offenders or the like Et istâ—s vi coercere ac ferro punire potest but the Church-power is from above the weapons of her warfare are spirituall Non ferro sed verbo non vi armis sed vi efficacia she uses the two-edged-sword of the Spirit and Word against all her opposers and offenders neither are men compelled as by Politicall powers to obey but they are drawne of God and the Spirit constraineth them Job 32.18 2 Cor. 5.14 Eleventhly Polity is full of Tricks Arts Quilits and Aequivocations and lies ready at the catch according to a Judges or great mans interpretation or construction but this Gospel-way is full of plainenesse truth and simplicity 2 Cor. 1.12 and 2.17 and is not according to mans interpretation but the spirits Rom. 12.8 1 Cor. 5.8 Rom. 16.19 Twelfthly Polity consists most in the Forme and lives most in the out-ward show pomp and appearance but this way of Christ consists most of inward beauty pomp and excellency 2 Cor. 5.12 and 2 Cor. 10.7 Joh. 7.24 and lives most in the spirit and least in the forme Thirteenthly In Polity is the greatest respect of persons one higher then another making some Slaves and others Lords but in this Church-state of Christ it is an intolerable Tyranny and hath not the least allowance Mark 10.42 43. lest thereby we should have mens persons or opinions in admiration Jam. 2.1.3 1 Pet. 5.3 Fourteenthly Polity preferres men according to their outward parts fleshly habits of learning wit or prudence but Christs Church-state sets up Christ and his Spirit for Officers in chiefe and such who are ruled and filled with the Spirit of Christ under them so that not men but Christ rules Judas that had not this Spirit proved a Traitor so will others Fifteenthly Polity grows every day more and more rusty and the longer it lives the more it will be out of date and loathed at last and like a Potsheard be dashed a peeces but this way of Christ growes every day more and more glorious and will be the beauty of the whole earth Piety shall stand whilst Policy shall fall and the Church of Christ that little stone cut without hands shall crowd Policy out of doores and fill the whole earth Dan. 2.35 Rev. 11.15 Psal. 48.1 2. Isa. 62.4.7 In all these respects and many more might I not be too tedious I might easily demonstrate to all men the vast disproportion between this Gospel-Church-state and Policy whither in Church where it hath been set up instead of Piety or State so that I meane not in any such sense that there is an Ecclesiasticall Polity but as I have hinted before and in order to visibles Now who hath been more politick and subtill then that Beast that hath for so long usurped Christs Seat and what a many Romish Ornaments like unto the Aegyptian Jewels doe many men and Ministers yet retaine fitter for a Golden Calfe which is to be grownd to powder then to adorne the Temple or Tabernacles of God O that they were sent away from whence they came and that we would come in sincerity to the Lords worke before us which is the building of his house for his honour to dwell in But thus I have proved that there is a Gospel orderly Church Discipline and how farre it differs from Policy whether called Ecclesiasticall as some make it to consist altogether in formes and things carnall or civill Now the Lord lead us into his owne Spirituall Temple and Gospel-Church-state by his owne light for how sad a thing is it to see his flock so scattered among Wolves and the Saints in a confused darke corrupt Disciplinary way of walking without order rule and ordinances which so many Soules doe sit moaning for and in the want of them in this their Wildernesse-estate wherein they have been lost for many ages together and whilst they are sighing and sobbing in a strange Land they that have led them into this Babylonian Captivity doe call upon them to sing the Songs of Sion but alas their Harps are hung up upon the willowes and they as in a strange Land are silent which is the next thing I come unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnaraphel CHAP. II. We have had our abode a long time under Antichristian darknesse and Discipline and the Church was driven by the Dragon and drawne by the Beast into a Wilderness for many hundred yeares and ever since how miserably Soules have been blinded by bottomlesse smoake in a Popish Hierarchy and so have continued to these dayes IN the next place we are to shew how for many Ages together we have fallen foulely short of this holy and wholsome Discipline of Christs Church and have been abominably cheated with the rotten figgs and choaked with the thick Romish foggs and filthy infectious mists of Popish inventions so that thereby the Sunne and the Aire have been abundantly darkned The poore Church she was before cloathed with the Sunne encompassed round with purity of Religion with brightnesse of Discipline and in the clear light of Christ and Scriptures which were her rich ornaments in the twelve Apostles dayes yea and after that till Constantines time she wore this Crowne of the twelve Starres those glistring lights And not only were the Saints such as then lived above the Moone and all sublunary enjoyments but they had this borrowed light of the Word meanes and ordinances to guide them in their pathes and to direct them in their Discipline and Church state but alas as our Saviour foretold what would follow it fell out afterward that the red Dragon raged and watched to persecute the Church which was done very sorely in Domitians dayes and in Nero's at which time the Church was pure notwithstanding and as yet presented for a chast Virgin to Christ though tormented because she would not be deflowred and although then the Apostles being all dead fierce wolves met together by Flockes and false Teachers and Pseudo-Apostles rose up apace to oppose openly true Doctrine and Discipline This continued under the Emperours Verus and Severus and Valerianus O then how this red Dragon this bloudy Abaddon followed the Church foaming with flouds of indignation and yet for all that the poore and almost breathlesse Saints had a little respite under Galienus Anno 262. and till that time I finde the Church continued yet very chast but then presently after began Images to be set up and Monuments to be erected in Caesarea Philippi and other places and in Dionysius his dayes Bishop of Rome Anno 267. the Church began abominably to be deflowred and defiled so that the true Saints and Churches could not escape a most sad persecution under Dioclesian and most hot and heavie under Maximinus that matchlesse Tyrant till torments in his bowels moved his bowels against his will to mitigate the violence of the persecution
they know what is good for them and will not eat any thing but consider first what is before them yet Israel doth not know my people doth not consider They are said to be more brutish and foolish and void of understanding because they did not consider what was before them whether it was good for them or no but that would swallow downe any unwholesome trash or trumpery superstition or Idolatry and so like as one who hath surfeited with unwholesome food and trash breakes out into scabs botches and boiles So Israel broke out into rebellion and sinfull stinking soares verse 6. This same consideration so pressed imports and takes up the truth of the intuitive part and property of the soule and requires a clear understanding to be actuated and put forth with a sound and authentick judgement Whence it is that the defect of a faithfull and regular judgement oftentimes arises from rashnesse and precipitancy and inconsideration whilst a man omits those things which produce a right and sound judgement wherefore a serious consideration is a most necessary injunction laid upon all that are entring into the Lords house for otherwise how can they be fully satisfied and safely perswaded of the verity and vertue of this way of worship the Queen of Sheba was fully satisfied of Solomons building and of the truth of the report that ran abroad of him of the Temple when she saw him and his house and the order thereof and then no more spirit was left in her in the least to doubt or question the truth And so it will bee with us therefore with a serious eye let us observe what wee are about and not leap before we look In this point of consideration for satisfactions sake these four ensuing things will occur in order First you must eye the essentiall parts of this Church or building of the Lord whether it be of God or no for if it bee it will stand Act. 5.39 else it shall bee rooted up Matth. 15.13 and fall Psal. 127.1 Now for this I refer to the former Book But Secondly consider how all these parts agree in one to make up one compact building in unity and order being aptly disposed according to the word of God and rule which Christ hath left us behinde him The third consideration arises from the excellent vertue and efficacious faculty and ability ad operandum ad causandum which this Church-way of Christ hath in her as to build us up in grace and holinesse to strengthen us in the faith to establish us in the truth to edifie exhort instruct and provoke to love and good works to exercise gifts and graces and to bring forth fruits in due season 4. Consider this Gospel-order and Church-state secundum habitudinem quam habet ad causata according to the sweet care habitude and disposition it hath to those gracious holy effects which are produced by it as to faith love holiness gifts graces and the like O how tender is she of them the Hen hath not so much care to hatch up her chickens nor the fond Mother to nurse up her darling babe but this way of Christ hath as much yea more to nourish cherish and perfect up Faith Love Peace Purity Humility Holiness and such like fruits as are brought forth hereby in abundant measure both for quantity and quality Now for your satisfaction let your eye I say be set seriously on these things and be fully perswaded saith the Apostle Rom. 14.5 in your own mindes and so let every man be for in Vers. 23. he that reason 1 doubteth is damned a smart Aphorism which is here rendred for a reason of the necessity of being fully perswaded in your own hearts That you are in the way of Christ In your own minde not by anothers mans opinion be he ever so able learned wise godly yet man is but man therefore be thou careful Christian for thy self look to thy own conscience and let other men alone to walk according to their light other mens opinions or conceits or doings are not to be thy rule but let every one understand what he doth whether he goeth and be fully perswaded or have his heart filled with perswasions that he is according to the Word of God in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the way For he that doubteth i. e. dijudicare that is alternantibus sententiis secum disceptare is double-minded Jam. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath a heart and a heart halts between two opinions as to be now for the Presbyterians another time for the Independents Now of this minde and resolves this then of that minde and inclines to that Such a one is unstable in all his ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in the Septuagint stands but upon one leg a little thing will throw him down and that is another reason reason 2 to ratifie this truth viz. That you must be fully perswaded and satisfied in thy heart that thou art in the right way else thou wilt never stand long but the least wind of doctrine will throw thee down in the dust and thy fall will bring a foul scandal upon the truth and raise the dust But he that doubteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he still puts a difference and is at variance with himself and knows not fully freely certainly or absolutely what to do but as Budaeus saith is at no certainty with himself whose understanding is confounded and judgement is divided into divers parts as when one of two or three ways knows not which to take is damned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is condemned of his conscience and adjudged guilty of sin The reason of this is taken saith Par from the procreant cause of godly actions and motions as they are holy and of God which is Faith For whatsoever is not of faith is sin this is the confirmation of the former Aphorism and Maxim reason 3 And from another Maxim or general Rule which is yet an undeniable truth and which makes me up a third Reason in order for to doubt a thing and yet to do it is a great sin and against the first Table it takes away faith for how can one believe he pleases God or God accepts of him that doubts whether he does or no that which pleases him and is his will By faith is here meant a full perswasion a sweet plerophory which makes the way sweet that we are in and the work sweet that we are about when we know and are perswaded of the lawfulness of it and that it is the Lords and according to his minde and will reason 4 Furthermore Thou wilt never be able to contend for the truth lustily and lively Jude 3. yea against all opposers to thy very heart-blood Heb. 12.3 4. 10.32 33. No nor be so much as able to maintain the truth by the Word or to
in the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 1.17 Secondly being most pure and high-prized Lev. 14.14 Thirdly Lively and lovely Cant. 5.16 Joh. 17.3 and for the Temples use Secondly from the Forme like a thread that is well woven strongly twisted and finely and freely spun out by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.4.12 being very fine thin subtle pure and of a most divine substance and also as the Churches haire-lace being to binde up the people of God to and about their Head viz. Jesus Christ And her speech is comely i. e. lovely gracious sweet and desirable as in Eccles. 12.9 10 11. Prov. 16.23 24. therefore in Hebrew Navah is being very amiable so are the Scriptures full of lovely mysteries lively histories triumphing truths comforting counsels and counselling comforts Her temples are like a peece of Pomegrannet The Temples are those between the eyes and ears which the Chaldee calls the Kings Governours and Keepers of Israel but I meane such as are high in Christ their Head through which runne many vitall veynes for and into the body and such ought all over-seeing and directing governing and guiding-Elders to bee like a peece of Pomegrannet i. e. frustum or fragmen a crust or fragment broken off which is over full and flowing over with juice sirrup and sweetnesse c. in the sight of all and besides this shews the benefit of this Church-Discipline and more then meer Ecclesiasticall politie that I speake of being abounding in juâ—cie sirrups and sweet savours to the meanest and most despised Saint for although there may bee an outward sharpnesse to the flesh yet there is an unspeakable inward sweetnesse and spirituall solaces to the soule to bee had here and to be got in this Government as will appeare hereafter but besides like the Pomegrannet which is full of sweet seed odoriferous graines well united together and gathered into one body every one in order pointing up to the Crown so is this Gospel-government full of sweet juyce and sappy seeds or Saints well-coloured and all in order pressing after the same perfection and verticall point of glory being gathered together into one distinct body But to delineate her beauty more at large Her necke is like the Tower of David sayes the Text builded for an Aâ—mory wherein hang the bucklers and shields of mighty men The Neck is that part between the head and body and united to both and is of necessity through which passes and repasses whatsoever is usefull for both to the nourishment of both and each in and by other Now I am of opinion the Ordinances doe thus and are as the necke between the Head and body between Christ and people to bring both into union and into unseparable fellowship as Heb. 8.10 by the Spirit so that both the head and body may be nourished through them they as conveyances of the vitals to the Animals and of the Animals to the vitals that the one may be refreshed by the other and all be by a mutuall and redamanâ—ine love which is the life of union so that through this Necke the body is abundantly nourished by the vital spirits from the Head I mean by the sanctifying and saving so called graces of the same Spirit in Christ our Head those then that despise Christs Ordinances doe as much as in them lyes behead the Church of Christ A cruell Act Have a care But then like the Tower Migdall great and strong of David Nehem 3.19.25 2 Sam. 5.8 9. an Armory the word is Thalpiioh of Thalah to hang and Piioh sharp two edged weapons to hang swords in the two edged sword of the Spirit hangs there often and the soules bucklers and shields of Defence are ordinarily found in this Armory of the Churches and Helmets and Head-peeces and Breast-plates and what not for every Souldier of Christs under his Banner and Command for the Church is to be in a bitter warfare continually and let a Saint but come hither bee he of what size soever hee may bee armed out of this Armory of the Churches yea the stoutest Champions that march against Christs enemies Furthermore for her two breasts they are like two young Roes twins which feed among the Lillies Her Breasts are both an Ornament as Ezek. 16.7 and for use necessary Isa. 66.11 and indeed to take the two Testaments so called they are both an Ornament and of necessary use to all the Churches of Christ though some for whom my heart akes I feare runne the folly and madnesse of that malicious Apostate who called the Bible a Bawble but hee proved a Babel The truth is these Breasts swell with sweet milke and consolations doe drop out againe even for the Babes that are weake Isa. 66.11 1 Pet. 2.2 they are full in deed of what is absolutely cherishing to the Churches Children and therein are many precious promises and sweet truths easily to be digested by such babes as doe eagerly hunger call and cry for them laying full hold on them drawing and sucking much sweetnesse out of them which are as Twins being both borne of one out of one spirit and for one end and from one God 2 Tim. 3.16 but I had rather read them the Word and Spirit feeding among Lillies For so are Saints white pure pleasant lovely living best in low vallies and well moystned at their root and such are fond to sucke from them as before and to entertaine them and as Moulin once said that in the times of Persecutions whilst they burnt us for reading of the Scriptures we burnt to be reading of them But thus I have beyond my intention examined this Epithalmion which is sung in specie and paints out Prophetically the picture of a true Church called into Gospel government and that upon the breaking of the morning Sunne and the day springing from on high ver 6. for then it followes thou art all faire my Love Now in this description her beauty being discovered so eminently from her most visible Members it needeth not to speake of more then such as are most conspicuous to the eyes of all at this present But to proceed to the second part of this part of the Forme which is That every particular Church of Christ gathered together into one Body according to Gospel-order as before hath as free as full and as compleat a Church-power and Authority to order all affaires within her owne body as any Church whatsoever excluding all sorts of Superiority that may be possibly claimed in point of Church-power and that par in parem non habet imperium equall Sisters have equall powers and priviledges will be proved an undeniable truth In the progresse of which I beleeve I shall much use Mr. Bartlets method as my memory wil admit me for I have no other Booke of his then my breast at present see in Rev. chap. 2. chap. 3. the seven Churches of Asia and
able to beare Acts 15.10 Obj. Yea we can quickly prove it by Scripture but turne to Acts 15. and you shall finde that appeales were made to the Church of Jerusalem Answ. This is the Master-objection that can be brought against this Doctrine of Gospel-order which is so often and ablely answered I thinke by all that have penned on this subject as that I need not to answer any thing unto it yet seeing it is so propounded I pray you marke in that Chapter Appeals are not made to the Church of Jerusalem as if they had command over any Church to rule them or set them a Directory of Church-government how they should practise c. no but onely to advise and counsell them as a Sister-Church and as one of a sounder judgement and of longer and riper and safer experiences Secondly Besides the application made to Jerusalem was not about Church-government or for instructions from them on that account but it was about a difference that arose among some who were set for Circumcision after the manner of Moses whether that might be or no what they who were of more established and better-setled judgements thought of that matter which some held so needfull verse 1 2 4 5. Thirdly It appears in verse 2. in that they determined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is chose and approved of Paul and Barnabas upon that arrand it was not jure divin◠of absolute necessity to appeale or rather apply thither nor yet did they doe it as to an higher power as was answered in the first as if they had any Dominion over their faith but only as helpers of their joy 2 Cor. 1. ult Fourthly But should we grant it which wee will not as long as our Buckler holds whole but should wee they would bee but little the better for it for consider who they were were they not the Apostles men extraordinarily enabled and can any now say so and with such confidence as verse 28. for it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and to us c. without high presumption But Fifthly This helps not one jot the Presbyterian or Prelacy nor adds an hairs breadth to their Discipline or Doctrine for wee finde in verse 22. It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send c. the whole Church had the knowledge of it and their voting in it and the Apostles and Elders did not answer on their owne heads but the Church consented to it and concluded it which is contrary to the Presbyterian judgement and practises who will have the Elders alone to be a power and authority enough without the rest of the Church which is contrary to rule besides the ill consequences of it which I shall speake unto hereafter in the third Booke and which is a giving of an absolute power to such which makes them Lord it who are to have but a derivative power and are but servants at best But thus that objection is I hope sufficiently answered Another Object But is it so hath no one Church power over another why then how can a Church bee reformed that erres in doctrine or practise Answ. There must be spirituall helps against spiritual evills and the weapons of our warfare are not carnall here is no need of the worlds powers which I shall shew hereafter but we must make use of Christs-rules which are cleare in this case Consider in an erring Church either a part or the whole is corrupt and adulterate if onely a part then the sound part must admonish convince and reforme their erring brethren if they bee able but in case they cannot doe it then they may send for the assistance of a Sister-Church as Antioch did Act. 15.2 But if so bee it be the whole Church erres then looke how an equall brother in one body is to deale with another according to the same rule of Matth. 18.15 16 17. and by proportion is an equall Sister-Church to deale with another for although one Church is not subject or subordinate unto another neither is one brother to another yet one Church is co-ordinate and hath a like power with another and so hath one Brother with another so that as in brotherly-love and communion one brother admonishes reproves exhorts convinces another and if there be no helpe for it declares the brothers offence in publike and may in time and order according to rule withdraw from him as in 2 Thess. 3.6 thus may and must one Church in sisterly love and communion deale with another as to enquire into the nature of the errours or offence given by an erring Church unto her to know the Truth Deut. 13 14. and not to proceed upon bare reports Exod. 23.1 2. which yee shall not raise or not receive for it may be read both wayes then may the Church send Letters or Messengers to that erring-Church to admonish exhort reprove and convince if she hears they have gained their Sister-Church but if shee refuses to be reformed then that Church may take one or two Churches more to assist her But if she resist admonition and all means that bee used by prayers fastings intreatings perswasions reproofes and all then all the Churches about appoint to meet and by the word of God reprove the errours and if they finde her obstinate then all other Churches are to withdraw from her 2 Tim. 16 17. Tit. 3.10 11. and declare against those errours and no longer to hold them a Communion of Saints but to take away all right-hands of fellowship untill their repentance appeare to the satisfaction of the aforesaid offended Churches and a visible reformation and a publike renunciation of the aforesaid errours and sinnes Now if they be conscientious and gracious this punishment for so it is called 2 Cor. 2.6 will pierce to the very hearts of them and this will worke more upon them upon their consciences then all the prisons or punishments of the world For if the declaring against such a Church the withdrawing of all others from her their open protesting against her and abhorrence of her detestable errours and sinnes if they bee so and the disowning of her for a communion of Saints and their continually appeales unto God against her if these doe not deeply enter into her heart and strike their consciences that are in her and afflict their spirits what will For Joh. 5.22 All judgement is committed to the Sonne and I am sure if Christs wayes and the weapons of his make cannot prevaile then a formall jurisdiction Courts and commands of mens make will not But thus I have answered the objections of weight against this Point which hath been abundantly proved and pressed For pares omnes inter se juris essent sayes Whitaker all Power is alike in all Churches whether in Ephesus Corinth Rome Philippi or the like one not being one iota subject to
another Wherefore to the second Vse Vse 2. Then we see such as are honoured though some vse 2 thinke naucified by the name of Independents I meane the Members of the Congregationall Churches and Presbyterie which we hold with although the Prelaticall be too presumptuous and usurping for us I say such are not without the Word for their warrant nor are they without Christs rule for their refusing the commands of men or their proud precepts tending to embondage the Saints by their usurping power One Church having as plenary power as any other Master Paul Baines that precious holy man and light of his age in his Treatise printed 1621. pag. 13. sayes plainly We affirm it that no such Headship of or in any Church was ordained by Christ our only Head over us either actually or virtually but that all Churches are equally INDEPENDENT being his owne word without any kinde of subjection one to any other Sweet Sibbs in his breathing c. pag. 94. speaking how amiable the Tabernacles were applies them as Types to particular Churches of Christ having equall beauty and glory and the said Sibbs in his said Treatise lib. 2. chap. 9. uses the very word also Independents Robinson in his Reasons discussed is large upon this point and Bullinger in the 5. Decad. Serm. 1. sayes it at large also That the power of governing and ordering all affaires and Church-matters belonging to the body is within the body whither with relation to the calling or chusing Church-Officers Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons and Ministers Act. 6. Act. 14. 15. or for binding and loosing and Censures and Sacraments examining of Doctrines admitting of Members and in all other Church-matters and that they have besides power to call Synods to consult upon weighty occasionâ— Ames in his Medul Theol. lib. 1. chap. 37. sect 6. sayes All power of Discipline De jure according to Christ's Institution is the Churches in Common and none ought to usurpe power over any such particular Church A many more Witnesses and eminent mens Certificates under their owne hands in their Writings might be produced to prove these truthes as Reynolds in his Conference with Hart Ainsworth in his Guide to Zion Willets Synopsis Cottons Keyes Bartlets Modell Taylor on Titus Cum multis aliis c. But by this you may see how unseemly it is for and how little it doth become our unbrotherly and unkind Kinsmen of the Presbyterians to be so bitter against us as to say only a few simple upstart fanaticks and giddy-headed illiterate fooles are of this opinion Why produce your cause bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Jacob Isa. 41.21 it is no upstart Novelty but a truth of equall standing with the Kingdome of Christ and in all Ages the most eminent Lights were of this opinion though they had not the like liberty to put it into practise Besides should we not be worse then mad men to expose our selves poore Wives with little Children to the contempt of all to be reproached by all our persons to be hated of all and to be abused in the open streets our names to be all be spotted with the foulest filth and duâ—t which can bee cast upon them our Families and Friends to the ill-will of all almost and we our selves continually to feed upon afflictions and palpable injuries whilst none dare or doe appeare on our behalfe this was and yet is in many places in the Countries where we are in daily dangers and troubles Now I say what a madnesse were it we should enter into so strait a gate and run into the rage of all almost whether prophane or Professors were not the testimony of a good Conscience our continuall feast and refreshing and rejoycing if a meere head-strong will should hurry us on to such a way of thornes and bryers But beleeve it and the Lord is our witnesse it is our Consciences that carrie us on Now Conscience being a conjunct Science and a knowing of the Act with the Rule doth render us happy in this That we most faithfully and unfeignedly seeke the satisfying our Souls in the revealed Wil and declared minde of God to that which we know But thus we must and wil if the Lord please walk according to our light and as we are fully perswaded in our breasts that we may have peace at home though perils abroad and warres without continually See Rom. 14.5 Phil. 3.16 and let not the Saints be in the least discouraged at our sufferings which are a token to us of Salvation and that we are of God in Phil. 1.27 28 29. For we shall come shining out of the fire and in glistering glory 1 Pet. 1.6 7. although indeed so subtill is he that can transforme himselfe into an Angell of Light that Spirituall wickednesses are set up in holy places wickednesses that seeme Spirituall and carry a face and forme of holinesse For in every age have your formall Professours run posting to that Religion and worship which hath been in most request and highest esteem and hence it is whilst their Presbytery was best accepted of most of your Prelaticall ones proved Presbyterians and now Independency is in date and hath the day of it your Presbyterians turne Independents omnia pro tempore nihil pro veritate saith one or at least they gather together in the name of Independent Churches and such as are so called who are commonly the cruellest Persecutors and Petty-Popes over the poore Saints and over the Independents indeed Veram Ecclesiam non sequens sed persequens these being in their Judgements as rigid and inraged against the true Churches of Christ as the Presbyterians or Prelates And as one who hath the name of another great man therfore hopes to be the heire and have the day is in hot pursuit for the estate and will not compound for peace unlesse upon some unequall termes although hee hath no right thereunto so they and by their party they prevail to justle aside the just and true Heire indeed and to set him a begging for his livelyhood And yet it is possible a true Church of Christ shall bee prosecuted under another name too and that which is most odious it may bee But yet we will say as Isa. 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not Whilst our Cause is good our confidence is great our interest will hold when others forged Titles will not be worth two pence yet how impudent are some that like Praxiteles who made the poore people worship his Strumpet instead of Venus and under her name so they gull poore soules with a forme appearance and painted Picture These worshippers of the Forme are enemies to the Spirit and Power but let us not feare their frownes menaces nor malice but let us goe on though the bawling Curs run railing after the gallopping Passenger yet let
shewed after the pattern c. This is also a good Gospel-rule and it is a moral reasonable service I shall show but so in Exod. 35.5 Whosoever is of a willing heart let him bring his offering Vers. 22. They came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted none else came warrantably and Vers. 29. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord every man and woman whose heart made them willing which the Lord had commanded And in 2 Chron. 29.5 Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord Vers. 6 7. They offered willingly for the service of the Lords house but need I be so long In Nehemiahs days chap. 4.6 So built they the wall c. For the people had a minde to work notwithstanding the oppositions and great enemies and discouraging difficulties were enough to daunt them So I say in all ages Saints did freely and willingly without the least compulsion to unite and embody together and enter into fellowship as it is said Jo. 6.21 they willingly received him into the ship So when Christ called his Disciples into this Church-state they came willingly and by a free-consent Matth. 4.20 22. presently and without lingring or delay or asking counsel of their Father or Friends So Matth. 19.27 so Gal. 1.15 16. and such as were pricked at their hearts with the word of grace in Acts 2.37 did so in Vers. 41. gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. willingly receive the word and being baptized entered into fellowship So in Acts 8. 11. 13. 14 c. And thus the Church of Corinth were gathered and thus the Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.3 5. who were willing of themselves and they did sayes Paul give up their selves to the Lord and then unto us by the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is freely and cheerfully and willingly Thus the Church of Thessalonica were examples to all Beleevers in Macedonia and Achaia for their readinesse and willingnesse wee might instance all along and confirme this abundantly by examples and reasons but that I shall bee too tedious yet the truth is should we not with a free and by a voluntary consent serve the Lord in this his worship and enter into the beauties of holinesse reason 1 First We should fall short of all Worshippers even of false gods and the very Heathens would rise up against us For nature it selfe teaches us to worship God willingly and the Scripture teaches us much more willingnesse in the true worship of the true God Joh 4.23 reason 2 Secondly otherwise his Worship would bee as a bandage to us for when it is tedious to men Mal. 3.14 then they are soon weary with well-doing And besides thirdly they be Hypocrites and will never reason 3 hold fast but fall off fearfully that enter not in freely and fully satisfied 1 Joh. 2.9 10. and perswaded in their owne soules by the Spirit of the Lord Monendo movendo removendo instructing moving and removing all the lets Vse 1 Then the weapons of our warfare are not then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnall fleshly worldly or the like Not by might not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 4.6 wherefore wee finde no need of compulsive Powers whereby Parochiall constitutions were kept alive so long viz. by Powers to compell men by stocks prisons fines pillories and punishments and whether they will or no to make them keep their Parish-Churches and Ecclesiasticall Canons whilst alas it is the Spirit convinces us of the truth Joh. 16.8.9 and constraines us to the truth Job 32.18 and makes men worshippers in the truth Joh. 4.32 Vphold me with thy free Spirit saith David Psal. 51.12 and that the Spirit makes men free in the truth and the truth in them see Joh. 8.32 33.36 2 Cor. 3.17 It is not all the beating or bruising whipping or punishing in the world will perswade the conscience convince the heart or convert the sinner Thus men may be made Hypocrites and play the devils out of feare of torment but not Saints or true worshippers till the Spirit makes them willing therefore give to Caesar what is Caesars and to Christ what is Christs As honest old Cartwright said to Whitgift You would bring in the Magistrates to breake and change the orders which Christ our King and Lawgiver hath left in his Church For as Christ came not to meddle with or overthrow the Civill-government neither must your Civill Magistrates or Civill Governours meddle with the matters or affaires of Christs Church Christ alone being Lawgiver therein so that such would alter and overthrow Church-order and Government for which Christ will give them but little thanks at last and will requite it to them by the overthrowing of theirs and for this end the Rod is in his hand at this day Now who knoweth not that the office of the Magistrate consists in those things that belong to our life and goods and is to bee kept within the compasse of a Civill jurisdiction Hence it is that Azariah cast out Vzziah out of the holy place and that because it was not proper for a Prince but for the high-Priest 2 Chron. 26.16 Lev. 13.46 Let Rulers in their relations and Church-officers in theirs bee found faithfull Vzziahs pride is expresly noted 2 Chro. 26.16 for usurping the Priest-hood in the Temple of God but he escaped not scotfree for he was suddenly smitten with the Leprosie and laid out for an example to after ages On the other side our Saviour refused to meddle with Civill Magistracy or with matters of that kinde a Kingdome being offered him Jo. 6.8 hee could not accept of it nor would he handle Civill-matters so much as to divide the heritage between the brethren it being not his office Luke 12. Now let none usurpe but let the Civill keepe within his Civill-precinct and the Spirituall within his compasse and sphere And yet the Civill is to submit to the Spirituall and in a spirituall sense the Ecclesiasticall Discipline being above it As Philip the Emperour whom we read of in Euseb. 4. lib. Eccles. Hist. being commanded to abstaine from breaking of bread and suspended untill his repentance were seen being guilty of some sins willingly obeyed and lay low before the Lord and did not dare to partake of it untill his sinnes were answered by sorrows sutably in the sight of all and till hee had both openly delivered his griefe and evidently declared his faith before all Besides Theodosius Emperour in 5. lib. Eccles. Hist. of Eusebius is eminent for his most ready and religious obedience to Ambrose his exhortations and reproofe which brought him prostrate upon his knees and flat upon his face before the Lord with teares and prayers I owne nothing of Superstition observed in those dayes onely this is that I aime at that
So the Church is dilated into many Congregations but every good Christian is the Church contracted and condensed into one Bosome being alike built upon the Rockie Foundation which will never faile CHAP. XV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ahezachecha That all the children of Sion called home are bound to make haste and to enter into this Way of Christ among his Companions in the Gardens THe next newes is that wisdome stands in the streets and calls to all yea the simple and poore to eat of her bread and drinke of her wine to forsake the foolish and to goe in the way of understanding she cries at the gates at the entry of the City at the coming in at the doores Prov. 8.1 2 3. yea shee hath sent out her Maidens the Ministers to cry aloud by preaching her doctrine Prov. 9.4 and her Discipline Prov. 9.1 For wisdome hath laid the foundation and hewed out her pillars as you have heard before what follows why hearken unto me O yee children blessed are they that keep in my wayes blessed is the man that heareth mee watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors The gates of Zion are the particular Churches of Christ into which Christ calls all that have communion with him Arise and come away which as Ainsworth sayes Beleevers are bound to doe and must labour forthwith to enter in and being come in to abide there and to contend together for the faith Phil. 1.27 which was once DELIVERED to the Saints For this is foretold in Isa. 2.3 and he will teach us his wayes the very next step is this and we will walke in his pathes as soone as ever we know the way of Christ the Lawes Ordinances Institutions and Discipline of Christ wee must make no delay at all but put into practise and enter into his way It argues carnality to procrastinate and put off Christ and to delay our comming at the call of Christ when wee have clearly and distinctly heard it Luke 14.18 and alwayes observe that it is something or other of the world that is the let but as Micah 4.2 sayes and Jer. 50.4 They shall go and seek the Lord and aske the way to Zion saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant Iâ—unt non subsistent ad vocationem Christi non moras trahent Oecolamp in loc So Psal 110.3 besides the Precepts Psal. 45.11 Mat. 28.20 and loud calls aâ— before the many menaces used in the Scriptures against Rebels and such disobedient subjects doe sufficiently testifie to this truth Psal. 2.12 Luke 19.23 1. Cor. 16.22 and the practises of the Saints in primitive times yea though times of hottest persecutions and fiery trials yet their then ready obedience to this order of Christ doth very much manifest the reality of this assertion viz. that Saints are bound by vertue of positive Precepts to joyn together somewhere in a Gospel-way and order as hath been before handled Act. 2.41 42. 1 Thes. 1 4 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 8.11.22 2 Cor. 8.5 Cum multis aliis Now is there not reason enough for it For First What other visible way for Beleevers to walke in together reason 1 and to worship in hath Christ brought out of his Fathers bosome and left behinde him when he ascended on high till his second coming but this see Eph. 4.11 12. Secondly What an apparent peece of disobedience and contempt of Christs Call and Command is this to live in Babylon streets or as Lot in Sodome notwithstanding the Angel of the Sunne is sent to cry aloud in our eares to come away into Sion and to make a habitation for the Lord to live in Isa. 52.11 Rev. 18.4 2 Cor. 6.16 17. Eph. 2.21.28 yea and the Spirit is to be our conduct Jo. 16.13 and 14.26 and knocks at our doors and tarries to know if we are ready and to put us in minde of making haste by many motions and instigations and instincts O then how roughly doe they resist the Holy Ghost and quench the motion of the Spirit that stirs in them and strives with them Act. 7.51 1 Thess. 5.19 which is a sinne of the saddest consequence if after they are convinced Mat. 12.31 Marke 3.28 29. Heb. 10.26.27 agnitam veritatem flagitiose insectari So Saul Julian Latomus of Loraine and many others sinned the sinne of death that is they madly and maliciously resisted the truth despised and despited the wayes of Christ notwithstanding their consciences checks and the Spirits motions and so did Stephen Gardiner Fox Act. and Mon. Fol. one thousand nine hundred and five and divers others O sad sad sinne to sinne against the office and operations of the good Spirit of grace which is more then to speake against his person in ignorance for so did the Sabellian Eunomian and Macedonian hereticks who yet found mercy Wherefore have a care how yee dare to live in the loathsome Babylonish wayes of confusion after yee are called out thence and convinced by the Spirit since of the gates of Sion whilst the Spirit moves in you to make haste into Church-fellowship he is doing his office in you look you to reason 3 yours Consider the abundance of ill consequences which must unavoydably follow this disobedience to Christ or this neglect or omission of these wayes of holinesse or Gospel-fellowship for First The worship of God or service to Christ Jesus which should be our joy and meat and drinke suffers by it which is more acceptably and orderly performed with joynt consent and in communion of Saints Rom. 15.16 1 Cor. 1.9 10. Zeph. 3.9 the Lambe is said to solemnize publick service upon Mount Sion with a hundred forty and foure thousand Saints there their voice is like the voice of many waters and mighty thunders Rev. 14.1 2 3. in the songs of praises and in their prayers but for this I refer to Ainsworths Communion Chap. 16. Secondly without this the Saints must needs fall short of that duty of edifying one another and of building up one another in the most holy faith but then they grow Jer. 23.3 4. Ezek. 34.14.16 and walke in light Isa. 60.3 1 Jo. 1.17 and love Eph. 5.2 1 Thess. 4.9 1 Pet. 1.22 and unity of the Spirit Phil. 2.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 13.11 Eph. 4.3 instructing and provoking one another to holinesse and good works Mal. 3.16 Jude 20. 1 Thess. 5.11 Heb. 10.24 therefore are they implanted together to flourish in the Lords Courts and to bring forth fruits Psal. 92.13 14. which will not faile for the waters run out of the Sanctuary Ezek. 47.1 Thirdly otherwise they have not that mutuall aid and assistance for the counsel and comfort of one another which they ought to have Rom. 12.3 1 Cor. 12.22.26 Fourthly nor is there that unanimous compliance or united force made against the opposers of the truth
I have desired to eat with you before I suffer as if he should say I have most strong affections hereto for thereby I shall be abundantly stengthned and refreshed as well as you c. O then how dare any that follow the Lambe delay entring into these wayes of holinesse and love did not Christ his Apostles and primitive Saints goe before us into this Church-fellowship and Gospel-order what hinders us nay what is the reason wee doe not run into them for what a world of proofs precepts promises practises reasons arguments motives and priviledges are there to provoke us were they but duely weighed who durst either deny or delay comming or joyning The Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved Act. 2.47 wherefore make this use put forward apace for the wayes of Sion with the will wherein you must have in your hearts inclinations resolutions for and choosings of these Tabernacles above all other wayes if once you get into these Gates of Sion you will quickly be in Sion But some may say Object But learned able schollars and godly judicious men doe both print and preach against this way the Answer is easie Answ. First In all ages both learned and godly have been answer 1 opposers of Christ and his Church so were the Scribes and Pharisees the most learned and in appearance the most godly of the age and so Act. 13.50 were those that raised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a running and a most rigid persecution-against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts but this should never the more hinder us Secondly Though they be learned and godly yet they bee but men therefore subject to mistakes for judicium fit secundum vim intellectualis luminis they preach and print but according to their apprehension But Thirdly All are not learned nor godly that the world judges to be so they have a form of godlinesse denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. and so they may have the letter of Learning but not the life of it whole Libraries in their heads but not a Catechisme nor Principle in their hearts Isa. 29.11 Isa. 50.4 I mean of the true Divinity which the Father learnes us Joh. 6.45 by his Spirit 1 Joh. 2.20.77 this none but the Redeemed have Rev. 14.3 and in this the Spirit is our Tutor and teaches us out of the Lambs booke Rev. 5.5 6. such have indeed the highest skill of Tongues and are most admirably conversant with the originall language of the Spirit here lyes the difference but for these their Learning comes from the heart Prov. 16.23 whilst the others comes but from the head But Fourthly They know but in part they will know more then now they doe Fifthly Doe not learned able and godly of all sorts print preach and pray this way of Christ by unanswerable arguments against all opposers whatsoever and answer the arguments and objections of the Adversaries Sixtly This opposition of theirs is necessary for the evincing of the truth and makes more for it then against it Act. 28.22 Act. 24.5.14 Object But when people enter into this way they run into errors presently answer 1 Answ. First Some it may bee that enter doe run into errour but this their uniting with the Saints in Gospel-order is not the cause of it nay Secondly There is no stricter enemy to error that can bee then this order of Christ which will not allow of the least appearance much lesse growth of error or sinne Rom. 16.17 18. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. 2 Tim. 2.16 17. Act. 20.29.31 Rev. 2.14.16 2 Jo◠10. though such as are conscientious have and are to have their liberty in things indifferent Rom. 14.1 2 5. Thirdly Nay to say the truth the neglect and omission of this duty to enter into fellowship according to Gospel-order makes so much disorder and so many runne into wayes of error as hath been hinted before in Chap. 7. but grant it to argue ex concessis then we say Fourthly Errors are usefull as well as truth and it is expedient they should be 1 Cor. 11.19 In Pope Clements the fifths time Frederick King of Sicily made this his master-objection against the Church viz. the errours and evill-orders which indeed he might well doe but he was answered and soon satisfied with this Scripture That offences must come and that there must be heresies amongst you that they which are approved may bee manifest by Arnoldus de nova villa This is much for the glory of truth too and therefore in Isa. 60.1 2. a glorious light and yet a grosse darknesse are both foretold for one time together should wee halfe so much prize the light and presse for it had we never a night nor darknesse but both together doth well and wisdome hath so ordained it I have heard of a Ruler who gave liberty to his subjects for certain dayes to do any manner of evill or mischiefe and they should not bee questioned for any wickednesse done in those dayes no though they murdered or did villany in the highest nature But this was in policy to indear government unto them and by giving his people a taste what it was to bee without it to make them the more prize it Obj. We are well enough as long as salvation may be had here in Parishes what need we enter into any other way Answ. 1. Yet ye are not well enough for ye live in disobedience answer 1 and in danger of Babylons plagues and in contempt of Christs commands which shall not go unpunished Heb. 10.20 And therefore if you love your own souls there is great need of getting into the gates of Sion 2. VVhat a carnal low degenerate base Spirit hast thou to be as well content with Egypt as with Canaan and with the Onions and Leeks as well as if ye had the Milk and Honey Thou doest fall foully short of the true Spirit of Christ in a Saint which is ever going forward and cannot be content with the husks no nor crums as long as there is bread enough in our Fathers house Besides how unkindly doest thou deal with Dear Christ who took care for thee and brought this way from Heaven out of his Fathers heart for thee and wilt thou now slight both him and it But 3. It is a question whether thy salvation may be had here in these Parochial ways and Discipline as long as thou art perswaded and convinced by Gods Word thou art in a false-way but how ever I tell thee from the Lord thou art an enemy to thy poor soul and as much as almost may be an hinderer of thy own salvation For thou dost rob thy soul of the rich benefit of being watched over admonished counselled comforted and maist lie in some sin which thou seest not and others might see which may be thy ruine thou
art subject to wandrings now and may be runnest in a full career without stop or stay warning or check besides you have not here without in your Parishes the benefit of many ordinances as exercising of gifts prophesying one by one and frequent communication and conference in the things of God Mal. 3.16 And such-like pretious benefits as are in this Church-way to be had at large for your edification 4. And lastly it is just with the Lord to leave thee to thy lusts to swear in his wrath thou shalt never enter into his rest never to make one motion more at thy soul by his spirit to enter into this way or once to encline thine heart thereunto If now now I say after so many clear calls thou doest resist the Holy Ghost Wherefore as Heb. 3 10 11 12 13. harden not your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dry up or wither do not snib or nip off those buds or blast those blooms which are in you and like to set so fair for fruit nor by the hardness of your hearts and unkindness and cruelties to the conceptions of Christ within you do not dry up those sweet sappy motions which are made in your heart by his spirit if you do you will prove but a barren branch a withered sear stick to be cut up for the fire John 15.16 Heb. 6.8 they are nigh the curse that do so in the deceitfulness of sin i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex à privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn out of the way of Christ by some fallacy or other who ever refuseth this way of Christ runs a desperater hazard then he is aware off wherefore then let him take heed take heed And let Ministers so called look about them too and beware for a greater alteration is yet to come and to befal them then ever hath been before O then Sirs that they would be busie about the Lords house and no longer delay it or do it by halves Numb 14.24 or by haltings between too Do they yet know what was the meaning of the last lightning and thunder the last year which grew so angry at their Morter-Churches and Parish-Temples what houses were burnt or beaten down to the ground but those Churches and on that day of worship too and in several Counties too and which is not without a Mystery but it shall be plain and made an History ere long in the interim it were well that Ministers and all would take warning and sin no more by dishonoring God in idolizing forms and humane inventions or in worshipping of Christ in Anti-christian ways and traditions least a worse thing happen unto them Was there ever any that hardned his heart against the Lord and prospered at last Job 9.4 But some it may be will say Sir You forget your self and so I would whilest you urge so much your Form of Discipline For we look for Zion more spiritually and for spiritual worshippers Answ. 1. It is not so much the Form as the Faith that I would urge I mean obedience to Christs positive commands as I told you before although some soar too high into the air that account the Practical Part of Worship a meer Form 2. I urge it not so much to be Church-members as Christs-members but first to have fellowship with the Son and then with the Saints as I said before but I say both these are enjoyned to be enjoyed Yet I say further whilest in the Form out of the Form and whilest under it yet above it and so are all Saints in the Church spiritual worshippers of God John 4.23 yea in spirit and in truth together Wherefore let none be so censorious as to say We are all for the form of Discipline when indeed we are least for it and would have all our Brethren to live above it in their Spirits with God and with Christ in the Temple and the Light of the New Jerusalem We live in them as Abraham lived in Tents and David in Tabernacles 3. We also look for Sion more spiritually but this is in order thereunto Before we can get into the City which is all glorious within we must pass through the gates as appears Psal. 87.2 3. His foundation is in the holy mountains The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God! There is first the foundation laid by the Lord himself and then secondly the particular Churches or the gates of Zion which the Lord so loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then thirdly the City its self which is so glorious But I say before we can come into the City we must enter through the gates which are these Churches gathered So that this is in the way to that City where Salvation is placed Isa. 46.13 This is the way to Zion as Jer. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn our selves together c. We must ask first the way i. e. the Churches and when we are in the way then for Zion And thus the Saints come to Sion Jer. 3.14 Isa. 51.11 35.10 i. e. By this way and through these gates we must first live in Tents and then in the City Heb. 11.9.10 First in Tabernacles then in the Temple and that those that would live in Sion in her glory and full effusion of the Spirit must be in the Churches in order thereunto which appears plainly in Chap. 9. lib. 2. For the Lord will be known in her Gates Towers and Palaces Psal. 48.3 44.12 Quaere How we should groundedly know we are fitted for this Communion of Saints in Church-society as hath been pressed answer 1 Answ. 1. There must be clear satisfaction to your judgement and full perswasion in your brest Rom. 14. the whole Chapter especially Vers. 1 2 4 14. Acts 2. 19. 8. Saints ever first believed and were fully perswaded and then they entered 2. You must be exceedingly longing and desirous after it and then make ready for it be freely willing to it by the Spirit of Christ in you Psal. 110.3 Jer. 50.4 5. For all in Christs Kingdom are voluntiers 1 Thes. 1.6 7. Acts 4.32 2 Cor. 8.3 5. 3. Such are made free to follow Christ any where soever Revel 14.4 And as they come at his call Mark 1.18 so they are prepared to leave all and to take up the cross Mat. 19.27 accounting before hand what it will cost them so that they pass not a pin for storms and afflictions which they expect before hand as 1 Thes. 3.3 Phil. 1.27 28. but they will hold out to the end 4. What is the object ye look on in these overtures of your affections It is the King in his beauty O the sweet Soul-ravishing presence of
wherein the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as of seven dayes c. Isa. 30.26 By JOHN ROGERS A friend of the Bridegrooms and of the Brides Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now at Thomas Apostles Lond. But communicated at Brides in Dublin in Ireland Psal. 45.11 So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 62.5 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall the Lord over thee Rev. 21.2 The holy City the new Jerusalem prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband Zach. 14.20 21. Holinesse to the Lord and every pot in Jerusalem shall be holinesse to the Lord and no more Canaanite shall be in the house of the Lord in that day Zeph 3.20 I will make you a name and praise among all peoples of the earth Rev. 19.5 6 7. Be glad O all Saints for the mariage of the Lamb is come the Bride hath made her self ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ier. 30.17 This is Sion which none to speak on seek after Rev. 22 17. But the Spirit and the Bride saith Come LONDON Printed for R. Ibbitson 1653. To all Christian Readers of all Judgements a word or two first Christian Reader IF thou beest so thou wilt not wonder that I say unto thee The Day is coming when Kiriath-Sepher shall be smitten whose name signifies the City of Books and our City and Country are full these times which by the next Age will be all out of date and lye moulding like old Almanacks in corners for then the Lamb shall be our Light and the Lord our Temple And as Solon said of Laws sayes he We have many good LAWS made indeed but alas there wants ONE yet and what is that Why a LAW to put all the rest in EXECUTION so we have many good Books abroad but give way to one more I pray for there wants one more and that is the Book which will put us upon the practise of all the rest I mean the Lambs Book written within and without Rev. 5.2 3. and Ezek. 2.9 this is ere long to come abroad though I feare it will finde but few Readers In the mean time the Presse sayes to the Pulpit as Esaiah said to Jacob Plurima habeo sint tua tibi Gen. 32.4 I have enough my brother Gen. 33.9 keep what thou hast to thy selfe And amongst the multitude it comes to my turne to bring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I hardly know whom to invite for although I may find a few guests these stomack-full times that may come to feed yet I know that most will but sit to looke on And indeed I have not provided for the proud or Prelatick Palat neither puffe-paste nor kick-shawes But as Aeschilus the Poet said of his Tragedies that they were but small dishes of great Homers supper so I say I here present you a poore Dish or two from the Lamb who will sup with you in this the Kings house and Palace wherein you shall finde the feast of fat things flaggons of Wine and the Apples of the Tree of life yea spiced Cups and green Sallets and sweet flowers to boot gathered out of Spring-garden and because some men must have their dishes set out with flourishes they shall finde the attestation of the most eminent and orthodox Writers in all Ages to this Treatises truth And to satisfie all senses the Bridegroom hath provided the best soul-ravishing Musick I mean the melody of the Spirit for his guests that come at his call to this marriage-house and Feast for all things are ready the fatlings and oxen are killed Come But I know the wantonnesse of the times make many look for pretty knacks now as the last courses but soft there Those Spaniards are wisest who will have the best at last and your toyes at first It is true the Books of these few years coming are like to be the last course but let me tell you they must bee the best most solid sweet spiritual Dishes that have not been yet brought in Some there be that will read good Books and Authors but as the Butter-flye that sucks flowers onely to paint her wings with so to feed their fancies opinions and judgements with but not like the Bee to fetch out the hony of them Others there be that are worse and would sucke out poyson to satisfie the lusts of their hearts these may hap be taken too as those in the act of Adultery for if one reads two are catched Others there be that come out of Criticisme too and to shew the ambo-dexterity of their captiosities I should say capacities little to their credit do they buffet words with blows and pick holes in cyphers to satisfie the curiositie of their quick-silvered Genius Alexander when one did present him with his dexterity in finding fault with and vilipending of others and in extolling his owne Arts and Activities desired to see what he could doe so his choice art appearing to be so poor as onely to cast a Pease through the eye of a Needle a little bigger Well sayes Alexander Give Give him a bushel of pease for his pains to maintain his sport with And though Alexander was very free in giving gifts and rewards he thought a bushel of pease reward enough to keep up his curiosity So I say to recompence such Readers if they come hither I have a whole bushel full for them to keep up their trade Other Readers we have who minde more the mark then the mettal and more minde who writes then what is written the name carries it upon the wings of credit whereby many are bribed to buy and sell their time their judgement and the truth at the Authors rate The rich Citizens are their best Readers for they will pay most for it And many I was saying orthod but I mean Organ-players will play no longer then such blow the bellows and fill the pipes for their fame makes things furthest off look fairest best and greatest But although I make account to meet with many of the third sort of Readers who have said before-hand they will salute this Book with Argos-eyes and with a Zoilus his zeal yet they are accounted as Crates the Theban was called the Door-opener for that he would rush into every mans company to hear what they said and to gain-say it at a venture and so do these sometimes they reprehend what they understand not and sometimes they â—ail because they thinke they understand what indeed they understand not and like Dogs they choose to pisse in the fairest places and all times with naked natural reason they read Like the Smith that smoaks for it for that he takes a red-hot iron glowing out of the fire with his bare hands so I warrant them they burne their fingers at least for it and will be branded It is
defend it by arguments out of Scriptures that art not convinced of it by the Word and Spirit and perswaded in thy very heart that thou art in the right yea though all the world yea the Angels of Heaven should say against it be fully perswaded your good meanings and mindes will not serve turn nor yet the gray Colliar-like implicite faith of Papists which believe as the Church believe they say And this is the most you have from your Irish Catholicks at this hour and yet ask them what the Church believes why they will say as we believe and what do ye believe why as the Church believes and that is they know not what But such a simplex conversio is all we can get from most of them talk a day together with them But a Christian must be able to maintain his doctrine and to warrant his opinion and judgement whether in doctrine or discipline by the Word Isa. 8 20. Or else saith the Prophet there is no light in them That is else they want understanding which ought to be rightly informed and inlightned as a beginning imperant saith Par upon Rom. 14. and they want the will too well sanctified and made pliant as a beginning obsequent and eâ—cequent and then ere you are aware your soul will be set on the chariots of Amminadib as we may show in the next Chapter For conscience carries thee out sweetly and with a sure testimony within thee that white stone when by good arguments out of the Word thou art assured That thou art in the Lords way of worship when thou canst comfortably and cordially say as Rom. 14.14 I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Not I think or it is very likely but I am sure upon certain and infallible Scriptures and I do stedfastly believe it in my heart O then thou wilt prove a stout Champion for the truth indeed and darest stand for it when thou knowest thou art right Thou knowest it first for thy faith and perswasion is in a sense subjective seated in thy knowledge and understanding as in the subject thy opinion or perswasion is according to thy apprehension and understanding wherefore in order to your full perswasion of and satisfaction in this way of Christ or Gospel-fellowship you shall do well 1. To examine your knowledge of the Scriptures concerning this way 2 Pet. 1.19 have ye searched the Scriptures and do you finde them to bear a clear testimony to this truth doth the Word in your judgement and understanding warrant and witness to this way of worship as the way of Christ And to this Gospel-fellowship as the Gospel order then you will well do to walk in it fear not yet discouragements or troubles you must meet with in it let them not daunt yee do you your duty and let God alone to defend ye and to do ye your good When our Saviour bad Peter with the rest throw their nets in for a draught of fish why they had many discouragements for all night long they had thrown in and lost their labors Nevertheless at thy word saith Peter I will let down the net So should we say though our friends will be offended our persons hated our names traduced our injuries great our enemies many and multitudes of discouragements that we must be sure and look for it aforehand though the skies are very calm at this present that we shall meet with yet for all that At thy Word O Lord we will enter into this way so we have but Christs word and warrant for it we may be confident and couragious and fully satisfied But to further this direction those that would enter into this way must 1. Be well instructed and informed of the order of the Gospel in primitive times what manner of fellowship they finde the Word to hold forth in the Apostles days and some hundred yeers after them that is before the Church was deflowred and defiled with humane inventions dregs and devices whilest the pattern was in the Mount and the institution of Christ was the onely Canon-law and liberty As the Apostle would 1 Cor. 11.24 25. bring them to consider the first institution so doth Christ about divorcement bring them to the beginning and first institution and that divorces were not lawful Christ proves that they were not so from the first Matth. 19.4 7 8. So in great and rich promises the Lord is pleased to foretel the restauration of his people as at first Jer. 33.7 11. so Acts 3.19 21. To teach us what we are to look for that is things as at first holiness fellowship doctrine discipline as at first and we should ask after Jer 6.16 The good old way quam primum verum optimum that is the true way for truth is older then error and error is nothing but the excrement and corruption of truth The Primitive practise and order of Christs Church is to be sâ—t before us for our satisfaction because it is as a pattern to all succeeding ages 2. Be also well informed of the order and practise of our Churches now in these days Sit down sayes Mr. Bartlet and compare our present stations with the first order of the Gospel and see wherein we fall short and blush and be ashamed Ezek. 43.11 12. and then come out of Babylon But for this I refer the Reader to the former Book Thirdly Then when ye have found out in your judgements and beleefe a Church-society in Gospel-order and are fully perswaded of it and doe finde it in your heart that you are prepared and ordered for it doe not delay entring into it but be sure first it be into such a society and Church-communion of Saints as you see and that upon Scripture grounds you judge to come up nighest to Rule and closest to the Primitive patterne and practise which yee shall do well very diligently to look out for And fourthly observe the motions of the spheres and all the particular becks of providence how things joyne together and so fittly concur for your admittance into this Church-way for as holy Sibs saith fitting occasions and suiting of things well together doe intimate Gods will and Gods time And indeed all Providences have their language to Gods people and they minde their Call cleare when Providence makes the way for them For indeed Gods Providence runs along like waters in a Brook where every little peble hath a language in it therefore wee shall doe well to understand them For as wrong reading spoyles the sense so will the not reading of Gods Providences to a full period and stop But thus far for the first Direction Secondly Be sure ye have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 neither in your selfe i. e. your own wit parts gifts or the like thereupon to run rashly into this way rather upon a presumption out of pride vain-glory selfe-love or curiosity then upon well-grounded
behold Canaan But now he makes us willing to enter into the way with all our hearts full of wishes and desires which makes us swift in motions 3. Removendo This Spirit removes the remora's answers all objections takes away all impediments and puts us on through all difficulties whatsoever though Satan like a roaring Lyon robbed of her whelps rage at us and assault us with his rough Claws and sharpe temptations though the flesh flie upon us with full-mouth and foul-mouthed language and invectives Though the world frown on us and threaten never to look well upon us and friends forsake us neighbors estranged to us acquaintance persecute us and all threaten to begger us yet I say the Spirit makes us to triumph over all and carries us through all as more then Conquerors and thus Cant. 5.6 7 8. The Spouse through inward temptations Vers. 6. When Christ had in her eye left her forsaken her nor regarding her prayers or tears and outward troubles Vers. 7. Yea when the watchmen that should have been her friends frowned on her yea smote her till they fetched blood from her and the keepers of the wall abused her and took away her vail and tore it in peeces on purpose to put her to open shame and to show her nakedness before all in the streets to hoot at after her and to hurt her and to make the world believe she was an Harlot and not a true Spouse of Christ yet for all this that Ministers and Magistrates were both against her yet I say the Spirit carries her on And thus the Psalmist sayes Psal. 44.10 11 12 13 14 15. yet 17 18. Thou makest us a by-word a reproach a derision a spoil to them that hate us as the appointed for slaughter and broken in the place of Dragons and confusion is ever before us and for all this Vers. 17 18 20. Yet yet have we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsly with thee nor is our heart turned back from thee nor do we decline thy way no not yet and why But because the Spirit of the Lord carried them through all thick and thin as we use to say and so it is here the Spirit removes all thy rubbidge-corruption that would hinder thee and throws down to the ground every strong hold or imagination thou hast against this way 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Which before he admonished thee of and motioned thee to and 4. This Spirit confirms thee in it as well as conforms thee to it and therefore he is called the witness in thee 1 John 5 10. If any false witness do arise and rail at this way of Christ as the theif on the Cross did revile Christ. If thou meetest with any arguments from flesh and blood against it that would fain weaken thy faith and foundation why yet the Spirit bears testimony within and that upon his own knowledge that thou art in the right way Joh. 16.13 And this witness within and the word without do both agree in their testimony Yea furthermore the Spirit is called a seal Eph. 4.30 And set me as a seal upon thy heart Cant. 8.6 That is that I may be not onely near to thee but on thy heart even in thee as thine own spirit A seal is more then a witness for it carries the witness with it and is not onely a witnessing to us but a work upon us and in us carrying the image of him that sealeth us sayes Sibs in his Fountain Sealed Now a Seal serves to confirm and thus doth the Spirit seal instruction to us Job 33.16 that is confirms us in what the Word instructs and declares Besides this Seal is for distinctions sake as Dr. Sibs saith to distinguish which is the Lords way and worship from all others of mens making 1 Tim. 2. The Lord knoweth who are his and who are not his This distinguishes the precious from the vile Jer. 15.19 And by this seal the Lord knows his and the Saints know which is the Lords For the seal sets the Lords image on his way and worship Moreover a seal signifies a propriety and right to a thing as Merchants use to seal their wares that others may not claim a right to them So Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart the righteous for himself He hath set his mark on them in the Hebrew it is the Lord hath culled out and severed in a most excellent manner i. e. by his Spirit the righteous that is in Hebrew Chasid the holy One Acts 13.35 full of holiness goodness piety grace to himself And as the gracious man so the gracious way of Christ he hath set apart for himself i. e. as his way and his right Thus every Saint sets his seal to in John 3.33 who being convinced by the Spirit as before and now confirmed by this testimony within him which holds against all opposers he gives his testimonial to the truth Deut. 32.4 and bears witness to the way of Christ Joh. 15.26 27. and sets to his seal and subscribes to it and chuses it to walk to live and die in So that they are Christs witnesses and do bear his testimony with the Spirit as well as by the Spirit Acts 5.32 It is the Spirit which assures them as well as perswades them whereby the will is set upon the wheel so after the Saints believed they were sealed sayes the Apostle 5. This Spirit then rests on thee and on that way thus witnessed and sealed to as the Dove did upon the Ark yea as the Spirit did rest and abide upon Christ John 1.32 whereby he was known so hereby by the same Spirits resting on us we are known and the way and worship and Church of Christ is known to be from above So 1 Pet. 4.14 Happy are ye for the Spirit of the Lord and of glory rests upon you And Paul saith The power of Christ rests upon him 2 Cor. 12.9 The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as the Dove which wandred about and not found rest nor where to set the sole of his foot In this world iniquity doth abound and the waters are up and the floods are so high that the Dove i. e. the Spirit comes again weary and spent into the Ark and from thence is sent out So that this Spirit found Christ such an Ark and rested there and findes the Church such an Ark and rests there yea a Saint in a sence such an Ark and rests there And from thence he is sent out by Messengers means of Grace c. abroad and about the world to finde footing among them without but oftentimes he returns with this tale That the waters are too high yet But here the Spirit rests and by this the Church is known to be Christs We are all baptized by one Spirit saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 Into one Body and made to drink into one Spirit So
though the Letter alters as the soule doth though the body be altered variante materia yet forma manet eadem But let these uncharitable Formalists and unkinde unchristian friends know that by this Letter and their suitable practises seeming to answer most cruell and unchristian principles that they have frighted many of their wel-wishers from them for Fishes will not be catched in a bloody net though some Commanders or great ones amongst them may drive many times some silly little ones in And indeed I fear that Religion which lyes so much in the Form or outside will doe but little service in the day of the Lord to shelter us from heat and storme yea I fear that the life and kernel of it is already perished when ear-wigs and vermine have eaten so into it and can finde a hole through the outside of it to go in and out as they list You know what I mean and be PATIENT In this Letter you find Reader how Dipping called their fundamental Ordinance without which they were to have no communion with us but either to draw us thereto or else to cast us out for old leaven and be distinct from us Now it appears not to me to be a fundamental Ordinance on which as on a foundation should lye the Church no though it bee taken in their owne sense for the true and right administration but rather it is an initiating Ordinance or entry through which we enter into the Church so that there is a great difference between a foundation and an entry or doore And for their calling us persons unbaptised and threatning them that have any communion with us as guilty of the sinne of disobedience We have proved that we have passed through the water and the fire and the Lord hath been with us and his Spirit rests upon us We have been under the element of water and the baptisme of the Spirit and if these satisfie not wee are to seek in a new way which they make their Foundation but it is of water and will not hold long whilst Christ is our Foundation who is a Rocke and standeth sure As for the particulars in that Letter they are easily answered and have been often over and over The Baptisme therein mentioned out of Eph. 4. which the Apostle indeed makes an argument of union is the one baptisme of the Spirit not the sign so often altered but the substance by which all beleevers in all ages under all forms and dispensations are and ever were all baptised into one body both before Christ and since 1 Cor. 12.13 this is Christs baptisme Mat. 3.11 Now the unity of the Spirit consists not in uniformity in that outward forme and element for men may and do differ for all that but in the baptisme of the Spirit which the Apostle plainly speaks of it is an unanimity not an uniformity as we shall find out hereafter wherfore let all wise sober spiritual discerning Christians yea even of that judgement which are without exception many of them but tell me First Doe not these lay too much upon the Letter to call it a Fundamental Ordinance without which they are to have no communion with us but to cast us out for old leaven and which in the very element they lay downe to be a putting on of Christ an ingrafting into Christ a planting into his death c. Now let any judge if this be not an Idolizing of a Forme which they cry downe so much in others is not this a worshipping of the Element to attribute so much to it as is true in no baptisme but of the Spirit Surely this must bee grownd to powder But Secondly Ought we to be so severely sentenced as to bee cast out for Dung old Leaven and uncircumcised ones because we could not nor can we find a word to warrant our consciences in the practise of this which is their opinion Oh! uniformity enforced sayes one is the very break-neck of peace and love we durst not have dealt so with them it is point-blank against our principles and practises Thirdly Ought any sober sound Christians to have sent any such Letters to make a breach in a Church and by secret and under-working instruments to doe the more mischiefe without any discourse or knowledge of us as from our selves that were not of that opinion and onely for one Form wherein neither the unity of the Spirit nor our communion with Christ Jesus can consist this I am sure was none of Christs doctrine nor device to sow such seeds of Divisions But I shall leave them to the Lord who loves not confusion nor I am sure can allow of such unchristian practises like carnal men to watch for our mischiefe and to lye in wait for our bâ—ltings and to render us odious to all as persons fit for excommunication and onely because wee could not turne againe to that low and beggarly element I mean so to us now that are in and under the unction from on high For Act. 11 15. when they were under the Holy Ghost which had fallen upon them then came to minde in Verse 16. John baptised with water indeed but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost that is far beyond the other of water And should wee be so foolish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mad Gal. 3.3 having begun and thus far gone on in the Spirit to thinke or seek to be perfect by the flesh no! God forbid therefore our sufferings are sweet even as drops of Christ blood and draughts out of Christs cup for our consciences sake Well I could wish them to be more moderate lest haply they be found fighters against God Act. 5.39 that have been too rough to the poore harmlesse Saints at Dublin on this account And let them do all in peace and by love as becometh Christians and not by plottings power force or censures as the carnal Churches of Antichrist to this day and let them not busie themselves too much about empty things so as to presse and promote traditions for truths the letter for the Spirit the creature in the room of Christ and husks and shadows that are past away as to us or to passe away in the room of righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost That although we differ in judgement yet wee may be all of one Body one Spirit one hope of our calling having one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all above all through all and in us all it is this that keeps the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace This leads me to the next Chapter CHAP. V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regneh In admitting none that are godly are to be put by though of different opinions but all Believers are to be received yea of all judgements WE have heard how the Word warrants all that are godly that are fully satisfied of the way and excludes all the wicked and
let them alone lest haply ye be found even to fight against God Mr. John Goodwin hereon affirmes it is wisdome not to oppresse any in Gods wayes of Gods servants and to attempt any thing against a way which for all that we know is the way of God may be found but a fond engagement and a fighting even against God himselfe so it is to shut out any for an opinion he holds which is left doubtful or indifferent in the Scripture a great imprudence if not impudence And a zeale without knowledge Rom. 10.2 Eccles 7.18 which is full of selfe-conceit Now the Rule is a sound knowledge out of Gods word of the thing for which we are zealous that it is right and required in Gods word and Gospel Gal. 4.18 and let it be ad aequale according to our knowledge Duo sunt sayes Anselme out of Augustin Serm. 202. de temp in quibus temerarium judicium cavere debemus cum incertum est quo animo quicquam factum est vel cum incertum est qualis futurus sit qui nunc vel bonus vel malus apparet Rash judgement of any brother we must beware of in two things First when we know not with what a mind the thing is done And then secondly when we know not what the man may be that thus appeares good at present or bad to us O then therefore take heed how we judge condemne or keep out any beleever be he of what opinion soever But so far for Explication To be briefe in Application Vse 1 Reproof Are not they too to blame then that stand too stifly upon Circumstances and trifles and forms and vse 1 such things as are left to liberty and yet to impose a necessity upon them is not this pestilent and unsufferable And yet Oh how many unskilful builders in this age that urge and that strongly an Vniformity Vniformity as the Bishops cryed out for a Conformity without which and they say true their Churches cannot stand O sad how this mystery of iniquity works yet when the Churches order peace and happinesse consists in unity of the Spirit and not in the unity of the Forme as of a Prelatical Presbyterian forme or Prelatick Independent Forme or Anabaptistical Forme O no! but in unanimity not in uniformity For all outward Formes be they what they will as Mr. Warr sayes in his Dispute betwixt Form and Power a pretty Tract pag. 33. are part of those childish things which are to be done away as Paul sayes hence it is that even as childhood is done away and ceases in a more excellent growth and glory viz. in the state of man-hood and perfection so shall all Formes of Discipline whatsoever Wherefore it is wrong done to the Church of Christ to keep up a Fâ—rme to hurt or hinder our growth or offend any of the Saints or as a dead Carcasse when it stinks not to suffer it to be buried so I say to keep up any Forme as an engine of cruelty or persecution or to make variance betwixt brethren For who is so ready to crucifie Christ as the Pharisee or man of forme who is so contentious and quarrelsome at the approaches and appearances of Christ in Spirit who is so captious at the truth shining in splendent spirituality who is so ready to betray them who sits so much at Councel against them and all lest if Christ in the Spirit should bee beleeved their Mosaical Levitical rites and forms would fall apace and be of small repute and not be received So that that Church-society whose peace love order and unity lyes altogether in the Forme I may safely say is such a spiritual Aegypt as we read of in Rev. 11 8. which is full of dead carcasses and where Christ is crucified at this day For as Aegypt which typified darknesse so it is a place of darknesse and at least a vaile to keep poor creatures under ignorance and to hinder them and hide from them the excellencies and discoveries of Christ in the Spirit In this Aegypt are many Magicians and wise men who imitate Moses and Aaron and they take counsel against the servants of God the spiritualized ones and Saints of Christ saying Let us deal wisely with them Exod. 1.10 lest they multiply and be more then we c. or let us deal subtlely against them as Stephen sayes the Greek renders it to keep them under us So that they work against us more by policie then by piety As by putting strange names on the truth to make it odious as the Pharisees did on Christ in the flesh sometimes calling him Samaritan sometimes Wine-bibber and Glutton sometimes one that works by Beelzebub and Devil sometimes the friend of sinners c. all this to render him odious that they might have the more suffrage to make him suffer as a blasphemer and malefactor and none to pity him so subtilly do they disguise the true Gospel of Christ the wayes of Christ and spirituall truths with new and strange names calling them Errors Heresies Blasphemies c. and what not And why but that they may the more unanimously and with the freer consent of the poore ignorant people who know not what they do crucifie Christ in the Spirit such subtilties are in such societies as we finde amongst the Presbyterians and others counted Independents too at this day O how confidently they accuse condemne and crucifie the Lord and spit on his face and lash him with their tongues in those truths that they with wide-mouthed malice naucifie and scurrilize and speake so unmercifully against Besides O what severe Task-masters are in this Aegypt how the Ministers of it put poore men upon works lay burthens on their consciences compell them to their opinions and set them upon doing day and night and presse them to it on paine of death hell and all but alas a day poore Saints they have not where withall in themselves to doe any thing but to build a Pithom and Rameses Treasure-Cities for Pharaoh the God of this world to garrison against the appearances of Jesus Christ Furthermore they in this Aegypt would confine Saints Israel to their land to worship there and to serve there and then they could be content if we would but keep within the bounds of Aegypt and not goe from our own Parishes Classes Teachers or the like And moreover O what a trouble to them it is to see Gods Israel doth encrease and multiply doe what they can and how are they afraid such a Church I say is but a Spiritual Aegypt whose streets are full of dead carcasses corrupt unsavoury stinking dead uselesse life-lesse and abominable Formes which are not fit to be above ground in any place but where our Lord is crucified Now I say O it is sad where we yet meet with such hard Taskmasters as would keep us in perpetual bondage under their
upon me wondred and asked me how I did I told them well at which they wondred more not thinking it possible but rather that I knew not what I said and telling them I was going forth though they thought me more mad then wise yet away I went to the Church who were yet praying and that hard blessed be the Lord that heard them and drew out their hearts on my behalfe My comming amongst them to tell the mercies of God was much like Peter in Act. 12. verse 16. at which they were astonished but as he Verse 17. Verse 13 14 16. So I did declare unto them how the Lord had brought me out of prison my bed my sicknesse so that this renewed pledge to us did throw us altogether upon praises and thankful returnes being so sweet and seasonable an experience that I hope it will never be forgot whereby the Church as it now is was exceedingly satisfied and ratified to this day that God was with us yet of a truth as much as before from which day as well as ever before I dare assuredly say the name of this Church may be The Lord is there Ezek. 48.35 as Mat 28.20 These things I have added to this fifth Reason whereby we were abundantly obliged for future to trust in the Lord so that experiences declared do much advantage others to relye upon him and to beleeve in him Ps. 37 40. and to plead with him the experience that others have had of him at such a time in such a need and extremity of trouble and sicknesse And as waters run strongest in narrowest passages so doth Gods Power and Providences appear most and greatest in greatest straits But thus for the second sort of Reasons Reason 3. Relates to themselves that doe declare their experiences for it is not enough to heare them but to have them as it is Joh. 4.42 First Hereby they try their owne satisfaction examine their assurance and plerophory by bringing all to light as the honest Draper doth his cloath to give any leave to object what they can against the goodnesse of it so Hall sayes in his Contemp. 4. part P. 120. Now a man that owes twenty shillings may as wel pay in silver as in gold and have as good a discharge given him but if he paies it in gold then it is discharged in one piece without telling or further trouble but if in silver then it is in many pieces and requires the pains to tell it over before he be sure that it be right so is it here the Saints have assurance of all discharged and payed and themselves set at large the Creditor reconciled the Law at an end c. and all this by the immediate testimony of the Spirit which is with more speed and lesse trouble as Eph. 4.30 or else by the markes and effects in many peeces which will aske much paines to examine and tell over And thus in the experiences by several peeces of good coine stamped with Gods image you have their assurance or pleonasmes of joy and love and light and all brought out so that they being openly attested and approved the Saints are thereby often advantaged for future attempts and troubles and suits in Law so that there is great reason the Assurance be brought out to light yet we must beware that mens applauding or approving of us or our assurance deceive us not wherefore let us a little call to account how a Saint knows that his assurance is real substantial and not shadowy counterfeit false To answer this we have Twin-testimonies and Single-testimonies to know it by the Twin-born testimonies are surest omni exceptione majores and such are infallible but the others are not so these are of two sorts The Spirit with our spirits bearing witnesse Rom. 8.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 co-witnesses so Rom. 9.1 so sayes Paul My conscience bearing witnesse by the Holy Ghost both goe together as honest Sibs hath it like a paire of Indentures one answers another and that the Holy Spirits witnesse is a clear testimony see 1 Joh. 3.24 he assures the soule by powerful application as Culverwel in his White stone well observes for the Father chuseth us and hath decreed it the Sonne executeth it to the full and the Spirit applies it and witnesses our interest in it and sets strong and vigorous apprehensions of love and mercy upon our heart they be sweet and secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule-whisperings and spirit-breathing by which the soul and spirit converses together secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have silent entercourse one with another which is not an enthusiastical fancy or illusion but a reall truth which every Saint hath a taste of being inspirations then the Spirit assures or cleares by a pleasant irradiation or brightnesse beaming upon the soule whereby he sees the assurance reall and genuine see 1 Cor. 2 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God So Verse 9.10 by this Divine light what a glorious glosse a rich orjency a lively lustre and an excelling Exposition is upon thy assurance so that although from the flesh thou doubtest from the Spirit thou seest and art assured For seeing is beleeving as we say and you know this witnesse from a fancy to be true by its own convincing nature and efficacy as you know light by light and so you know the Word by the Word and are able to judge all other words false and all other lights painted and all other Suns shadows So you know the Spirit by the Spirit Joh. 16.8 by its owne conviction which it carries with it as true fire carries its owne evidences to declare that it is fire but false fire painted does not doe so The light of a Ranting presumptuous Spirit is but like a blazing Comet presaging his preposterous spirit or preparing a venemous malign and pestilential influence and portending his ruine and the light of an Hypocrite is but a transcient coruscation and flash for a sudden and is put ou◠but the Spirit displayes himselfe to the soul and gives a glistering manifestation of his presence in that heart of his motion in that horoscope and horison and by his owne beams as the Sun is to be seen and paraphrased upon himself and witnesses to himself that he is there so that as one sayes a man may sooner take the glo-worm for the Sunne then an experienced Saint can take a false light and delusion for the light of the Spirit And who would be further satisfied may see Sibs his Fountain sealed Page 169.170 c. The other Twin-testimony is taken from the Word and the Spirit the Law and the Testimony together Isa. 8.20 Deut. 1◠18 Mat. 22.29 the Scripture and the power of God which are to goe both together to give assurance else yee
man about thirteen years agoe who worked much upon me I heard Sermons and followed Ministers much after that I was wont to hear in London Mr. Cradock and Mr. Simpson Mr. Cradock wrought much upon me being upon that saying in Isa. Woe is me I am an unclean creature c. And truly I could finde it in me as if he had spoken to me onely what he said so that I was thereby wrought upon I was much afflicted for a time and gave my selfe much to prayer and did love the truth and all the Saints and so I continue now and I have found and doe yet those things true in me which were spoken by Mr. Rogers of that onenesse of love and unity of the Spirit which ought to be among all Saints which hath much wrought upon me and affected me I have seen my sad condition by nature and now I shall see it in grace and now O! how I love the wayes of God and holinesse and duties and means of grace which before I did not but such things of God as before I loathed I now love and long after Jesus Christ alone Experience of Edward Hoar Captain I Shall declare something of God upon my spirit It is some twelve years since before which I understood not the happinesse of enjoying Christ that I began to say What shall I doe to be saved I followed the Ministers frequented the means and did too much depend upon my doings and rest on works and what I heard from the Ministers I tooke for granted truths because they said so without searching or examining the Scriptures and the minde of God I tryed the Scriptures by men not men by the Scriptures but at last I saw them to be subject to errors as well or worse as others and then I saw that humane Learning could not get beyond humane And what Peter said in 2 Pet. 3 16. Which they that are unlearned wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures to their own destruction could not be meant of humane Learning Peter himselfe not being so but of Spiritual So that ever since I could not looke on men as infallible and thence forward I beleeved not things to be so because they said so but because God sayd so and his Word But now I live in Christ and I can positively say I have faith and am sure in Christ to be saved and looke upon none else and I was darknesse yet now I am light in the Lord. And so I propose my selfe to you I had opportunity in other places before now to have been of a society but I was not free in my spirit for that I found them to live too much in formes and not in the Spirit but hearing of so much love and freedome of the Spirit in this Society I desire to be one with you in the Lord and one with another Experience of John Spilman Captaine BEing a member of the Church at Yarmouth in England of which Mr. Bridges is Pastor I have given there an account of my faith and life onely shall say thus much more that once in a carnall condition as I was I did slight the Ministers of Christ especially your long Preachers and could not abide that any should preach long but at last I was catched by one and hee was on Heb. 8.8.10 the new Covenant made in Christ which was applied to me very home and touched me to the heart and made me to inquire into my condition hearing the danger of being out of that Covenant as it was to bee out of Noah's Arke and I asked my heart about it whither I belonged to it or no! but alas I lay long in great affliction and had no satisfaction nor assurance so that I knew not what to doe being under many temptations sometimes I would heare and sometimes affected the Ordinances and sometimes not and so I continued a while untill those promises comforted me much in Hosea 14 4. I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him And Heb. 8.12 For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more And that in Rom. 5.6 In due time Christ dyed for the ungodly And verse 8. While we were yet sinners And some other places besides but yet I questioned whether he dyed for me or no and that was answered yes for me for I was one of the number of sinners and ungodly that needed Christ but being in fears I went to Mr. Bridges told him how I was and indeed he satisfied me very much for the time but I fell into great trouble after all this and had a sentence of death within me and thought I was damned and utterly lost for all this still wanting faith and looking upon my owne actings and graces till the Lord laid these sayings of Paul to Corinth home close to my heart Covet the best things and I tell you yet a more excellent way and I thought there was yet a better way but I was a great while troubled for I was well enough untill I had some sweet enjoyments of Jesus Christ and then I discovered the most excellent way which is Christ and nothing but Christ and then I grew confident and full of courage and assurance and loved Christ in all and all that was Christs and Christ more then all Experience of William Walker I Have much reason to know a great worke of God upon my heart in delivering me wonderfully from severall destroying sinnes which once I thought â—leight but so great that I can scarce utter them I was very extravagant even here in Ireland but was brought very low in body and minde together and then was sensible of disobeying my Parents from what the Word sayes of men they shall be lovers of themselves heady and disobeying parents which cast me down afflicted my conscience and troubled me so that I cannot utter it and I lay thus a long time till I heard once Christ freely offered even to the worst of sinners and then I began to looke up a little with hopes of comfort and applied these offers to me as needing him and so I began to be satisfied with peace and rest and I followed the Word and rejoyced in it and loved the godly to have company with them and yet for all this I was under much temptation and too much I was given to drinking till Mr. Strong told me Brother I hear strange things of you that you are given to drinking c. which so smit me with the abuses I received abroad by the prophane sort who said O this is one of Fowlers followers that I was wounded in my spirit a long time that I should bring such a scandal upon the Gospel and a blemish For two months I was tormented in my minde till the Lord recovered me and gave me resolution and power against the sin which
sad discords even among true brethren and then it is farre from uniting or true order and ought to be abhorr'd But lest some lofty brethren look angry at this assertion and language and should fill my ears with clamours by reason of concurrent contra-position of many eminent Ministers and others of this Nation and of New-England of the congregationall way I will but lead them to the Apology of New-England for the Covenant p. 32. 44. wherein they acknowledge an agreement or consent of Saints together or of this or that Christian to walk in Church-fellowship with this or that society and that this is sufficient and equivalent with the others So saith Mr. Peters in his Discourse of Covenant p. 21 22 23. T.G. I.G. But yet we grant that if this implicite Covenantings should produce such ill consequences as of contentions discords disorders c. which the explicite Covenant would remedy and appease that then there may be such a Covenant writ in the Church book and handed by the Church members for so long as good use peace and order are brought forth by it but yet with this Caution that it be allowed only as a thing prudentiall for a time whilest the use or end is good of it and not as a thing necessary for all time or as without alteration or cessation for then you should say â—ie upon it we will have none of it when it begins to assault and intrench upon Christian liberty Now in this sense and in such cases a Church-covenant is lawfull decent and expedient and in such an exigency and emergency of time this was put in execution by the Church at Dublin as a medium in prudence to compose diffâ—â—â—nces and it proved very effectual blessed be God to end the former and to prevent future disturbances but it was not to be urged upon any one contrary to Christian liberty And thus farre we can freely concurre with Mr. Cotton Mr. Hooker Mr. Ainsworth and all other eminent ones that are so hot for an explicite covenanting though the implicite by your own confession carries the formalem rationem of the other which they so urge both being but adjuncts The forms of such Covenants are shorter or longer as the occasion requires I shall insert one or two for examples-sake 1. The Covenant of the English Church at Roterdam when Mr. H. P. was chosen Pastour WEE whose names are hereunder written having found by sad experience how uncomfortable it is to walk in an unsetled and disorder'd condition c. 1. We do renue our covenant in Baptisme and avouch God to be our God 2. We resolve to cleave to the true and pure worship of God opposing to our power all false waies 3. We will not allow our selves in any known sin buâ— will renounce it so soon as Gods word does manifest it so to be the Lord lending us power We resolve to carry our selves in our places of government and obedience with all good conscience knowing we must give an account to God Wee will labour for all further growth in grace by hearing reading praying meditation and all other wayes we can We mean not to over-burthen our hearts with earthly cares which are the bane of all holy duties the breach of the Sabbath and the other Commandements Wee will willingly and meekly submit to Christian Discipline without murmuring and shall labour so to continue and will endeavour to be more forward zealous loving faithfull and wise in admonishing others Wee will labour by all our abilities for the furtherance of the Gospel as occasion shall be offered to us We promise to have our children servants and all our charge taught the wayes of God We will strive to give no offence to our brethren by censuring them rashly by suspicions evill speakings or any other way Lastly We doe protest not onely against open and scandalous sins as drunkennesse swearing c. but also against evill company and all appearance of evill to the utmost of our power Per me F. H. I might make mention of others some of them very short and generall but others fuller and more particular But I shall trouble thee Reader but with one more which as thou heardst before was made use of as a remedy to end some disorders and disturbances and subscribed by all that were free thereto upon occasion of differences arising to which this much related II. The Covenant of the Church in Dublin collected out of the word of Christ according to the Order of the Gospel WEE whose Names are hereunder written do freely give up our hands and hearts to God the Father and his Son Christ Jesus our onely Lord and Law-giver and doe unanimously ingage in the fear of the Lord every one of us to our utmost powers through the gracious assistance of Gods holy Spirit That wee will walk together in one body with one minde in all sweetnesse of Spirit and Saint-like love each to other as the Disciples of Jesus Christ and all to the Church Joh. 15.12 13.34 Rom. 13.8 Ephes. 5.2 1 Thes. 3.12 1 Joh. 4.21 c. Jointly to contend and strive together in all good and lawfull wayes both by doing and by suffering for the purity of the Gospell the Truth of Christ his Ordinances and Orders the honour and liberty and priviledges of the Church against all opposers Jude 3. Gal. 5.1.13 c. With all care and conscience to study and labour to keepe up the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace both in the Church in generall and in particular between one another Phil. 2.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 1.10 Ephes. 4.3 2 Cor. 13.11 c. Carefully to avoid all causes and causers of Divisions as much as in us lies and to shun Seducers false-Teachers of errors or Heresies Rom. 16.17 18. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. Tit. 9.3 v. g. 10. 2 Joh. 10. Rev. 2.14.18 Partaking and fellow-feeling to our power with one another in every condition bearing each other burdens Gal. 6.2 Heb. 13.3 1 Cor. 12.25 2 Tim. 1.16 c. To forbear and bear with one another weaknesses and infirmities in much pity tendernesse meeknesse and patience not ripping up the weaknesse of any one to any other without our Church nor yet to any within unlesse according to Christs rule and Gospel-order endeavouring all we may for the glory of the Gospel and the credit of his Church to hide and cover one anothers slippings and failings Ephes. 4.32 Rom. 14.13 Rom. 15.1 Col. 3.12 13. 1 Cor. 13.4.7 c. And that we will as the Lord our God shall enable us to our utmost cleave close one to another and every one to the Lord and chearfully undergoe the condition and lot the Lord shall lay upon this his Church whether in perseeution or in prosperity without any wilfull drawing back or falling away from the fellowship or Faith which wee professe together Heb. 10.24 25 26 c. to the end 2 Tim. 4.10.16 If any
the Church viz. to speak object offer or vote with the rest which this Scripture nor no other as I know of doth in the least hinder but rather help being rightly considered For 2. He saith it is not permitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the disorders and differences that then were in the Church it was thought inconvenient to allow womens liberty to preach publiquely whereby they brought but confusion into the Church as appears in the antecedent and subsequent words vers 33. and vers 40. so that the ill consequence was the cause of this rule of prudence not any positive command of Gods but he spake as in 1 Cor. 7.6 And it is a questâ—on whether it be a standing precept So that from this very Scripture besides a hundred others I do verily beleeve that handmaids shall prophecy and have more publick liberty then now they have but however this does nothing at all disallow or deny them their common private proper liberty as members of Christs body equally with men I say as members though not as officers and so subjective to the whole 2. To women I wish ye be not too forward and yet not too backward but hold fast your liberty in Gal. 5.1 which the Apostle speaks as well to the sisters as the brethren Christ hath made ye free male and female ye are all one in Christ and ought to be so in the Church wherefore stand fast saies he that is keep your ground which Christ hath won and got for you maintain your right defend your liberty even to the life lose it not but be couragâ—ous and keep it And yet be cautious too festina lente not too fast but first be swift to hear slow to speak Jam. 1.19 unlesse occasion requires you your silence may sometimes be the best advocate of your orderly liberty and the sweetest evidence of your prudence and modesty as one saies Silentium saepissime addit foeminis gratiam et decus maxime apud viros cum de rebus seriis agitur and yet ye ought not by your silence to betray your liberty trouble your consciences lose your priviledges and rights or see the truth taken away or suffer before your eyes but I say be not too hasty nor too high for as the note that comes too nigh the margent is in danger to run into the text the next impression so spirits that run too high at first may soon fall into disorder and irregularity It is said when Cyrus was young his Grandfather made Sacas his overseer to order him both in his diet time and recreations but when he came to riper years he became a Sacas to himself and took not so much liberty as he had leave to do and as was allowed him by his governour Sacas And so indeed that may be lawfull to you that is not as yet expedient for you and rather then run into disorder and confusion hold your liberty a little in suspense and wave it on some occasions wherein you lawfully may but lose it not for all the world which Christ payed so great a price for and prepare for fairer gales As the Miller does for though he cannot command the winde yet he will spread his sailes out and open them in a readinesse when he is in hopes of its coming and so do you and when the winde blowes which begins your liberty with full sailes shall bring forth abundantly to serve all the countrey round In the mean time make much of the ordinances prize your hitherto liberty and practise accordingly And in a word I say to all Those whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder CHAP. IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This last Chapter shewes what Church this Treatise mentions and clears it from all others and shewes wherein the Presbyterians and we disagree and wherein they and the Papists agree in most of the essentiall differences between them and us for Discipline Doctrine and Practise and proves this Gospell-Church-State the great promise and thing typified in the last daies and the Paradise on earth to be restored I Had thoughts now to have rested me for a while but I am jogg'd up again by the jarring noises which many make about the name of a Church I must now arise and wet my pen a little more before I conclude this Treatise or take my rest You have had the essentialia laid before you and in this first and second part have had the totum homogeneum of a true Church both what is to be done before and what in and upon embodying together but what is to be done after followes after in the third Part which I promise next if the Lord give me leave wherein you shall have I hope so the totum organicum of a true Church of Christ. But before that will be ready I must meet with some rough Opinionists who will bid me stand or at least with such who have the hands of Esau though the voice of Jacob and so the principles and practises of the Pope though the pretences and protestations of a Presbyter that will not let me passe thus without a full discharge and a violent volley upon me made up of wilde fire and not with the fire from above but I must force my way in the name and strength of the Lord and I shall lay before them before I leave them the rotten foundation they are built upon which without mercy may be their ruine and whose cause and quarrell it is they are engaged in and whose design they carry on against the Saints and servants of the most High And the Lord give them grace to consider and separate from it for else I dare confidently affirm they will be found fighters against God Act. 5. I shall first offer yâ—u what we mean consideration 1 by the Church of Christ where this discipline and order is set which we have handled and shall endeavour to take off all doubts and distractions which may else arise about the word for that Ecclesia est quid dam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 various Controversies have shot out from the word and name as well as the thing and nature of a true Church Formerly between the Pontifitians and Protestants and of late between the Presbyterians and Independents as will easily appear upon perusall of Mr. Rutherford's Right of Presbyteries Mr. Bailies Disswasive Mr. Prinns 12 Questions and Independency examined c. Mr. Ball 's late Treatise Vindiciae Clavium Mr. Hudson's Church Catholick visible cum multis aliis c. I take the name of Church two waies either strictly or at large proxime proprie aut remote late at large or more remotely and improperly it is to be considered either in respect to and with distinction from Infidels and Pagans or else collectively in respect of Christians amongst themselves in the first respect as opposed to Turks and Paynims all
all body but an Integrum made up of both So is the Church Vniversall made up of the particulars yet cannot be said to be all this particular or that particular all of them before the Law or under it or all of Gospellers or all Independent so called or Anabaptistical or the like No! But one made up of all And yet I must say that every member of this whole as every member of our body is a whole in it selfe and limited at the joint and so can't usurp anothers place every Congregregational Church is a whole Church and intire in it selfe and one member is distinguished from another by limits set so that although we say with Ames in 's Med. lib. 1. c. 32 particulares Congregationes sunt partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae that particular Churches are essentiall parts to make up the whole Intire and have of that in them which will make up the whole and yet we say such particular Churches are in themselves whole and intire from all others having matter and form and power and priviledges the Keyes and Ordinances within themselves intirely and distinctly from any others But thus far for the name and nature of the Church which is here handled and handed forth The next thing that I offer before I conclude is the consideration 2 near alliance and agreement which is obvious to every discerning eye between the Presbyterians and Papists in their Discipline and order But before I goe further I give this caution that when I speak of the Presbytery I be understood of it as it now stands with them of that judgement and not as it stands in the Word of God for in this later sense we allow of Presbytery and say it is in the Congregational way according to the Word of God This gives no allowance of that Lordly high Prelatical Presbytery that the Presbyterians now tug for tooth and nail and which we speak of and if they should enjoy it what a goodly bit those biters would have of it I leave it to themselves to be their own Judges Will they promise but impartially and pensively to contemplate what familiar acquaintance and friendship their Discipline and the Popes have one with another and without anger for loves sake let them weigh wisely how close they set their feet together and embrace each other and I wish I might say it was onely through mistake How near they are akin or How like they look the Daughter resembling the Mother I shall rough-draw before your eyes though in dead colours at the first Yet so far as will sufficiently deliueate a near resemblance between them in as many parts as I can at this instantanous present time place before you as the head body eyes mouth hands and feet yea and spirit of this Image which must fall But let not men be angry with me or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boil out into a foame against me for as Dr. Homes says I do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2.14 walk with my right foot in the way of the Gospel and the Lord now knows it is love to the Truth as it is in Jesus brings me to this businesse with a spirit in the which I hope I shall appear more zealous then Zoilus and rather an Irenaeus then Cassander and when I meet a Critick I hope to prove a Christian and part in peace but however if I must pledge Christ out of his own cup for this his owne cause if I know my heart I am content though they give me gall and vinegar for I had rather suffer then sin and so I set forward and out of their own books shall shew you how they agree for I cannot but bear testimony with pretious Mr. Hooker who is of the same minde with me and manifests it to the world his words are In my retired meditations I could not but observe a secret kinde of divine dâ—spensation that the Presbyterian way must need the help of Popery not onely as a pillar by which it must be under propped but as a foundation or head-corner stone upon which their whole building must rest and be erected thus saith this worthy Champion but a little before his death So that I shall neither be the first nor the last that on good grounds doe affirm their Presbytery and Popery to live one in the other and that the Presbyterian way is maintained and kept by Popish points and principles and keeps up Popery alive in England which cannot dye as long as that lives the which I shall easily demonstrate in their congruity together whilest they dispute for the same things hold the same points professe the same principles I say not all and are so a like in practises but to instance in particulars I. The Pontificians and Papists affirm the Church to be aliam principalem aliam minus principalem principal and lesse principal The Church principally they call the Councel of Cardinals and Bishops together but the lesse Principal they say is the Body of the People or Congregation of the rest together that are gathered under the Roman See and acknowledge the Pope of for their head Thus sayes Bellarmin 1. lib. de Ecclesia The Presbyterians professe this with the Papists both in their judgements and practises that the Synod or National Provinciall particular Classes is more then the Church viz. the body of all the brethren and sisters For they take upon them as the Church-Principal to set laws and to lay down rules and orders and to make Directories and the like for the Congregations and Churches to be under and they take upon them power of commanding compelling condemning punishing or the like as the Church-Principall yet pretend themselves the Church Representative and therefore they are called the Presbyterian Church because made up of Presbyters and Elders as a Representative Body thus they say they are the Church primarily and not the whole Body of Beleevers together but they in a Classis Synod Councell of Ministers and such like are the first Subject of the Keyes to open and shut binde or loose command or countermand vide Rutherford right of Presbytery lib. 2. p. 9 10. to 14. which is all one with the Papists and the same thing So in this sense is it that Mr. Hudson sets the Catholick first and then the Congregationall But 2. The Papists affirm that the Catholick Church is and hath been alwayes visible which is a generall Controversie between them and us as appears in Willets Synopsis Papismi Q 2. of the Church they mean not any particular Congregational Church but that the Vniversal Catholick Church is visible Rhem. Annot. Mat. 25. Sect. 3. Bellarmin lib. 3. cap. 12. ret 7. Calvisius cap. de fide c Symbol Artic. 18. The Presbyterians say the same whither they all agree therein or no I cannot say but Mr. Rutherford for them lib. 2. of his Right of
unity of the Spirit For as Mr. Bradford said Fox p. 1622. col 1. the Idolatrous Israelites were one in their sinfull way and might have pretended to uniformity were that the argument of a true Church or worship See Latimer epist. ad Dr. Bainton So Roger Holland Fox 20â—0 col 2. What is the unity of the Antichristian Church but idolatry suspicion tradition commandments of men and to persecute the poor people of God that can't in conscience be one with them And to this we subscribe and shall say with Helvetia Harm sect 10. p. 306 chap. 17. the Church is a company of faithfull gathered out of the world separated from false worships and in communion together by one spirit And Bohemia ch 8. Harm 316. that whosoever hath not the Spirit of faith and true love is but a dead member and with Auspurg Harm sect 10. p. 320. that saies true unity is not to agree on traditions or such doctrines but all to agree in the doctrine of the Gospell and truths of Christ. Add Helvetia chap. 27. p. 499. that the Church is one and the members all one and agree in one though there be diversity of rites and thereupon they may differ yet they are one in faith and in the Spirit O that all our Churches would minde this more and the Antichristian form of fleshly and outward rites and formes lesse 6. Presbyterians and Papists are too nigh one another in the Foundation which they lay for the Lords house being both sandy for see the Papists they will have Peter the Foundation of the Church and so the Pope as his Successor but since this hath been to use Mr. Hookers own words hissed out of doors and cast to the dunghill arises another Doctrine which is it that the Presbyterians hold viz. that the profession as Mr. Hudson hath it of Christ is the foundation or confession of faith as many of them have disputed it with me vide Trap in Mat. 16.18 But we differing from both deny the Doctrines of both and do with the Apostle disclaim all other foundations whither persons or confessions but Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 3.11 which is a rock and will hold chap. 4. lib. 1. and so we answer with the Protestants against the Papists in Synopsis Papismi 2. controv Q. 1. 7. Presbyterians and Papists are too nigh one another in laying their foundation by persecution both with carrying on their discipline and branding such as differ from them for Hereticks Schismaticks factious and seditious spirits persons not fit to live and of late some three years since would needs have a Petition the Presbyterians were so bitter against al that would not be Presbyterians i. e. really or dissemblingly so that they might have no indulgence which is their own language so that the Presbyterian would hear of no other thing but tyranny and cruelty to the Independent or indifferent brother non sequens ecclesiam sed persequens Now we declare against them both whilest we affirm the Word and Spirit the weapons of our warfare in chap. 2. of this Book and say meerly for judgement no man must be so persecuted Tit. 3.10 2 Tim. 2.25.26 but with all gentlenesse and meeknesse instruct â—pposers if God peradventure will give them repentance to acknowledge the truth Wherefore the Lord will powre his viall on that bloudy Antichristian spirit of persecution and Popery yet among us 8. The Presbyterians and Papists agree about the subject of the keys i. e. power of opening and shutting Mat. 16.18 20. which power the Papists say is the Prelates Rhemist 1 Cor. 5. sect 2. Bellarm. lib. 1. de clericis cap. 7. and as the Jesuites apply it to their Clergy whence they have their name Clergie or Key-bearers So the Presbyterians do to their Classes see but Mr. Rutherfords ninth Argument for a Presbyteâ—iall Church taken out of Mat. 16. That is the Church saith he to whom the keyes are given but the keyes were given only to a classicall Church there And furthermore lib. 2. p. 9. he saith the keyes were given to Peter as representing the Church-guides viz. officers Ministers as the first subject of the keyes which is the same in nature with the Iesuites and Papists not a pin to choose between them Of this judgement Vindiciae clavium proves the Presbyterians too So the Jus divinum regim eccles p. 108 109. But we differing from both do affirm the Church of Christ the congregation of beleevers to be the first subject of the keyes which Mr. Parker and the Parisian Schoole grants which Cotton in his keyes p. 40 41 42 43 44. sufficiently proves so Philips answer to Lamb p. 150. and Augustine on Mat. 16. saies Peter received the keyes not in his own name but in the Churches and Christ gave the Churches the keyes as the first subject so the Church in Peter received the keyes for all the Church is built on a rock ejusdem est instituere destituere So saith Fulk on 1 Cor. 5. sect 3. against the Rhemists So saies Walter Brute who lived in Richard the second 's daies out of Joh. 20 2â— argues thus in Fox p. 492. To whom the Holy Ghost is given to them is given the keyes or power of binding and losing but to the whole Church of beleevers is the Holy Ghost given So saith the Bohemians Confess Harm Sect. 10. p. 335. c. 14. which power is committed to the Church of Christ. Wherefore throw down this Popery for shame sirs which makes Prelates or Classes the first subject of the keyes 9. The Presbyterians agree with the Papists about Assemblies and Synods or the like severall waies in all which we dissent from them both 1. Concerning the necessity of them the Papists say there is a necessity of them and they can't be without councels Bellarm. de concil lib. 1. cap 11. the Presbyterians also plead for a necessity of Synods and assemblies out of Act. 15. Whilest we assert no necessity but an usefulnesse of them orderly called together having a consultative power and being a wholesome means to prevent evils and provide good for the Church as the Protesâ—ants answered the Papists so Whittaker de Concil p. 23. saies they are not necessary 2. Concerning the calling the Papists will have them called by the Pope Bellarm. lib. 1. de concil cap 12. Presbyterians by the Civill powers Princes and Magistrates but we dissent from both of them and others too when we assert it to be properly the Churches power to call and convent Synods or Assemblies as Dell saith in 's Way of peace p. 77. The world can't call Councels of the Church no more then the Church can call the Councels of the world being distâ—nâ—t from each but all the Churches Synods or Assemblies must have their power and authority from the Church who hath power to call out and
are not onely sky-colour'd and heavenly but watrish humble and lowly and willing to be of no account for Christs sake they are little or nothing in appearance but full of vigour and vertue to comfort souls to suppresse sighes and cause sorrows to fly away to help their sight to remove humourish obstructions and to work upon ill livers and to restore them to soundnesse and having the power of Christ the influences of this sun of righteousnesse with them they wonderfully inflame souls and kindle a fire in their hearts to embrace and embosome the things of God to long after communion with Christ to bee in love with him and his wayes and to set souls a burning after grace and glory such as these are indeed precious matter Ninethly a Topaz of the Gr. Topazion in Hebr. Pitdah whereunto â—â—pad or Topaz is taken found among the Aethiopians Job 21.19 Pliny sayes it growes among the Troglodites as Dionysius sayes it is an Indian Gemme in Chaldee Jarkam and Jarkatha that is green it is of a rich golden green colour it is of excellent use against the Emrods it affords sometimes a milky liquor cures a wound helps the Lunatick and keeps much from mutability Surely such Saints are precious matter and usefull Gemmes that the latter dayes shall finde out for curing of many sharp humorsome diseases that would obstruct the passages of the excrements which would be to the hurt of the body such as would hinder the casting out of traditions and excrementall doctrines which will hurt the Church Such Saints shall say as Isay 30.22 Get thee hence Oh fie upon 't out with them as the word bears it as with excrements Such Saints shall afford sweet milky consolations for Babes out of their bellies shall flow Rivers of water of life they shall be weak to the weak as well as strong to the strong they shall bind up many a wounded and broken Reed and poure Wine and Oyle into the sad gashes of wounded spirits applying seasonable promises and Balsomes yea the lunatick ones that fall sometimes into the waters of drunkennesse and iniquity wherein without mercy they will be drowned and sometimes into the fire of their lusts fitting them for the flames of Hell if they be not help'd by grace Such as these may be means of recovering and of confirming many in the Faith and keeping them from changing with every wind of Doctrine and they do themselves and endeavour to make others hold fast their profession and that without wavering Oh these wil be precious matter too Tenthly A Chrysoprasus in Hebr. Shebo in Gr. Achate in Eng. Agate the name signifies a golden green and indeed the best of them are green sparkling with golden guttulis it is of excellent use to revive the spirits to help the Eye-sight too and to shine most excellently in darknesse Oh! such Saints will be precious matter indeed that shine best and most in afflictions troubles nights in a time of darkness when they see no light these will be strong in faith and are best in worst times and therefore must needs revive the spirits of others and quicken them which be of great use to helpe the weak-sighted Eleventhly the Hyacinth or Jacinth in Hebr. Leshem it is but little but excellent of a bright purple colour or somewhat violet-like found among the Indians and Aethiopians and so is the following this is of admirable vertue to preserve from the blast of lightnings the danger of Plagues and Pestilence in corrupt and infected ayres and as Albertus testifies it causes sweet rest and sleep defends the animall spirits and makes men rich Oh the unspeakable excellent use of the precious gems the Saints of the last dayes such Saints are surely meant here as are violet-like humble with their heads low but hearts high sweet and savory the first flowers as it were of the time the witnesses of the Churches spring and of the Sunnes approach these will be able by the divine vertue in them to keep themselves and others too from hurt by tempests stormes or flashing persecutions or troubles yea from the contagion of sin and pestilentiall diseases and corruptions which reigne in others and make them rage these keep up their spirits for God and the Truth and doe defend the life of God in them from all that would offend those vitall and soul-soul-spirits yea such will be a means to make themselves and others to rest in Christ their beloved and to finde their bed green too yea such do make soules their own and others Rich in Grace and to abound in wealth and to fetch in apace of those Treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge which are layd up in Iesus Christ for the Saints Twelfthly An Amethysh in Hebr. Achlama is a Stone to be found among the Indians Arabians Armenians Galatians Aegyptians c. this is of a ruddy colour and is of excellent use to cause and keep temperance to restrain all excesse and drunkennesse it takes away from night-feares and provokes sweet rest So the Saints in these latter dayes that excel in these vertues are meant to be the Mystery of this Precious stone such as are exceeding temperate and cause others so to be that will not abide excesse and they are not afraid of evill tidings Ps. 112.7 nor of terrours by night nor of those terrours which attend times of darknesse and afflictions they live above all fears and fancies by an Heroick faith being resolved come life come death nothing shall separate them And they provoke to that sweet soule-rest and holy recumbency of Spirit which they have in Christ. These are the Precious stones the excellent Church-matter promised in these dayes to come And these being under a promise O what happy dayes are comming great shall be the day of Jezreel indeed blessed daies then are approching for the Churches O let us wait for them and begin them by bringing forth the properties of these Precious stones which are a mystery of the excellency of Church-members and matter consisting of excellent gems and jewels which shall be gather'd up in these latter dayes from all parts of the world East West North and South Jewes and Gentiles Indians Arabians Medes Persians Scythians Sardians as well as English French Spaniards Italians c. These Precious stones viz. such Saints are exceeding rare as yet but ere long the appearances of Christ will be higher and the shining approaches of this Sunne will be hotter and the Gospel shall go further ev'n beyond Seas to find them out and to gather them up And after the houres of triall which shall come upon the Churches of Europe will the Spirit be pour'd out amply for such an ample employment viz. to gather Jewels and Precious stones for Church-matter in all parts of the World As the excellency of the matter so the variety of that excellency is also under promise as appears by the various
properties of the Precious stones and certainly Zion will be a beautifull scituation and the joy of the whole Earth And who will not in those dayes desire to have a right in them and highly prize them that are members of the Churches which make up this great and holy City the Jerusalem as Precious stones though now they are contemned and cursed by many and thought fit for the most furious and spurious foote of disdaine to trample upon Oh alas be they poore to look upon plaine simple in appearance many of them yet their worth is not known to men as yet but dogs do rent them and swine would trample them into the mire But then when the seven Vials are poured out they shall be no more reviled or vilipended there shall be no more death or sorrow or trouble or paine upon the Churches but they of a little one shall become a thousand and as Isay 60.5.6 and Isay 49.18.19 their destroyers and those that made them wast must be gone packing v. 7. and then saith the Lord lift up your eyes round about and behold all these gather themselves together and come to thee to be joyn'd and he sayes they shall be ornaments to the Church and all her waste desolate places shall be re-edified and yet too little to hold such a company of Zion-Citizens and Inhabitants insomuch as the Church shall say the place is too strait give me roome make way yee Kings Nobles Nations I must have more and more roome every year till this now very little stone grow greater and greater till it fill the whole earth looke for this hastily and be assured the Jewes will be admirable ornaments and excellent Church matter by 1666. and many before but of all the Tribes the Church must have matter as appears by the twelve stones which had the names of the twelve Tribes engraven though some apply them particularly one by one to the twelve Apostles Oh! that in the mean time every Church and every member would make one or other of these Precious stones and let them but study by the properties and excellencies of ev'ry stone how far the following Ages will exceed ours and Saints exceed us and Churches exceed ours who shall be more and more to be accounted of for their inward excellencies spirituall and divine vertues with varieties of them then they shall be for their outward appearances or professions or formes c. But thus for the matter fore-told which I chose to demonstrate from the signification of these Precious stones that I might not labour in vaine Thirdly The Prophecyes and Promises to be made good in the latter dayes are very full for the forme of the Church which we have sufficiently proved in many Chapters before and which appears Ezek. 37.19.21.22 Zeph. 3.9 so in Hosea 1.13 Isaiah 35.8.9 2 Cor. 6.17.18 and in a word all Churches shall admit her mâ—mbers one way therefore all the Gates through which men enter into this City are Pearles all the Gates of one Pearle i. e. Christ the Pearle of price in and by whom alone shall be entrance into all Churches and Pallaces of Sion Rev. 21.21 and no other way Act. 4.12 but something to this afterwards only this know that his fanne is in his hand now Mat. 3.12 to make separation betweene Wheat and Chaffe Saints and Hypocrites to the purpose ere long Fourthly the finall cause of the Church is also promised in the latter dayes at large what this finall cause is we have showne in 1 lib. which some make two-fold so Zanch. lib. 4. cap. 10. S. 39. 1. the glory of Christ to be thereby known as Jo. 17.10 I am glorified in them saith Christ now this is foretold Mat. 16.26 Act. 3.13 with 21. Mat. 24.30 Rev. 5.12 thou art worthy of all glory 2. the latitude of Gods love even to East West North and South as before Jer. 31.3 to gather the Elect from all corners of the Earth Mat. 24.31 Oh how this doth commend his love Rev. 5.8 Ezek. 16.6 Hosea 14.4 Rev. 1.5 Jer. 31.3 But in a word the general end promised and prophesied in the latter days is to set forth his glory and praise as Ephes. 2.21 so is it in Isay 65.17 as if he should say saies Brightman I will make to me a new people in whose Assemblies I will be praised and glorified so is it in Ier. 31.7 Rev. 21.11 Isay 66.18 to Isay 49.3 in whom in whose Churches of Israel I will be glorified Isay 43. 21. so 1 Pet. 1.7 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 15.2.3 this is especially a worke that will lye upon the latter dayes let the Churches look after it But the finall cause with reference to us is that God may dwell with us 2 cor 6.16 Rev. 21.3 let the Churches make these their end Fifthly the Vnity and Order of the Churches is prophesied and promised two to be excellent and spirituall in the latter dayes Jer. 24.7 Isay 54.13 Isay 56.6.7.8 Isay 60.21 worshipping him in spirit and in truth Jo. 4.23.24.25 Eph. 2.19.22 and 1 Pet. 2.5 then shall there be gold for brasse silver for iron brasse for wood c. Isay 60.17 spirit for forme truth for tradition life for letter power for appearance both in unity and order 1 cor 13.9 and that which is more perfect shall do away that which is more imperfect but I have spoke to this also at large before I shall conclude with Christs prayer John 17.21.22 which as appears in v. 20. does include us in these dayes as much concerned that the Saints and Churches may all be one as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father that is spiritually and in power mystery and in truth And for that end sayes Christ the glory which thou hast given me I have given them those Saints Churches that I pray for what glory is that see v. 5. i. e. with thine own selfe not with the worlds earthly pomp jollities or terrene enjoyments but with thine owne presence and divine being this glory saith Christ that thou hast given me I have given them that is of this divine phesence power grace and being communicated to them by the holy spirit why so that they may be one there is unity and order meant spiritually as we are one one with us one one with another by one and the same spirit this will be especially in these latter dayes because Sixthly the Promises and Prophesies are very pregnant and big-belly'd for the breaking out of his spirit upon his Saints and Churches in these latter dayes Ioel 2. so Isay 59.20 the Redeemer shall come to Zion and then v. 21. my spirit shall be upon thee and my words which I put in thy mouth shall never depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever
c. 6 l. 2 Samaritans brought in by the Experience of a woman declared p. 367 368 c. 6 l. 2 Sandy foundations will faile many Churches that are built on them p. 190 c. 14 l. 1 Sanctuary of the Lord filled with Volunteers p. 125 c. 11 l. 1 Saphires precious stones who they be p. 513 c. 9 l. 2 Sardiuss's precious stones who p. 516 c. 9 l. 2 Sardonix's precious stones who p. 515 c. 9 l. 2 Sathan renews Temptations every foot p. 432 c. 6 l. 1 Sathans synâ—gogues in Parish Churches p. 79 c. 6 l. 1 Saving sanctifying graces fit us for Church-fellowship p. 59 c. 5 l. 1 Saul is slaine Davids dayes entred and Solomons entring very speedily 26 Epist. Scandal upon Churches and Saints whence vid. Epist to Churches and p. 321 c. 5 l. 2 Scandal to Christ Saints and Gospel to put any by for their bare opinions in things indifferent p. 321 322 c. 5 l. 2 Scandal of this age and of the Gospel is so many Hypocrites in Chuâ—ches p. 68 c. 5 l. 1 Scripture-comforts are sure and will last p. 309 c. 6 l. 2 Scriptuâ—es how Presbyterianâ— Papists agree in them p. 461 402 c. 9 l. 2 Seal of the Spirit what it is p. 266 c. 2 l. 2 Sealing of the Spirit how p. 372 373 c. 6 l. 2 Secular powers in matters of faith are tyranny and persecution p. 160 c. 13 l. 1 Seed time a sad-time before Harvest p. 365 c. 6 l. 2 Seekers sins p. 194 c. 14 l. 2 Selfe-examination of all that comes into Church-fellowship p. 240 c. 1 l. 2 Selfe-murther the Author sayed from p. 429 435 c. 6 l. 2 Separation from them without Christ calls for p. 45 c. 4 l. 1 Separation a part of Church-form p. 70 c. 6 l. 1 Separation what it is p. 75 76 c. 6 l. 1 Separates from Parish-Churches no Schismaticks but who are so and who are not p. 77 78 c. 6 l. 1 Sense makes us look and live so low as not to see things that are comming p. 47 c. 4 l. 1 Sequestration of Ministers of Christ cannot be from their preaching by any man p. 180 c. 13 l. 1 Sermons how to bee remembred p. 421 c. 6 l. 2 Serpent tempts with the tree of knowledge p. 545 c. 9 l. 2 Servants of Christ the Master-builder who p. 141 c. 13 l. 1 Servants of the Churche officers p. 288 c. 4 l. 2 Servants of God differ in opinions and yet the Lords p. 317 c. 5 l. 2 Set forme in Churches must not be p. 272 c. 3 l. 2 Shield to Saints who are to be 27 Ep. Shadow what it is and what are so p. 338 c. 5 l. 2 Sin in things indifferent p. 324 c. 5 l. 2 Sisters as well as Brethren have their Right as Church-members to vote c. p. 463 464 c. 8 l. 2 Sisters joyned in choosing an Apostle p. 466 c. 8 l. 2 Sixth day now man put into Paradise p. 446 c. 9 l. 2 Sodome a type of Antichrist p. 525 c. 9 l. 2 Slanders the Author suffers 43 Epist. Sleeping at Church how to avoid it p. 521 c. 6 l. 2 Solemne Order must accompany solemne Ordinances p. 280 c. 3 l. 2 Solemnity of Embodying is in publick p. 281 c. 3 l. 2 Soules flashed for sin exalted in Christ p. 381 c. 6 l. 2 Souldiers of Christ are best in the Churches p. 90 c. 7 l. 1 J. Spilmans Experience 4 Expe. 6 2 Speech of Christ what p. 98 c. 8 l. 1 Spirit and Truth inwardly and outwardly God to bee worshipped in p. 1 c. 1 l. 1 Spirit least when Form most p. 33 c. 3 l. 1 Spirit calls to come away p. 40 c. 3 l. 1 Spiritual means against spiritual evils p. 111 c. 8 l. 1 Spirit qualifies us by convincing and making us voluntary p. 126 c. 11 l. 1 Spirit is the Key that opens and none shuts p. 138 c. 13 l. 1 Spirit agreeing with our spirits how p. 373 c. 6 l. 2 Spirit is the sweetest compulsive power p. 129 c. 11 21 Spirited for the worke of the Temple little yet to what will be ere long p. 123 c. 10 l. 1 Spiritual Ahâ—â—iabs none else should goe about to say the true Foundation of the Church p. 192 c. 14 l. 1 Spiritual worshippers in the Churches p. 209 c. 15 l. 1 Spirit and Word are the Lords Arms be draws with p. 253 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit of Christ the interior working Instrument p. 264 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit is Gods strongest and right Arme p. 269 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit how it is knowne and how it convinces p. 264 265 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit how one in all p. 268 c. 2 l. 2 True Spirit how known p. 373 c. 6 l. 2 Spirit carries through thicke and thin p. 266 c. 2 l. 2 Spirit powred out hard by us p. 506 523 c. 9 l. 2 Spirits powring out where it will bee first p. 538 c. 9 l. 2 Spirit is the onely orthodox Expositor p. 463 c. 9 l. 2 Spiritual Covenants are best and binde mâ—st p. 462 c. 7 l. 2 Spiritual Egypt many Churches how and why p. 342 c. 5 l. 2 Spirit-Baptisme a principle of union p. 307 c. 4 l. 2 Spirit-Baptisme by which we enter Christs Body p. 308 c. 4 l. 2 Spouse of Christ faire p. 87 c. 7 l. 1 Spring time is entred for the Churches p. 28 c. 3 l. 1 Sprinkling and washing all one with dipping p. 497 c. 4 l. 2 Strength of Saints embodyed invincible p. 89 90 c. 7 l. 1 Storme which the Author was in 48 Epist. A. Strongs Experience 9 Exp. 6 2 Storms the Churches must meet with yet p. 28 c. 3 l. 1 Subjects to Christ the Lord and Lawgiver p. 143 144 c. 13 l. 1 Substance of all shadows is Christ p. 338 c. 5 l. 2 Sun must rule the day that is coming 528 92 37 Epist. L. Swinfields Experience 396 397 and 4 Exp. 6 2 Sword of Christ that slayes sinne and errors is the word of Christ p. 261 c. 2 l. 2 Sympathy with the least member of Christ the Head p. 149 c. 13 l. 1 Synods ruling unwarrantable 107 8 1 497 9 2 T. Tabernacles i. e. Churches their benefits p. 94 c. 7 l. 1 Tabernacles of David types of Congregational Churches p. 526 c. 9 l. 2 Task masters of Egypt who and where now p. 343 c. 5 l. 2 Teachings are best by best Experiences p. 382 383 c. 6 l. 2 Teeth of the Church who p. 97 c. 8 l. 1 Temples of the Church who p. 98 ib. Temple stones hewn and fitted c. p. 52 c. 5 l. 1 Temple of Solomon a Type of New Jerusalem p. 528 c. 9 l. 2 Temptations are strong and many after Calls p. 416 c. 6 l. 2 Temptations incredible the Author met with 427 428 ib. Temptations are divers ways 433 434 1 Exper. ib. Temptations to deny Ordinances 404 2 Exp. ib. Terminus the Lawyers God 221 Epist. Terror
the Rock is high whence we look round us Without lets 3 Christ the Rock is the place of refuge the Castle of defence impregnable c. Tertullian de Patientis Expos. Ferus Cameron in Mat. 16. Against all Powers and Policies whatsover The Church fears no Cannons nor Ordinances ☜ Nor can she be ruineâ—â—hat is founded on the Rock ☜ ☞ 4 Châ—ist the Rock keeps alwayes the same in place and power 5 The Rocke is lasting for ever 6 The Rock yeelds severall benefits Keeps from being Sun-burnt Jewels come from the Rock Yeelds honey Yeelds oyle Yeelds wholesome sallets And the best springs and streams 7 Rock is so hard that it will cost much paines before a foundation in it Expos. Expos. 8· A Rock is most dangerous to such as through heedlesseness or hautiness stumble at it and on it Austin in Mat. 16. Peter Martyr For safeties sake in the midst of her manifold troubles Omnis Christianus Crucianus ☞ 2 For orders sake i. e. to begin at Christ this Foundation first and so to build upward and onward 1 We must be in Christ and then get into his Churches Many gathered Churches in danger of falling that are not built on the Foundation Christ first For Reasons sake i e to support the rest Fundamentum est primum sustentare connectere Tho. Aquin. 22. Q. 4.7.4 Expos. 1 Be sure of the Foundation 2 That that be laid first Pareus in loc Expos. What gathered Churches will fal of a sudden And what gathered Churches will ouâ—stand all storms and abide ever How to build Diodate in loc The typified must answer the Type in laying the fâ—undation first Expos. Else they are not to be regardâ—d or worth considering Be sure the foundation be a sound one Sim. And not a sâ—ndy one Dixon in Mat. 7.26 How the wise builders house differs from the fools 1. In the subterstructure or foundation 2. In the superstructure or building True Churches knit fast to the foundation and one another as if they were all but one Other reasons why many gathered Churches foolish buildings will suddenly fall and so must Peter Martyr Expos. Hab. 3.13 Rotten foundations shall be discovered ☜ Members of such Churches are in great danger in a storm time Be sure Christ be your foundation 1. 1 King 5.16 Who are fit to lay the foundation and who not Another reason why many gathered Churches will down again 2. The most precious matter must be for the foundation 3. The greatest joy at the laying the Foundation Expos. ☜ Informs 1. Necessiâ—y of being well-grounded 2 Of being well united Without both these the building falls 1. If Christ this Rock be your foundation you will stand till the coming of Christ. Media cultus sunt immutabilia Junius Politicians and States sins herein Sim. Sim. Politicians Profession of Religion Seekers sins herein Expos. Gualther in loc ☞ They wait for miracles And run a desperate hazard 2 Part of the Use. Union necessary In his twelfth Chapter of Communion of Saints Sim. Col. 1.18 2.19 1 Cor. 12.12 Gal. 2.20 Rom. 8.32 Sim. Iohn 15.14 Rom. 11.17 Churches and Saints under different forms yet are all to be one with Christ and with one another In unity not in uniformity or all of one judgment Ainsw cap. 16. Communion of Saints All members even of the most discrepant opinions and judgements and under the most different forms are useful and necessary Anâ—ther reason why many of our gathered Churches must fall viz. Their standing by an uniformity Unispirituality amongst all i. e. Having one spirit though many opinions Those Churches whose unity is in the Spirit will stand and are the Lords buildings All laid on one foundation which is Christ. A word to Builders Churches must not bee called by our names Eagle-Saints are setled in the Rock Sim. Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5. Wisdoms care of us and call to us Prov 9.32 34. Expos. Cant. 2. In his communion of Saints First proved by Prophesie 2 Proved by Precept Oecolampad Threatnings 3 Proved by Practise The onely visible way that Christ hath left for Saints 2 It is disobedience to live in Babylon And such are resisters of the holy Ghost Trap in loc Melancthon Chron p. 5. A sad sin The sad consequences which follow the neglect of entring 1 A great wrong to the worship and service of God 2 A great let to their duties 3 Hinders mutuall assistance 4 Hinders opposition of enemies by an united strength as one Arme and Army Joel 2.7 5 Else there is not such a sympathy as ought to be in bearing forbearing c. 6 They faile in many other Christian duties required of them aâ— Church members There be speciall priviledges of Saints in fellowship above all others 1 Christs presence is promised most to them There is the King and Kingdome in his beauty 2 Saints have highest enjoyments and best refreshments there Jo. 18.20 Act. 3.1 Act. 13.5 Luke 4.15 Act. 14.44 Expos. Christ is a Fountain in the midst of his Gardens Sim. More then in all the world besides Wherein the Churches have the happinesse of all others ☜ Others are watered from the ordinary clouds without but these are from the fountain within When clouds are barren the fountain is ful 3 Christ is most free to impart his best bosome-loves to such 4 They are most under his care and protection and on his account For these reasons Saints in Primitive times even longed after Church fellowship Apostles longed after it Christ himself desired it Expos. We do but as Christ his Apostles and primitive Saints did in entring into Church-fellowship Vse To put forward apace for Zion and in order thereto get into the Gates Object Learned and godly in appearance the strictest Professors in every Age Christs and his Churches greatest enemies 2 They are but men and subject to errors 3 Many counted learned godly that are not truly so Who are 〈◊〉 learned 4 Men know but in part 5 â—earned and godly of all sorts for this way 6 Their opposition makes for it Object 1 This is not the cause of it 2 It is a great enemy to error 3 The not entring into this way makes men run into wayes of error 4 Errors are necessary Truth and error must be both together ☞ Object Not enough to be in Parishes though salvation could be had there 2. This argues a base carnal spirit To be content with the Onions and Leeks of Egypt ☜ 3. Thou arâ— else a hinderer of thine own comfort and salvation And why Quia quoscunque deus eligit ad finem eos eligit ad media Ursin. de Eccles 4. If thou continuest obstinate it may be just with God to give thee up to the hardness and deceitfulness of thine own heart Expos. Wherefore take heed how you reject it Ministers must have a care too A great change nigh Their warning peece the last year A mortal blow to Morter-Churches Obj. We urge Faith more then Form 2. To
make them Now we all concur Schoolmen Ministers and all That where there is true grace experienced Saints know it sweeter then the drops from the honey comb and qui accipit gratiam per quandam experientiam dulcedinis novit se illam habere quam non experitur ille qui non accipit as we have amply before mentioned Such men must needs know the love of God is sweet who have tasted and digested it They can comfortably use Laban's words in Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me Jehovah hath raised me and increased me I have experience of it by comparing my former condition with my present So the Saints do tell by experience how Jehovah hath helped them and blessed them even with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Some of which though not so perfectly as they were delivered yet as well as I can collect them out of the Notes which I took of them from their own mouths when they were admitted into the Church I shall present as a sweet posie of some of the chiefest flowers that I have met with this spring-time in the Garden of the Lord the Church of Christ which is growing apace up to an Eden from flowers to fruits from Plants to Trees of Righteousness planted by Rivers of Water Examples of Experiences OR Discourses and Discoveries of the dead hearing the voice of the Son of God and now living As they were delivered in Dublin by divers Members admitted into the Church Being a clear account to the judgement of charity of the work of Grace upon their hearts in divers ways and sundry manners converted some extraordinarily and some ordinarily When where and how with the effects But before I begin I shall premise this for the godly Readers sake that I must contract much their experiences as they were taken least they be too voluminous And although in the choicest and most extraordinary ones I shall gather the stalk longer least I hurt the beauty and hide the excellency of those flowers yet without hurt to the rest in those which are ordinary I shall be very short being prevented by others in that little Treatise of Experiences newly put out I shall gather out the flowers onely and give you the sum of what they said and so tie them up together for a conclusion of the whole matter The most of these are mens and some womens and a very great many more I might adde to them which I have met with in England Essex and London and in Ireland and at Chester Holly-Head in Wales and in my travels but that I say I am I hope seasonably though unexpectedly prevented although many more do lie prepared by me But to the business as coming last from Dublin to declare some of those precious ones and which are the greatest treasure that I brought with me from thence The savor of which I hope will be attractive and encourage others over into Ireland where the Lord hath his Garden enclosed and full of Spices with the Mandrakes laid up for the Beloved against his coming which is looked for every day there as well as here and there the â—ride saith O! come Lord Jesus come quickly The Testimony of Tho. Huggins Preacher of the Gospel given in at the publick place Octob. 8. 1651. of Brides in Dublin IT is my joy to see willingness in Gods people to walk together in fellowship with the Father and the Son and such I desire to have fellowship with where Christ the King in his beauty appears most I do acknowledge as you have heard that account of faith before made by our Brother R. and do experimentally know and therefore must acknowledge that glorious Being of one God in his three distinct relations of Father and Creator Son and Redeemer and Spirit and Sanctifier and I finde in me by his Spirit and the several operations of this his Agent these things I believe the Scriptures Old and New Testament to be the very minde of God and do heartily desire my soul may be turned into the nature of those truths therein declared but to that which is expected from me most I come viz. to my conversation I was but yong when I began to be warmed yea within being under a zealous Ministry and much put upon duty I did use to read the Scriptures every night and to repeat Sermons often and so spent the first scene of my youth till I came to be sent by my friends to London and there I lived for a year or two but in that time as often as I saw any Minister I could not but weep and always wished that I might be one to be able to preach too After this I was sent to one of the Vniversities there but being wilde with youthful company I was soon after sent hither to this Colledge of Dublin where I am well known and here I continued till the Rebellion brake out at which time I left it and went for England into the North-parts and about Liverpool where I preached till now I returned hither But all this while I was but formal and as the yong-man that said he had kept all these from his youth So was I from my youth religious well-given loving the means following of them and seeking to serve God But alas yet all this while was I in darkness and did not know it but afterwards I saw that I was blinde and but carnal For about the year 1645. I began to be in great doubts and troubles and very much clouded in my spirit and was exceedingly bound and tyed up for a time under the sence of my formal holiness and sins till the Lord was pleased to give me light Once as I was walking all alone sadly upon the Mountains he immediately powred his Spirit upon me and satisfied my soul in Jesus Christ and filled my heart with heavenly joy and peace and with most ravishing contemplations which continued without a cloud for six weeks together which gave me full assurance of Gods love and ever since I have lived in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus though I have met with many clouds and storms since yet such as have passed away and cannot hinder me as long as Christ mine is above them Being thus translated from the form into the power I do heartily propose my self to be one with the members of Christ in his Church And although before I was not free in England or elsewhere to joyn thus it being so in controversie and disputable yet now I am fully satisfied and do see God building up his Jerusalem apace and am confident of what he is doing to Nations yea I joy to see that you all seek to unite by one Spirit and all to be one in Spirit if not all in one Form and so do I not doubting but this Ministration will be most to edification A further Testimony added to the truth by the experience
declared in the same place at the same time by John Bywater Preacher of the Word BRethren I do declare here this day the desire of my heart which is to have fellowship with such a society as are built up by the Spirit to be one with all those that are one with Jesus Christ the Head knowing this That all rudimentary and elementary things do but point at a higher glory As for my Faith I acknowledge God one not three but as you have heard before c. As for my life I shall in short say thus When I was a little one going to School God began with me for once I swore one Oath as I was playing with my School-fellows but I was presently struck with horror for it and sence of it as if I were to go to Hell for it presently in which horror and great trouble I left my School-fellows playing but I could no longer being in this misery for that sin but away I went into the Church-Porch not far off and there I sat alone and wept bitterly to my self for some time but at length growing in some hopes I know not how of pardon I began to grow chearful and fearless until a little while after that I went to see some malefactors suffer and after I came home this sight ran so much in my minde and was for a long time set so before my eyes That my sins and the horrors of Hell came afresh upon me again so that I was exceedingly cast down and cryed out O what shall I do how shall I be saved which I had often in my mouth and in the hearing of my friends in which condition I could take no comfort from them till the Lord himself brought me out of it and gave me to be given up to Jesus Christ by the life of Faith which I now live notwithstanding I was under several temptations and oftentimes very thick but even then I resolved if that I were flung into Hell yet it should be holding on Christ for I will not let him go now and here I hold through mercy ever since So that I take Christ for my King Priest Prophet and do believe him to be a Propitiation for my sins And I believe that he will restore to us a pure language and that we shall all worship him in one Spirit and with one consent And my desire is to walk with you thus in union and love and by one and the same Spirit Another Testimony or Report made of the work of grace upon his heart at the same time in the same place by John Hewson Colonel and Governor of Dublin HAving an opportunity to speak something to you I shall do it without many words Time was that I was in a state of disobedience as to God a childe of wrath and lived in a wicked and profane family in London but yet I went often to hear a good man in London preach by which means I was brought to see sin and shown within me that I wanted Christ which when I saw I began to desire him and to long after him and still frequented the means and by the use of the means I was drawn nigher to himself but ever since I finde I have a corrupt heart and have much ado to keep it in therefore God brings me under many troubles and temptations more then many others And I though I am in places of power yet I account them nothing seeing an emptiness in all things and a fulness in none but in Christ. I confess I was sometime for the Presbyterians and very rigid and bitter against all others of the Independents till the Lord did shew me the Parish-Church was no true Church being a mixed Congregation and I was ignorant of this way which they call Independent But now I am clearly convinced of it and satisfied in this society and for matter of Faith I concur with the Brother that before spake and finde what he said to be true in me and do desire communion with you as you have with Christ Jesus The Testimonial of Raphael Swinfield or his experience as was taken out of his own mouth in Dublin in another publick place called Michaels I Do declare here what God hath done for me First in my youth my Father being a godly man brought up his children very religiously but for my part although I were well brought up and instructed yet I was very disobedient being yong and head-strong and hearkned not to my fathers advice which I had often but regarded it not which grieved me greatly afterward for I could not endure to be curbed or kept in but at length because of his continual and yet justly reproving me for my ill courses and ill company which I kept I resolved I would stay at home no longer but I would be gone into the Low-Countreys and we were put out to Sea but by contrary Winds and Seas were driven back again But I could not see this but still held on my purpose and having an opportunity I got away for all that into England and I was in England a while where my friends set upon me and perswaded me to turn home again telling me many things to move me but whilest I had my abode with my friends there for some time I began to be acquainted with some things for there I heard good men and Ministers often and there I was made to see my sin and wicked disobedience by one Master Evans and I was thereupon sadly affected and disconsolate and could have no quiet nor rest In this time my Father hearing of me where I was not knowing before what was become of me but that I might be dead or drowned now writ a Letter to me wherein I was admonished to beware of such as run headlong to perdition with many other good advices and he seemed as Iacob joyed to hear that his son was yet alive c. All which things struck me heavily to the heart and so I lay long under the fearful sentence of my sin and disobedience and could not take any comfort or content I prayed fasted heard the Word went to Ordinances yet had no satisfaction at all And thus I continued till my heart was ready to burst a peeces and then I began to make it known to my friends how I was afflicted who did a little comfort me but this lasted but a little while for I soon fell again into my old malady and grief as before being sadly diseased and so as I could finde no comfort at all by any means until that place in Isa. 50.10 came into me How he that sitteth in darkness and seeth no light should trust in the Name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God which did much fasten upon me and me upon God whereby I had abundance of comfort but yet never free from many temptations and fears and doubts and such sometimes as