Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	seek_v	spirit_n	worshipper_n	2,020	5	12.2044	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57540	Ohel or Beth-shemesh A tabernacle for the sun, or, Irenicum evangelicum : an idea of church-discipline in the theorick and practick parts, which come forth first into the world as bridegroom and bride ... by whom you will have the totum essentiale of a true Gospel-church state according to Christs rules and order left us when he ascended ... : published for the benefit of all gathered churches, more especially in England, Ireland and Scotland / by John Rogers ...	Rogers, John, 1627-1665?; Rogers, John, 1627-1665? Challah, the heavenly nymph.	1653 (1653)	Wing R1813; Wing R1805; ESTC R850	596,170	655

shewed after the pattern c. This is also a good Gospel-rule and it is a moral reasonable service I shall show but so in Exod. 35.5 Whosoever is of a willing heart let him bring his offering Vers. 22. They came both men and women as many as were willing-hearted none else came warrantably and Vers. 29. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord every man and woman whose heart made them willing which the Lord had commanded And in 2 Chron. 29.5 Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord Vers. 6 7. They offered willingly for the service of the Lords house but need I be so long In Nehemiahs days chap. 4.6 So built they the wall c. For the people had a minde to work notwithstanding the oppositions and great enemies and discouraging difficulties were enough to daunt them So I say in all ages Saints did freely and willingly without the least compulsion to unite and embody together and enter into fellowship as it is said Jo. 6.21 they willingly received him into the ship So when Christ called his Disciples into this Church-state they came willingly and by a free-consent Matth. 4.20 22. presently and without lingring or delay or asking counsel of their Father or Friends So Matth. 19.27 so Gal. 1.15 16. and such as were pricked at their hearts with the word of grace in Acts 2.37 did so in Vers. 41. gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. willingly receive the word and being baptized entered into fellowship So in Acts 8. 11. 13. 14 c. And thus the Church of Corinth were gathered and thus the Churches of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.3 5. who were willing of themselves and they did sayes Paul give up their selves to the Lord and then unto us by the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is freely and cheerfully and willingly Thus the Church of Thessalonica were examples to all Beleevers in Macedonia and Achaia for their readinesse and willingnesse wee might instance all along and confirme this abundantly by examples and reasons but that I shall bee too tedious yet the truth is should we not with a free and by a voluntary consent serve the Lord in this his worship and enter into the beauties of holinesse reason 1 First We should fall short of all Worshippers even of false gods and the very Heathens would rise up against us For nature it selfe teaches us to worship God willingly and the Scripture teaches us much more willingnesse in the true worship of the true God Joh 4.23 reason 2 Secondly otherwise his Worship would bee as a bandage to us for when it is tedious to men Mal. 3.14 then they are soon weary with well-doing And besides thirdly they be Hypocrites and will never reason 3 hold fast but fall off fearfully that enter not in freely and fully satisfied 1 Joh. 2.9 10. and perswaded in their owne soules by the Spirit of the Lord Monendo movendo removendo instructing moving and removing all the lets Vse 1 Then the weapons of our warfare are not then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnall fleshly worldly or the like Not by might not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 4.6 wherefore wee finde no need of compulsive Powers whereby Parochiall constitutions were kept alive so long viz. by Powers to compell men by stocks prisons fines pillories and punishments and whether they will or no to make them keep their Parish-Churches and Ecclesiasticall Canons whilst alas it is the Spirit convinces us of the truth Joh. 16.8.9 and constraines us to the truth Job 32.18 and makes men worshippers in the truth Joh. 4.32 Vphold me with thy free Spirit saith David Psal. 51.12 and that the Spirit makes men free in the truth and the truth in them see Joh. 8.32 33.36 2 Cor. 3.17 It is not all the beating or bruising whipping or punishing in the world will perswade the conscience convince the heart or convert the sinner Thus men may be made Hypocrites and play the devils out of feare of torment but not Saints or true worshippers till the Spirit makes them willing therefore give to Caesar what is Caesars and to Christ what is Christs As honest old Cartwright said to Whitgift You would bring in the Magistrates to breake and change the orders which Christ our King and Lawgiver hath left in his Church For as Christ came not to meddle with or overthrow the Civill-government neither must your Civill Magistrates or Civill Governours meddle with the matters or affaires of Christs Church Christ alone being Lawgiver therein so that such would alter and overthrow Church-order and Government for which Christ will give them but little thanks at last and will requite it to them by the overthrowing of theirs and for this end the Rod is in his hand at this day Now who knoweth not that the office of the Magistrate consists in those things that belong to our life and goods and is to bee kept within the compasse of a Civill jurisdiction Hence it is that Azariah cast out Vzziah out of the holy place and that because it was not proper for a Prince but for the high-Priest 2 Chron. 26.16 Lev. 13.46 Let Rulers in their relations and Church-officers in theirs bee found faithfull Vzziahs pride is expresly noted 2 Chro. 26.16 for usurping the Priest-hood in the Temple of God but he escaped not scotfree for he was suddenly smitten with the Leprosie and laid out for an example to after ages On the other side our Saviour refused to meddle with Civill Magistracy or with matters of that kinde a Kingdome being offered him Jo. 6.8 hee could not accept of it nor would he handle Civill-matters so much as to divide the heritage between the brethren it being not his office Luke 12. Now let none usurpe but let the Civill keepe within his Civill-precinct and the Spirituall within his compasse and sphere And yet the Civill is to submit to the Spirituall and in a spirituall sense the Ecclesiasticall Discipline being above it As Philip the Emperour whom we read of in Euseb. 4. lib. Eccles. Hist. being commanded to abstaine from breaking of bread and suspended untill his repentance were seen being guilty of some sins willingly obeyed and lay low before the Lord and did not dare to partake of it untill his sinnes were answered by sorrows sutably in the sight of all and till hee had both openly delivered his griefe and evidently declared his faith before all Besides Theodosius Emperour in 5. lib. Eccles. Hist. of Eusebius is eminent for his most ready and religious obedience to Ambrose his exhortations and reproofe which brought him prostrate upon his knees and flat upon his face before the Lord with teares and prayers I owne nothing of Superstition observed in those dayes onely this is that I aime at that

art subject to wandrings now and may be runnest in a full career without stop or stay warning or check besides you have not here without in your Parishes the benefit of many ordinances as exercising of gifts prophesying one by one and frequent communication and conference in the things of God Mal. 3.16 And such-like pretious benefits as are in this Church-way to be had at large for your edification 4. And lastly it is just with the Lord to leave thee to thy lusts to swear in his wrath thou shalt never enter into his rest never to make one motion more at thy soul by his spirit to enter into this way or once to encline thine heart thereunto If now now I say after so many clear calls thou doest resist the Holy Ghost Wherefore as Heb. 3 10 11 12 13. harden not your hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dry up or wither do not snib or nip off those buds or blast those blooms which are in you and like to set so fair for fruit nor by the hardness of your hearts and unkindness and cruelties to the conceptions of Christ within you do not dry up those sweet sappy motions which are made in your heart by his spirit if you do you will prove but a barren branch a withered sear stick to be cut up for the fire John 15.16 Heb. 6.8 they are nigh the curse that do so in the deceitfulness of sin i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex à privat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn out of the way of Christ by some fallacy or other who ever refuseth this way of Christ runs a desperater hazard then he is aware off wherefore then let him take heed take heed And let Ministers so called look about them too and beware for a greater alteration is yet to come and to befal them then ever hath been before O then Sirs that they would be busie about the Lords house and no longer delay it or do it by halves Numb 14.24 or by haltings between too Do they yet know what was the meaning of the last lightning and thunder the last year which grew so angry at their Morter-Churches and Parish-Temples what houses were burnt or beaten down to the ground but those Churches and on that day of worship too and in several Counties too and which is not without a Mystery but it shall be plain and made an History ere long in the interim it were well that Ministers and all would take warning and sin no more by dishonoring God in idolizing forms and humane inventions or in worshipping of Christ in Anti-christian ways and traditions least a worse thing happen unto them Was there ever any that hardned his heart against the Lord and prospered at last Job 9.4 But some it may be will say Sir You forget your self and so I would whilest you urge so much your Form of Discipline For we look for Zion more spiritually and for spiritual worshippers Answ. 1. It is not so much the Form as the Faith that I would urge I mean obedience to Christs positive commands as I told you before although some soar too high into the air that account the Practical Part of Worship a meer Form 2. I urge it not so much to be Church-members as Christs-members but first to have fellowship with the Son and then with the Saints as I said before but I say both these are enjoyned to be enjoyed Yet I say further whilest in the Form out of the Form and whilest under it yet above it and so are all Saints in the Church spiritual worshippers of God John 4.23 yea in spirit and in truth together Wherefore let none be so censorious as to say We are all for the form of Discipline when indeed we are least for it and would have all our Brethren to live above it in their Spirits with God and with Christ in the Temple and the Light of the New Jerusalem We live in them as Abraham lived in Tents and David in Tabernacles 3. We also look for Sion more spiritually but this is in order thereunto Before we can get into the City which is all glorious within we must pass through the gates as appears Psal. 87.2 3. His foundation is in the holy mountains The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God! There is first the foundation laid by the Lord himself and then secondly the particular Churches or the gates of Zion which the Lord so loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then thirdly the City its self which is so glorious But I say before we can come into the City we must enter through the gates which are these Churches gathered So that this is in the way to that City where Salvation is placed Isa. 46.13 This is the way to Zion as Jer. 50.5 They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come let us joyn our selves together c. We must ask first the way i. e. the Churches and when we are in the way then for Zion And thus the Saints come to Sion Jer. 3.14 Isa. 51.11 35.10 i. e. By this way and through these gates we must first live in Tents and then in the City Heb. 11.9.10 First in Tabernacles then in the Temple and that those that would live in Sion in her glory and full effusion of the Spirit must be in the Churches in order thereunto which appears plainly in Chap. 9. lib. 2. For the Lord will be known in her Gates Towers and Palaces Psal. 48.3 44.12 Quaere How we should groundedly know we are fitted for this Communion of Saints in Church-society as hath been pressed answer 1 Answ. 1. There must be clear satisfaction to your judgement and full perswasion in your brest Rom. 14. the whole Chapter especially Vers. 1 2 4 14. Acts 2. 19. 8. Saints ever first believed and were fully perswaded and then they entered 2. You must be exceedingly longing and desirous after it and then make ready for it be freely willing to it by the Spirit of Christ in you Psal. 110.3 Jer. 50.4 5. For all in Christs Kingdom are voluntiers 1 Thes. 1.6 7. Acts 4.32 2 Cor. 8.3 5. 3. Such are made free to follow Christ any where soever Revel 14.4 And as they come at his call Mark 1.18 so they are prepared to leave all and to take up the cross Mat. 19.27 accounting before hand what it will cost them so that they pass not a pin for storms and afflictions which they expect before hand as 1 Thes. 3.3 Phil. 1.27 28. but they will hold out to the end 4. What is the object ye look on in these overtures of your affections It is the King in his beauty O the sweet Soul-ravishing presence of

make them Now we all concur Schoolmen Ministers and all That where there is true grace experienced Saints know it sweeter then the drops from the honey comb and qui accipit gratiam per quandam experientiam dulcedinis novit se illam habere quam non experitur ille qui non accipit as we have amply before mentioned Such men must needs know the love of God is sweet who have tasted and digested it They can comfortably use Laban's words in Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me Jehovah hath raised me and increased me I have experience of it by comparing my former condition with my present So the Saints do tell by experience how Jehovah hath helped them and blessed them even with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Some of which though not so perfectly as they were delivered yet as well as I can collect them out of the Notes which I took of them from their own mouths when they were admitted into the Church I shall present as a sweet posie of some of the chiefest flowers that I have met with this spring-time in the Garden of the Lord the Church of Christ which is growing apace up to an Eden from flowers to fruits from Plants to Trees of Righteousness planted by Rivers of Water Examples of Experiences OR Discourses and Discoveries of the dead hearing the voice of the Son of God and now living As they were delivered in Dublin by divers Members admitted into the Church Being a clear account to the judgement of charity of the work of Grace upon their hearts in divers ways and sundry manners converted some extraordinarily and some ordinarily When where and how with the effects But before I begin I shall premise this for the godly Readers sake that I must contract much their experiences as they were taken least they be too voluminous And although in the choicest and most extraordinary ones I shall gather the stalk longer least I hurt the beauty and hide the excellency of those flowers yet without hurt to the rest in those which are ordinary I shall be very short being prevented by others in that little Treatise of Experiences newly put out I shall gather out the flowers onely and give you the sum of what they said and so tie them up together for a conclusion of the whole matter The most of these are mens and some womens and a very great many more I might adde to them which I have met with in England Essex and London and in Ireland and at Chester Holly-Head in Wales and in my travels but that I say I am I hope seasonably though unexpectedly prevented although many more do lie prepared by me But to the business as coming last from Dublin to declare some of those precious ones and which are the greatest treasure that I brought with me from thence The savor of which I hope will be attractive and encourage others over into Ireland where the Lord hath his Garden enclosed and full of Spices with the Mandrakes laid up for the Beloved against his coming which is looked for every day there as well as here and there the ●ride saith O! come Lord Jesus come quickly The Testimony of Tho. Huggins Preacher of the Gospel given in at the publick place Octob. 8. 1651. of Brides in Dublin IT is my joy to see willingness in Gods people to walk together in fellowship with the Father and the Son and such I desire to have fellowship with where Christ the King in his beauty appears most I do acknowledge as you have heard that account of faith before made by our Brother R. and do experimentally know and therefore must acknowledge that glorious Being of one God in his three distinct relations of Father and Creator Son and Redeemer and Spirit and Sanctifier and I finde in me by his Spirit and the several operations of this his Agent these things I believe the Scriptures Old and New Testament to be the very minde of God and do heartily desire my soul may be turned into the nature of those truths therein declared but to that which is expected from me most I come viz. to my conversation I was but yong when I began to be warmed yea within being under a zealous Ministry and much put upon duty I did use to read the Scriptures every night and to repeat Sermons often and so spent the first scene of my youth till I came to be sent by my friends to London and there I lived for a year or two but in that time as often as I saw any Minister I could not but weep and always wished that I might be one to be able to preach too After this I was sent to one of the Vniversities there but being wilde with youthful company I was soon after sent hither to this Colledge of Dublin where I am well known and here I continued till the Rebellion brake out at which time I left it and went for England into the North-parts and about Liverpool where I preached till now I returned hither But all this while I was but formal and as the yong-man that said he had kept all these from his youth So was I from my youth religious well-given loving the means following of them and seeking to serve God But alas yet all this while was I in darkness and did not know it but afterwards I saw that I was blinde and but carnal For about the year 1645. I began to be in great doubts and troubles and very much clouded in my spirit and was exceedingly bound and tyed up for a time under the sence of my formal holiness and sins till the Lord was pleased to give me light Once as I was walking all alone sadly upon the Mountains he immediately powred his Spirit upon me and satisfied my soul in Jesus Christ and filled my heart with heavenly joy and peace and with most ravishing contemplations which continued without a cloud for six weeks together which gave me full assurance of Gods love and ever since I have lived in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus though I have met with many clouds and storms since yet such as have passed away and cannot hinder me as long as Christ mine is above them Being thus translated from the form into the power I do heartily propose my self to be one with the members of Christ in his Church And although before I was not free in England or elsewhere to joyn thus it being so in controversie and disputable yet now I am fully satisfied and do see God building up his Jerusalem apace and am confident of what he is doing to Nations yea I joy to see that you all seek to unite by one Spirit and all to be one in Spirit if not all in one Form and so do I not doubting but this Ministration will be most to edification A further Testimony added to the truth by the experience

fellowship or injoynting into one The Devill hath set his black and fowle cloven-foot of divisions and dissensions in every Parish upon the earth yet the God of this world the Prince of Parishes hath blinded their eyes and they will not beleeve 2 Cor. 4.4 O what persecutions of the Saints oppositions of Christs ordinances Menaces against his Ministers what desperate Oathes devillish cursing horrible lying detestable libelling monstrous malice palpable cheating and unsufferable slanders yea and what not is in every Parish and what is the reason read what Christ saith Joh. 8.23 Yee are from beneath but I am and my wayes are and worship is from above yee are of this world but I am not of this world And as Rev. 9.1 2 3 4 c. out of the bottomlesse pit arose smoake as the smoake of a great furnace the Sun and Ayre were darkned by reason of the smoake and out of the smoake came Locusts and unto them was given power as the Scorpions of the earth have power and it was commanded them that they should not hurt any green thing a Saint in his viridity full of sap and in the spring neither any tree a flourishing Saint in his virility and well grown Psal. 1.3 Psal. 52.8 Psal. 92.12 Jer. 17.8 but only such men as have not the seale of God in their fore-heads These Locusts of Hell these Aegyptian plagues which have Scorpion-stings in their tayles ver 10. whilst the fairest out-side and faces of men ver 7. yet are ever running and ready for battle ver 7. ver 9. have seised upon the spirits of many men more ridged then religious and they doe eate them up See but what hot contentions Suits at Law Plots to doe mischiefe desires to persecute the people of God devices to make them odious among men Jer. 18.18 and what not came along with this Soule-comfortlesse bottomlesse-pit smoake when your Parishes were constituted and tell me then if Pharoahs leane ill-favoured Kine doe not eate up the fat Gen. 41. and if the withered wild blasted eares doe not devoure the full and faire eares See if as yet amongst many the Magicians rods doe not turne Serpents and seek to eate up Aarons though Aarons shal devoure theirs ere long and Truth shall triumph over errours Christ over Antichrist Faith over fallacies maugre all their malicious mischievous dispositions and oppositions and their water shal be turned into bloud speedily and all their Fish shall dye that swim now in their Elements and croaking Froggs shall cry in every place I meane them that give now and then a little leape and that is all upward and such will also dye and then their dust shall be turned into Lice and their pleasures to plagues then boyles and blaines their contagion and corruption shall appeare to all whilst the Lords owne Israel and Saints shall be safe and free This shall bee shortly but in the interim how Parishes swarme with Egyptian flyes let wise men judge whilst Serpents lye by the way-side Gen. 49.17 and bite us or rather backbite us before we are aware not openly in our sight but crookedly and craftily treacherously and behinde us Dublin hath the most of this Tribe of Dan that ever I met with Moreover many an Adullamite Gen. 38.20 might wee finde here in this City for if their occupations were but printed upon their foreheads as some of them have full foreheads wee should heare and see their trading and delight is to serve an ill-master and to runne upon ill arrands to cog to carry tales to dissemble lye and flatter and to have faire faces as of men but to sting as Serpents and Scorpions being bound to hurt the Innocent and harmelesse ones But I say no more only that such Parishes fal infinitly short of the true Forme of true Churches of Christ and I can confidently assert such Synagogues as I said matter-lesse and form-lesse or if some fit matter may bee found amongst them yet they are but as the Philosophers say of the earth when it was a Chaos and without forme materia prima informis sine formâ normâ the first matter which is without forme and order and which is semper passiva sayes Tho. Aquin. 1.54.3.3 to suffer another nature and workmanship Eph. 2.10 till then wee may say of them as in Zeph. 2.15 How are they become a desolation and a place for beasts to lye downe in And why so as Mayer sayes but because no difference is put betwixt the righteous and the wicked therefore it follows every one that passes by shall hisse and wag his hand and Zeph. 3.1 Woe to her that is filthy c. which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or provoking and disobedient such are your Parish-Churches And they put mee in minde of that place in the hot sands of Africa where wilde beasts of all sorts meet together to drinke and there are the strangest monsters got whence the Proverb is Africa aliquid apportat novi And so in Parish Churches all sorts meet and many monsters are made by reason of such who are not fit for civill society much lesse for Saints And a Heathen said Qui aequo animo malis immiscetur malus est he must needs be bad that likes and allows of such a mixture And I might also mention the saying of one That as often as he had been among such men hee returned home lesse a man then he was before Wherefore common rules of reason may dictate this doctrine to us The Lacedemonians would enquire of the carriage of their children by the condition of their Play-fellowes And as Socrates said to Alcibiades the Parragon of beauty I feare not thee but thy companions so may wee say to some honest men And indeed it is a sad thing for will the loyall wife still keep that company which her husband dislikes sheep lose wool that will keep in the wildernesse among the bushes so doe men be they ever so good lose much that will continue in Parish-Churches which are upon their destiny being too old to live longer for the Lord will discover their filthinesse their whoredomes their Idolatries and abominations even unto their Lovers and they shall loath them But the Bramble of Rome which hath brought so many unto obedience shall be burnt up and a strong voyce shall say Rev. 18.2 Babylon is fallen is fallen and is become an habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird and verse 9.11.16.18 And then the Kings and people and Merchants and Ship-masters that have traded with her from time to time and have had of her commodities to carry to other Nations and have brought away of her Trumperies and Traditions will h●wle and lament and yet stand a far off for fear of her torments verse 15. Wherefore come out of

most eminent men Independents ☞ Our Consciences carry us on What is Conscience Formall Professours time-servers Many take up the name of Independents and Independent-Churches that are not so Sim. Our faith and fortitude Sim. The beautifull object of Christs Church What it is Proved by Scriptures His power and glory there His name and best blessings there His presence by his Word and Spirit there Fat things and feasts there There is the King in his beauty And place of broad rivers Th● most soul-ravishing object there Wh●te and ru●dy To the end of the world Saints and Churches in all ages have experienced this point Vse The object invites and incites us into the Churches This made David even dote in love on them And in these Assemblies of Sion God appears most glorious and gladsome Parishes have not this object Forma formae Those that are not longing after these wayes of Sion see not this object in them Dr. Ames left his Professorship of Friezland for Church fellowship Vid. Peters Report of Eng. wars His dying words Ignorance of the object hinders the affection Sim. Christs Rule to build the Church by Proved necessary 1 By Sc●ipture Expos. 2 By Precept Christs Commands and Rules 3. Proved by practise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos. The Apostle urges the Rule Not as a head but as a helper Expos. Mans unfitness Mad Church-work made by mens rules Gods strict command Moses durst do nothing on h●s own head Nor David nor Solomon 2 Chro. 8.14 2 Kings 6.38 Nor Apostles nor any Without Christ's Rule Christ's Commission Rev. 21.2 3. Expos. To rule order and take the whole Government All the Chur●h matter and the form is to be fitted by his Rule Parish-Churches never according to Christ's Rule Acts of the Apostles the Churches best Directory We walk by Rule Independent Churches according to Christs Rule Dr. Sibbs Neither must we make rules nor slight Christs Rules Mr. Brightman Expos. Then her paths shall glister and shine In many gathered Churches Ordinances prisoners as in Babylon Trap. Exod. Unskilful builders nor yet so spirited for the work as they will be Sim. Sim. All that joyn in this way must do it by free and uncompelled consent Lib. 2. c. 2. 1. Proved by Prophecies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expos. More fluminis All flow freely Jer. 31.33 c. All mutually and concurrently give themselves up with one consent 2. Proved by Precepts Acts 11.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calls to come freely Expos. Christ's call to come freely and fervently Chephetz in Hebrew Vide Beza in loc Et Hugo Grotius See Burroughs on the Excellency of a gracious Spirit p. 281. 3. Proved by continual Practise of Christs Twelve Disciples And Churches in all ages Proved by Types None else fit for the setting up of Gods Sanctuary All were to be free and willing else not to be accepted Saints in all ages such free-willers Expos. In primitivo times so Expos. Expos. Examples 1 Thess. 1.6 7. Otherwise we were short of the very Heathens Else in bondage Else soon fall off Vse Parish Churches upheld by carnall weapons Whilst the Spirit it is that convinces us of the truth constrains us to the truth and makes us worshippers in the truth Compulsive powers doe more hurt then good And makes many hypocrites but few true Proselites Cartwright Christs government and civill Magistrates are distinct in specie ge●ore Psal 2. Civill Rulers within civill Rules and Precincts Rom. 13.1 2. A Word and a warning to Rulers K. Vzziah And Perez-Vzziah Not to meddle with the matters of Religion Example Christ would not meddle with civill Magistracy The Spirituall and Eccles. is above the civil which the civil power is to serve ☞ Theodosius an example All to teach Magistrates to be under Christs Discipline and not that Christ is under theirs But what Magistrates and Rulers may do as to matters of Religion How far they may go Vide ch 13. Examples Not to force consciences Expos. But with gentlenesse to win them in to the truth Object Expos. Answ. 1 Negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Ans Affirmatively shew them a n●c●ssity of Christ and his Church-way Grotius Sim. True Magistrates in their respective places much owned and honoured by all the Churches Vide ch 13. Adversaries of old accused us as enemies to the Magistrates Vid ch 2. The Spirit compels us and yet we are voluntiers Dr. Sibs God works in us the will first Vide l. 2. c. 2. Sim. Take heed of setting on Magistrates Sim. Some busie to do it Sim. It will run Rulers the hazard of ruine Vide ch 13. Sim. Sim. Sim. The finall cause the first in the eye though the last in the act The End is first and most minded And why All th●ngs in the first and second Creation have one and the same Head Col. 1.18.20 and one and the same end The glory of God the one and the same End of all Creation Gubernation Redemption Salvation and all hath one and the same End This End most of all moves Saints into Church-fellowship That this must be the End 1. Proved by Prophecy Expos. The Churches spiced Cup. Expos. Expos. Types Musicks and singers For the filling his hous● with praise and glory Expos. 2. Precepts Psal. 140.13 3. Proofs by practise of all Saints in fellowship Expos. Christ in the Churches sings praises All other ends are subordinate to this End which is the supream Isai. 51 9 10. Psal. 49.15 The redeemed Isai. 35.10 Most capable No hypocrisie Virgins Expos. Have sweetest voices best songs In fittest tunes They make melody with grace in their hearts Whilest mixed Congregations rob him of his praise and glory Parish Churches fail in the Final Cause Their End is to good peny-worths to have their tithes at an easie rate and to make their own end● Parishes excommunicated if ever they were Churches A word to Saints in fellowship Make Gods honor and glory all in your End and your End in All. Expos. An ordinary Rule of wisdom to weigh the End Vide cap. 5· Expos. Joh. 8. Sing praises Sim. All for Gods glory Some minde it not Sim. Sim. Some unfit to do it Some desire it All are to give God the glory of all Proved from the essential material formal objective organical and final causes and so defined The definition of Christs Church The definition of Anrichrists Church Arrogans sibi titulum Ecclesiae at eam non sequens sed persequens Christ alone Head and Law-giver Proved 1 By Prophesies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What the Key is that is laid on his shoulder Expos. The Spirit is to let us in Expos. This Key opens and shuts binds looses 2 Precepts All power given him and all judgement committed to him Ioh. 5.21 3 Practise proves this Reason Because none but Christ could institute therefore none else can order it Why none but Christ could undert●ke it 1 Because he hath his spirit above measure 2 Man would make

declared in the same place at the same time by John Bywater Preacher of the Word BRethren I do declare here this day the desire of my heart which is to have fellowship with such a society as are built up by the Spirit to be one with all those that are one with Jesus Christ the Head knowing this That all rudimentary and elementary things do but point at a higher glory As for my Faith I acknowledge God one not three but as you have heard before c. As for my life I shall in short say thus When I was a little one going to School God began with me for once I swore one Oath as I was playing with my School-fellows but I was presently struck with horror for it and sence of it as if I were to go to Hell for it presently in which horror and great trouble I left my School-fellows playing but I could no longer being in this misery for that sin but away I went into the Church-Porch not far off and there I sat alone and wept bitterly to my self for some time but at length growing in some hopes I know not how of pardon I began to grow chearful and fearless until a little while after that I went to see some malefactors suffer and after I came home this sight ran so much in my minde and was for a long time set so before my eyes That my sins and the horrors of Hell came afresh upon me again so that I was exceedingly cast down and cryed out O what shall I do how shall I be saved which I had often in my mouth and in the hearing of my friends in which condition I could take no comfort from them till the Lord himself brought me out of it and gave me to be given up to Jesus Christ by the life of Faith which I now live notwithstanding I was under several temptations and oftentimes very thick but even then I resolved if that I were flung into Hell yet it should be holding on Christ for I will not let him go now and here I hold through mercy ever since So that I take Christ for my King Priest Prophet and do believe him to be a Propitiation for my sins And I believe that he will restore to us a pure language and that we shall all worship him in one Spirit and with one consent And my desire is to walk with you thus in union and love and by one and the same Spirit Another Testimony or Report made of the work of grace upon his heart at the same time in the same place by John Hewson Colonel and Governor of Dublin HAving an opportunity to speak something to you I shall do it without many words Time was that I was in a state of disobedience as to God a childe of wrath and lived in a wicked and profane family in London but yet I went often to hear a good man in London preach by which means I was brought to see sin and shown within me that I wanted Christ which when I saw I began to desire him and to long after him and still frequented the means and by the use of the means I was drawn nigher to himself but ever since I finde I have a corrupt heart and have much ado to keep it in therefore God brings me under many troubles and temptations more then many others And I though I am in places of power yet I account them nothing seeing an emptiness in all things and a fulness in none but in Christ. I confess I was sometime for the Presbyterians and very rigid and bitter against all others of the Independents till the Lord did shew me the Parish-Church was no true Church being a mixed Congregation and I was ignorant of this way which they call Independent But now I am clearly convinced of it and satisfied in this society and for matter of Faith I concur with the Brother that before spake and finde what he said to be true in me and do desire communion with you as you have with Christ Jesus The Testimonial of Raphael Swinfield or his experience as was taken out of his own mouth in Dublin in another publick place called Michaels I Do declare here what God hath done for me First in my youth my Father being a godly man brought up his children very religiously but for my part although I were well brought up and instructed yet I was very disobedient being yong and head-strong and hearkned not to my fathers advice which I had often but regarded it not which grieved me greatly afterward for I could not endure to be curbed or kept in but at length because of his continual and yet justly reproving me for my ill courses and ill company which I kept I resolved I would stay at home no longer but I would be gone into the Low-Countreys and we were put out to Sea but by contrary Winds and Seas were driven back again But I could not see this but still held on my purpose and having an opportunity I got away for all that into England and I was in England a while where my friends set upon me and perswaded me to turn home again telling me many things to move me but whilest I had my abode with my friends there for some time I began to be acquainted with some things for there I heard good men and Ministers often and there I was made to see my sin and wicked disobedience by one Master Evans and I was thereupon sadly affected and disconsolate and could have no quiet nor rest In this time my Father hearing of me where I was not knowing before what was become of me but that I might be dead or drowned now writ a Letter to me wherein I was admonished to beware of such as run headlong to perdition with many other good advices and he seemed as Iacob joyed to hear that his son was yet alive c. All which things struck me heavily to the heart and so I lay long under the fearful sentence of my sin and disobedience and could not take any comfort or content I prayed fasted heard the Word went to Ordinances yet had no satisfaction at all And thus I continued till my heart was ready to burst a peeces and then I began to make it known to my friends how I was afflicted who did a little comfort me but this lasted but a little while for I soon fell again into my old malady and grief as before being sadly diseased and so as I could finde no comfort at all by any means until that place in Isa. 50.10 came into me How he that sitteth in darkness and seeth no light should trust in the Name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God which did much fasten upon me and me upon God whereby I had abundance of comfort but yet never free from many temptations and fears and doubts and such sometimes as