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A25343 Ancient truth revived, or, A True state of the antient, suffering Church of Christ, commonly (but falsly) called Brownists, living in London, and other places of this nation wherein I. Is shewed (in the preface) the state of the gospel-church, from the time of Christ's ascension, to the end of the world, gathered out of the book of Revelations, II. The confession of our faith, grounded on the doctrine of the apostles and prophets, III. By vvhom the gospel vvas first preached in this island, IV. Our practice in the worship of God, according to the practice of the primitive church, with an explanation of every ordinance, and vvho have right to administer the same, V. The first day of the week proved to be the gospel-sabbath. 1677 (1677) Wing A3076; ESTC R40283 61,216 57

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Members of Christ's Church as many Heathen Magistrates in the Apostles days were h then are they said to have their portion in the Holy Land and they do bring their honour and glory as the Gentiles their i riches in becoming Nursing-fathers k preserving the Church from outward Injuries while they in Spirit and in Truth l worshipthe Lord in keeping his Commandments and so the m Earth is said to help the Woman As these Scriptures shew a 2 Chron. 26.16 18. b Jer. 27.6 8 12. c Jer. 40.5 d Jer. 29.22 23. e Jer. 29.7 f Mat. 17.24 25 26 27. g Rom. 13.6 h Ezek. 48.21 i Isa 60.3 6. Rev. 21.24 k Numb 11.12 Isa 49.23 l John 4.24 Phil. 3.3 Rev. 22.14 m Rev. 12.16 Again there are three Kingdoms here on Earth first the Kingdom of Magistratical a Government in Nations secondly the Kingdom or spiritual b Government of Christ in his Church thirdly the Kingdom of c Darkness where Satan the d Prince of this World ruleth in the hearts of the children of e disobedience The two first Kingdoms or Governments are ordained of God the third was usurped of the Devil The time when his Kingdom began was so soon as Man fell by his means into f Sin and thus Satan as a strong Man armed took g possession in our first Parents until a stronger than he came upon him and dispossest him to wit Christ by God promised to them that the Seed of the h Woman to wit Christ should bruise the Serpents Head and God gave them faith to believe the same and thus Christ threw out i and took possession in his Elect Children whom the Father had given k him to dwell in their hearts l by faith Thus the War began betwixt Christ and Satan in Paradise a figure of the m Church and n Heaven it self so that in a Mystery it is written There was War in Heaven o Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels and prevailed not neither was place found any more in Heaven for them Thus Christ in the purpose of God and in the fulness of time by his death spoiled p Principalities and Powers as it is written For this purpose the Son of God was manifest that he might q destroy the Works of the Devil Thus Christ by the Ministry of his Word as a r Prophet worketh upon the knowledge of his Elect Children that they may discern Sin and Righteousness as a Priest to work upon the Will and Affections s killing them a t sacrifice Which Work of Christ Abel by faith saw by killing the sacrifice he was worthy to die and by offering it up on the Altar he u confessed that Christ must die for his Sins but Cain who was not of the number of the Elect yet shewed he a form of Godliness offered his m Sacrifice as Hypocrites do without faith therefore it was not accepted as Abel's was for which cause he x slew his Brother so he is said to be of that wicked One in whose posterity Satan had his Kingdom called the World of y ungodly which perished in the Flood and their Spirits remain in prison in expectation of endless woe to have their portion with him they served a Rom. 13.2 b Psal 149.6 7 8 9. Mat. 18.18 c Rev. 16.10 Eph. 6.12 d John 14.30 e Eph. 2.2 f Gen. 3.1 John 3.8 g Luke 11.21 h Gen. 3.15 i Heb. 2.14 15. k John 6.37 39. l Eph. 3.17 m Cant. 4.12 n Luke 23.43 o Rev. 12.7 Dan. 12.1 p Col. 2.15 q 1 John 3.8 r Acts 3.22 s Phil. 2.13 t Rom. 12.1 u Heb. 10.4 Psal 40.6 7. Gal. 3.24 w Prov. 15.8 Isa 66.3 x 1 John 3.12 y 2 Pet. 2.5 1 Pet. 3.19 Mat. 25.41 Moreover after the Flood Satan began his Kingdom again in Noah's Son Canaan the Son of Ham whom Noah a cursed for his sin of tale-bearing who ought to have b concealed and not to have reproached his Father nevertheless in the Field of the c World God hath his Elect in whom as aforesaid Satan ruleth for a while until Christ by the Word of his Grace worketh Repentance in them to the acknowledgment of the Truth that they may be recovered out of the d snare of the Devil captivated by him at his will Thus we see the Work of Christ is to dispossess Satans Government or Kingdom out of the hearts of his Elect as is opened to us in Rev. 11. When Gods time was come that he would restore his Church by raising up of his Elect out of the e grave of sin wherein they lay f dead under the Antichristian Errors and Doctrines of Devils whom the Lord g awakened by the h Lightnings and thundering Power of his Law as was signified by the Temple of God being opened in Heaven and the voices of his servants signified under the seventh Angel sounding his true Doctrine out of the same which caused such an Earthquake or trembling that some like i Felix trembled yet not bettered but were angry to have the Doctrine of eternal k Judgment preached against the Romish Hirlot their Mother who had made all Nations drunk with the Wine or salfe Doctrine of her Fornication in this Earthquake Others like as the m Jaylor were converted insomuch that the tenth part of the City n fell from the belief of the Antichristian Errors to believe the Doctrine of Christ's Temple and Altar See the Preface to the Reader Thus the o Arrows of Gods Truth pricking the hearts of the Elect wrought so effectually that there was slain of Men or Names of Men p seven thousand now no more to be q named of the number of the Beast but of the number of the r Names that do follow the Lord Jesus on such is written a new s Name even the Name of the City of the Heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of all God's Children So that now in whom Satan had his Kingdom by ruling in them Christ by faith now dwelleth and ruleth which causeth the Angels who are round about the Throne of Christ in his Church to rejoyce at the conversion of poor sinners and so likewise do the Saints as it is written There were great voices in Heaven to wit in the Church saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the u Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And again Now is come salvation and strength and the w Kingdom of our God for the Accuser of our Brethren is east down And thus the Kingdom of the World that Abraham was Heir of to wit the World of the Elect which in the dispensation of times are brought into subjection to Christ by the faith of Abraham as it is written If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and Heirs according to promise a Gen. 9.25 29. b Prov. 11.12 13. 17.19 c Mat. 13.28 d 2 Tim. 2.25 26. e Ezek. 37.13 John 5.25 f Rev. 20.5 Eph. 2.1 g Eph. 5.14 h Hos 6.5
127.3 1 Pet. 5.3 h Esay 22.24 1 Thess 4.4 i Psal 22.9 10. k Mat. 21.15 16. Cant. 7.12 Isa 44.3 4 5. l Psal 58.3 m Eph. 2.3 n 2 Pet. 2.5 1 Pet. 3.19 20. o Gen. 18.28 p Mark 10.16 q Rom. 4.7 Acts 3.25 26. Esay 44.3 r 1 Cor. 12.13 s Rom. 8.9 t Acts 10.47 Therefore upon these Grounds did the Apostle baptize Believers and their House or Housholds seeing only the Children in respect of God's Covenant are so called The Man must take his Brother's Wife to build his Brother's House Deut. 25.5 6 9. Leah and Rachel built the House of Israel to wit by Children Ruth 4.11 The Widow of Zareptha's Son was called her House 1 Kings 17.12 13 14 15. A Bishop or Pastor must rule his own House well having his Children in subjection 1 Tim. 3.5 Jacob went down into Egypt every Man and his Houshold that is they and their Children Exod. 1.1 Joseph is said to nourish his Father and all his Father's Houshold as is expounded I will nourish you and your Children Gen. 45.11 and 46.5 6 7 8. with Gen. 50.21 David dwelt at Gath he and his Men every Man with his Houshold 1 Sam. 27.3 which by 1 Sam. 30.6 was their Sons and Daughters And to the barren Woman when promised Seed she is said to dwell in a House that is to be a joyful Mother of Children Psal 113.9 So that they must be wilfully blind that shall deny the Apostle to have baptized Children seeing the Houshold are the Children and they did baptize the Believers and their Houshold 1 Cor. 1.16 Acts 16.15 Thus we see the Gospel which the Apostle Matthew taught beginneth with a Ahraham according to the b Covenant of Grace made with him that in his Seed Christ shall all Nations of the Earth be blessed to wit the c Families or Kindreds the Believer and his Children in which Covenant God promised to be a d God to them and their Seed So that as Isaac in Infancy was a Child of Promise as saith the Apostle to the Church which consists of Men Women and e Children so are we Children of the Promise To which also agreeth the Doctrine of Peter who saith The f Promise is to you and your g Children And thus the Children of the Church under the Gospel are as h aforetime further confirmed by Christ to Zaccheus who said unto him because he believed This day is Salvation come to thy i House forasmuch as he was the Son of Abraham though supposed by nature a Gentile Thus Christ taught the Gospel afore preached to Abraham and he believing it was a Son of Abraham and so his House which was afore proved to be the Children had Salvation imputed equally to them as to their Parents and therefore as Zaccheus was accepted into the Lord's Covenant so was his Children who have their sins washed away in the Blood of Christ in the everlasting k Covenant Baptism being a visible Sign or Seal thereof Therefore have they both Father and Children right unto the same else the Apostle would not have baptized them and their l Housholds Therefore it is a gross Mistake in them that deny the Infants of Believers Water-Baptism and also account the Infants of Believers and Unbelievers in a like estate nay their Doctrine subverts the whole Order of the Gospel in respect of the Promises of Life Salvation by Jesus Christ and in a word it is another m Gospel than ever Christ and his Apostles taught that the Lord should accept the believing Father into his Covenant and leave his Children in an equal state with Turks and Pagans so that saith the Apostle Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached let him be accursed And again when any Proselyte Gentile of old did joyn himself by the Covenant of Grace in Christ promised to the Lord and his Church the Lord did require of him profession of his Faith because he had been an actual Transgressor as aforesaid yet he only was not received into the Church by the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham but also his Infants And though the Father was circumcised yet might he not partake of the Passeover till all his Males were n circumcised because they were accepted into the o Covenant and as the Females wanted that part of the Body and so could not be actually circumcised yet being in Covenant as well as the Males were accounted as circumcised else they might not enter into the p Temple And again as the Lord's Supper came in place of the q Passeover and Water-Baptism in the place of r Circumcision being the Seals of one and the same Covenant and the Subjects being by the Lord never rejected or removed it doth necessarily follow that when the Father believed of old he must not eat the Passeover till all his Males were circumcised s that is had the Seal of t Faith set on them even so by like reason seeing the Covenant is the same though the Father is baptized yet he must not eat of the Lords Supper till all his Infants are baptized which was one reason why the Apostles did not only baptize Believers but also their Children or u Houshold And thus the Faith of the Saints is built upon the Doctrine or Foundation of the Apostles and w Prophets and all other is but Fancy instead of Faith and so deceive themselves and them that are led by them to the destruction of their poor Souls a Mat. 1.1 Gal. 3.8 b Gen. 17.7 c Acts 3.25 d Gen. 17. Rev. 21.3 e Luke 18.16 Eph. 6.4 1 Cor. 7.14 f Gal. 4.28 g Acts 2.39 h Jer. 30.20 i Luke 19.9 k Zach. 9.11 Heb. 13.20 l 1 Cor. 1.16 m Gal. 1.6 7 8. n Exod. 12.48 o Deut. 29.10 11 12 13 14 15. p Luk. 2.37 38. q 1 Cor. 5.7 8. r Col. 2.12 s Exod. 12.48 t Rom. 4.11 u Acts 16.15 w Eph. 2.20 21. Esay 8.20 Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.14 15 16. Rom. 16.25 26. Rev. 21.12 14. Therefore in order to the opening of the true meaning of the Word Baptism we shall observe in the Scriptures there are three several Baptisms One of the Spirit Mat. 3.11 One of Suffering Mark 10.38 The third of Water Acts 10.47 All which Baptisms bear one and the same signification because by one and the same Word they are all declared unto us so that what sence or signification is to be understood in the administration of the Spiritual Baptism the same is to be understood in the administration of the Water-Baptism and likewise in the Baptism of Suffering And so we shall by God's own way in comparing spiritual things with spiritual come to discern the Truth of God's Mind in the same 1. The Manner of the Administration of Spiritual-Baptism by the Lord himself is said by the Spirit of God to be by pouring his Spirit on persons and not by dipping as it is written in the Promise and after fulfilled
so unfit to plow in the Lords Vineyard Deut. 22.10 Neither are such good Souldiers of Jesus Christ in the spiritual VVarfare of the Gospel that are afraid to reprove those of his Flock that wear Perriwigs but rather smooth them up with a few slender reproofs Isa 30.10 lest they lose their friendship with the world viz. such worldly Professors But if the Ministers themselves wear Perriwigs as many do then not one word against that odious guise lest they bid him cast out the beam out of his own eye and pluck off his own Perriwig and so make him look like his Father Adam with short hair in his Creation who was made very good without long hair the shame of Nature Gen. 1.31 1 Cor. 11.14 And again more Disorders abound all suiting these last times to the days of Noah in whose days all flesh had corrupted their way before God so that one particular is above all others named that the Sons of God to wit Members of the Church married with the Daughters of Men that is the World Cain's Posterity for which sin among others the Lord said his Spirit should not by Noah's Preaching strive with them any longer but till the Ark was finished and then were they all destroyed And how much differing is the state of the Sons of Men now especially among the Professors who are not onely corrupted in their Faith and Worship being compared to the Primitive Pattern but also in Marriages when generally Members of separated Congregations will marry those with whom they will not Joyn in communion in the Lords Supper and other spiritual Duties And is not this their Practice in their own judgments sinful in the breach of the plain Doctrine of the Apostle who teacheth all Christians to marry with whom they please only in the Lord and do not they that marry with them they refuse visibly to joyn with in the Church in all the Ordinances of the Lord say that such are not in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 Yet more Abominations than these there are While some deny the Resurrection of the Body and also deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of our Faith pressing men to observe only the Light within Some also believe that Men have free-will or power in themselves to turn from Sin to God contrary to John 6.44 Phil. 2.13 For these and the like Evils which these times are full of which saith the Apostle will come and is now come that Men will not endure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 which is comparable to Fire Jer. 23.29 in the hearts of God's Children that is Zeal inflamed in love to Christ to follow him in the ways of his VVord 1 John 2.5 Rom 8.35 But it s Opposite is Self-love a clear sign it is the last time as the Apostle foresaw saying This know also that in the last days perillous times will come for men shall be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers and the like 2 Tim. 3.1 2. So that this sin of self-love is set as the capital and master-ruling sin in these latter days opposite to the love of God in the hearts of the Elect which many waters cannot quench Cant. 8.8 But the nature of self-love is cold as Christ saith Because Iniquity will abound and the Love of many will wax cold Mat. 24.12 comparable to Hail Rev. 16.21 Job 38.22 the coldest thing in Nature which will prove the effects of God's great Judgments on the Professors of these last Ages who because they received not the Truth in the love of it 2 Thess 2.10 but of themselves which seiseth on them as a Judgment of God out of Heaven that they blaspheme against God and his Truth Eph. 4.14 because of the airy Doctrine of Errors aforesaid which leadeth them from all love to God Mat. 22 37 39. and their Neighbours to all covetous and cruel oppression of one another with all fraud and deceit as men already complain that a man cannot tell who to believe or put trust unto for as Faith decayeth all unreasonableness in Men increaseth 2 Thess 3.2 And so Christs words will be fulfilled who saith When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith upon the Earth And to conclude Thus the Days of Noah hasten by a sign in the end of the seventh Seal taken from an action of the Priests under the Law who took fire from the Altar and cast it yonder to signify how the Lord rejected the disorderly service of Corah even so the Angel signifying Christ at the golden Altar took fire in his Censer and cast it into the Earth by a like sign how he rejected the service of all Christians that serve not him by his own Ministry Ordinances and holy Order he hath appointed in his last VVill and Testament Numb 16.37 Rev. 8.5 The Articles of the Confession of our Faith WEE believe with the heart and confess vvith the mouth I. That there is but one God a one Christ one Spirit one Church one Truth one Faith one true Religion one b Rule of Godliness and Obedience for all Christians in all places at all times to be observed a Deut 6.4 1 Tim. 2.5 Ephes 4.4 6. 1 Cor. 8.6 John 14.6 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 13. b 1 Tim. 6.3 Deut. 4.6 12.32 1 Cor. 4.17 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Gal. 1.9 Rev. 22.18 19. II. God is a Spirit a whose Being b is of Himself and giveth Being c Moving and Preservation to all other things being himself Eternal d most Holy e every way Infinite f in Greatness Wisdom Power Goodness Justice and Truth In this Godhead there are Three g in One and One in Three the Father Son and Spirit being every one of them the same God and therefore not divided but distinguished by their several and peculiar Properties The Father of whom is the Son but he of none the Son begotten of the Father from everlasting the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son before all beginnings a John 4.24 b Exod. 3.14 c Rom. 11.36 Acts 17.28 d 1 Tim. 1.17 e Esay 6.3 f Esay 66.1 Psal 139.7 g 1 John 5.8 9. Mat. 28.19 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 2.6 Mic. 5.2 Psal 2.7 1 John 1.2 3. III. God hath decreed a in himself from everlasting touching b all things and the very least c circumstance of every thing effectually to work and dispose them according to the Counsel d of his Will to the Glory of his Name And as touching his chiefest Creatures God had in Christ before e the Foundation of the World fore-ordained f some Men and Angels g to eternal Life to be accomplish'd h through Jesus Christ to the Praise of his Glory and Grace and hath also according to his just purpose some of the Angels when fallen left them in their fallen Estate i to eternal Condemnation to be accomplish'd through their own leserts and also leaving some Men in their fallen Estate to eternal Condemnation through their own corruptions to the praise of his Justice a Isa
46.10 Psal 33.11 Prov. 19.21 b Gen. 45.5 6 7 8. c Mat. 10.29 40. d Eph. 1.11 e Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 7 10 11. f Mat. 25.34 2 Tim. 1.9 Acts 13.44 g 1 Tim. 5.21 h Col. 1.14 17 18 19 20. i Jude v. 4 6. Rom. 9.11 22. Exod. 9.16 Mat. 25.41 Prov. 16.4 2 Pet. 2.10 Rom. 2.5 IV. In the a beginning God made all things of nothing very good and created Man after his own Image b and likeness in Righteousness Holiness and c Truth but straight way after by the subtilty of Satan using the Serpent for his Instrument himself with his Angels having sinned before and kept not their first e Estate and left their own habitation soon seduced f Eve then Adam being seduced did wittingly fall into Disobedience g Fearfulness and Unbelief by transgressing Gods Law the Reward of that Sin was eternal Death as it is written The Fearful and Vnbelieving have their part in the Lake of fire and brimstone which is the second Death Which Death came upon h all and reigned over all yea even over the Infants also which have not sinned after the manner of Adam's transgression to wit actually yet are they accounted Lyars i from the womb begotten in Adams likeness k after his own image and so by nature children of wrath servants of sin and l subject to death and all other calamities due for sin in this world and for ever m Gen. 1. Col. 1.16 Heb. 11.3 Isa 45.12 Rev. 4.11 b Gen. 1.26 27. Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 c Eccles 7.3 d Gen. 3.1 4 5. 2 Cor. 11 3. e Jud. v. 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 John 8 44. f Gen. 3.1 2 3. 1 Tim. 2.14 g Gen. 3.8 Rev. 21.8 h Rom. 5.12 18 19. i Psal 58.3 k Gen. 5.3 John 3.6 Eph. 2.3 l Rom. 6.23 Eccles 3.2 Heb. 9. 27. V. All Mankind being thus fallen a and become altogether dead b in sin and subject to the eternal wrath of God both for original and actual sin or corruption yet the Elect all and only are redeemed c not all Nations in the world but some out of all as it is written in praise of Christ saying Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation These he quickneth raiseth up and saveth not of themselves neither of works lest any man should boast himself but wholly and onely by God of his grace and mercy through faith in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption that according as it is written He that rejoyceth should rejoyce in the Lord. a Gen. 3.15 Rom. 5.12 b Eph. 2.1 c Rev. 5 9. Eph. 1.3 7. 1 Pet. 1.2 18. Rom. 11.5 Acts 13.48 Rom. 3.24 2 Tim. 1.9 d Eph. 2.1 8. 1 Cor. 30. 31. 2 Cor. 5.21 Jer. 23.5 6. and 9.23 24. VI. Touching his Person the Lord Jesus of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote a and whom the Apostles proved from their Writings in their preaching to be the everlasting Son of God the everlasting Father b and Prince of Peace the brightness of his Glory coequal and coeternal with God and with the holy Ghost by whom he made the Worlds and by whom he upholds and governs all the Works he hath made And when the fulness of c time was come was made Man of a Woman of the Tribe of Judah d of the seed of David e and Abraham to wit of Mary the blessed Virgin f by the holy Ghost coming upon her and the power of the most High overshadowing her and was also in all things g like unto us sin only excepted a Gen. 3.15 49.10 Jer. 23.5 6. Psal 2.6 7 12. Joh. 5.46 Acts 3.33 b Pro. 8.22 John 1.1 2 3. Isa 9.6 7. Heb. 1. Col. 1.15 17. c Gal. 4.4 d Heb. 7.14 Rev. 5.5 with Gen. 49.9 10. e Rom. 1.3 9.5 Gal. 3.16 f Isa 7.14 Luke 1.26 Heb. 2.16 g Heb. 4.15 Isa 53.3 4. 9. Phil. 2.7 8. VII Touching his three Offices Mediator a Prophet and King Jesus Christ is the only Mediator of the New Testament even the eternal Covenant b of Grace between God and Man to be perfectly and fully the Prophet c Priest and King of the Church of God for evermore a 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 9.15 John 14.6 Acts 4.12 b Acts 13.20 Dan. 9.24 25. c Heb. 1.2 d Heb. 2.1 2. and 7.24 and 12.24 Psal 110.1 2 4. Isa 9.6 7. Acts 5.31 Isa 55.4 Dan. 7.13 14. Luk. 1.32 33. This Office of Mediatorship Prophet Priest and King of his Church is so proper to Christ as neither in the whole nor any part thereof can it be transferred from him to any other 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 7.24 Isa 43.11 VIII Touching his Prophecy Christ hath perfectly a revealed out of the bosom of his Father the whole Word and Will of God that is needful for his servants either joyntly or severally to know believe or obey he also hath and doth speak to his Church by or in his own Ordinances by his own b Ministers and Instruments only and not by any false c Ministry or disorderly performance of his Ordinances at any time a John 1.18 John 12.49 50. and 15.15 John 17.8 Deut. 18.15 18 19. Acts 3.22 23 24. Mat. 17.5 Eph. 1.8 9. 2 Tim. 3.15 16. b John 13.20 Luke 10.16 Mat. 10.40 41 Eph. 4.7 8 11 12 13. c Mat. 7.15 16. Mat. 24.23 24. 2 Pet. 2. 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Rom. 10.14 Rom. 16.17 1 Tim. 6.3 Jer. 23.21 John 10.1 Rom. 9.3 IX Touching his Priesthood Christ being consecrated a hath appeared once to put away sin by the offering and b sacrifice of himself having fully performed and suffered all those things by which God through the blood of his Cross in an acceptable Sacrifice might be reconciled to his Elect having broken down the middle c wall of partition finished and removed all Rites Shadows and Ceremonies in the Law is now entred within the Vail into the Holy of Holies that is to the very Heaven and d Presence of God where he for ever liveth and sitteth at the right-hand of Majesty appearing before the face of his Father to make intercession for-such as his Father hath given unto him in the Covenant of Grace and come to the Throne of Grace by that new and living way making his Church or People a Spiritual e House an Holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptably to God through him Neither doth the Father accept or Christ offer unto the Father any other f Worship or Worshippers a Jo. 17.19 Heb. 5.7 8 9. 9.26 Rom. 5.19 Isa 53. 1 Pet. 1.2 18 19. b Eph. 5.2 Col. 1.20 c Eph. 2.14 15 16. Dan. 9 24.-27 Heb. 9. and 10. chap. Rom. 8.34 d Eph. 2.16 17 18. e 1 Pet. 2.3 Rev. 1.5 6. Rom. 12.1 12. Mark 9.49 50. f Mal. 1.14 John 4.23 24. Mark 7.6 7 8. Esay 1.12 X. Touching his Kingdom a which is not of this World when he was risen from the
Ezra 6.21 22. c 1 Cor. 7.18 And again As this Spouse of Christ is his Body compact together by the supply of every joynt so the Eyes are call'd Seers or Teachers when they by heavenly Doctrine see good for the Body are instead of Eyes and when they administer the Seals Baptism and the Supper with the Censures they are Hands to the Church and when they reprove Sin they are the Mouth and when they are employed in the Churches Message they are the Feet of the Church and when they themselves have done amiss and are reproved by the Church they are the Ears of the Church to hear Reproof and so proportionably are all the Members in their places keeping order every one within the Limits of their Places set by God in the Body his Church 1 Cor. 12. And again as the Church in her beginning is said to be a Sister that hath no breasts Cant. 8.8 that is Ministers as Pastor and Teacher Which Breasts do naturally arise out of the Body when God's Gifts and Graces are increased and some found fit to be called or elected and ordained into Office by the Church then are her Breasts said to be fashioned as was of old in Israel Ezek. 16.7 and in the Church of Ephesus And so are the new born Children of God said to suck the Breasts of Sion's Consolation Isa 66. Thus out of every true Church or Body of Christ ariseth Christ's true Ministry But what a contrary thing in Nature is it to believe that the Body groweth out of the Breast or in plainness of speech for a Minister to be made and not by a true Church as one Minister as they call them to make another or that a Minister maketh the Church or that a People cannot be a true Church before they have a Minister This unnatural belief is for want of better learning in the School of Christ which leads Men to retain the Ordination of their Ministers successively from Rome left in this Land when Queen Mary died who then were Ministers in the Popish Orders and when Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown they that would conform to the things then imposed on them did still administer without any other Ordination and so from that Root ever since doth one Minister make another He that is wise may consider this and know that they that retain any other Ministry or Worship which Christ hath not appointed in his Testament he will tell them for all their preaching he never knew them IX Next followeth the Ordinance of the Lords Super to be performed as a a Remembrance of Christ's Death and the Communion all that partake thereof have with Christ as his b Members and the Communion they have one with another in Christ as one anothers Members so that all of years able to examine themselves ought to partake thereof and no others because it is not a passive Ordinance as Water-Baptism to be administred upon but it is written Take and eat And thus when this Ordinance is performed the Church according to the Example of Christ do sing a e Psalm concluding all with Prayer So that as we do believe that God is a God of d Order and hath recorded his great displeasure when in his Worship e Order was not kept Therefore we have as we do believe and practise laid down the holy Order the Primitive Churches performed Christ's Ordinances in and we are to follow the good old Way in the f Footsteps of the Lord's Flock Therefore as the Ordinance of Singing was used after sanctified by the Word Christ and Prayer in him to the Father as an Ordinance of Joy when the Church entred into the Lord's g Court in his service so do we believe the Primitive Churches practised 2dly As h Reading was in Israel performed before Doctrine so doth the Apostle exhort Timothy that in the Church it be so i performed Next after the Word is read and expounded and likewise the Word taught by Doctrine by Office followeth the Ordinance of k Prophtey the Youth or young Men by good Order are to give place to the Elders as in another case l Elihu did Then in Order followeth the Ordinance of Government that as all are to judg of what was taught either by Office or membral Right in the Church so that if Error hath by any been taught and after the first and second admonition m they remain impenitent in this time of Government before the Throne of Christ on them may be executed the Judgment written that a little leaven do not leaven the whole lump so likewise on any Member for other Sins according to Mat. 18. And also in this time of Government if any Person were converted before by the Word of God taught the Gates of this heavenly City are n opened by the authority of Christ on his Throne and they joyned with their seed by a willing Covenant with the Lord and his People which Covenant is the Form of the Church as it is the Form of Marriage and without it a People are no Church any more than without a Covenant Man and Woman can become Man and Wife therefore was the Church said to be o espoused to Christ As a young Man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy Sons p marry thee Next followeth the Ordinance of Baptism that those the Lord received by Covenant to be a q People to him must have the visible Sign and Seal of the benefit of the same as a Token of the Remission of their Sins by the Blood of Christ if they never were baptized before for Baptism is not the Form of the Church neither are any joyned to the Lord nor his Church by it but it is the Sign of the benefit of the Covenant after we are joyned to the Lord. But if any think Persons are made Members of Christ by Water-Baptism then as often as they may be cast out of the Church for Sin if they repent they must be joyned to the Church by Baptism again a 1 Cor. 11.25 b 1 Cor. 10.16 17. c Mat. 26.30 d 1 Cor. 14.40 e Lev. 10.1 2. f Cant. 1.8 g Psal 95.2 Col. 3.16 h Acts 13.15 i 1 Tim. 4.13 k 1 Cor. 14.29 31. l Job 32.6 7. m Tit. 3.10 n Rev. 3.7 o 2 Cor. 11.2 p Esay 62.5 q Deut 29.10 11 12. Reasons gathered out of the holy Scriptures to prove that since the Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus not only the Ceremonial Ordinances for Worship are abolished but also the chief Time in which they were performed to wit the Seventh-Day Sabbath And also to prove that as the Lord Jesus hath not only ordained new Gospel-Ordinances but also a new Time in which they are to be performed to wit the first Day of the Week for the Gospel Sabbath THat which moveth us to give our Judgment about the time of Gospel-Worship is first for the Glory of God and secondly for the Comfort of the Elect Children of God who we fear are many of