that are come from beyond Sea to Preach to our Assemblies to revile and raile against Protestant Ministers to vent Errors and Heresies to the reproach and dishonour of the Protestant Religion To furnish all sort of men and scratch their itching eares with an heap of teachers for they will not abide called officers or sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 4. as the adulteress too often pleaseth the unchast Husband more then the beautiful yoke-fellow as Witches and Wizzards are merry at their diabolical fancied Feast as though they did eat and drink the most pleasant and wholesome meats and drinks How strangely did Satan fill the heart of Hacket Copinger and Arthington whose story you may read in Camdens Elizabetha as well as see the like in very many now adays To promote those sins that in opposition to the sins of the world and the sins of the flesh are properly and purely Sathanical viz. Errors Heresies Seduction for Satan is not a drunkard adulterer a swearer or a covetous person but a lyer seducer that abode not in the truth to disturb the unity and peace of our Congregations whilest almost every man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an absurd man out of his place 2 Thes 3.2 multitudes of souls perverted very few saved a good Protestant of the old stamp whether conformable or non-conformable is worth a thousand of these new Saints Finally I have heard an ignorant one distempered in brain and overcome with melancholy speak excellently of the most divine and deep Mysteries of Religion and Doctor Merick Causabone indeavors to shew how this may be done by natural causes and we read that the Anabaptists in Munster having made a Law that all the Citizens should bring their goods into a common stock there were Maids amongst them could tell how much every man had left at home like as Paul did discern Ananias and Saphirah It is easie to guesse who taught them Little did Peter a pious and eminent Apostle think that he acted Satans part till Christ discerned and discovered Satan Mat. 16. CHAP. VIII Of the witnessing Spirit mentioned Rom. 8.16 EVery matter of worth and weight is to be transacted before and proved by two sufficient witnesses unus testis nullus testis In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established the Apostle produceth here two witnesses of our Adoption Son-ship which is a thing of very great consequence and concernment our Spirit and Gods Spirit and these witnesses depose point blank we cry Abba Father vers 15. and this is not a false cry but a true cry and the Spirit it self beareth witness together with our Spirit that it is so the Spirit as we use to say by way of excellency the Bible the Scripture the eminent excellent Spirit Infinite Eternal Spirit a wit-witness of greater authority evidence and credit After the reading of these and other words of Scripture it is unnecessary as well as it is beyond my purpose to prove that the Spirit doth witness that we are all the children of God I shall only enquire into the manner how the Spirit of God witnesseth And first it must be granted that the witness-bearing of the Spirit here mentioned is spoken of not as a peculiar priviledge of two or three or a few eminent Saints but as the general or usual priviledge of all the Saints of God which are led by the Spirit are the children Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ and how this witness is born I shall endeavour to shew 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively Negatively First not by outward voice as of Christ Mat. 3. ult Mat. 17.5 which voyce saith the Apostle Peter was heard of many 2. Pet. 1.18.19 this witness is inward and secret it is hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 which no man knows but he that receiveth it As Satan can suggest thoughts into the soul which no by-stander can see So can the Spirit of God set his privy seal upon the soul and none discern but the spirit of a man in him 2ly The Spirit of God doth not use the Ministry of Angels though Christs his Sonship was proclaimed by such Heavenly Heralds Luk. 1.30 31 32. Luk. 2.9.13 3ly The Spirit of God doth not witness our Adoption by immediate Revelation and Inspiration Jesus Christ indeed received not the Spirit by measure Ioh. 3.34 The fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Col. 2.9 and the Prophets and Apostles were in their measure so inspired 2 Pet. 1. ult by virtue of which Inspiration that which was not Canonical before was so aâ—ter and new Truths and Tenets were to be received and beleeved But now we may say are all Apostles are all Prophets Yea are there now any Apostles any Prophets so inspired 4ly The Spirit of God doth not witness our Sonship in such dark and dubious phrases as Apollos Oracles used to be delivered in but there is such certainty and clearness in this Testimony that it doth either altogether or in a great measure suspend and silence doubts and distrusts he that sees the Sun knows it is bright and light he that tastes honey knows it is sweet and he that tastes the hidden Manna and hears this Testimony is fully perswaded and satisfied by it Rom. 8.38 5ly The Spirit of God doth not witness to all men that they are the children of God there are multitudes myriads of men that never heard it when we speak of it to them we are as it were Barbarians to them this high Language of Canaan is an unknown Tongue to them for they must be the children of God by Adoption indeed before they be witnessed to be so prius est predicare de esse quam de cognosci Yea the Elect of God have it not before conversion nor usually in the first act of conversion then they lye under the spirit of bondage v. 15. and are in the pangs of the new Birth nor always afterward for the Testimony is not de esse but de bene esse of a Christian not their Diet but their Banquet not common food but a Cordial a witness the most punctual faithful witness doth but speak when there is need and occasion he witnesseth not alway but for always Secondly Affirmatively The Spirit of God I conceive doth witness all or at least some of these ways First He doth attest Scripture truths unto the soul saying the same in the breast of the beleever that it saith in the Bible by irradiating those truths he making the the light of Gods word brighter and illuminating the eyes of the soul he makes the sight better so that the divine Authority Infallibility and Majesty of the Word of God doth appear I shall instance in two sweet and comfortable Scripture truths Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Mat. 5.6 which seems to be the minimum quod sic the lowest least degree of saving faith and Come to me I will give rest to them that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28
which seems to be the lowest degree of true repentance The Spirit of God saith to the soul these are true words I writ them do own them and will maintain them and so he sets his Seal to these truths as the soul by receiving and beleiving Gods Testimony sets to her Seal also Ioh. 3.33 2ly He owns the graces that are in beleivers to be his work as he doth own the Scripture to be his word as he doth attest fidem quae creditur the Doctrine the Object of faith so he doth attest fidem quae creditur the infused habit or grace of faith some Officers in Corporations and other Towns do seal Cloth Lether c. to witness thereby that what they seal is truly made rightly drest or of due length c. So the Spirit of God when we beleeve doth seal us Ephes 1.13 saying as it were this is true faith a lively faith firmly fastened on the word of God so I might say of Hope Love Repentance c. for the Spirit of God doth not only freely give us the things of God but also giveth us to know them 1 Cor. 2.10.12 he telleth which graces are genuine and which are spurious which are real and which are counterfeit he that teacheth us to know what we do beleeve and that we do beleeve love hope repent c. 3ly He makes application of the promises to the soul thy name and mine are not in the Scripture What an huge Volumne would the Bible be if every Saints name that have been are or shall be were written in it God hath wise and good ends why this is not done it is enough that particulars must needs be included in the general but Gods people especially at some times are unapt and unable to make particular application of the promises therefore God by his Spirit which is also called his finger Mat. 12.28 with Luk. 11.20 points at thee or me when he is a Spirit of conviction or of bondage as sometimes he is Ioh. 16.9 Rom. 8.15 or witnesseth against us then he puts our name into the threatnings which in the word indefinitely or generally spoken as cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 if you live after the flesh you shall dye Rom. 8. and saith as Nathan to David thou art the man that the soul cannot shift or shuffle off conviction or terror but when it will witness for a man then it puts its name in the promises as thus thou Peter Andrew Thomas Bartholomew confessing and forsaking thy sin shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 1 Ioh. 1.9 When God by his Spirit as by his hand takes hold on us and saith Thou art mine and I am thine and the soul by the hand of faith takes hold on God and saith likewise Cant. 6.3 then there is a comfortable marriage made by joyning of hands 4. He doth from these raise up much consolation in the soul and therefore is fitly called the comforter Ioh. 16.7 And the Kingdom of God is in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 The certainty and assurance of our salvation doth arise from this or such a like Syllogisme He that believeth shall be saved But thou believest Therefore thou shalt be saved The first Act of the Holy Ghost doth seale the major or first proposition The second Act doth seale the minor or second proposition The thir addeth further assurance and evidence then that which is inferred from the premisses The fourth doth raise us up to the joy of this salvation Psal 51.12 But because there are many pretenders to the witness of the Spirit that have neither part nor lot in this business for their heart is not right in the sight of God and as many said here is Christ and there is Christ when he was neither here nor there so many professe they have the Spirit which have it not These are they that separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Jude v. 19. Schismatical persons which say I am of Paul I of Apollo and I of Cephas c. may think themselves spiritual but they are therein Carnal and walk as men I Cor. 3.1 2. whether there be an immediate witnes of the Spirit given by God in some cases I need not nor will I now dispute for these words speak only of such a witness of the Spirit as together with the leading of the Spirit is common to all the Sons of God and this I believe I may truly say 1. The Holy Spirit doth ordinarily if not alway witness with our spirits mediately by the fruits effects and gracious operations thereof or else to what end are marks and signs set down in Scripture and we commanded to try our selves by them 1 Ioh. 3.14 2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 6.2 3. 2. The Spirit of God in the brest of the believer and the Spirit of God in the Bible are the same Spirit of truth and therefore the Spirit of God will not speak peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 or witness them to be the Sons of God which by their pride lying cruelty treachery or allowing themselves in sin declare themselves to be of their father the Devill Ioh. 8.44 1 Ioh. 3.8 So it doth not condemn the generation of the just which are weary and heavy laden do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse 3. The Spirit of God witnesseth in ordinances or at least not without them not in the neglect and contempt of them God indeed doth not tye his own hand but ours God can feed with Manna but will not when men may plough and sow How the Spirit of God doth make use of holy Ordinances we have heard before those that think themselves above ordinances are indeed much below them 4. There is ordinarily a spirit of bondage antecedent to the spirit of adoption v. 15 16. it first convinceth of sin then of righteousnesse Ioh. 16.9 5. The witnessing Spirit is a working spirit a spirit of sanctification Rom. 1.4 5. canst thou find the work of the spirit or at least some prints and parcels of that work A few grapes saith Dr. Sibbs discover a tree to be a Vine not a Thorn and truth of one grace doth evidence truth of all graces it is a golden chain God hath linked them together let none put them asunder 6. They onely have the witnesse of the spirit that are led by and walk after the spirit vers 1.14 Now these words do import both their having and acting of spiritual life Dead things may be drawn but cannot in propriety of speech be said to be led or to walk 2. They import motion a continued motion after some thing that goes before 3. A willing motion when the soul is not haled hurried or violently forced but they are led I cannot enlarge CHAP. IX Of the continuance of the Ministerial Spirit and Office in all ages on Isa 66.21 THese words are a gracious Gospel promise in which the Lord
the Scriptures found that Pauls Doctrine was sound And the Church of Ephesus having tryed the false Apostles and found them lyars need not try the same Persons and Doctrines over again Acts 17. Rev. 2. Also some Spirits lie not in our way and we are not to go out of Gods way to find out matters of tryal for then we should needlesly rush into many temptations and spend all the daies of our short life in enquierie and examination of the several dreams and dotages of Pagans Turks Jews Papists Hereticks and Schsmaticks of several sorts instead of growing in grace and the knowledg of Christ Crucified and abounding in the fruits of righteousness Tryal necessarily supposeth some Rule by which the Tryal must be made and no righter or surer Rule imaginable then the Word of God and if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isai 8.20 whatsoever they boast of light in them their light is darkness this is the Rule and Square of our walking Gal. 6.16 and must judge us at the last day Ioh. 12.48 Rev. 20 12. God the Author of the holy Scripture is the Supream Law-giver and Judge the Maker and Expounder of the Law Isai 33.22 Jam. 4.12 This holy men writ being inspired by the Holy Eternal Infallible Spirit 2 Pet. 1. ult and and none knows the mind of God better then the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 To the Spirit speaking in Scripture all created spirits are to be subject Pauls Doctrine though an Apostle was tryed by this Rule Act. 17.11 Though the Scripture cannot do all the parts of a Judge because it neither speaketh with the voice of a man nor doth it or can it examine or determine matters of fact as whether Arius denyed the God-head of Christ or no yet it is said to speak Ioh. 7.42 and doth judge controversies as a Writing Hos 8.12 a mans Will and Testament Heb. 9.15 a Chartey a Letter a Law doth speak and we may understand a mans mind by his writing as well as if we heard him speak and may better preserve yea more and longer ponder upon a writing then upon words only I shall adde this hereunto by way of Caution That when I speak of the Spirits being or dwelling in a Saint I mean not an essential or personal in-being or in-dwelling of the Spirit as he is God or the third Person of the Holy Trinity God is said to dwell in us 2 Cor. 6.16 and we are the Templers and Habitations of God 1 Cor. 3.16 17. and Christ is not only given for us but to us Isa 9 6. comes in to us Rev. 3.20 is in us Ioh. 17.23 liveth in us Gal. 2.20 dwelleth in our hearts Ephes 3.16 17. as well as the holy Spirit of God Yet me thinks it is strange to say that the Father Son and Holy Ghost do dwell personally in the Saints for whereas each Person is both indivisible and omnipresent this seems both to divide and limit them to say that any of them is personally here or there in Peter Paul or other Saints and not in intermediate places and there is a generation of men now a daies that upon this account would confound and and equalize the Creator and creature the Eternal God Father Son and Spirit with mortal yea miserable men If the evil Spirit though finite and limitted may act and rule in the children of disobedience 1 Ioh. 4.4 Eph. 2.2 and may be said to keep the house Luk. 11.21 though he do not inhabit personally in them much more may the Infinite and Eternal Spirit without such personal inhabitation act and rule in Beleevers Besides this Scripture phrase of in-being and in-dwelling doth import only inwardness meer relation and close union Ioh. 17.22 23. Hence God is said to be in Christ as well as Christ in God Ioh. 17.21 and Saints are as well said to be in and to dwell in Christ Rom. 8.1 Ioh. 6.56 and to be in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 As Christ or the holy Spirit are said to be or dwell in them and therefore this phrase doth no more evince personal inhabitation on the one side then one the other It may be granted that the Spirit of God being the last of all the three Persons in order both of subsisting and working doth come lower and neerer to us and more immediately close with our spirits then the Father or the Son for what the Father or the Son do act andinfluence upon the soul is mediately by the holy Ghost and God by the Spirit on his part doth take hold on us Ezek. 11.19 and we are the Habitations of God through the Spirit Ephes 2.21 22. as we by faith on our part lay hold on Christ Ioh. 1.12 And he dwelleth in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 and it must of necessity be granted that the Spirit by a Metonymy may be said to dwell in us when we dwell in love 1 Ioh. 4.16 and the truth dwelleth in us 2 Ep. Ioh. v. 2. When we partake of his Gifts and Graces though these be not the Spirit it self for the Scripture doth manifestly distinguish them from it saying there are diversities of Gifts and but one spirit and that these are but the Gifts Fruits and operations of that one spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 to 14. Gal. 5.22 as when we say the Sun comes into an house we mean not the body of the Sun for that abides in its own Orb but the Beams of it so the Apostle makes the Word of Christ dwelling in us richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms c. to be the same with being filled with the spirit Col. 3.16 with Eph. 5.18 19. Yea even Bezaleel because God had made him a good workman in blue Purple c. is said to be filled with the Spirit of God Ex. 31.2 3 4 5. And there is a stronger and higher reason why a good Christian because of such gracious impressions of Gods Spirit on his soul should be said to be filled with the Spirit Lastly it is not to be denyed but there are several actings of the Spirit in on and with thy soul distinct from yea and subsequent to his working of grace in it viz. those Acts whereby he doth support assist co-operate and comfort bear witness with our spirits and seal to the day of Redemption Rom. 8.16 Eph. 1.13 and 4.30 which notwithstanding come short of proving the Spirits personal In-being or In-dwelling in us as hath been shewed CHAP. II. Of the Properties of the Spirit of God with the vindication of them from common mistakes THe First unquestionable Property of the Spirit of God is that it is good Psal 143.10 not only Metaphysically so the Devils are good because they are beings but morally He is the Holy Ghost or Spirit the Spirit of holiness Rom. 1.4 and his Motions are good and holy and never evil but Satan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked one wickedness
lye is not the Spirit of God yet it is not true that every spirit which speaks any truth is therefore the Spirit of God Satan doth sometimes attest the highest and holyest truths viz. That Fesus is the Son of God that the Apostles are the Servants of God which shew the way of Salvation Act. 16.17 but our Saviour silenceth them and would not suffer them to speak though they spoke truths Mark 1.34 Act. 16.18 The difference therefore between Satans speaking truth and Gods Spirit speaking truth is this 1. If Satan speaks truth he speaketh not of his own a lye only is his own Ioh. 8.44 he doth but borrow truths or rather steal them from from the Scriptures the Ministers or people of God Fer. 23.30 2. When Satan speaks truth he usually misapplies it as Iobs Friends did many precious truths 3. He never speaks truth in the love or for the advantage of it but to be a pretence shadow and introduction to a lye If Error should appear in her own shape she would be very horrid and deformed therefore she puts on her the Mantle of Truth or gets some truth usually to bear her company CHAP. III. Of four other Qualifications of the Spirit of God and the vindication of them A Third Property of the Spirit of God is Light he is the Spirit of Light of Wisdom and Knowledge Isa 11.2 of Revelation in the knowledge of Christ Eph. 1.17 As God is light and Christ is light a Sun a bright Morning Star the Spirit is compared to fire Act. 2. 1 Thes 5. Heavenly fire which gives light as well as heat but Hell-fire is hot and dark Satan is that Prince of darkness the Ruler of the darkness of this world which darkens and blinds the minds of them that beleeve not 2 Cor. 4.4 Object But doth not the evil Spirit bring also a light with it Answ Satan doth indeed transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 especially in times and amongst persons pretending to much light and abounding in all utterance and knowledge 1 Cor. 1.5 And therefore we are to understand that the Light of the Spirit of God is to argue or convince the world of sin of righteousness of judgment Ioh. 16.8 Eph. 5.12 13. to shew us as the Angel did Dan. 10.21 that which is noted in the Scripture of truth to explain the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel and Godliness that we may discern them in a spiritual manner which a natural man cannot do 1 Cor. 2.10 11. to shew us that by Sun-light which reason can either not see at all or but as it were by Moon-light The Gospel is an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 and the Spirit bids us contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints not alway in delivering This Light is a Light of the same nature with the light held forth in the Word Psal 119.105 the Word is a Lantorn a dark Lantorn say some without the Spirit but I am sure that Spirit is a going fire a deluding spirit that carries not but contemns and confounds this Lanthorn and there is no light in them Isa 8.20 The light that is in them is darkness and how great is that darkness Mat. 6.23 Gods people are led by the Spirit when they are led by the word inspired by the Spirit 2 Pet. 1. ult and they are taught by God when taught by his Book No Spirit of Christ doth abstract any mans faith from the Word of God which is indeed the word of faith Rom. 10.8 Spiritual knowledge doth not exclude but contain in it the litteral knowledge though the litteral knowledge may be without the spiritual yet the spiritual knowledge of Gods Word is not without the litteral We are not warranted to expect or trust to Enthusiasm's or praeter-scriptural much less contra-scriptural Revelations as they which had Moses and the Prophets the Books of Moses and the Prophets and those that sate in Moses Chair were not to expect guidance from revived returning Ghosts but to hear Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16.29 Mat. 23.2 3. so we which besides Moses and the Prophets have also Christ and his Apostles and have the Canon of the holy Scriptures perfected have much less reason to expect Revelations and to sleight the holy Scriptures but may and ought to build on the foundations of the Prophets of the old Testament and the Apostles of the new Eph. 2.21 That light which contradicts old Articles of faith and coyns new ones that Canonizeth new Scriptures or preacheth new Gospels yea the very questioning of Carping or Cavilling against known received Truths is of Satan Gen. 3.1.5 And he that preacheth another Gospel though he seem wise as an Angel and have the Tongue of an Angel and seem as holy and zealous as the Angels is to be accursed Gal. 1.7 8 9. The fourth Property of the true Spirit of God is Lowliness and indeed the more light the more lowliness The more loathing of our selves Ezek. 36. 27. with 31. for the Spirit convinceth us of sin Ioh. 16.8 makes Paul to judge himself the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and to be carnal Rom. 7.14 but the evil Spirit is proud and puffeth up 1 Tim. 3.6 1 Cor. 8.1 is supercilious and censorious of other men speaking evil of persons and things which they know not and saying stand by thy self I am more holy then thou Isa 65.5 calling others carnal sensual divelish while they pretend themselves to be free from sin But the Apostle who had the true Spirit of God saith if we that is If I John that writ this Epistle or other Apostles or Beleevers say that we have no sin we are lyers 1 Ioh. 1. The first Property of the true Spirit of God is Liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 He is a free Spirit Psal 51.12 Satan is a slave and of a servile Spirit and so all his Agents and Servants are yea say some that is it which we plead for viz. Liberty but you must therefore take notice of the marks of this Liberty First That Liberty which is from the Spirit of God is not a Liberty to sin but from sin Iohn 8.34 2 Peter 2.19 Secondly This Liberty overthrows not either Ecclesiastical or Civil Government 1 Pet. 2.13.16 for this were to make it a Cloak of maliciousness Thirdly This Liberty is to and in the service of God and not from it men now talk much against Forms but there are some Forms of Gods Institution and others of mens inventions though we be free from all sinful superstitious forms of mens inventing yet we are not therefore free from the lawful and needful Forms that are of Gods appointing His service is perfect freedom The sixt Property of the Spirit of God is Unity Unity Love and Peace is the fruit and effect of the good Spirit Eph. 4.3 Gal. 5.22 we are all made to drink into one Spirit as we all Jews and Gentiles are by
is not omitted as sometimes it is in the old Testament where also we read of 12. Tribes besides if it had then the Anti-ministerial Spirits of these days would have seemed to have somewhat to glory of but it is said that of that Tribe as well as of the other Tribes though it was a small Tribe were sealed twelve thousand which being spoken of the Church of the Gentiles by allusion to the Jewish Church may well shew to us a number of the Ministers lawfully called and approved by God proportionable to the rest of the people or that God would also out of the believing Gentiles chuse some to be Priests and Levites to him Also when Antichrist most raged and reigned and the outward Court was given to the Gentiles Rev. 11.2 Yet the Temple though Antichrist did sit in it 2 Thes 2.4 and Alter and they that worship therein now amongst the Jews to whose custome he alludeth the Priests did worship the Lord in the inner Court were to be measured as being Gods Building to be repaired and kept up by him and God did all along preserve not only precious truths the Positive and Affirmative truths of Christian Religion Popery consisting mostly in Additions as elsewhere I have shewed which were preached by the very Priests themselves especially those main Doctrines of the Trinity the Nativity Death and Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ of his sending the holy Ghost c. upon the yearly days set apart for the memorial of them But also he did preserve an holy people that instead of having the mark name or number of the Beasts name had their Fathers name written in their foreheads Rev. 14.1 and a faithful Ministery proportionable thereunto two witnesses a sufficient number to hold up his truth for in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established and it was Prophesied that they should feed the Church during the time of her lowest exiled condition Rev. 12.6 It is not said I will feed her which might seem to be extraordinary or she shall feed her self for then it might be imagined that private brethren did feed one another but They the Prophesiers should feed her and these were slain and who were they not only Saints but Prophets which are distinguished from other Saints and Righteous men not only in other Scriptures Eph. 4.11.12 Mat. 10.41 42. but also in this very Book which doth not only mention the slaying of the Witnesses but also for the same draws up an Indictment against Babylon that in her was found the blood as wel of Prophets as of private Saints Rev. 18.24 for they as well as others were witnesses by the word of the Testimony and not loving their lives unto the death Many godly Ministers in several Ages have born Testimony to the truth of Christ and appoted Antichrist so that God notwithstanding the Idolatries Sorceries Whoredoms Heresies Persecutions of the Whore of Rome did alway preserve the Essence of the Ministery even where Satans Seat is Rev. 2.13 CHAP. X. Of the Spirit of Corah and his gainsaying on Jude vers 11. Corah was a Levite though he seems to disclaim the priviledge thereof and made himself as one of the people for he saith not all the Tribe of Levi are holy but all the people which were of other Tribes also and the two hundred and fifty Princes did offer incense as well as he Dathan and Abiram were Sons of Reuben the first born of all the Patriarchs these Reubenites camped next to the Kohathites on the Southside of the Tabernacle as is shewed Num. 2. and joined with them and two hundred and fifty Princes of the Assemblies Senators Statesmen Governours Reputed Religious and Righteous men were famous in the Church men of name and renown Numb 16.1 2. they were not any of them that we read of vile or vicious in their conversation nor is it likely if they had been so that the Congregation should so much respect them and though they be called wicked men v. 26. or as some others read it sinners perverse hard men yet that was by reason of their division which is a work of the flesh Gal. 5.20 shewing them to be carnal 1 Cor. 3.1 2. not by reason of any grosse miscarriage in their conversation that we know of the occasion of it saith Solomon Jarchi and indeed it might well be one occasion was Corah being a Levite of the Koathites which was the chief family of the Levites took offence and envied at the preferment of Elizaphan the son of Uzziel whom Moses had made Prince over the sons of Koath Numb 3.20 when he was of the youngest brother and Corah himself was of Izhar elder then he and probably Dathan Abiram and On being the sons of the eldest son of Jacob did grudge that the priviledge of primogeniture was taken from their Father and his house See Ainsworth in Numb 16. The nature and manner of their offence was this Corah took men he departed saith the Syriach Verbion was divided saith Fargum Onkelos withdrew himself separated himself took himself to be a part from the Congregation saith Solomon Jarchi And Dathaâ— Abiram and On also â—ook men and separated themselves or rather Corah took them all into a distinct Congregation or Church from the Congregation of the Lord and from being under the power and over-sight of the Rulers thereof Numb 16.5 6.17 40. Psalm 106.17 They rose up against Moses and Aaron though I conceive them guilty rather of Ecclesiastical then of Civil division rather of Schism then Sedition or Treason and their opposition was rather against Moses as a Minister then as a Magistrate for they said not all the people are wise valiant true hearted which are the qualifications of the Magistrate they did not claim to rule the state but to offer Incense v. 3.5 10. hence Aarons Rod budded not Moses his Rod Numb 17. though in their zeal for their Schism they did undutifully reflect also upon the civil Magistrate v. 13.14 nor did they plead only for the equality of the Priests with the high Priests or of the Levites with the Priests as some learned men do conceive they did though this then had been a very great error and more express against plain Texts then it is now to hold the equality of Church-Officers under the New-Testament but though Corah was a Levite they pleaded for the equality of all the people with the Priests and Levites the words which Jude calls the gainsaying of Corah were these All the Church is holy every one of them and the Lord is amongst them wherefore lift ye up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord v. 3. whereas in deed and truth it was they that took too much upon them v. 7.8 9. they preached much for Liberty yea spiritual ministerial power in the body of the people in opposition to their guides and leaders they affected challenged and usurped the Priesthood v. 10. in that they did seek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Septuagint reads it to do the work of the Priests to offer Incense which though they might easily be gifted for yet were not called to it and questionless the people intended their own profit too for if the Priests work might be taken from them and done as lawfully by others why might not also their Tithes and Wages This Schism pretending the purity power priviledge and indirectly the profit too of the body of the Congregation and complaining of the usurpation of the Priests though resisted by Moses and Aaron who having been highly and visibly honoured by God deserved to have been very venerable amongst the people so far prevailed that Corah gathered all the Congregation against Moses and Aaron v. 19. and though God by Moses the Elders of the Congregation following him charged them to forsake Corah and his company yea though God himself according as Moses had foretold appeared against them in an extraordinary miraculous way v. 28. to 34. So that the people saw it and fled v. 34. Yet on the morrow all the Congregation so fond they were of that pleasing Doctrine after they had slept on it murmered against Moses and Aaron saying ye have slain the people of the Lord v. 41 42. as though Moses Aaron and the Elders were not the Lords people but enemies yea murtherers of them they meant of Corah and his company which were taken away by Gods immediate hand but afterward God for this their murmuring sent a plague v. 45. c. This Spirit that was in Corah was indeed an evil seditious schismatical Spirit and their opinion and practise how pleasant and plausible soever and what ever the 250. Princes of the Assembly and all the Congregation voted for it was a dangerous deadly damning sin God did strike them dead not by the common death of all men some the earth swallowed up v. 33. some the fire consumed v. 35 some the plague v. 47. and Jude saith men perish in the gainsaying of Corah This gainsaying of Corah is a sin of the new Testament as well of the old Jude v. 11. Let it be seriously and sadly considered of whom that Text is spoken and whether there be not many now adays some perhaps of honest intentions and affections guilty of it FINIS