denyed That power which can disanull â—e greater must needs disanull the â—â—â—er if the death of Christ put an 〈◊〉 to the heavenly Fathers Cereâ—oniall Worship and in prayer and â—aise at or before the Ark or in â—e Temple then it will put an â—nd to all mans devised Worship unlesse you will advance the authority of man above God the Father Col. 2. 20 21 22 23. If Christ by his death hath freed us from the rudiments of the world the Mosaicall Ceremonies why living in the world are wee intangled with ordinances after the doctrine traditions and commandements oâ— men But they are set up for the glory of God Not I but Paul shall answer fom me They have a shew of wisdome iâ— will-worship but it is onely a shew there is no substance in it Wee harden the obstinate Papist in their superstition for they say and that truly Wee received moâ—â— of our formes of prayer and praiâ—â— from them Wee rob the Spirit of his glory who is given to Saints to form prayer and praise in them 1 Cor. 1â— 15 16. Rom 8. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Wee impose a burthen upon 〈◊〉 conscience to be practised which God hath left arbitrary to be used according to our necessities If we be afflicted then pray if wee have tasted how bountifull the Lord hath been to us in blessings then let us praise him Jam. 5. 13. If wee frequent devised formes of Worship in prayer or praise we shall lay a stumbling block before a weak brother and cause him to fall Woe be to them that follow the way of Balaam who taught Balack to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel Revel 2. 14. Jud. v. 11. Now offences must come but woe unto the men by whom they come It were better for me that a milstone were hanged about my neck and that I were cast into the sea then that I should offend one of these little ones Luk. 17. 1 2. If wee frequent devised formes of Worship in prayer or praise we shall offend our consciences even so many of us as are Saints enlightned to behold the beauty of his spirituall Worship performed or offered in his spirituall house the Congregation of the faithfull united Now if our consciences condemne us God is greater then our consciences and hee will condemne us also 1 Joh. 3. 19. for he knoweth all things Therefore I say to you who blame us for not frequenting devised forms of Worship in prayer and praises as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego did to King Nebuchadnezzar We are not carefull to answer you in this matter Our God whom wee serve is able to deliver us out of your hand But if he will not be it known to you we will not serve your gods nor worship our God in that devised way that men set up Dan. 3. 16 17 18. It one set form of spirituall Worship in prayer and praises had been needfull Christ would have left one But the Prophets Christ the Apostles never prayed nor praised God by any set forme of Worship invented by man but by the powerfull worke of the holy Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Gal. 4. 6. A set forme of Worship prescribed in prayer or praises cannot in prayer expresse the severall necessities of Gods people for the more grace they have the more they see their owne wants and the more sensible they are of their owne infirmities corruptions and sinnes Neither can it in praises expresse the manifold experiences that the Saints daily observe of Gods mercifull dealing with them Therefore a set Forme of prayer or praises to Gods Saints and faithfull ones principled with a spirit of prayer and praise it is altogether unusefull 1 Cor. 14. 15 16. Soli Deo honor gloria FINIS A DESCRIPTION OF THE Spirituall TEMPLE OR THE SPOUSE Prepared for the LAMBE The LORD JESUS Written by FRANCIS CORNWEL a Minister and Servant of Jesus the Christ for the benefit of poore distressed conscences in City and Countrey LONDON Printed by John Dawson 1646. TO THE HONOVRABLE and the true lover of all conscientious Covenantours that stand up for a through Reformation according to the word of our good God in England and Ireland CORNELIUS HOLLAND Esquire a Member of the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament SIR DAvid describeth the godly man by his pleasure and by his paines First the pleasure of the godly man in these words He delighteth in the Law of the Lord. Secondly the paines of the godly man And in that Law he meditateth day and night not only in the day appointed for man to labour in but in the night also appointed for man to rest the reason is because it is his meat and drinke to doe the will of his God Honoured Sir The Word of Christ being the Rule of Englands Reformation the good Lord that writeth his Lawes in his peoples hearts according to his new Covenant of Grace Heb. 8. 10. put it into my minde seriously to consider What Schisme was that I had covenanted against And searching the Scriptures I found it thus written 1. Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse Vers 4. He is proud knowing nothing but doting about Questions and strife of words whereof commeth envy strife raylings evill surmisings Vers 5. Perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gaine is godlinesse from such withdraw thy self Yea and after a further enquiry to understand aright the things that are controverted amongst us by the good providence of the Almighty I found two Texts of holy Scripture setting forth two sorts of men Diametrally opposing one another as light doth darkenesse truth doth falsehood the one thâ—s written 1 John 5. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the Christ is borne of God And the other thus 1 John 2. 22. Who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Jesus is not the Christ He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne And when I thought to understand the difference it was to hard for me untill I went into the Sanctuary of God where the Father of glory of his good pleasure revealed to me the most unworthyest of all his servants the truth of that which I conceive is the root of all our Controversies and gave me to understand the meaning of the Scriptures 1 John 5. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the Christ viz. the eternall King Prophet Priest of the Church of the new Testament ratified with his bloud whom the Father of glory hath exalted to bee Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. and head Ephes 2. 20 21 22 23. Is borne of God Seeing no man can say that is confest that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 3. Hence I find it written Joh. 1. 11. Jesus came to his owne but his owne received him not that
is for the Christ that Messiah which was to come but onely for the Carpenters sonne Matth. 13. 58. The reason was because none could understand that Mystery but they onely to whom the Father of heaven revealed it Matth. 11. 14. Hence when Jesus demanded of his Disciples Whom doe men say that I the Sonne of Man am Peter answereth thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God Jesus answereth Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for flesh and blood hatb not revealed this unto thee but my Father in heaven And thou art Peter and upon this Rock Jesus the Christ whom thou hast confessed I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. 16 17 18. Many for fear durst not in those dayes confesse Jesus to be the Christ Instance the Parents of the blind man Because the Jewes had agreed that if any did confesse that hee was the Christ He should be put out of the Synagogue John 9. 22. But so many as recived him viz. to be the Christ to them he gave power to be called the sons of God even to them that beleeve in his name which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of thâ— will of man But of God John 1. 12 13 And as for that other Text of the holy Scripture that doth universally oppose it the heavenly Father gave me thus to interpret it 1 John 2. 22. Who is a lyar viz â—orne of the evill one who is a lyar and the father of lyes and abode not in the truth John 8. 14. But hee that denieth that JESUS whom hee confesseth dyed for his sinnes and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures Is not the Christ viz. the annointed King and Prophet of his Church in all his outward administrations and institutions in admitting of Members into his spirituall Kingdome according to his royall Commission Matth. 28. 18 19. Mark 15. 15 16. though he acknowledge him to be his eternall Priest that ever liveth to make intercession to God for him Heb. 7. 25. He is that Antichrist viz. an enemy and adversary to Jesus the Christ that denieth the Father and the Sonne He that denieth the Sonnes Authority to bee the eternall King and his Commission to bee in force Matth. 28. 18 19 20. Mark 15. 15 16. and to be the eternall Prophet and his word to be the eternall rule for Doctrine and Gouernement aswall as his eternall Priest to reconcile him to God Denieth the Father that sanctified the Sonne and sent him into the World John 10. 36. and raised him from the dead and exalted him to bee Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. Hence it is my Honoured friend First that in all my writings I have studied to exalt Jesus the Christ it being the Primitive Faith once given to the Saints Math. 16. 16. Secondly to distinguish Jesus the Christ from all others named with the name of Jesus in Scripture Record as Joshua is called Jesus Hebr. 4. 8. c. others Thirdly because I find the Scriptures giving that Title to him in divers places John confesseth I am not the Christ John 1. 20. The Woman of Samaria said I know the Messiah commeth which is called the Christ John 4. 25. Apollos mightily convinced the Jewes shewing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ Acts 18. 28. Now that I received from the Lord I could not but make knowne to you You being one of the tender hearted Loyall Covenanters a Member of that High and Honourable Court under whose shade Conscientious Covenantours that contend for the faith of Jesus the Christ once given to the Saints find rest Know worthy Sir that the departure from the faith of Jesus the Christ is a cause of so many Schismes and Heresies maintained in the earth Disdaine not therefore to read a little Treatise called the Difference betweene the Christian and Antichristian Church Deliniated according to the Scripture Record though the truth therein contained like the Two witnesses Revel 11. 3. have long mourned in Sackcloth Yet if God give you an heart to receive it It will be a Jewell surpassing all earthly Treasure For if Iesus the Christ bee your Prophet to teach you his heavenly Father will Matth. 17. 5. Acts 3. 22. 23. He will then be your King to protect you Matth 28. 20. Your Priest to intercede for you Joh. 27. 20. Your Judge to acquit you Joh. 12. 48. and if the love of Christ draw you to keepe all his Commandements though in the world you meet with afâ—liction for his sake yet in Christ you shall find peace for the Father Son and Spirit will dwell in your heart and take it for the Sanctum Sanctorum where they will abide to cheer and refresh you Joh. 14. 23. And if you confesse him in this world before men He will confesse you before his Father and proclaime it to your eternall peace and comfort Euge bone serve Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into your Masters joy Matth. 25. 21. Orpington in Kent the tenth Moneth the first day 1645. Yours who contendeth for the faith of Jesus the Christ FRANCIS CORNWELL To all loyall Covenanters contending for the Faith of JESUS the CHRIST once given to the Saints Mat. 16. 16 17. CVrteous Reader be not too censorious concerning him that is the Publisher of this little Treatise stiled The difference between the Christian and Antichristian Church as if hee condemned the Ages and Generations that are past as in a lost condition because he saith they have built their house upon wood and hay and stubble and not upon the sure rock Jesus the Christ Farre be it from him to judge so â—ashly of the Ages and Generations past or present concerning their finall estate for â—ee is commanded to judge no man before â—he time knowing that they stand and fall to their owne Master And wee shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ And then and there every one shall give an account for himselfe to God Rom. 14. 4 10 12. Knowing as it is recorded in the inspired Scriptures that If any man build upon this foundation Jesus the Christ gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and thâ— fire shall try every mans worke If any mans worke abide which hee hath builâ— thereon hee shall receive a reward If any mans work shall be burnt hee shall suffer losse but himselfe shall be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 14 15. Secondly Know that the discovery of this truth was as the vision that is his for an appointed time and is become unto us as the words of a book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee And hâ— saith I cannot for it is sealed And thâ— book is delivered to him that is not
and shew it unto you Joh. 16. 14. Nor will he so much dishonour the righteousnesse and grace of the Father of glory as first to pronounce and declare us justified in the sight of our owne righteousnesse In Mat. 7. from verse 16. to 20. The tree is knowne by his fruit True to others but not unto himselfe If a tree could know it selfe it would first come to know it selfe by seeing upon what root it grew before it came to see what fruit it did beare Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4 5. But this Doctrine is new it is not ancient nor gray-headed The Doctrines of the Covenant of free-grace are ever new because they are the Doctrines of the New-Covenant which can never waxe old should it once waxe old it would soone vanish away Heb. 8. from vers 8. to 13. though it be as ancient as Abraham yea as Adam for hee had his first comfort and assurance in an absolute promise of free-grace Gen. 3. 15. yet it hath ever seemed new in every age Augustines Doctrine of Conversion that is of grace and not of free-will Luthers Doctrine of Justification that is of faith not of works Calvins Doctrine of Predestination that is of grace not of faith and works fore-seen were all of them thought new Doctrines in their times and yet all of them the ancient truths of the everlasting Covenant of grace And surely for this Doctrine in hand Calvin is as clear as my hearts desire to God is wee all might be his words have been partly rehearfed before in the answer of some Objections and partly in my large Answer to your Reply Bellarmine taketh it to be the generall Doctrine of the Lutherans That Assurance of faith goeth before works and doth not follow after Institnt lib. 3. cap. 9. And Pareus in answer unto him saith That though there be an assurance that followeth good works yet the former assurance from the witnesse of the Spirit goeth before And seeing they that are the chief Reformers of the Protestant Assemblies doe generally make sanctification a fruit of faith and doe define faith to be A speciall assurance of mercy in Christ it must needs be out of controversie their judgement That a man receiveth his first assurance not from his sanctification which they make to be an effect flowing from it but from an higher principle even from the grace of the Father and the righteousnesse of the Sonne the Lord Jesus Christ and witnessed by the holy Spirit Bilney in the Book of Martyrs in his Epistle to B. Tuâ—stall relating the manner of his conversion proâ—ested That when hee had wearied himself in many superstitious works of fasting and Popish pennance hee received at last his first assurance from that place in Timothy 1 Tim. 1. 15. hee calleth it a most sweet word unto him This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be received Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chiefe A word from an absolute promise set home unto him by the â—oly Spirit without respect of any sanctification formerly wrought or seene in him Alas how farre are they mistaken that thinke the contrary Doctrine hath beene sealed with the bloud of Martyrs Zancheus his judgement though he was a godly and an eminent learned man yet I would not have named him but that Mr. Perkins highly approved his discourse and translated it as a choyce piece into his owne Volume which maketh it obvious to every godly Reader that studieth Perkins learned Workes Page 429. the first testimony saith Zanchey and Porâ—ius for him by which God assureth us of our election is that inward testimony of the Spirit of which the Apostle Paul speaketh Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth to our spirits that wee are the sonnes of God And afterward comming to give some direction how a man may know whether this testimony be true and proceedeth from the holy Spirit or no. Hee answereth Page 433. three waies First A man may know it first by the perswasion it selfe Secondly By the manner of its perswasion Thirdly By the effects For the first the holy Spirit doth not simply say it but doth perswade with us that we are the sonnes of God And no flesh can doe it againe By reasons drawne not from our worke or from any worthinesse in us but from the alone goodnesse of God the Father and the grace of Christ freely bestowed and in this manner the Devill will never perswade any man The perswasion of the holy Spirit is full of power for they which are perswaded that they are the sons of God cannot but must needs call him Father and in regard of love to him do hate sinne and on the contrary they have a sound hearty desire to do his Word and Will revealed For the second Answer to the imputation of Novelty Either saith John Cotton I am exceedingly deceived or it justly falleth upon the contrary Doctrine and they are much mistaken that think otherwise I never read it to my best remembrance in any Author olde oâ— new that ever a man received his first evidence of the faith of his Justification from his Sanctification unlesse it be one whom I met with within these two dayes Printed within these two yeares that maintaineth our first comfort of Justification from Sanctification But â—enerally all our English Orthodox Teachers doe oppose it Amongst the English Teachers one for ought I know did more â—dvance the Doctrine of Marks and â—ignes then Master Nicholas Byfield â—â—d yet he himselfe professeth that â—umane reason cannot beleeve such â—reat things from God from any â—â—ing that is in us But onely beâ—use we having the Word of God â—suring such happinesse unto such â— lay hold upon the promises conâ—ined in it So that it is that which â—eedeth Faith or as he calleth it â—e perswasion of our good estatesâ—et notwithstanding saith he the â—â—surance of Faith is much increased â—â—d confirmed by Signes the forâ—er part of which speech touchâ—â—g the first begettings of the assuâ—â—nce of Faith consenteth with me the latter concerning the increasing and confirming of the assuranceâ— argueth plainely his consent thuâ— farre also that he meant not that thâ— assurance of the Faith of Justification should spring from Sanctification But when he would have thâ— assurance of Faith to bee increaseâ— and confirmed by the light 〈◊〉 Signes I would not refuse it 〈◊〉 by the assurance of Faith hâ—â— meanes onely assurance of Knowledge or if he meaneth onely aâ—surance of Faith properly so caâ—led I would then put in this caâ—tion That then the Spirit of Goâ— himfelfe had need by his owne tâ—stimony to reveale our justificatâ—on unto us and Gods free grace 〈◊〉 accepting us in Christ or else it 〈◊〉 not Word nor Worke nor tâ—â— light of a renewed conscience thâ—â— can increase or confirme the assâ—rance of Faith of our Justificatioâ— But only the manifestation of Goâ— Free-grace in a Divine testimony â—atified by his owne
had accompanied with him from the time of Iohns Baptisme untill the time of Christs ascension into glory that had been baptized were they also Re-baptized after the death and resurrection of Christ The Answer is Nay Because they had the promise of the holy Spirit to be given them without any more baptizing with water Acts 1. 5. Iohn truly baptized with water but yee shall be baptized with the holy Spirit not many dayes hence And the Lord made good his word of promise they were filled with the holy Spirit when the dayes of Pentecost were fully come Acts 2. 2 3 4 5. Thus I have answered the Objections Because If two Disciples of Christ agree together in earth touching any thing that they shall ask they have promise it shall bee done for them of his Father in heaven Mat. 18. 19. But there is no promise to any people in faith and order but a people agreed Reas 1. Because two cannot walk together unlesse they be agreed Amos 3. 3. neither can the heart of two beleevers truly consent to pray together unlesse they bee agreed touching the things they will ask of the Father of glory Reas 2. Difference of opinion causeth difference of affection and is an occasion of many deare and precious soules to withdraw communion as is to be seen in Barnabas and Paul dissenting about the choyce of a companion the contention grew so hot that they separated the one from the other Acts 15. 37 38 39 40. Two or three Disciples of Christ gathered together in his name that is by his power authority and royall Commission where-soever whether in the mountaine or in the desert or in ship or in the dungeon there will Christ be in the midst of them to heare and grant their petitions or deliver them out of trouble as he did Peter out of the prison at the intercession of the Church Act. 12. To all such as walk in this Gospel faith and order the Lord Jesus hath promised a greater manifestation of his presence and Spirit Joh. 14. 26. And John in the Island of Pathmos â—ound it Revel 1. 9 10. Yea and to all them that love him and keep his commandements the Father and the Sonne hath promised to owne their poor hearts to be his Temple and Palace where hee will abide and dwell Joh. 14. 23. Lastly All such as are congregated in Gospel faith and order have a promise from King Jesus of Royall Protection in their greatest dangers Heb. 13. 5 6. So that with the Prophet Habacuck they can glory in Christ in their greatest extremities Hab. 3. 17 18. Though the vine doe not yeeld her fruit and the fatnesse of the olive faile and the herd perish from the stall yet will I joy in the Lord and rejoyce in the God of my salvation But is there any hope to see the Nation of England reformed according to the Primitive pattern founded upon the word of the eternall Truth Ephes 2. 20. Yea. First Because there was never a more exact Covenant taken in no Realme or Nation since the dayes of zealous Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 31. and Nehemiah Nehem. 10. 29. than is in these our dayes to see a through Reformation in England and Ireland according to the word of God and to extirpate Popery Prelacy Superstition Schisme Heâ—esie in Doctrine Worship and Discipline that the Lord should be one and his Name one in the â—hree Kingdomes So that we are â—ot to leave so much as an hoofe behind us of any Superstition or Romish relique or any humane Tradition in Gods worship to be â—etained though it have remained â—nder the venerable garbe of Anâ—iquity Universality and Unity â—he three great pillars of the Roman Hierarchy Secondly Because there are in â—he Synod some learned pious tenâ—er conscientious men that in the â—ayes of the cruell and ambitious Prelates like the Priest and Levites 〈◊〉 the dayes of idolatrous Jeroboâ—m that served the Devils and the Calves hee made 2 Chron. 11. 13 14 â—5 left all their maintenance and went and lived in a strange land to enjoy the liberties of a good conscience and worship the Lord Jesus according to the light they had received that are at this day truly sensible what a burden thâ— Penall Statutes have beene in ouâ— Land in former times to tendeâ— consciences that desire without any sinister ends to see a Reformation according to Gods word therefore will never consent tâ— have such a Penall Law enacted as the Prelates of England oncâ— obtained by fraud and policy in the dayes of Richard the Second to kill the English Subjects that would declare the whole truth oâ— God so farre as it was revealed to them and keep a good consciencâ— toward God and man which occasioned the death of some of thâ— Nobility Gentry and Ministery in the Nation with many other of inferiour rank Thirdly There are in the higâ—â— and honourable Court of Parliament some such conscientious tender-hearted men that in the Preâ—ates dayes left if not sold their â—ossessions to goe into a desolate â—ildernesse to worship the Lord â—esus in spirit and truth according â—o the light God revealed unto â—hem and many other were folâ—owing after that are truly sensiâ—le that it hath ever been a plot of the Bishops and Priests to labour â—o enthrall the English Nobility and Commons in Parliament to â—â—ake Lawes to kill and imprison â—he conscientious in the Land that â—oe desire to worship the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and â—ruth according to his revealed will in his owne word under the speâ—ious pretences of unity and uniformity in the worship of God as â—he Statutes of K. Henry 8. K. Edward 6. Q. Mary and Q. Elizabeth â—eclare Fourthly It is obvious to every well-affected Subject in the English Nation that when our Brethren that noble ancient warlike Nation the Scots contended for a Reformation according to the light they haâ— received and casting off Rome proud Papall and Prelaticall Government with all their deviseâ— formes of Worship they must havâ— dyed the English Prelates had sâ— farre incensed his Majesty against them and raised large summes oâ— money toward the levying of aâ— Army to kill and destroy them had not the Lord by his specialâ— providence prevented it Fifthly When the Lord opened the eyes of our deare and thricâ— noble Patriots of our Countrey assembled in Parliament to make a solemne Protestation to opposâ— all Popery and Popish innovations and to extirpate Episcopacy root and branch as a Plant thâ— heavenly Father never planted Then evill counsell prevailed with the King to withdraw from his Parliament and under the pretence of a Guard to protect his Person to make warre against his Parliament that they should dye But our faithfull Nobles and true hearted Commons in England reply Shall our Ionathans dye who have in part freed our consciences from Roman Traditions and ancient corrupt Festivals and covenanted with us for a