how can these rules requiring obedience bee practised but by such Saints as are embodied into a Church of Christ but this Mr. Bartlet I remember in his Model mentions a man I have made much use of and for whose sake I have sufficiently suffered from some in Dublin whom I feare fuller of heat then of Heaven having no more of his booke which the Lord will one day witnesse to their faces then I beare in my breast omnia mecum c. But to passe by such blowes and buffetings of Sathan I say the Saints so embodied are best provided for their duties one to another And as in a bundle of sticks one kindles another so doe they Comes facundus in via pro vehiculo est and as one helpe another so all together like Bees labour to bring in hony all into one hive So every one hath the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.6 to bring into the stocke or common banke or to profit withall O then how sweet are they to God and men who are as so many flowers bound together in one nose-gay But Fifthly The sweet soule-ravishing and enamouring reason 5 issues which are the infallible sequell of Saints so embodied O the excellent priviledges Cant. 2 3 4 5. Cant. 5.1 Cant. 6.2 3. Cant. 7.10 11 12. Psal. 92.12 13.14 their precious promises Hos. 14.6 Isa. 59.22 the singular delights which the Lord takes amongst Saints so embodied Rev. 2.1 Psal. 132.13 14. Psal. 26.8 2 Cor. 6.16.18 Cant. 8.13 above all others Ps. 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more then all the other dwellings of Jacob More then all Now such as are not in body together are deprived of the life and excellency of these as I shall shew hereafter I hope convinceingly if the Lord please but onely this I adde That the speciall benefits which beleevers so embodied doe enjoy are laid like Tiles one over another every day till the whole roofe be covered and the raine kept out Sixtly Which I would not omit though I might more reason 6 fitly have found it before is hereby the Saints are abundantly better fortified both to defend and occasionally to offend for to instance against Enemies they have an united force and they need not to feare an Adversary no not an Army if they be but in one for they are indeed terrible then as an Army with Banners displayed Drums beating Trumpets blowing Guns playing and discharging and all in good order keeping Ranke and File Why they need not to feare for their enemies then must fall before them in Joel 2.7.8.10 They shall run like mighty men they shall climbe the wall like men of warre and they shall march every one on his wayes and they shall not breake their rankes neither shall one thrust against another the earth shall quake before them the Heavens shall tremble the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the Starres shall with-draw their shining thus are the Saints in their united strength a terrour to the world Well might the Queene of Scots say Shee feared more the prayers of that one man John Knox then shee did an Army of thirty thousand men For when Gog and Magog doe gather together to battle in Revel 20.8 9. as the sand of the Sea they compasse the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City But what successe have they Why fire comes downe from God out of heaven and destroyes them or eates them up that is out of the Churches according to Rev. 11.5 If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouthes and devoureth him If any man dare to wrong them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to deale injuriously or unjustly with them he must in this manner be killed Now all the Saints and so the Churches are such witnesses and out of their mouthes by their prayers and powerfull breathings which will admit of no deniall they can conquer and consume their greatest adversaries Besides the enemy hath not that like advantage against us when we are linked as when we are alone As it is said that Siculus being on his Death-bed bid his Sons bring a Quiver of Arrowes and being brought would have them breake them altogether in the Quiver but they could not conquer them though they all tried then he bids them breake them asunder one by one which was soone done So sayes he my Sons if yee 'le breake asunder yee 'le be broken easily and throwne aside but if yee unite none can conquer you as long as yee live together in one yee will be too hard for every one So also in a Faggot of Wood there is no breaking the whole together but to take out stick after stick that wil make it easie to get the mastery of the whole Thus the Saints united together into one will be too hard for all the world but otherwise the world will have the advantage and they may be easily broken and scattered about with stormes so when they carrie on Gods cause with one shoulder and by one consent according to Zeph. 3.9 it goes on in post and against all oppositions For as Mathematicians say the strait line is alwayes weakest but the circle is the strongest and holds so the Saints in Fellowship are strongest and hold best because one is injoynted into another and thus the Saints ought unanimously and joyntly to contest together for the truth Jude ver 3. and joyntly to labour together in and for the Gospel 2 Cor. 6.1 and joyntly to put forth together for the purity priviledges orders and ordinances of Jesus Christ Gal. 5.1 and joyntly to receive together reproaches and wrongs Heb. 10.33 Gal. 6.2 2 Cor. 12.26 2 Tim. 1.16 and joyntly to refuse subjection to any persons principles or practises contrary to the word of truth and thus by their joynt powers opposers will be repulsed to their shame and losse and by their joynt-prayers heaven is taken by violence and the Lord is overcome Acts 12.5 by their joynt-praises and shoutings of joy the Heavens and Earth filled with ravishing melody and Musick Rev 14.2 As the many beames of the Sunne contracted into a little Burning-glasse doe glow and burne with abundance more light life and strength so Saints united doe Yea moreover as one Member or the Arme can act not only by its owne but also by the strength of the whole body to which it is united according to the bodies ability even so a Saint embodied may wrastle with God and against a sinne c. by the strength of the whole besides his owne as hereafter will appeare But thus much for the reasons though I might have added more Vse By all that hath been penned upon this point it appeares plainly that Parish-Churches have not the forme nor the face of a true Church of Christ according to Gospel-order for they have none of this union
the Royall Prerogative and they owe him all equall obedience in their places and to their powers Secondly Masters set servants their work and appoint them their places so doth Christ our Master tels us where wee must worke Mat. 21.28 and what work we must do Mark 13.34 for though wee have all but one calling Eph. 4.4 and are called all into one hope yet some walk and worke in one place of the vineyard and some in another as he hath appointed and according to the gift and graces of Christ Rom. 12.6 7. Eph. 4.7 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7 8.11 Thirdly Masters make provision for their servants to give them good rayment tools to worke with and all things convenient for them thus Christ makes provision for his servants Isa. 65.13 14. Psal. 132.15 hee gives them their daily bread Joh. 6.48.50 Spiritual food and Spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10.4 Water of life Joh. 4.14 Fatlings Mat. 22. yea and feasts them with fat things Isa. 25.9 and Wines fresh Cant. 2.4.6 Prov. 31 6. and well refined hee cloaths them with finest robes and richest fashions Isa. 61 10. Mat. 22.12 and finds instruments and tools fit for the worke hee sets them about in his building especially Faith without which they can doe nothing to hold Cant. 3.7 8. 2 Cor. 10.4 and his rule which they worke by is his Word Fourthly As a Master Christ payes his servants honestly to a penny Mat. 20.9 Luke 10.7 Christ will not keep backe the least reward crowne honour or glory from them when they have done their work yea hee alwayes gives them some before-hand too out of his Treasury and fulnesse Joh. 1.14 c. Fifthly As a Master hee hath the honour name and credit of their worke all runnes in his name and for his honour Mal. 1.6 Joh. 5.23 Joh. 12.26 as a Master-builder that receives the money for all that is wrought though by his servants labours also so ought we to ascribe all to Christ in praises and graces prizing him in all things and for all things that his servants do Sixthly As a Master hee walkes round his servants and is a wall about them to keep them and defend them from those that would offend them and wrong them and hee keeps them off them that would hinder them in the doing the worke of the Lord which is in building Zach. 6.4 Psal. 121.5 Isa. 27.3 Cant. 2.15 hee will suffer none to doe them the least wrong Ps. 105.14 lest his worke should lye still or be done negligently Jer. 48. Seventhly and lastly As a Master one word from his mouth is of more force then all the Masters in heaven and earth besides therefore Christs servants would know his minde and doe not minde what others as reason world carnall wisdome parts or policy of men which are strangers to the Saints do say 1 Cor. 7.23 Matth. 25.9 Col. 2.20 21. Whither shall we go from thee saith Peter Joh. 6.68 we would hear thee and not to listen to the Laws and Commandments of men Hosea 5.11 Isai. 29.13 or any other in thy work worship and service Thus we see him the Master of the work and why he is so wherefore his order and direction must be taken and onely his Isa. 61.8 If we would have the building stand and the work according to his will But Objection Pauls says 1 Cor. 3 10. as a Wise master-builder I have laid the foundation Answ. Negat Paul sayes not I am the Master of this building laid but Affirmat saith as a Master-builder doth so have I done so that he draws onely a simile from the Master-builder and calls not himself the Master-builder but as a Wise master-builder doth 1. with much pains and removals of much dung dross filth and rubbish to make way lay the foundation well deep and sure before he builds so have I done And as he will be sure the foundation be of sound substance that will not rot decay sink or endanger the building that is upon it so am I sure And as he that is a wise builder begins at the foundation and so from thence builds upwards and onward and doth not begin at a wall or window or side or top so sayes Paul I build from Christ the foundation upward and onward which first I have laid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or put into your hearts the prima initia fidei fundamentals of truth for others to have after to build upon So that I began saith he at the foundation not at the roof as now many ranting Ministers do and so do what they can in their high and lofty strains of building they must build downward unless they could lay a foundation in the air which some fancy foolishly to themselves And then fourthly As a wise Master-builder that is one of much if not most experience and judgement and of abilities so saith he I do not onely lay down directions as I have received from Christ 1 Cor. 11.23 and reasons demonstrations and rules for others but improve also all my experiences skill and labor also and take pains my self with tears and prayers day and night I lay out my strength with sweat and swink by practise as well as by preaching to build you up in the ways of godliness and truth And lastly I am as a Master-builder an Overseer of the Churches of Christ that they be in order and be built up according to the Rules of Christ and that they mend what is amiss as a steward in trust for that end and purpose 1 Cor. 4.1 Whence you see in what sense Paul is said to be as a wise Master-builder in and about the house of God But none unless Christ Jesus can be said to be the Master of the building and we are his Servants as I said before wherefore Rom. 14.18 he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Next Christ is Lord Acts. 2. Christ is not onely the Master-builder but the Lord over his Church and people which is much more Acts 2.36 Eph. 4.5 Col. 3.24 1 Cor. 2.8 6.14 I shall tell you first how he is Lord and then secondly what manner of Lord he is and then thirdly what we should be under him in that relation 1. He is Lord by power Lordship is properly jus in rebus personis a right in things and persons Now this right is by power principally which potestas est fundamentum relationis Dominii is the fundamental of Dominion or Rule in Psal. 66.7 and that Christ hath this power appears Matth. 28.18 Joh. 17.2 5.22 2. He is the Lord by purchase and hath bought us at a dear rate indeed see it Acts 20.28 we were sold before under sin Rom. 7.20 and are now bought again so that Christ hath the deeds to shew drawn up and written and sealed with his own blood whilst the old was
same for matter and substance made by all An Account of Faith as it was made and given in by word of Mouth on the Eighth day of the Eighth Moneth 1651. In a Publick Meeting-place at Dublin upon his entrance into Church-fellowship there By J. R. c. I Acknowledge and profess from my very heart before the Lord and you all here present That I do believe there is but one God who is omnipotent omniscient omni-present and an infinite and all-glorious Being and distinguished into three subsistences or if that word offend I will say into three personal proprieties and relations according to his several operations and administrations namely of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The Father is of himself the Son proceedeth from the Father and the Spirit from them both And although the Saints cannot take hold of God as God incomprehensible and inapprehensible yet they know him as a Father as a Son as a Spirit dwelling in them and so far as his several attributes makes him known to them First Concerning the first Person so called of the Trinity or God the Father that he is the great Creator and Governor of all things in Heaven and Earth eternally distinct as in himself from all Creatures as Creatures in his absolute Being and absolute Well-Being And that this God shall judge the World But Secondly Concerning the second in the Trinity the Son Jesus Christ of whom Moses the Prophets and the Apostles wrote and in whom all the Scriptures are and shall be fulfilled I believe him as he is both God and Man making a compleat Mediator and as God equal to the Father as Man of the tribe of Judah the line of David the seed of Abraham and born of Mary c. And as both the onely Mediator between God and Man And he was from everlasting and yet as Man from the Womb he was separated called appointed and anointed most fully with all gifts and graces necessary for all mankinde Concerning his Offices That he is King Priest and Prophet First As the Prophet he hath revealed his Fathers whole will so far as is necessary to Salvation in his Word and Ordinances and speaks it to his Church and Saints by his Word and Spirit Secondly As Priest being consecrated for us he hath appeared to put away sin and hath offered himself the sacrifice for the sins of the people once for all laying down his life for his sheep and he hath absolutely abolished all legal and Ceremonial rites and shadows and is now entred into the Holy of Holies and sits at the right hand of glory making intercession for us Thirdly As King in general all power is given him in Heaven and Earth and he doth exercise his power over men and Angels good and bad for the safety of his Saints and destruction of his enemies till he hath made them all his foot-stool In particular that Christ is King over his Church and shall reign on Earth spiritually in the hearts of his Saints and by his Word and Spirit he gathers all his peoples together from Idolatry Superstition Darkness c. into his own Spiritual way of worship and holiness and brings them to the Father and by his Spirit he makes them a peculiar people a royal Priesthood a holy generation and instructs and governs them by his Laws prepared for his Church and people Thirdly Concerning the Spirit the third of the Trinity that he is sent by the Father and the Son to make application of the whole work of Redemption to those whom the Father hath given to the Son by his decree and whom the Son hath brought to the Father by his blood according to the everlasting Covenant made between the Father and the Son which the Spirit carries on to us as the Covenant of Free-grace for our Salvation By the operation of this holy Spirit in me This Grace was begun first by and through the Law which awakned me so as that I saw I was lost and undone for ever and then by the Gospel whereby Christ was revealed to me and in me by his Spirit and his righteousness cleared up mine But of this hereafter This Spirit applyed Christ Jesus as far as I knew him manifested to and in me by which I was brought at length to close with Christ and that so unfainedly that I resolved to loose all before Christ. So such are First by Christs righteousness justified Secondly by his Spirit adopted sons Thirdly by his Grace sanctified and really changed to the piety and purity of Gods holy Image gradually and Fourthly Glorified and changed from misery to happiness which begins in the inward sence of Gods soul-melting love to them in Christ from whence is the hope of glory and assurance of salvation joy peace and happiness within c. Fifthly Concerning the Scriptures in Old and New Testament they are the Word of God as they were writ and indited by the holy Spirit and that they are the standing rule left us both for our knowledge and practise doctrine and Discipline here below Sixthly I believe that by the first Adams disobedience we all fell and that we are all by nature the children of wrath dead in sins and trespasses and that those who live and dye in their sins cannot be saved nor any without regeneration or new birth Seventhly Concerning the Church of Christ I know it is but one Body Universal and Catholick and that is of all Saints past present and to come invisible and visible yea spiritual and formal But this I also believe that God hath left a rule in his Word for Particular Congregational Churches here upon Earth as the visible to make up his one intire and universal Body Eighthly Now concerning Christs particular Churches I believe as I have preached and proved such a Church to be a Fellowship called out of the world and united to Christ As Members to the head and all one with another according to the Word for the worship of God and the edification one of another and that such must be separate from false ways worships Antichristian superstitions observancies c. and willingly joyn in Christian Communion and Covenant or resolution of cleaving close to the Lord in this his way with purpose of heart and by free confession of their Faith and subjection to the Gospel and therein especially I believe That the Ordinances of Christ are to be freely and frequently dispenced as preaching praying prophecying one by one Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Sacraments Censures Offices and Officers and often and ordinary exercising of gifts And that there is a chusing of and setting apart Officers by the whole Body and that none doth orderly do the office of a Minister among them but such and besides to omit many other things and bring all up in this rear I do really believe that such orderly Churches have priviledges royal oracles and seals and
embodied doe make up one Church of Christ or Kingdome of God Luke 10.11 Matth. 13.19 The Church is 6 Compared to Heaven also Matth. 13.11.24.31.33.44 45 47. Matth. 3.2 Matth. 11.11 12. Now the Saints which are to be high above the earth and the Throne of God and filled with his glory and decked up and enamelled with shining lights Stars of grace and spangles of glory most sweet and lovely the Sunne Christ moving in them and circularly round them and such as are seene plainly to bee what they are by a kinde of Vbiquity who ever they are in the Horizon or this Hemisphere I say such Saints united together in a body to make up one Church are one Kingdome of Heaven even as all the Firmaments Elements Stars Planets and Constellations together c. doe make up one visible Orbicular Heaven Mr. Jacob in his Treatise sayes A true Church is one Congregation so sayes Vrsin and others But thus much may serve to prove the Forme of Christs-Church which is to bee all one one body one building one City one Army one Kingdome one Heaven O how sweet is such a communion this Forme is the forma beauty of reason 1 all As the sweet cluster of grapes which gave taste of the Land of Canaan was bore betwixt two so in such communion we may finde and feed upon the fruits of Canaan But now to the Reasons First Why this is so requisite that Saints doe associate into one body of Beleevers is gathered from the Onenesse of all Saints For all have one Father Mal. 2.10 Jo. 8.41 all elect in one originall love Eph. 2.5 All are in one Covenant Hebr. 8.8 9 10 11. All have one Christ and Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 and All hewn from one and the same Rocke Isa. 51.1 All beare one Image Rev. 15.1 Rev. 7.3 All lay in one wombe and have the same mother Gal. 4.26 All borne by the same seed 1 Pet. 1.23 1 Joh. 3.9 All are lead by one Spirit Rom. 8.14 Joh. 14.26 Eph. 4.4 1 Cor. 14.12.26 All called into one hope Eph. 4.4 All have of one joy 1 Cor. 12.25 26. Phil. 4.4 Joh. 15.11 and 16.22 and All eye and enjoy one and the same glory Eph. 3.21 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Cor. 10.31 2 Tim. 4.8 Hence it is that Christ praies so earnestly to his Father for this Onenesse to his Saints in communion in and with him Joh. 17.11 both for them that were present and to come to the worlds end in verse 20 21. Hence it is the Apostles tooke so much paines in all places to preach up this Church-way for Saints to live as in one Family together in unity 1 Cor. 1.9 10. c. And otherwise they will much degenerate from the principles of Saints Psal. 16.3 Besides for that unity and entity are convertibles and this is the meanes to keep up both in the bond of peace and love and perfection Col. 3.14 and Eph. 4.3 4. Act. 4.32 But Secondly Saints not separate from the multitude lose much of their lustre light and glory for the Forme makes reason 2 them faire as the Moon Cant. 6.10 but when the Saints are in one body then their beauty dazles the eyes of others as many beams of light together gathered into one or as many streams met into one runne with force and fiercely David sayes O how amiable are thy Tabernacles c. Psal. 84.1 So Christ Cant. 2.10 Rise up my love my faire one and come away So in verse 13. So Cant. 4.1 Behold thou art faire my love behold thou art faire So in verse 7. Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee but there may be on thee So in verse 8. Christ calls her to separate from the mountaines of the Leopards opened before in page 45 and then it followes Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart and how faire is thy love c. My garden enclosed c. So in Cant. 6.9 My deare my undefiled is one Saints so in one body united and then follows She is the onely one shee is the choise one the Daughters Professours saw her and blessed her and the Queens Sarahs true Churches and the Concubines Hagars false Churches admired at her comelinesse and beauty and praised her saying Who is this that looketh forth as the Aurora the Damaske red morning faire as the Moone clear as the Sunne terrible as an Army with banners Saints then thus embodied are embroidered with beauty but if they be not no wonder if the world nay good men many times will not owne them for excellent ones which otherwise they shall or be ashamed for the Forme is in a sense the life and lovelinesse of every thing what were a man without his Forme and if the Forme be misplaced that makes him a Monster What beauty doe yee behold in a Picture though the colours be laid on before the Forme be drawne Suppose peeces of Timber should be carved curiously and guilt gloriously for the builders use and also stones most artificially polished painted cut and carved yet they lose their lovelinesse with lying among the multitudes and heaps abroad and about but when they come to be put up orderly to be placed in the building there is a great deale of beauty in them and pleasant grace from them Thus will it bee and is it with Saints builded up and in body together according to Gospel-order quanto forma est nobilior tanto magis dominatur materiae say the School-men Thirdly Till thus in body they are but in confusion and disorders reason 3 among them without and trod on by every foule and fooles foot and as much wronged defaced and defiled as may be As polished stones that lye among the filhy rubbish so they wil aske much paines to picke and cleanse againe before they can be fitted for the Lords house but when they are embodied together as before they are in their order which others joy to behold Col. 2.5 and so as the members that are fitly placed in the body and properly employed doe appeare alwayes orderly decent and comely to the whole body and are helpfull one to another thereunto Rom. 15.2 1 Cor. 12.25 For as the Philosophers observe that there is a twofold motion in all naturall things one whereby they move to preserve themselves and the other to preserve the whole universe So must all Church-members have their twofold motion viz. 1. For themselves 2. For the whole Fourthly Saints unlesse thus in society fall fearfully reason 4 short of doing their duties to one another in love unity peace admonition exhortation tendernesse patience watching participating comforting edifying or brotherly reproving of one another So if a Brother offend to tell it to the Church and to strive to excell to the edifying of the Church c. Now
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 hâ—wle and lament and yet stand a far off for fear of her torments verse 15. Wherefore come out of
thus farre for the Object CHAP. X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chhok Every Church of Christ hath his Rule to bee ordered fitted formed and squared by and how all the matter must bee measured by Christ's Rule and what that is IN this beautifull building wee have heard the matter and the forme and have found out the Churches fairnesse objective i. e. from the presence of God in the middest of her But now it remaines that the rule bee brought out to square by For is not this the Carpenters Sonne the Sonne of Mary or will this Carpenter or rather the Builder of this Temple of the Lord worke without his Rule no surely therefore Rev. 11.1 There was given me a reed and the Angel said rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein c. This Reed is the Rule whereby the Platforme of the Lords Temple is measured out and laid before us thus the valley of Succoth is measured out Psal. 60.6 So is it in Ezek. 43.10 Let them measure the patterne of the Lords house This worke will not bee well done without Rule and that Rule must bee Christs too which measures it out as might appeare by other Scriptures Isa. 11.1 Zach. 6.12.13 Matth. 16.16 So you may see in the Precept for it Matth. 28.20 What I have commanded Christs commands are our rules Wisdom that is Christ calls Prov. 7.1 Keep my words and hear my Commandments Keep them that iâ— so as diligently to observe them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tells us So Prov. 8.1 2. Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice she crieth at the gates c. So my beloved spake and said Rise up my love my fair one and come away Cant. 2.10 It is the voice of my beloved vers 8. So in Psal. 45.10 Besides this hath been the practise of all true Churches as in 1 Thes. 4.1 2. We beseech you as ye have received of us so walk How According to the Commandments we delivered to you by the Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the will of God c. So 1 Cor. 11.2 I praise you that you keep or observe remember and obey the Ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines Traditions Precepts c. as I have delivered them unto you Now how was that Paul did this not as a Head or Law-giver delivering his own Canons or Conclusions for in Vers. 3. I would have you know Christ is the Head Now Vers. 23. as I have received of the Lord so delivered I them unto you or I have given them up unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appointed for that purpose Now no others does Paul press upon them for as in 1 Tim. 6.3 4. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesom words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or words sound sine vitio and healthful for the soul which are the words of Christ c. withdraw from him Vers. 5. Have nothing to do with such a one and why reason 1 Reason 1. Is because it is not in the power or policy of men though they be never so wise learned or lofty to lay down precepts for the Saints practise or to set the way to worship God in and by all this being beyond him and too high for him A Balaam could say I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord Numb 22.18 Should the Lord have left this to the wills and wits of men what a most miserable Church-work should we have had For every man would have had his minde and set reason 2 up his fancy Reason 2. Wherefore see how precisely it lies in Exod. 25.40 That they look to it that all be made according to the pattern shewed upon the Mount So that Moses must do nothing on his own head in the Government of the Church or by his own private authority about the Tabernacle but as the Lord Commanded Nor durst David or Solomon do any thing in the Lords Temple either in the building or ordering or officers or singers c. but all by direction from above and according to the Laws of the Lord who hath laid all and lined all out by his own rules and according to his own will 2 Chron. 3.3 Much less durst any whether Apostles or others have undertaken it without direction from the Lord and Christ's line and rule this glorious building of the Gospel so far exceeds the former Reason 3. Wherefore the voice out of Heaven bid hear him For he hath brought down from his Fathers bosom the pattern reason 3 of this new Jerusalem which is coming down from God out of Heaven Hence Acts 3.22 Christ is called the Prophet like unto Moses commissionated from the Lord to delineate unto us and lay before us by plain and perfect rule and line whatsoever appertains to the true discipline and worship of God So in Isai. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government shall be no end to order it and establish it c. Isai. 22.21 I will commit his Government into his hand c. And he shall reign in righteousness and rule in judgement Isai. 32.1 So in Zach. 6.13 Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and he shall sit and rule upon his Throne c. Hence saith Christ Matth. 28.18 All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authoritative power is given me in Heaven and Earth Go therefore and teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you and I will be with you to the end of the world Wherefore God hath revealed his minde made forth by Christ in the Gospel and that must be minded by all men and Ministers in this work that all that be laid upon the building be first â—ewn fit ordered squared and qualified for this worship of Christ both matter and manner by Christ his own rule All other rules of the best ablest and wisest men will make but mud-walls mad work unequal and uneven being all too long or too short but Christs own Vse 1. We finde by this that Parishes are no Churches of vse 1 Christ's building never built according to Christs rule or directory largely delivered in the Acts of the Apostles For I have already proved they are without warrant out of Gods Word and that the Rule and Pattern of their Discipline is Antichristian and drawn out of the whimsical doctrines fanatick and fantastick Ordinances and Directories of mens brains Wherefore come out c. For 2 John 9. whosoever abides not in but transgresses from the doctrine of Christ hath not God c. Wherefore V. 10. receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed for whosoever biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds Neither are ye to own or say God speed to Parochial Constitutions which are transgressions to the rules and laws
Christ p. 1â—7 c. 13 l. 1 Head is the highest over the body and the Excellency of the Body and gives influence to all the Body and governs the Body and sympathizes with it so Christ p. 37 148 149 c. 13 l. 1 Head and Member both is Christ p. 148 c. 13 l. 1 Headlesse body is a lifelesse body p. 148 c. 13 l. 1 In our Head Christ our Eyes Ears Tongue all should bee p. 150 c. 13 l. 1 Head well All is well p. 150 c. 13 l. 1 Head of Gold Christ how hee differs from Heads of Brasse 151 148 153 181 13 1 Harvest follows the seed time of sorrow p. 365 c. 6 l. 2 Heathens are Volunteers to their gods p. 126 c. 11 l. 1 Heaven in the Churches of Christ p. 86 c. 7 l. 1 Heaven in hell what p. 405 c. 6 l. 2 Hell was Christs and is our way to heaven p. 361 c. 6 l. 2 Hell how one may be in it how out again 394 447 448 398 403 c 6 2 Colonel A. Hewsons Experiences p. 395 412 c. 6 l. 2 Hermes visions of the Churches in these dayes p. 46 c. 4 l. 1 J. Heywards Experience p. 415 c. 6 l. 2 Hereticks as such not to bee put to death p. 177 178 c. 13 l. 1 Hereticks have put to death Saints for Hereticks p. 177 c. 13 l. 1 Hidden number who they be 14 Ep. Hierusalem vide Jerusalem E. Hoar's Experience p. 4 c. 6 l. 2 Hold fast the Head Christ p. 182 c. 13 l. 1 Hollanders how to be dealt with now 12 13 Ep. 1 Holy Ghost must fall upon men before they bee fitted to build the Lords house p. 192 c. 13 l. 1 Hopes of Churches Recovery how lost again p. 12 c. 2 l. 1 Honour and praise of God the End of Church-fellowship p. 60 c. 5 l. 1 House of God fitly framed how and who p. 84 c. 7 l. 1 Howâ—ing under sense of damnation p. 441 c. 6 l. 2 T. Huggins Experience p. 393 c. 6 l. 2 Humility taught by experience p. 379 380 c. 6 l. 2 Husband of the Churches is Christ p. 56 c. 5 l. 1 Husbandry of the Lord his Churches p. 31 c. 3 l. 1 Hyacinths or Jacinths who p. 519 c. 9 l. 2 Hypocrites so known kept out p. 57 c. 5 l. 1 Hypocrites not of though in Churches p. 64 ibid. Hypocrites hinder the Churches growth and will all be discovered ere long 65 67 ibid. Hypocrites soon made by compulsive powers 127 11 1 263 2 2 Hypocrites character and conditions p. 211 c. 15 l. 1 Hypocriâ—e what he is p. 373 c. 6 l. 2 Hypocrites puff'd up by experiences p. 379 ibid. Hypocrites warning-peice indeed p. 442 443 c. ibid. I. Jâ—spers precious stones who p. 510 512 c. 9 l. 2 Idleness not allowed in Paradise p. 541 ibid. Idols of brass must down presently p. 159 c. 13 l. 1 Idolizing water-baptism which was before by Papists Prelates and is now by Anabaptists p. 303 305 c. 4 l. 2 Idols made of forms hast their fall p. 343 c. 5 l. 2 Idols of forms several ways p. 345 ib. Idolatry in many professors p. 346 ib. Idolizing a Church-Covenanting p. 454 c. 7 l. 2 Jew every spiritual Saint p. 74 c. 6 l. 1 Jew and Gentile all one in Christ p. 392 c. 5 l. 2 J. Jecocks Experience p. 399 c. 6 l. 2 Jerusalem a type of the Church p. 527 c. 9 l. 2 Jews when precious Church-matter p. 54 ibid. Ignorance of Churches object hinders affection to them p. 118 c. 9 l. 9 Ignorance is the mother of false worship p. 241 c. 1 l. 2 Implicite faith not enough p. 244 ibid. Impartiality as to opinion necessary p. 247 ibid. Impudent whoredoms of Parish Churches Minister and People p. 550 551 c. 92 Independent Church every Church of Christ p. 100 c. 8 l. 1 Independency Prelatick as bad as any p. 105 ibid. Independents of long standing p. 113 ib. Independents walk by Rule i. e. the Word 122 10 1 113 8 1 Independents many called so that are not so but are persecutors of true Independents p. 115 ibid. The Independent Lord is Christ alone 144 13 1 Indifferent things what are and what not p. 313 c. 5 l. 2 Indifferent things all lawful in themselves p. 324 ibid. Indifferentâ— dangerous when and how p. 451 c. 7 l. 2 Inclosed number of Saints make Churches p. 42 c. 4 l. 1 Infant Baptism idolized how p. 300 c. 4 l. 2 Infant Baptism true for matter and form p. 299 ibid. Ingagement for and against Churches how in Epistle to Churches Injoyments highest to Saints in fellowship p. 202 c. 13 l. 1 Inlâ—v'ning and inlightning the spirits work p. 265 c. 2 l. 2 Inquiry of members to be admitted strict p. 288 289 c. 4 l. 2 Interest of Gospel polity differs from interest of carnal polity p. 7 c. 1 l. 1 Integrum what it is p. 482 c. 9 l. 2 Interests National and Antichristian fall backward 5 Ep. Intire Church every particular Church p. 483 c. 9 l. 2 Intruders into Churches are many p. 271 c. 3 l. 2 Inward truth must be in Church-members p. 69 c. 5 l. 1 Inward melancholly p. 429 c. 6 l. 2 Inward Baptism qualifies for Churches p. 300 c. 4 l. 2 Joynt-powers joynt-prayers and joynt-praises of Saints embodied fill Heaven and Earth p. 90 91 c. 7 l. 1 Joy at laying the foundation great p. 193 c. 14 l. 1 Joy if true follows sorrow p. 365 366 c. 6 l. 2 H. Johnsons Experience p. 408 c. 6 l. 2 Ioy to Christs Churches in his day which is nigh p. 25 c. 3 l. 1 Ireland warned of persecutors for forms p. 17 c. 2 l. 1 Ireland calls and incourages Ministers 28. Epist. Iron-hearted men set up the head of Iron p. 151 c. 13 l. 1 Israel a separate people p. 71 c. 6 l. 1 Israel afflicted by Egyptians how now p. 342 c. 5 l. 2 Ireland springing with variety of flowers p. 417 c. 6 l. 2 Judas in every Church he went out after the â—op at Dublin p. 66 c. 5 l. 1 Iubilee hard by p. 26 c. 3 l. 1 Iudge of Religion Christ alone in Commission p. 151 c. 13 l. 1 Iudges of Doctrine of Faith not Magistrates and why 173 175 ibid. Iudges shall be judged by Saints p. 177 ibid. Iudgement must be sound p. 242 c. 1 l. 2 Indicature in what Christ is Iudge p. 160 c. 13 l. 1 Iudgements or opinions in things indifferent of all sorts to be received p. 312 c. 5 l. 2 Iudgement of the Church is charitable upon the declaring of Experiencies p. 358 360 c. 6 l. 2 Justification how Presbyters and Papists agree in it p. 474 c. 9 l. 2 K. Key of Christs shoulders what it is p. 138 c. 13 l. 1 Keyes who pretend to them 58 Ep. T. Kelsals Experience second Experience 6 2 King and King alone Christ 19 20 21 22 23 Epist. King in his Beauty most in
Israel a separate people So every Saint is a spirituall Jew So are the Disciples of Christ. Sim. Who are therefore haâ—â—d Châ—ists commands 2 Those that partake of her sins partake of her sorrows 3 It publishes disobedience not to be such and a corrupt heart plenis faucibus Quest. Answ. 1 None ought to be without Callings 2 None must separate from their duties 3 Nor to separate from civill â—onverse What it is to separate 1 From all false wayes and worship 2 From familiarity with the adversaries of the truth Sim. Sim. Sim. Have nothing to doe with them Gods anger is against such as do keep company with them Sim. Sim. 3 No fellowship with them in their orders and ordinances out of Christs way Expos. As Paul separated from Iewish Churches Discipline orders and ordinances Vse Parishes have not this part of the Forme Which is twisted up of a threefold cord to draw us out of Parishes into Churches All men are separates from Christ or separates for Châ—ist and which is best Object What Separatists are Schismaticks and what not A sin not to separate from false Antichristian Church-States And parishes as Churches are such Learned men many times most enemies to Christ and his true Churches Sim. Parish-Churches no Churches Churches gathered out of Churches Parish churches are Sathans Synagogues No Parish-rule conveyes a Church-right Sim. Parishioners opposite to Churches Sim. Object Answ. Word preached is no indelible nor undeceivable note of a truâ—â— Church Sim. But a commen adjunct Sacraments must be of right dispensed as Christs Ordinances in Christs order i. e. no where but in the true Church Expos. A word to all friends to submit to Christ. ☞ ☞ Sim. Outward Ordinances out of Christs order may do more hurt then good Sim. Carnall reason keeps many off Church-fellowship Sim. Secondly 2. Part of the forme is after separation from the fals conjunction in the true way Forth with hast into the Churches Else we shall be lost in the wildernesse One reason many Professors formerly strict turne Familists Seekers Ranters and such like In the Answer godly eminent Ministers so accounted must be reproved in the Countries Hag. 1.2.4 The Lord expostulates with them Ministers most complaine who are most the cause of their owne complaines What answers some of them have given the Author when he hath pressed upon them Gospel practise Why many Ministers are against Independency as they call it Expos. Whom the forme is to be showne to What it is 1. One Body 2. One body Independent 1. Christ's Church is his Body how and why All Members make up one and but one body Expos. Sim. If one member be amisse it must be restored into use and order againe for the good of the whole body which cannot misse that one member Sim. That is candidly with all sweetnesse of brotherly-like spirit and christianity Every member is to be in an apt place c of the body Sim. 1 Cor. 12.21.22 and to be content therewith Vide Zanch. de Eccles. 2. Christ his Church is his building Expos. The forme of his building What it is Sim. Rightly ordered to make all one The Lords house fitly framed together Expos. All one in another and every one on and in Christ the foundation v. chap. 14. Expos. 3. Christ's Church is a City compact Sim. All streets houses peoples c. make but one City Saints Citizens Sim. The immunities Priviledges lawes of this City which belong to the Freemen thereof None admitted free-men of this City but by the Citizens consent Expos. Buxtorph and Shâ—indler 4 This Church is his Army All men companies colours Captaines make up one Army 5 Christ's Church is his Kingdome For all Cities Shires countries c. make up but one Kingdome 6 Christs Church called heaven And why All Elements Firmaments Orbes Stars c make but one heaven All Saints in one are so Mr Jacob. Mr. Ursin. Sim. Because they have All one Father All one originall Law All in one Covenant All hewn from one Rock All bear one Image All lay in one womb All of one Seed All lead by one Spirit All called into one hope All one joy All one glory Christ prayed for this onenesse Apostles tooke great paines to preach it Unity and Entity convertibles The beauty and loveliness of Saints embodyed Sim. His Tabernacles amiable His Spouse fair 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such embâ—dâ—ed excel in beauty Informitas materiae duplex vel excludeâ—s formam vel formositatem Th. Aq. 1.66.1 â— Sim. Without form deforme Sim. But in one body their excellency appears In great confusion and disorder till then Sim. But in body in order and proper place Sim. Sim. Till thus embodied they do not their duties one to another Mr. Bartlet The Author abused for him in Dublin Sim. Expos. The soule-sweet issues of such a Gospel-order Priviledges Promises The Lords delight there above all Sim. The united strength of Saints in such Gospel society Vis â—nita fortiâ—â— Such Saints are the surest and the most successefull Souldiers A terrour to the world Expos. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire proceeds out of the mouthes of Churches to destroy Gog and Magog Expos. By the Spirit of the Lord. Sim. Unity unconquerable Sed informitas infirmitas Sim. Sim. Saints united in one too hard for the whole world Sim. Their joynt powers and joint prayers able to conquâ—r heaven and earth And joynt-praises fill heaven and earth Sim. One member can act by his owne power and by the virtuall power and influence of the whole body Vse Parishes no Churches of Christ in this point of forme For we proved before with the Schoolâ—men Ubi partes non habent rationem materiae ibi totum non habet rationem formae So that they are neither matter nor forme The Devils black cloven foote is set in the midst of them all over England Why Parishes so devoyd of matter form and so full of sinne Expos. In Parishes what plagues arose from their constitution The worse wicked ill-favoured Kine eate up and destroy the others of the Neighbours that are better Exod. 7.12 and errours and sins doe swallow up truths Proph. Aegyptian Plagues must come upon them as in Isa. 10.24 26. Although as yet many like Dan do bite us behind or backbite Many an Adullamite we meet with in Parishes Parishes a Chaos Sim. Sim. Materia informis Expos. Parishes are stalls for beasts to lye down in Sim. Sim. Sim. Parish-Churches have their fatall blow Ezek. 16.36 37 Judg 9.15 The Bramble shall be burnt up in the day that burneth like an oven Mal. 4.1 Sim. Babylon falling Thâ—se that traded with her bewail her Vse A call into Zion into the Churches of Christ. Out of Babylon and Parish Churches Christ beckens to thee ☞ In his Tabernacles and Churches are beauty power his presence safety deliverance pleasure and joyes plenty peace blessednesse salvation all powerfull motives Great hurt to the godly to continue in Parish Churches
blamed but without any just blame might those Prelates be pictured out so half way in heaven for what they pretended and for the good they did but half in hel for what they intended and for the evill they did in afflicting the Saints accusing the brethren persecuting the Church and rendring the true Discipline of Gospel-fellowship odious and despicable to Magistrates Ministers people and all But furthermore the Antichristian Hierarchy and Discipline was so indulgently fostered up by Monarchy that King James could make it a maxime in which he proved a true Prophet No Bishop no King and it is clear to me out of many Scriptures Dan. 2.34 35. Rev. 17.12 and 18.3 that they both live and dye together like Hippocrates twins receiving both alike and at the same time power from and punishment with the Beast Wherefore let not the Prelates nor Papists thinke to hold long in any place for the day of the Lord his controversie for Zion shall finde them out neither need they to thinke their fall is by fortune for it is appointed of old and in these dayes wherein we are at suit with them let them not wonder if they all lose the day of us yea and the hot spirits violent Presbyterians too so called who agree too much with Popery and Prelacy as appears Ch. 9. lib. 2. at large and must meet with the like lamentable destiny and fate with you for as Mâ— Hooker sayes in his Preface before his Survey of Discipline There is no such thing as a Presbyteriall Church i.e. a Church made up of the Elders of many Congregations Classic-wise to govern c. in the New Testament wherefore let them not wonder if they also fall in the heat of this Suit seeing the Law and the Testimony is for us this Terme-time and therefore the Judge must be for us too and the day will be ours in despight of all the world because that yee have trusted to forged titles that will hold no water The Camel seeking hornes lost his ears and so have these Disciplinarians they will not heare what belongs to their peace In this Summers day of the Lord Jesus the Sun will shine hot and scorch yea melâ— violento aestu the waxen wings of all false-discipline and thereby throw down that Icarus-like loftinesse of High-Presbytery Popery and Prelacy in all Nations and then the whole bulke and massie body of Antichrist must beat his heels in the ayre and be found in the deeps and drowned in the Ocean of everlasting misery Rev. 19.19 they are already under the burnings of that day in the torrid horrid Zone and must shortly tumble into the tomb where the worme dyeth not This must bee for that they cannot bee converted into any other use for safety As the black cloath that will take no other Dye but must hold so and is most rotten uselesse and unserviceable for weare but the whit will take any other Dye so indeed will our Discipline of Gospel-institution which is in these latter dayes to bee restored into its Primitive purity as white precious spirituall Lilly-like and lovely this shall be capable of any Dye or administration and Dispensation to the end of the world any Dye it will take whereinto it is dipp'd by the hand of the Lord but the blacke base sooty and darke Discipline of Antichrist shall be but as a rotten ragge and good for nothing being in nothing capable of these latter dayes dyes which will be of divers sorts from one to another yeare after yeare and the best at last But furthermore the Dragon till these late dayes hath made use of earthly powers to oppose the Saints having no more place found for him in heaven but now it is that we heare the loud Voyce in heaven viz. his Church saying Now is come salvation strength and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down And now shall the earth viz. earthly powers help the Woman and swallow up the Dragons indignation though the remnant of her Seed must yet meet with Warres Conflicts and oppositions for a time It remaines now O England Ireland and Scotland that yee kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and yee perish Psal. 2.12 and that yee cast away your Popish and foppish trash and trumperies and those wicked traditions formes and ordinances of men which have made yee Captives and for many hundred yeares have inbondaged and endungeoned ye up in darknesse and deceit for as we can cousen little ignorant Children by giving them Counters and taking away Gold and those Counters too are only to quiet them so how easily can Antichrist cheat you which he hath done in our ignorance and infancy by giving us Copper for Gold and counterfeit Brazen-fac'd ordinances and tooke away Christ's telling us that they were better which he gave us and so quieting us for a long time but now alasse we are older and we must be wiser and not be so basely cheated out of our Ordinances Orders Doctrine and Discipline which Christ hath left us when he went from us but let us hold our owne and keep our Gold and to encourage us he hath promised us ere long to make another change in the Churches and to give them gold for brasse Isa. 60.17 the precious for the vile c. Wherefore it is O Friends that this true Religion Discipline and Gospel-worship of Christ's owne Coyne and Mint having his owne Image of his most precious Gold is offered you againe and once againe which hath often before been rigidly repulst and put off with disdaine and direfull reproach yet notwithstanding it is presented to you the third time and comes crowned with the twelve Starres and cloathed with the Sunne I meane with Christ the Super-intendent and sole Independent Lord and Law-giver yea and alone Light-giver to the Church and Saints This is especially the Honour and Ornament of this Discipline or Gospel-Politie viz. to be cloathed with light having Christ alone the Lord. Indeed hitherto hath many a sad soule sate and sigh'd yea and the Church in the Wildernesse too bewayl'd with Mary weeping Joh. 20.13 Oh! They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him Alexander used to say of his two Friends viz. Craterus and Hephestion that Hephestion loved Alexander but Craterus loved the King and yet the King and Alexander were both but one man and so Certes I may say of some in these dayes who professe to be Christ's friends they all love him as Christ Jesus our Saviour for his sweetnesse and excellency and lovelinesse and love which is better then wine and for his usefulnesse c. but how few of them that love him as the King to be commanded by him that are obedient to his Lawes and Ordinances unlesse they be in the Congregationall orderly Courches and there indeed Christ
and the end of it be bitter and not blessed Prov. 20 21. All things in the Creation as well as in the Re-creation have one and the same ultimate end which all Saints should have in all their practices purposes and proposals to themselves The end though last in the execution yet is first in the intention in omnibus agendis c. and this is an undoubted truth Now agere prudenter to do wisely is adhibito certo fine to have before us fixed an honorable end and answerable to the business we are about Now our end in all things must be the same with Gods end in all viz. The glory of God no other end is honorable enough for us to aim at Hence it is said He created every one for his glory Isa. 43.7 and in Prov. 16.4 The Lord made all for himself yea the wicked c. i. e. The final cause of the Creation was his praise and glory so is it of his gubernation our redemption and salvation and whatsoever we can say hath all the same end which we are to aim at viz. The setting forth the praises of God Hence in so many Psalmes especially in Psalme one hundred forty eight David doth invoke all things and all Creatures in heaven and earth to praise the Lord but above all he calls on the Saints which is as much as to say in especiall manner it must be their end in all and by all and to doe all to his praise and glory 1 Cor. 10.31 so that Gods Angels Saints and all men and all Creatures humane or heavenly as they are God's all have the same end and that end is the honour and glory of God Now Saints have most especially this finall cause commanding them unto and commending them into this Gospel-Church-state this being their maine end and mighty designe to set forth the praise and glory of God This truth triumphs in armour of proofe out of Prophecies Precepts and practises with others For first in Isa. 35.10 The ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy Isa. 51.11 ver 3. joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thankes-giving and the voyce of melody and they shall mention the Lords loving kindnesses and the praises of the Lord c. Isa. 63.7 thus in Cant. 8.2 the Church gives her Beloved to drinke of her spiced cup i. e. praise composed of the spices or graces of his owne Spirit and here is also juyce of the Pomegranats running out like little Rivers most sweet and acceptable unto the Lord. So Cant. 7.12 13. and Cant. 4.16 the end of her request is for the spices to flow out and that the Beloved may eate of his pleasant fruits This promise is also in that Prophecie of Jeremy 15.19 to comfort the cast-downe Prophet in his affliction the Lord promises when the precious are taken from the vile they shall be as his mouth i. e. filled with Hallelujahs of praises and honours and glory unto God So in Jer. 30.17 19. This is Zion whom no man seeketh after shall set forth his praises ver 19. And out of them shall proceed thankesgiving and the voyce of them that make merry thus Zeph. 3.9 I will turne to the people a pure Language a lip and what then they shall call upon the name of the Lord often read they shall praise the Lord with one consent This is fore-told in many chapters of the Revelations chap. 11.15.17 chap. 14.2.3 and in Revel 21.11 This new Jerusalem which is now coming downe hath the glory of God to fill her and ver 23 c. you shall finde the Types both of the Arke Tabernacle and Temple to fore-tell this was to be the end of every Church under the Gospel in 2 Chron. 5.13 14. wherein they had Musicke and Melodies Trumpets and Singers all as one shouting out one sound of praises and thankesgiving to the Lord and then the house of the Lord was filled with his glory Now much more is this new Jerusalem and so are these Gospel-temples for the praises and glory of God Praise waites for thee in Zion Psal. 65.1 and to thee shall the vowes be performed i. e. to thee in Zion as if Zion only were for the same purpose and in Psal. 67.2 3. Let thy way be knowne upon earth and then followes Let the people praise thee O God So Psal. 70.4 Let all those that seeke the Lord rejoyce and be glad in thee and let such as love thy salvation say continually Let God be magnified Thus is that in 2 Thes. 1.11 12. We pray for you that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and yee in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ by all which it appeares Praises are expected and required from all the Saints in Zion So Hebr. 13.15 Let us offer praises continually with all the cohabitants in the Gates of Zion which hath been in all Ages being it is for that purpose they are enchurched as in 1 Pet. 2.9 yee are a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar purchased people and why for what end That ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light c. So in Isai. 64.10 11. Zion our holy and beautiful house where our fathers praised thee c. So Matth. 11 25. Heb. 2.12 sayes Christ I will sing praise unto thee in the midst of the Church Eph. 3.21 Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen So that by all these Scriptures appears the final cause of Gods calling out of darkness into light out of the world into the Kingdom of Christ out from them without to Saints so embodied as before within I say the supream and ultimate end is to the setting forth of the praises and glory of God as a peculiar people in a peculiar manner Although I deny not but we are to aim at the edifying one another in Christ furthering of one another in the things of salvation watching over comforting and counselling of delighting and rejoycing in one another and having fellowship with the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 1.3 enjoying his presence there more especially 1 Cor. 6.26 and provoking one another to love and good lives Heb. 10.24 1 Cor. 1 9. Yet this of glorifying of God is the main most and moving end and all other things we aim at are but in subordination unto this in ordine ad gloriam Dei and good reason for it as will hereafter appear for they have most cause for it being the Redeemed reason 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and openly and apparently the Ransomed ones as in Revel 5.9 And they are most capable of it too Psal. 33.1 3. 53.6 being they have most reason 2 understanding Psal. 47.7 and are most
cancelled Col. 2.14 and his Lordship is good by Law Rom. 14.9 3. He is Lord by conquest too Heb. 2.9 10 14. he hath won us out of our enemies hands Joh. 16.30 Revel 17.14 from world sin death law hell devil all of us are his prize goods by the best and justest martial law for he hath led captivity captive Eph. 4.8 and we are freed 4 He is Lord by gift Psal. 2.8 Joh. 17.2 6 7 8 9. Thus hath his Father made him Heir and given him possession of all in Heaven and Earth This gift as from God is a gift that takes in the bounty bonity justice and mercy of God manifested in giving us to Christ as his rightful possession 5. He is Lord too by election and choice Psa. 78.70 Isa. 22.20 21 c. with reference to God the anointed and chosen one above all Matth. 12.18 Luke 23.35 1 Pet. 2.4 So in Christ he hath chosen us to Christ Eph. 1.4 1 Pet. 2.9 And he is chosen with reference to us too Isai. 26.13 Cant. 5.10 16. John 20.13 28. so Matth. 22.44 My Lord which particular appropriation implies the choice which is made of Christ for their Lord so do all the Saints as Col. 2.6 7. receive Christ for their Lord i. e. A ruling Christ as well as a Saving Christ Jesus the Lord 2 Cor. 4.5 Now election is the proper act of free-will whereby we would chuse one above all others Cant. 6.3 to which there must be a concurrence of knowledge and desire by the first we judge him to be fit preferred above all and in himself to excel all and by the latter we are made to long after him above all and to choose him before all both these are expressed by Paul Phil. 3.8 saying Jesus my Lord though we grant that the principal point of this choice lies in the appetite and thirsting faculty of the soul But all these ways Christ is Lord. 2. In what manner is Christ called Lord what kinde of Lord is he First He is an Independent Lord for he depends upon none answer 1 but all depend on him Psal 89.27 Dan. 2.21 He is Lord Paramount over all and above all Phil. 2 9. Eph. 4.6 Secondly He is a Spiriâ—ual Lord reigns within as well as without in the hearts and consciences of men 1 Cor. 12.3 2 Cor. 3.17 Matth. 22.43 Thirdly He is a most excellent Lord excelling all in their own excellencies of wisdom power prowess prudence valor virtue beauty righteousness Jer. 23.6 Heb. 1.8 And in whatsoever a Lord should have or be Psal 148.13 Fourthly He is an universal Lord over all the world Dan. 7.14 Matth. 21.3 living and dead Rom. 14.9 Over all his Church Eph. 4 5. And yet a peculiar Lord to every Church and Soul as appears before by choice Fifthly He is an alone Lord Mat. 23 8.10 Psal. 148.13 Isa. 63.3 and Isa. 2.11.17 without any other Vice-Roy or Lord-deputy and he will not allow any to usurpe his place or power or to arrogate this over any of his Saints in his Church Mat. 23.10 James 3.4 for hee alone is Lord Chiefe-Justice Joh. 5.27 and his Lordship is Royall-Prerogative for brethren are all equall it is the evill servant that lords it over his fellow and beats him and takes hold on his throat but Christ will issue out his warrants against him with a Habeas Corpus c. Sixthly Hee is an Eternall Lord and cannot be displaced or degraded Isa. 9.7 Heb. 12.27 yea all changes alterations and downfals of other Lords doe rather ratifie and set him up surer then damnifie or weaken his Dominion hee shall reigne for ever And thus wee see what manner of Lord hee is vse 1 Vse 1 Well then if this Lord be thus Lord Then let us see the Churches and Saints happinesse they have not many but one onely Lord so all Saints are fellowâ—subjects to this one Lord Had wee many Lords wee could not misse many miseries and slaveries for divers Lords have divers Laws and divers Lusts divers Minds divers Wils and divers Ends and all would breed divisions and distraction and destruction but this one Lord hath but one Law which is a Law of love the new Command as wee shall shew in the third Lib. which breeds peace joy grace and union O happy are the servants of this typified Solomon 1 King 10.8 2 Chron. 9.7 who are at peace in liberty and joy whilst all others poor soules have hard Lords to serve in a most miserable Babylonish bondage and Antichristian slavery Vse 2 The honour of the Saints and glory of the Church is Eph. 5.27 to have Christ their Lord and Ruler if it were an honour to be servants to Solomon 1 King 10. then a greater then Solomon is here See Isa. 43.4 Acts 13 40. John 5.44 they have their honour from above which is ad se ab aliis more then a praise which consists in words yea more then a Glory which consists in the good opinion of them and yet Christs is a praise and a glory to them but he is more and yet hee is our honour Joh. 12.26 and advances us and all his Saints and servants to the dignity of Kings and Princes and Crowns Glory Rev. 1.6 hee cannot want preferment that serves in Christs-Court and Kingdome 2 Pet. 1.17 Whilst it is most ignoble and basely dishonourable to serve the Beast Thirdly By this Lordship of Christ Saints are let out at large in their duties to God and men so far are they from being embondaged that they are loose and at Liberty within the Kingdome of Christ but not beyond those bounds hereby what a bond of unity is this as appeares Eph 4.3.5 to make the Saints one though they be of severall measures statures judgements heights enjoyments c. yet when they remember they have all but one Lord equally and the same How doth this whet their zeal and strengthen their hands and hearts for the truth when they come to contest together Jude 3. and against opposers to be unanimous Phil. 1.27 considering they all serve one Lord and Master what delight will they have in one another how they will encourage one another to be faithfull and industrious in serving of their Lord how ready will they be to vindicate one another and honestly and justly to take one anothers part against Opposers remembring they bee all fellow-servants how earnestly will they set upon a fellow-servant with arguments and reasons Scripture-proofes and reproofes and in the power of the Spirit speak home to such as are ready to be lead away with lusts and enter into the service of other Lords whether of Pope Prelate Councels Classâ—s or whatsoever that would rob Christ of his right yea how seriously and assiduously do they demonstrate to others that are not yet in this service â—he singular soule-advantages
Hence are so many godless hardned sinners subjects in his dominion but the head of gold is of such a principle that none will serve him nor will he that any should worship him but the precious separate from the vile the pure from impure and visibly unholy Jer. 15.19 Isa. 60.21 Fourthly This head of brass which is black within though it shines without accepts of a meer outside appearance and verbal confession of Christ let him be as black as Hell within so his words be good and he look like Heaven without it is enough to answer his principle But this head of gold who is better within then without would have all his like himself all glorious within Psal. 45. as the curtains of Solomon Cant. 1.5 being born of God for what is of flesh is flesh and what is of Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. Fifthly This head of brass hath members and officers of mettal like himself and of no better principle if so good for some are iron and clay who act according to their own natural principles or points c. But the head of gold hath members and officers qualified with his own Spirit and excellencies and filled with his own fulness Eph. 1.23 and partaking of his own divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Christ and his Spirit are the Officers in Christs Church and none other any further then Christ and his Spirit dwells in them and acts them so that then it is not they but Christ rules orders directs disposes or dispenses c. Sixthly This head of brass hath an ill-savor Joel 2.20 and all his doctrines traditions and discipline sent strongly of himself so that whosoever handles them their hands will smell of the brazen head therefore beware of their leaven c. But this head of gold and all his ordinances doctrines laws and discipline are of a most sweet and pretious savor Cant. 1.3 2 Cor. 2.14 15. Eph. 5.2 c. As oyntment poured out Seventhly This head of brass seen and observed by himself makes a rich rare and amiable show to most men but when he comes to be compared to the head of gold he falls and then looks like himself viz. dull dead black earthly filthy and unfit for to be a head or foot in Christs Church Thus in these days his doctrine and devices traditions and trumperies being brought into the light and compared with the truth can no longer triumph but must fall before this head of gold who excels him as far as light darkness good evil and as Heaven excels Earth although before this he fetcht in many to him from far and sat in glory and majesty exalting himself above all that is called God 2 Thes. 2.4 But now he is to be destroyed by the bright appearance of this head of gold 2 Thes. 2.8 that is he is to be rendred useless and uneffectual as before in the Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall weaken him or break his strength or glory he shall lessen his lustre and make him forlorn and loose his pride Nothinging him by his spiritual appearance and in the brightness of his presence Eighthly This head of brass is the work of mens hands and but of mans Creation and must be broken to shatters Psal. 29. this Image must fall Dan. 2.32 But for the head of gold the headship of Christ the gates of hell shall not prevail against him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers of hell the policies of hell the very strength and force of hell shall be set against him but to no purpose for of his government there shall be no end Thus I have cursorily set before you a vast difference between a false and true Church-state from the Heads the one being of mans make and the other of Gods appointment Psal. 2.6 All things are to be put under Christs feet and this head of gold shall wear a crown of gold for ever and ever Heb. 2.7 8. Therefore it is that Kings Crowns Kingdoms Councels Classes and Synods National Churches and States are shaken and shall be shaken that the Kingship of Christ which shall never be shaken Heb. 12.27 28. may remain for ever Thus you see how false Church-states are but the habitations of Antichrist built up by men but the true ones are built up by Christ Zach. 6.12 and the habitation for his presence and honor to dwell in Eph. 2.22 2 Cor. 6.16 Wherefore Friends beware beware of brazen faces that have the face to cry up that Head which you have heard of These are those that consult to cast Christ down from his excellency and delight in lies Psal. 62.4 Such brazen heads fall by thousands short yea by millions of myriades of the orders excellencies perfections plenitudes virtue of influence Government Sympathy health and soundness of this true Head of the Church viz. The head of gold But now who be such heads of brass First is that head of brass the brazen-faced Pope always brought up in Brazen-Nose Colledge he was the first that had the face to prefer himself general-master of the Church Lord Head and Law-giver There was no such thing from the beginning but by little and little and as ambition and base thirst of ruling began to rage the care of Christs Church began to asswage and then we shall finde first began to be given to one man the name of Bishop a name common to all Ministers of Christ Acts 20.28 who was chose by the rest of the Ministers and Elders to be as it were Consul in a Senate or as a speaker in the house and which was to be for the time being and present upon urgent occasions to sit as Chair-man And though he had the honor the name yet no more authority nor voice nor determination then any other he had no negative power or voice which all lordly spirits pretend unto The next step after this was by reason of the paucity and poorness of Ministers and Overseers and by reason of the rigor of hot persecutions the Church was neglected and Bishops so called or Ministers grew most ignorant and very few to be â—ound fit for Church-affairs as Overseers and of those very few most of them unlearned and very blinde and dumb and so idle that they regarded not the Church and let things go how they would Then began the care of one Church to be given up to one more then to any other and then did one take the most charge of Church-orders Ordinances and Discipline which occasioned him to hoise up his ambitious sails to be filled with honor And so it began to be a perpetual and continual course and office which was onely for a time at first and that upon necessity too in times of persecution conferred upon one and so all began to be guided and governed by one mans authority and no more by joynt consent concurrence and votes c. of the whole
Church and Brethren as was wont to be before Acts 15.22 23. And after all this the veil of ignorance grew thicker and darkness yea gross darkness over-spread the whole Canopy so that scarce an able understanding discerning Minister or sit Overseer was in a whole City Town or Province to be had or heard of and yet fearful Tyranny and troubles the Saints poor scattred scorned dispersed and despised people were then under Whereupon all the Churches that were in one whole Province were by those times brought under the subjection of one man and so called his Diocess and that man the Bishop of that Diocess and then he shook off the care and charge of one particular Congregation or Parish-Church pretending the over-sight of many So that ever since the office of a Bishop hath been by such left and their ambition hath been great to be great and to get honors Thus it came to pass the Authority of the whole Church and power by Christ committed to the whole body was usurped by one man who sat as a god in the Temple of God ruling and reigning as he list until of late in England these lords were laid in the dust which is eminently ominous to the Popes But ambition still growing bigger and bigger as a bladder which the devil had the blowing up of being filled with sulpherous breath and bottomless pit-smoak these Bishops climbed yet higher till there came to be Archbishops and Metropolitans and Primates to rule whole National Churches in the whole Nation After this the whole world or the Church as they called it all over the world in all Nations and Kingdoms on the Earth must be governed by a Quadrumvirat i. e. Four Patriarks who had the charge of all the world but yet not being high enough up gets the Pope by those stairs and saucily leaps upon Gods throne And so this Brazen-head or Brazen-faced Antichrist proudly came to sit in the Temple of the Lord as 2 Thes. 2.4 Here you have a true history of his rise I doubt not but ere long you shall have as true a history of his ruine He is already begun to fall here as he began to rise by Bishops Archbishops Primates c. And this is an honest Narration of the Church-confusion in times of persecution and of the crowding out of all other Church-officers and offices as I shall shew if the Lord please in the third Book and of the stating and starting up of Pope and Prelate upon Gods throne I shall refer you to 182. page of Cartwrights Eccles. Discipline Printed Anno 74. wherein you have the Story at large But after the Pope who called himself Christs Vicar ever since to this hour after I say him who taught the poor people Psapho-like to cry him up for a great god follows Secondly Next a General Councel or Synod who usurps the power and authority of Christ and his Church they set down Laws and laying injunctions upon the Saints they bid and forbid command and countermand as they pleased to make themselves Judges and Commanders over consciences and to determine approve and appoint what as they accounted was truth and what was not Thirdly But this head of brass became also too hard a Task-master and kept the people of God in grievous bondage Then after that starts up the Arch-Bishop and he Lords it over the Bishop the Bishop over the Deane the Dean over the Archdeacon the Archdeacon over the Parish-Minister and the Parish-Minister over the people and what a slavery were poore soules in then The Prelate sate then in his magnificentiall robes in pompe like a little God and petty-Pope in his High-commission-Court but as Hierom sayes in Tit. in Epist ad Evagium Non divina authoritate unum aliquem Presbyteriis esse Praelatum qui dicatur Episcopus c. sed humana consuetudine and this is not by divine right or authority but having a custom up they cannot or they will not let it goe downe but it grows higher and higher whereby the order and authority of Christ is cast by and their Lord-like and their tyrannical Ruledome set up and so it is they came to reigne This sayes Bullinger Blessed Jerome speaks not of the Roman Hierarchy as of every Bishop or any one whatsoever he bee that will take to himself power over any Church of Christ or that does domineer over any Congregation for ab antiquo a Minister and a Bishop a Preacher and a Prelate so called had one and the same honour dignity power and authority yet next to this proud Prelate Up starts an Assembly of Divines as a Councell did next the Pope to be Christs Vicar too and he is another head of brasse as bold as the former petty-Pope to impose Lawes and penalties these have usurped power over Christs Church too they deliver their dogmata and breath out their senses and sentences with wild-fires about their eares that swallow not their Judgements and Lawes by whole sale and in the lump Such Synods who have challenged to themselves a potestatem juridicam a Juridicall power over the Saints as to inflict punishments to binde up consciences to their Cannons Directories or Conclusions and by a Legislative Lordlinesse have laid down the Orders and Lawes under penalties and paines so that they have been too brazen-faced and bold There is no precept for Synods said Dr. Whittaker but for this I shall refer the Reader to Mr. Hookers Survey of Church Discipline upon this subject as also to the third book of his Treatise and to Lib. 2. wherein I hope all objections I meet with that pretend the necessity of this usurped power are answered but Another brazen-head that takes the same course in usurping Lordship is the Ruling-Classes O! what a Platonian Metempsuchosis we meet with these all breath by the Popes soule O mystery Mystery Mystery of Iniquity under a new name this is but the old head of brasse only furbished up in a better forme for appearance It was the Assemblies vote very like and good reason for it That it is lawfull and agreeable to Gods word that there bee a subordination of Congregational Classical Provincial and National Assemblies for the government of the Church c. but how prove they that from Mat. 18. Goe tell the Church c. very well proved then the Church is meant the Classes this is a Doctrine for Asses and is indeed agreeable to the Scottish word of God but not to our word of God This is proved saith Mr Dell as the Pope would prove himselfe to be above the Emperour out of Gen. 1. God made two great lights the Sunne to rule the day and the Moon the night the Sunne is above the Moone sayes he therefore the Pope is above the Emperour so doe the Assembly prove subordination very well for an Assembly but wee may say as Isa. 26.13 O Lord our
as is required Phil. 1.27 Jude 3 Gal. 5.1 1 Cor. 7 23. Can. 6.4 til they be in communion as an Army with Banners and then they are terrible to their enemies being all under one Captaine Heb. 2.10 grant there be divers colours having all the same word Jer. 31.33 marching all in order and ranke Col. 2.5 making all one arme and strength against the same enemies and joyntly vindicating the truth joyntly praying and then out of their mouths comes fire to destroy their Adversaries Rom. 11.5 joyntly suffering for the truth 1 Cor. 11.26 Rom. 12.8 joyntly refusing traditions trumperies and whatsoever is contrary to Christs word joyntly disputing for and maintaining of their Liberties and Priviledges Gal. 5.1 Fifthly without this Fellowship together there is not that fellow-feeling or Saintly sympathy as ought to be 1 Cor. 12.25.26 Rom. 12.16 nor is there that bearing one anothers burthens Gal. 6.2 Heb. 13.3 nor forbearing one with anothers weaknesses as Eph. 4.32 Col. 3 12 13. in bowels of love pity patience and without censures Rom. 14.13 Rom. 13.1 2 c. Sixthly besides they are exceeding deficient in many other Christian duties who are not in Gospel-fellowship for how can they Prophesie in the Church 1 Cor. 14. or tell the Church as Mat. 18.17 if they are not members of a Church or obey them that are Elders Heb. 13.17 or vigilantly watch over one anothers conversation and admonish or reprove orderly Mat. 18.15 1 Thess. 5.14 and 4.18 2 Thess. 3.15 Rom. 15.14 c. But for this I refer to Mr. Bartlets Model But to the reason 4 Fourth Reason or Argument which is taken from the special priviledges which are proper to them that are in the way of Christ above all others which are abundance As first among them Christ doth most manifest his presence Psal. 36.2 in a more then ordinary measure the glory of God is seen in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Christ takes most delight in the midst of them to walke there Rev. 1.12 13. and 2 1. in his rich robes of righteousnesse to cloath or cover with the meanest Saints or member of his body i. e. with a garment downe to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle for himselfe as High-priest and his Saints as Priests The names of Temples house Kingdome Tabernacle yea and golden Candlesticks are given to Beleevers in Church-fellowship 2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 3.16.17 Eph. 2.22 Heb. 3.6 Rev. 21.3 for this very reason not onely because he walks in them but there he lodges Psal. 132.13 14. lives and rests in a most remarkable manner there the Kingdome and King is seen in his beauty Isa. 33.17 And for this I referre to the object of the Church in Chap 9. Secondly In this Way of Christ the Saints have most singular refreshments and the sweetest and highest enjoyments of love and grace and powrings of the unction from on high upon them we shall finde how Christ yea and his Apostles after him did daily visit the Synagogues and publick Assemblies and amongst them he uttered so many gracious words and wrought so many mighty miracles and why so if not to foreshew by this how he would regard the Church-assemblies of his people and be their Prophet to declare excellent truths and to open the Fathers bosome to them above all for there hee feeds Cant. 1.7 and 6.2 3. and eats pleasant fruits i. e. of his owne planting Cant. 4.16 there the Lord is a place of broad rivers Isa. 33.21 and Christ is there and to them streams from Lebanon and a Fountaine in the middest of them Cant. 4.12 as in Florence and Naples where they have the most excellent Gardens they have in the midst a most excellent Spring a Fountaine from which with an Engine they can sprout out water and streams round about the Garden so alluding to this is Christ in the midst of such a Church-fellowship as we have spoken of a Fountaine and streams i. e. they are refreshed with streams in a more eminent manner then all in the world besides For the common-fields flowers and trees without have the benefit of the clouds and ordinaryâ— raine and showers but the particular Churches of Christ his bed of spices Cant. 6.2 are more watered then all others for besides the outward meanes of grace and preaching praying expounding and ordinary publick showers or refreshments they have a fountaine within that is never dry of purer and more Chrystall showers that cannot be taken away from them the Word and Spirit are as it were entailed to them in a most spirituall manner above all Exod. 20.24 Isa. 4.5.6 Isa. 25.6 7 8. Psal. 132.13 14 15 Isa. 56.7 Isa. 59.21 and are as it were seated there to sanctifie season counsell quicken comfort encourage and assist them in Church-fellowship above any other So that when there is a drought without and the Clouds are steril and the earth barren yet there is even there within a fountaine and streams for the Gardens So that though Ministers i. e. Clouds may be empty yet the Fountaine i. e. Christ cannot Thus Saints in fellowship are fed with fat things Isa. 25.6 7. with flaggons and apples Cant. 2.5 and full refreshments and that above all other the dwellings of Jacob and they bring forth fruits even in old age Psal. 92.13 14. Thirdly Christ is more free with them then with any others as a Husband with his Wife to impart his most intimate bosome-loves and secrets Cant. 7.12 2 Cor. 11.2 and to let out his very heart-loves into his wives arms and bosome Isa. 62.4 5 and Isa. 61.10 Psal. 36.8 Fourthly Such of all are under his protection and banner of love Cant. 2.4 Isa. 4.5 6. Joel 2.32 Isa. 54.17 and in the midst of them is salvation placed Isa. 46.13 Zach. 2.5 And in a word they have a heaven upon earth Rev. 12.1.12 O! it is good being here For these and many more the like Reasons hath this Gospel-order of Beleevers in fellowship been alwayes praised prized and indefatigably sought for and accounted of even as of necessity for beleevers in all ages For the Lord though hee loves all his Saints Deut. 33 3. yet he loves the gates of Zion more then all other the dwellings of Jacob Psal. 87.2 and so much the Saints have loved these Courts of the Lord that they have accounted a day better there then a thousand elsewhere Psal. 84.10 the Apostles longed after it and to see the brethren in it Rom. 1.11.12 1 Thes. 2.17 yea and esteemed them the Crown of their joy 1 Thes. 2.19.20 yea Christ himselfe as man exceedingly desired it and sought comfort by his Disciples prayers Mat. 26.40.43 Luke 22.46 and he exceedingly longed after a most speciall communion with them in fellowship with him before hee parted from them and was taken away to suffer See Luke 22.15 with desire
indifferent Quia Christi adventu lex ceremonialis obligare desiit Now such Ceremonies remained amongst the Jews as yet saith Paraeus upon the place in use because Christian liberty was not openly up and risen in their room Now with Christs death and resurrection they lost their life and gave up the ghost Col. 2.14 15. Quasi animam exhalarunt and breathed out their last but as yet they lay a while unburied and above ground which ought to have a religious and solemn sepulchre and which they had soon after in that solemn Church Assembly Acts 15. Where all such legal ritual observations were seriously and solemnly laid in their grave as being now but dead Corps and ready to stink and corrupt and too heavy to be longer borne above ground but before this their burial they were used as indifferent This Augustine declares in his 19. Ep. ad Hieron as Paraeus observes by an elegant similitude A mans friend dies he doth not so soon as breath is out of his body whilest his body is yet warm take him by the heels and drag him to the grave but he keeps him a while whilest he is yet sweet and wraps him up with fair cloaths and so with honor in due time accompanies him to his grave and thereby he avoides scandal suspition and contention which else might arise by giving sufficient content to all even to his best friends and mourners for him So it is here these Ceremonies were alive till Christ they died with Christ Now the Apostles did not presently drag them to the dunghil and cast them out ut faetida cadavera whilest they were yet warm no! but to avoid all scandal and doubt of their death they shew in the Acts that they were dead and to be buried which was done in a decent honorable maner as Acts 15.10 24. whilst they themselves accompanied them to the very grave Now that is the reason that Paul in this Chapter for so long a time did allow liberty to them as things indifferent but after they were buried their indifferency ceased and now they were absolutely forbidden Before their burial saith one they were mortuae dead but now after their burial they are mortiferae deadly and dangerous And now after this if a man raises them up again and rakes them out of the grave and digs them up again he endangers a many by their unwholsom stench Et non esset pius funeris deductor sed impius sepulturae violator Hence you read the reason of Pauls writing to the Church of Galatia Coloss and others against them now and after this burial of them he would not circumcise Titus though he did Timothy before but preaches their funeral Sermon and sayes it is dangerous to keep them above ground any longer Col. 2.20 21. and Gal. 5.2 4. tells them then Christ would profit them nothing and it would be to deny the effect of Christs death We shall finde Paul opposed Peter and that openly Gal. 2.11 to his face for urging these Ceremonies and pressing the Gentiles to Judaize But here in this Chapter the Apostle forbids the Gentiles to judge the Jews for their liberty in these things which might be used or not used as yet being things indifferent and left free which the Greeks call Adiaphora which things are to be considered either as they are in themselves and so they are said quoad substantiam operis to have an indifferency of doing or omitting as we said before or else as they are in the intention of that principle by which they are done or omitted and in that sense no action is said to bee indifferent taken with its circumstances but it is said to bee good or evill Prout ex mala vel bona intentione procedit for as much as it flowes from a principle intending good or evill hereby But thus I have done with the direction and rules and have opened the name and nature of things indifferent and do now reach the reasons which the Apostle renders to ratifie his and my assertion of accepting and receiving such as differ in judgement from us in things indifferent And first reason 1 The first Reason for God hath received him therefore you are to receive him and lovingly to take him in for God hath received him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ut suus as his owne a member of Christ to grace an adopted one into his owne family how then darest thou deny him or despise him or not admit of him or the like for thus runs the Argument whom God hath received into his Family you ought not to despise or put by but him that eateth that is is of this opinion and him that eateth not that is is of that opinion God hath received therefore you ought not to put him by that is be he of this opinion or of that opinion but to receive him and admit of him as one that belongs to the Lord. This Reason runs a pari statu utriusque partis coram Deo from the common benefit of adoption which them of both opinions do equally partake of and as if he should say Such outward things as these do neither justifie nor unjustifie commend nor discommend before God they neither help to nor hinder from the Kingdome of God therefore they should neither helpe nor hinder any in the Church of God here below For such whom the Father receives the Son receives and who are admitted in heaven should be admitted in the earth but all Saints of all opinions are admitted in heaven and received of God ergo c. God regards here sayes one no more the manner time or such like circumstances then hee does the manner time or such like circumstances of eating drinking marrying c. being left to wisdome and discretion for order peace and unities sake without ties Now if thou seest one enlightened and livened by the Spirit of God thou seest enough sayes Calvin in loc Satis testimonii habes c. wherefore despise not contemn not refuse not condemne not one whom God hath received The second Reason or Argument is taken a jure gentium reason 2 from common right or equity which is that every man hath the rule and ordering of his owne family and none ought to be so polypragmatical as to meddle with other mens servants Who art thou that judgest another mans servant here is an objurgatory Apostrophe Who art thou how darest thou do it why for he is the Lords own servant whom thou thus puttest by for all his opinion as before the word is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hired servant or a day-labourer but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a houshold servant one of the Lords owne Family who alwayes is waiting upon the Lord his Master in such services as are nearest his person and in his presence This makes the Apostle then whom none was more full of the bowels of love pitifull
a shadow of things to come Like as you shall see the image of the Sun in a plash of water where it looks like the Sun full of light and very lively as if the Sun were seated there So Cant. 6.9 the Church here is said to bee the onely one the choice one of her mother i. e. the Jerusalem above that is she looks so like her Mother as the very picture of her So her Ordinances are but shadows of what is to come Baptisme whereby they are washed here and in primitive times the Catechumeni and Adulti were wont as soon as they were washâ—d to be clad with white robes it is but a shadow of what is to come Rev. 7.9.14 when the Saints shall be clad with white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb. The word here enunciative is but a shadow of what is to come the body is Christ saith the Apostle he is the word essential Jo. 1.1 the singing of Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs is but a shadow of that Hallelujah which iâ— to come which we shall all sing with one voice before the Throne and Lamb for ever Rev. 1.9.1 and again Vers. 3. and again Vers. 4. and again Vers. 6. as never satisfied and yet ever satisfied with singing it Victoria Hallelujatica The Sabbath here is but a shadow of that which is to come Christ is the body and substance of them all he shall be the Temple of the New Jerusalem that is he shall be in the room and stead of all Ordinances Sacrifices Worships and services viz. Christ the substance of all All the shadows are empty things though caused by the substance in the light yet the shadows are variable as the Sun turns in evâ—ry age and shall grow lesse and lesse shorter and shorter as the Sun grows higher and higher till they be swallâ—wed up in the substance and are no more as shadows seen In the interim where the shadow ends the substance beginâ— The shadow is the darke or imperfect representation of the person and hath some similitude thereof The Church here is a representation or similitude of that to come that here is more in variety that to come more in unity for in that to come Saints of all judgements under all formes in all ages are members of one Church and the more the Church here now looks like her that is to come the greater is her beauty and glory and the more her variety is swallowed up in unity the more she looks like the Jerusalem which is above for all shall be one Rev. 7. from 1. to 10. of all Nations kindreds peoples tongues which no man could number this is the work the strange worke that God goes on so fast with especially in these last Ages and in these Nations as Eph. 1.10 To gather together into one all things both which are in heaven which are on earth even in Christ the substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recapitulate and bring up to one head to collect as in multiplication all into one summe All things in one all Saints all Ordinances all opinions all forms all excellencieâ— to gather all into one To reduce all to one head For this Christ prayed so Joh. 17.20 2â— that all Saints in all ages of all opinions whatsoever that beleeved or should for time to come beleeve in him might be all one and then their glory would be great Jo. 17.22 and they would be made the more perfect Verse 23. O! we shall see every day more and more as the gathered Churches are more more refined and spiritualized that they wil lesse presse the form or pray for the opinions of such as are to be received and admitted but wil make it enough to know that they are beleevers in the Lord Jesus and therefore ought to be one with them be their opinions different from them in things doubtful and indifferent and this Doctrine shall shortly be imbraced without scruple or question and then the Church shall be more glorious and beauteous in the sight of all As the bâ—ams of the Sun which are here below are many various and spread divers wayes yet the higher and nigher to the Sun they are the more united and the more they are united in one the more splendent and glorious they are So the Church growing upward to her full stature in Christ the nigher she is to this Sun the more her multiplicity of forms opinions Saints and all are made one in Christ and the more glorious they must needs be and besides the more sweet perfect they are too as variety and discord in musicke make the sweetest concord and most orderly and perfect period but thus far for the second Consideration The third Consideration is from the rule of admission which is a rule of Prudence and Charity which are not membra dividentia any degree of true faith in Christ is enough to take them in upon Rom. 14.1 where we finde an absolute probability of a person converted by the power of grace and called from darknâ—sse to light there wee are to take satisfaction without a curious scrutiny which some make into their judgement in matters indifferent Mr. Calvin in Epist. Rom. 14.4 sayes Semper bene spâ—remus de eo in quo cernimus aliquid Dei c. Let us alwayes thinke and hope well of that brother in whom we see the â—east tokens of grace or any thing of God dwelling in him â—t is a great fault amongst many to exact an excellent height of grace judgement or the like and to look for a Paul or an Abraham presently O no! for God accepteth and receiveth the least grace and growth in truth And so must wee even him that is weake in the faith Rom. 14.1 Now that rule which exacts other things and requires more then is necessary even to the weakest in the faith excludes many times such as God includes and hath himselfe received and accepted of wherefore we must have great care of grieving any of the Saints or putting any by for their opinions in things doubtful or indifferent for to deny a truth even a very truth in things of a middle size and left indifferent does breed but a tolerable errour at the most but to do it in points positively commanded and necessary I confesse is an intolerable error at the least for stiffely to stand to an error in points necessary and fundamental makes a man a Hereticke at the least whilest the other can make him but a Schismaticke at the most But thus for the third Consideration some more I might have added but I hope I have said enough to wise men and to all the true Churches of Christ in the world to ratifie the truth asserted of brethren dissenting in things indifferent Besides what Gamaliel said to the Councel Act. 5.38 39. Refraine from these men
saith he if it be appointed you shall dye the Physitian cannot helpe you if it be appointed you shall live you doe not need him but shall live without him Nay Sir answered hee but if I be appointed to live I will use the means which are also appointed thereunto for such an appointment to take effect Now I say there is a strict and inseparable connexion betwixt Election and Vocation and Vocation is a comment upon Election The letter sayes Culverwel in his White-stone was dated from Eternity but the Superscription was writ in time viz. Vocation now though the Letter be writ first yet the Superscription is read first and then the other is unsealed and read the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election well becomes saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation Doctor Twisse on the point of Predestination telling us how God is not guided by second causes in any of his Decrees and how nothing in us was the cause of his Decree concerning us be it what it will yet sayes he in the execution of his Decree which is in time there is another order for to instance in the Decree it selfe from Eternity glory is first Salvation is first ordained which produces grace and sanctification but in the execution of the Decree in tempore grace is before glory and sanctification before salvation as was said before of the Letter the Superscription is first read though last writ Wherefore I say for to this end I speake it that it is altogether irregular and anomalous and out of our order for any to pry and pore and peek first out for Election and that would first look into the Decree Now would the Church know so far as they are able in charity for they cannot on certainty and wouldst thou know whether thou art an elect received of God decreed to be saved it is not to search the records in heaven first but the records in thy heart first for what is bound on earth is bound in heaven and loosed on earth is loosed in heaven how is it with thy heart art thou called yet changed yet art thou holy hast thou left off thy ill courses companies conditions c. for where there is fire there is heat and where there is true vocation there is inseparably sanctification and holy life would we know if the Sun shine why we shall not need to climbe up into the clouds to clamber to the skies no! but look upon the beams shining on the earth That Astrologer sayes one was sufficiently laughed at that looking so intensely upon the Stars and staring with so much amazement at their twinkling tumbled unawares over head and eares into the water whereas had it pleased him to have looked lower in the water he might have seen them lively represented in that Christal glasse so many doe but undo themselves and are over head and ears that look so high at first as to search the secret will which they shall easily see in sanctification and regeneration revealed And as a Father that resolves one son shal be his heir which shal be he amongst many he saith not but keeps that secret yet so far reveals his minde that it shall be he that observes him in obedience to his commands so God though he hath kept secret who they be that shall bee saved and whom he hath elected he locks this up in his own bosome yet he hath revealed it thus far that such shall bee holy obedient to his Gospel beleeve in Christ Jesus these effects Election brings forth and we are not able to judge of the cause but by the effects So that when poore soules powre out their experiences and tell the means and shew the effects of their Call we cannot but in the judgement of charity beleeve the cause of this their Call their faith their holinesse is the Decree of Election Eph. 2.10 2 Pet. 2.8 9 10. and that they shall attaine to the end viz. Salvation Now I say in the powring out Experiences they acquaint the Church with the means and the effects And you will finde both these in the examples that follow where they tell their preparation and qualification In their preparation 1 When they came to be taken off of sin selfe world lusts or the like some at one houre some at another some in the night some in the day some at home some abroad some when younger some when older but that is most seldome And secondly how some more violently the Lord came in the thunders stormes fire on Mount Sinai and in frightfull flashes of lightning like a Ghost a Destroyer a judge in flaming vengeance roaring like a Lion robbed of whelps to many In afflictions crosses losses dangers frights threatnings of Law terrors of Hell and the damned roaring in their ears in such dispensations as cut to the heart pierced to the quicke sharp and fetched blood from the soule wounded the conscience with a thousand stabs as Act. 2.37 such Sermons Mr. Rogers of Dedham Fenner preached c. But secondly others more gently were won in by love cheries promises warme tenders of the blood of Christ lively openings of a crucified Christ which melt their soules and make their hearts bleed and mourne to look up unto him whom they have pierced by such Sermons as Sibbs Crispe c. preached Thus they were brought low wounded in spirit broken in heart and with fresh bleeding wounds weep though some more some lesse for a Christ their Lord but they know not where he is laid Joh. 20.15 and know not where to look for him but sometimes are afraid and flye off and on and up and down and here and there under a thousand temptations being in a holy preparing desperation and utterly undone in their own sight and sense till by some Ordinance Promise or other Providence or other the Lord ministers comfort and by his secret Spirit whispers pardon and peace and joy abundantly and brings them to Jesus O then they say with Mary Rabboni My Lord have I found thee Oh what sweet claspings and closings and ravishing embracings and kisses of love and banquets and flaggons are betwixt Christ and such soules then none can expresse it O but it is best knowne by enjoying It is said in Samuelâ—f â—f many multitudes in Sauls Army that onely a few bankrupt undone beggars came to David in the Cave of Aâ—uâ—â—am and indeed it is true here none but a few undone soules poore beggars that have spent all lost all wounded Cripples broken-hearted Publicans troubled Hanna's weeping sobbing sighing and yet seeking Maries and sin-feeling soules that come to Christ and that are cast in upon him through meer misery and want and thus prepared for him are received of him Joh. 6.37 Mat. 12.20 Mark 5.26 and none can bee put by that thus come The second is Qualification In their
poor man did still doe all hee could to comfort me and to incourage me and told me that God would not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax and that I was in the way to have Christ a full satisfaction and bid me be of good comfort but I continued in these troubles and temptations as if Sathan had been let loose upon me yet this did something comfort me that other of Gods people were in the like condition with me but yet I was thus till I met with Mr. Bolton by whom I had much comfort and by other means together I became fully satisfied and assured of Gods love to me in Christ. Experience of Dorothy Emett MR. Owen was the first man by whose means and Ministry I became sensible of my condition I was much cast down and could have no rest within me and so I continued till his going away from us and at his going he bid me beleeve in Christ and be fervent in prayer but I said how should I do to beleeve I lay a long time in this trouble of minde untill in my sleep one night came to me a voyce I thought that said I am the Fountain of living water and when I awaked I was much refreshed for I had great thirstings after Christ and yet I was under some doubts untill I heard one at Cork-house upon that subject Rom. 8. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons of God So that God satisfied me very much and I have had ever since a full assurance of Gods love to me in Christ. Experience of Anne Bishop I Have tasted much of God upon my spirit the first Sermon that I heard here so wrought upon me that for a year or two I was much tormented and could have no comfort at all or confidence to take Christ when he was offered for I had this objection continually that I was not fit to receive Christ but afterward bearing Christ freely offered without any fitnesse or qualification in us before-hand without any such conditions of worthinesse but with hungrings and thirstings and that hee must be taken thus barely as it were as from us and willingly so as to part with Father and Mother and all for him I was at last wrought upon to take him on these termes and yet I had abundance of temptations and trials both inward and outward which I hope to have time to tell hereafter but I durst not do any duty nor so much as pray before any apprehending that I was an hypocrite and once I sate down in great perplexities when it pleased God to come upon my spirit and to reveal to me that I must beleeve in him and cast my self upon him yet I was troubled and bid the Lord do what he would with me so I might but have him All this was before he made himselfe so known to me as he did afterwards for he made me first to see my selfe nothing and although before I rested on my workes and duties and so I did long yet now I could finde no rest there but thought all my former hopes were gone and Christ to be lost and I was destitute and comfortlesse but since I have found Christ to be mine and that I am his and the Lord hath appeared to be my righteousnesse and hath fully satisfied me so that I live barely upon him Experience of Tabitha Kelsall I Was determined once to have life by my owne actings and thus I was a long time in England I was of Paul Hobsons society and ere long all the Ordinances grew dead unto me and I knew not what to do I lay long under a sad condition and so as I could not read nor pray nor hear but found all unprofitable to me many wayes did God shake me sore and I lay under many trials and shakings long till the Lord came in by himselfe and setled that in my minde which is in Heb. 12.26 Yet once more I will shake not the earth onely but also heaven that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine For the Lord by his voice did thus comfort me that although heaven as wel as earth inward and outward man my spirit as well my flesh and all my works and righteousnesses were shaken yet it was to make way for what could never be shaken and yet after this I was lifted up to much by knowledge and withdrew from Ordinances but seeing how some that did so and denied Ordinances did live disorderly and walke wickedly I was much troubled at it and yet left in the Wildernesse a long time after untill God did discover by his word to me and declare clearly that I must not withdraw from the Ordinances nor deny communion with his people and then I made a Covenant with the Lord that I would not and that I would part with all for one smile and was glad at my heart that I was received again and brought under the means of grace and Ordinances of Christ Jesus Experience of Andr. Manwaring Major I Was brought up well by Parents accounted Puritans till about sixteen years of age after that I was Apprentice in London but ill company drew me away and I took but ill courses untill the three and twentieth or four and twentieth year of my age then I came into Ireland in the beginning of the Rebellion in the North of Ireland I passed through great dangers and many deaths as I may say for there my Father was killed my Wife was wounded and I my selfe with much danger escaped from the bloody Rebels after that at Tredah-fight I was when it was delivered and being laid in the field among the dead with fifteen wounds I was given up for one of the dead but after that recovering I went into Engl. and then returned into Ireland again at which time I began to looke about me to follow the Word to hear good men being sensible of my sinnes and former forgetfulnesse of God and goodnesse I heard one Mr. Owen here who did me much good and made me to see my misery in the want of Christ and so I continued till Mr. Rogers was sent over to us by whom I have received great comforts and assurance of Christ and now I doe verily beleeve I have fellowship with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ and finde a great change in me and I abhor ill company and courses and desire to walke in all well-pleasing to God and though I meet with temptations and hindrances yet I blesse God he carries me on in goodnesse and I can now pray and that by the Spirit and I love the Word and Ordinances and do earnestly long to have fellowship with the people of God to watch over me for I am yet weake Blessed be God for his free grace in Christ Jesus before I had any knowledge in Christ the Lord spoke to me by the means of an honest
up of my joy when I shall give an account to their comfort at the great day And since that I have been sent forth as a Pastor and publique Teacher by the Church and I know my Ministeriall commission and authority to be from the Lord and notwithstanding the divers temptations that I meet with yet finding my heart full of corruption and my life a continuall warfare of flesh against spirit yet I blesse God who hath delivered me in diverse wayes which I have not yet declared from the fraudulent gins and snares of the Devill and who hath called me out of darknesse into light that his power is stronger in me then any that hath been against me and I am the better provided against Satan for that I live now by faith in the Son of God above the letter in the life above the form in the power above self in an higher self altogether where I have my abode so that I am not I but by the grace of God it is that I am what I am as the Apostle said Why weep ye for me for I am ready not onely to be bound but to dye so I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have provision within me seeing Christ is in me the hope of glory I am assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus my head my Lord my elder brother and the first fruits of all them that rise again And although I meet with daily troubles at home and abroad within and without yet am I all the way ascending heaven though descending hell the same way with Christ who hath through the vail consecrated a new and living way for me into the Holy of Holies I can comfortably drink after Christ out of his own cup and in eating his meat and drinking his drink take gall and vinegar as wel as wine and honey I prefer Christ before Salvation and had if I know my heart yet not I but my spirituall self had rather goe to Hell with Christ in my armes if 't were possible then to heaven without him accounting the enjoyment of him to be the enjoyment of all the excellencies and happinesse in heaven and earth Super omnia Christum I am very confident Christ can't be perfect without me nor I without him but that I shall appear perfect for all Eternity in Christs righteousnesse and am pardoned by his death purged by his bloud sanctified by his Spirit and saved by his power and this I am as sure of to be glorified as he is glorified and shall see him as he is I could say much more and have many more experiences but I fear I offend others I shall cut off in an Apocope but pray pray for me that Gods power may appear more in my weaknesse and whilest I live and breath I hope and resolve it shall be with him and for him as well as by him and that I shall not desire to live one minute longer then to his honour and glory and for his service which the Lord make me fit for and faithfull in and prepare me for that glory which is to be revealed But these things I have spoken in the fear of God wherein you hear what I was what I am and what I shall be I know no more yet to trouble you with but according to the accreasings of the holy one in me and effusions of the unctions upon me I shall speak more hereafter for your advantage I were a wicked wretch should I smother any of the appearances of God which I meet with 40. An eminent Experience or relation of John Osborne member of the Church at Purleigh of the which Mr. R. was Pastor as was taken out of the Church Register word for word JOhn Osborne a poore labouring man was admitted a Member of this Church April 16. 1650. his visible carriage in word and deed seeming holy and his outward conversation such as he was well approved of after his confession of Christ and resolution to cleave close to the Lord in this way nemine contradicente but it seemes this man was much unsound and not yet fit matter within whatsoever he seemed without and it being best known to God and himself Gods designe was to work out the discovery of him out of himself he began to manifest much grief and gall within him by his outward colour and complexion but kept it close to all the Church that his ill life was the cause of his ill looks yet he followed the means frequented the Communion used the Ordinances at home and abroad in publique and private so that nothing could be gathered in the Churches apprehension but godlinesse in him He would presse an exact walking Gospell duties and in discourse cast in his mite of knowledge and measure of light So that some tooke much content in him much comfort of him but for all this his heavy countenance did discover that there was somewhat in him lay undiscovered and not yet brought to light But Gods time was near to doe his Church good and to give them some reall testimony and tasts of the first fruit of his love towards them by making him known to them whom they thought they knew but indeed did not know for what God saw in him that was naught was not visible to the Church but what was visible was good but that which was invisible to us was the rottennesse and unsound part of the man But mark how God met with him who upon the 28. day of April 1650. was after Sermons being the Lords day struck by a sudden distemper which in the night produced dangerous fits which continued at times for two or three dayes the Pastor of the Church J. R. he did visit him but at that time being Wednesday May 1. following he discovered no discomfort discontent or burthen within him at all but he had good expressions and motions yet was once or twice in his fits very fearfully but after he was recovered the Pastor with prayers for him and directions given him departed home The next day being the Lecture day after Sermon was ended it was moved in the Church to contribute unto him who did it freely and largely and that very night the Pastor J. R. was sent for again to him but first the Church made prayers for him And it is observable that this Osborne being in very strange fits as ever were seen like one possessed he groveling and foaming and his hands feet eyes mouth were most gastlike drawn out into a Convulsion-manner but much worse at that very hower that the Church made prayers for him and not ceasing till God were prevailed with those strange kinde of fits and distempers left him to the amazement of all that knew it so that after that not one fit more had he though they continued upon him so thick and for so long a time before that no Doctor could help him but all gave him over for a dead man without
that make mention of Christ are called Churches and all that professe his name of what judgement soever or conversation soever whether Papists or Protestants or Lutherans or Calvinists or Brownists or Donatists or Arrians or any But in the second respect of Christians so called or rather all that professe the name of Christ though differing and dissenting among themselves And they are said to be the Church though late accepta est who make the most and best profession of Christ and are under the outward ministration of his Word and Gospel So are Protestants in respect of Papists and in this sense the Calvinists are before the Lutherans and so far the Presbyterians may passe for current and Parochial constitutions are in a remote and very improper sense called Churches But the Church taken in her own native true sense and strictly consists onely of Saints such as are elected to eternal life and all are in Christ their Head vide Aug. in Psal. 92. Cyprian lib. 1. Ep. 8. Hieron de unit Eccles. Epiphanius and thus she is said to bee either Catholick or Vniversal or else Congregational or particular in the first sense as Catholick the Church is so called ratione 1. locorum 2. temporum 3. hominum in respect of time place and people being not confin'd to any time or age or place or Nation or people but taking in all the elect people of God in all the whole Vniverse past present and to come Jews and Gentiles under the Law before the Law and since yea in heaven and earth those which are ascended Revel 7.8 10 11. and which are yet unborn Rev. 6.11 invisible and visible triumphant and militant all make up but one Catholick body of Christ the head Ephes. 4.4 5. But now in the other respect as a particular and congregational Church which comes before the Catholick and Vniversal Church so far as it is visible and militant it is confined to some certain place and number of people orderly gathered together by the Word and Spirit of Christ having Christ alone for their Head certo numero certoque loco Ecclesia particularis definita est And this is the Church which I have spoken of and in opposition to all Synagogues Synedriums Parishes Conventicles Classes or the like as you shall hear more of it by and by But sometimes such Congregationall Churches as these are called Catholâ—ck too because of their Faith and by the figure Senecdoche yea and as often as Catholick is taken for Orthodox So did Theodosius in his dayes says Sozomen lib. 7. c. 4 command the Church to be called Catholick that he was a member of Every such particular and Congregational Church is a member of the Catholick or Vniversal as all the learned say and every visible is a part that is not yet ascended of the invisible whatsoever John writ in Rev. 1.4 to the seven particular Congregational Churches he writ to them as to the true members of the Catholick or Church Vniversal sayes Mr. Perkins For the Catholick Church and the Congregational onely differ as the totum integrale essentiale that is the Church Catholick or Vniversal arises out of the Congregational and particular Churches and is made up of particular Churches the Integrum or whole intire is made up of the members thereof that are the essentials of the whole For every person and Congregation of Christ sayes Mr. Hooker in his answer to Mr. Rutherford are the members of the Church Catholick and therefore must contain in them the essential causes of the Catholick or the totum whole which is made up of them as parts for the Logician does allow it and men of reason cannot deny it but that Integrum est totum cui parâ—es sunt essentiales that which is Intirely whole is made up of such parts as give an Essential being to the whole without which the whole cannot be so intire So the Churches Congregational and particular which make up the Catholick as membra integri must needs have the materialia formalia principia Ecclesiae Catholicae or toti integri Vniversi matter and form which make up the Church Catholick which none can deny and then I say I cannot see how your Presbyterian Churches as Churches who faâ—l in form if not in matter as is prov'd in the first part may bee said to bee members as partes essentiales membra similaria to make up this totum integrale or Church Catholick Now the Congregationall Churches consisting of true matter and form separate and distinct from the Nations abroad and multitudes about as hath been proved are members causall and parts essentiall of the samenesse and nature of the whole which give in every one there substantiall share to make up the intirenesse of the whole or the Church Catholick quae habet rationem integri est membrum sayes Ames Medul Theol. lib. 1. c. 32. But furthermore it must needs follow that the Congregationall Churches must cause the Catholick or Vnâ—versal and not the Vniversal or Catholick cause the Congregational the Catholick arises out of the Congregationall but not the Congregationall out of the Catholick because they give a being to the Catholick and in order of nature the members must be before the whole because I say they contain the causes which make up the whole For Integrum est totum cui partes sunt essentiales non totum essentiale in partibus and these causes or causall parts are also by Tilâ—nus de Eccles. call'd partes Integrantes Ecclesiae Catholicae having in them those things which give Integrity or Intirenesse to the whole viz matter and form as every piece of money hath the matter and form to make up the whole sum and an Army is made up of many Regiments of the same kinde and principles with the whole This is proved by Mr. Hooker in his Survey of Discipline against Mr. Hudson a Presbyterian who holds with the rest of that judgement that Popish tenet that the Catholick is before the Congregational primum in suo genere that Pontifitians and Jesuites have bootelessely wrastled for a long time but I leave him them of that judgment to Mr. Hookers answer only I affirm by all this that there can be no such thing as National Churches Diocesan or Provincial And must we say more to satisfie curiosity then this the totum is Integrum the whole Church Catholick is intirely to be taken distinct by it self though made up of the Congregational members As a mans body that is made up of eye eare mouth hands feet and so of all the members from head to foot yet the body is not said to be all eye or all eare or all hands c. but a body intire made up of all these So a man is made up of soul and body yet he cannot be said to be all soul or
thing and the end Old Latimer Fox 1750. proves and alledges Hierome whose Translation of the Bible caused dissensions in a Christian congregation yet saies Hierome Ego in tali opere nec eorum invidentiam pertimesco nec scripturae veritatem posâ—entibus denegabo In such a work as this is I will neither much fear this envie or fury nor yet will I imprison the truth of the Scriptures or withhold it from them that do earnestly desire it But as Bell. did not blush to say in lib. 4 de eccles cap. 10. that an hundred severall sects were sprung up among Protestants but that they of the Roman Church were one so say our hot Antagonists the same thing for the same end against us saies Mr. Baily in 's Disswasive from the errors of the times In the third shamefull absurdity as he saies is found in our way of Independency that there be multitudes of errors dissensions and such like things and persons whose Bellarmine-like language is arrested and brought to a triall by Mr. Cotton in 's answer to him Part. 1. p. 82. where Mr. Cotton proves such reports of the way rather to justifie then condemn it But with all the Protestants against this charge of the Papists we affirm as the Apostle does 1 Cor. 11.18 19. I hear that theâ—e be divisions among ye and I beleeve it For it is necessary that there should be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest It is a sign we are in the true way when the Devill does take on so and storm and studies all he can to set us together by the ears so to break us who united are terrible as an army with banners This makes an argument for us and not against us We say as Augustine once to the Pagans Non proferant nobis quasi concordiam suam c. Let them not lay before us with boasting their concord and agreement nor â—â—st in our teeth or fling on our faces the foul discords and dissensions of Christians for Satan assaults not them as â—e doth us for quid ibi lucri est quia litigant vel damni si non litigant What doth the Devill get by it if they do disagree or lose by it if they do agree but by sowing discords among true Christians he helps to hinder the truth raise ill reports upon the good land break professors a pieces make way for persecutions and draw off people from the practise of Gospel-order and from obedience to Christs Lawes This is the Devils cunning to cause contentions and throw fire brands about our ears on purpose to puzzle others and to fright them from the true way into his snares as a Fowler that hath laid nets le ts those birds or prey alone that go on of their own accord towards his gins and snares but such as are going from them and in the way to escape he meets and frights and scares to make them turn back and drive them another way But furthermore though we have too too many divisions and differences amongst us God knowes which is our daily grief yet they are not so many nor dangerous as the bitter brethren would have all beleeve by looking into their multiplying glasses but those few that are are not about points of faith but for the most part formes which are by some too hotly and hastily pressed and pursued Yet as Helvetia saies Ch. 17. harm sect 10. p. 310. We can't deny but the Churches planted by the Apostles were true Churches and God was in them and with them yet there were great strifes and dissensions in them Lastly Let all the Saints and Churches take warning there be such as watch for their haltings and will have at them when they finde them in fractions for then they think they can deal with them O would to God we were more one in one This unity is the form and face of Christs Church and when the face hath flawes and scratches what a blemish is it to the whole body In what this unity consists I hope to handle in the next Book and to lay before you divers rules of walking all as one in the fellowship of the Gospell Et veritate varietate But for the present I present you with Eph. 4 3 4 5. Endeavouring to keep unity Churches united like a Faggot cannot be easily broken And the usefulness of this appears in the severall denominations of the true Church as his sheepfold which is one of which Christ alone is Pastor Ioh. 10. his vineyard one Mat. 20. though many vines in it and one mother Gal. 4.26 whence many children are brought forth and are legitimate when they come from the Churches conjunction with Christ and the word that incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.23 begets to the faith being preached and propagated So in Cant. 6.8 9. though there be threescore Queens or particular Churches that are Christs the Kings wives who are taken into fellowship with their royall husband by solemn stipulation and with consent of all friends on both sides Hos. 2.18 and such as do bring dowries of praises to Christ their husband 1 Pet. 2.9 yea and such have the keys given them to open and to shut and to order in the government of the family whilest Christ their royall husband is about more publick affairs now in the world in heaven and earth and such Queens too as bring forth their children true heirs to the Crown Kings and Princes Rev. 1.6 yet there be more viz fourscore Concubines or false Churches that have not such intimate fellowship with Christ but only the name without Wedlock or espousals to Christ so are all Popish Prelaticall Parochiall Presbyteriall as now they are nationall and meeâ— nominall Churches though they have the ordinary ordinances yet few of them have a dowry of praises for Christ all of whom are to speak truth without the keyes and cannot order in the affairs of Christs family and their children though born to gifts parts or the like yet very rarely have to do with the inheritance Besides these those that reject Christ and too too coily cast him off and will not marry him or espouse him of the vulgar sort they are without number exceeding many Et nullius numeri of no account not worth numbring yet of the worst Churches there are most of the best fewest and for all this saies Christ My Dove my undefiled is but one that is all at unity and one 2 Cor. 1.12 and his house is one 1 Pet. 2. though there be many stones wals chambers and parts and differing in form yet all make but one house all these things instruct us to unity But what kinde of unity is this and wherein does it consist mark it is the unity of the Spirit wherein all Churches may bear for this is not kept and preserved by forms and orders as other false Churches have the Kingdomes of the
cloathed with flesh Col. 2.9.10 Eph. 3.17.19 the same for quality though not yet for equality Ergo unity amongst all These are the bonds of unity to tye all the Churches together in one Sathan hath no better sport then to see them spit fire at one another and is never in more hopes then then When Cyrus came neare Babylon with his mighty Army and found the River about it over which he was to march with his huge Hoste impassable and unpossible it being so deep to transport his Army that way he was at a losse till he thought of a likely way which he as suddenly set upon he caused it to be divided many wayes into many Channels and severall Currents wherby the main River sunk and so on a sudden and with great facility he got over the River with his Army and tooke the City with ease Thus Sathan doth when he hath any designe against the Saints Churches he sets them into Divisions many wayes Therefore my Councell as from the Lord is to love one another as Christs Disciples be stedfast in one spirit Phil. 1.27.28 and then be in nothing terrified by your adversaries All the powers of Hell cannot hurt thee then It was the Councell Severus gave to his Souldiers in vobis pacem caeterâ—s dispicite be one among your selves and a Fig for your Enemies so ye will then be terrible to all Christs Enemies in the world for they shall know that out of Sion shall the destroyer come and they shall finde Jerusalem a burdensome stone Vis unita fortior as Mathematitians say of figures the strait figure or line is weakest but the circle is strongest of all others and the best and usefullest because one part hath fellowship with another and meets another and holds up one another so should Churches help to hold up one another and as one line runs into another so should they and such are strongest and best that are so united the Lord delights in them most too O my Dove my undefiled is one this unity delights his heart People seem much to eye the Churches now now they appear in publick and preposterous spirits are ready to judge the last news of the Fleet beaten and the Foraigne Nations preparing and threatning to be prodigious signes presaging ruine to the Churches which puts me in minde of Cicero's Oration and answer to the Southsaiers who upon newes of Earthquakes and such terrible signes foretold great calamities ready to come upon the State as our star gazers and sign-observers do now but saies the Orator fear not for the Gods will easily be reconciled to us if we be but reconciled one to another so I say to such our God will easily be at peace with us so we be but at peace one with another and then let them all the world if they will associate themselves together and they shall be broken a pieces yea in order to their breaking a pieces they must associate themselves together Isai. 8.9 and Gog and Magog from all parts of the world must be gathered together in battell in number like the sand of the sea and besiedge the Saints and circumviron the beloved City of God but fire shall come from God the spirit of God out of Heaven the Churches and Saints and shall devoure them and eat them up as in Rev. 20.8.9 Out of their mouths shall come fire and devoure their enemies Rev. 11.5 and whosoever hurts them must in this manner be killed so that there is no fear of all the foes in the world though they be as many as the sand of the sea But if any thing hurt us it will be want of Love if any thing will nothing us it will be want of unity Vnities severed make no number Letters divided make no syllable syllables divided make no word words divided make no speech members divided make no body stones divided make no wall so that without unity all stands for nothing as a Cypher I feare nothing so much as want of unity and love among Churches and Members for as Shepheards observe when sheep fall a butting one another a storme is nigh so may the Pastors that Christians contending and butting one against another and Churches justling one against another presages a sad day without mercy prevent wherefore to ease my heart and unburthen my spirit I am heartily possessed with three things that will produce unity indeed Which I shall hint to the Churches and so wipe my pen. 1. A short but sharp time to try the Churches that those that are approved may remaine which day shall be short for the Elects sake and is called but three dayes and a halfe Rev. 11 9 though in former years the time of persecution was long and hotter for now their bodies shall be above ground all this time of persecution in the sight of all Peoples and Nations till the spirit of life enter in afresh and in a fuller measure then ever before and the witnesses stand upon their feet again v. 11. Then woe woe be to the Nations to the purpose And this time will be so short that it is called the houre of temptation Rev. 3.10 and the hour of Judgement Rev 14.7 and for a little moment his indignation Isa. 26.20 1. Pet. 4.17 and then wil the Lord arâ—e to punish the inhabitants of the earth they must begin at Gods house 1 Pet. 4 17. but end in with the world Then sinners in Sion shal be afraid Isa. 33 14 terror trembling shal surprizâ— the Hypocrites that are in the Churches for they shall not be able to abide his comming like a refiners fire Mal. 3.2 3. nor can they indure to dwel with those devouring fires everlasting burnings which the upright in heart shall live in Yet this triall will be well for the faithfull ones for though two parts will be found drosse and left behinde in the houre of triall yet a third part shall remaine and be purified and shall call upon the Name of the Lord and he will heare them and will say this is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God Zach. 13.8.9 this houre will scatter Shepheards as well as sheep or Pastors as well as People But then shall the Churches be more in unity then ever and like gold run melting together out of the refiners fire for as a flock of sheep are loose about and scattered and every one for himselfe feeding and divided one from another till comes a dog amongst them and then they run together and keep close one to another and so are the Churches too much at a distance one from another and each one minding her selfe too much and her companions too little and too much divided and doubtless wil be till this time of triall comes and makes them keep together and closer in love and unity so in the Prelates times Oh what a
sweet unity love and harmony was among the Puritans and Professors when they were under persecution how they priz'd one another and so it will be again and much more Secondly This Vnity of the Churches will be honoured from Heaven with a large effusion and powring out of the spirit upon them for in that day they shall know the Lord to be their God and as one people they shall acknowledge and never be ashamed and then shall it come to passe that he wil powr out of his spirit upon all Joel 2.27.28 And by this they will bee yet more one then ever before as appears Act. 2.17 and 4.31.32 when those that were filled with the holy Ghost were of one heart and one mind and of one soule neither sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own and then great Grace was upon them all Great grace then indeed Having favour with all people Act. 2.47 This blessed day is hard by us when Jerusalem shall be a praise in the whole Earth round about us but we must be purged first In Ezek. 37.7 as the bones there came together by the shaking bone to bone so will the Churches by the shaking before mentioned in the time of triall cling and come up closer together then ever before Church to Church and all as one Though they were before as the bones scattered so in their affections and far asunder they shall bee shaked together beleeve it and then they shall receive life and breath from God more then ever before v. 9.10 Yea they shall not only be shaked together but tied together with sinewes and cords and lawes of Love that shall never break and this is to be before the full winde from all 4. parts blow upon them and fill them with breath and life So I am assured from the Lord and the Churches shall find it that they must be united together with strong ties and lawes of Love even with the liveliest sinews and strength of affections before they shall enjoy that great and notable effusion of the spirit which is the winde that blowes where it lists in such a measure as from all parts in all gifts graces and admirable administrations as from all quarters to enliven them and multiply them for in that day they will be as an exceeding great army Eze. 37.10 Lastly consider the great and notable day of the Lord is then the next that comes upon us Ioel 2.31 and Zion shall be glorious In the mean time as the lines of a circumference the nigher they come to the center the more they are united and the nigher they are one to another So for certain Sirs the nigher we are to that time the more we are united and the nigher we are one to another So that we shall see every yeare the Churches more and more united and that in the spirit untill the dispensation of the fulnesse of times when all things shall be in one Ephes. 110. The Lord hasten these happy daies I was pressed in my spirit to acquaint the Churches thus much and to call upon them to unity that the enemies might not have such advantages against us as they doe take for our defect in this duty and that our unity consist not in formes but in the spirit as for practicall rules heerto I shall refer the Reader to the following book But thus I have shewn wherein the Presbyterians and Papists agree and are alike in Discipline Doctrine Ordinances and Practises In Discipline for the Church Catholike Head of the Church matter of it force of it foundation of it and in laying their foundation and about the Keyes and Synods and in Officers to all which we have declared our dissent and abhorrance and so for Doctrine and Practises in all in neere fifty particulars wherein I have clearly instanced the Lord make his people in England wise enough to avoyd such Popish tenets and doctrines and give our Brethren that power and will to cry Down with Antichrist Down with Babylon as we do that hear the voice lest pertaking of her sins they pertake of her plagues Rev 18.4 And let them not think me their enemy for telling them the Truth Gal. 4.16 But to the 3. Consid. The 3 Consideration to come to a Conclusion is that the consideration 3 Gospel Order in the Congregationall Church-way which wee have treated of restored to its primitive purity and beauty is one of the great promises of these latter dayes and the spirituall glory of it sparkles in sight of the saints out of many promises prophesies and varietie of the richest types and is to stand apparently distinct by its selfe from all other orders wayes worships or Churches whatsoever as the visible Kingdome of Jesus Christ for his subjects to walk in That it is one of the great promises to bee accomplished in these latter dayes appears Isa. 2.2.3 Micah 4.1 Isa. 35.1 8 9.10 Isa. 30.21 Psal. 110.3 Ps. 46.2.3.4.5 and 48. P. 3. Malach. 3.17.18 Isa. 51.3.4 Dan. 2.32.33.34 Act. 3.21 Dan. 8.3 The higher is last the best wine at last and the glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former Hag. 2.6.7.9.21.22.23 For further Explication though I have beene full in former Chapters yet to conclude this I shall name these 6. speciall Heads which ensue to prove this Generall Assertions without exception The Prophesies and mproises are full for Christs reigne as Head and alone Ruler in his Church especially and most visibly in these latter dayes He alone shall reign over them in Zion and for ever Micah 2 17. Psal. 99.1.2 Isai 9.2.7 and 22.23 Psa. 2.6 And is set up King in Sion He will be greatest in Zion· Rev. 2.26 Yea and rule the nations to Rev. 11.15.17.18 Zach. 14.9 Therefore all power is given him in heaven and earth Church and State Mat. 28.18 to rule all as being more excellent then the mountains of prey Ps. 76.4 till all be under him 1. Cor. 15.25 Thus he â—ides in our dayes conquering and to conquer But to speak to his Headship In his Zion his most speciall habitation and Kingdome Hee is the alone Head of whom all members aptly joyned receive life and growth And this he is to us as he is one with the Father Jo. 17.21 From whom we have life and grace In especiall maner hee is to bee manifested such a Head in these dayes of restauration Hosea 1.11 the children of Judah and Israel though they differ as to form as Independents and Anabaptists c. shall be gathered together and appoint to themselves one Head and come up out of the Land for great shall be the day of Jezreel So the Churches of Christ shall be all one as we said before in Vnity under one Head viz. Jesus Christ. For although the Churches have stood off hitherto one from another as the 10. Tribes did from Iudah and
God said to take Councell as it were to create man whilest for other things he said let them be they were so i. e. to shew that Man was the excellency of all his worke and Creation So will God himself plant his Churches as in Isay 5.2 he fenced it and gathered out the stones and planted it c. so Mat. 21 33 he planted the Vineyard hedg'd it about dig'd the Wine-presse built the towre So he pâ—omises in these dayes as Ezek. 36.34 35. the desolate Land shall be tilled and shall become as Eden the Garden of the Lord for know v. 36. it is I the Lord that will build the ruined and plant the desolate I have spoken it and I will do it saith the Lord. All this is to shew the Excellency of his Church in the latter dayes which shall be of his planting above all others of mens plantting when we shall be the Lords own Husbandry 1 cor 3.9 and workmanship in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.10 2. It is not called a House or Pallace but a Garden 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hortus which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifies to protect and keep that is a place which the Lord in especiall manner hedges to keep out beasts and such as would hurt it Now this is a latter dayes promise and tends much to the happiness of the Churches thaâ— the Lord will protect them Isay 27.3 Zach. 2.5 Jer. 32.40.41 Ezek. 28.26 Isay 35.8.9 that they shall be for ever in one Joel 3.17.20 and no strangers shal be there so that Mr. Erberies spirit the Ranters spight to the Churches must and live and die in their own breasts 3. The name of this Garden is Paradise so it is in Hebrew so in the septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so sayes Zanchy it is in the Persian language one and the same and in the Germane Luâ—tgarten and in the Latine call'd Paradisum and in severall other languages one and the same viz. a most pleasant place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in voluptate and to me it signifies much that so many languages have one and the same name for surely the latter dayes promise must reach to all Nations and this Paradise shall take in of all languages and tongues Zach. 8.22.23 Many peoples and strong Nations in that day shall seek the Lord in Jerusalem i. e. his Churches and in those dayes it shall come to passe that men out of all languages of the Nations shall take hold of him that is a spirituall Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you so Rev. 7.4 four Angels at the foure corners of the Earth stood there in their Offices whilest another Angell was sent to sealâ— in the sealing day of the spirit some of all the tribes Rev. 21.24 and Nations shall bring their glory to Zion and shall walke in the light thereof or in the light of the Lambe who is the light thereof It is certaine that as the name takes in of all languages so the thing will and Jewes and Gentiles and Hebrews and Grecians Italians and French and Latines and Germanes and all must be brought in to the Church of Christ or this earthly Paradise restor'd in these latter dayes according to Promise Prophesie 4. From the Seat of it the Questionists have been very busie to know wheâ—eabouts in the world this Eden was some say in Mesopotamia a part of Syria others about Babylon vid. Plin. lib. 8. â— 17 others in one part of Syria and others in another others in the upper part of Chaldea others take in Syria Arabia and Mesopotamia others take in Armenia Assyria and all Aegypt others say it was in the torrid Zone under the Aequinoctiall line and others make it to comprehend the whole world but as Paraeus observes these discrepant opinions and perplexable differences arise from the ignorance of the Rivers the Head and Branches of Euphrates so among the Fathers and Schoole-men and Academians with Ministers and many others are there different mindes and judgements of the Seat and place of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21. but what need such Contâ—stations Praestat enim dubitare de occultis quam litigare de incertis but this is certaine that where ever the new River the typified Euphrates runs in Rev. 22.1.2 I meane the spirit of God according to the flowings of these dayes comes a City shall be found whose builder and maker is God there shall be the streets as well as the streams of the New Jerusalem and this spirit will be poured out on all flesh I mean on all Nations and they shall come from far So that it is mens ignorance of this River that is cleare as Chrystall that makes them question where Paradise will be found in the world I say not of the world therefore let none say lo here or lo there but when the spirit is pour'd out they 'le know and understand 5. Eastward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly from before which is here in Text Eastward or from the East ab Oriente and in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is very considerable for Eden was Orientall or Eastern sayes Lactant. lib. 2. Paradise was then a part of the East So is the latter dayes Paradise to be but by the East I intend Christ for where the Sun rises there we say is the East and where it goes down there we say is the West or Occidentall both East West Orientall and Occidentall so call'd from the rising and the setting of the Sun for there is not really a place or point of Earth at the bottome of the Horison or Hemisphere as far as you can see Eastward that is the East no for when you are there you are as farre off as before and so you may goe round the world and never come at it but where the Sun rises I account the East Now the Paradise promis'd viz. the Churches are to be all East-ward Zion-ward Christ-ward yea all ab Oriente from Christ yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in Christ the East from whence the Sun rises the Gospel-light burgeons and breaks out in golden brightnesse and light must go forth as from you the Churches in the sight of others and gild the Ayre all about and shine abroad to the world Thus the Churches in the latter dayes being all from Christ the East all in Christ the East all for Christ the East are the Paradise in the East and are of Christ as the first of all whence the Sun of righteousnesse shall arise and shine to all the World Thus far for the thing in generall now to the speciall Priviledges that appertain to this Paradise which are under these two Heads 1. From the Trees 2. The Rivers First in that Paradise was full of Trees it did signifie the Saints