Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	holy_a	scripture_n	9,894	5	6.0621	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25343	Ancient truth revived, or, A True state of the antient, suffering Church of Christ, commonly (but falsly) called Brownists, living in London, and other places of this nation wherein I. Is shewed (in the preface) the state of the gospel-church, from the time of Christ's ascension, to the end of the world, gathered out of the book of Revelations, II. The confession of our faith, grounded on the doctrine of the apostles and prophets, III. By vvhom the gospel vvas first preached in this island, IV. Our practice in the worship of God, according to the practice of the primitive church, with an explanation of every ordinance, and vvho have right to administer the same, V. The first day of the week proved to be the gospel-sabbath.		1677 (1677)	Wing A3076; ESTC R40283	61,216	57

Members of Christ's Church as many Heathen Magistrates in the Apostles days were h then are they said to have their portion in the Holy Land and they do bring their honour and glory as the Gentiles their i riches in becoming Nursing-fathers k preserving the Church from outward Injuries while they in Spirit and in Truth l worshipthe Lord in keeping his Commandments and so the m Earth is said to help the Woman As these Scriptures shew a 2 Chron. 26.16 18. b Jer. 27.6 8 12. c Jer. 40.5 d Jer. 29.22 23. e Jer. 29.7 f Mat. 17.24 25 26 27. g Rom. 13.6 h Ezek. 48.21 i Isa 60.3 6. Rev. 21.24 k Numb 11.12 Isa 49.23 l John 4.24 Phil. 3.3 Rev. 22.14 m Rev. 12.16 Again there are three Kingdoms here on Earth first the Kingdom of Magistratical a Government in Nations secondly the Kingdom or spiritual b Government of Christ in his Church thirdly the Kingdom of c Darkness where Satan the d Prince of this World ruleth in the hearts of the children of e disobedience The two first Kingdoms or Governments are ordained of God the third was usurped of the Devil The time when his Kingdom began was so soon as Man fell by his means into f Sin and thus Satan as a strong Man armed took g possession in our first Parents until a stronger than he came upon him and dispossest him to wit Christ by God promised to them that the Seed of the h Woman to wit Christ should bruise the Serpents Head and God gave them faith to believe the same and thus Christ threw out i and took possession in his Elect Children whom the Father had given k him to dwell in their hearts l by faith Thus the War began betwixt Christ and Satan in Paradise a figure of the m Church and n Heaven it self so that in a Mystery it is written There was War in Heaven o Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels and prevailed not neither was place found any more in Heaven for them Thus Christ in the purpose of God and in the fulness of time by his death spoiled p Principalities and Powers as it is written For this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might q destroy the Works of the Devil Thus Christ by the Ministry of his Word as a r Prophet worketh upon the knowledge of his Elect Children that they may discern Sin and Righteousness as a Priest to work upon the Will and Affections s killing them a t sacrifice Which Work of Christ Abel by faith saw by killing the sacrifice he was worthy to die and by offering it up on the Altar he u confessed that Christ must die for his Sins but Cain who was not of the number of the Elect yet shewed he a form of Godliness offered his m Sacrifice as Hypocrites do without faith therefore it was not accepted as Abel's was for which cause he x slew his Brother so he is said to be of that wicked One in whose posterity Satan had his Kingdom called the World of y ungodly which perished in the Flood and their Spirits remain in prison in expectation of endless woe to have their portion with him they served a Rom. 13.2 b Psal 149.6 7 8 9. Mat. 18.18 c Rev. 16.10 Eph. 6.12 d John 14.30 e Eph. 2.2 f Gen. 3.1 John 3.8 g Luke 11.21 h Gen. 3.15 i Heb. 2.14 15. k John 6.37 39. l Eph. 3.17 m Cant. 4.12 n Luke 23.43 o Rev. 12.7 Dan. 12.1 p Col. 2.15 q 1 John 3.8 r Acts 3.22 s Phil. 2.13 t Rom. 12.1 u Heb. 10.4 Psal 40.6 7. Gal. 3.24 w Prov. 15.8 Isa 66.3 x 1 John 3.12 y 2 Pet. 2.5 1 Pet. 3.19 Mat. 25.41 Moreover after the Flood Satan began his Kingdom again in Noah's Son Canaan the Son of Ham whom Noah a cursed for his sin of tale-bearing who ought to have b concealed and not to have reproached his Father nevertheless in the Field of the c World God hath his Elect in whom as aforesaid Satan ruleth for a while until Christ by the Word of his Grace worketh Repentance in them to the acknowledgment of the Truth that they may be recovered out of the d snare of the Devil captivated by him at his will Thus we see the Work of Christ is to dispossess Satans Government or Kingdom out of the hearts of his Elect as is opened to us in Rev. 11. When Gods time was come that he would restore his Church by raising up of his Elect out of the e grave of sin wherein they lay f dead under the Antichristian Errors and Doctrines of Devils whom the Lord g awakened by the h Lightnings and thundering Power of his Law as was signified by the Temple of God being opened in Heaven and the voices of his servants signified under the seventh Angel sounding his true Doctrine out of the same which caused such an Earthquake or trembling that some like i Felix trembled yet not bettered but were angry to have the Doctrine of eternal k Judgment preached against the Romish Hirlot their Mother who had made all Nations drunk with the Wine or salfe Doctrine of her Fornication in this Earthquake Others like as the m Jaylor were converted insomuch that the tenth part of the City n fell from the belief of the Antichristian Errors to believe the Doctrine of Christ's Temple and Altar See the Preface to the Reader Thus the o Arrows of Gods Truth pricking the hearts of the Elect wrought so effectually that there was slain of Men or Names of Men p seven thousand now no more to be q named of the number of the Beast but of the number of the r Names that do follow the Lord Jesus on such is written a new s Name even the Name of the City of the Heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of all God's Children So that now in whom Satan had his Kingdom by ruling in them Christ by faith now dwelleth and ruleth which causeth the Angels who are round about the Throne of Christ in his Church to rejoyce at the conversion of poor sinners and so likewise do the Saints as it is written There were great voices in Heaven to wit in the Church saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the u Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And again Now is come salvation and strength and the w Kingdom of our God for the Accuser of our Brethren is east down And thus the Kingdom of the World that Abraham was Heir of to wit the World of the Elect which in the dispensation of times are brought into subjection to Christ by the faith of Abraham as it is written If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and Heirs according to promise a Gen. 9.25 29. b Prov. 11.12 13. 17.19 c Mat. 13.28 d 2 Tim. 2.25 26. e Ezek. 37.13 John 5.25 f Rev. 20.5 Eph. 2.1 g Eph. 5.14 h Hos 6.5

so unfit to plow in the Lords Vineyard Deut. 22.10 Neither are such good Souldiers of Jesus Christ in the spiritual VVarfare of the Gospel that are afraid to reprove those of his Flock that wear Perriwigs but rather smooth them up with a few slender reproofs Isa 30.10 lest they lose their friendship with the world viz. such worldly Professors But if the Ministers themselves wear Perriwigs as many do then not one word against that odious guise lest they bid him cast out the beam out of his own eye and pluck off his own Perriwig and so make him look like his Father Adam with short hair in his Creation who was made very good without long hair the shame of Nature Gen. 1.31 1 Cor. 11.14 And again more Disorders abound all suiting these last times to the days of Noah in whose days all flesh had corrupted their way before God so that one particular is above all others named that the Sons of God to wit Members of the Church married with the Daughters of Men that is the World Cain's Posterity for which sin among others the Lord said his Spirit should not by Noah's Preaching strive with them any longer but till the Ark was finished and then were they all destroyed And how much differing is the state of the Sons of Men now especially among the Professors who are not onely corrupted in their Faith and Worship being compared to the Primitive Pattern but also in Marriages when generally Members of separated Congregations will marry those with whom they will not Joyn in communion in the Lords Supper and other spiritual Duties And is not this their Practice in their own judgments sinful in the breach of the plain Doctrine of the Apostle who teacheth all Christians to marry with whom they please only in the Lord and do not they that marry with them they refuse visibly to joyn with in the Church in all the Ordinances of the Lord say that such are not in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 Yet more Abominations than these there are While some deny the Resurrection of the Body and also deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of our Faith pressing men to observe only the Light within Some also believe that Men have free-will or power in themselves to turn from Sin to God contrary to John 6.44 Phil. 2.13 For these and the like Evils which these times are full of which saith the Apostle will come and is now come that Men will not endure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 which is comparable to Fire Jer. 23.29 in the hearts of God's Children that is Zeal inflamed in love to Christ to follow him in the ways of his VVord 1 John 2.5 Rom 8.35 But it s Opposite is Self-love a clear sign it is the last time as the Apostle foresaw saying This know also that in the last days perillous times will come for men shall be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers and the like 2 Tim. 3.1 2. So that this sin of self-love is set as the capital and master-ruling sin in these latter days opposite to the love of God in the hearts of the Elect which many waters cannot quench Cant. 8.8 But the nature of self-love is cold as Christ saith Because Iniquity will abound and the Love of many will wax cold Mat. 24.12 comparable to Hail Rev. 16.21 Job 38.22 the coldest thing in Nature which will prove the effects of God's great Judgments on the Professors of these last Ages who because they received not the Truth in the love of it 2 Thess 2.10 but of themselves which seiseth on them as a Judgment of God out of Heaven that they blaspheme against God and his Truth Eph. 4.14 because of the airy Doctrine of Errors aforesaid which leadeth them from all love to God Mat. 22 37 39. and their Neighbours to all covetous and cruel oppression of one another with all fraud and deceit as men already complain that a man cannot tell who to believe or put trust unto for as Faith decayeth all unreasonableness in Men increaseth 2 Thess 3.2 And so Christs words will be fulfilled who saith When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith upon the Earth And to conclude Thus the Days of Noah hasten by a sign in the end of the seventh Seal taken from an action of the Priests under the Law who took fire from the Altar and cast it yonder to signify how the Lord rejected the disorderly service of Corah even so the Angel signifying Christ at the golden Altar took fire in his Censer and cast it into the Earth by a like sign how he rejected the service of all Christians that serve not him by his own Ministry Ordinances and holy Order he hath appointed in his last VVill and Testament Numb 16.37 Rev. 8.5 The Articles of the Confession of our Faith WEE believe with the heart and confess vvith the mouth I. That there is but one God a one Christ one Spirit one Church one Truth one Faith one true Religion one b Rule of Godliness and Obedience for all Christians in all places at all times to be observed a Deut 6.4 1 Tim. 2.5 Ephes 4.4 6. 1 Cor. 8.6 John 14.6 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 13. b 1 Tim. 6.3 Deut. 4.6 12.32 1 Cor. 4.17 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Gal. 1.9 Rev. 22.18 19. II. God is a Spirit a whose Being b is of Himself and giveth Being c Moving and Preservation to all other things being himself Eternal d most Holy e every way Infinite f in Greatness Wisdom Power Goodness Justice and Truth In this Godhead there are Three g in One and One in Three the Father Son and Spirit being every one of them the same God and therefore not divided but distinguished by their several and peculiar Properties The Father of whom is the Son but he of none the Son begotten of the Father from everlasting the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son before all beginnings a John 4.24 b Exod. 3.14 c Rom. 11.36 Acts 17.28 d 1 Tim. 1.17 e Esay 6.3 f Esay 66.1 Psal 139.7 g 1 John 5.8 9. Mat. 28.19 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 2.6 Mic. 5.2 Psal 2.7 1 John 1.2 3. III. God hath decreed a in himself from everlasting touching b all things and the very least c circumstance of every thing effectually to work and dispose them according to the Counsel d of his Will to the Glory of his Name And as touching his chiefest Creatures God had in Christ before e the Foundation of the World fore-ordained f some Men and Angels g to eternal Life to be accomplish'd h through Jesus Christ to the Praise of his Glory and Grace and hath also according to his just purpose some of the Angels when fallen left them in their fallen Estate i to eternal Condemnation to be accomplish'd through their own leserts and also leaving some Men in their fallen Estate to eternal Condemnation through their own corruptions to the praise of his Justice a Isa

29. d Mat. 21.43 e 1 Thess 2.12 Rev. 1.9 Heb. 12.28 f 1 Chron. 24.25 26. g 1 Pet. 2.9 h Rev. 4.5 Levit. 24.8 Numb 8.2 i Rev. 10.4 k Rev. 5.5 l John 15.15 Col. 2.3 m Mat. 13.11 n Rom. 16.25 Again 2. In chap. 6 is shewed How that for the Sins of the Churches who began to revolt from the Faith once given to the Saints which they were commanded to a contend for but neglecting their b Watch herein Hypocrites crept in among them deluding them by their c fair Speeches so deceiving the hearts of the simple they soon embraced the Doctrine of Antichrist for many Opposers of the Truth were in those days And so the Churches fell more and more from the Truth as was clearly signified by the opening of the Seals Rev. 6. and sounding of the Trumpets Rev. 8. So that the Sun wherewith the Church was cloathed became black as d Sackcloth of Hair the Moon bloody the Stars the Ministers fell from the heavenly Doctrines of Faith to e earthly things like unto the Doctrine of these times that Men speak evil of those things they cannot comprehend by f corrupt Nature So that the heavenly State of the Church was rolled up together as a g Scroll That as God of old delivered his Church for like sins into the hands of the old Babylonians who destroyed both Temple and City and killed many and would not suffer their Bodies to be put in the h Grave Even so did the Lord deliver the Christians into the hands of the Spiritual Babylon the Romish Harlot who like old Babylon killed many of God's Servants and would not suffer their Bodies to be put in the i Grave Notwithstanding though the Beast was said in a sense to overcome k he Saints yet he could not for they were with Christ in this War the called chosen and faithful l all the time of the thousand Years of the Beasts Reign and would not worship the Beast nor his Image neither had received his Mark in their Foreheads by openly yielding unto his Canons nor secretly in their Hands by paying his Priests their duties as they call them but by Falth keeping the Commands of God they lived and m reigned with Christ a thousand years on n Earth and this was in the time of the Beast's Reign else the Praise given them by God's Spirit had not been properly belonging unto them of not worshipping the Beast So that they are under a great Mistake that have taught from Rev. 20.4 that the Saints have not yet reigned with Christ on Earth and how many have been deceived in this Point by them when the Saints Reign on Earth is not after an earthly manner as in pag. 18. is shewed but over Sin the World and the Devil and this is the Saints Victory even their Faith So saith Paul I have fought the good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown not of Gold as some expect on Earth but of Righteousness and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ a Jude v. 3. b 1 Cor. 16.13 c Rom. 16.18 d Rev. 6 12. e Phil. 3.19 f Jude 10. John 6.60 g Rev. 6.14 h Psal 79.1 2 3. 2 Chron. 36.19 20. i Rev. 11.8 9. k Rev. 13.7 l Rev. 17.14 m Rev. 20.4 n Rev. 5.10 3. As God of old in Wrath remembred mercy to his ancient Church captivated in Babylon signified to Ezekiel there by the little Book given him to a eat that he must prophesie again to the dry b Bones to call them to Repentance and to return and build the Temple as was further signified to Zachary by a measuring c Line shewed him that Jerusalem should be built and the Temple in it and God's Worship restored as was accomplished in the days of Nehemiah Ezra Zachary and Haggai As their Books do shew at large Even so did the Lord in Wrath remember Mercy to his Church captivated by the spiritual Babylon Therefore by a like Sign as was shewed to Ezekiel so to John that he must eat the little d Book signifying how the Lord after a thousand years of the Beasts Reign would raise up his faithful Servants and deliver his Captives as was fulfilled in the end of the sixth Seal Rev. 7. and the beginning of the seventh with a measure of John's Spirit to call his Elect out of the Spiritual e Babylon the Romish Church the great City which reigned over the Kings of the Earth whose f City was so large as she reigned over all People Kindreds Tongues and Nations where her Canons and Orders were obeyed So that to the Elect among these must the Eaters of the little Book prophesy as Ezekiel did to the dry Bones that lay dead in the g Antichristian Errors So that the rest of the dead lived not again h since their Fall in Adam and their own Trespasses and Sins since comitted in spiritual i Fornication with the Romish Harlot until the thousand years Reign of the Beast was ended which time of her Reign to wit her Eclesiastical Estate in making Laws over Mens Consciences began about the year of our Lord 313 or 315. and made not an end of making Laws till about the year 1564. The Councel of Trent was the last wherein the Beast perceiving that the Lord began to raise up his Servants to shew all Nations deluded by her k Sorceries the Judgment of the great Whore who now did gather together her Armies of m Locusts in this last Councel but all in vain as was said to Ezekiel when God's time was come to deliver his People out of old Babylon The Time is at hand and the n Effect of every Vision So was it in like sence said to John There shall be Time no o longer But in the dayes of the Voice of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the Mysteries of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his Servants the Prophets So that it appeareth the last great Mystery in the Prophets before Christ's coming to Judgment was to raise up all his Elect out of the Graves of Sin as is this last restoring of his Church out of the spiritual Babylon so that from the time the Kingdom of Israel was divided under p Rehoboam there was no Mystery more to be observed from that Estate as it is written Behold Israel 1 Cor. 10.18 but in their Captivity and Return out of the same Which second Temple building answered this second Restauration as aforesaid in these last days A Point worth observing a Ezek. 3.3 b Ezek. 3.7 c Rev. 18.4 f Rev. 17.18 g Eph. 2.1 2. h Rev. 20.5 i Rev. 17.2 k Rev. 18.23 l Rev. 17.1 m Rev. 9.3 n Ezek. 12.22 o Rev. 10.6 p 1 Kin. 11.11 12 13. 4. The Time when the seventh Angel began to sound or the Eaters of the little Book began to prophesy as aforesaid was about the year of our Lord 1541. To mention one one or two

of many to wit Luther and Calvin at that time casting of the little Book the Light of Gods written Word revealed by his Spirit to them called all to come and see both by their Preaching and Printing found out not long before the Judgment of the great Whore So not only many of Gods Elect were enlightned and did forsake her but also Kings did begin to hate her as God promised As King Henry the 8th of this Nation who destroyed out of this Land the Lord Abbots and Cardinals And after him that worthy Prince his Son Edward the Sixth sent away a great part of the Swarms of Locusts to wit Jesuits Monks aand Friars of all sorts black white and gray and turned their Monasteries into Hospitals But as the Temple after the Captivity out of old Babylon was forty six years in building by reason of wicked hinderances to wit Tobias Sanballer and his Crew So was the Lords spiritual Building of which the former was a Figure hindred in Queen Maries days until Queeen Elizabeths days of happy memory according to the Lords Promise was put into her heart with her honourable Council who by the authority given her did as with a Besom sweep away abundance of those poysoned Locusts and Scorpions that had by the Doctrine of See the Epistle to Mr. Bacon 's Book entituled the Reliques of Rome or 17 Errors in Queen Elizabeths days sent packing to Rome from whence they had their birth but some are crept in here again Free-will and the like stung and venomed every Conscience that they could bear no wholsom Doctrine Which Locusts that came out of the bottomless Pit we shall not presume to interpret lest their Brethren be angry but rather hope we may without offence to any only give you the Judgment of the learned Ministers in Queen Elizabeth's days who in the margent of the great Bibble in quarto and in folio published by the Queens authority have on Rev. 9.3 expounded the Locusts to be false Teachers Hereticks worldly and subtile Prelates with Monks Friars Cardinals Arch-Bishops Bishops Doctors Batchelors Masters that forsake Christ to maintain false Doctrine Moreover in this Queens days the Lord to help forward his spiritual Building raised many famous Instruments To mention one to an hundred namely Henry Barrow John Greenwood John Penry Henry Ainsworth John Robinson John Turner who by the sence of the little Book which was sweet in their mouths but bitter in their bellies that is a wo to them if they did not publish the same made manifest both by their Preaching and * See H. Barrow 's Discovery his Answer to Giff. Greenwood against read Prayer Jo. Penries with the Examination of the two former and their Answers Ainsworth's Counterpoison his Defence of Holy Scripture his Arrow against Idolatry his Communion of Saints his Annotations on the 5 Books of Moses with the Psalms Canticles Robinsons Justification of Separation The Confession of Faith sent to many Vniversities in several Nations Turner's heavenly Conference for Sions Saints VVriting according to the golden Reed given to measure the spiritual Building the Doctrine of the Temple Altar and VVorshippers VVhich Phrase of Temple and Altar is taken from the Prophets the Record of the Temple built after the Captivity which Christ when he was come in the flesh taught us it signified his Humanity John 2.19 21. God manifested in the flesh The b Altar figured the Doctrine of his Oblation and Mediation for his Church and the whole measuring the Temple Altar and VVorshippers signifying the Restoring of the Christian Religion from the Apostacie of Antichrist and more particularly the Temple figured Christ truly professed for his Person and Doctrine of true Christianity and the Constitution of his Church therein and the Altar the Doctrine of his Oblation and c Mediation for his Church and the VVorshippers are faithful Christians which worship God in Spirit and in Truth and not according to the appointment of Mahomet nor the appointment of the Pope but according to the appointment of the Lord Jesus the only Lord and Law-giver to his Church and Arch-Bishop of our Souls contrary to the Heresies and Abominations of Antichrist who together with all that obey his Orders in the service of God make up one Body together the Man of Sin a 1 Cor. 9.16 b Rev. 6.9 Heb. 13.10 12. Lev. 4.7 c Rev. 8.3 So that by these and the like Servants of the Lord aforesaid whose Doctrine wrought effectually in the hearts of God's Elect so that there were many famous true Churches planted in this Nation and other Parts for whose sake the Blessing of God promised was on this and other Nations as it is written a I will make them saith the Lord and the Places round about my Hill a Blessing and I will cause the shower to come down in his season and there shall be showers of blessings inwardly and outwardly Love to God walking after him in his b Commands and one to another in neighbourly c Love and Unity which sweet and heavenly Work of God among Christians in this Nation the Aged that remember former days 50 or 60 years ago or more can witness to the same and lament the want thereof now So that when God raiseth up his true Ministers to hold forth his Truth as it is in Jesus it did prepare all degrees to Mercies But on the contrary now these Mercies are despised God in his just judgment sendeth in his Wrath upon lukewarm Professors or Christians strong delusions in the increase of false Teachers by their Errors to prepare all Degrees that are led away by them to Judgment And this was wofully experienced of old in the Church of e Israel as among Christians now After the Lord had delivered them out of Captivity had built both City and Temple and restored his true Worship when Christ came to begin his Ministry among them they were so corrupted in thirty years time that there was scarce Faith f found in Israel let this Age mind that The Temple was made a House of h Merchandise God's Law made void by their Tradition and the rest perverted from the true i meaning by the glosse of the Pharisees and they divided into divers Sects some Pharisees some Sadduces and some Herodians And though these Sects were divided one against another yet all could agree together against Christ as the Psalmist complained k They generally despised all the Counsel of Christ who sought to reclaim them being faithless They who seem'd to be affected with Christ when Christ taught them the Doctrines of Faith because by Nature they could not understand them they then l forsook him VVhich is the general state of Professors now who cannot endure any Doctrine except it sute with their natural capacity And in the end the Jews with the Romans crucified him and killed and persecuted afterwards his Servants for which God's Judgments hastened on them m as Christ foretold So that Josephus faith that Titus

Vespasian and his Souldiers destroyed not so many of them in the Siege as the Sects in the City destroyed one another who remain in dispersion to this day yet we believe God will call his Elect among them by what means in his Wisdom he knoweth best A fair warning for the Gentile Churches when God will have his Controversie with them for their Errors in Faith and Disorder in Worship for if God spared not his ancient People but punished them for their sins as aforesaid how shall the Gentile Churches living in their sins think to escape the Judgments of God which hang over them in this and other Nations for their declining from the Lord's Truth since the last Reformation a Ezek. 34.26 b John 14.21 c Mat. 22.37 e Jer. 23. f Luke 7.9 g John 2.14 h Mat. 15.6 i Mat. 5.6 7. k Psal 83. l John 6.60 66. m Luke 21.20 24. While some deny that heavenly Doctrine of Election taught by the Apostles as a special Comfort to the hearts of God's Children others teach the Elect may totally fall from their * Election God's † Preservation of them Some teach that the everlasting Covenant of Grace in Christ made with Abraham and his Children to wit that God would be a God to him and his Seed was but a carnal Covenant Some also teach that Christ shall come from Heaven and reign a thousand years on Earth as an earthly Prince with the temporal Sword Some hold and practise that Men not in office of Pastor or Teacher may administer the ordinance of Water-Baptism the visible Sign or Seal of God's Covenant in Christ Some believe that the Infants of Believers have not now as of old right to the Sign or Seal of the Covenant and that all Infants in the World to wit of Believers Jews Turks and Pagans are in respect of the Promises of Life and Salvation in an equal State Some believe that the Soul is mortal and dieth with the Body contrary to these Scriptures Eccles 12.7 Gen. 35.18 Psal 146.4 1 Kings 17.21 22. Luke 23.43 Some deny the Ordinance of Singing of Psalms in holy Scriptures in the time of God's Worship though given to the Church of God in express Command by the hand of the Prophet even to sing the Words of Asaph and David 2 Chron 29.25 30. and never yet repealed but commended to the Church of Christ under the Gospel Others deny the holy Order of making and ordaining Ministers by the consent of the Flock they are Members of and over whom they must take care to watch for their Souls And also some deny that Ordinance of Prophesying in the Church by those of the Brethren upon whom the Lord hath bestowed his Gifts and Graces though not in Office Others deny the first Day of the Week to be the Gospel-Sabbath Others hold it lawful in their Congregations that if a Brother be deluded in his understanding to deny his Baptism in Infancy and though he be informed by them that there is no warrant for rebaptizing any Person that was baptized before into the Name of Jesus than there was for re-circumcising those circumcised in Apostacy yet they yield to his Fancy rather than Faith that he may be baptized again and by one which calleth himself a Baptist in their disorderly Way And now this Brother being again baptized in his own Judgment and by his Practice doth say that the Congregation he was of are all unbaptized Persons and that Person new baptized is made by his Baptism no more a Member of their Church seeing they hold that Persons are made Members of true Churches by Covenant and not by Baptism as the rebaptized say Yet for all this the Congregation that allowed this Brother to be baptized do still receive him into their Communion in the Lords Supper though they with him are all condemned in themselves in that they have allowed Rom. 14.22 Two such contrary Seeds or Beliefs which in figure was forbidden to be sowed together Deut. 22.9 in the Lords Vineyard Esay 5.7 the Church of God and contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel as it is written Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus that ye all speak the same things and that there be no division among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1.10 So that it appears though Differences did arise in the Churches by reason of Hypocrites that did creep in among them Jude 4. in the Apostles days yet they were not suffered to abide unless they renounced their erroneous perswasion See John 2.9 10 11. 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. Tit. 3.10 11. Rom. 16.17 18. 2 Tim. 2.16 17 18. 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Gal. 5.7 8 9. * 1 Pet. 1.2 Eph. 1.4 5. Rom. 8.29 to 34. 1 Thess 1.3 4. 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Mat. 24.24 Acts 3 48. † John 10.28 Jer 32.40 Rom. 11.29 1 John 3.9 Psal 37.24 Mat. 24.24 And again what blind Watchmen have these Congregations that see this evil of Judgment arising and sound not the Trumpet against it See Ezek. 3.1 to 6. but yield that the Evil shall be accomplished Unto such a Church saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Ye suffer Fools gladly for ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage Wo to such blind Guides that look more after the Fleece or Gain from their Flock than after the Souls whom they shall account for before God to suffer the Church to be mixed in the Lords Plough Deut. 22.10 with a Ox or an Ass together for two such contrary Judgments cannot be both clean Yet more abominations do we see in these last and perillous days among the Ancients in Israel Ezek. 8 that are ashamed of their hoary Heads Lev. 19.32 Prov. 20.29 and shave off all their Beards which God forbiddeth Lev. 19.27 because it is one sign in Nature to distinguish Man from Woman 2 Sam. 10.4 5. Psal 133 2. So that the Beard is an honour to the Man and long hair a glory to the VVoman before her fall which since she must cover as we have handled in a particular Treatise about Hair not long since set forth so many as we have left in our hands shall be put at the end of this Treatise to which we refer the Reader But what Ministers have we in this last Age of the VVorld that as aforesaid shave not only all the gray hairs of their Beards but also shave their Heads and wear Perriwigs made of VVomans hair are these Men Ministers or Rev. 9.8 Monsters let Nature be Judg as it is written Doth not even Nature it self teach you that it is a shame for a Man to wear long hair 1 Cor. 11.4 Are such as these spiritual men that are ignorant what is the shame of Nature Surely then they would not walk so to be judged of man that is condemned in Nature Man being in honour and understandeth not is like the Beast that perisheth Psal 49.20 and

soals of thy feet Isa 60.14 As the Converts did in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14.25 and in the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3.9 who came and heard and attended upon the Ordinances of Christ in his Church where Christ as a k Prophet was represented in his Ministry in the Ordinance of Teaching working upon the knowledge of the Hearers that they may discern Sin and Righteousness 2dly as a Priest working upon the Will and Affections killing them a sacrifice that a new and reasonable Creature may be given up to God in his service Heb. 9.11 14. Rom. 12.1 3ly In this time of government now as a l King on his Throne effectually working upon their hearts that the things taught by Prophecy and applied by Priesthood may be orderly practised in a holy Life And thus the Man whose name is the m BRANCH shall bear the Glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne And he shall be a Priest on his Throne and the Counsel of Peace shall be between them both And thus he must reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his Feet 1 Cor. 15.25 compared with Psal 110.1 fulfilling the words of the Angel to Mary according to the words of the Prophet Isa 9. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his father David to reign over both Jews and Gentiles in the Church of God Luke 1.31 32. Rom. 15.12 whom David figured in his terrestrial warfare now spiritually fulfilled in the Church by Jesus Christ and therefore to the Church of God in Philadelphia it is written concerning Christ who is the King of Saints Rev. 15.3 and hath the Key of David that openeth the gates of the City New Jerusalem or Church of God that the Regenerate or Righteous Nation to wit the believing Parents and their Children may enter in in the time of Government who by Covenant do become the Lord's People Deut. 29.10 11. Act. 2.47 Thus in the Church when the Mysteries of Faith are purely taught and opened as the Truth is in Jesus and the Ordinances of Christ in holy Order performed then doth the Spouse or Queen of Christ at his right-hand Psal 45.9 behold the King in his Beauty Isa 33.17 Psal 27.4 90.17 Cant. 5.10 the chiefest among ten thousand Moreover because the Church or Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Draw-Net that gathereth good and bad to wit some Hypocrites among the Elect. When any such appear to be in the Church and not of it according to God's Order such for their evil-deeds or Heresy being brought in order to the Throne of Christ in his Church in this time of Government and by their obstinacy in sin are known to be dross then according to the Proverb purge out the drose And again Cast out the Scorner and Contention and Strife shall cease Prov. 25.45 22.10 and by this n order of Government Christ's Kingdom is purged the Church is preserved in peace and all confusion avoided the unclean or o leavened persons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ put out from among them for the destruction or humbling of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus And whilst the Excommunicated person remaineth impenitent in such a condition he is not fit to be received in again until he repent a 1 Tim. 3.5 1 Cor. 12.28 b Mat. 18.20 Exod. 25.8 and 20.24 c Rev. 4.2 and 5.6 and 7.17 Luke 1.32 d John 18.36 e Mat. 22.42 43 44 45. Psal 100.3 f 1 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 5.10 g Zach. 10.3 Rev. 19.14 h Rom. 12.2 Psal 2.13 i Rom. 6 12 13 14 19. k Acts 3.22 l Rev. 19.16 m Zach. 6.12 13. n 1 Cor. 14.33 40. o Mat. 16.6 1 Cor. 5. Now then these things being so according as the Truth is in Jesus what a gross Mistake are some Men under who call themselves Baptists who have published in their Confession of Faith to the World from Rev. 11.15 presented to King Charles the II. from these Words That the Kingdoms of this World there spoken of which shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ's are say they the Kingdomes of this World which men so mightily strive after when all know that the Kingdoms of this World which men so mightily strive after are such Kingdoms as England Spain and Denmark and the like which are governed by Civil Magistrates according to Gods Ordinance whose Office and Sword they have received next under God to be Heads of their Kingdoms Whether such Magistrates be Believers or no a yet all Christians are bound to obey them not for b fear but for Conscience sake and that in the Lord. a Acts 25.11 b Rom. 13.5 2. To help these Men to see their Mistake in interpreting Prophecies literally and that others may not be deceived by them let the Reader further note That Christ hath his Office next under God to be a a Head and Mediator to his Church and the Magistrates have their Office next under God to be Heads of their Kingdoms These two Governments being both ordained of God yet so distinct the one from the other as they neither do nor can take in hand the Work peculiarly belonging unto one another for which cause it may appear that God divided his Laws into two Tables the one appertaining to the worship and service of God in his Church or Kingdom Christ by it spiritually governing the same the other concerning temporal matters in things appertaining to this Life between man and man which last Work appertaineth to the civil Magistrates Office therefore would not Christ meddle with the c civil Sword in Government d because his Kingdom was not to be of this World neither would he decide civil Controversies e though desired thereunto a Eph. 1.22 b Rom. 13. Job 12.24 c Mat. 26.52 d John 18.36 e Luke 12.14 3. On the other hand the Kings of Judah a might not meddle with the Priests work to burn Incense yet the Magistrates Office when Israel was under Heathen Governours might be performed by them in that Nation and the Israelites bound to b obey them in all their Commands according to the second Table of Gods Law as appeareth by their appointting c Officers judging Controversies and punishing d Malefactors and the Israelites bound to pray e for the peace of that Nation Therefore so long as the two Tables of Gods Law remain unjoyned together so long the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdoms of this World which Christ's Kingdom is not of will remain distinct the one from the other for which cause Christ paid them Tribute f and commanded his Subjects so to do g teaching us that his Office was subordinate unto them in civil things and also to pray for their good both in body and soul And when it pleaseth the Lord in whose hands the hearts of all Kings and Magistrates are to turn their hearts to obey his Truth and they become