21. I believe that when he comes his saints shall have a reward of grace for all their work and labour of Love which they shewed to his name in the world And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour And then shall every man have praise of God And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be Wherefore my beloved brethren be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for asmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ 1 Cor. 3.8 chap. 4.5 Rev. 22.12 1 Cor. 15 58. Col 3 24. How Christ is made ours or by what means this or that man hath that benefit by him us to stand just before God now and in the day of judgement 1. I believe we being sinfull Creatures in our selves that no good thing done by us can procure of God the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. But that the imputation thereof is an act of grace a free gift without our deserving Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. He called us and saved us with an holy calling Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 chap. 5.17 2 Tim. 1 9. 2. I believe also that the power of imputing righteousness resideth onely in God by Christ 1 Sin being the transgression of the Law 2. The soul that hath sinned being his creature and the righteousness also his and his onely Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin Hence therefore it is said again that men shall abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness and sing of his righteousness For he saith in Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Rom. 4.6 7. Psal. 145.7 Rom. 9.15 16. 3. I believe that the offer of this righteousness as tendered in the Gospell is to be received by faith we still in the very act of receiving it judging our selves sinners in our selves Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved The Gospel is preached in all nations for the obedience of faith Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation a sacrifice to appease the displeasure of God through faith in his blood To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifyer of him that believeth on Jesus Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins And by him all that believe are justifyed from all things from which they could not be justifyed by the law of Moses Rom 7.24 Act. 16.31 Rom 3.24.25 Act. 13.38 39. 4. I believe that this faith as it respecteth the imputation of this righteousness for justification before God doth put forth it self in such acts as purely respect the offer of a gift It receiveth accepteth of imbraceth or trusteth to it As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospell of your salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise I believe therefore that as to my justication from the curse of the Law I am as I stand in my self ungodly to receive accept of imbrace and trust to the righteousness that is already provided by and wrapt up in the personal doings and sufferings of Christ it being faith in that and that onely that can justify a sinner in the sight of God Joh. 1.12 1 Tim. 1.15 Heb. 11.13 Eph. 1.13 5. I believe that the faith that so doth is not to be found with any but those in whom the Spirit of God by mighty power doth work it all others being fearfull and incredulous dare not venture their souls and eternity upon it And hence it is called the faith that is wrought by the exceeding great and mighty power of God The faith of the operation of God And hence it is that others are said to be fearfull and so unbelieving These with other ungodly sinners must have their part in the lake of fire Eph. 1.18 19. Col. 2.12 Eph. 2.8 Phil. 1.19 Rev. 21.8 6. I bilieve that this faith is effectually wrought in none but those which before the world were appointed unto Glory And as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed That he might make known the riches of his Glory upon the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto Glory We give thanks unto God alwayes for you all making mention alwayes of you in our prayers remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God knowing brethren beloved your election of God But of the rest he saith ye believed not because ye are not of my sheep as I said which latter words relate to the 16. v. which respecteth the election of God Joh. 10.26 Therefore they could not believe because Esaias said again he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and I should heal them Act. 13.48 Rom. 9.23 1 Thes. 1.2 3 4. Joh. 10.26 chap. 12 38 39 40. Of Election 1. I believe that Election is free and permanent being founded in Grace and the unchangeable will of God Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of Grace And if by Grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of works then it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
have in their first and primitive institution T is possible to commit Idolatry even with Gods own appointments But I pass this and come to the thing propounded Secondly then I dare have communion Church communion with those that are visible Saints by calling with those that by the word of the Gospell have been brought over to faith and holyness And it maketh no matter to me what their life was heretofore if they now be washed if they be sanctified if they â—e justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Now in order to the discovery of this faith and holyness and so to fellowship in Church communion I hold it requisite that a faithful relation be made thereof by the party thus to be received yea if need be by witnesses also for the satisfaction of the church that she may receive in faith and judgment such as best shall suit her holy profession Acts 9.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 16.10 2 Cor. 8.23 Observe it these Texts do respect extraordinary officers and yet see that in order to their reception by the Church there was made to them a faithfull relation of the faith and holyness of these very persons For no man may intrude himself upon or thrust himself upon or thrust himself into a Church of Christ without the Church have first the knowledge and liking of the person to be received If otherwise there is a door opened for all the hereticks in the world yea for Divels also if they appear in humane shapes But Paul shews you the manner of receiving by pleading after some disgrace thrown upon him by the false Apostles for his own admission of his companions Receive us saith he we have wronged no man we have defrauded no man we have corrupted no man and so concerning Timothy If Timothy come saith he see that he may be with you without fear for he worketh the work of the Lord as I also do 2 Cor. 7.2 1 Cor 16 10. Also when Paul supposed that Titus might be suspected by some see how he pleades for him If any do enquire of Titus he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you or our brethren be enquired of they are the messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ. 2 Cor. 8.23 Phaebe also when she was to be received by the Church at Rome see how he speaketh in her behalf I commend unto you Phaebe our sister which is a servant of the Church which is at Ceuchrea that ye receive her in the Lord as becometh Saints and that you assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many and of my self also Rom. 16.1 2 Yea when the Apostles and brethren sent their Epistles from Jerusalem to Antioch under what characters do those go that were the messengers to them It seemed good unto the holy Ghost and to us to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Saul men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Acts 15.25 26 27. Now though the occasion upon which these commendations were written were not simply or onely in order to Church relation but also for other causes yet because the persons concerned were of the Churches to be received as faithfull and such who would partake of Church priviledges with them they have therefore their faith and faithfulness relate to the Churches as those that were particularly imbodyed there Besides Timothy and Titus being extrordinary officers stood as members and officers in every Church where they were received Likewise Barnabas and Saul Judas and Silas abode as members and officers there where they were sent 'T was requisite therefore that the Letters of recommendation should be in substance the same with that relation that ought to be made to the Church by or for the person that is to be imbodyed there But to return I dare have communion Church-communion with those that are visible Saints by calling Quest. But by what rule would you receive him into fellowship with your selves Answ Even by a discovery of their faith and holyness and their declaration of willingness to subject themselves to the laws and government of Christ in his Church Quest. But do you not count that by water-baptism and not otherwise that being the initiating and entering ordinance they ought to be received into felowship Answ. No But tarry and take my sense with my word For herein lyes the mistake To think that because in time past Baptism was administred upon conversion that therefore it is the initiating and entring ordinance into Church-communion when by the word no such thing is testifyed of it Besides that it is not so will be manifest if we consider the nature and power of such an ordinance That ordinance then that is the initiating or entering ordinance as before Doth give to them that partake thereof aright to and a being of membership with that particular Church by which it is administred I say a right to and a being of membership without the addition of another Church-Act This is evident by the Law of circumcision which was the initiating Law of old For by the administration of that very ordinance the partaker thereof was forthwith member of that congregation without the addition of another Church-act Gen. 17. This is declared in its first institution and therefore it is called the token of the Covenant The token or sign of righteousness of Abrahams Faith and of the visible membership of those that joyned themselves to the Church with him the very inlet into Church-communion that gave a being of membership among them And thus Moses himself expounds it Every Man-servant saith he that is bought with money when thou hast circumcised him he shall eat of the passover without the addition of another Church-act to impower him there unto his circumcision hath already given him a being there and so a right to and priviledge in the blessing of Church-relation A Forreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof because not circumcised but when a stranger that sojourneth with thee will keep the Passover to the Lord let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it for then he is one of the Church and he shall be as one born in the Laad for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof Exo. 12.43 45 46 47 48 49. Neither could any other thing according to the Law of Circumcision give the devoutest person that breathed a being of membership with them He that is born in thine house he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not câ—rcumcised that Soul shall becut off from his people Gen. 17.13 14. Note then that that which is the initiating ordinance admitteth none into Church-communion but those that first partake thereof The Angel sought to kill Moses
flow is carnall and thy actions discoveries of childishness But doubtless when these contentions were among the Corinthians and one man vilifyed that another might be promoted a lift with a carnall Brother was thought great wisedom to widen the breach But why should he be rebuked that said he was for Christ because he was for him in opposition to his holy Apostles Hence he saith Is Christ divided or separate from his servants Note therefore that these divisions are deserted by the persons the divisions were made about Neither Paul nor Apollo nor Cephas nor Christ is here Let the cry be never so loud Christ order the rule the command or the like Carnality is but the bottom and they are but babes that do it their zeal is but a puffe 1 Cor 4.6 And observe it the great division at Corinth was helped forward by Water-baptism This the Apostle intimates by Were ye Baptized in the name of Paul Ah Brethren Carnall Christians with outward circumstances will if they be let alone make sad work in the Churches of Christ against the spiritual growth of the same But I thank God saith Paul that I Baptized none of you c. Not but that it was then an ordinance of God but they abused it in making parties thereby I Baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius and the houshold of Stephanus men of note among the Brethren men of good judgement and reverenced by the rest they can tell you I intended not to make a party to my self thereby Besides I know not whether I Baptized any other By this negligent relating who were Baptized by him he sheweth that he made no such matter of Baptism as some in these dayes do nay that he made no matter at all thereof with respect to Church-communion for if he did not heed who himself had Baptized he much less heeded who were Baptized by others but if Baptism had been the initiating or entering ordinance and so appointed of God no doubt he had made more conscience thereof then so lightly to pass it over For Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel The Gospel then may be effectually preached and yet Baptism neither administred nor mentioned The Gospel being good tidings to sinners upon the account of free grace through Christ but Baptism with things of like nature are dutyes injoyned such a people who received the Gospel before I speak not this because I would teach men to break the least of the Commandments of God but to perswade my brethren of the Baptized way not to hold too much thereupon not to make it an essential of the Gospel of Christ nor yet of communion of Saints He sent me not to Baptize These words are spoken with holy indignation against them that abuse this ordinance of Christ. So when he speaketh of the Ministers themselves which also they had abused in his speaking he as it were trampleth upon them as if they were nothing at all Who then is Paul and who is Apollo He that planteth is not any thing neither is he that watereth but God that giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3.5 7. Yet for all this the Ministers and their ministry are a glorious appointment of God in the World Baptisme also is a holy ordinance but when Sathan abuseth it and wrencheth it out of its place making that which was ordained of God for the edification of believers the only weapon to break in pieces the love the unity the concord of Saints then what is Baptism then neither is Baptism any thing And this is no new doctrine For God by the mouth of his Prophets of old cryed out against his own institutions when abused by his people To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed Beasts I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs or of he Goats When you come to appear before me Who hath required these things at your hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain oblations incense is an abominatien to me The new Moons and the Sabbaths and the calling of assemblyes I cannot away with it is iniquiâ—y even the solemn meeting Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me my Soul hateth I am even weary to bear them Isa. 1.11 12 13 14. And yet all these were his own appointments But why then did he thus abhor them Because they retained the evil of their doings and used them as they did other of his appointments viz. For strife and debate and to strike with the fist of wickedness chap. 58.4 Wherefore when that of God that is great is overweighed by that which is small it is the wisedom of them that see it to put load to the other end of the scale untill the things thus abused poise in their own place But to pass this and proceed Ninthly If we shall reject visible Saints by calling Saints that have communion with God that have received the Law at the hand of Christ that are of holy conversation among men they desiring to have communion with us as much as in us lyeth we take from them their very priviledge and the blessings to which they are born of God For Paul saith not only to the gathered Church at Corinth but to all scattered Saints that in every place call upon the name of the Lord That Jesus Christ is theirs That Paul and Apollo and the World and Life and Death and all things are theirs because they are Christs and Christ is Gods But saith he let no man glory in men such as Paul and Cephas though these were excellent because this priviledge comes to you upon another bottom even by Faith of Jesus Christ. Drink you all of this is intailed to Faith not Baptism Nay Baptized persons may yet be excluded this when he that discerneth the Lords body hath right and priviledge to it 1 Cor. 11.28 29. But to exclude Christians from Church communion and to debar them their Heaven-born priviledges for the want of that which yet God never made a wall of division between us 1. This looks too like a spirit of persecution Job 19.25 26 27 28. 2. It respecteth more a form then the spirit and power of Godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 3. This is to make Laws where God hath made none and to be wise above what is written contrary to Gods word and our own principles 4. It is a directing of the Spirit of God 5. It bindeth all mens Faith and light to mine opinion 6. It taketh away the Childrens Bread 7. It withholdeth from them the increase of Faith 8. It tendeth to harden the hearts of the wicked 9. It tendeth to make wicked the Hearts of weak Christians 10 It setteth open a door to all temptations 11. It tempteth the Divel to fâ—l upon those that are alone and have none tâ— help them 12. It is the Nursery of all