his utter Enemies And this also was foretold by Simeon Luke 2. Where he saith that by the coming of Christ in his word the thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed and then that unbelief and enmity against Christ that before lay hid is discovered and brought forth by the Preaching of the Word as we have seen heretofore and still see by daily experience And for this cause also they are offended 5. They are offended at the true Word because everywhere so 5. Because so few entertain it few entertain it and embrace it As when Christ himself preached there were very few in all Iudea and Ierusalem that entertained his Doctrine and though sometimes many thronged to hear him yet at another time they were so offended at his Doctrine that they all forsook him so that Christ said to the twelve Iohn 6. Will ye also go away Now this makes many to be offended at the true Word that when it comes to any town or people the far greater part should reject it and speak evil of it and they for the most part the greatest wisest and learnedst men and that only a few poor and contemptible people should receive it this also exceedingly offends 6. And lastly They are offended because the true Word of Christ 6. Because it occasions troubles where it comes in any evidence and demonstration of the Spirit brings Troubles Tumults Stirs and Vproars in the VVorld ac to that of Christ Mat. 10. 34. I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law For the true word of Christ is such a sword as cuts in sunder all Natural and Civil relations and takes away the peace of any place where it comes in power Christ saith also Luke 12. 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled This fire that Christ sends is the word in the ministration of the spirit of which the Lord saith by the Prophet is not my word as fire and this word comes to burn up all the corrupt Manners Fashions Customes Yea all the lusts and sins of the world and all the Antichristian Doctrine and formes of worship in the outward Church And when this fire begins to burn anywhere presently all the people are in an uproar and lay all their heads and use all their hands together to quench it So that where-ever the true word comes the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take councel together against it and say Let us break these bonds in sunder and cast away these cords from us which no flâ—sh and blood especially the Rich Wise Learned Honourable would endure to be bound in Now this exceedingly offends For say they before this kind of word came in all things were better and more quiet Under Episcopacy The world say before the Gospel came all things were quiet all things were wel and in good order But since this new Doctrine came in all things are full of trouble mischief wars and death and therefore they reckon this word the cause of all the evils we have and do endure But yet the cause of all these tumults are not truly in the word The word is not properly the cause of these Tumults but by accident but in the world and in the Devil Christ he will have his Christians to publish his word and thereby to gather together his elect unto him now the World and the Devil the Prince of it will not suffer this to be done quietly and hence arise all tumults The Devil who hath the first possession of the world would have all things quiet that he might keep his possession but Christ will not suffer it to be so but he will have all those whom his Father hath given him out of the Devils possession by the might and efficacy of his word but the Devil will not endure that this should be done quietly but stirs us all the World against the word And so where ever the word comes in truth there are alwayes troubles and uproares but where the word is preached and the world is quiet that for certain is not the true word of God Wherefore the dull and drousie Divinity of Synods and Schools The ordinary Divinity of the Schools is none of Christs Word cannot be the true word of Christ for that meets with no opposition and contradiction at all from the World or worldly Church it meets with no enemies and avengers amongst them but it is rather praised and embraced and honoured with degrees and Scarlet and the Professors and Publishers of it are in credit with men and worldly Powers and receive from them riches honour and quiet life whereas the true Doctrine of Christ can never be published without the offence of the world And thus much for their offence at the true word of Christ 3. They are offended at his true Worship 3. At his true Worship For Christ under the New-Testament hath instituted a New-Worship and this the World and worldly Church are also greatly offended at Because this Worship is wholly spiritual and hath nothing carnal Because it is Spiritual De instituendo cultu notanda est haec regula Sine Spiritu Sancto non est suscipienda ulla ratio aut modus colendi Dei Luther in c. 35. Gen. Cultus Dei principaliter vere consistit non in externis operibus sed in fide spe dilectione Dei. Luth. in cap. 25. Gen. in it but consists altogether of Grace and truth according to that of Christ Ioh. 4. 23. The hour cometh saith He and now is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth and there is no worship in truth but that which is in Spirit And Paul saith of true believers Phil. 3. 2. we are the Circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh Now this spiritual VVorship stands in Faith Hope and Love whereby our old nature is mortified and we bring forth spiritual fruit unto God and to our brother And this Worship of the New-Testament being wholly spiritual is free from Time Place and Person as all spiritual things are and so at all times and in all places alike this worship may be performed by all persons alike who are true believers And so accordingly do all true believers at all times and in all places alike believe in God and trust in him and fear him and love him and delight in him and speak good of his name and also do good to their brother in Instructing Teaching Exhorting Comforting him and Helping him as freely as Christ hath
THE Stumbling-Stone OR A Discourse touching that offence which the World and Worldly Church do take against 1. Christ Himself 2. His true Word 3. His true Worship 4. His true Church 5. His true Government 6. His true Ministry Wherein the UNIVERSITY is reproved by the WORD of GOD. Delivered partly to the University-Congregation in Cambridge partly to another in the same Town Together with A brief touch in the Epistle for the present on the late quarrelsom weak and erroneous Animadversions of one Mr. Chambers called Doctor in Divinity and Pastor of Pewsy in Wiltshire By William Dell Minister of the Gospel and Master of Gonvil and Caius Colledge in Cambridge Mihi plane omnium jucundissima facies ista in rebus est videre ob verbum Dei studia dissentiones fieri is enim est Verbi Dei cursus casus eventus nam dicit non veni pacem mittere sed gladium Luther LONDON Printed by R. W. for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1653. To the Reader HEre I present thee with this Discourse which met with such notable Opposition and Contradiction from the Vniversity of Cambridge to whom it was delivered and also from such of the Town then present who are baptized into the University spirit And yet every point of this Doctrine will appear to spiritual men to be the Word and Truth of God and if need shall require I can yet more fully prove it to be so by the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles and by the Doctrine of Christ himself the Head of both and that against not only One but All Universities and also against the Gates of Hell and Powers of darkness And by this gross Opposition against the plain Gospel thou maist judge and discern that this Vniversity which hath beeen counted one of the Eyes of the Nation SEEING SEES NOT and which hath been counted a Fountain of Knowledge and good Learning HEARING HEARS NOT NEITHER UNDERSTANDS Whereby we may conceive that gray Haâ—rs are upon it and that the time of its departure is near except it REPENT I had thought also at this time to have given a farther Testimony for Jesus against the Mysterie of iniquity which hath hitherto prevailed in the Ecclesiastical State and in the Vniversities the Head and Heart of it but that this work under my hands multiplied into too great a Proportion for an Epistle And also because I intend to add threunto my Testimony against that Mysterie of Iniquity which hath hitherto also prevailed in the civilState Antichrist having with his deceivableness of unrighteousness seduced and deluded both ever since the Reign of Constantine And this twofold Testimonie through Grace given and hoped to be given I intend very shortly to publish For I Judge it most necessary for the true Church to be acquainted herewith especially after so many of the Seals have been opened and also seeing the time of the Restitution of all things makes haste upon us and we hope is even at the doors Wherefore we continually intreat that the Arm of the Lord would awaken and put on strength not only as in Ancient times and in the days of old but more also to wit as his Spirit by his Prophets hath foretold he will do in the last time when he will reveal his Arm for Christ and his seed in his greatest Might and Glory And let the Remembrancers of the Lord not keep silence till the cursed Kingdom of Antichrist with all its Religion Works Duties Doctrines counterfeit Law and Gospel false Clergy false Church false Power and Jurisdiction or Discipline false Ordinances and false all things be utterly overcome with the Spirit of Christs mouth and the Brightness of his coming And till the true spiritual Church that through Faith Hope and Love lives out of this World and the Elements thereof in the Kingdom of Gods dear Son be made an Eternal Excellency and the Ioy of Generations and till they who have afflicted it and domineered over it be made to come humbly bending to it and to lick the dust of its feet as the Lord hath promised Farther I thought good at this time to advertise thee of the Animadversions of Mr. Humfry Chambers called Doctor in Divinity and Pastor of Pewsy in the County of Wilts on a discourse published by me entituled The Crucified and quickned Christian In which Animadversions as he calls them after Mr. Christopher Loves Example who was one of his Forerunners in this opposition to the Truth he hath Doctor-like contradicted the manifest Truth and the very Substance Marrow and Mysterie of the Gospel which being made void which yet is impossible as to the true Church there would be neither true Righteousness nor Life nor Redemption nor Salvation nor the true Christ nor the true God in Christ left remaining to Believers All which I make account in due time to make appear by the Scriptures for I allow no Doctrine that is not according Christ is the only Law-giver and the Spirit is the only Law Interpreter to the Doctrine of Christ and the writings of his Apostles and Prophets which are a most sure and infallible word if they be understood according to Christs mind and not according to Mans. Now when I read those Animadversions I found them very Captious Slight Weak and grosly erroneous and somewhat like the Animadversions of the Sorbonists on some of Luthers writings And this hath not been my Judgement only but also it hath been represented to me from godly and understanding Christians that this great undertaking of this Doctor is judged such by them that it deserves no more Refutation his Animadversions compared only with the Discourse it self being sufficiently for ever already confuted by it And truly I cannot but bless God who hath given his Truth so weak an Enemy and Error and Darkness so weak a Patron But by this the true Church may judge also what a sad Ministry these poor Nations have received from Antichrists Ordination when the chief Doctors the very Scribes and Pharisees among the Clergy do not know the very first Principles of the Gospel in any spiritual light or by any Teaching from God but all their cold faint and uncertain Doctrine they scrape from Fathers and Schoolmen and from other Ordinary Systemes of Divinity without any presence of Faith or anointing of the Spirit whereby all their Doctrine becomes carnal and corrupt and contrary to Christs mind and agreeable to Antichrists So that I cannot choose but conclude with John Hus THAT ALL THE CLERGY MUST BE QUITE TAKEN AVVAY ERE THE Ioan. Hus libr. de vita Reg. Antichrist cap. 37. CHURCH OF CHRIST CAN HAVE ANY TRUE REFORMATION Another thing hath happened in this matter which makes me wonder and that is that those few Shreds of weakness and Error published by Mr. Chambers should be so honourably licensed by so famous a Divine as the present Vicechancellor of
Oxford a man of such excellent Mr. Owen Learning and Judgement But truly such Doctrine deserved such a License that something at least might make it considerable Whereas the true Doctrine of Christ the Word of Faith the Word of the Kingdom hath a standing License from Jesus Christ and comes upon the World as the Rain and Dew without asking Prodiit ex adipe iniquitas eorum transierunt in affectum cordis leave of Man or the Son of Man But great Places are greatly dangerous to those whose Faith is not stronger then their form And so I leave this also to the Wisdom and Judgement of our Lord Jesus Christ into whose hands God hath given all things Christian acquaint thy self much with the Word of God and be much in the prayer of Faith for some of the Angels are preparing to sound the Last Trumpets and to pour out the Last Vials on the very Seat and Throne of the Beast and we hope ere long to hear that shout of Triumph in the Spiritual Church Babylon is faln is faln is faln and is now become the Habitation of Devils and unclean Spirits which before was the Habitation of Hypocrites and false Christians yet covered over with all the most glorious shews of Religion and Holiness that the Deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness could put upon them And now if thou please read on and let the Spiritual man judge who judgeth all things William Dell. The stumbling Stone Math. 11. ver 6. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me THese words are the conclusion of Christs Answer to that Question which John the Baptist Iohns Question propounded to him by two of his Disciples himself being in prison the Question was this Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Now it is much disputed whether John Some say Iohn did not ask it for his own sake himself did at this time doubt of Christ or no and several men give in several Opinions which I shall not now stand to recite but all almost both Antient and Modern do conclude that John propounded this Question to Christ not that he himself did now doubt whether Christ were the true Messias or no seeing He had before given so clear a Testimony to Christ that he was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world and had also Baptized him with water and had seen at that time the Heavens opening and the Spirit of God as a Dove descending and resting on Christ and had heard the Fathers own voice saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Wherefore they say that John himself could not possibly after all this doubt of Christ and therefore that he did not propound this Question to him by his Disciples But for his Disciples for his own sake but for Theirs that they who before had envied Christ for their Masters sake and would rather have had John to have been the Messias then him might now be assured and fully instructed touching Christ from Christ Himself Thus they But for my part I do conceive that Iohn did propound this The Authors judgement Question to Christ for his own sake rather then for his Disciples For though when he lived in peace and freedom he had a clear Revelation from the Father touching the Son by the Spirit and had accordingly cleerly spoken of Christ to others yet now being in Prison and Bonds and neer unto death he is brought by great Tribulation and Temptation to doubt of all that Truth which before he had been taught of God and even to question whether Christ were the true Christ or no For thought he If he be the true Christ why doth he not send Redemption to me who suffer for his sake but suffer me thus to perish whilst he might help me if he be the Christ and if he work Miracles for others as I hear he doth why doth he wholly neglect me who have given such an honourable Testimony to the world of him And truly brethren we know not vvhat place or power the Tribulation our trial Gospel of God our Saviour hath in us till Tribulation come and so much of the true knowledge of Christ and of true faith in Christ we have indeed as we have strength in such hours That truth which we confess freely in Prosperity we are fain to begin to learn it again in Tribulation and Tribulation makes us learn the Truth over again the second time it makes us to learn that in Experience which before we had learned only in Doctrine And how hard a matter it is to hold fast in Trouble that Truth Hard to hold fast truth in Trouble which we well know and freely profess in Prosperity we may see not only in John the Baptist who being in Prison doubted whether Christ were the true Christ after he had been so clearly taught him by God and his Spirit and had so plainly confessed him but also in the Disciples of Christ who though they had heard all his Doctrine and seen all his works and had confessed him to be Christ the Son of the living God yet when the High-Priests were inraged and the People in an uproar and when they beheld the Swords and the Staves and Christ was apprehended and themselves in danger they were all offended at him and fled Yea we may see it in Christ himself who though the Father had testified touching him three times from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son c. Yet when his suffering drew near he exceedingly feared and was amazed and astonished and on the Cross cried out aloud my God my God why hast thou forsaken me ☜ My brethren no man knows the grievousness and efficacy of Tribulation and the weakness and frailty of Humane Nature but they who have had experience of both but this is the comfort of the faithfull that that knowledge of Christ and the Gospel which God hath taught us and we have heard and learned from him will certainly endure and hold out throughout all the greatest and longest storms of Tribulation and Temptation though with much striving and difficulty but they who have had much knowledge of the Truth and have made a glorious profession of it before men and yet have wanted the true Teaching of God and true faith through that teaching such when Tribulations and Difficulties have risen up have quite departed from the Truth and have often renounced it We know not brethren I say again what we do believe aright touching Christ and his Gospel touching the Love of God to us and the Remission of our sin c. till distress and Tribulation and death come and what we are then we are that indeed Yea at such times we are to be judged according to our faith and not according to our sense and feeling Luther was wont to say that in Temptation he could hardly make Luther use at all of that
at last Crucified him between two Thieves by the common consent of all the People and destroyed the Son of God as if he had been the Son of Perdition And in all this bitter suffering no body afforded him the least pitty or compassion but the common People mocked him and said he saved others but cannnot save himself if thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross And this usage Christ complains of to his Father Psalm 22. 6. where he saith that He by his cries had no deliverance which yet Others who had trusted in God obtained but saith he I am a worm and no man a reproach of men and despised of the People All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shout out the lip they shake the head saying be trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him if he delight in him And Isaiah saith that by reason of this strange suffering of Christ many were astonished at him his visage was marr'd more then any mans and his face more then the sons of men and through this suffering of Christ all the World were so extreamly offended that Christ crucified was to the Iews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness And thus was and is the VVorld and Worldly Church offended at the true Christ whom the Scriptures hold forth Indeed the false Church have fancied to themselves such a Christ as flesh and blood can like of well enough a Christ fashioned after the mind and will and Wisdom and Prudence and Righteousness of man and such a Christ they extol and magnifie to wit for their own worldly advantage sake as the Papists have fancied the por Virgin his Mother who kept Iosephs house and provided his diet and layd her hands to the performance of his ordinary household affairs to be a gallant Lady and have clothed her in Silke and Sattin and rich attire and such a Mother of Christ they do highly esteem whereas the poor Virgin the true believer who lived in the plain and laborious imployment of a Family they would even scorn to regard such an one No more will the carnal Church regard or value the true Christ in his mean condition and marred Visage And thus much for their Offense at Christ himself 2. The World and Worldly Church are offended at Christs true 2. They are offended at his his true Word VVord Because Christ under the New Testament hath given forth a New VVord which is the VVord of the Gospel And this also they are offended at in many regards as 1. Because it is the word of Faith the word of Faith and not 1. Because it is the Word of faith of Sense the Word of Faith and not of VVorks For this VVord of Faith is wholly a Spiritual Word and hath nothing in it that is sutable to flesh and blood Nothing in it that pleaseth the Fancy or Reason or Understanding of man it hath nothing in it 2. Because it exalts Christ alone and God in Christ wherein a Natural or Carnal heart can take pleasure but is throughout a Word of Faith 2. They are offended at the New word of the New Testament because it exalts Christ alone and in him the Power of God and the Wisdom of God and the Righteousness of God and the Things of God and cries down all the Things of the World in which men trust and delight and all the common Religion and Righteousness of the World and makes Christ all in all and God in Christ and all other things nothing So Paul 1 Cor. 1. preached to them that did believe Christ the power of God and Christ the wisdom of God and nothing else 3. They are offended at this Word because it cannot be learned as humane Arts and Sciences can to wit by the teaching of man 3. Because it can only be learned by the Teaching of God together with their own pains and endeavors but only by the teaching of God and his Spirit as it is written They that is the true children of the Spiritual Church shall be all taught of God he therefore that hath heard and learned of my father cometh to me All my divinity said Luther consisteth in this that I believe that Christ only is the Lord touching whom the scriptures speak and neither my Grammer nor Hebrew tongue taught me this but it is the work of the holy spirit Now when God teacheth us his word Himself we have an other When God teacheth us his Word we know it otherwise then other men understanding of it then other men who hear and read the same outward words and yet want that inward Teaching For then have we the spiritual meaning of the Word and the very mind of Christ in it which others want that are not so taught And this offends the carnal Christians grievously that the spiritual Christians have another knowledge and understanding of the Word then they VVhereupon they thus break out what say they are you the only men who have the word of God and is all wisdom and knowledge comprehended in your brests and do you know more of the Mysterie of of Christ then the grave and learned men who have studied the Scriptures all their life and will you with your pretended teaching overthrow that Orthodox sense of the Scriptures that we have had so many yeers and thus they are greatly offended 4. They are offended at this word because it discovers the 4. Because it discovers the wickedness of the World and worldly Church wickedness of the world and worldly Church at a very high rate The world doth not seem the thousand part so wicked anywhere as it doth where the Gospel comes For where this cleer light of God shines and the word comes in any degree of truth and Power there not only the wickedness of the world appears out of measure wicked but also the Religion and Righteousness and Works and Duties of the carnal Christians are manifested to be gross hypocrisie and the deceivableness of unrighteousness and wholly contrary to Christ the righteousness of God and so nothing else but a more plausible way to Death and Hell Where the Word of Christ or the Gospel of God comes in power Many who seemed good are discovered to be very evil by the light of the Word there many who before seemed very Godly and Religious people and very good Christians and very quiet and peaceable men do presently become full of wrath and rage and cursed enmity against it and call it Error and Heresie and Blasphemy and so do no less then spit in the very face of the Truth and Gospel of Christ which he hath manifested above all his name And no man could ever have imagined they had been such children of the Devil before the word came And thus by the coming of the Word in the Spiritual Sense and Doctrine of it many that did once seem to be Christs Friends are manifested to be
helped them And this is the chief and indeed the only true VVorship of the New-Testament For the Gospel hath taught us that Christ is the trueTemple wherein the Church of the New-Testament which is a Kingdom of Priests are all alike to Worship God without any difference or distinction of persons And also that Christ is our Rest aswell as our Righteousness and it is as great a sin to make another Rest then Christ as it is to make another Righteousness then Christ For in him alone we are compleat and furnished to all things that appertain to the Kingdom of God And stand in need of nothing out of him Wherefore it is said Heb. 4. 3. He which hath believed is entred into the rest that is into Christ and his Righteousness and so hath ceased from his own works as God did from his Now the World and worldly Church are greatly offended at this And because this Spiritual worship makes no great shew Spiritual Worship And that first because it makes no great shew nor presents no glorious outside to the World to win their favour and applause and so they despise it as a Notional or Melancholick thing And secondly because this is wholly out of the reach and Power of the Natural man and no man by his free will or Natural abilities And also is out of the reach of the Natural man can attain thereunto VVherefore they are offended at this kind of VVorship and would have a Worship in the dayes of the Gospel after the manner of the VVorship of the Law a Worship standing in outward works and Duties and Ceremonies and in Observation of Dayes Times Places Persons And are much scandalized at that Worship which stands only in Faith and Love and makes void all other things 4. They are offended at the true Church of Christ 4. At the true Church of Christ Because Christ under the New Testament hath set upon a New-Church which is not outward and visible as the Church of the Old Testament was Neither carries in it any worldly Pompe Power and Glory as the Church of Antichrist doth but it is wholly spiritual and invisible and as utterly unknown to the World as Christ himself The true Church under the New-Law is the Congregation of spiritual men gathered together not in one outward place but in What the true Church is one Faith Hope and Love in one Spirit in one Christ in one God It is the company of the faithful and elect which have Christ for their Head And this Church is not known by any outward Orders or Forms It is known only by the Word of faith or Ceremonies or manner of life but only by the Word of Faith seeing this true spiritual Church is conceived and formed is brought forth and brought up is fed and clothed is strengthned and adorned is protected and perfected by this word of faith alone Yea the whole Nature and life and being and action of this Church is in the word of faith 2. They are offended at this Church because it is the habitation of God and his very Kingdom wherein he himself is present is manifested 2. Because this Church is the Habitation of God speaks works reignes is glorified and is all in all in it And so it will not receive unto it self any thing of the Power Wisdom and Righteousness of Man They are much offended to hear that this Church is the Temple of the living God and that God hath said it himself that he will dwell in them and walk in them And that God is in them of a Truth and not by fancied habits of created grace And that they are filled with all the fulness of God And that they are living Stones in that Building wherein Christ himself is the chief corner Stone and that they are all built together by the Spirit to be the Habitation of God This doth so exceedingly offend them that is causeth them to Blasphem in crying out against this Doctrine of the Spirit of God as Blasphemy 3. They are offended at this New Church of the New Testament 3. Because it wil be the true Church alone because it will be the Church of God alone and will not acknowledge any to be of it but such as are born of God and have obtained like pretious faith with them And so will have no constant communion with any how skilful soever in the letter of the word and how eminent so ever in outward formes of Religion but only with such who have true fellowship with the Father and the Son in the Spirit 4. They are offended at this Church because usually God calls unto it not the Great and Honourable and Wise and Learned but 4. Because it consists of mean people mean plain and simple people according to that of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 26. You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen Yea things that are not to bring to nought things that are So that this true Church consists of a smal company of Poor Mean Simple Base and despised men in the eyes of the World and worldly Church Yea of such who in their judgement deserve to have no place nor being in the World And who now out of their own choice would willingly joyn themselves to such a Congregation 5. The great and worldly wise people are much offended at this 5. Because of its outward afflicted condition Church because of its outward afflicted condition in the World it having fellowship with Christ in all his sufferings And so is alwayes Reproached Despised Slandered Torn Spâ—t on Buffeted Crucified and Mocked And from all most or some of these sufferings the spiritual Church is never priviledged in the World And by reason of these things the visage of the true Church seems foul deformed and offensive in the eys of men whilst the national and carnal Church is highly favoured esteemed and preferred it self and hath its chief Teachers honoured with Scarlet and Furrs So that if Christ were on the earth again in his mean and plain condition He would be ashamed to own Them and They would be as much 5. At the true Government of the Church 1. Because Christ will force none but perswade all ashamed to own Him And thus much for their offence at the true Church 5. They are offended at the true Government of this Church Because Christ under the New Testament as he hath set up a New Church so also he hath set up a New Government of this Church and this also offends in many regards 1. In that Christ will have none brought to his Church by outward * In toto Novo
after as Believers received the Spirit so they became Ministers of the New Testament as we see in the Acts of the Apostles and in the first 300. years after Christ For there is but one only Ministry of the New Testament which is common to all men alike who have received the Spirit of God and to none else though never so excellently qualified with Natural Abilities and Humane Learning For the things of the Gospel are altogether invisible things and The things of the Gospel cannot be known but by the teaching of the Spirit cannot be known but by the teaching of the Spirit though a man have all the Wisdom and Knowledge in the World as Paul declares 1 Cor. 2. ver 8 9 10. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor the Heart of man understood the things which God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them to Vs believers by the Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the Spirit of the World which for its highest perfection hath only humane Wisdom and Knowledge but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Where we learn that the things of the Gospel and of the Kingdom of God are not known at all nor discerned in the least measure but by Gods Spirit which Spirit is given to all that believe and this Spirit alone is sufficient both to enable us to know clearly and certainly the things of God and also to publish them unto others and nothing of Man or the Creature can add to it Wherefore when Christ chose his Ministers according to his Fathers Councel he chose not the Wise and Learned but plain simple men that it might appear to all the World throughout all ages how infinitely able the Vnction of his Spirit alone is without any addition of any thing else for the Ministry of the New Testament and Christ upon the serious consideration of this strange choice of God by Him breaks forth into this Thanksgiving Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things that is the Word of Faith and Mystery of Christ and his Kingdom from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them to babes even so Father because it pleased thee And David admiring this wonderfull dispensation speaks thus in the joy of his heart Psal 8. ver 1 2. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the World who hast set thy Glory above the Heavens and then showing wherein this high Glory of God appears saith Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger God useth no other Instrument to overcome the greatest Enemies and Avengers that arise in the World and worldly Church then the strength he ordaines out of the mouths of babes and sucklings that is true believers who live only on the sincere milke of the Word The Lord had all the World before him to have chosen out of it whom he pleased to be the Instruments by whom he would hold forth his Word and Gospel to all Nations Yet in his infinite wisdom and gracious Councel and good Pleasure he would pass by the Wise and Learned men and great Philosophers and subtile Disputants as Paul affirms 1 Cor. 1. 19. that God hath said I will destroy the Wisdom of the Wise and bring to nothing the Vnderstanding of the Prudent God is so far from making use of Humane Wisdom and Prudence in the Gospel of his Son that he quite destroyes it and brings it to nothing Wherefore Paul adds v. 20. Where is the wise where is the learned or lettered man where is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe By the foolishness of preaching that is by the Word of Faith out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings which the World reckons foolishness by this alone doth God bring about the Salvation of the Elect. Now at these things how grievously are the Worldly wise and deep learned ones as they esteem themselves offended that Gods Spirit alone should be a sufficient Vnction for the Ministry of the New Testament and that God should on set purpose lay aside the Wise and Prudent men and choose babes and out of their mouth ordain his great strength to set up Christs Kingdom in the world and to destroy Antichrists Yea this Doctrine will chiefly offend the * University â—nd all in it of all Degrees Objection By the Univerty Vniversity For you will say If this be so What need is there then of our Philosophy and of our Arts and Sciences to the Ministry of the New Testament And what need is there of our Acts and Cleâ—ums And what need is there of our Scarlet and Tippets And what need is there of our Hoods and Caps c. If the Vnction of the Spirit alone be sufficient for the right Ministry and Christ do perfect his praise by the mouths of Babes and sucklings then what need is there of all these things I Answer No need at all as to Christs Kingdom and the Ministry Answer to it of that For it is one of the grossest errors that ever reigned under Antichrists Kingdom to affirm that Vniversities are the fountain of the Minsters of the Gospel which do only proceed out Quò indubiè taxat Academias in quibus tales homines creantur è quibus prodicrunt omnes in orbem praedicatores c. Totus enim orbis in hac sententia est hos fontes esse è quibus scaturiant qui docere populum debeant Hic est error horrendus abominandus ut nihil aeque aversandumulla ex re quam ex Academiis prodierit c. Luth. in loc Objection of Christs flock And because you will be greatly offended at me for speaking thus you shall hear what Luther saith to this matter on 2 Pet. 2. 1. upon these words but there were false Prophets among the people as there shall be false Teachers among you the word Peter uses here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 false Doctors or false Masters and Luther saith it came to pass by the singular Councel of God that our Teachers should be called Doctors and Masters that it my appear to all whom Peter here means and he farther saith that Peter hereby doth undoubtedly tax the Vniversities in which such men are created and out of which have proceeded all the Preachers in the World so that
there is no Town or City under the whole Kingdom of Antichrist which hath not such Doctors and Masters as are Created in the Vniversities For the whole world saith he is of this Opinion that the Vniversities are the fountains whence they should flow who ought to teach the People Now this saith he is a most horrible and abominable error so that nothing hath proceeded in all the world out of any thing so much to be opposed as out of Vniversities wherefore saith he Peter saith that all these are false Masters and false Doctors Thus Luther Now if any say This Doctrine being commonly taught and received will throw down the Vniversities I answer If thâ— Vniversities will stand upon an Humane and Answer Civil account as Schools of good Learning for the instructing and educating Youth in the knowledge of the Tongues and of the liberal Arts and and Sciences thereby to make them usefull and serviceable to the Commonwealth if they will stand upon this account which is the surest and safest Account they can stand on and will be content to shake hands with their Ecclesiastical and Antichristian Interest then let them stand during the good Pleasure of God but if they will still exalt themselves above themselves and place themselves on Christs very Throne as if they had ascended up on high to lead captivity captive and to give gifts to men for the work of the Ministry and so will presume to darken the Glory of Jesus Christ and his true Ministry which He sends forth as his Father sent Him then let them in the Name of Christ descend into that darkness out of which they first sprang that the Glory of Christ may fill the World And thus have I declared how the World and worldly Church are offended at Christ and his Word and Worship and Church and Government and Ministry and so consequently at all his things And now I proceed to the third General I propounded to wit to shew 3. Point How great an evil it is to be thus offended at Christ and his Things The third General To be offended at Christ 1. It s a sign men are ignorant of Christ And this appears in many particulars 1. One Evil is That to be offended at Christ and his Things is a certain Evidence that men are wholly Ignorant of Christ and of God though they be called Christians and have the Name of God alwayes in their mouths For if men knew Christ aright and God in Christ it were impossible they should be offended at Him and inasmuch as they are offended it is certain they do not know Him by any revelation from the Father Wherefore Christ tells his Disciples Joh. 16. 3. that the chief ground of that offence which the World and worldly Church should take against them who are his true Members and have received the same Word and Spirit with him through true faith is because they have not known the Father nor Him For he that knows Christ in Christians is not offended at them and he that knows God in Christ is not offended at Him But they that are offended at Christians know not Christ and they that are offended at Christ know not God 2. When men are offended at Christ and his things it is a sign 2. That they are Unbelievers they are real Vnbelievers what ever forms of Godliness they may live under and though it may be they have been old Professors for Peter saith Christ is precious to them that believe wherefore they that are offended are destitute of Faith 3. They that are offended at Christ lose all that spiritual and eternal advantage that comes by Christ to true believers and so 3. They loose all advantage by Christ fall short of the Love of God in Christ of Reconciliation with God in Christ of the Righteousness Wisdom and Power and of all the fulness of God in Christ of eternal Redemption from the Law Sin Death and Hell by Christ and of all that great Salvation that is in and by Him And Jesus Christ is wholly in vain to them 4. When men are fully and irreconcileably offended at Christ 4. Are manifest Reprobates and his things it is a Sign they are of the wicked one of the seed of the Serpent and very Reprobates as Christ told such offended Iews Ye are of your Father the Devil and my sheep hear my voice but you hear it not but are offended and therefore you are none of my sheep that is none of the Elect And again saith Christ all that my Father giveth me shall come to me Wherefore they that come not to Christ but are offended at him are not given to him of God and consequently are Reprobates 5. They that are offended at Christ are utterly ruined through 5. Are utterly ruined such offence Wherefore Christ is called a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to them that are disobedient and stumble at the Word And he is said to be set for the fall and ruine of many in Israel and Mat. 21. 44. Christ saith Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whosoever it shall fall it shall grinde him to pouder For whoever stumbles or dashes against this Stone dashes against God himself in the nature of Man He dashes against the Councel and Decree of God against the Wisdom and Vnderstanding of God against the Love Mercy Righteousness Truth and Power of God against the eternal Word and Spirit of God and no man perishes like that man For he incurrs all that Wrath Vengeance Destruction Damnation which the Lord God himself in all his infinite VVisdom Knowledge Righteousness Justice and Power can inflict on him to all eternity and so he is indeed ground to pouder Yea farther that man that stumbles against Christ is not only Ruined without remedy ruined by such offence but ruined without all means or hope of Recovery They that are broken against Him and by Him are broken in pieces like a potters vessel which can never be made up again They that fall against Him never rise again they that are ruined by him are never repaired again If a man were dashed in pieces by Moses he might be repaired again by Christ but he that is destroyed by the Saviour by whom shall he be saved He that was condemned by the Justice of God for Sin might recover again by the Love and Mercy of God in Christ But he that is destroyed by the Love and Mercy of God is past all Hope and Remedy Wherefore I intreat you to consider this thing with all your hearts For nothing makes such ruines in the world as this Sin Mens being offended against Christ and his Gospel This is the sin that ruined Ierusalem of old and Germany of late and if any thing undo this Commonwealth this will undo it the offence that is taken by mean men and by men in Place and Authority against Christ and his Gospel And this is the