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

because he knowes that his mercies and blessings will be a great deale the sweeter to us when we have got them in the way of prayer as we finde they were to David Daniel and other of the Saints And this the Saints find by experience that those mercies which are gotten in a way of faith and prayer through much wrestling with God and endeavour to honour him by beleeving are farre sweeter to us then those that come to us in a common and ordinary way of generall Providence and cost us nothing 4. The fourth ground upon which people build their leaving the use of Ordinances is this that they themselves have used Ordinances and performed duties but to small purpose and those that doe use them are little the better by using of them To which I answer 1. As concerning themselves whether they have not oftentimes discovered the contrary beleeving that they have enjoyed very much of God at such times when they have been in the use of Ordinance as in Prayer hearing the word communion with the Saints c. saying with David O how amiable are thy Tabernacles my soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of thy House Psal 84.1 2. And with Peter when he was with Christ in Mount Tabor It is good to be here let us build here three Tabernacles Matth. 17.4 This I say and much more have those said and spoken that now cast off Ordinances If they plaid the Hypocrites and were not reall in what they did but suffered their tongues to speake more then their hearts felt they must blame themselves and not finde fault with the Ordinances Besides doth the grace of God wrought in any soule teach them to lay the fault of their unfruitfulnesse and barrennesse on the meanes Christ hath instituted to make them fruitfull Are not such reasonings carnall and fleshly and not from the Spirit which such persons pretend to be wholly caught up to live and walk in Why may not a sicke and diseased person that lies under the predominancy of corrupt humours in his stomach complain as well that the ground of his distemper proceeds from his food which he eates which is excellent good and full of sweet nourishment in it selfe and not from the super fluity of corrupt humours in his stomack Therefore I should advice such persons as blame the sacred ordinances of Christ to reflect back on themselves see the ground of all their unprofitablenesse in their own hearts And whereas some say that they have often prayed but to small purpose for they have seen it hath been all one to them and with them when they have or have not prayed I would fain know whether this be not the very garb and language of the Wicked as the Scripture abundantly mentioneth Esay 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest it not Wherefore have we afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge of it And therefore it seemes in the Prophet Malachies dayes they resolve to leave praying Malach. 3.14 It is in vain say they to serve God and what profit is it unto us Hippoctitas cannot endure to wait on the Lord but like the King of Samaria What should I wait on the Lord any longer 2 Kings 6. ult whereas those that are true worshippers of God though they may at some times through temptation be shaken in their confidence and consequently be taken off from drawing nigh to God in duties for a season yet their hearts fall not foule with the duty but rather with their own corruption and are still pressing on after further communion with God and greater enjoyment of him in the duties of his worship and are resolved to wait on the Lord in a way of seeking his face through the strength of Christ and not to give him rest till hee hath returned to them and spoken peace to their soules The Saints know that the Lord hath gracious ends in deferring to answer and help them when they cry unto him and that they shall be no losers by their waiting on God and therefore keep on seeking and waiting though the Lord doe not forthwith heare and answer them 2. As for that concernes others that such as use Ordinances and are daily in the practice of prayer c. are for ought they can see little the better for them I answer if they mean Formalists and carnall Gospellers that have a meere form of godlinesse onely but want the power of it in their hearts and lives it cannot bee denied but so it is yet no reason in the least why the blame should be laid on the Ordinances or that any that are upright in their walking w th God should cease the using of them for the abuse of what is lawfull by some is no sufficient reason why others should bee taken off from the use of it Meat and drink and recreations with other things that are lawfull and good in themselves may be abused oftentimes by some that seeke after nothing more then the satisfying of their carnall lusts yet that may not take off others from the moderate use of them And so 't is here in the poynt of Ordinances we may as well reason because Judas and Demas with others abused their profession of Christ therefore none are to make profession of him But secondly if it be spoken of all in the generall those that are upright before God in their performances and use of Ordinances as well as those that are meere formalists then I demand of such whether living in God who is Love it selfe can possibly lead them forth to such wayes of uncharitable judging their brethren It 's true that the best of the Saints may not live and walk up so exactly to those performances of duties and enjoyments of holy Ordinances as were to be wished I plead not for the unprofitablenesse of any under the meanes of grace but that none of them are fruitful nor growing up to fuller enjoyments of God in Christ through the Spirit in the use of Ordinances and holy Duties this I deny as a grosse and foule untruth having experience to the contrary in many of the servants of God through rich mercie And I am confident of it if those that now cast off Ordinances could look with a clearer stronger eye of love and charity in those that make use of them and could beleeve that they live in the use of Ordinances not formally and customarily as the men of the world that place their greatest religion in the enjoyment of them but out of pure conscience and obedience to the commands of Christ and from higher and more noble principles and ends then Hypocrites or carnall Gospellers can possibly put forth and manifest they would not cry down the use of Gospel-ordinances nor judge those for poore low weake Christians that use them as now they doe But through an ungrounded and unchristian jealousie that is entertained by them touching others together with an high and over-weening conceit

this way of leaving Ordinances and casting off duties before they are out of this world especially on their Death-beds when they may bewaile it with teares of blood if it were possible so sad may their condition be as I heard a gracious woman in London once to speake of one of her Sex whom she knew well that was brought into such a dreadfull condition when she was on her Death-bed for her wilfull slighting and casting off Ordinances and Duties of Gods worship and pretending onely to Christs doing of all for her and she to do nothing but look to him x Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum that she was brought to the very gates of hell and desperation Those happy are that others harmes Against like evils strongly armes 45. Whether Apostasie and falling away of Professors from the holy wayes of Gods worship which once they profest and practised be not a grievous judgement in it selfe that God justly inflicts upon persons for their unthankfulnesse and for unfruitfulnesse under Gospel-dispensations and Administration receiving not the truth in the love of it 2 Thess 2.11 12. And whether this evill be not a cause of many other evils to the Kingdome provoking the Lord to lengthen out the miseries of this Nation 46. Whether Anarchy or the rejecting of all Civill government in a State be not eminently destructive to that State and Common-wealth where it once prevails And whether rejecting of Christs spirituall Government Ordinances and Lawes of worship be not to introduce a spirituall Anarchy into his Church-state and Kingdome which he hath in the world and is daily more and more advancing and consequently an endeavouring according to what lies in the power of creatures to subvert and overthrow the glorious Kingdome of Jesus Christ and to lay his honour in the dust And whether those that shall persist and persevere in such ondeavours deserve not to be branded for enemies to the glory and dignity of him whom the Eternall God hath exalted to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to whom whosoever shall refuse to yeeld subjection be he Prince or Peasant shall be broken in peeces as a Potters vessell according as the mouth of the Lord hath spoken Psal 2.9 10 11 12. 47. Lastly to adde no more Whether the Kingdom of Glory hereafter to be enjoyed in Heaven be not the proper State in which God hath appointed the Saints to live immediatly in Himselfe without the use of Ordinances and not the Kingdome of Grace here on earth in which the Saints are imperfect and see the Lord for the most part through a glasse darkly knowing but in part and prophesying but in part till that which is perfect be come according to 1 Cor. 13.9 10 11 12. and the Apostles owne judgement of himselfe Phil 3.13 14. And whether to hold the contrary be not to confound those two States of Grace and Glory which the Scriptures doe distinguish so that the casting off the use of Divine Institutions and Gospel-ordinances and Duties of Worship appointed for beleevers to walk in the practise of till the Lord Jesus Christs comming again must of necessity be lookt upon as having no bottome on the sacred Scriptures but a vision of mens own brains and deceitfull hearts directly contrary to the Faith once delivered to the Saints Epist Jude v. 3 4. and therefore of all those that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity justly to be condemned and exploded AN APPENDIX By way of Post-script To all those whom the former Considerations doe more especially concerne SIRS YOU have seen or may see what that Balm is which I have as a weak instrument in the hands of Christ the great Physitian of Souls endeavoured to powre forth in the former Considerations for the healing of your wounded soules And you have also seen or may see in my Epistle to the Reader what my grounds and ends have been in so doing so that I doubt not but you will look upon me as one that hath had nothing in my eye but the honour of Christ and welfare of your soules If the busines I have undertaken had not been of great importance and concernment I had not I assure you put pen to paper but when I saw the sad effects were like to attend this opinion and practice of yours by introducing a spirituall Anarchy and Confusion in the Kingdome of Christ and threatning Ruine to all the true and right constituted Churches in the world I could not but a Principiis obsta serò medicina paratur Cum mala per longa● convaluere moras make haste according to the b Ephes 4.7 measure of the gift of Christ vouchsafed to me towards the preventing of them If I have spoken or written none other then the words of Truth and Sobernesse I shall desire you in the name of him who is Truth it selfe our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to subscribe thereunto If otherwise I trust by the same grace received I shall be ready to see it and acknowledge it whensoever it shall be made out unto me onely I shall desire that the same c Apud Ecclesiae Alumnos non ad humanas rationes cogitationes dirigendae sunt res divinae sed ad sensum voluntatem doctrinae spiritus oratio interpretatioque accommodanda Just Mart. Neque te quoque disserentem sustinuissemus nisi cuncta ad seripturas refcrres inde enim demonstrationes adducere studio tibi est id ibid. Dial. cum Triphon medium viz. the holy Scriptures of God contained in the old and new Testament which I have endeavoured to use in the former considerations may be used by such as shall attempt such a work But because I may save that labour in order to your further and greater satisfaction I have thought it requisite to doe something by way of answering those objections or removing those grounds upon which I suppose all of you or at least many of you doe build your practice of renouncing and casting off the use of Ordinances and religious Duties Now I suppose the grounds upon which you build the casting off the use of Ordinances may be reduced to these eight Heads 1. That a person may doe well enough and comfortably enjoy himselfe without the use of Ordinances as hearing the Word Prayer breaking of bread in a communion of Saints c. 2. That the successe of things doth not depend upon the performance of Duties and Ordinances but on Gods eternall purpose and decree 3. That God knowes our wants and stands not in need of any of our performances to move him to the helping and satisfying of us 4. That many have used Ordinances and performed Duties but to small purpose and those that doe use them are little the better 5. That Ordinances are but poore low Dispensations and not so consistent with a Beleevers living in God that is altogether above Ordinances and that God doth use to lead his people from Gospel-formes

to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit 6. That none are to pray or perform Duties at any time further then they are moved thereunto by the Spirit 7. That the use of Ordinances is more Legall then Evangelicall and engenders to bondage rather then liberty looking more to a covenant of works then grace the Gospel requiring beleeving not working 8 Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule 9. That there are many places in the new Testament which hodl forth the non-performance of duties and laying aside the use of Ordinances as Heb. 8.11 1 Iohn 2.27 Rev. 21.22 23. 2 Pet. 1. ult These are the grounds upon which people build their leaving and casting off of Ordinances some of them respect those that are meere Atheists and others respect such as pretend to the greatest perfection of holinesse attainable in this life I shall by the help of Christ make answer to them all as they are laid downe in order to the discoverie of the unsoundnesse of them 1. Touching the first of the former grounds upon which people build the casting off the use of the holy Ordinances of Christ and duties of religion it was this That a person may doe well enough c. without the use of them Now in answer to this for the discovery of the unsoundnesse of it I utterly deny it and affirme the contrary that such as cast off the use of Ordinances 1 Cor. 3.22 or live in the neglect of them cannot possibly doe so well nor so comfortably enjoy themselves in the neglect as they might if they did conscionably performe them and my reason for it is this which I conceive is ungainsayable Because whatsoever such doe enjoy in order to their welfare and prosperity here in this world though in the greatest fulnesse they doe not enjoy it with the blessing and favour of God they may enjoy them but not comfortably because not through a promise nor by vertue of having interest in Christ through whom all our enjoyments become blessed to us and without whom all good things become evill and accursed to us Now such cannot possibly enjoy their good things through Christ a promise that neglect prayer c so by consequence not enjoy them nor themselvs comfortably because those mercies that come to us through a promise and by vertue of our interest in Christ they come in the way of Prayer and the use of Ordinances for the same God that hath made a promise to be our God and to make us blessed in the enjoyment of himselfe and his mercies hath also said that he will be sought unto for all those mercies before we shall enjoy them as Ezek 36.37 And when a person is once in Christ his being in Christ doth not take him off from duties but rather puts him upon the diligent performance of them And hence it is that the Spirit of Christ that dwells in beleevers is called a Spirit of prayer and supplication Rom 8.15.26 Gal 4.6 Zech. 12 10. And Christ hath promised beleevers to grant them their desires upon their asking his Father in his name John 14. and 15. and 16. chapters Matth. 7.7 with many other places to the same purpose and hereupon he enjoynes beleevers to watch and pray and ask necessaries daily at the hands of God their Father for the good both of their bodies and soules their temporall and eternall welfare Matth 6.11 12. So that 't is not faith in Christ and a promise that in it selfe simply considered makes us partakers and possessors of the good things of God with comfort but faith exercised and put forth in prayer and use of holy Duties and Ordinances of worship Faith in Christ and the covenant of Grace layes claime to the good things of God yea God himselfe blessed for ever is his Portion but Prayer fetcheth them in to the soule through Jesus Christs mediation And therefore as persons living in the neglect of duties discover themselves to be destitute of the Spirit of Christ and consequently of true faith in Christ so they manifest themselves to have no true right to what they enjoy as men and women in Christ nor to have them in mercy from God or in a capacity to enjoy a holy and sanctified use of them but are under all with the curse of God upon them so that as the wise man saith the very prosperity of such fooles destroyeth them Prov. 1.32 The second ground upon which people build their neglect of duties and casting off ordinances is the Eternall purposes and decrees of God who hath by them appointed how things shall be and there is no altering of them by our fasting praying c. or performing any duties of worship whatsoever Shall wee think say some that the judgement of the Sword Pestilence and Famine that walked up and down the Kingdome as the Executioners of divine Justice in an uncontrollable manner have been in so great and wonderfull measure removed from the prayers and supplications of any or all the Saints in England and not rather from the predeterminate Councell and decrees of God To which I answer That the Decrees of God doe not exclude in the least the use of the means towards the effecting bringing about of them but as God hath determined in his eternall counsels what he will doe for the good of any of his people so he hath also determined that the means shall be used for the obtaining it Yea we finde in Scripture that this is made a certain signe that God hath determined to do us some great good when he stirreth up our hearts to be earnest with him in prayer and the use of other lawfull meanes for the obtaining it as we may see in Daniel 9.2 compared with Jer. 29.10 11 12 13 14. where we finde in these two Scriptures two things to our present purpose 1. That God had purposed the deliverance of his people from their Babylonish captivity after 70. yeares were expired 2. That he purposed also and foretold by Jeremy that neare about the expiration of those 70. yeares a Spirit of Prayer should bee given to them and they should goe and pray unto the Lord for their deliverance and hereupon Daniel is stirred up about the end of those 70. yeares to a more then ordinary seeking to God by fasting and prayer for the accomplishing of his promise as is cleare from Dan. 2.3 and how much is the Lord taken with it verse 20 21 22 23. so that we may from hence easily see that

sanctifie to himselfe a people zealous of good workes where he gives us also a character of those that are the peculiar redeemed ones of Christ that they are such as are not onely freed from the power and thraldome of their lusts but are made zealous of good works To this place many more might be added as Luke 1.74 75. Jam. 2.8 9 10 11 12. Ezek. 11.14 6.27.37 But thirdly it 's considerable to examine and enquire what this Liberty is which the Gospel brings with it to beleevets now without question it cannot be meant of a lawlesse liberty a carnall sensuall sinfull liberty a liberty and freedome to dishonour Christ to cast his Lawes and Ordinances behind our backes and to live as we list It 's as cleare as the Sunne at noon day that the Gospel brings no such liberty with it to the world indeed the Devils Gospel doth and Antichrists and Mahumets they give to people elbow-roome enough as we use to say in the wayes of sinne but not so with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.14 Rom. 6 14. 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Ioh. 3.3 Rom. 6.1 2. for this saith Christ came to redeem us from iniquity this sayth sin shall have no Dominion over us this saith whosoever names the Name of Christ must depart from iniquity this saith hee that hath true hope in Christ purifies himselfe as Christ is pure this saith we are not to continue in sinne that grace may abound nay it demands a reason how men can imagine that those that are dead to sinne through interest in Christ should live any longer therein * 1 Pet. 1.14 15. 1 Cor 15. ult Phil ● 11. T it 3.8 2 Cor. 7.1 Phil 3.13 14. and doth not the Gospel of Christ say also that wee should be holy as Christ is holy that we should abound in the work of the Lord that we should be filled with all the fruits of righteousnesse that we should bee zealous of good works and maintain good workes and perfect holines in the feare of the Lord forgetting what is behinde and pressing after what is before c. 4 Besides fourthly the use of Ordinances and performance of duties under the Gospel is to bee lookt upon as a Beleevers priviledge not as his burthen and if the commands and service of Christ be called a Yoke and a Burthen and Bonds and Cords in the judgement of men yet it 's an easie yoke and a light burthen such cords and bonds as are gentle so that as the Apostle saith his commandements are not grievous 1 Joh. 5 3. The pedagogy of Moses indeed was burdensome and grievous so that our fore-fathers could not beare it but not so with the service of Christ under the Gospel when heavenly and spirituall soules are in it Indeed when carnall hearts enter upon or tarry any time in and under the service of Christ they are as under a burthen and the worke they are about is a burthen to them and what 's the reason but this that there is an unsuitablenesse between the work and their hearts neither come they to enjoy communion with Christ in Duty but come to the very duty as men do to their task or daily labour Vide Bolt true Bounds of Christians Freedom p. 213 214. now that person that hath to doe with nothing but duty in duty cannot chuse but finde that duty tedious and irksome to him as the ordinances under the Law were to the carnall Jewes that did not eye Christ in them But now on the other side when a gracious spirituall heart comes to a spirituall duty not to the duty so much as to God and Christ in the duty to converse with the Father and the Sonne in the Spirit how sweet and delightfull then are times of duty unto such soules so that the performance of duties in a right manner is no Legall thing nor matter of burthen and griefe to the Saints but that which affords them the greatest sweetnesse content and satisfaction that is to be enjoyed on this side glory and so is to bee lookt on as matter of priviledge not of bondage 5. To say no more whereas it is said that the Gospel requires beleeving not working if by working you understād the purchasing of life and salvation at the hands of God by our performances the justification of a sinner before God c. it 's granted the Gospel requires it not at the hands of sinners because it offers more grace that is it shewes us the work is done to our hands by Jesus Christ he hath procured our ransome satisfied his Fathers Justice appeased his wrath procured peace and reconciliation and that firmly through his own blood and wrought all our workes for us this way Esay 26.12 And our duty is primarily and above all to beleeve this and accept this as it is held forth in the Gospel Iohn 6.29 1 Iohn 3.23 because the great work of God and commandement of the Gospel is to beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus that we may be saved But if by working wee understand the fruit that flowes from our beleeving in Christ and taking hold of him to justification and salvation viz. a holy study in all our wayes to please God and doe his will to walk in a childlike fear and reverence before God and have respect to all his commandements that in all things we may be found to the honour and praise of him that hath loved us and called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light c. then I suppose there is none whatsoever that pretends to Christianity especially if he have in an experimentall manner felt the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart but will acknowledge the Gospel requires such working And the whole scope of the New Testament is so cleare and plain for this as that none but such to whom the Gospel is hid can be ignorant of it If any desire further satisfaction herein for it would be too large for me to produce all that might be spoken to this particular let him read those Gospel * Downam of Iustification l. 7. c. 1. p. 434 435 436 437 438. Bisco's golrious mystery of Gods mercy p. 298 299. Eatons Hony-comb Boltons bounds of Christians freedom Burges Vindidiciae legis p. 39 40 41 42 43. with many other c. Treatises that are abroad concerning this poynt 8. Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances is this Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit They can never work any impression upon the soule or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman that the Lord is his God or that Christ is his Saviour c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an impression in the soule Answ I find an answer to this objection in Doctor Crisp vol. 3.

of God never dictates any thing but what is agreeable unto may be resolved into the Scriptures or t written word of God but the other not e.g. When a man is perswaded that Christ is not God as well as Man that there is no resurrection of the body nor reward nor punishment after this life that sin and grace are both equally of God c. with a thousand such like abominations how shall a person discern that the perswasions he hath of these things are not from the Spirit of God but from Satan and his owne wicked heart but this because they are directly against what is revealed to us in the Scriptures l the Spirit of God never per swading any to such things as he hath himself spoken against in the Word written 5. Moreover to what purpose did the holy Ghost make use of those holy men of God as the Prophets and Apostles are stiled to be his Amanuenses or Scribes to write down and commit to paper what the minde of the eternall God was which he would have made known to the children of men concerning their faith and obedience if the Scriptures are of no more use to beleevers Doubtlesse the workes of God are not in vain he made the two great lights in Heaven the Sunne and Moon the one to rule the Day and the other the Night now would it not be a weake if nota wicked thing for any to say what need we any more the use of the Sunne or Moone is not God himselfe sufficient so here is it not as weake if not as wicked a thing to soy What need is there of the Scriptures when wee have the Spirit himselfe to teach us Besides doth not the Apostle affirme in the first to Timothy that the Scriptures are exceeding usefull and profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And then to the Romans That whatsoever is written is written for our instruction that we through patience and comfore of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 And doth not Christ himself say that one chiefe cause why men erre from the truth is because they are ignorant of the Scriptures Matth. 22.29 And doth he not also requite men to search the Scriptures upon this ground because they testifie of him Mark that well They testifie not simply the Spirit but the Scriptures also they beare witnesse to Christs being the true and onely Messiah that should come into the world with many other pretious ends and uses to which the sacred Scriptures are usefull and profitable as were easie to produce if need were 7. But lastly to say no more how doth this open a doore to all manner of abominations both in opinion and practice for if every man must be left to the private teachings of the Spirit and have no recourse at all any longer to the sacred Canon of the Scriptures what abominations will men and women stick to admit of and beare off all with this The Spirit leads me hereunto I am taught by the Spirit and perswaded by the Spirit so that if a man should be stirred up to lay violent hands upon his neighbour as I have heard a drunkard once did on one that was of this opinion and basted him to some tune and being demanded by the party why he did so he answered him in his own language hee could not help it the Spirit moved him thereunto and take away his purse or his life from him or a vile wretch should attempt the deflouring of a virgin or committing of any other abomination and put all off with this that the Spirit dictates such things to him he is under no law but that of the Spirit would not this be dreadfull both to God and Man and so for any damnable errors in judgement that the Scriptures condemne to the pit of hell and warn us to take heed of as we defire to escape damnation doth not this opinion make way to the entertaining of them when people shall be perswaded there is no use of the Scriptures to bee as a Rule to them to walk by but they are to trust onely to the inward dictates of the Spirit Besides if this should be allowed of that the Scriptures are of no luse but we must trust to the Spirit in all what certainty then can there be in any point of Religion and faith for every one will beleeve as the Spint dictates to him and as many men so there will be almost as many mindes Nay further what bottome will men and women have to build the foundnesse of their opinions upon and that it 's not their meere fancie if they cast away the Scriptures seeing what they conceive to day to be the right to morrow they may be perswaded to be otherwise if they trust to what is spoken and dictated secretly to them and where will your soules end and fix a period in matters of opinion when they once begin to take this course of casting off the Scriptures Doubtlesse they cannot tell themselves there being a fathomlesse depth in the pit of error out of which poore creatures can never extricate themselves being once shut up in it Blessed are those soules that are so taught of God in the Ministery of his Word and Spirit as to feare comming nigh the brink of that pit THus Sirs I have dispatcht the Answers to the forementioned grounds what remaineth in the close of all leaving the successe and issue of all to the Lord Jesus but that I adde one word to perswade you in the bowels of Christ to consider from whence you are fallen and repent and doe your first workes Rev. 2.4 before the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven against you I cannot but apprehend your condition as very sad not only in respect of your sin but of your sorrow that is like to overtake you For as sure as the Lord liveth all those that refuse to kisse the Sonne and will not have him to rule over them but doe what in them lies to break his * By bonds and cords is meant the discipline and government of Christ in his Church kingdome as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify Psal 2.3 Now the lawes and ordinances of Christ or his discipliue and government are called bonds cords not that they are so in themselves but because the wicked so judge of them looking upon them as so many fetters manacles that keep them from the enjoyment of their lusts and carnall liberty which is the main cause of their enmitie against them and rejecting of them bonds and cast his cords from them shall perish in the way of their rebellion Psal 2.12 and be brought forth and slain before him Luke 19.27 You cannot be ignorant how jealous the eternall God is of the honour of his Christ and that he is