souls then now it is whether the Saints were not more amiable in your eyes then now they are comunion w th them in prayer c. a little corner of heaven in your apprehension the society of the wicked more loathsome whether you were not more tender in your consciences concerning the commission of sin and more afraid of dishonoring God then now you be whether you were not more carried out and enlarged in doing of good more spirituall in your walking talking affecting acting then now you are more humble in your own eyes and watchfull over your owne hearts making conscience of all your thoughts words and wayes whereas now you thinke there is no necessity of such strictnesse though the holy Ghost tells us that as he that hath called us is holy so ought we to be holy and that in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Now I beseech you deare soules consider can that possibly be the way of truth the way to glory that renders you worse then you have been more unholy unspirituall uncircumspect unprofitable to Christ then you were wont to be I beseech you deale plainly and impartially with your own soules Don't you begin to find a change in your selves in respect of the former particulars you can now dispense with the duties of your relations both towards God and man which formerly you could not in the least doe Now I pray consider can these things stand with a persons living in God Can living in God and living in sin stand together Can the Ark and Dâ—agon stand together O that ever Satan should thus beguile any of your pretious soules In my weake apprehension the higher a person lives in God the more holy he is the more like to God the more crucified to sin and the world the lesse desirous of liberty to the flesh the more studious of doing those things that are pleasing acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ And whereas many talk of their liberty which they have above others when they have cast off all duties and ordinances to live in God I would fain know whether that liberty be not a lawlesse liberty and whether the excellency of a Christian can possibly lie in it or wheter living in God can stand with such a liberty If to live in God be to take liberty to thinke and speak and doe as we our selves list and to be without all check and controll in our way both of God and Man then wee may cast away the Scriptures in deed and all religion and every one walk after the imagination of his own heart But deare soules be no longer led away with such deceivings and deceivers that promise you liberty but in the mean time are servants to corruption themselves and are overcome and brought into bondage and seek to doe the same by you O hearken no longer to their Syren-like Songs but bow your eares to the voyce of Jesus Christ crying to you Return return repent repent and doe your first workes for I am married to you I am loath the death of sinners why will you wilfully cast away your pretious soules Though you have dealt unkindly with me and forgotten those sweet embracings you formerly enjoyed from me when you made conscience of the duties of my service and worship yet return return for I am a God that delighteth to shew mercy and whom mercy pleaseth though you have in some measure denied my Name and been ashamed to own it before the Heathen yet repent and doe your first works and I will take you and bring you to my holy mountain and you shall goe no more out and I will write upon you the Name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Jerusalem which commeth down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon you my new Name Now the same blessed God and our Saviour that spake these words set home these things upon your hearts and make them effectuall for that end for which they were written Amen FINIS A Catalogue of those never enough to be abhorred opinions that some of those more especially that cast off and renounce the use of Gospel-ordinances doe professedly hold and maintain FIrst There 's no God nor Devill Heaven nor Hell but what is within us 2 There is no truth nor power in the Word but as it is made out so to my Spirit i. the Spirit speakes it so within me 3 The sayings and wrtings of the Prophets and Apostles in the Scriptures and of other Saints are of equal value and truth because by the same Spirit 4 There are many silly vain grosse and contrary things in the Scriptures poore men they speake according to the present temper of their Spirits 5 There may be and some are above the profiting power of the ministery of the Word and use of the Scriptures 6 There is no sin in the Saints they are under no law but that of the Spirit which is freedome 7 There is no sinne against GOD For wee cannot reach him 8 That Gods dealings with all good and bad are in love for God is love 9 There is no state after this life but at that which is called Death all good and bad are swallowed up of God 10 That sinne and grace are equally of God and agreeth to his will 11 That all persons and things act and are acted as God will have them 12 That whatsoever men can that they doe and in all according to Gods will 13 That there is no resurrection of the body nor reward or punishment after this life 14 That there may be as much of God seen and enjoyed in any servile labour as in the Ministery of the Word Prayer c. and that they have more 15 As for that men call worship of God conscience c. they know not what it meanes 16 That solemne Religious duties in publick or private are but formes bodily exercises meerly Legall 17 That men may as well work or play on the Lords day as on any other And as for them to whom God is departed out of Ordinances and abundantly answers another way it is better 18 That the soule is the breath of God 19 That it is the Saints priviledge to be one Spirit and therefore see no reason why there may not bee a community in all things 20 That none can be certain whether he be in the truth or error but themselves because depending upon the teaching of the Spirit yet they themselvs soe 's not knowing what they shall hold for the future 21 That they cannot joyn in prayer with others because of confession of wants sinnes drawing neere to GOD and Petitions for the Lords presence giving out of help c. with which they cannot close because denying the first and enjoying the latter 22 That as for wantonnesse licentiousnesse Libertinisme and turning grace into wantonnesse taking occasions from mercy to sin c. they know not what you mean they are not incident to Saints 23 That they will and think they ought to follow their light though they are to lose heaven and gain hell presently for it if there be such things 24 That such as are one in the Spirit of love it is a great wrong for any to hinder their union and communion in any thing 25 That what men call Bastardy is onely upon the account of the men of the world who marry and are called Bastards Heb. 12. not with God with whom Saints are as Angels in community Luke 20.34 35 36. 26 That they have already for Spirituals what they expect and lack nothing and act Faith onely for Corporall subsistence 27 That what the Saints because of others basenesse and wickednesse doe now in secret they shall doe openly Matth. 20.26 27. 28 That there is nothing fleshly or carnall in the Saints persons or actings but all spirituall and holy 29 That there is no Trinity of Persons in the Godhead 30 That there is no distinction between God ana Christ 31 That all are born without sin and Saints live without sin 32 That a Saint may out-live all his religion all ties upon his conscience and yet remain a Saint A true Copy of a Letter from Plimouth February the 12. Relating the manner of Gods working upon one that had cast off the use of Duties and Ordinances sent by an approved and known godly man that was an Eye-witnesse I Have onely one thing to tell you and 't is a remarkable passage of Divine Providence There is one Nicholas Earle a Shoomaker sometimes of Totnâ—s and now a Souldier in the Fort who having within this moneth given way to the studying of estranging himselfe from God conceiving that there was no need of Ministers but that they must down Sacraments but Ceremonies Sabbaths not to be kept and thereupon was resolved to open his windowes the last Sabbath and to that end disputed and argued with some about it the Saturday and then charged his wife not to teach his children prayers or Duties or Commandements and my man George being present saw him in his hot contestation fall to the ground roaring and crying and taking deep detestation against those that bare the Image of God commending himselfe onely a Saint and others out of the way He was against singing insomuch that when the Souldiers in their daily duties in the Fort sang he spake to them and said they did lye like Devils The man that Saturday night was under deep temptations strange apparitions the Devill seeming to appeare to him with strange roaring The Sabbath day he sent for me and when I came at first sight I was welcome but suddenly I was loathsome and he spat in defiance of me I saw him in that temper and fit I left him But the munday about Noone the man came to himselfe hath a strange conviction of his error whereas before he left giving of thankes before and after the receiving of the creatures now he is troubled at the thoughts of it acknowledging his error I have had conference with him and he cannot be thankfull enough that God hath so soone returned him He desires the Ministers to blesse God for his return and pray that he may be stedfast This I write as certaine and that you may acquaint others to take heed how professedly they keep out of Gods way he wisheth all his friends to take warning by it M. P.
casting off of all Duties and Ordinances or Institutions of Divine Worship ordained by Christ himselfe to be observed in the dayes of the New Testament unchurching the right constituted Congregations and Assemblies of Syon dna plucking up the publick Ministery of the Gospel by the roots and this not so much in some respect as those that are called Seekers who deny publick Churches Ministery c. for want of Apostles and other like extraordinary gifted men to administer c. but absolutely looking on the performance of Duties and use of Ordinances Ministery and Churches as poore low weake Dispensations Childish things not fit for such as live in God to stoop so low as to make use of And so under a pretence of living in God they teach poore weake soules that there is a life to be attained unto wherein they may live i That there is a life to be obtained by Beleevers here on earth that is above ordinances is not denyed But that this life is without ordinances altogether when they may enjoy the use of them and that puts them necessarily upon the renouncing and casting them off is that which we flatly deny as being contrary not only to the sacred Scriptures but experience of the soundest Christians as I have shewed in the following Discourse without the use of Ordinances or performance of Duties without observation of the Lords day or Sabbath without Church-fellowship without instructing their children in the knowledge of the Scriptures without craving a blessing on the Creature when they make use of it or returning thankes for it And that which is most abominable that they may attain and enjoy such a liberty as to be under no law but that of the Spirit as they say and so may perpetrate any impiety without controll or check of God or Man for they live in God alone and so are above all things here below so would make a persons living in God living in the practice of sin to consist stand together These are the men that the following Discourse concernes and whom I cannot but look on especially those of them that out of a professed judgement and fixed selfe-will doe in a high and peremptory manner proceed in their way as the dangerous pests that can be both to the State as well as to Religion for take away true Christian Religion or the true worship of God and power of godlinesse out of a State or Common-wealth and what do you therein but as it were take the soul from the body For what is the sincere practise of sound Religion and godlinesse in a State but k There is nothing in a true Christian Common-wealth that can onely direct it self to the benefit of State onely but that Religion must bee also respected the care of State being but the By and Religion the main of every Christian intendment And ther fore oftentimes even in those things which seem most properly to concern the State is Religion in them most regarded the care of State in respect of Religion being like the care of our bodies for which holy men care but so only as for the houses of their soules c. Levers History of the Defend of the Cath Faith the life and soule of it Let that be once neglected corrupted or extirpated and the other cannot long stand after and when is Religion destroyed but when we make it to patronize impiety And hence it is that such as are guilty of the forementioned abomination in renouncing Ordinances c. are so frequently described by such Epithites as shew nothing but confusion and destruction to betide those places and persons where they are entertained and countenanced It is sufficient in this place having spoken more largely hereof in the cōclusion of the Appendix to shew you that the Apostle Peter calls them l 2 Pet. 3.17 Lest ye be led away with the error 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in chap. 2.7 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicuntur homines qui volunt esse fine lege qui emnia legum repagula perfringunt ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod legem praesertim drvinam significat homines qui nec jus nec fas curant c. Ger in loc vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quos prius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ostendit hos nullo jure nullis ne legibus posse in ordine retineri sed perumpunt omnia jura quid vis enim sibi licere putant Scripturasque sibi subjiciunt Horum exemplum valdè est perniciosum etiam piis ideo cavendum ne horum erroribus abrepti veritatem fidei amittant Aret. in loc ut supra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Lorinus and other more sound Interpreters doe translate ex-leges or lawlesse Libertines such as under a pretence of Christian liberty allow themselves in the practice of all manner of sensuall lusts to the disgrace and scandall of the Gospel for through their occasion the way of truth is evill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.2 Yet whiles I am opposing the opinion and practice of such New though no True Gospellers c. I would not have ye the pretious servants of God that keep his Commandements and the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 12.17 to conceive that I doe in the least goe about to plead for any ordinances or worship of mans invention or making for false ordinances and worship that are forged in Antichrists shop and beare no other stamp upon them then the Image of humane Authority For I know as it 's all one to m Lever ut supra p. 366. deny God and to deny his Service so I do latry is as wel in false worship as in no worship I am assured that Ordinances of divine worship that are of mans making though never so wise or great are no plants of Gods planting neither doth he accept of them or of those that make use of them but n Matth. 15.8 9-13 Col. 2.20 21 22 23 24. Ezek. 20.39 lookes on them as vain worshippers and will-worshipers polluters prophaners of his glorious reverend Name Or 2. that I allowed of theuse of true ordinances and worship that Christ himselfe hath instituted and commanded in a false way or contrary to the right order which Christ hath prescribed to his people in the Gospel and was in use in the primitive and Apostolicall times for our example viz. a Society and Combination of Saints in which for the most part they subsist properly and are to be performed as I have at large shewed in another o Modell of the Congregational way where this matter is fully handled and cleared in the two first Chapters place For I know that the same God that hath called his people to worship him doth require them to take the same way and order he hath p As God hath not left it indifferent whether he be served and worshipped or not so he
of God never dictates any thing but what is agreeable unto may be resolved into the Scriptures or t written word of God but the other not e.g. When a man is perswaded that Christ is not God as well as Man that there is no resurrection of the body nor reward nor punishment after this life that sin and grace are both equally of God c. with a thousand such like abominations how shall a person discern that the perswasions he hath of these things are not from the Spirit of God but from Satan and his owne wicked heart but this because they are directly against what is revealed to us in the Scriptures l the Spirit of God never per swading any to such things as he hath himself spoken against in the Word written 5. Moreover to what purpose did the holy Ghost make use of those holy men of God as the Prophets and Apostles are stiled to be his Amanuenses or Scribes to write down and commit to paper what the minde of the eternall God was which he would have made known to the children of men concerning their faith and obedience if the Scriptures are of no more use to beleevers Doubtlesse the workes of God are not in vain he made the two great lights in Heaven the Sunne and Moon the one to rule the Day and the other the Night now would it not be a weake if nota wicked thing for any to say what need we any more the use of the Sunne or Moone is not God himselfe sufficient so here is it not as weake if not as wicked a thing to soy What need is there of the Scriptures when wee have the Spirit himselfe to teach us Besides doth not the Apostle affirme in the first to Timothy that the Scriptures are exceeding usefull and profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And then to the Romans That whatsoever is written is written for our instruction that we through patience and comfore of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 And doth not Christ himself say that one chiefe cause why men erre from the truth is because they are ignorant of the Scriptures Matth. 22.29 And doth he not also requite men to search the Scriptures upon this ground because they testifie of him Mark that well They testifie not simply the Spirit but the Scriptures also they beare witnesse to Christs being the true and onely Messiah that should come into the world with many other pretious ends and uses to which the sacred Scriptures are usefull and profitable as were easie to produce if need were 7. But lastly to say no more how doth this open a doore to all manner of abominations both in opinion and practice for if every man must be left to the private teachings of the Spirit and have no recourse at all any longer to the sacred Canon of the Scriptures what abominations will men and women stick to admit of and beare off all with this The Spirit leads me hereunto I am taught by the Spirit and perswaded by the Spirit so that if a man should be stirred up to lay violent hands upon his neighbour as I have heard a drunkard once did on one that was of this opinion and basted him to some tune and being demanded by the party why he did so he answered him in his own language hee could not help it the Spirit moved him thereunto and take away his purse or his life from him or a vile wretch should attempt the deflouring of a virgin or committing of any other abomination and put all off with this that the Spirit dictates such things to him he is under no law but that of the Spirit would not this be dreadfull both to God and Man and so for any damnable errors in judgement that the Scriptures condemne to the pit of hell and warn us to take heed of as we defire to escape damnation doth not this opinion make way to the entertaining of them when people shall be perswaded there is no use of the Scriptures to bee as a Rule to them to walk by but they are to trust onely to the inward dictates of the Spirit Besides if this should be allowed of that the Scriptures are of no luse but we must trust to the Spirit in all what certainty then can there be in any point of Religion and faith for every one will beleeve as the Spint dictates to him and as many men so there will be almost as many mindes Nay further what bottome will men and women have to build the foundnesse of their opinions upon and that it 's not their meere fancie if they cast away the Scriptures seeing what they conceive to day to be the right to morrow they may be perswaded to be otherwise if they trust to what is spoken and dictated secretly to them and where will your soules end and fix a period in matters of opinion when they once begin to take this course of casting off the Scriptures Doubtlesse they cannot tell themselves there being a fathomlesse depth in the pit of error out of which poore creatures can never extricate themselves being once shut up in it Blessed are those soules that are so taught of God in the Ministery of his Word and Spirit as to feare comming nigh the brink of that pit THus Sirs I have dispatcht the Answers to the forementioned grounds what remaineth in the close of all leaving the successe and issue of all to the Lord Jesus but that I adde one word to perswade you in the bowels of Christ to consider from whence you are fallen and repent and doe your first workes Rev. 2.4 before the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven against you I cannot but apprehend your condition as very sad not only in respect of your sin but of your sorrow that is like to overtake you For as sure as the Lord liveth all those that refuse to kisse the Sonne and will not have him to rule over them but doe what in them lies to break his * By bonds and cords is meant the discipline and government of Christ in his Church kingdome as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify Psal 2.3 Now the lawes and ordinances of Christ or his discipliue and government are called bonds cords not that they are so in themselves but because the wicked so judge of them looking upon them as so many fetters manacles that keep them from the enjoyment of their lusts and carnall liberty which is the main cause of their enmitie against them and rejecting of them bonds and cast his cords from them shall perish in the way of their rebellion Psal 2.12 and be brought forth and slain before him Luke 19.27 You cannot be ignorant how jealous the eternall God is of the honour of his Christ and that he is
ibid. superstitious manner to cause people to abstain from he saith that God hath created them to be received with l Sic passim Dominus cibum sumpturus sursum aspiciens et coelum inâ—vens benedicit patri et gratias agit Mat. 14.15 26. Marc. 6. Sic Paulus Acts 27. 1 Cor. 10.31 ad hunc inquam usum cibos Deus fecit Claud. Espenc in loc thankesgiving so that a chiefe end of Gods creating every creature for mans use is that they should be used with thankesgiving and that they are not sanctified and blessed to us without the Word and Prayer i.e. without acting m The Sun is a noble creature of it self and yet the brightnes of it cannot come to us but to our condemnation unlesse it be sanctified to us By what means By faith So fareth it with meat and drink and all the rest Calv. ut supra faith and Christ a promise and desiring God wee may so receive it and have it blessed to us so that to neglect prayer and the exercise of faith in the promise and giving thankes for all by Christ we doe not onely frustrate and make void the end for which at first the Lord created them for our use but we are deprived of that comfort that doth attend them to those that are in Christ and are at no better passe under the enjoyments of them then those are that are out of Christ who are wicked prophane and brutish like the swine that feeds on the Acornes that are under the tree but never looks up from whence they fall 32. Whether the Scriptures do not hold forth unto us that the greatest and highest enjoyments of God in the Spirit which the Saints have attained unto in this life have been in their diligent use and improvement of Divine Gospel-ordinances and duties of worship Acts 4.21 9.11 12. 10.9.44 2 Cor. 12.6 7 8 9 And whether the Scriptures shew unto us any other way wherein the Lord of glory hath ordinarily appeared unto his people besides that of his ordinances to the helping of them upon all occasions as their necessities have required 33. Whether departing from Gospel-ordinances and Societies of the Saints in the pure worship of God bee not a notable trick if not a strong delusion of the Devill which he makes use of the better to further his cursed designe upon the Lords people by taking them off from their * Rev. 2.4 first love and cooling if not quenching that sacred heat and fervour of the Spirit that they formerly manifested in the service and worship of God prescribed by Jesus Christ And whether sad and lamentable experience doth not evidence so much in some that are now changed in their walking from what they were formerly being as barren and empty in spiritual actions and assections as those that never knew what it was to be exercised in them and as much to seek of their tendernesse that once they manifested in respect of sinne n Contrary to Mat. 5.4 Mat. 26.75 1 Cor. 5.2 with 2 Cor. 7.7 9 11. 1 Cor. 11.30 31. Iam. 4.9 10. 1 Ioh. 1.9 Zech. 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fig luxum et delitias Inde verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delicate vivere deliciari voluptatibus indulgere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In deceptionibus suis Cum meudaciis et imposturis suis deceperint fimplives Christianos et pecunia eosdem eâ—â—â—â—â—erint postea eandem in splendida et lauta convivia in aleam structuras magnisicas et scorta profundunt Osiand vide Gerrard in loc as that they judge it no other then a Spirit of bondage to been humbled for it making no scruple at all to have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes and workers of darknesse which the Saints are commanded to reprove and flye from Ephes 5.11 yea being found in the number of those that o sport themselves with their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2 13. 34. Whether it be not a principall part of that great mystery of Heart-deceitfulnesse is within us to conceive that living in God will dead a Christian to the use and practise of ordinances and performance of holy duties when the chiefe end of a persons living in God is to dead the heart to sinne and take it off from carnall and wordly things that obstruct and hinder his communion with God and to quicken it to Ordinances and spirituall duties by the use of which through the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ his communion with communications from God are increased and perfected day by day And whether to speak properly the more a person lives in the Spirit the more that person be not * Gal. 5.16 Vide Par. in loc lifted off from Sin and Selfe and worldld carnall delights to walk closely with God in the duties of his generall and particular callings the contrary to which we too much finde and now meet with in those that cast off Ordinances 35. Whether Jesus Christ be not infinitely delighted in and affected with the assemblings of the Saints and exercisings of their gifts and graces in the duties of his worship as appeares every where in the p Cant. 2.14 The Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signisies prayers praises songs thankesgivings c. as Psal 5.3.26.7.28.2 vide Ainsworth in loc Placet Domino vox Ecclesiae in discrimine ad cum consugientâ—â— sicut de Israelitis ad marc interceptis dicitur Exod. 14.15 Vox Ecclesiae eum confitentis et celebrantis et ejus totus aspectus species forma ac facies Ecclesiae Merc. in loc Scriptures by his drawing nigh to them at such times as to the Eunuch when he was reading the Scriptures Acts 8.26 to the two Disciples when they were in conference going to Emmaus to Cornelius and his friends when they were hearing Peter to Paul when he was in prayer and Peter also in the same duty Acts 9. Acts 10. 36. Whether it be not the greatest unkindnesse that can be offered to the Lord Jesus to cast away and speak evill of yea to contend against those wayes and meanes in which hee hath most of all appeared to them and spoken peace to their soules And whether it be not a grieving of the spirit to q The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies basely to account of a thing and esteem it nothing worth This reproves those who pretend the Spirit and despise prophesy they have the Spirit to guide them and therefore need no preaching Tayl. in his Saints progresse to full Holinesse p. 46. And then a little after Many who have Jacobs voyce saith he professe in word better things yet prize the preaching of Christ as a thing of nought they think it better to be casting up some account or reading some History or walking in the fields or visiting some friends or perhaps going to a Play then to a Sermon Are these the sonnes of Abraham or the sonnes of God and not rather the sounes of
of themselves it is to be feared they are so offended with ordinances and speak so contemptibly and undervaluingly of those that use them I shall say no more to such on this particular but wish them to be cloathed with humility and better to study the grounds of their own leaving ordinances before they call into question their brethrens in the use of them 5. The fifth ground upon which people build their neglect of Duties and casting off Ordinances is this That they look upon Ordinances and Duties of worship as Prayer Preaching admistring the Seales Church-fellowship c. as poore low dispensations weake formes childish things and such as be not so consistent with a persons living in God c. but out of which God doth lead his people to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit Now for answer to this First I desire it may bee seriously considered Whether the Ordinances and Institutions of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ are low things poore weake childish dispensations Are those low and childish things in which the glory of Christs Wisdome Power and Faithfulnesse doth shine forth And are not the Scriptures divine Institutions and Ordinances of Christ held forth in them such Dispensations How then darepoore sinfull dust and ashes thus reason and argue Is it not rather a cleare Demonstration that such men and women as thus speak have low and base thoughts of Christ in the managing of that great busines his Father hath intrusted him with about the ordering and governing his House Kingdome Let that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.7 8.9 10 11. be seriously weighed and then tell me whether the Dispensations of Christ under the New Testament be low things and childish The Apostle in the former place shewes clearly that the very dispensation of the Legall Covenant ministery and ordinances was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glorious but how much more then saith he must the Evangelicall Covenant ministery and ordinances under the New Testament be glorious If the ministration or dispensation of Death and Condemnation under the Law and that which was to be done away was glorious how much more the Ministration and Dispensation of the Spirit under the Gospel which is perpetuall to remain so that we see that the Dispensations of Christ under the New Testament are all glorious things and if so how dare any speak so disgraeefully of them as to call them poore low weake childish things Doubtlesse the Lord Jesus will give men and women but little thankes for those * hard speeches of theirs they have uttered against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at his comming to execute judgement upon all ungodly ones Jude Epist v. 15. Besides I desire such persons as speak so ignominiously of the Lord Jesus ordinances and Gospel-institutions would but answer mee or rather the Lord Jesus Christ to these few demands 1. Is the Name of the great and glorious Jehovah a low and meane a poore and childish thing and is not his Worship his name 2. Is the publishing and bearing forth his Name before the world a low and childish thing and is not the Ministery of the Gospel so much Acts 9.15 3 Is the sanctifying this great glorious Name of Iehovah a low childish thing And do not the Saints do so much when they drw nigh to God in the performance of the duties of his worship Lev. 10.3 4. Is Glory a low thing and not worth the looking after and is not Mount Syon and all the holy Assemblies so stiled Esay 4.5 60.7 In a word are not all the Vessels of the Lords spirituall Temple and House under the New Testament clean and holy And shall we call that common and unclean that the eternall God the King of Sion hath cleansed and sanctified As Christ said to Peter Act. 10.15 so may I say to such men Cal not those things common and unclean that the Lord Jesus the great Judge of quicke and dead hath cleansed and sanctified and set apart for his use and service call not the ordinances and institutions with the holy Saints and servants of Christ that are called out of the world to make use of them in order to the lifting up of the glory of their Lord and Master their Head and Husband poore low weak things If Christ will own them and honour them let men take heed how they despise and dishonour them 2. Whereas it is said that the use of such Gospel-ordinances and Institutions of worship are not consistent with a persons living in God I utterly deny it my reason for it is this because those things that are subordinate in their nature one to another may very well stand together without confounding and destroying one another And so is it here Divine ordinances of Worship as Prayer Preaching hearing communion with the Saints at the Lords Supper c. are subordinate wayes and meanes which Christ hath appointed to further not hinder a beleevers living in God And the more the Saints are in the use of those meanes with upright and spirituall hearts the more they are furthered therein Indeed living in God and living in ordinances cannot stand together because a person cannot give his heart to two lovers at once but living in God and using of Ordinances as meanes in order to the enjoyment of the end may very well stand together As for example A person that depends on God for his naturall life eats and drinkes and sleeps and marries and takes physick and useth these and other like meanes in order to the preservation of that life and the use of these meanes doth not null or make void his faith in or dependance on God Indeed placing our life joy comfort excellency in these and putting our confidence in them cannot stand with a persons living in or depending on God because it is to make them our gods not the Lord but where there is only a conscientious use of them in obedience to the will of God and in order to the furthering of his providence there a person may bee said to live in God and depend on him very well notwithstanding his use of these And thus it is in respect of a Christians spirituall life he lives in God alone through Christ and makes him alone the Rest and Center of his Soule and yet makes use of Prayer Preaching reading the Scriptures fellowship with the Saints c. as the meanes which Christ hath appointed in order thereunto And therefore what can be plainer then this that we affirme viz. that living in God and using of Ordinances are consistent and may well stand together And what horrible wickednesse and Hypocrisie is it in * I charge not all but some more especially that are 〈◊〉 of this opinion and practice who are grown very loose and prophane in their worship many of those that deny the use of Ordinances and affirm that living in God and using of ordinances and
very absurd and vile and an abuse of Gods goodnesse that therefore you must not work together with God as rationall creatures c. p 743. So Mr Greenhill in his elaborate Lectures on Ezekiel Chap. 3. verse 1 2 3. p. 293. Observ 1. hath these words The godly must act and put forth their graces towards further reception of spirituall things When Christ will give Ezekiel Donum Prophetiae a Roll to eat he opens his mouth he sets a-work his faith to receive this gift of prophesie Faith in the habit is like the mouth shut up nothing enters but in exercise it 's like the mouth open and ready to receive It 's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies we should therefore beforward and stirre up our soules and graces to the receit of such mercies It 's a lazy and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing Grace is an active an enabling thing and where there is a principle of life as all godly men have there is a specificall difference between that man and another that hath it not a man without it cannot act nor stirre up himselfe to a further reception of spirituall things because he is dead but a man that hath it can ought to quicken up his own soule to spirituall things The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him and he opened his mouth exercised his Faith to take what the Lord should give The Apostle Paul bids Timothy stirre up the gift of God that was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 He would have men deal with their gifts and graces as they doe with fire vnder the ashes they blow them off and blow the fire up and there is a flame fit for service Sloth feare infirmity carnall reason are ashes that doe oft cover divine fire that it seems dead but we must stirre up our selves blow off those ashes and blow up the fire of grace that it may burn and shine be usefull to our selves and others The Prophet complains in Esay 64.7 There is no man that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of me they are like men asleep that sit still and doe nothing The vulgar is Non est qui consurgat So that I conceive as it is in the great businesse of a Beleevers mortification of sin so it is in the performance of prayer and other religious duties the Rule by which a true beleever is to walk in the performance of those duties is not to sit still and doe nothing till hee is wrought upon by the Spirit but hee is through the strength of grace received to act his * They that speake against performance of duty might as well speake against the actings of faith exercise of grace for prayer is nothing else but the communication of the soule with God the actings of faith exercise of grace Bolt ut supra faith on the truth and faithfulnesse of God in the promise who hath undertaken to give in assistance to us and ability to goe through that worke hee calleth us unto and requireth at our hands For the same God that calls us to duty hath promised to give in strength by his Spirit to discharge it and this faith is to rely on and make use of for its encouragement in all the workes the Lord calls a beleever to the performance of not but that faith and all other graces are the Spirits but because the Spirit doth not act without them in a true beleever For doubtlesse such as are truly incorporated into Christ and made one Spirit with the Lord are not acted as dead stockes as if every time and moment of their acting Godward they received new life from the Spirit of Christ And I am confident for want of the knowledge of this it comes to passe that many formall easie Professors take such liberty to themselves to live in the neglect of holy duties because they say they can doe nothing of themselves further then the Spirit moves and quickens them as if one that is in Christ were altogether without spiritul life and motion longer then the Holy Ghost falls upon him as in the first act of conversion From whence it must needs follow 1. That there are no habits of grace nor inherent workes of holinesse wrought in beleevers at their first Conversion and Regeneration when Christ is formed in them which is contrary to the b Iohn 1.16 2 Cor. 5.17 Ephes 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Scripture and all found Writers 2. That whensoever a beleever is without the motions of the Spirit as in times of sleep and bodily rest or times of temptation yea falling into sin as the best are subject to doe James 3.2 then he is not to be lookt upon as one in Christ which is as absurd as unsound 3. That all those c 1 Tim. 4.14 25. 2 Tim. 1.6 Luke 21.26 Ephes 6.18 Iam. 1.19 21. Phil. 2.12 1 Cor. 15. ult exhortations to beleevers that concern the stirring up their grace their watchfulnesse to the performance of religious duties their working out their salvation with feare and trembling Their giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure their fruitfulnesse in good workes and abounding in the work of the Lord c. are void and of none effect making beleevers under the Gospel and new Covenant of grace to be in no better condition then those that were under the Law a Covenant of works who had their duties discovered but had not grace and power given to them to enable them to the discharge of them which is contrary to the Tenor of the new Covenant which all those have a share in that are in Christ and can say in some measure as Christ their Head did Psalm 40.7 8 9. compared with Heb 10.7 8. I delight to doe thy will O. my God yea thy Law is within my heart 4. That there are no just grounds for Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures to d Mat. 26.40 Mark 16.14 Luke 24.45 Mat. 25.26 Heb. 5.11 12. 1 Cor. 5.2 Rev. 2.4 Rev. 3.15 16 17. charge home the guilt of sinnes of omission and neglect of prayer repentance mortification of sin c. nor the guilt of carelesnesse slothfulnesse negligence luke-warmnesse in the service of God upon such as are beleevers which is frequently done by them as we may read in the New Testament for if they can act no longer nor no further then the Holy Ghost acts them as â—t their first conversion then why should they bee charged with such faults and commanded to amend threatned if they doe not as Rev. 2 4 5. seeing God deales not with beleevers in Christ under the Gospel any longer by a Covenant of works but of grace though the Covenant of Grace bee full of justice and in the hands of him who orders it in righteousnesse whose e Psal 89.32 33. Scepter is a righteous Scepter and will correct
be the God of truth and falshood together and it must of nececessity follow if the Scriptures speak plain contradictions that either Jehovah could not or that he would not speake so expresly as to have his minde knowne by his creatures though he call upon them to look after it which is blasphemy in a high degree It were to be wished that Christians would come to the Scriptures with lesse i Cum corde nostro nos concordemus Et Scriptura sancta an nulla parte discordat Aug. discord in their own hearts and a greater sense of their own personall darknesse weaknesse and infirmity that they may crave the divine assistance of Christ to open their understandings and take more paines to find out the mind of God by comparing one text with another those that are more obscure with those that are cleare and weigh circumstances Antecedentia Consequentia i. e. what goes before and what followes after the text which would very much help them to know what the mind of God is in it and not presently fall k Deus bone in veritds ipsa quae est Author Scripturae an spiritus sanctus à quo acti fuerunt sancti Dei illi homines loquentes scribentes ansacra scriptura tota divinitus inspirata sibi contradicere potest Tum enim Deus cjusque spiritus simul veritatis mendacii spiritus esset et divinae hujus veritatis pars une necessariò vera â—â—era necessariò falsa esset cum coniradicentium unum uecessariò vervm alterum falsum sit Vid. Sharph Symphon in Epist foule on the Scriptures themselves as affirming and denying one and the same thing But this is the misery of this age that as Austine once spake of the Manichees so may I of people now that they wil not subject their opinions and judgements to the Scriptures but would subject the Scriptures to their opinions Such places as have but the least outward appearance or shew to make for them those they will cleave firmly to but such as directly speak against them they throw away and cry out of contradictions when the difference all the while is in themselves and not in the Scriptures 3. Lastly whereas they say the Saints are to follow the private and secret Dictates and Teachings of the Spirit within them and conforme to them as the onely guide and Cynosura of all they beleeve and practise and therefore are to take no notice of the Scriptures I answer in the first place that such that so reason cannot free themselves of horrible slighting the sacred word of God and derogating in a high degree from the excellency and authority of it and I feare the guilt of this evill will one day lye heavy on their soules and consciences though now they make nothing of it For if the contempt of Civill Lawes and Statutes of earthly Princes and States when they are printed and published for the better regulating of Common-wealths and to which all are bound to yeeld submission and subjection that there may be no Tyranny nor Anarchy I say if the casting off of such Lawes and refusing to square their outward actions in civill affaires to make our own wills our lawes to guide us bee lookt upon as a matter so heynous and deservedly punisht what shall we conceive then will be the condition of those that cast off the Book of the Scriptures wherein God hath set down his Lawes and Statutes to order all States and Common-wealths in generall and men and women in particular in their walking before God as the Apostle faith in Heb. 12.25 If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not wee escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven And where is the voyce of God now from heaven but in the sacred Scriptures 2. To lay aside the Scriptures and trust meerly to the Spirit is not this a down-right separating and dividing what GOD hath joyned together and made one The Scriptures which are the very Word and Minde of God have in every part of them the Spirit whereby they are quickned and the Spirit is in them as light in the Sunne and we may as easily separate the light from the Sunne as the Spirit from the Scriptures For as the Sunne would soon cease to be if the light and heat were gone or taken from it so here if the Spirit should cease from the Scriptures they should cease to be the Word of God which cannot be in regard that Gods Word endureth for ever Psal 119.89 and Mark 13.31 3. If the Scriptures must be laid aside and men trust to the private Dictates of the Spirit as they say which way and how will they be able to confute those that are unsound in the Faith now will they stone * Lapidandi sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Athan cont Ari. or 2. Heretickes but by Arguments from the Scriptures For others will as strongly pretend to the enjoyment of the Spirit and to receive from the Spirit what they hold as those that are found e.g. If one should come and preach salvation by the workes of the Law or a mans own righteousuesse and not by the righteousnesse of Christ or of faith in Christ and say The Spirit perswades him hereunto who can contradict him if there be no Scriptures or word of God written to shew him the minde of God to the contrary but onely the secret and inward teaching of the Spirit And so I might instance in many other particulars 4. Besides what if you be deceived as nothing is more certain and in stead of the teachings of Gods Spirit it be the teachings of your own deceitfull and corrupt heart or the actings of that foule Spirit the Devill that oftentimes changeth or transformes himselfe into an Angel of light on purpose to deceive What then Now how will you distinguish between the Dictates of the one and the other except by this * Hincotiam apparet impietas sententiae Libertinorum nostri temporis qui se zelotas spiritus appellant Quorum aliqui Scripturae sacrae GraÌ„maticum genuinum sensum zanquam literam occidentem ecclrs Nov. Test inutilem contendunt nescio quae pbanatica sui cerebri somniasub spiritus titulo bominibus conantur obtrudere Haec senteneia falsa pernitiosa est quia S. Script neglecta nihil certi in religione Chri liana constitui potest quum nullum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut norma extra eam dari possit quae à falsa persuasione erroris efficacia quam Deus Evangelit contemptôribus tanquam justus Iudex saepe immittit divinam veritatem distinguat quia spiritus sanctus non nist per verbam extermon sacram Scripturam in cordibus hominum ad salutem est efficax nude Paulus suitm ministerium Ministerium Spiritus appellat 2 Cor. 3. Vide Synop. pur Theolog. p. 11. de S. Script necess that the Spirit