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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	heart_n	spirit_n	word_n	8,255	5	4.2520	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78218	[Baʻal-samz] or, Soveraigne balsome, gently applied in a few weighty considerations (by way of quærie) for healing the distempers of such professors of religion as Satan hath wounded and drawn aside (under the notion of living in God) to the utter renouncing and casting off the use of divine ordinances, and Gospel-institutions of worship. With an apendix by way of postscript to such professors, wherein the most principall grounds upon which they build their practise, are fully answered and removed. And a catalogue of the errors that many of them hold since they left the ordinances, discovered. As also a true relation of Gods extraordinary working upon one of this way very lately in Plimouth, to the sight of his error, for the good of others published. / By Will. Bartlet, an unworthy minister of the Gospel, and lecturer at Bytheford in Devonshire.	Bartlet, William, 1609 or 10-1682.; M. P.	1649 (1649)	Wing B987; Thomason E549_19; ESTC R209139	79,502	81

souls then now it is whether the Saints were not more amiable in your eyes then now they are comunion w th them in prayer c. a little corner of heaven in your apprehension the society of the wicked more loathsome whether you were not more tender in your consciences concerning the commission of sin and more afraid of dishonoring God then now you be whether you were not more carried out and enlarged in doing of good more spirituall in your walking talking affecting acting then now you are more humble in your own eyes and watchfull over your owne hearts making conscience of all your thoughts words and wayes whereas now you thinke there is no necessity of such strictnesse though the holy Ghost tells us that as he that hath called us is holy so ought we to be holy and that in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Now I beseech you deare soules consider can that possibly be the way of truth the way to glory that renders you worse then you have been more unholy unspirituall uncircumspect unprofitable to Christ then you were wont to be I beseech you deale plainly and impartially with your own soules Don't you begin to find a change in your selves in respect of the former particulars you can now dispense with the duties of your relations both towards God and man which formerly you could not in the least doe Now I pray consider can these things stand with a persons living in God Can living in God and living in sin stand together Can the Ark and D●agon stand together O that ever Satan should thus beguile any of your pretious soules In my weake apprehension the higher a person lives in God the more holy he is the more like to God the more crucified to sin and the world the lesse desirous of liberty to the flesh the more studious of doing those things that are pleasing acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ And whereas many talk of their liberty which they have above others when they have cast off all duties and ordinances to live in God I would fain know whether that liberty be not a lawlesse liberty and whether the excellency of a Christian can possibly lie in it or wheter living in God can stand with such a liberty If to live in God be to take liberty to thinke and speak and doe as we our selves list and to be without all check and controll in our way both of God and Man then wee may cast away the Scriptures in deed and all religion and every one walk after the imagination of his own heart But deare soules be no longer led away with such deceivings and deceivers that promise you liberty but in the mean time are servants to corruption themselves and are overcome and brought into bondage and seek to doe the same by you O hearken no longer to their Syren-like Songs but bow your eares to the voyce of Jesus Christ crying to you Return return repent repent and doe your first workes for I am married to you I am loath the death of sinners why will you wilfully cast away your pretious soules Though you have dealt unkindly with me and forgotten those sweet embracings you formerly enjoyed from me when you made conscience of the duties of my service and worship yet return return for I am a God that delighteth to shew mercy and whom mercy pleaseth though you have in some measure denied my Name and been ashamed to own it before the Heathen yet repent and doe your first works and I will take you and bring you to my holy mountain and you shall goe no more out and I will write upon you the Name of my God and the name of the citie of my God which is new Jerusalem which commeth down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon you my new Name Now the same blessed God and our Saviour that spake these words set home these things upon your hearts and make them effectuall for that end for which they were written Amen FINIS A Catalogue of those never enough to be abhorred opinions that some of those more especially that cast off and renounce the use of Gospel-ordinances doe professedly hold and maintain FIrst There 's no God nor Devill Heaven nor Hell but what is within us 2 There is no truth nor power in the Word but as it is made out so to my Spirit i. the Spirit speakes it so within me 3 The sayings and wrtings of the Prophets and Apostles in the Scriptures and of other Saints are of equal value and truth because by the same Spirit 4 There are many silly vain grosse and contrary things in the Scriptures poore men they speake according to the present temper of their Spirits 5 There may be and some are above the profiting power of the ministery of the Word and use of the Scriptures 6 There is no sin in the Saints they are under no law but that of the Spirit which is freedome 7 There is no sinne against GOD For wee cannot reach him 8 That Gods dealings with all good and bad are in love for God is love 9 There is no state after this life but at that which is called Death all good and bad are swallowed up of God 10 That sinne and grace are equally of God and agreeth to his will 11 That all persons and things act and are acted as God will have them 12 That whatsoever men can that they doe and in all according to Gods will 13 That there is no resurrection of the body nor reward or punishment after this life 14 That there may be as much of God seen and enjoyed in any servile labour as in the Ministery of the Word Prayer c. and that they have more 15 As for that men call worship of God conscience c. they know not what it meanes 16 That solemne Religious duties in publick or private are but formes bodily exercises meerly Legall 17 That men may as well work or play on the Lords day as on any other And as for them to whom God is departed out of Ordinances and abundantly answers another way it is better 18 That the soule is the breath of God 19 That it is the Saints priviledge to be one Spirit and therefore see no reason why there may not bee a community in all things 20 That none can be certain whether he be in the truth or error but themselves because depending upon the teaching of the Spirit yet they themselvs soe 's not knowing what they shall hold for the future 21 That they cannot joyn in prayer with others because of confession of wants sinnes drawing neere to GOD and Petitions for the Lords presence giving out of help c. with which they cannot close because denying the first and enjoying the latter 22 That as for wantonnesse licentiousnesse Libertinisme and turning grace into wantonnesse taking occasions from mercy to sin c. they know not what you mean they are not incident to Saints 23 That they will and think they ought to follow their light though they are to lose heaven and gain hell presently for it if there be such things 24 That such as are one in the Spirit of love it is a great wrong for any to hinder their union and communion in any thing 25 That what men call Bastardy is onely upon the account of the men of the world who marry and are called Bastards Heb. 12. not with God with whom Saints are as Angels in community Luke 20.34 35 36. 26 That they have already for Spirituals what they expect and lack nothing and act Faith onely for Corporall subsistence 27 That what the Saints because of others basenesse and wickednesse doe now in secret they shall doe openly Matth. 20.26 27. 28 That there is nothing fleshly or carnall in the Saints persons or actings but all spirituall and holy 29 That there is no Trinity of Persons in the Godhead 30 That there is no distinction between God ana Christ 31 That all are born without sin and Saints live without sin 32 That a Saint may out-live all his religion all ties upon his conscience and yet remain a Saint A true Copy of a Letter from Plimouth February the 12. Relating the manner of Gods working upon one that had cast off the use of Duties and Ordinances sent by an approved and known godly man that was an Eye-witnesse I Have onely one thing to tell you and 't is a remarkable passage of Divine Providence There is one Nicholas Earle a Shoomaker sometimes of Totn●s and now a Souldier in the Fort who having within this moneth given way to the studying of estranging himselfe from God conceiving that there was no need of Ministers but that they must down Sacraments but Ceremonies Sabbaths not to be kept and thereupon was resolved to open his windowes the last Sabbath and to that end disputed and argued with some about it the Saturday and then charged his wife not to teach his children prayers or Duties or Commandements and my man George being present saw him in his hot contestation fall to the ground roaring and crying and taking deep detestation against those that bare the Image of God commending himselfe onely a Saint and others out of the way He was against singing insomuch that when the Souldiers in their daily duties in the Fort sang he spake to them and said they did lye like Devils The man that Saturday night was under deep temptations strange apparitions the Devill seeming to appeare to him with strange roaring The Sabbath day he sent for me and when I came at first sight I was welcome but suddenly I was loathsome and he spat in defiance of me I saw him in that temper and fit I left him But the munday about Noone the man came to himselfe hath a strange conviction of his error whereas before he left giving of thankes before and after the receiving of the creatures now he is troubled at the thoughts of it acknowledging his error I have had conference with him and he cannot be thankfull enough that God hath so soone returned him He desires the Ministers to blesse God for his return and pray that he may be stedfast This I write as certaine and that you may acquaint others to take heed how professedly they keep out of Gods way he wisheth all his friends to take warning by it M. P.

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may read the nature of many things in their offects All the Ordinances of worship bear this Inscription Holinesse to the LORD and are appointed to work holinesse in man Caryls duty and endeavour of the Saints p. 28. 1 Pet. 2.5 Col. 3.16 c. And whether there may not bee abundance of sweet delight and soule-satisfying comfort and content found if holy and spirituall hearts meet with them and are acted on Christ in the use of them 9. Whether those Divine and Spirituall Offices Officers and Ordinances instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ are not his u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rota Chariots using to run on wheeles Chariot in which he rides gloriously in his Church and Kingdome and by which through his Spirit he not onely subdues his enemies and conquers the hearts of Sinners to himselfe that his father hath given to him from all eternity but more and more workes over the hearts of the Saints themselves to a further degree of subjection to his Scepter Cant. w Ainsworth by this Chariot understands more especially the Church and Ministers of the Gospel holding forth the word of Truth and Christ in the midst of them sitting teaching governing and triumphing So Merc. in loc 3.9 10. Psal 45.4 Rev. 6.2 And I saw and behold a x By white Horse Paraens on the place understands the Church puritate doctrinae disciplinae nitidam and by him that sate on it Christ who is carried or born as it were in the Ordinances with great triumph according to Acts 9.15 white horse and hee that sate on him had a Bow and a Crown was given to him and hee went forth conquering and to conquer 10. Whether there be not many singular choyce y 1. Promises of salvation to worship in generall Rom. 10.12 13. 2. Promises in particular and so 1. to the duty of prayer 1. Of Preparation and assistance Psa 10.17 Rom. 8.26 2. Of Acceptation Esa 60.7 Ezek. 43 17. 1 Pet. 2.5 3. Of consolation Esa 56.7 4. Of answering and recompensing Psal 86.5 145.18 Ephes 6.8 Matth. 6.6 Jam. 5.15 16. Joh. 14.13 15.16 16.23 2. To preaching and hearing of theword and administring the Seales Matth. 28.20 Prov. 8.34 35. Esa 55.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 10.16 Esa 25.6 Psal 36.8 Cant. 2.3 4. 5. 1. Esa 12.3 3. To conference Mal. 3.16 17. 4 To sanctifying the Sabbath or Lords day Esa 58.13 14. Esa 56.2.5 6 7. Jer. 17.24 25. 5. To praising of God Psal 50 23. Psal 7.5 6. 6. To the Assemblies and Church-meetings of the Saints to worship God 1. Of Christs presence with it Mat. 18.20 2. Protection over it Mat. 16.18 Psal 84.11 Esa 33.20 21. Esa 4.5 3 Blessings of all sorts upon it Temporall spirituall eternall Psa 84.11 1 2.15.128.56.92.13 14. and 94.14.65.4 Promises made by Christ to beleevers whiles they abide and continue in the right pure use of those Ordinances and duties of Worship and many sad and direfull threatnings and comminations to those that neglect leave and forsake the use and practise of them Psalm 97.7 Ier. 10.25 Heb. 10.38 39. Luke 10 11 12. Heb. 12.25 11. Whether to cast off the use of Gospel-ordinances to pretend onely to live in God be not to make Christ and his Spirit to act contrary to their own Sacred Lawes Institutions and Injunctions of Worship given to beleevers in the Scriptures to follow and when or where it was or is to be found in all the Scriptures that Jesus Christ hath or doth so lead the Saints out of or take them * Vid. Quaest 39. off from the duties of his worship and bid them to cease calling upon the Name of the Lord seeing the Scriptures hold forth the contrary 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing 12. Whether a beleevers living in God or in the Spirit and bosome of the Father and using of Gospel-ordinances may not very well stand z The nearer we are to God the more in love we shall be with spirituall exercises and with all meanes to draw nigh to him as Bookes Sermons good company c. Dr Sibbs in his Saints Happinesse p. 65. together And whether the right use of those a Therefore the Lord converghes himselfe to the poore soule by an ordinance which is such a thing as consists of a spiritual and yet an external and sensible nature An Ordinance is the subject by which God communicateth himselfe and his goodnesse with a power of his Spirit to carry them to the soule as by preaching of the word to the care through the sound of a mortall voyce by prayer consisting outwardly of sentences and order by the Sacrament also standing of outward weak Elements The Lord carries to the soule by these most inward and spirituall things Rog. Treat de Sacram. p. 247. Ordinances which Christ hath commanded will not very much further and advance a persons living in the God of those Ordinances considering that through the presence of Christ with them and the blessing of Christ upon them the heart of a beleever is made the more spirituall and heavenly 13. Whether the Scriptures doe not joyn the greatest enjoyments of God with the greatest performance of duty towards God and the greatest faith with the greatest obedience and the greatest sense of love with the greatest care of service as Psal 119.32 2 Cor. 5.15 1 Thess 5.16 17 18 19 20. Luke 12.48 b The Apostles meaning is that we not onely try approve and practise those things which possibly may be pleasing to God in some low degree such things as set us a step beyond his displeasure but we must search and doe those things which give him highest content and carry us furthest into his favour Things which come up to the exactest Rule and beare truest proportion to the standards of Truth and Holinesse Car. present duty and endeavours of the Saints p. 9. Eph. 5.10 Luke 7.47 14. Whether to live in God and neglect the use of Ordinances be not a dividing between the end and the meanes Christ having sanctified Ordinances as pretious c Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Prayer and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Hence it is that they are called the Banners Ensignes Standards of Christ and the Ministers the hearers thereof For as Souldiers flock to the Standard and Ensigne so doe the Doves of Christ to these windowes c. Rog. pract Chat. p. ●01 helps and furtherances to the Saints in their fellowship with God and one another 1 Ioh. 1.3 4. Acts 20.32 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Pet. 2.2 And whether to divide between the end and the meanes which God hath decreed and Christ instituted bee not to make in this respect the will and minde of God and Jesus Christ voyd and of none effect 15. Whether those that are true beleevers should in the least refuse to own and to act

prophane Esau Id. ibid. despise prophesying cease praying and to forsake the Assemblies of the Saints that meet together to worship the King the Lord of Hosts 1 Thess 5 17 18 19 20. 37. Whether the Father hath not commanded us to honour the Sonne as we are to honour himselfe as in Iohn 5.22 23. And whether a person may be said truly to honour the Father that r Quia ut una est essentia sapientia potentia voluntas utriusque ita etiam honor idem est utriusque adeo ut qui alterum non honorat aut ignominia ●fficit is alterum non bonoret aut ignomiuia afficiat cum propter identitatem essentiae omnia ipsis sint communia adeo ut qui video filium videat patrem Ioh. 14.9 qui confitetur aut negat filium consiteatur aut neget non habe at patrem 1 Ioh. 2.23 Tarnov in loc neglects the honour of Christ the Sonne And whether the casting off those duties and ordinances of Worship Christ hath instituted and ordained yea commanded to be made use of as King of his Church be not rather a dishonouring then an honouring of him 38. Whether there be any such way for Beleevers ordinarily to promote the honour and glory of Jesus Christ and proclaime and beare out his Name before the world then this their holy and conscientious observing the duties of his Worship at all times and on all occasions especially in times of persecution And whether Jesus Christ hath not taken it well at the hands of his Churches when they have done so as Rev. 2.9 10 13. 39. Whether the Saints in the most purest Gospel times that are yet to come when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shal be brought in and the Iewes called shall not then make use of Ordinances and duties of Worship ſ In most or all these places of Scripture is mention made of visible worship officers and ordinances and they are understood by the most godliest Interpreters of the purity of those Gospel dayes and times which shall succeed the overthrow of Antichrist and the calling of the Iewes as could easily be shewed and doubtlesse some of those Texts if not all of them are yet to be fulfilled So that the purest Gospel times shall not null or make void the use of Divine Ordinances Ezek. 37.21 to the end of the chap. Jer. 3.15 16 17. Esay 2.2 3 Esa 66 18. to the end of the Chap. Mich. 41 2. Zeph. 3.9 10. to the end Zech. 8.11 22. Mal. 3.4 with many more And whether the overthrow of Antichrist and discovery and removing of all false Worship at this day in the world shall not be in order to the introducing and erecting or setting up the true worship of Christ in this Kingdome among the Saints 40. Whether at this present juncture of time when God is appearing in his glory and setting up his King the Lord Jesus Christ upon his holy Hill of Syon as he hath promised and purposed of old to doe Psal 2.6 there be any thing more obstructive if not destructive to the carrying on of this blessed work according as men may judge to outward appearance then for those that presend to so much of God in them openly to contest against the use of Divine Ordinances and Institutions of worship wherein a principall part of Christs Kingdome on earth confisteth And whether many of those that thus reject and despise the holy Institutions and Commands of Jesus Christ laid forth in the Scriptures for all beleevers to observe in the worshipping of God after they have known and profest the same be not like to prove the fittest instruments in the hands of Satan and Antichrist if the Lord of glory prevent not to trouble the peace of the Churches of Christ afresh after the raging waves of the late tribulations be a little more asswaged 41. Whether the Scriptures when they speake of the Saints drawing nigh to God be not meant of performing the duties of his worship and drawing nigh to him in Ordinances as in that of t Every Ordinance brings us neare to God Levit. 10. The originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in propinquis mels The Priests under the ceremoniall worship had the speciall honour of that Title to be called Gods nigh ones Numb 16.9 he caused them to come neere him in holy services Now all the Saints are a holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices 1 Pet. 2.5 Caryl Serm. in Iames 4. See abundance more to this purpose in that pretious Sermon If any desire further and fuller satisfaction in this particular let him diligently peruse that excellent Treatise of that late eminent and pretious servant of Christ Mr. Jer. Bur. called Gospel-worship Levit. 10.3 Psal 73. ult Iames 4.8 42. Whether those that now cast off Ordinances and contend against the use of them doe not goe against the judgement practice and profession of all the true Churches of Christ that ever were or are from the beginning of the world to this day and not only since but before the defection of Antichrist And whether those that did first lead the dance in this unhappy course of denying the use of Ordinances were not tainted and corrupted with the foulest Errors and greatest Apostasie from the Truth that may be denying the authority of the Scriptures denying the Trinity denying the Divinity of Christ of the Holy Ghost denying the Resurrection the Being of Sin or else making God the author of it c. in whose dreadfull steps many of late begin to tread that cast off the use of Gods worship and ordinances as lamentable experience witnesseth 43. Whether such as wilfully cast away the use of Ordinances and duties of worship and contend against them have not just cause to question the truth of their Spirituall estates and to doubt whether ever Jesus Christ were rightly formed in their hearts seeing the truth of the work depends ordinarily upon the same means to build and perfect it that first of all instrumentally begat it which is the publique ordinance of the Ministery of the Gospel as 1. of Pet. 2.2 compared with Iames 1.18 Acts 20.21 Acts 26.18 44. Whether departing from the ordinances of God be not one of those u These are times wherein a spirit of error is gone out into the world That prophesie of Christ seems in a great measure to be fulfilled in our dayes Matth. 24 c. Vide Car. Present Duty and Endeavour of the Saints p 36 37. deceivable wayes that false Prophets and false Christs shall make use of in these latter dayes of the world that are come upon us to deceive if it were possible the very elect as Christ himselfe hath forewarned and fore-told Matth. 24.24 And whether an elect person may not possibly be carried away with the error of the wicked against which the Apostle Peter exhorts 2 Pet 3.17 for some time Esay 29.24 And whether such may not come to see their error

p. 93. 94. 95. which because his workes have been of great esteeme amongst such people not long since and because he speakes fully to the point in hand I will here transcribe as they are in the book set downe the words are these p. 94. What serve all the Ordinances for will you say Is not here a crying down of Ordinances There will be still this scandall cast upon us But let me tell you there is a most comfortable use of Ordinances though they serve not to such high purposes as these are I say though they are not efficient to beget and finde out and reveale to the spirits of men the things that concern God yet beside the efficient revelation of God to be out God from the Spirit alone there is a passive Instrument by which the Lord doth make himselfe known to be the God of his people but that way is meerly passive not active 1. Passively God makes himselfe known to be the God of his people by the word of his grace and faith laying hold on the word of grace revealed and more subordinately in prayer fasting receiving the Lords Supper and such ordinances so farre as they are mixed with faith Now give me leave to communicate to you the full use and utmost extent of Gods thoughts concerning the ordinances that he hath propounded how farre forth he would have the creature look upon the ordinances and as much as may be put upon the use of them so farre forth as they are usefull Know therefore as I said before that all these ordinances are but passive wayes of conveying this great gift the knowledge of God to be our God I mean more plainly thus These ordinances are onely of and in themselves empty dry Channels or Pipes through which the Spirit of the Lord brings from God himselfe the Spring those riches and conveyes the same into the Spirit of a man Look as a channell digged in a dry ground is the way through which the Spring conveyes his water unto a cistern the channell it selfe communicates none of its own onely it is a passage through which the Spring conveyes his water So are all the ordinances even faith it selfe prayer and all other Services they are but channels through which the Spirit of the Lord passeth and bringeth from the Lord himselfe the Spring and Fountaine the revelation of God to be our God In all the rest of the gifts of God which he hath so freely bestowed never a gift of Gods Spirit procures any thing of its own our faith hath nothing of its own fasting and prayer have nothing of their own but as the Lord hath been pleased to make these ordinances to bee passages to convey himselfe to the sonnes of men and so they are to bee made use of by the sonnes of men Faith as it apprehendeth the Lord Jesus and other Ordinances as therein true faith is exercised and no otherwise And indeed beloved this is the loadstone to provoke persons to the use of all ordinances God hath ranked them together that the Lord hath so much and so often promised through them to convey himselfe You are kept through the power of God through faith saith the Apostle unto salvation As if he should have said The Lord doth convey himselfe and the manifestation of his own salvation through our beleeving The Spirit of the Lord passing through the Ministery of the Gospel as the breath of man passeth through a Trumpet the Trumpet is the instrument the breath is the Spirit of the Lord the Trumpet adds nothing to the breath Now know beloved so far as you wil attend the Ordinances because God calls out to Ordinances and because you have heard the Lord to promise to bestow such things upon you in the ordinances so farre you shall attend the ordinances according to his pleasure but when you ascend so high that the ordinance doth get things then you rob the Lord and give more to ordinances then God hath given Now though the ordinances have no efficiency of their own in the nature I have spoken yet there is good cause for all Gods own people to esteem very highly of ordinances and to be joyfull of ordinances and to long much after ordinances to make much of them for why the Lord hath made his promises to be found of them to be with them in ordinances In the day of adversitie call thou upon me and I will deliver thee And here by the way know from hence what is the expectation of beleevers themselves which they ought to have of the Lord for such things when they come to such ordinances that so when we attend the Lord in his ordinances we may find him in them c. Therefore as the poore man lay at the Beautifull Gate not because the Gate would relieve him but because it was a place of concourse where honorable men resorted from whom he might have Almes so in the Ministery in fasting and prayer and all other services there is the gate of the Temple of the Lord there is the place the Lord makes usually his concourse and resort there is the place God appoints to give the meeting therefore in expectation of the Word of his grace that we may find him in Ordinances we doe resort to them Now what derogation is there all this while from the Ordinances while we make the but thus passive The richest treasure in the world may come to a man through the poorest vessell the treasure is never the further off nor never the worse because the vessell is poore It is no matter of what price the meanes of conveyance is so that the thing we desire be conveyed to us by it onely we must not give it that which is above its due c. And this shal be encouragement sufficient to wait upon all ordinances of all sorts where the Lord appoints that he will for his owne sake give you a gracious answer and bestow all good things upon you that you stand in need of in ordinances This is motive sufficient I say to stirre you up to attend upon ordinances and yet not to make Gods of them to ascribe that to them which belongs alone to God who doth all ordinarily through ordinances which is the only way to disappoint you of your hope when you expect help from them 9. The 9. ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Ordinances is the severall Texts of Scripture which seem to plead for the Non-performance of duties and laying aside of all ordinances in the ties of the Gospel As They shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8.11 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the Day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 But the

anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 John 2.27 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it Rev. 21 22. And the Citie had no need of the Sunne neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Vers 23. Ans Much might be spoken in answer to such as produce these and the like Scriptures for the cessation of Gospel-ordinances but I shall study brevity and referre all to two heads 1. Show what I conceive to be the proper meaning of these texts of Scripture 2. Give in the joynt consent of the most judicious and godly Authors with it that have written on these Scriptures Touching the first I suppose that the holy Ghost in the forementioned Scriptures doth not in the least mean or intend that the Word Ordinances and Ministery appointed and instituted by Jesus Christ in the dayes of the New Testament for the Saints to make use of should be laid aside and not at all made use of because I have shewed in my Quaeries that in the purest Gospel-times Christ will have Ordinances and Officers to administer them and Saints to enjoy them though in a purer manner then they have been or possibly now are but I conceive he meanes that Christ himselfe will be their Teacher in the new state of his Church in the use of these his own meanes he hath institured and appointed And this teaching of Christ the King and Head of his Church will be I conceive divers wayes 1. By giving the Saints a greater measure of the Spirit and a more nearer communion and fellowship with himselfe then formerly the fulnesse of God shall be more brought into their hearts by the ministery of the Spirit and then Christ shall be all in all indeed not all without all but all in all that is all in all Saints and all in all Ordinances and all in all duties and all in all mercies so that nothing shal be lifted up acknowledged and exalted but Christ alone and the Father in him 2. By making the Saints to be so wise and understanding to salvation that they shall not hang or pin their faith upon the Authority of men the Authority of Parliaments Councels Synods Conventions Dictates Decrees Iudgements of men though never so wise learned godly but they shall cleave to the Authority of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 and rest upon the teachings of the Spirit in the Word who is alone the infallible teacher and revealer of the mind of Christ 3. By clearing tho truth made known by outward instruments after so sure a●●●●●tain a manner by the Spirit inwardly that the outward teaching shall be as no teaching in comparison of the inward operation and concurrence of the holy Ghost perswading of them as the Samaritans when they came to Christ himselfe upon the report of the woman that had been with him they got such satisfaction from him that they said Now we beleeve not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed that Christ Joh 4.42 Even thus doubtlesse will the Lord Jesus deale with the Saints when those gloririous times come he will by his Spirit inwardly so make known the mystery of the Gospel preached outwardly that they shall say to those that are his instruments Now we beleeve and understand not so much because of your saying as that we have heard him ourselves teaching us inwardly by his Spirit This I take to be the scope and sense of those Texts of Scriptures not a taking away the use of ordinances but a more spirituall and fuller enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ in them 2. Touching the judgement of the godly agreeing with me herein take a few in stead of many that might be alledged 1. Pareus that famous and judicious Writer in his Commentary on Heb. 8.11 hath these words Non itaque hinc recta conficiunt fanatici ministerio Ecclesiae opus non esse in novo Testamento quo ●am ad complement um tanta luck Deus in huc vitae per ministerium Evangelii nos preparat Fides enim est 〈◊〉 auditu auditus per verbum Dei Ideo dedit Christrs alios Apostolos alios Doctores ut Ecclesia exedificetur ad perfectionem futioram Vtrumque docet Scriptura omnes docert à Deo omnes debere audire legere meditare scriptur as verbum Dei. Itaque promissiones non evertunt praecepta neque positae causa prima tolluntur mediae Ut enim non sequitur Deus omnes pascit ergo non opus est pane agricultura per haec enim media Deus pascit Ita non sequitur Deus omnes docet ergo non opus est verbe Per verbum enim auditum praedicaetum omnes doret The interpretation is this Therefore those brain-sick men doe not rightly gather that there is no need of the ministry to the Church in the times of the new Testament because God to the compleating of so great light in this life doth prepare us by the Ministery of the Gospel for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word Rom. 10.17 Therefore Christ gave some to be Apostles others to be Teachers that the Church might be built up to future perfection And the Scripture doth teach both viz. all to be taught of God and all ought to heare read meditate on the Scriptures and word of God Therefore the promises doe not overthrow the commands and precepts nor the first prime cause take away the meanes For as it doth not follow that because God feedeth us therefore there is no need of bread nor husbandry or tilling and sowing the earth for by these very meanes God feedeth us so it doth not follow because God reacheth all therefore there is no need of the Word for by the Word heard and preached he teacheth all Thus we see by a little how the judgement of this famous Writer joynes with us in what was formerly delivered touching the true and genuine sense of those Scriptures he hath much more in the same place upon his solution of divers questions to this purpose So learned Hyperius in his Commentary on this place of the Hebrewes is so full and copious that I hardly know any have written more largely on this subject unlesse it hath been in a Treatise by it selfe answering all objections against it which would be too much to transcribe in this place 2. For that place of 2 Pet. 1.19 many of the Ancients have understood it of the state of glory but learned Gerard in his Exposition of the words shewes it to be understood of Gospel-times here Sed per diem illucescentem Phosphorum orientem rectiùs intelligitur