pre-suppose to have power over his spirit and conscience to cause it to conform likewise or else he cannot attain unto his Religious intent 2. This is but a forcing of servants and worshipers upon the Lord and I say at the best for it is more likely to force worshipers from him And this will cleerly appear because the true worshipers and such as the fathe seeks for are such as worship him in Spirit and in Truth See John 4. 23 24. who having received from Christ the Spirit of life and love have his word stand in their heart as the word of a King so that thereby they become a willing people to do him service and stand not in need of such outward force to compell them thereto they therefore that stand in need to be and therefore are by outward force compelled to the worship of God to the faith and order of the gospel of Christ they I say are such servants and worshipers as are forc'd upon the Lord whom he seeks not for This outward forcing men in the worship of God is the ready way to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and men which wise men abhor the truth of this will be thus demonstrated for if they be spirituall true and willing worshipers such as the Father seeks for then what need is there of a constraint or restraint such are a law of life to themselves but if they be not then what make they there before him who calls for the heart and wisheth men to look to their spirits for he is a Spirit and will be sanctified of all those that draw neer unto him See Prov. 23. 26. Mal. 2. 15 Rev. 10. 3 4. Then as they are forced upon the Lord against his will and without any warrant from him so are they also against their own and therefore although their bodies may be present and through fear of the stroke or hope of reward may seem to conform yet their hearts and minds not being changed and the strong holds thereof not being beaten down as by such carnall weapons they are never likely to be they I say are absent and far from the Lord so then while their hearts and confciences still cleave to their Idols and yet their bodies are caused to conform what is this but to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and man and that it is the way to put men upon the profaning the name of the Lord is also evident understand by name his attributes word ordinances worship they are all profaned by such a person that stands in need to be forc'd to Religion See Hag. 2. 13 for him to call upon the name of the Lord is to profane the name of the Lord for their prayers are abomination to him Gen. 4. 26. Prov. 28. 9. Isay 1. 13. And a calling the name of God or Christ upon such is counted by him a blaspheming his name See Rev. 2. 9. 13. 1. 5 6. and unto the wicked saith God Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or to take my CoVenant in thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee By all which it doth evidently appear that the second proposition doth also stand firm A sixt argument against the forcing of men against their understandings and consciences is taken from the prohibition of Christ and stands thus 6. Arg. If Christ Iesus the Lord hath expresly forbidden his servants by such a force to seek to constrain or restrain another mans conscience or his outward man against his understanding and conscience in things appertaining to God although his understanding and conscience be cleerly discerned to be erronious and evil then can no servant of Christ Jesus have any liberty much less authority from him so to practise This cannot be denied But Christ Jesus the Lord hath expresly forbidden his servants so to practise and for the proof hereof take two or three instances Mat. 15. 14. where Christ speaking to his disciples touching the Pharisees who were blind guides seducers hypocrites strong opposers of Christ yet seemingly full of zeal and devotion and such as brought a vanity upon the worship of God and made his commandements of none effect by their traditions as appears V. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. of the same chapter yet V 14. saith Christ to his disciples let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind and so leaves them to that sad event which is their falling into the ditch or perishing together See the parable of rhe wheat and the tares Mat. 13. 24. interpreted by Christ himself V. 37 38. And he that soweth the good seed saith Christ is the Son os mâ—n The field is the world the good seed are the children of the Kingdome which being sown by the son of man must needs be meant faithful land sincere-hearted professors of the truth of the gospell But the tares saith he are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that soweth them is the deVill which being the children of the wicked one and sown by the devill after the children of the Kingdome must needs be meant such as crept in unawars and were sent in as Paul speaketh See Gal. 2. 4. to spie out the Saints liberties that they might bring them into bondage and so were formall Professors of Christ at the first but afterwards discovered to be Hereticks Schismaticks Apostats Blasphemers such as was Hymiâ—â—us Phyle us Alexander Demas and such false teachers as Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 2. 12. That should bring in damnable heresies eVen denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction whose pernicious wayes many should follow by reason of whom the way of truth should be evill spoken of but to go on the harVest saith Christ is the end of the world and the reapers are no other than the angels Now the question for our instruction in righteousness being made by the servants unto their Lord when the tares were discovered whether it was his will that they should go and gather them up and take them out of the field his first answer V. 29. is nay and the reason he renders is this lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them And the next answer V. 30. is an express word of command that they should let both grow together in the field which is the world and untill the time of the harvest which is the end therof and then his purpose is to speak to the reapers which are not men but Angels to gather them up and bind them in bundles to burn them I shall produce but one instanee more to shew that our Lord Jesus forbids such a practice as this among his Disciples or servants 2. Tim. 2. 24 25 26. The serVant of the L Lord saith Paul in the word of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach not to strike patient in meekness instructing those that
mind of the Lord to root up the wheat also 4. To countenance and incourage as through Gods mercifull hand on your hearts in some measure you do such as are faithful and upright in the land by this means shall a wide and effectual door be opened and so shall the word of the Lord which is the Gospel of Christ go forth run and be glorifyed through all those parts of the world that acknowledge your power and that which is of God shall stand encrease and be propagated and that which is not of God shall fall decay and come to nothing Thus shall you also accomplish the words of the Prophets of old in becoming nursing fathers unto the servants and children of God who under you shall lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty and shall be greatly obliâ—ged to improve their interest in the father of mercies by their presenting to him constant and earnest petitions supplications intercessions and giving of thanks on your behalf And for the furtherance of those worthy thoughts of your hearts they shall not cease to preach and declare to great and small what they have seen and felt and heard touching the Gospel of Christ and to pray the lord of the harvest to send forth faithful and painful labourers into his harvest which is also the constant hearty and earnest request of Your humble and faithful Subject JOHN CLARK To the Honored Magistracy the Presbytery and their dependency in the Mathatusets Colony in New-England The Author wisheth repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ HOnored Friends for so without scruple or dissimulation can I call you some of you I honor for your parts others for your places sake and both for many good things I see in you and for evils reformed by you I call you friends for my love to you in truth is unfained neither are there I bless the Lord notwithstanding the discourteous usage which I and my friends received from you any evill thoughts in my heart towards you because I judge you were put upon what you did by a zeal I would not think unto private or caanall interests but towards God thinking thereby to do him service although I confidently believe and therefore boldly do affirm that his soul abhors it And that I may deal plainly with you as a friend I will tell you what in my heart I think and judge that such a zeal of God is not according to true knowledge or knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ which would soon take you off and free you from that soul murdering and blood thirsty lie I hope you will not be offended to see this Narrative brought forth into the publick view it being upon the point forst from me by your friends agent here seeing also the matter which is contained therein is of no less than of publick concernment was not done in a corner is the fruit of your zeal and that wherin I suppose you glory and count your selves herein a worthy pattern for all that sear the Lord to follow you and withall their might to be conformed to which if a truth I then save you a labour and further your design yea I publish your praise and glory but my own disgrace and shame but if a mistake and falsehood I shall then hereby give occasion unto your faithful friends whose words may be of more prevailing power and force than mine through prejudice for present are like to be to tell you friendly and yet plainly that you do but glory in your shame so that the time may come if so be the will of God that you may smite upon your thigh and say within your selves what fruit had we then of those things whereof we are now ashamed neither let it be offensive to your spirits to see my testimony for which thing sake among you we were shamefully entreated being also strangers to you and belonging to another jurisdiction where and by whose means divers of you and yours and such as have been of chiefest note and most highly esteemed by you have enjoyed curtesies with far greater liberties in point of conscience no man gainsaying let it not offend I say to see this testimony when none of you upon the oft repeated motion would come forth to oppose it then to be made yet more publick by the word of God and testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord to be brought forth into the open view of all confirmed and justifyed neither take it ill that fith I could not with freedom and upon equal terms speak with you and discuss these points for which we have been sentenced that then I have made bold to write unto you some few lines that thereby I might remind you least you let it slip that we were brought before you as by a hand from beneath so not without a speciall and good hand from above and that to be a testimony against you in these two weighty particulars first to bear testimony against your standing with respect to the worship of God appointed by Christ which in plain terms for it is not now a time to dissemble seeing the Lord is at hand is false and evil not the order of the Gospel of Christ as you pretend and therefore disorder confusion and that which in Scripture language is called Babel And secondly to bear testimony or witness against that way by which you maintain it which being chiefly as it appears by carnal weapons which cannot reach to the heart or spirit of a man which is the principal part and upon the point the whole in the worship of God without which there is no acceptance with him this I say must needs also be fals but yet far worse it being no way appointed or approved of Christ nor yet groundedly expected or practised by Christians who first trusted in Christ and therefore upon due examination will prove most unchristian yea Antichristian I shall use but these two arguments in this place to convince you The first wherof standeth thus That order and way to maintain it which neither hath precept from Christ and his Apostles in his last will and testament nor yet president or example among those that first trusted in Christ that order cannot be the order of the Gospel of Christ nor that way his way to maintain it But the order which you call the order of the Gospel of Christ and the way which you say is his way to maintain it hath neither precept nor president in his last will and testament The first proposition I suppose none of you can deny unless you can find a later than that which is called his last will and testament and as for the second the truth thereof will as easily appear if you bring your order and way to maintain it to the precept of Christ and practise of those that first trusted in him and first for your order what precept from Christ or
soul it may so shine forth before the sons of men that they seeing thy good works may have cause administred to glorify our father which is in heaven It is not words now Christian although they were spoken with tongues of men and Angels when that worthy name is every where well spoken of but faith that works by love and love by works that will distinguish a heady from a hearty Christian Say not in thine heart that Christs Comands are low and his appointments carnall legal injunctions and at the best but neat for babes least hereby thine heart be declared to be vainly puft â—p in thy carnall or fleshly mind and to have too low and carnall conceits of Christ himself who is the injoyner appointer and commander thereof and shall ere long appear as Judge yea least hereby thou be declared ignorant or at the best forgetful of this one thing that it is the great design of God in Christ as to glorifie himself to admiration in poor sinful flesh so whilest he doth it to hide pride from man and therefore as he hath chosen not many wise mighty nor noble of this world but the foolish weak base despised nothings thereof so hath he suited his commands and appointments thereunto and intends through these foolish things so to cause his wisdome to shine forth as thereby to confound the wise through these weak things so to cause his power to appear as thereby to confound the things that are mighty and through these base dispised things that are not to bring to nought those noble glorious and excellent things of the world that are Thou mayst herein see gentle Reader that I have rather chosen to bear witness to the faith and order of our Lord and to shew unto the world but especially unto thee what is the mind of Christ in this time of his absence as to faith and obedience to shew I say rather what is truth which is but one than to bear witness against the ly which is so various knowing that the truth once established shall discover the falshood and light breaking forth shall scatter the darkness And whilest I lead thee forth to seek him whom thy soul loveth and longeth after who is also thy joy and thy Crown while I lead thee I say by the footsteps of those flocks that first trusted in Christ and were fed by such pastors according to his own heart as he gave them God forbid that thou shouldst be as one that wilt turn aside by the flocks of his companions and shouldst be found remaining either on the left side in a visible way of worship in deed but such as was neither appointed by Christ nor yet practised by them who first trusted in him or on the right in no visible way of worship or order at all either pretending that the outward court is given to the Gentiles and the holy City is by them to be troden under foot that the Church of Christ is now in the wilderness and the time of its recovery is not yet or else pretending that God is a spirit and so will in spirit be worshipped and not in this place or that in this way or that Well if thou beest in these waies misled I can no longer forbear in tenderness of spirit and compassionate bowels of love to stretch forth a helping hand thereby to try whether it be the good pleasure of God at this time to drop down a word of light and life and power into thine heart that thou mayest be there by awakned and quickned to be still saying within thy soul Lord what wilt thou have me to do so shalt thou hear such a saying as this Come out from among them Oh my people and be ye separate from them and touch no unsanctifyed thing and I will receive you and be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty and also such a saying as this Blessed are they that do his commands for they have right to the tree of life and shall enter in through those gates of pearl into that glorious City Rev. 22. 14. and know that these are the commandments of Jesus sci As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him and behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast yea hold fast till I come And such as may be under the later disceptions let me intreat thee to ponder these words in thine heart sci That prophecies although marvelous plain and easy to be understood cannot warrant a pure conscience to neglect much less to cast off the commandments and oppointments of Jesus neither can the spirit of Christ direct or incourage the heart of a Christian to cast off his lordship no no the spirit of Christ is hereby distinguished from that of Antichrist in that he shall unfainedly confess that Jesus is the Christ and that this Christ Jesus is come in the flesh and when he is come according to promise into the heart of a Christian he shall not speak of himself but as a messenger his office is to gloryfie Christ by taking of him and his and shewing it unto yea writing it in the heart of a Christian so that I dare boldly say there is none for the exaltation of Christ Jesus the lord according to his last will and testament and for the nourishing a lively hope in the heart of a Christian concerning his glorious return I say there is none to that holy spirit of promise who being also the spirit of truth shall guide the souls of the Saints to worship the father as in spirit so likewise in truth and therfore that spirit that speaks of himself and is so far from taking of Christs to exalt and gloryfie him according as he hath foretold and his father intended that he takes from Christ laies him low and diminisheth his glory that spirit cannot be the spirit of Christ or that holy spirit of promise and for asmuch as the spirit speaketh expresly that in these later daies there shall be seducing spirits that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect of God whose incounter will not be so much with flesh and blood but with wicked spirits in high places let me therfore exhort thee in the words of that beloved disciple of Christ beleive not every spirit but try the spirits and that by this rule whether they be of God or no bring them to the wholsome words of the holy Apostles Prophets and son of God ye erre saith Christ not knowing the scriptures and the power of God let it be thy care Christian therfore to search the Scriptures and therein to wait for the power and glory of the spirit of God And look to thy spirit for as immediately before Christs appearing in flesh Satan in a large measure possessed the bodies of men that by his casting them out his power in flesh might appear So before his coming again in glory I have grounds
avoid a greater and further declares that the servant of the lord must nor strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach not to strike patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will according to which precepts of Christ we find the primitive Christians were meek and gentle and yet able by sound doctrine both to exhort convince the gainsayers who called not for carnall weapons to mannage their warfare but declared their weapons were mighty through God and either by the word and a good conversation wonne men to the acknowledgement of the truth as it is in Jesus or else left them wiâ—hout excuse together with the world unto the judgement of the great day of the Lord but now all men may see that your way is not only different from but contrary unto this precept of Christ and president of Christians and therefore cannot be esteemed any better than unchristian yet Antichristian Let not your adversary and mine Dear Countreymen fill your hearts with indignation and thoughts of revenge against him who in a faithful discharge of his conscience both towards God and you have made bold to deal plainly with you least my God to whom vengeance belongs repay it upon you and smite you with blindness of mind and hardness of heart that cannot repent but rather set before your eyes that memorable practice and worthy pattern of those noble Bereans and laying profits honor and prejudice aside if it be possible peruse my testimony and search the scriptures diligently to see whether the things contained therein be so or no if you find them so viz. confirmed and justifyed by the word of God and by the testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord then consider not I but the Lord from heaven calls upon you to break off your sins by repentance and let me hereby give you warning to take heed that you dispise not him that speaketh from heaven As touching the wrong and injury done to us you having thereby much more wronged your own souls in transgressing the very law and light of Nations doing as you would not be done unto it is in my heart to pitty you rather and to petition my Lord in heaven not to lay this sin to your charge than to complain against you or to petition your lords and ours here on earth for justice herein no no we have better learned Christ than so having also given up our hearts to be led by his spirit and to walk in his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed his case to him that judgeth righteously and who knowes but that the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning hath been or may be ere long in your hearts whereby you may be made affectedly sensible that the cause is the same or very little differing from this A poor innocent traveller passeth along the Countrey upon his occasions a man having strength in his arm findeth him frames himself offended with him for no cause he hath given him and because he cannot draw him unto his party either to rob or to kill or to say amen to his practises he therefore binds him and casts him into a pit and declares himself resolute there to keep him till he hath his blood unless he will deliver him his purse the man either hath not a purse about him or a heart to deliver it and being unwilling either to part with his blood or that the other should be so deeply guilty in taking it from him he meekly and earnestly thrice moveth the strong man for a discourse and humbly entreats him that he would not seek by the strength of his arme but by the force of some arguments to convince his understanding and conscience and so to draw him as a man to his party but the strong man delaies him and so puts him off whereupon a good tender hearted Samaritan passing by and perceiving how the case stood and that the strong man would have his purse or his blood without any dispute being moved with compassion to redeem this innocent blood from the handof the strong man he delivers him his own purse and so the man is released Take it not ill that I have used so much plainess of speech for my studie is now to speak plainly and neither flatteringly nor invectively and to use plain dealing with all men although I verifie the Proverb and die a begger for as I told some of your selveâ— and that in publick I abhor dissimulation neither can I account him a wise man who doth not hate dissembling or that doth love to dissemble and therefore saith Solomon rebuke a wise man and he will love thee c. and David the King saith on this wife let the righteous smite me and it shall be a precious balm I know instruction is grievous to him that is out of the way but what saith the wise man he that hateth instruction shall die Consider I pray what hath been spoken and turn not away your eye nor your ear nor your heart from instruction least that which was said by the prophet of old Isa 9. 14 15. 16. be in you verified which to prevent is the humble and earnest request unto the fathers of mercies of Your loving friend and Couutreyman JOHN CLARK To the true Christian Reader THou maist herein Christian Reader see and peruse thy destiny in this present evill world which seems in a great measure to be subjected unto devils through which thou art to pass unto that purchased possession and promised inheritance of the Saints in light which is in that better world which is not subjected unto Angels but unto the Sonne of God himself thou maist herein also observe and take notice of the hand by whom from thy heavenly father thou art to receive that bitter cup which he drunk off when he was here below for thy sake chiefly was this treatise brought forth into the publick view I hope not to discourage thee but to strengthen thine heart that thou mightest not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer either from men or devils for thy testimony that Jesus is the Christ it being that which will shortly appear the only prevailing and victorious truth in all the world for herein shalt thou also see that worthy saying lively accomplished If ye suffer for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of the Lord and of glory resteth upon you thou hast a worthy name called on thee My hearts desire and prayer to God on thy behalf therefore is that thou maist enjoy such a plentifull pouring forth of that holy spirit into thine heart that thereby thou maist be inabled to walk worthy of it and having so bright a beam of the Fathers glory in thy
fact and practice to which I replyed you say the Court condemned me for matter of fact and practice be it so but I say that matter of fact and practice was but the manifestation of my judgment and conscience and I make account that man is void of judgment and conscience with respect unto God that hath not a fact and practice suitable thereunto and for the things contained in my Sentence they are rather collections which the Court was pleased to make and draw from my words than my words themselves nevertheless I do not say they were unduly collected for in truth if the Faith and order which I profess do stand by the word of God then the Faith and order which you profess must needs fall to the ground and if the way you walk in remain then the way that I walk in must vanish away they cannot both stand together to which they seem to assent therefore I told them that if they please to grant the motion under the Secretaries hand I would draw up the Faith and order which I hold as the sum of that I did deliver in open Court into three or four Conclusions which Conclusions I will stand by and defend untill he whom you shall appoint shall by the word of God remove me from them in case he shall remove me from them then the disputation is at an end but if not then I desire like liberty by the word of God to oppose the Faith and order which he and you profess thereby to try whether I may be an instrument in the hand of God to remove you from the same they told me the motion was very fair and the way like unto a disputant and thereupon concluded in my hearing and directed also their speech to me saying because the matter is weighty and we desire that what can may be spoken when the disputation shall be therefore would we take a longer time whereas therefore the time appointed was the next fift day by reason of the commencement which will be the next week and the meeting of the Elders we must defer it now untill the fift day come fortnight and so I told them to be brief I was their prisoner and should at-attend their pleasure so I returned with my keeper to prison again drew up the Conclusions which I was resolved through the strength of Christ to stand in defence of and through the importunity of one of the Magistrates the next morning very early I shewed them to him having a promise I should have my motion for a dispute granted under the Secretaries hand The Conclusions were as followeth The Testimony of Iohn Clarke a prisoner of Iesus Christ at Boston in the behalf of my Lord and of his people is as followeth 1 I Testifie that Iesus of Nazareth whom God hath raised from the dead is made both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say is the Christ in English the Anointed One hath a name above every name He is the Anointed Priest none to or with him in point of attonement The Anointed Prophet none to him in point of instruction The Anointed King who is gone unto his Father for his glorious Kingdom and shall ere long return again and that this Iesus Christ is also The Lord none to or with him by way of Commanding and ordering with respect to the worship of God the household of Faith which being purchased with his Blood as Priest instructed and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet do wait in his appointment as he is the Lord in hope of that glorious Kingdom which shall ere long appear 2 I Testifie that Baptism or dipping in Water is one of the Commandements of this Lord Iesus Christ and that a visible beleever or Disciple of Christ Iesus that is one that manifesteth repentance towards God and Faith in Iesus Christ is the only person that is to be Baptized or dipped with that visible Baptism or dipping of Iesus Christ in Water and also that visible person that is to walk in that visible order of his House and so to wait for his coming the second time in the form of a Lord and King with his glorious Kingdom according to promise and for his sending down in the time of his absence the holy Ghost or holy Spirit of Promise and all this according the last Will and Testament of that living Lord whose Will is not to be added to or taken from 3 I Testifie or Witness that every such believer in Christ Iesus that waiteth for his appearing may in point of liberty yea ought in point of duâ—y to improve that Talent his Lord hath given unto him and in the Congregation may either aske for information to himself or if he can may speak by way of Prophecie for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole and out of the Congregation at all times upon all occasions and in all places as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends may yea ought to walk as a Child of light justifying wisdom with his ways and reproving folly with the unfruitfull works thereof provided all this be shown out of a good conversation as Iames speaks with meekness of wisdom 4 I Testifie that no such believer or Servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty much less Authority from his Lord to smite his fellow servant nor yet with outward force or arme of flesh to constrain or restrain his Conscience no nor yet his outward man for Conscience sake or worship of his God where injury is not offered to the person name or estate of others every man being such as shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ and must give an account of himself to God and therefore ought to be fully perswaded in his own mind for what he undertakes because he that doubteth is damned if he eat and so also if he act because he doth not eat or act in Faith and what is not of Faith is Sin These Conclusions being seen at least by one of the Magistrates notwithstanding the Message to the prison answer to my self in the Chamber promise by him that came for the Conclusions common report abroad that a disputation was granted the Court broke up and did nothing and the next second day following a Messenger was sent to the prison from the Magistrate with a release to the keeper which having received he speedily put me forth The words of the release follow To the Keeper of the prison BY Virtue hereof you are to release and set at liberty the Body of Mr. Iohn Clarke and this shall be your discharge for so doing Given under my hand the 11th of the 6th Month 1651. WILLIAM HIBBINS To be brief c. Vnderstanding that some friends had laid down the Money although contrary to my Counsell when formerly at severall times and by severall persons I was moved thereunto and perceiving now that the Countries expectation which was not a little raised touching a disputation was utterly frustrate and being
golden Altar that is before the Throne and must be mingled and perfumed with much sweet incense out of the golden censer that is in the Angell of the Covenants hand and the smoke of the incense must ascend with their prayers before God out of the Angels hand Rev. 8. 3 4 so that in this point they are nothing yea lesse and worse than nothing but Christ is the very power of God in this point the substance of all those shadowes and what he did in reference to the work of attonement and reconciliation he doth it substantially and effectually both on Gods part and mans for he hath both natures in himself and by reason thereof is an apt Mediator fit to interpose between both to make reconciliation for he is declared to be the Son of God wholly without sin consecrated with an oath of God to be a Priest for that purpose for ever Heb. 7. 21. comp with 27. 28. who by the eternall spirit of God offered up himself without fault to God his Father the just for the unjust so that by one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified so that there is no more need of offering for sin see Heb. 9. 4. comp with 10. 14. 18. and is now entred not into the Holy places made with hands but into Heaven to appear in the sight of God for those that beleeve through him and not with the blood of others but with his own blood whereby their consciences are purged from dead works to serve the true and the living God see Heb 9. 26. 14. yea and there remaineth and is set down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the highest being the memediator of that better covenant even that which is established upon the best and absolute free promises which are to pardon their enmity and iniquity and to remember their sin no more to write his Lawes in their hearts and to be to them a God and to undertake that they shall be to him a people so that as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them so in the ministry of reconciliation Christ is by his Spirit in man shedding abroad the love of God in his heart and thereby slaying his enmity by which means he is reconciled to God so that whom he blesseth being the High Priest and Captain of our salvation shall be blessed indeed see Acts 3. 26. By all which it doth appear to be a truth that there is none to him in point of attonement to make reconciliation between God and Man And now that there is none with him in that great work neither person nor service is also as evident God the Father hath designed him alone in that businesse that no Flesh might glory in his presence see Acts 4. 11. 12. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Colloss 1. 20. 1 Cor. 1. 29. And Paul tels the Galatians who were about to joyn circumcision and so works with Christ in this point of acceptance with God that then Christ should not profit them and that they were faln from grace see Gal. 5. 23. He is the Anointed Prophet none to him in point of Instruction That he is the Anointed Prophet or a Prophet Anointed with the Spirit of Prophecie above his fellow Prophets and a Teacher immediately sent from God from Heaven see Io. 9. 17. Luke 24. 19. Heb. 1. 9. Ioh. 3. 2. 13. 6. 38. 16. 28. And that there is no Prophet to him will evidently appear for all the other Prophets of God were such as did bear witness to him or were types of him yea Moses and Elias those two great Prophets lay themselves low that he may be exalted wherefore Deut. 18. 15. I saith the Lord by the hand of Moses will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him and it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him And Ioh. 3. 30 31. He must increase saith Iohn the Baptist who came in the spirit of Elias and was saith Christ more than a Prophet so that among those that were borne of Women before him there was not a greater and I must decrease he that cometh from above saith he is above all he that is of the Earth is Earthly and speaketh of the Earth he that cometh from Heaven is above all and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man receiveth his Testimony he that hath received his Testimony hath set to his seal that God is true for he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him and as these great Prophets thus witness to Christ so the voice that is heard from Heaven by Iames Cephas and Iohn do confirm their testimony that there is no Prophet to him for when upon the Mount Moses and Elias appeared talking with Christ and Peter would have three Tents or Tabernacles one for Christ one for Moses and another for Elias that so no doubt at some times and in some cases he might be hearkning to them immediataly upon the motion and as an evident manifestation of a dislike thereof they both vanished and a cloud overshadow'd them all and Christ being the Prophet only remaining there comes a voice out of the cloud which said This is my wel-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 5 6 7. And now that there is none to him in point of instruction will also appear with respect both to the matter and efficacy 1 For the matter of instruction he that cometh from above being also in the bosome of the Father must needs be above all in his matter of instruction for what he hath heard and seen in the Fathers bosome that he Testifies and speaketh the very words of God yea declareth and maketh known God himself being the bright breaking-forth of the Fathers glory which was that which Moses that great Prophet did so much desire to behold and could not obtain it and hence it is that it is said his hearers were astonished at his Doctrine concluded no man ever spake like this man and the best of them knew not whether to go to better themselves forasmuch as he had the words of eternall life yea and that holy Spirit of promise which the Saints were and still are to receive was but to glorifie him to take of him and his words and to shew unto them the treasures of light and life and refreshment that is contained therein see for the proof of all this 1 Io. 17. 18. Io. 3. 31 32 34. Heb. 1. 3. Exo. 33. 18 27. Mat. 7. 28. Io. 7. 46. Io. 6. 68. Io. 14. 26. 16. 12 13 14. And as for excellency of matter so for efficacy
and powerfull instructing there is none to him in point of instruction for he it is in whose hand is the Key of David and he openeth the heart to understand the scriptures and to shew a lively experiment of his powerfull instructing when he was here upon Earth he past by the wise and learned Rabbies and called the illiterate and foolish Fishermen and to this day doth choose not many wise nor many learned but the poor foolish and despised ones that as a teacher he may shew his abilities thereby giving understanding to the simple speaking words of light and life and spirit to them and by them to confound the wise and learned and mighty yea he indeed is the light of the Gentiles which sate and still in a great measure sit in darkness and is that true light that enlightneth every one that cometh into the World see 24 Luke 45. 1 Corinthians 1. 26 27. Iohn 6. 63. Acts 13. 47. Iohn 1. 9. And as he was the Prophet opening his Fathers Bosome and shewing the things that were past and present so the things also that were to come he tells them how many things he must suffer of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes and be killed and raised again the third day and therein foresheweth his Office of Priesthood he also foretells how after he is risen as a Lord he will set his House in order and so depart to his Father to receive his Kingdom and to return and what shall befall his Servants in the time of his absence by the reign and rage of the Beast and Spirit of Antichrist and what will be each ones portion at his return as appears in the book of the Revelation which is surrounded with blessings to him that readeth Chapter 1. 3. and curses to him that addeth to it or taketh from it Chapr last 18. 19. Wherefore seeing there is no Prophet or Teacher to Christ and his Spirit in point of instruction both for excellency of matter and efficacy in teaching it well suites with Christians to be still cleaving close to this Prophet and concluding with the Disciple that first trusted in him Whither shall we go thou hast the Words of Eternall life But to proceed he is The Anointed King who is gone unto his Father for his glorious Kingdom and shall ere long return again That Jesus of Nazareth is the Anointed King could not be hid in the day of his humiliation as appears Luke 23. 2 3. Chapter 19. 38. The Majesty of a King did to appear in that lowly and meek form while he rode upon an Asse that if the multitude of the Disciples had not confest him but had held their pâ—ace the stones would cry out yea and then his word had a powerfull efficacy like the word of a King among Men and Devils the winds and Seas so that he speaks but the word and the blind see the lame walk the deaf hear the dumb speak the dead are raised the Devills are cast out the poor receive the Gospell when he is at the weakest then is Pilate fore'd to confess that he is King of the Iews and to propagate this confession as far as Latin Greek and Hebrew will cary it this appears more evident since he was raised and sits as Lord at the right hand of the Father at least in the hearts and lives of his Servants by powring forth that Spirit or oyntment received Acts 2. 33 34 35 36. So that the Kings of Israel were but his types and the Kings of the Nations are but his Sword-bearers for he is King of Kings but most lively shall this truth be made manifest when all enemies shall become his footstool and he shall appear indeed in the form of a King with thousands of his Saints and ten thousand times ten thousand of the heavenly Hosts and shall in the powerfull word of a King command the Earth and the Sea to give up their Dead and both wicked men and Devills to go together into torment and they shall be tormented and the Saints to enter into the joy of their Lord and it shall be unspeakably glorious 25 Mat. 31. 32. Luke 9. 26. John 5. 28 29. And that he is gone unto his Father to receive his Kingdom and shall ere long return again will be made manifest by these scriptures Io. 20. 17. Lu. 19. 12 13. Heb. 9. last 2 Tim. 4. 1. Rev. last so that as certainly as he hath had a time for his Propheticall Office and for his Priestly so shall he have a time for his Kingly and as the dream of Nebuchadnezzer hath been found certain and the interpretation of Daniel sure concerning those four Monarchies or Kingdoms of men which should come to pass in the Earth so certain and sure it is that the day is aproaching that the God of Heaven will set up his Kingdom by that despised yet Corner-stone that was cut out without hands Dan. 2. 44. 45. That this Iesus Christ is also the Lord none to or with him c. That he is the Lord appears 2 Cor. 4. 5. We preach Christ Iesus the Lord saith Paul and Acts 10. 36. saith Peter he is Lord of all and hence it is that he is called Lord of Lords Rev. And that there is none to him by way of commanding and ordering with respect to the worship of God the household of Faith will evidently appear if the nature of the household of Faith the worship of God and the commanding and ordering power that suits therewith be considered with respect unto him For the nature of the household of Faith they are a company of faithfull ones that are bought with the price of his blood knit together in one by his Spirit founded wholly upon himself built up by him to be a holy habitation of God and therefore not in the least measure to be defiled with the inventions and commandements of men from whence it is that they are still with their ey fixt upon him whom they look upon to be as well the finisher as the author of their faith still in their hearts calling on him that hath bought them and saying Lord what wilt thou have me to doe and still standing upon their watch to harken what this Lord will speak for the voice of a stranger they will not hear so that by this it evidently appears that there is none that hath so much right unto this household of Faith by way of ordering it not yet freedom in it by way of commanding as hath Christ Iesus the Lord And from the nature of the worship which is spirituall to be performed by a spirituall worshipper and after or in that true manner that the Father of spirits hath appointed it will as evidently appear that there is none to him by way of commanding and ordering in this matter who is the only begotten of the Father came out of and yet is in his bosome and hath declared him the true way of his worship and