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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

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

as Psal 14.4 Job 27.10 b Est emm hoc mortalium animis insitum ut Deo offerendū c. Musc in Joh. the law of Nature teaching men to worship and serve that God whom they acknowledge as we see in the practice of the meere Heathens Rom. 1. and 2. chap. and the law of Grace teaching men to delight in that God and his worship whom they so draw nigh unto by faith in Jesus Christ Psal 119.97.103 1 John 5.3 Acts 2 46 47. And whether that place in c This is evident from the Apostles quoting this Text in Acts 4.25 26 27. against the Rulers Elders Scribes c that sate in counsell against them and made open opposition against Christ in them refusing to bow to his Scepter and Government held forth both in the Doctrine and practice of the Apostles And to this agree Expositors generally Psal 2.1 2 3. be not meant of those wicked men more especially that cast off all Divine Ordinances and Lawes of Christs Kingdome and Government under the Gospel 27. Whether the Face of Christ in which the Glory of God the Father doth shine forth d Non loquitur autem de corporea Christi facie sed de ea quae salutis nostrae dispensationem spectandam proponit Musc in loc 2 Cor. 4.6 be not to be understood of Gospel-ordinances and Institutions Christ himselfe personally being now sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 In which Face or Ministery and Ordinances of Christ the admirable and illustrious beauty of the eternall God his infinite wisdome power and love which is hid from the world doth so shine forth oftentimes through the Spirit of Christ to the hearts of the Saints that they seem to be out of the body and in heaven before they are in heaven and in glory on this side glory as it was with Paul 2 Cor. 12.1 2. And whether a Beleever be not bound to be in the use of these Gospel-ordinances and administrations where he may * Psal 27.4 behold this beauty and glory of the Lord it being the Lords own way he hath appointed to reveale himselfe by and not trust to other wayes of our own making for the sight of this glory having not a warrant for it in the Scriptures 28. Whether a Beleever in this life whiles he is cloathed with his earthly Tabernacle can see Spirituall things especially God Himselfe who is an infinite and incomprehensible Spirit so as to have fellowship and communion with him and to live in him otherwise then by an eye of faith in the e We cannot see Divine things othewise then in a glasse that sight of God which wee shall have immediatly in heaven without the Word and Sacraments is of a higher nature when we shall be perfect but while we live here we cannot see God but in Christ and we cannot see Christ but in the Word and Sacraments such is the imperfection of our fight Dr. Sibs Excel of the Gospel above the Law p. 280 281 286 287 c. glasse of Gospel-ordinances as the works of God and the word of God but especially Iesus Christ who is God incarnate God manifest in the flesh and this Jesus in the mystery of the Gospel and Seales according to 2 Cor. 3. ult And whether the Lord doth not as a great testimony of his love to us in Christ very much condescend and stoop to the weake and imperfect condition of his people while they are here below to make known the glory of his Wisdome Mercy Power and Love to their soules by his Spirit in the Ordinances 29. Whether the Commandements of Christ so much spoken of and mentioned in the Scriptures doe not extend to the obedience of the outward man as well as the inward and to the externals of worship as well as the internals of faith And whether a person can upon Iust grounds number himselfe among the friends of Christ that doth not make conscience of f Nota igitur verae amicitiae est observantia voluntatis amicivoluntas Christi est in illius praeceptis illis obedtre est voluntati Christi este conformem Amici Christi non sunt qui Christi praecepta susque deque facientes doctrinis mandatis hominum subjiciuntur Musc in loc keeping those commandements of Christ according to that of our Saviour Iohn 15.14 Yea whether any one can say upon just grounds that he loves or knowes Christ that doth not keep his commandements seeing the Scriptures speak directly against it and renders such for lyers that pretend to know Christ and love him but yet keep not his commandements g Necessario igitur consequi quicunque jactant sidem sen studium pietatis et interim studium servandae legis Dei negligunt eos impudentissimc mentiri Zanch in loc 1 Iohn 3 4. Iohn 14 15. 30. Whether the end of Christs comming into the world were not rather to fulfill and confirme then to disanull and make void the law of God ingraven in our hearts and revealed in the Scriptures whereby he calls for the obedience of the whole man inward and outward in the service of Christ And whether such as break the least of these lawes and shall teach others to doe so likewise doe not bring themselves under that penalty of Matth. 5.15 to be counted h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e minimi fiet imò nihili fiet vult enim dicere illos exclusum iri è regno coelorum Piscat in loc least in the Kingdome of heaven that is to have no part nor portion in the Church of Christ here on earth or the Kingdome of glory hereafter 31. Whether those that enter on the actions and workes of their particular callings or upon the use of the creature especially at the accustomed times of refreshing Nature as at Dinner Supper c. without seeking to God by prayer for praises through faith in Christ can expect a blessing upon them or a sanctified and comfortable use of them And whether they doe not transgresse the revealed will of God expresly manisested herein and discover a loose i Let us never come to the table without calling upon Gods name let us never rise from the table without giving thāks for it is certain that all they that eat so and doe not pray to God are for the most part worse then bruit beasts Calv Serm. in 1 Tim. 4.3 4. brutish and prophane frame of Spirit herein Phil. 4.6 Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your requests bee made knowne to God So 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing and the 18. verse In every thing give thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you So 1 Tim. 4.3 4.5 speaking of meats that seducing Teachers should in the latter times endeavour in a k As on Fridayes in Lent in Embring dayes and fasting dayes c. Calv. Id

ibid. superstitious manner to cause people to abstain from he saith that God hath created them to be received with l Sic passim Dominus cibum sumpturus sursum aspiciens et coelum in●vens benedicit patri et gratias agit Mat. 14.15 26. Marc. 6. Sic Paulus Acts 27. 1 Cor. 10.31 ad hunc inquam usum cibos Deus fecit Claud. Espenc in loc thankesgiving so that a chiefe end of Gods creating every creature for mans use is that they should be used with thankesgiving and that they are not sanctified and blessed to us without the Word and Prayer i.e. without acting m The Sun is a noble creature of it self and yet the brightnes of it cannot come to us but to our condemnation unlesse it be sanctified to us By what means By faith So fareth it with meat and drink and all the rest Calv. ut supra faith and Christ a promise and desiring God wee may so receive it and have it blessed to us so that to neglect prayer and the exercise of faith in the promise and giving thankes for all by Christ we doe not onely frustrate and make void the end for which at first the Lord created them for our use but we are deprived of that comfort that doth attend them to those that are in Christ and are at no better passe under the enjoyments of them then those are that are out of Christ who are wicked prophane and brutish like the swine that feeds on the Acornes that are under the tree but never looks up from whence they fall 32. Whether the Scriptures do not hold forth unto us that the greatest and highest enjoyments of God in the Spirit which the Saints have attained unto in this life have been in their diligent use and improvement of Divine Gospel-ordinances and duties of worship Acts 4.21 9.11 12. 10.9.44 2 Cor. 12.6 7 8 9 And whether the Scriptures shew unto us any other way wherein the Lord of glory hath ordinarily appeared unto his people besides that of his ordinances to the helping of them upon all occasions as their necessities have required 33. Whether departing from Gospel-ordinances and Societies of the Saints in the pure worship of God bee not a notable trick if not a strong delusion of the Devill which he makes use of the better to further his cursed designe upon the Lords people by taking them off from their * Rev. 2.4 first love and cooling if not quenching that sacred heat and fervour of the Spirit that they formerly manifested in the service and worship of God prescribed by Jesus Christ And whether sad and lamentable experience doth not evidence so much in some that are now changed in their walking from what they were formerly being as barren and empty in spiritual actions and assections as those that never knew what it was to be exercised in them and as much to seek of their tendernesse that once they manifested in respect of sinne n Contrary to Mat. 5.4 Mat. 26.75 1 Cor. 5.2 with 2 Cor. 7.7 9 11. 1 Cor. 11.30 31. Iam. 4.9 10. 1 Ioh. 1.9 Zech. 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fig luxum et delitias Inde verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delicate vivere deliciari voluptatibus indulgere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In deceptionibus suis Cum meudaciis et imposturis suis deceperint fimplives Christianos et pecunia eosdem e●●●●●erint postea eandem in splendida et lauta convivia in aleam structuras magnisicas et scorta profundunt Osiand vide Gerrard in loc as that they judge it no other then a Spirit of bondage to been humbled for it making no scruple at all to have fellowship with the unfruitfull workes and workers of darknesse which the Saints are commanded to reprove and flye from Ephes 5.11 yea being found in the number of those that o sport themselves with their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2 13. 34. Whether it be not a principall part of that great mystery of Heart-deceitfulnesse is within us to conceive that living in God will dead a Christian to the use and practise of ordinances and performance of holy duties when the chiefe end of a persons living in God is to dead the heart to sinne and take it off from carnall and wordly things that obstruct and hinder his communion with God and to quicken it to Ordinances and spirituall duties by the use of which through the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ his communion with communications from God are increased and perfected day by day And whether to speak properly the more a person lives in the Spirit the more that person be not * Gal. 5.16 Vide Par. in loc lifted off from Sin and Selfe and worldld carnall delights to walk closely with God in the duties of his generall and particular callings the contrary to which we too much finde and now meet with in those that cast off Ordinances 35. Whether Jesus Christ be not infinitely delighted in and affected with the assemblings of the Saints and exercisings of their gifts and graces in the duties of his worship as appeares every where in the p Cant. 2.14 The Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signisies prayers praises songs thankesgivings c. as Psal 5.3.26.7.28.2 vide Ainsworth in loc Placet Domino vox Ecclesiae in discrimine ad cum consugient●● sicut de Israelitis ad marc interceptis dicitur Exod. 14.15 Vox Ecclesiae eum confitentis et celebrantis et ejus totus aspectus species forma ac facies Ecclesiae Merc. in loc Scriptures by his drawing nigh to them at such times as to the Eunuch when he was reading the Scriptures Acts 8.26 to the two Disciples when they were in conference going to Emmaus to Cornelius and his friends when they were hearing Peter to Paul when he was in prayer and Peter also in the same duty Acts 9. Acts 10. 36. Whether it be not the greatest unkindnesse that can be offered to the Lord Jesus to cast away and speak evill of yea to contend against those wayes and meanes in which hee hath most of all appeared to them and spoken peace to their soules And whether it be not a grieving of the spirit to q The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies basely to account of a thing and esteem it nothing worth This reproves those who pretend the Spirit and despise prophesy they have the Spirit to guide them and therefore need no preaching Tayl. in his Saints progresse to full Holinesse p. 46. And then a little after Many who have Jacobs voyce saith he professe in word better things yet prize the preaching of Christ as a thing of nought they think it better to be casting up some account or reading some History or walking in the fields or visiting some friends or perhaps going to a Play then to a Sermon Are these the sonnes of Abraham or the sonnes of God and not rather the sounes of

duties are not so consistent when they can grant that living in God and dicing drinking dancing drabbing c. with divers other abominations that are done of them in secret and too too openly that a man may be a shamed to mention Eph. 5.12 are consistent and may very well stand together But ô tempora ô mores Oh the desperate wickednesse of men and women in this Age Can the wayes and workes of darknesse that the Lord hath forbidden stand with a persons living in God which is such a blasphemous abomination as hell it selfe can hardly afford a fouler and cannot the wayes and works of righteousnesse and godlinesse the serving and worshipping of God stand with living in God O quintessence of impiety thou child of the Devill thou enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord Acts 13.10 What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue Sharp Arrowes of the mighty with coales of Iuniper Psal 120.2 3. 3. Whereas they say That God doth use to lead his people out of those low and childish dispensations to a more high enjoyment of Himselfe I answer briefly Is it not a childish reasoning to say God leads children from their childish words and actions they manifest whiles they are children therefore hee leads them from speaking and reasoning and discoursing and studying and other actions that belong to a rationall creature when they grow old So here what weaknesse doe men discover to the world when they say God leads his people out of the use of ordinances and wayes of worshiping and serving of him by prayer c. when he leads them out from their ignorance darknesse fleshlinesse filthinesse carnalnesse that was wont to cleave to and bee mixed with their performances Because God leads his people out of living in and trusting to their meat and drink and other creature-comforts and enjoyments to which their hearts are apt and prone to bow down therefore he leads them out and takes them off from eating and drinking and use of creature-comforts what madnesse would it be in any man to affirme this So here because God is pleased to take off his people more and more from their unbeliefe pride selfe-seekng c and other weaknesses and sinnes in the performance of the duties of his worship therefore hee leades them out of and from the duties themselves Is not this handsome reasoning Besides how can it possibly be that God should lead the Saints from the use of Ordinances when he hath ordained the perpetuall use of them to his Saints in all ages as I have shewed in the Quaeries Hee leads his people indeed to live above them but not to live without them 6. The sixth ground on which people build their neglect of Duties c. is this That none are bound to pray or performe Duties c. further then the Spirit moves them thereunto Answ To which I answer in the first place That though this be a Truth in somesense yet we should take heed how we * Though wee are to goe when Gods Spirit moves us yet are we not to neglect when wee doe not perceive such sensible motions of the Spirit c. Bolt Bounds of Christian freedome v. 202. We must doe duty sometime out of obedience although we want both a heart to it and a heart in it Id. ibid. abuse it and make a wrong use of it to bring about those ends for which it was never intended as this in particular for one viz. The willing omission and witting neglect of the duties of Gods worship both publick and secret which he calls us daily to the performance of It is true as the Spirit of Christ is the efficient cause of spirituall life in beleevers without whom we can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 and works the grace of Sanctification in their hearts so there is no performing of holy duties without him But whether a beleever so sanctified and enlivened by the Holy Ghost is not to * Though wee cannot bring the Spirit to us yet let us set our selves in the way for him to meet with us Hold up the performance of duty c. Id. ibid. enter upon religious duties before the Spirit put forth a new act of spirituall life in him I suppose can hardly be made out For I suppose after Regeneration or the new Birth when a person is implanted or incorporated into Christ he is not to be lookt upon as a meere passive in the performance of holy duties as Prayer Mortification of sinne c. but as a worker together with God And so much those eminently anoynted and qualified servants of Christ Mr. Tho. Goodwin and Mr. Ieremy Burronghes and Mr. W. Greenhill affirme Mr. Tho. Goodwin in his * Treatise of the tryall of a Christians growth p. 82 83. 138 139. Treatise quoted in the Margent touching a beleevers Mortifying sinne saith We are purged from sin as the body is by Physick from humours though the Physick work yet Nature joynes with the Physick being quickned and helped by it to cast out the humours so as the meanes whereby God purgeth us are not to bee imagined to doe it as meere Physicall Agents like as the pruning-hook cuts off branches from the Tree or as when a Chyrurgion cuts out dead flesh but these meanes doe it by stirring up our graces and quickning them and by setting our thoughts and faith and affections a-worke and so God assisting with the power of Christs death he doth purge us daily by making his word afflictions c. for to set our thoughts on work against sinn It is certain that unlesse our thoughts work on the meanes as well as the meanes work upon us and so mingle themselves with them unlesse Faith and Christs death bee mingled in the heart it purgeth not And therefore it is said we purge our selves as 2 Tim. 2.20 and 1 Iohn 3.3 and Rom. 8.13 Wee by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh this is said saith hee as well as that God purgeth us because God still in going on to purge us doth it by stirring up our graces and useth therein acts of our faith and love and many motives and considerations to doe it Thus this pretious servant of Christ holds forth with much more to this purpose taking off the grand objection is made against it in the same Treatisa p. 138 139. Mr. Burroughes on Hosea speaking against wanton Professors in this Age saith We finde revealed in the Gospel that it is God that must work the will and the deed the Covenant of grace is such as that God doth not onely require but work all for us How is this goodnesse saith he mis-interpreted and abused Therefore say they what need wee doe any thing Why doe Ministers urge people to duties Your principle is good the truth is good that it is God that workes all in the Covenant of Grace but this deduction is

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

be the God of truth and falshood together and it must of nececessity follow if the Scriptures speak plain contradictions that either Jehovah could not or that he would not speake so expresly as to have his minde knowne by his creatures though he call upon them to look after it which is blasphemy in a high degree It were to be wished that Christians would come to the Scriptures with lesse i Cum corde nostro nos concordemus Et Scriptura sancta an nulla parte discordat Aug. discord in their own hearts and a greater sense of their own personall darknesse weaknesse and infirmity that they may crave the divine assistance of Christ to open their understandings and take more paines to find out the mind of God by comparing one text with another those that are more obscure with those that are cleare and weigh circumstances Antecedentia Consequentia i. e. what goes before and what followes after the text which would very much help them to know what the mind of God is in it and not presently fall k Deus bone in veritds ipsa quae est Author Scripturae an spiritus sanctus à quo acti fuerunt sancti Dei illi homines loquentes scribentes ansacra scriptura tota divinitus inspirata sibi contradicere potest Tum enim Deus cjusque spiritus simul veritatis mendacii spiritus esset et divinae hujus veritatis pars une necessariò vera ●●era necessariò falsa esset cum coniradicentium unum uecessariò vervm alterum falsum sit Vid. Sharph Symphon in Epist foule on the Scriptures themselves as affirming and denying one and the same thing But this is the misery of this age that as Austine once spake of the Manichees so may I of people now that they wil not subject their opinions and judgements to the Scriptures but would subject the Scriptures to their opinions Such places as have but the least outward appearance or shew to make for them those they will cleave firmly to but such as directly speak against them they throw away and cry out of contradictions when the difference all the while is in themselves and not in the Scriptures 3. Lastly whereas they say the Saints are to follow the private and secret Dictates and Teachings of the Spirit within them and conforme to them as the onely guide and Cynosura of all they beleeve and practise and therefore are to take no notice of the Scriptures I answer in the first place that such that so reason cannot free themselves of horrible slighting the sacred word of God and derogating in a high degree from the excellency and authority of it and I feare the guilt of this evill will one day lye heavy on their soules and consciences though now they make nothing of it For if the contempt of Civill Lawes and Statutes of earthly Princes and States when they are printed and published for the better regulating of Common-wealths and to which all are bound to yeeld submission and subjection that there may be no Tyranny nor Anarchy I say if the casting off of such Lawes and refusing to square their outward actions in civill affaires to make our own wills our lawes to guide us bee lookt upon as a matter so heynous and deservedly punisht what shall we conceive then will be the condition of those that cast off the Book of the Scriptures wherein God hath set down his Lawes and Statutes to order all States and Common-wealths in generall and men and women in particular in their walking before God as the Apostle faith in Heb. 12.25 If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not wee escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven And where is the voyce of God now from heaven but in the sacred Scriptures 2. To lay aside the Scriptures and trust meerly to the Spirit is not this a down-right separating and dividing what GOD hath joyned together and made one The Scriptures which are the very Word and Minde of God have in every part of them the Spirit whereby they are quickned and the Spirit is in them as light in the Sunne and we may as easily separate the light from the Sunne as the Spirit from the Scriptures For as the Sunne would soon cease to be if the light and heat were gone or taken from it so here if the Spirit should cease from the Scriptures they should cease to be the Word of God which cannot be in regard that Gods Word endureth for ever Psal 119.89 and Mark 13.31 3. If the Scriptures must be laid aside and men trust to the private Dictates of the Spirit as they say which way and how will they be able to confute those that are unsound in the Faith now will they stone * Lapidandi sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Athan cont Ari. or 2. Heretickes but by Arguments from the Scriptures For others will as strongly pretend to the enjoyment of the Spirit and to receive from the Spirit what they hold as those that are found e.g. If one should come and preach salvation by the workes of the Law or a mans own righteousuesse and not by the righteousnesse of Christ or of faith in Christ and say The Spirit perswades him hereunto who can contradict him if there be no Scriptures or word of God written to shew him the minde of God to the contrary but onely the secret and inward teaching of the Spirit And so I might instance in many other particulars 4. Besides what if you be deceived as nothing is more certain and in stead of the teachings of Gods Spirit it be the teachings of your own deceitfull and corrupt heart or the actings of that foule Spirit the Devill that oftentimes changeth or transformes himselfe into an Angel of light on purpose to deceive What then Now how will you distinguish between the Dictates of the one and the other except by this * Hincotiam apparet impietas sententiae Libertinorum nostri temporis qui se zelotas spiritus appellant Quorum aliqui Scripturae sacrae Grāmaticum genuinum sensum zanquam literam occidentem ecclrs Nov. Test inutilem contendunt nescio quae pbanatica sui cerebri somniasub spiritus titulo bominibus conantur obtrudere Haec senteneia falsa pernitiosa est quia S. Script neglecta nihil certi in religione Chri liana constitui potest quum nullum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut norma extra eam dari possit quae à falsa persuasione erroris efficacia quam Deus Evangelit contemptôribus tanquam justus Iudex saepe immittit divinam veritatem distinguat quia spiritus sanctus non nist per verbam extermon sacram Scripturam in cordibus hominum ad salutem est efficax nude Paulus suitm ministerium Ministerium Spiritus appellat 2 Cor. 3. Vide Synop. pur Theolog. p. 11. de S. Script necess that the Spirit