions and Temptations too much going forth in his own strength and depending upon Duties which yet Experience told him were all too weak in this Combat without help from Christ and his Spirit At other seasons there were sweet Allurings especially upon reading the History of Christ's Life Sufferings and Death which did very much melt him into Tears and kindly affect and winningly overcome the Heart Though he dare not say as one Minister told him concerning himself he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Self-Father or his own Spiritual Father his meaning being that he was his own Converter begotten and born by that Word which he preached to others If any would have Shem to name his Father He of and by whom he was born from Above was Abi-jah Jah my Father Abi Ael the mighty God my Father Abi-hu He and the Alone my Father He. As Shem has been in the lowest World in his Spirit in the Gulph and somewhat in Hell so also there have been two more remarkable passages at special seasons when his Heart was taken into nearer union to and closer fellowship with Christ in the uppermost World The one was when solemnly and seriously setting himself to enquire into the safety of his Spiritual Estate he was held strictly to these Terms That he must burn his Papers with his own Hand and his former Collections out of humane Authors of Philosophical Learning wherein much of that which was corrupt was heaped together amongst a little somewhat that was true and good and that he must begin as it it were Religion and all anew and take all from Christ and from his Word purely and only with a Promise That then he should be better taught and not lose any thing that was useful of what he knew before and should have a better and richer stock given in About which time it was clearly revealed to him and in him by a passage in an Author who so opened that word in 2 Tim. 3. 16. The whole Scripture which the English Translation doth render All Scripture that for the whole and every part of his Religion in all Doctrine and Duties he must take the whole Scripture along with him both Old and New Testament to be for him where-ever the holy Spirit doth take occasion to â—reat of any such particular subject-matter which Word-Rule in the harmoniousness and uniformness or oneness of it throughout has been of singular unexpressible usefulness to him ever since in this Age of growing Light This put him to a kind of offering up his Isaac But Jehovah his Aelohim framed his Heart to it and he readily answered the Call and sacrificed with his own hand in the Flames several years Labours of great value in the esteem of some for he had still an industrious mind trying many ways of heaping up Learning but was not set right till now And from that day to this he has found the LORD True and Good as his Word so that he can say to the praise of this God of all Grace and Mercy That scarce one week for many years has passed over him without some special Teachings the holy Spirit opening some Scripture or other before him and then opening the Eyes of his Understanding to take in the light and meaning thereof of which he has gathered much and it is laid up by him as his rich Treasure in and under Christ yea it is a very black night and dark day with him if there be any one such whole natural day in any one week wherein there is not somewhat of this All the Glory be to Jehovah Aelohim But how now what shall be done to carry on Preaching and Praying Work for he was a
Christ in two Generations had been utterly extinct However the Case was with Paul Shem Acher has been very unkindly and injuriously dealt withal about his Marriage with Gnezri-jah When he with some other Ministers had the Honour to be so many years the LORD's Prisoner at Dorchester it came upon and into the Heart of Gnezri-jah from the time of his and their first Confinement to be as a common Stewardess and Nurse to make and bring in Provision of Food and of other outward Necessaries for them her Spirit and Soul being much drawn forth in Compassion towards the LORD's suffering Servants in fellow-feeling of their Hardships and with great longings after the daily enjoyment of Communion with Father Son and holy Spirit by the LORD's Blessing upon his and others Ministerial Labours at which time â—ho she then had an aged Mother to maintain she did pinch and straiten her self in diet and other-ways to serve and be helpful unto those Ministers which was afterwards understood by Shem Acher and considered by him After some time the other Ministers having obtained their Liberty Shem Acher's Imprisonment was continued for several years all which time this Gnezri-jah was a succourer of him and did continue friendly faithful to him in all his Temptations and was very useful not only to him but also to many other of the Prisoners in divers cases When he was set free his Heart was engaged to preach the Gospel abroad and having need of help Gnezri-jah sometimes travelled with him This being envied and maligned by some to prevent or remove any occasion of Scandal or offence he declared unto some of the Church that he was willing to take Gnezri-jah to him for a Wife according to the Word she being every way the fittest for him she being a Sister in the same way of Church-Fellowship and a Virgin modest and chast many ways look'd upon as excelling almost all of her Sex in the whole Town of Dorchester for Humility Patience Mortifiedness Diligence Faithfulness Zeal and such Commendablenesses as these in the Judgment of all spiritual Discerners who had any intimate acquaintance with her and she having undergone so many Hardships and Difficulties for him and after so many years experience of her fittedness for such a Yoke-fellowship Shem Acher married her When this was made known the Tempter bestirred himself and set some upon opening of their mouths both against him and her that he had married one who had been a kind of Servant to him one much beneath him for Birth a poor Maid without a Portion which was so odiously and unjustly aggravated and spread abroad by some who should have been more friendly both he and she before then and since having been friendly unto them that his Ministry was in a great measure rendred much useless and successless in those Parts which purpose of Marriage a little after compleated together with the Advice of several of the Friends in Fellowship with him to publish a Treatise in the Defence of the Cause of the Seventh-Day-Sabbath was somewhat of the occasion both of his coming to and continuing near and in the City of London Thus must any thing a little colourable serve for a Charge against Shem Acher who has met with a passage in Clarks Lives where he makes mention of a Commendable Act of one Minister of Christ who having bin helped by a mean Handmaid a Virgin during his sore Imprisonment for the Gospel's sake when he was set at Liberty thought he could no other way so requite her as by marrying of her This is recorded to the praise of that Minister but if Shem Acher do the same it must be look'd upon by many as a Scandal and Crime in him As for a Portion he prizeth Grace at a very low rate who doth not really in a case of competition esteem and prefer it above and beyond many Bags of Earthly Treasure And altho Shem Acher might possibly have had several Thousands with another Woman where there was not such a suitableness in other respects yet it was a sweet sensible Evidence upon his Heart in his Conscience about that time that being closely held to that †Psal 119. 72 127. Scripture-term he readily complied with it and conformed to it in the strength and supplies of the holy Spirit The Law of thy mouth O Jehovah is better unto me than Thousands of Gold and of Silver Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Shem Acher having an Annuity of Fourscore pounds by the year setled upon him during his Life This provided Food convenient and other outward Necessaries for him and out of the rest he was ready to distribute out of the Decimation and otherwise to the Necessities of others proportionably as far as it would go so that now after twenty years or more enjoyment of that Annuity he has not laid up one shilling out of that Means if he die before Gnezri-jah what he has to leave her is mostly his Study of Books and some Houshold-stuff They have not wanted Conveniencies since they came together neither shall either of them want when they are parted asunder by Death for they have Bonds by gracious Covenant under the Hand and Seal of the faithful God to be cared and provided for But Shem Acher not having an Estate to settle any Jointure upon a Wife if she survived he never had any considerable Proffer made him neither did ever meet with any pure Virgin so every way a meet help for him The common corrupt practice amongst many of the Gentry being to settle almost all their Estate upon their Eldest Son which has brought a Curse upon and has bin the Ruin of many Antient and Honorable wealthy Families the LORD in the way his Providence frowning upon such an unscriptural distribution He allowing a * Deut. 21. 17. double portion of their Father's Goods to the First-born whereas younger-Brothers are often put off with some small Allowance to keep them alive This Shem Acher doth mention not at all out of discontent at his Allotment for he doth write as he hath long experienced that his Annuity is the wisest and best Portion and Provision for him it bringing in unto him a Competency and discharging him from Worldly Cares and Earthly Incumbrances all his labour about this being once a Quarter to receive Twenty pounds and to give an Acquittance Only he brings in here this Testimony against the fore-mentioned common corrupt Practice As for Gnezri-jah's Family and Relations An ancient Justice of Peace did declare that her Grandfather was one of the First who appeared for a Reformation against the Superstitions and other Corruptions of the Times to the endangering of his Liberty and Life and that he and a Kinsman of his did lend one hundred pounds to Mr. White of Dorchester for his encouragement who was one of the first and foremost and forwardest of all the Puritane-Ministers in the West publickly by Preaching and otherwise
is not willing to insist upon as being loth to exasperate the Spirits of any concerned imparted it to the Friends in Gospel-Fellowship who upon due consideration and serious deliberation unanimously received her into Church-Communion the healing comforting Effects whereof were quickly felt in her Spirit Soul and Body too through Grace Upon this Case as to the Matter of Right ariseth this Question Whether under these Circumstances either this Sister in so coming off from that former Church or the Church with Shem Acher in so receiving of her have sinned and transgressed the Laws and Rules of Christ That neither she nor they are under Guilt in this Matter Shem Acher and the Friends with him do give these following Scripture-Arguments and Reasons bottomed upon Scripture-Grounds and Testimonies One Argument is drawn from the Principal Efficient Cause of a Church who is Jehovah Aelohim He it is * Psal 100. 3 102. 18. 149 â—2 Isa 43. 1 7 15 21. 44. 2 21 24. 51. 13. 54. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Psal 47. 2. Acts 20. 28. Zech. 2. 8. Rev. 2. 1. Isa 27. 2 3. Deut. 32. 28. Isa 43. 1. 63. 16. Act. 20. 21. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 5. 25 26 27 29 30. Col. 1. 14. Heb. 13. 20. Rev. 1 5 6 17 18 19 20. 5. 9. 14. 4. Prov. 9. 1. Mat. 16 18 19. Heb. 3. 3 4 6. who createth and maketh a Church He calleth it purchaseth iâ— He feeds it he loves it as the Apple of his Eye He walketh in the midst of it He protecteth it He doth all things for it He dwelleth there He formeth and frameth it He is the Father of it As the Father and his Son and Holy Spirit is thus to his Church so also is Christ the Mediator the Redeemer of his Church its Saviour Deliverer Purchaser Buyer Builder To this Jehovah Aelohim she has * 2 Cor. 8. 5. given up her self which is the Primary Chief and Special Relation on which all higher Church-Communion and Fellowship is firmly and principally founded it is to supersede and over-rule all secondary meaner commoner and subservient Relations on which all lower Brotherly and Sisterly Communion and Fellowship is more remotely subordinately and less principally founded No after-inconsiderate-Obligation to any People can take away a former higher Obligation whereby a right doth accrew to another especially this other being the Supreamest over all The Argument runs thus If Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit if the LORD Jesus Christ God-Man who is the principal Efficient Cause of his Church who createth it and maketh it c. If he have this way evidently disposed of her where she may most and best honour and enjoy him in all Church-Ordinances and Church-Administrations according to Word-Rule she having thus given up her self to him in a primary chief and special Relation then neither she nor we are under Guilt so far in this Matter But Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit the LORD Jesus Christ God-Man who is the Principal Efficient Cause of his Church who createth it and maketh it c. has this way evidently disposed of her where she may most and best honour and enjoy him in all Church-Ordinances and Church-Administrations according to the Word-Rule she having thus given up her self to him in a primary chief and special Relation And Therefore neither she nor they are under Guilt so far in this Matter Another drawn from the Instrumental Efficient Cause of the Church of God which is * 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 26. Col. 1. 2 7. Acts 2. 41 47 4. 4. 5. 14. 6. 1 7. 8. 4 12. 9. 31. â—1 21 24. 13 49. 14. 1. 16. 5. 17. 4 12 34. 18. 4 8. 19. 19 20. 20. 28. Mat. 24. 45. Joh. 21. 1â— 16 17. Act. 20 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Pet. 51 5. both sound Doctrine grounded firmly upon the Word and faithfully Preached by which the Church is born and propagated and also the Minister or Ministers of Christ who preach this sound Doctrine and do administer in the Church who do feed the Church who oversee it who watch over it who rule and discipline it who pray for it and such like They argue thus If this Sister have put her self in the same City under such sound Doctrine grounded firmly upon the Word faithfully preached and under such a Ministry which is the instrumental Cause of a Church of Christ where she has wholesome Food more proper and suited to her Cases by which she is better nourished is every way more advantaged more profited better cared and provided for in all Spirituals as to a Church-State-and-Relation for Doctrine Worship Discipline and Conversation having all instituted Ordinances more fitted to her Spiritual State Frame Acting and Appetite her Soul-cases more directly spoken unto there being more of a sweet Spiritual Accord in Principles and other ways between her Spirit and the present Church with whom she walketh which she could not for several years so enjoy in the other Society then neither she nor they are undeâ— Guilt so far in this Matter But this Sister c. Therefore Another is drawn from the Material Cause * Eph 1. 22. 4. 15 16. 5. 23. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Heb. 2. 15 16 17 18 4. 4. 15 16. Rom. 8 9 11 14. Eph. 4. 3 4 5 6. Song of Songs throughout Isa 33. 22. Eph. 5. 23. Joh. 10. 14 Heb. 3 6. 10 21 â—2 or 11. 2. Eph 4 4 15 16. ver 11 12 13. Mat. 11. 20. 28. 18 19 20. The LORD Jesus Christ is the supream Head of his Church the material Cause of the Church of the same Nature partaker of the same Flesh and Blood with all the living Members of his Church made like him in all except Sin the same holy Spirit who is in Christ refideth in the Church and in all and every of the regenerated Members thereof who by this Spirit are united to Christ animated ensouled by this Spirit from this Christ doth flow all Spiritual Life and Motion to his Church he is by far more excellent than the Church he has the Empire and Government over the Church he gives Laws to the Church he is the Saviour of it he doth acknowledg it and is acknowledged by it he is indissolubly united to it by the strongest closest Bond no other besides him is Head of the Church he is the Husband of it he fitly joyns the Members of it together into one Body he doth gift the Church and its Officers he is always present with it having all Authority and Power in Heaven and on Earth given to him for these holy good Purposes It is here thus argued If Christ in all this have so framed inclined and led this Sister and accordingly she have in all this thus submiâ—ted unto Christ in the fittest and
many ten thousands of Believers as the Greek doth expresly affirm at Jerusalem tho the English Translation doth not so render it Act. 21. 17 20. And the more General Appellation of the Temple doth sometimes in some places include the Synagogues so was the Tabernacle called There were Synagogues in Damascus There were Churches in Judea and Galilee and Samaria There were several Preachers Prophets Teachers in Antioch a City of Syria too many to be confined only to one Congregation whom those of the Church in that City might hear as they most could profit especially was it thus in Jerusalem There were Synagogues at Salamis a City in Cyprus In every City of Judea they had their Synagogues where was Reading and Preaching every Sabbath Day There were Churches in Syria and in Cilicia At Corinth there was a Church and another at Cencrea which belonged to Corinth And this Church at Corinth the Believers and Saints in Church-fellowship there are highly commended by Paul for first giving up of themselves to the LORD Christ to be wholly his in all things to be ruled by his Will and Law and then under Him unto his faithful Ministers so far as these did guide them by the Scripture-Rule according to Christ's Will therein not only those Ministers of Christ who were more particularly related to some Church there not only to Apollos or some one or two more but also to Paul Cephas Barnabas Timothy Titus Sylvanus or any other such providentially teaching there they all doing the same work and being Workers together therein 1 Cor. 1. 12. 3. 4 9 22. 16. 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 6. 1. 5. 18 19 20. 8. 16 24. 12. 12 18. 2 Cor. 8. 5. There were more Ministers than one at Corinth is clear from 1 Cor. 14. 23-32 This with more of the like Collections from Scripture might be improved to great and good uses when the Churches shall be in a spirit and frame for it At present they thus argue from hence If Shem Acher and those with him have received into Church-fellowship this Sister according to the forementioned Precepts and Precedents by Scripture-Warrants and Rules Then neither She nor They c. But Shem Acher and those with him c. Therefore Thus have they made it appear by many solid Arguments that they have not done without great Causes and weighty Reasons what they have done in the Case of this Sister If any will be returning an Answer it is desired and expected that he would according to what he sees here before him first set down the Scriptures and then argue from those Scriptures They have brought in their Testimony for their LORD in this matter He having given Authority to his Officers for the Edification of his Churches and People and not for their Destruction They can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth They love the Truth and Peace they pursue Holiness and would have their All to be done in Love in that Love which is of God and is brotherly and unfeigned 2 Cor. 10. 8 10. 13. 8 11. Rom. 15. 4 7. Zech. 8. 19. Heb. 12. 14. 1 Cor. 16. 14. PAVL * 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. Act. 26. 9 10 11. 1 Tim. 14 15 16 17. Act. 9. chap. 22. chap. 26. Eph. 3. 7 8 9 10 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 15. 8 9 10. Consider well the History of the Acts of the Apostles and the several Epistles of Paul Eph. 3. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 12. chap. throughout 2 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. 1. Cor. 15. 10. 2. Cor. 12. 11 12. Phile. v. 9. Phil. 3. 7 21. 2 Tim. 4 6 7 8. He had sound good Evidences and Assurances of his happy State in saving sanctifying Grace Altho in the days of his Unregeneracy he had been one of the Prime of Sinners yet he lived to be one of the most eminent Exalters of free Grace and most serviceable Instruments in Christ's hand of any meer Man that ever lived yet he in great Humility acknowledged himself less than the least of all Saints O what a Name of Honour has he in Scripture-Records for his Doings and Sufferings for Christ How much did he commend himself to every Man's Conscience in the sight of God having this to be his rejoycing the Testimony of his own Conscience that in Simplicity and Sincerity according to God not in fleshly Wisdom but in the Grace of God he had had his Conversation in the World being confident that he had a good Conscience behaving himself well in all things Well nigh about one third part of the New Testament is an Historical Narration concerning him who tho he were so singularly eminent and so growingly excelling in edifying Gifts and in sanctifying Graces and in extraordinary usefulness even to old Age to the very last yet still forgetting those things that were behind he reached forth unto those things that were before pressing toward the Mark for the Price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus having his Citizenship in Heaven calling upon others to be Followers together of him and to mark them who walk so as they had him for an ensample so far as he followed Christ who when he had fought a good Fight finished his Course and kept the Faith passed triumphingly into Glory being well assured that there was laid up for him a Crown of Righteousness which the LORD the righteous Judg would give him at that day SHEM ACHER If towards the close of this Narrative any serious Enquirer do desire to be satisfied concerning his Spiritual State that no trouble may remain upon their Heart and Mind to hinder their profiting under his Ministry the God of all Mercy of all Grace and of all Consolation has treasured up much in the Heart of Shem Acher as matter of self-emptying and of Soul-humbling yet withal of exalting of Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit of advancing of Christ that All-wonderful one God-Man How unsearchably rich has this Grace how admirably free has this Love been A Spiritual Discerner may gather much together by way of Evidence out of the foregoing History of Shem Acher's Life one more eminent Passage whereof he would here revive in the Memory because it has been one of the most eminent excelling Experiences of his whole Life when his more thorow Conversion by way of Spiritual Espousals had such clear full satisfactory self-Evidence in it as shines in his inner Man to this very hour altho he had somewhat of it before It is that shining Manifestation of those glorious Appearances of Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Heavenly Glory to Shem Acher's Spirit and of the LORD Jesus Christ as to his glorified Humanity and the seed of it in the North above this blew visible Expanse the opening of which Mystery may hold forth a Scripture-Light for the guiding of others in their turning to the LORD covenanting with him and being espousingly united to
him for it is where seriously throughly and discerningly performed one of the most solemn Actions in this World As to a Covenanting with the LORD On the part of Jehovah * Deut. 29. 10 14. 30 1 2 3. 26. 16 19. Ps 110. 3. He sets his Faces before the convinced Sinner who is now about to turn unto him He shews his readiness to pass into a Covenant-State and Relation with the returning Sinner Jehovah makes gracious Offers and precious Promises to such a returning Soul upon certain equal Terms if it voluntarily by his enabling and making willing thereunto choose and approvingly agree to and readily close with those Terms He declares to such a Soul that it will be accursed if it either refuse this Offer or be falshearted in its profession of Assent and Consent to these Terms He raiseth up and establisheth the Soul in some great expectation of receiving some special Good from Jehovah He shews himself forward to take such a Soul to himself and to acknowledg such a one for one of his own peculiar People Jehovah engageth to be a God to such a Soul if the returning Sinner give in the supplies of the Holy Spirit unfeigned Assent and Consent to all this so equal a Proposal so every way for the covenanting Convert's Good He refers this reâ—urning Sinner as to what Jehovah hath spoken to his own Conscience for all this He confirms all these Offers and Promises to such a Soul by Oath Jehovah sits upon the Throne of his Grace expecting an answer from this returning Sinner unto all this On the returning Sinners part This Soul sets it self before the Faces of Jehovah Upon serious deliberation this returning Sinner is by a day of Christ's Power upon it made willingness voluntarily to choose and readily to like all the Terms of this Covenant of Grace This Soul passeth over actually into Covenant with Jehovah and acknowledgeth him for its God This covenanting Soul submits to the justness of the threatning Curse if the Soul be false-hearted unfaithful in this Covenant The Soul is made sensible of Jehovah's great Kindness in making so free and gracious an Offer to it The covenanting Convert doth present give and resign up his whole Self Body Soul and Spirit to this Jehovah to be wholly one of his altogether and only at his Command Will and Disposal The Soul believingly particularly applyeth this Jehovah to it self as its own God in Covenant This Soul takes this Jehovah at his own Saying being well persuaded that his Word so confirmed by his Promise and Oath which are two immutable things is true concerning all this and upon this Word bottometh its Faith and adventureth it Self its Salvation it s All. This covenanting Convert expecteth that Jehovah will make good all this and fulâ—â—l and acomplish it in a Scripture-way as his Word is The Soul is duly humbled under all this going out of it self off from all meer Creatures and away from all dependance on any Duty it doth perform to receive all its Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption from the Father freely through Christ purchasingly by the Holy Spirit in workingly giving all the Glory to Jehovah Aelohim resolving in his Strength to know keep and do all the Words of this Covenant Somewhat of the manner of Spiritual Espousing at that remarkable time of inward Vision and Revelation was thus Shâ—m Acher having a distinct view by an Eye of Faith in a more than ordinary way and manner of the Father as the Father of the Son as the Son of the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit did orderly pass being helped from on High thereunto and assisted therein into a distinct mutualness of such solemn Contract between him and every one of these which took up some time in his particular application severally to each from that Scripture Isa 54. 5. Thy Husbands thy Maker Jehovah Aelohim so commending Himself his Beauty his Goodness his every-way Amiableness and Loveliness to Shem Acher's choise so utterly altogehter unworthy of such an unexpressible Favour in such a way of condescending Grace drawing Shem's Heart with such Bands of a Man and such Cords of Love in working and outcalling such answerable Affections from him towards each of them and so knitting and uniting his very Heart and Soul to every one as his Tongue cannot utter the whole of he had rather leave the rest to the admiring Meditations of experienced Believers who have in any good growing measures felt and enjoyed the same than to expose any more of this at present to publick view Only so it was that Jehovah himself approved of what then passed between him and Shem the sealing witness whereof was never wholly withdrawn since that time to this day but still abides and lives there tho he have been exercised with many humbling Providences buffeting Temptations boistrous Corruptions blasphemous Suggestions and distressing Cases since that signal Honour The LORD hath since that Contract all along provided for Shem as for one wedded to him and the espousing knot between them is declared indissoluble He doth not by this say that the LORD was never graciously at work upon his Heart before for he has brought in some other Testimonies for that in some choice Experiences before this more eminent Favour and Honour tho for several years in his younger time the work were more from a Spirit of Bondage to Fear as has also been expressed one time more especially when upon Fasting and Prayer as he remembers being under the Terrors of the LORD he was summoned to appear before the Bar of God's Justice to answer unto such Charges as were to be brought in against him which were so many so heinous and criminal that seeing himself before the actual passing of the Sentence condemned in the Court of the transgressed Law in the Court of Divine Justice and in the Court of his own guilty Conscience he was close and home put unto it Whether he would submit to the Sentence of the Judg were it for everlasting Condemnation by an Act of Justice or for Eternal Salvation by an Act of Grace and Mercy and whether he would acknowledg God to be just and righteous therein if he should condemn him by an irreversible Sentence to be deservedly miserable Those whoever were thus exercised cannot but apprehend what Horrours and Fears did now surprize and overwhelm Shem Acher yet was it not long before the Holy Spirit framed him to such a submission and acknowledgment which with Tears and broken Language he expressed and declared and so threw himself all along with his Mouth in the Dust as at the Feet of his Judg not knowing at first whether he should be struck dead and damned upon the place or not But the LORD quickly after pronouncing how justly Shem had deserved to be cursed for ever yet that Christ was made a Curse for him and presently an Act of Grace in the free and full forgiveness of his many and great