Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	worship_n	worship_v	yield_v	124	3	8.5950	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93702	Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht: containing a confutation of the three degrees of popery, viz. papacy, prelacy, and presbitery; answerable to the triple crowne of the three-headed Cerberus the Pope, with his three fold hierarchies aforesaid. With a dispelling of all other dispersed clouds of errour, which doth interpose the clear sun-shine of the Gospel in our horrizon. Wherein the chiefe arguments each of them have, for the vindication of their erronious tenents are incerted, and refuted; with a description of such whem [sic] the true Church of Christ doth consist of: as also how, and by whom, they may be gathered, and governed, according to the will, and appointment of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, in the primative purity thereof. / By Iohn Spittlehouse, assistant to the Marshall Generall of the Army, under the command of his Excellency, the Lord Generall Fairfax. Imprimated by Theod. Jennings, and entred in the Stationers Hall.	Spittlehouse, John.	1649 (1649)	Wing S5013; Thomason E586_2; ESTC R203633	304,213	396

but they saw some evident signes of his glorious presence and Majesty for otherwise the glorified Saints shall not comprehend and see God in his Essence they may have certain representations but according to the shew of his nature they cannot 'T is true the faithfull in this life have a certain sight of God as our Saviour saith Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and they shall see him more fully in the next life for the Apostle saith We know that when we shall appeare we shall be like unto him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2. but yet this saying must be understood with three conditions 1. That not only the Divinity of the Father but neither of the Sonne or Holy Ghost can the eyes of the body see but of the minde for God is altogether invisible Col. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Heb. 11. 27. which sight the Apostle saith no man ever saw or can see So then if it appertain to the nature of God to be invisible as to be incorruptible that nature shall not be changed in the next world viz. of invisible to become visible because he cannot of incorruptible become corruptible we ought not therefore to distinguish these things which the Apostle hath joyned together as to say to him that is incorruptible for ever in this and the next but invisible not in the next world but only in this The fulnesse therefore of God cannot be comprehended in seeing unlesse the Seer so see that no part can be hid from him but God cannot be seen if any thing in the God-head be hid from us which must needs be in regard of his infinitenesse so that Moses and the other Prophets mentioned did not see God as to take his effigies he being incomprehensible the Picture therefore of God the Father which the Papists make like an old man which they gather from Daniels vision of God Dan. 7. 9. or of any other Person in the Trinity is rediculous SECT 6. Object SO that Images be not adored they may be used for matter of beautifying and adorning of Churches Ans It is a dishonour to God to have such places set apart for his worship stuffed with Monuments of Idolatry such things as draweth the minde of man from a Divine worship and it is evident Exod. 34. 15. that the Lord would have the occasion of The occasion of evill ought to be removed stumbling removed and Images to be defaced lest the people might be corrupted by them and therefore he simply commandeth to break down their Images Deut. 7. 5. and that because they were an holy people to God As if he should have said you Israelites are a people prone to Idolatry and therefore I charge you ●o pull them down The Apostle also reviveth the same precept 1 Joh. 5. 21. where he saith Babes keep your selves from Idols shewing that now under the Gospel there is danger to be feared from Images and Idols Obj. The Commandement for abolishing and destroying of Images was ceremoniall and therefore concerneth not christians n●w Ans To take away all occasion of Idolatry is not ceremoniall because it tendeth to the maintenance of a Morall Commandement Obj. A thing must not be taken away for the abuse Ans If the thing be good in it selfe and necessary it ought not to be taken away for the abuse but the case is divers where both the thing and the abuse are unlawfull SECT 7. Object IT is sufficient that the people be taught and admonished that Idols and Images are not to be worshipped and not to be taken away Ans The Apostle exhorteth us to abstaine from all appearances We are to abstaine from all appearance of evill of evill 1 Pet. 3. 22. and the surest way is to remove from the sight the occasion of stumbling and therefore Moses did not only restraine the people from worshipping the abominable Idol but he defaced it and took it away which practice and example of Moses condemneth the Luthreans who allow not the worshiping of Images and yet will tollerate them in their publick places of meeting for it appeares that Moses could not indure the very sight of that Idol which president may teach us not only to be ware of worshipping them but also of the offence that may happen by the very sight of them The example of Hezekiah is also very pertinent to this purpose who brake in pieces the brazen Serpent 2 King 18. 4. moreover whatsoever it is in religious worship which hath not the testimony of the Word for its approvement may without controversie be reputed for a device of man and so consequently rejected for the true worship of God How God will be worshipped must be spirituall answering to his nature as our Saviour saith Joh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and such as worship him must worship him in spirit and truth which worship cannot be performed by the naturall or artificiall abilities of men in regard it is wrapt up in the mystery of the Word to which it is not lawfull to adde or detract any thing Deut. 4. 2. 12. 32. Rev. 22. 18 19. but to be directly agreeable to that patterne and therefore the Lord commanded Moses to make the forme of the Tabernacle agreeable in every thing to that which he had shewed in the Mount Exod. 25. 9. Again it is the true devotions and affections of the heart which God only looketh upon in his worship as in Prov. 23. 26. My sonne give me thy heart As also in the very words of the Prophet David where he saith My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise and not to make an Image of God for to whom will ye liken me saith the Lord or to whom will ye compare me Isai 40. 18. Such therefore erre exceedingly who not only tollerate Images and set them up in their Churches but also maintaine and defend the adoring of them yea and that they are to be adored with the same adoration with the thing it representeth which is both blasphemous and also a robbing of God of his honour who saith I am Jehovah and my name and my glory will I not give to another Isa 42. 8. as also Cursed be the man that shall make any molten or carved Images an abomination to the Lord and shall put it in a secret place Deut. 27. 15. I will only adde that of the Prophet David to cleare this discourse they that make them are like unto them c. Psal 133. 13. CHAP. V. Treateth of their invocation of Angels and Saints departed with a confutation thereof SECT 1. THe manner of Invocation used by the holy men of Against the invocating of Saints and Angels Judg. 13 15 16. Mat. 4. 10. Act 10. 25 26. 11 12. 1 Col. 1 13. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 3. 5 6. Heb. 7. 25. 9. ●● God ought to be our patterne to

of it they possitively conclude that it must be so of necessity although in the truth of the assertion it is no way agreeable to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and thus have the rude multitudes been deluded by their Orthodoxall men for many ages who have purposely and knowingly kept the people in this blinde obedience for their owne particular advantage SECT 5. OF the like stampe is the signe of the Crosse which they use in Of the Crosse in Baptisme Baptisme being no more practised by the Apostles then the former for if they had without doubt they would have left some president for it in their writings which is not in the least to be found as mentioned to any such purpose as their Orthodoxall men very well know Historians say that this Ceremony of making The first use of the Crosse Crosses tooke its rise in the Primative times upon this occasion viz. The Pagans having the predominant power over Christians did in derision of Christ whom the Christians adored erected Crosses because he was hanged upon such an one hereupon the Christians to shew themselves not ashamed of such a God as did not despise so ignominious a death for the love he had to his elect did also make Crosses themselves in signification that they willingly owned that God whom the Pagans so much derided Now there being no such cause for the continuance of such Ceremonies viz. no people so shamelesly impudent why should not the effect cease viz. materiall Crosses for otherwise it was never used in Baptisme untill the Idolatrous and Superstitious Papists brought it in as a Sacramentall and signifying signe which being scandalous and having no ground from the Word as also never so used before amongst Christians or at the least by Christs Apostles as also abolished by all the reforming Churches it ought not to be approved or tollerated by us SECT 6. THeir confirmation or laying on of hands is also of the same O● confirmation and laying on of hands linage for though the Apostles had power to give the Holy Ghost to whom they were directed so to doe by a secret inspiration of the same Spirit it doth not follow that the Mitered Bishops hath the like priviledge or power to grant the like strength of Spirituall grace in that manner and that for these reasons 1. Because they are usurpers of that Office and calling which Bishops usurpers of their office was conferred by Christ or his Apostles and so cannot any way justly claime any such power and anthority as the Apostles had which may appeare in that Christ did not commit the Government of his Church to dumbe Priests for whom he sent he sent to preach Luke 10. and not to make Crucifixes and blesse Altars or to observe mens traditions he meant not to play a Pagiant that men should disguise themselves by wearing Rochets Copes Surplices c. neither to preach his Gospel with windy eloquence but in the celestiall power of the Spirit as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 1. 4. but all these are done by these Prelates ergo not fit instruments to preach the Gospel SECT 7. Obj. PAul saith that he that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a good worke Ans The Apostle in that place doth not meane a Bishop in his Bishop and Elder taken for one and the same Christ do●h not commit the government of h●s Church to dumbe Priests Palfrey standing like an Image but these words Shepheard Minister Bishop Elder c. are taken in holy Scripture for one and the same witnesse the Apostle Peter who termeth himselfe an Elder 1 Pet. 5. 1. he meant therefore such as are called into the Church of God to teach the people and to be a Watch-man over the Flock to preach the Word in season and out of season and not to put forth their owne Phantasiès and Dreames that calling is not an honour of idlenesse but a Soule-saving service and therefore to be a true Bishop is to be a faithfull Pastor to his Flock And certainly this dignity and superiority which they usurpe The originall of Bishops came to passe by some proud fellowes having a degree in humane learning above the rest of their Function and so took upon them that name of Bishop changing the tongue of the Holy Ghost for otherwise the same was a Priest which was a Bishop all executing the same office of Teaching and exhorting which Paul appointed for the Bishops yea it is most apparant that our Saviour gave no such power or preheminence to his Apostles as The Apostles of Christ did not usurpe authority on one another these usurpe one over another but contrariwise forbiddeth them to desire it Mat. 20. 26. It shall not be so amongst you As also Mat. 23. 8. where he exhorteth them not to be called Rabbi Rabbi as was the Scribes and Pharisees and that in regard he himselfe was their Doctor and they all Brethren and therefore ought not to Lord it one over another SECT 2. Obj. IF their calling be not from God whence 〈◊〉 it Ans From the Devill for they received it from the The Bishops calling originally from the Devill and so consequently those ordained by them Pope who is a Rebell to Christ and hath received his Calling from the Devill Rev. 17. 2. neither can these be said to be the Apostles Successors in regard they have not taken the Word of God for their guide but the traditions of Men and devices of their owne braine and the corrupt customes of their own Courts all which Christ abhorreth witnesse his sharp invectives against the Scribes and Pharisees for the like Mat. 7. 8. as also in that he termes it a vaine worship in regard he is only to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Obj. They doe not deny the Word of God they would only have those Ceremonies and Customes of decency which hath been for a long time used in the Church still to be continued Ans To plead for Custome is dangerous Christ telleth us He A long and evill custome is not to be followed is the way the truth and the life he doth not say He is the Custome but he is the truth for in processe of time an evill custome may grow strong yea to be kept for a Law and yet it is not therefore the truth we ought then in matter of worship to apply our selves to Christ the truth and not to custome Again that they are not called of God may appeare in that Reason● why they are not called of God they have combined together for themselves and contrived for their owne sinister ends and usurpation though to the great dispersion and division both in Church and State moving and fomenting of Warre and afflicting of the people of God not respecting any thing more then their owne glory and sinister respects by which they have laboured to raise themselves to honour as also in that they

subjection by incorporating your selves into Bodies Politick by that rule which Christ hath prescribed for that purpose viz. by the gate of Baptisme it being the externall meanes to inisiate you into the externall profession of Christ in his Church Militant your persons being as wel to conforme to the outward Government thereof as your Spirits to the inward Againe as in humane learning he that would be made compleat must first attaine to three degrees of knowledge viz. a good Gramarian a Rethorissian and a Logissian so is it in Spirituall knowledg to which there are also three degrees to be attained before one can be formed a compleat Christian viz. the knowledg of the old testament and the new testament and the Spiritual interpretation thereof And it is worthy of our best observation to consider the Mutuall Harmony of the Scriptures to attaine this Spirituall knowledge as aforesaid For in relation to this threefold knowledg we have a Trinity of persons in the Diety which co-opperate with them and are agreeable and proportionable to them Answerable to which there is also a threefold faith viz. A Fundamentall faith an historicall faith and a Justifying faith the first agreeing with God the Father as the Creator made knowne in the old Testament the second to the Sonne as a Redeemer in the new Testament and the third to the Holy Ghost in the Spiritualitie of the Letter in both of them The first aluding to the knowledg of God as he is in himselfe The 2. as he is in his Son and 3. as he is a Trinity in unity and an unitie in Trinity the 1. describing the Kingdom and government of God the father with his Angellicall Ministers the 2. the government of the Sonne with his Apostollicall Ministers And the 3. The Kingdome or government of the holyghost with his ministring Saints which is now approaching It is also worthy our observation what Sacraments of union and Correspondencie there we●●●●longing to those distinct Kingdomes and governments fro●●●ch as did not belong unto them As in the first under the law they had Circumcision as a badg of their profession under the Gospell or new Testament a baptisme of water in relation to Christ the 2. person as also a baptisme of the spirit in referrence to the third person the water baptisme being a badg of their outward profession as they were a Church millitant or an externall Church and the Spirituall baptisme in relation to their internall or Spirituall societie that of water baptisme being as it were a gate or inlet to the other there beiug also now as much reason why the Saints should be seperated and distinguished from the world and Antichristianisme as there was either before under or after the Law viz. in the Apostle time Againe the new Jerusalem which is now to descend is said to be adorned as a Bride adorned for her Husband which without all controversie cannot alude to any other thing then the primative purity of Gospel-ordinances yea the whole description of it doth evidence as much which to paralell in each particular would be too tedious I shall only hint some few observations of it viz. in that it is described to have walls and gates with its longitude latitude and altitude doth prefiguring a comlinesse decency and order to be admitted into it 3. In that there is said to be no Temple in it is meant that there shall not be a materiall one consisting of wood stone and gold as was in that of Jerusalem built by Solomon and the reason thereof followeth viz. because the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the Temple of it that is it doth consist of Saints in whom the Lambe Christ is ever present as also in that he hath opened Heaven in every place to faithful Beleevers 4. In that it is said to need no light of the Sunne or Moone to shine in it is meant of Ecclesiasticall or civill Government as now practised having its proper power and adornment in it selfe viz. from Christ and his Apostles 5. In that the Nations which are saved is said to walke in the light of it is meant that all such who are ordained to eternall life shall be conformable to the government of it in Doctrine Worship and Discipline 6. In that the Nations are said to bring their glory and honour unto it is meant that the Kings and Rulers of the earth shall hate Antichrist in each of his Hierarchies and destroy it in their dominions as also willingly lay downe their owne powers and become loyall subjects to Jesus Christ 7. In that the gates of the City are not said to be shut either by day or by night and yet none is to enter therein that is uncleane c. but such as are written in the Lambs Book of Life is meant that all manner of people may have recourse to the Churches of the Saints to heare the Word As Country-men may have leave to come into a City for Merchandise which admission into the City doth not make them Free-men in regard they are not inrolled in their Records so in like manner albeit the men of the world may have liberty to heare the Word preached amongst the Saints yet they are not thereby made members of their Society not being entred or inrolled a Saint in the Churches Records viz. not being incorporated by Baptisme into their Society or Body Politick 8. In that a cleare and pure River of water is said to proceed out of the Throne of God and of the Lambe is meant of the Spirit of Prophesie which shall be poured upon the Saints who shall be taught of God 9. In that it is said to run through the midest of the streets of the City is meant that the aforesaid Spirit shall be free for each Member of the Church to make use of as well one as other 10. In that on each side of the River is said to grow a tree of Life bearing twelve manner of fruits and yeelding her fruit every month and the leaves being for the healing of the Nations is meant that the Gospel shall flourish and spread it selfe into all Countries by vertue whereof they shall be healed of the leprosie of Antichristianisme Judisme and Heathenism Thus have I briefly discovered unto you the new or Spirituall Jerusalem hoping you will be willing in this day of Christs power to give up your selves as a free-will offering unto him by submitting unto his Kingly Government but I must tell you that at the present there is very small hopes of it in regard of your now condition which if I be not mistaken in as sure I am not may fitly be paralleld with these places of Scripture I shall first instance in that of Marke 14. 38. where our Saviour told his Disciples that their spirits was willing but their flesh was weake even so it is with you for you are awake in the Spirit but asleepe in the body you are awake in the spirituall worship of

would have you doe in reference to his designe which is onely the very same in effect which he commanded Joshua Chap. 5. 6. in which I desire you to observe with me these ensuing particulars viz. 1. The feare and dread which fell upon all the Kings of the Amorites and all the Kings of the Cananites that were round about them ver 1. 2. How the Lord is said to put Joshua in minde of renewing the ancient Covenant of Circumcision made formerly to Abraham ver 2. 3. The free and willing obedience of Joshua in reference to the injunction laid upon him in relation to the Circumcising of the people ver 3. 4. The cause of their being so Circumcised laid down from ver 6. to ver 8. 5. The Lords approbation and confirmation of Joshua's complyance with his commands ver 9. 6. In that the Passe-over was likewise celebrated by them presently after their Circumcising upon which their Manna ceased and after which they are said to ●ate the old Corne of the Land yea they are said never to have any more Manna amongst them but that they did eate of the fruit of the Land of Canaan that yeare Thrice Honoured Valiants I shall take on me to minde you of something in relation to each of these particulars as they parallel with our present condition 1. It is well knowne to the Camp of our Israel what the Lord hath done by us and for us whereof we rejoyce And is it not also taken notice of in all the Kingdomes about us how the Lord hath dryed up before us the Euphrates of Papacy the red Sea of Prelacy and the Jordan of Presbitery as also how he hath destroyed our Aegyptian Pharaoh and all his Host Yea doth not all the Nations about us exceedingly feare and tremble yea so as that their hearts melt yea is there any more spirit left in them 2. Have we not the Spirit of the Lord at this very instant of time putting us in minde to renew the ancient Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper answerable to their Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe 3. Ought not you the Joshuas of our Host to be like obedient to the heavenly voyce as the other 4. Is there not the like cause as was then Have either your selves or any other in the Congregation been Baptized during our wildernesse condition according to the primative practise of the Apostles Or hath the Sacrament of the Lords Supper been celebrated of late according to the Apostles institution Yea have not all the holy Ordinances been slighted and contemned of us since our Antichristian bondage Have not all the posterities since Luthers time perished in the Wildernesse because they obeyed not the voyce of the Lord in these particulars unto whom he sware that he would not shew them the Land of Canaan which the Lord sware unto their Fathers that he would give us a Land flowing with Milke and Honey upon which your feet now standeth I beseech you therefore give the Lord cause in this his day to say unto you as he did then to Joshua viz. that he hath rolled away the reproach of Antichrist in the use of his Ordinances from amongst us which have been so long abused and slighted by us even to this present day and then be you well assured that you shall be fed with the old Corne and fruit of the Land of Canaan and your wildernesse Manna shall ●ease viz. you shall be brought under the old primative Government of Christ and his Apostles by Doctrine Baptisme and the Lords Supper by which meanes your confused and dislocated Societies shall cease to be when you come once to be united by the Word and Sacraments into peculiar and intire Bodies as in the primative times before mentioned There be also many other things worthy your observation which for brevity sake I have omitted being well assured that your descerning spirit will ●●y them out as also make that use of them which the Lord requireth of you Right Noble Spirits I have made choyce of this method in regard I know you can as well exercise the Sword of the Spirit as the materiall one yea I am well assured that you have as well conquered by the one as the other I shall now only commend your eye to the reading and your persons to the practise of what is contained in this ensuing Treatice so farre as it hath relation to your particulars which if you become like obedient as was your president Joshua and those under his command you will then have the Postscript of the Booke appeare unto you as the Prince or Captaine of the Lords Host did unto the aforesaid Joshua declaring himselfe for you by whose directions you may be put into a way whereby you may conquer the City Jericho which you and the Host of our present Israel now lye before to subdue but if you refuse to be obedient to what this Treatice doth enjoyne you to accomplish you are as like to perish though beyond Jordan as the other on this side have done before you but being confident of your ready complyance with the heavenly pleasure I rest Your most humble Servant J. S. To the Presbiterian Layety Honoured friends HAving for a long season been a daily spectator of the tuggings and contests betwixt you and the Independant Party of this Nation whom you terme Schismaticks Hereticks c. labouring by all possible power to suppresse each other and having for my owne satisfaction in relation to your difference in Judgements as also of each other opinionists in this Nation perused such Authors as providence supplyed me with for the se●ling my judgement in point of Divine worship as in Doctrine and Discipline c. and having thereby as also by other Divine dictates of the Spirit received full satisfaction therein I conceive my selfe injoyned to impart the benefit thereof to others it being agreeable to that Divine injunction When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22. 23. as also for some other reasons which for the present I shall omit I have therefore composed and published this Treatice which I present to each particular judgement and so consequently to you whom I finde amongst the rest to be drawne by a contrary Byas from the true Discipline and Government of Christ in his Church and that by those men you terme Orthodoxall Diuines by whom you have been and yet are much deluded in point aforesaid their designe being meerly as the rest of the Papall and Prelaticall Priests whose off-spring they are to heighten themselves by your ruines I therefore desire you to search the Scriptures and to try their Spirits whether they be of God or no. And he●ceforth doe not wholly and solely confide in such limbs of Antichrist as to walke by an implicite faith or to pi● your faith upon their sleeves Leane not too much upon those Egyptian Reeds least they pierce your consciences Remember it hath been the ruine of many thousands of

religions Reason as was never yet in any age attained unto for the men of purest reason as the old Philosophers never attained further then the knowledge of some things infinite which they did not know a Religion of Morall righteousnesse and purity and some Sacrifices of attonement c. and there is not any Religion in the world Jewish or Turkish but they are made up of carnall principles and are founded upon reason and nature but this Gospel Religion hath opened a new way to salvation a way of worship crosse to all Methods and Heb. 4. 12 1 Pet. 1 19 w●yes of reason the word opening new wayes by a new Spirit purifying naturall reason into more divine and glorious notions then reason ever attained bringing in a way of beleeving and placing a Religion placed upon a spirituall perswasion called faith which is more proportionable to an infinite God and an infinite way and depth of Salvation then reason ever invented For the Soule to beleeve upon one even Jesus Christ in whom God hath laid up all love and fulnesse and so for man to come one with him who is God and Man And there cannot be a more rationall way for man to become one with God then by one that is both God and Man SECT 4. 10. THat the Scriptures or Gospel of the New Testament being a many hundred yeares old as from the Apostles even in that originall we have them no very materiall difference is to be found albeit the Copies have passed through the greatest Apostacy God restraining Antichrists power to corrupt them materially in the originall to advantage their Heresies and corruptions which very constant preservation of truth in the very midst of the enemies of truth is both a constant and standing Miracle of it selfe and so we need not stay for a Ministry with Miracle seeing we have a word with Miracle which in its matter subject power speaking of God of his Son God and Man of his Spirit the actor in man from both by way of outward ordinances of the depths windings and workings of reason c. and is of as much efficacy to perswade as any thing else we can have and though there be not such pouring out of Spirit and such gifts as beleevers may and shall have yet all beleevers ought to practice so farre of the outward ordinances as is cleerly revealed which conviction of his I suppose is sufficient to disswade any rationall man from thinking that either Miracles or new gifts of Tongues is now requisite for the gathering the Church of Christ out of Antichristianisme as there was in the Apostles time out of Judisme and Heathenisme Thus have I by Gods assistance confuted the tenents of the Atheists Anti-scripturians Papists Pellagians Armenians Antinomians Seekers Annabaptists saving that tenent from which they have their denomination which I shall hereafter discourse of in its more proper place and in the confutation of these former opinions is sufficiently confuted that other r●bble of Schisms and Heresies which are new coyned with the Presbiterian stampe unlesse it be the Quakers divorcers and Soul-sleepers which if there be any such as I hardly beleeve they may tell thee 1. That when they be hungry or thirsty they wil remember themselves and the second That to the pure all things are pure and aske the third which part of the St. Theife was with Christ in Paradice that day after his Passion Luk. 23. 24. CHAP. VIII The eighth Chapter treateth of Prelaci● SECT 1. IN the next place by the same assistance I A preface to the Prote●●ant intend to prosecute the discovery of all the Reliques of Popery which is yet harboured in any other opinions now extant amongst us in this Nation in hope that each ●pinionist will be as willing to imbrace the truth as it is willing to offer it selfe unto him and in regard the chiefe cause of the quarrell amongst us in matters of Religion consisteth in observing or not observing of Ceremonies which in respect of their long continuance is the greater cause that mens mindes are hardly perswaded from them as also in regard of the outward ●stentation or Aronicall glory which they retaine I will therefore take some paines to discover the ridiculousnesse of those needlesse Ceremonies which is yet fostered amongst many thousands in this Nation being verily perswaded that after they once see the vanity of them and how punctually they are against the precepts of Christ and his Apostles they will utterly renounce them albeit they have hitherto so much delighted themselves in them By which meanes their consciences being convinced they may use the Apostles word in the Apostles sence and say What pleasure had we then in those things whereof we are now ashamed And contrariwise if any whom I have or shall convince remaine refractory and obstinate it will be a meanes to leave them without excuse in regard they refuse to have their understandings eluminated loving darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill Joh. 3. 19. SECT 2. ANd in the first place I will incounter with such who call Ch●istians the most proper ●itle of the Disciples of C●●●st Act. 11. 26. themselves Protestants being ashamed of the name Christian which the Apostles and Disciples of the Primative Church tooke upon them as an ornament of their profession being derive● from their Masters name whom they professed to serve these Protestants or rather Prelatticants in regard of their deare affections to Bishops and their Popish Ceremonies and superiority being over-ruled by Satans pollicy which is to draw us to the outward imitation of Ceremonies that thereby we might leave the substance have under pretence of decencie and order and as it were to step out of the way to bring the Papists in to them maintained these their superstitions but by wofull experience they have found a contrary effect for instead of so doing the Papists have caught the most of them so that now they would rather be deprived of their Lives and Fortunes then part with such Toyes Now in regard I would shew them the vanity of each of their Their mistake in the Church errours I will first begin with their opinion touching the sanctity and inherent holinesse which they attribute to that place which they call the Church which indeed is not the Church but meerly a Meeting-place for the Church The true Church of Jesus Christ being a company of Men or Women or both acknowledging or worshipping the true God being gathered into A diffinition● of the Church of Christ a Body or Fellowship by the Word and Baptisme whom Christ doth regenerate and sanctifie here with his Spirit and purposeth afterward to glorifie in his heavenly Kingdome SECT 3. ANd as they are mistaken in the Church so are they also in Their mistake in the sanctity ●r inherent holinesse they attribute to their Steeple-houses the sanctity and holinesse which they attribute to that place which they so terme for

Christ viz. you have the spirit of Prayer and Prophesie but you are asleep in the body or formall part of it 2. I shall parallel you with that text of Mat. 12. 43 c. where it is said that when the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest but findeth none c. and this also is your very condition yea doubtlesse that parable was then delivered in relation to you yea I appeale to your selves if it doe not hit you in each particular Is not your spirits out of the body aforementioned have you not walked through dry places viz. out of all formes of Gospel Fellowship have you not sought rest and finde none viz. Have you not laboured to settle your selves in severall formes witnesse the great Disputes that have been about Church Government and have you found rest in any of them Againe hath not that spirit of yours being out of the body taken unto it selfe seven Spirits worse then it selfe since it departed out of the true Body of the primative Church witnesse Papacy Prelacy Presbitery Independancy Antinomians Universalians Seekers c. and in so doing hath not your last estate been worse then your first Againe you may also be fitly paralleld with that Parable of our Saviour Matth 25. from ver the 11. to ver 25. upon which there is now extant an eligant and divine Paraphrase published by Mr. John Branie titled Babels fall in the foolish Virgins sleepe c. worthy your best observations by reason of which I shall only give you some few of mine thereon in which Simily I shall acknowledge you to be the wise Virgins there spoken of My first observation is in relation of your going forth to meet the Bride-groome which implyeth that you were once both of one Family or Church Fellowship together if you could have kept you so in the Primative or Apostolicall times see therefore what you have got by your gadding You could not have kept you within doores you must with Dinah goe to see the Daughters of the Land though in the attempt you be ravished by the Antichristian Shechem 2. In relation to their slumbering and sleeping in which respect I finde you also as deeply ingaged as the foolish for like as they doe place Religion in the externall forme thereof as in the very use of the Ordinances or due observation of them as to heare the Word preached and to receive the Sacraments the performance of which duties they conceive is as much as God requireth of them in his worship and service In reference to which I say ye are wise for that ye know that such things are but the out-side of Religion and that it is a spirituall worship which Christ requireth of the Saints yet neverthelesse in this particular you are slumbring and sleeping as well as they viz. by your dispitefull contempt of the externall ordinances of the externall or militant Church it being with you in that particular as it is with such sorts of people who because Papists give Almes in a plentifull measure supposing they merit thereby therefore they wil give none at all because they wil not incu●re that aspertion the application I leave to your selves 3. In this your slumbring and sleeping condition you are said to be out of the Marriage Chamber both of you lying before the doore as may be gathered from the tenth verse which is as much as plainly to tell you that you are both out of the payle of the Church 4. In that you are said to take oyle in your vessels with your Lamps and not the other is meant that you have a Spirituall principle residing in you viz. of Prayer and Prophecy which the other want they relying meery upon humane Learning as doth appeare by their preaching set formes of Prayer and their other Ceremonies in their worship and service of God 3. In that it was said at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bride-groome commeth goe ye out to meet him you being already out before as in ver 1. is meant of this present speech unto you which is to call you out of your selves as also the other in regard I have also done the like to them in the former part of the Booke 6. In that upon the aforesaid cry they are all said to arise and trim their Lamps I referre you to Mr. Braines description only this I shall say viz. That you wil hereby be put in minde of your present condition as also by the Apostles exhortations viz. that God is the God of order and not of confusion 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 33. as also that all things in the Church ought to be do●● 〈◊〉 ●●d in order ver 40. for which things sake the Apost●e 〈…〉 rejoyce Col. 2. 5. As also that Jerusalem is 〈…〉 unity in it selfe by which Spirituall pri●●● 〈…〉 of grace in you your Lamp of faith wil be kep● 〈…〉 the others wanting relying meerly upon the 〈…〉 ●f worship in their sence of them being by this Treatice proved rediculous shall burne it selfe out of the affections of the Disciples of such Teachers viz. of the Papall Prelaticall and Presbiterian Clergy As for the rest of that Parable before or after I referre you to the interpretation of the aforesaid Mr. Braine unto whom the Lord hath been pleased to reveale more of his secrets then to any of the now Clergy in the whole world witnesse his severall Evangelicall predictions of what is now apparently made manifest to the eyes of all men I shall only instance in one particular more wherein you are prefigured Rev. 12. 14. where it is said that the Woman had two wings of a great Eagle given unto her that she might fly into the wildernesse into her place where she is nourished for a time times and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent the meaning of which I take to be this By the Woman I understand the Church of Christ by the Serpent Antichrist the wings there said to be given to the Woman whereby she fled into the wildernesse I take to be the two Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper by which she hath been supported as upon the wings of that great Eagle Christ Jesus and in that she is said to be preserved in the wildernesse for a time and times and halfe a time I take it to be this That the Annabaptisticall Church which I take to be the Church there spoke of hath and shall have its abode in its now wildernesse condition until Papacy shall be abolished which I referre unto the word time as also until Prelacy and Presbitery shall be also exterpated which I apply to the word times as also until such as you shall relinquish your grosse errors and back-slidings which I take to be intimated by the halfe times Now the reason why I so alude them is this viz. Papacy I compare to time because of its long residence in this Nation Prelacy and Presbitery to