and like the possessed man breaks the cords and bands the good Spirit would binde him with as easily till the Spirit hath set them on as we can doe burnt flax or make a thred snap before the Candle Therefore this prido is discerned and slaine first which is enmitie in the will affections and mind There it is still when discovered and slaine there but it doth a man no hurt being discovered and slaine as pride doth not for though it be as they say as the heart is the first that lives and the last that dyes yet the man is humbled for his pride and walks softly all his dayes and doth put forth an holy enmity now against all that in his soule which exalts it selfe against his God his Lord his Christ and Word of His grace Secondly This is it he would bring home to his owne and others hearts The Lord God by His Word and Spirit hides pride from our eyes first by giving us a sight into our selves what an hell there is within us and makes it looke like hell whereas before it might looke like heaven what a dunghill there is within us and makes us smell the stench of it as of a Dunghill whereas before it did savour with us as a garden of spices or a bed of Roses And then according to the exceeding riches of His grace and abundant mercie through Christ gives us a sight of Himselfe Job 42. 6. a saving experimentall knowledge of Himselfe in Christ we heard of Him before with the hearing of the eare and how did we slight Him till pride was hid from us our proud heart was subdued but now our eye hath seene Him And what then Now He is exalted in our soules for we are made low Now He and He alone riseth in our thoughts higher and higher still and so we fable now sin appeares to be sin the worst can be said of it and grace appeares to be grace the best can be said of that too it is grace now Christ is exceeding welcome for sin is above measure sinfull He is pretious sin is vile The hony-combe trampled upon before while we were full of Prov. 27. 7. our selves that is proud relisheth now like an honey-combe as it useth to doe with an hungry soule and truely now we would abhorre our selves and repent in dust and ashes First To apply this to our purpose ye must take Gods way if you meane to doe Gods worke and this way you cannot choose but take when ever ye goe to worke as workmen that need not be ashamed feeling the law of their Relation written upon their hearts Secondly Preach Christ unto the People lift Him up as an Ensigne before them So the Apostles did so the Ministers of Christ doe that feele the law of their Relation they tell their hearers what lost ones they are without Him what glorious creatures they are being found and accepted in Him His fullnes will convince us as one saith abundantly of our emptinesse His Job 9. 148. purity will shew us our spotts His All sufficiencie our nothingnesse labour by all meanes attend and insist upon the meanes which you cannot but doe if you feele the law of your Relation how to wooe for Christ as His Paranymphs speaking a good word for Him Thirdly Be sure you lay your ground-worke well we are more than jealous of you about that matter as we told you before Tell your people home as you can to their hearts what a Cup of wrath they are borne to and that they must drinke it up to the bottome the very dregs of it if they goe out of the world as they came in without any reall change wrought upon them by the Word and Spirit for they were borne Children of wrath so soone as they were Children of men and they have been ever since they were borne filling-up their measures and after their hardnesse and impenitent heart treasuring-up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous Judgement of God Fourthly And tell them herewithall which you must needs doe if ye know the law of your Relation and feele it written upon your hearts That their Church priviledges they hold themselves borne unto being Baptized there trusted to and gloryed In as the manner is stand them in no more stead than the Arke at Shiloh did the Jewes or sacrifices multiplyed or the Temple of the Lord The Rocke and Manna Circumcision or the Lords Super administred at Corinth Beate them off from putting any Confidence in the flesh if you doe not you doe nothing to purpose nay you must tell them more If no inward glory be gained by our glorious priviledges which indeed the Nation partakes off above many if not above all in the world these will serve but to expose us to more wrath and fiery indignation from the Lord rendring our condition worse than was theirs of Corasin Math. 10. 15. â—am 4 6. 10. Ezek. 5. 10. and Bethsaida and our judgement from the Lord more intollerable even in this world as Jerusalems was and at the end thereof than Sodome's and Gomorrah's was And these things you will speake before the people sadly and mournfully as the Apostle saith weeping for you know who said it though you know he was an Heathen If you will have us weepe you must weepe first When you find the law of your Relation pressing upon your spirits Ye will not mention before your people the principles of Infant Baptisme as ye have glossed them with a Comment worse than the text nor will you make mention of god-fathers or god-mothers either Something we have read how they came in at first But when the law of your Relation constraineth you ye will see no need of them now the Church of the living God shall be no more abused with them nor that ordinance prophaned But these things yee know better than we can tell you Blessed are ye if ye doe thereafter And what are you if ye doe contrary to what you know we say not but leave it upon your thoughts Fifthly Preach sound doctrine to them holding fast the forme of sound words and whatsoever is contrary to it Command them to bid defiance to it yea to curse it as Paul did being that which their soule must abhorre when they feele the law of their Relation Thus ye doe ye will say but we doubt it because your people are so well pleased with your doctrine Now certaine it is as once the Apostles found it to be and told us it would ever be especially in these latter times they will not endure sound doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 3. which will make them sound in the saith Sound doctrine is to a swinish spirit such is every spirit by nature till the good Spirit hath wrought thereon like a corroding plaister to proud flesh or a launce to a sore full of corruption which will cut to the core and cut it out We intend cheifly this
LAW-POWER OR The Law of Relation Written in the heart of Ministers and People by the finger of God is mighty through Him to prevaile with both to live as a people separated to their God and from the world specially at the LORDS TABLE So shall we be seperate I and Thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the earth Exod. 33. 16. Goe from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge Pro. 14. 7. I will be their God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and be ye seperate 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. Come out of her My people That ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Rev. 18. 4. LONDON Printed by M. S. for Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley 1656. THE CONTENTS OF The seventh and last Treatise Six things are premised which may help us to make judgement whether the Ministers of this perswasion That all are to have Admittance to all Church-Communions upon account onely of their Infant Baptisme have the law of this Relation of a Minister written in the heart by the Spirit of God Then is shewne what this law of Relation is And that where it is and beareth rule in the heart of Minister and people it will appeare so to doe by what he teacheth his people by his walke with them and theirs with him That all be well suiting to the Rule decent and according to Gospel-order In the next place is shewen That the way of Gods people walking together according to Gospel-order is every where spoken against And that Seperation from the world is the great offence in that holy way yet such a thing there is and must be a seperation sutable to the mind of God for he that will not seperate from the world and false worship is a seperate from God There is a Communion of Saints on earth they doe often meet and commune together Some exceptions answered Ministers that stand cross to this way are advised They that pretend to this way are Cautioned The judgement of the learned and Godly is taken-in here and so concluded CHAP. I. DEARE SIRS WEE crave leave to treat with you about those words ere set downe in the close of the former Treatise The power and virtue of the law of Relation written in the heart If ye never met with those words before blesse God you have met with them and make much of them now These are Maschil none like them so far as we know to instruct your selves and us to a right understanding of the way to point the eye to it to guide the foot in it that our walke therein may be according to sound judgement and discretion § 1 We have heard you speake highly enough and pray as earnestly for Learned and ordained Ministers Well If you will say more we thinke all the Godly in the land can joine with you in your desires but stopping there we beleeve they will stop too and cannot pray the same thing Though yet we beleeve That all other faithfull servants of Christ have the mind of Christ they love order they hate confusion Notwithstanding we take the boldnes to tell you our perswasion That a Godly man will assoone passe under Tyburne as he will under the hands of those Ministers for ordination whose way and judgement as to Church-Administrations is full-up with them so often mentioned And this be spoken without the least refection of Dishonour upon the Churches governed by Presbyters who seperate from the world at the Lords Table as we suppose Srs We beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christ His sake and love of the Spirit for His Churches sake for His Truths-sake for decencie and order sake for the Office or Stewardship-sake whereof you must give an account shortly Consider putting it upon your thoughts ye say ye are the Ministers of Christ ye stand in His stead ye are Stewards in His House ye are Stars in His hand What are ye not which we with your selves account hoâ—ourable makes for your stabilitie and strength securitie and safetie Put this to your soules now and if it be possible deale clearely and truly at this point in the resolution of this Question Hath God caused you to passe under this Relation of Ministers Then He hath written the law of that Relation upon your hearts What man hath done should be little with you and without something more is nothing to us Hath God caused you to passe under that Relation that is the Question If you say yes hold it forth that all may see you speake as well as heare you and give Righteons judgement That the Lord hath written the law of that Relation upon your hearts Now the Lord God helpe you all and every one to looke after this writeing of God upon your hearts for we are more than jealous as you give us sad cause That it is not yet done we meane the law of this Relation is not written upon your hearts You may thinke it is and you may say it is It is nothing to us nor we beleeve to any Godly man in all the whole Nation what you say as to this matter or what you thinke while we see what you doe Saul speakes as confidently as you may doe and surely he spake as he thought I have performed the Commandment of the Lord which was that 1 Sam. 15. Amalecke should be utterly destroyed nor person nor thing spared That you have not said Samuell What meaneth then this bleating of the Sheepe in my eares and the lowing of the Oxen which I heare There are none so confident in beleeving we meane a counterfeit beleefe than are they that are most outragious in sinning The foole rageth and is confident So may ye say ye have kept the charge of the Lord You have performed His Commandment ordering matters in His house as becometh Stewards there § 2 First This ye have not done sure for what meaneth those abhominations committed there not onely by your connivence winking at it but by your allowance also and more your doing and justifying of what you doe where it is done what meaneth all this Secondly What meaneth then those Beasts in the shape of men and they are the worst Beasts presenting their Infants to Baptisme and themselves to the Lords Table not requiring of them so much as a bare profession of faith and repentance all that they can make yet more than is required What meaneth all this if the law of your Relation be written on your hearts Thirdly What meaneth this which being granted will proove an In let to who knowes how great a flood of ungodlines That things must be ordered in Gods house not according to the Principles grounded in Gods Word but according to the Principles of Infant Baptisme What meaneth all this If the law of your Relation be written in your hearts Fourthly What meaneth then That unreasonable and
Sixthly While you are delivering forth unto them sound doctrine take this in with it which shall argue its soundnesse and you sound also That your peoples hearts are very unsound and their eares uncircumcised notwithstanding with their eare they must attend for therefore they have an eare and the very male of their flocke they must lay out this way all their strength else Math. 1. deceivers they are and they are accursed But this is not all you tell them you will make them know as ye can That there is an intus prohibens that stands within like an armed man and till it be remooved or subdued will oppose all that is good keepe it from entring the soule viz The enmities that are there against God and the word of His grace They come James 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. to heare and cast it out they cannot nor is it possible with them as their case is so to doe yet are they commanded to doe it nor is the command in vaine They must endeavour to doe it looking up to Him and spreading it before Him and attending the meanes whereby it is done we meane whereby this enmity for that one word containes all is discovered to us and slaine in us by sound doctrine soundly preached This is the point you must insist upon as did your Lord before you The absolute necessitie of regeneration or of being begot and borne againe doe not sooth up your Disciples with that vaine title and lying vanitie They were borne and baptized such It is notoriously false and knowne so to be in all the earth We are borne more like Devills than Saints at the best we beare the Image of the earthly Indeed you must tell them so they are while they are as they were borne into the world and best pleased to be what they are so far from being Beleevers Disciples Saints that they are as was said wolves dogs swine and much worse because a beast in the shape of a man is the worst beast Ye have heard or read what that excellent man Mr Bolton said to his deare Children when he was departing from them He verily beleeved that none of them durst thinke to meet him at that great Tribunall in an unregenerate state And was he not well assured of what he spake from his Lords owne mouth Except Joh 3. 3. a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God And he gives the reason at the sixth verse we borrough that Learned Dr. K. Preface pag 4. mans words for that which is borne of flesh is flesh and is as uncapable of seeing the mysteries of the kingdome of God as fleshly eyes are of seeing Spirits Ye must preach this sound Doctrine to their eares soundly and till it sound unto their hearts and is taking there what ever they are in your eyes they are as vile as the vilest in the Lords eyes and in the eyes of His people for they are not washed from their dung * Pro. 30. 12. Isa 4. 4. and accordingly they must be dealt with thrust away from partaking in sacred things as you would heapes of dung out of the chiefest roomes When ye are at this point dealing soundly with them ye will see cause to pray and the godly with you as the Primitive Saints for th' Apostles of Christ Grant unto Acts 4. 29. 5. 20. thy servants that with all boldnesse they may speake thy word all the words of this life that He commands you for if all must be heard all must be spoken and spoken it must be as the Oracles of Acts 10. 33. God and not teach onely but command with all authority that so ye may commend your selves to every man's conscience in the sight of God as he did who felt the law of his Relation written in his heart Your people shall know if ye know the law of your Relation That ye are the Lord's Ambassadours ye speake in the person of Christ and in the vertue of His Spirit and must speake as if Christ by you spake unto them that is as having power and authority committed to you for the edification of the Church And be sure ye begin right Assuring them they were not borne with a Christ in their hearts but enemies to Him that they stand at an infinite distance from Him and are wilfully set on it to have no acquaintance with Him therefore they are but false conceits and presumptions of their being in Him before the Word and Spirit hath been praevailing with them Assure them they by nature hate the Lard of life and holiness by Him more than they hate that their soule most loatheth and they love Prov. 8. 36. death and a curse in the procureing cause of it as a father loveth his dearest Child These things ye must speake to them with all boldnesse for these things are most profitable for them to know first This our hurt is not to be healed with pleasing words But now ye shall be dealt hatefully with dealing faithfully with them as was told you We cannot endure wholesome words But the law of your Relation will helpe you to swallow that and more and ye can remember what the Lord and Master found from His hearers and all His faithfull servants ever since This may comfort you too you shall have no hurt from them though they doe their worst And if you gaine any of them unto Christ they will be your deare Friends to their death because you told them the truth And for them that persist in their hatred you know it is not a simple hatred with which we hate most hurtfull creatures for it is mixed with feare and dread of you speaking to them as men that know the law of your Relation they hate you but they feare you too as a man so that learned man Dr Reynolds hateth a Lyon or as a Malefactour hateth the Judge as a theife hateth the light For just reason we have been longer at this point we leave it upon your thoughts and so hasten to the practise of a Godly Minister to see what that will be before his people when he feeles the law of this Relation written upon his heart by the finger of God But first we would for you and our Instruction from these premisses draw these conclusions and then we will proceed to shew what a Godly Mans practise is we meane his who feeles the law of his Relation written in his heart § 2 First That the same finger of God which doth write the law of this Relation upon Ministers hearts sheweth them the ordinances 1 Tim. 3. 16. of their Lords house how they ought to behave themselves there all the formers thereof and all the lawes thereof writeth Exek 43. 11. he in their sight as in former times so now that they may keepe the whole forme thereof and all the ordinances thereof and doe them But this the Spirit of God never doth before He hath made
them ashamed first of all they have done contrary unto the true way of Gods worship They shall shame themselves for this or God will cast shame upon them He will humble them for all their abhominations before He will reveale to them the right way of the service of His house And therefore it may be God will not use those Ministers how choice soever are their parts who departed from God when there was a generall departure of the Nation for why may it not be now as once God threatned when Israell dâ—d depart from Him to false worship That they should beare their iniquities they might be imployed in meane services but they should not Come neare Him The Lord had listed up His hand against them And it may be feared the Lord may doe so against some Ministers now adayes How ever except there be extraordinary repentance and taking shame unto themselves The Lord may remember what they have done when Israell departed from God and what their complaints were and what little use and improovement they have made of the blessed liberties they have had since to order matters in their Lords house full-up to what He hath commanded In the next place Secondly They that know whose spokesmen they are in whose stead they stand have learnt Christ and can teach Him useing great boldnes and liberty of speech They are as the Officers of a great Prince going before Him to praepare a way for Him and will make bold to strike and to scatter those unruly throngs of men who presse too neare upon His sacred preson They will boldly smite with the rod of His mouth they will cry aloude and not spare they will as he saith pull downe mountainous lusts subdue strong holds They will in the strength of God that is the scope and end of their Ministery bring low every mountaine and hill make the crooked straight and the rough smooth This in desire and endeavour they doe And if any shew themselves stout against against God making their browes brasse These will set their faces as flint against all these for so God hath commanded and so doth the law of their Relation command Thirdly They doe all things in right order and according to their patterne they proclaime war first with mens lusts comeing as with a sword in their hand and fire in their mouth against them and so make roome for peace in the hearts of men which passeth all understanding But they will make them know first they are enemies to this peace while they are enemies to holinesse and friend with themselves and their sins These that understand their Commission the power of Christ they are invested with together with the law of their Relation will assure them that they must cast hell upon their sins or upon their soules If they will continue to be workers of iniquitie they will hold-on to worke out their damnation to the utmost Fourthly They that preach as men that know the law of their Relation find not one principle of holinesse no not one thorough the whole booke of God which is peaceable Indeed all tends to peace at last but intends warre at first What may be found among the principles of Infant Baptisme they know not nor will they seeke to know They will goe by Scripture-rule which assureth them if they please men mens lusts they cannot please God Fifthly These searching and reprooveing Ministers these profit the hearers and doe their soules good these and onely these whereas a partiall unsearching and un-reprooveing Minister to use that learned mans words is one of Gods curses against a place the forerunner of a finall and fearefull visitation Hos 9. â— The dayes of visitation and recompence come saith the Lord the Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of iniquitie and the great hatred If a man Mich. 2. 11. walking in the Spirit and falshood that is professing the worke of a spirituall man and yet betraying His Office or in a false and lying Spirit prophecying of wine and strong drinke that is cherishing and encourageing sensuall Livers in their pernicious courses He shall even be the Prophet of this people Thus in all ages and never more apparently thus than now in our dayes hath the Lord punished with an extreame revenge the Rebellion of a people against His Gospell Sixthly They that will preach the Truth as it is in Jesus as their love of Christ and law of their Relation constraineth them shall find Luthers words true That this preaching will derive the hatred of the world against them They shall stand as a Marke for all the world with the god thereof to shute against Therefore for something hath been spoken this way already and more may be spoken anon In the last place Seventhly These are and there is more than need they should be so above the world They are dwellers in heaven Christ in them by His Spirit they in Him by their faith they feele the law of their Relation working as strongly in them as the law of sin in their enemies and so they can as was said of Luther beare the hatred and shocke the rage and violence of the whole world they have a backe of steele and underneath everlasting Armes they cannot be greatly mooved never remooved from their Anchor-hold We proceed § 3 The law of the Relation written upon a Ministers heart is marvailously prevailing to regulate his practise before his people and within Gods house First His practice will be humble and meeke so he will walke with his God and before His people The Godly wise A lifted-up spirit in any man the greatest closer of the heart against the truth of God Dr. Owen of Jol. 72. will never thinke him to be a man of God if he be proud and haughtie It was a distinguishing Character that Beda gives whereby to know a man of God and that he will preach to the people the preaching of God If he be a man of God follow him saith he of Augustine that counterfeit Saint And Englands faigned Apostle But how shall we know said the people whether he be a man of God or no Beda answered If he be gentle and lowly of heart he carryeth the yoake of the Lord and will offer unto you to carry the same yoake but if he be disdainfull and proud then it is certaine he is not of God nor hath heard Gods word nor can endure His yoake and little good service can he doe A proud person being like a gouty hand or swelled Arme which troubleth the body doth it no service Surely a true servant of Christ is as like his Lord and Master as can be lowly and meeke for he remembers still that for His sake and to teach him He stooped as low as the feete and washed them and a little while after became a Worme and no Man humbled Himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the Death of the Crosse Secondly As he
feeles the law of that Relation of a Minister so also of a father to His people and they to Him in the Relation of Children even as Paul was he desires and endeavours to be gentle among them as a nurse cherishing her children 1 Thes 2. exhorting comforting charging every one as a father doth his children And how curiously doth he walke before them looking round about him least he should loose his way or misse his end Eph. 5. 15. and should be blamed in that for which he blames others he considers with all his heart turpe est Doctori And remembers all along his walke that his people observe him more in the streete within or without the house than they doe in the pulpitt their eyes are more intent upon his doings than their eares are unto his sayings and thereafter they fashion themselves and their whole course commonly by what they see him doe not to what they heare him say unlesse he speakes to please their Lusts Therefore feeling this Law of his Relation with all his care he is carefull here so as he can say as his patterne before him Yee are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably We behaved our selves among you that beleeve And they were as carefull to give no offence to them that were without We must adde this That there be no mistake here These that know the law of their Relation behaving themselves thus gently are as sharpe as who are sharpest in reprooveing of sin for it is good to reproove as God reprooves Ye remember who he was that did not frowne upon sinners because they were his sonnes but God frowned upon him and brought sore displeasure upon his family Great sinners must have great reproofes as he saith Job 13. 39◠Some must be saved by feare a sanctified meanes to pull them out of the fire Ye must cast them into the fire that they may escape the fire Pittifull cruelty is better than cruell pitty Some in dealing both with sinfull practises and erroneous opinions of men handle them as men handle thornes as if they durst not touch them this fatneth sin and confirmeth errour May we not adde doe not some deale with Drunkards as sweetly as they should deale with Disciples And with notorious sinners unexcommunicate as if they were Saints It were infinitely better for them if they had been delivered-up to Satan for now they are delivered-up to their owne hearts lusts Lyars evill Beasts Slow-bellies as the most of your Nominall Beleevers are if not all must be rebuked cuttingly that they may be sound in the faith Sores must be cut and lanced before they be healed Thirdly They that know the law of their Relation and feele it upon their hearts doe know they stand before the people as Ambassadors sent unto them from the Prince of the Kings of the earth nay they are in Christs stead therefore as they must speake unto them whereof before so must they deale with them as to all Church-Administrations neither more nor lesse but full-up to their Commission even as Christ Himselfe did doe when He was upon the Earth and hath appointed to be done till His returne from Heaven all that which is comely to be done by all those that stand in His stead and are Stewards in His house whereto so much hath been said that we shall say no more to it in this place Nor shall we speake to this Relation which indeed containes much they stand in Relation of Shepheards to their sheepe they walke-on before them like the Admirall Ship carrying the Light and they looke well to their walke and observe as well who followes them and accordingly they deale with them and who will not follow them but follow after Srangers unto Strangers let them goe for these good Shepheards will make a difference as becometh men instructed to Ezek. 34. 17. Discretion and so are enabled to judge between Cattle and Cattle the Rams and the He-Goates When we have said all and how little is our All in these matters ye may summe-up all in this one Relation of a Minister of Christ he that finds the law of that one Relation written in his soule by the finger of God they humble themselves to walke with their God and treate with their people as a father with his children standing before them in Gods stead they deale with them as becometh faithfull Stewards and good Shepheards In a word They make cleare proofe that they have learnt Christ and can teach him when they shew forth His life in theirs when they walke even as He hath walked when as He was so they are in this world when the same minde judgement affections are in them which were in Christ Jesus their Lord. From all this we would draw these Conclusions and then proceed § 4 This Minister of Christ that feeles the law of his Relation written upon his soule fully knowes Intus in cute as ye say or endeavours his utmost so to know the state of his people as exactly well in desire and endeavour as a father doth the state of his children a Steward the state of the household the Shepheard the state of his flocke It is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his very worke and buisines to know That we meane the state of his people for Secondly Put the case for teaching sake we may doe it though it be not possible but that a Minister knowing that Relation must know it That he knowes not the state of his people then this must follow he must speake unto them generalls onely for not knowing their states in particular he cannot speak unto them in particular and so deale with them answerably Some of them declare their sin as Sodome they hide it not they trample pearles under their feete turne againe and rent the Dispensers of them accordingly these must be dealt with Some againe and none of the worst have need of Corrosives other some may need Cordials Some have need to be searched and humbled some to be encouraged and comforted their states in particular must be enquired into that the Minister of Christ may doe accordingly We remember the expression that James saith Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed As if he should say none can be able to pray for you so effectually for your comfort as those That know your sins well and so can confesse them before God A Minister must know the state of his flocke Thirdly That there is no case or condition these people can be supposed to be in but this Minister of Christ upon whose heart the law of his Relation is written is able in the strength of Christ by the supply of the Spirit to give in that which shall fitt the case be an adequate or proportionate helpe ayde succour cure thereunto he shall be able to give-in Reproofe correction instruction counsell comfort
enquire as little after Him who is the way the Truth and the life Who points His people to this way leads them in it and carryes them as in His hand to the end of the way eternall life But this can be no greife to us nor offence of heart That the way is so contemned seeing Christ is so slighted and His Church so vilified It is good to fare as Christ fareth and His Church fareth The Spirit shall have the better cheare if not at present yet anone The way to Heaven is not the wide way of the world which windeth to the Devill but it is a straight way which few walke in for few walke godly in Christ Jesus Holy Bradfords words Object 2. Observe it well and you shall see the poorest and meanest of a parish goe this way and but a sprinkling of them neither here one and there one and yet so confident they seeme to be of their way they would have all walke with them calling them to their foote Ans Indeed they would to speake to that first wish as that all could prophesie so all were as they are excepting their bands scornes and reproaches though these they must meete with if they will be godly But they will never yeild unto any That this is any other but an holy confidence and their zeale for God and love to His people That all were the Lords people They wish that they could speake so gloriously of the Churches of Christ we meane as to the numbers of them as ye speake of your Monstruous Church They are all holy every one of them and borne to Church-priviledges But yet they would account it almost blasphemy to say so to them Indeed they could wish they could see many wise men and learned men and rich men walking along with them and yet though they see it not yet they see no cause of discouragement though The day is come which was prophesied off The glory of Jacob shall be made thin and the fatnesse of Isa 17. 4. his flesh shall be made leane we take it we may allude to that Scripture Relating there to a temporall desolation which followed for indeed the wayes of Sion lye desolate and in comparison forsaken The wayfaring men cease therein and those few that walke therein are counted the veriest fooles in the world but by the fooles of the world the wicked and unreasonable men there It was said of old and it is the stumbling block still which flesh and blood will never passe over Have any of the rulers or of John 7. 48 49 the Pharisees Beleeved on Him But this people which knoweth not the Law are cursed They were a poore people still that saw their wants and were oppressed with them who followed Christ These and no other except for His Loaves They must be fooles that is they must know their owne wisdome to be foolishnes their light darknesse their sight into heavenly Isa 35. 8. matters blindnesse their strength weaknes yea rottennesse they must be fooles that walke in this way There is as one saith 1 Cor. 3. 18. Hil Joh. 4. 19. a kind of kingdome which of all the corruptions that are in the nature of man is the greatest impediment and bar unto saving grace and so to the walking in His way The a Rom. 8. 7. carnall mind or wisdome of the flesh It cannot endure this way being enmity it selfe against it for such it is against God Thy wisdome and thy knowledge it hath perverted b Isa 47. 10. thee and it is noted as a wonder That a great Company of the Priests were obedient to the c Act. 6. 7. faith That the Carnall Ministery should hearken after these things it were a wonder Learned men and wise men after the flesh these are Lords they have no need of God they can live without Him They bid for the most part defiance to Him and His wayes they would rather dye than be pent-up in so straight and narrow a path Indeed these Learned men men puffed up with their Learning these knowing men but yet know nothing as they ought to d 1 Cor. 8. 2. know thinking they doe know and are lifted-up with that thought these wise men are as brutishly ignorant as we a brutish and sottish people are at these two principall points for how little doe they know about originall and actuall sinne which is their disease and how little about Christ who is their Physician these are Mr Burges his words So then they that are wise and learned Pag. 41 after the flesh must become fooles that they may be wise and taught to unlearne their Learning as â—o any Confidence in that flesh before they can learne Christ and know that they know Him walking in His way They to whom the Mysteries of salvation are revealed must be babes By whom is not meant those that have no knowledge or are Children in understanding but such as are lowly and humble and weake comparatively with others and so carry themselves as weaned-ones yet have their understandings opened and have a saving knowledge of Him Who is eternall life and their life And this may suffice to remoove that block of offence Object 3. The principles of this way are not peaceable for we see what worke they make and what differences are caused between Neighbours and Friends Ans We can say little to the peaceablenes of this way we are verily perswaded which was more than once hinted before flesh and blood will find no peace nor pleasure in it It is a way most If you labour to doe the worke of the Lord pray thinke it not strange if among men curses be your reward and detestation your wages Dr. Owen Jer. 15. 19. Pag. 10. Cum ab hominibus damnamur a Deo absolvimur crosse or contrary to one principle at least of Infant Baptisme And therefore seeing that is reported to be a peaceable principle this way and every step in it standing in the greatest opposition to it as doe the remotest extreames this way can have no peace in it as the world calls peace nor shall they have any peace from men that preach-up this way and walke in it But we hope the way is not the more to be disliked for this but the more to be liked and the rather to be chosen It is condemned of men it is approved of God and that peaceable principle of Infant Baptisme the more to be loathed It is a way of holinesse else those people and Ministers that have the Law of their Relation written in their inward parts would not walke in it And Holinesse we know with the way of it is a meere contraction to flesh and blood and a very torment to it as flesh and blood is a very bloody enemy to Holines It would persecute and drive holines out of the world not thinking enough if it could helpe it to drive Holines out of the heart whereat the flesh is
Creature but we owe our lives to God our best service and all so we owe not as we conceive our Religion to Infant Baptisme but to the glorious worke of the Spirit together with the Ministry of the word thereby as an Instrument in the Spirits hand He Riviâ—â—s Christian Religion into the body of a Nation and into the hearts of His people growne up to the yeares of understanding Let the Covenant be opened first the abundant riches of grace therein through Jesus Christ whereunto we owe our selves and all and the seales will follow of course We take leave to tell our perswasion A godly Minister looseth more by giving so much to Infant Baptisme than he will gaine by his praying for the successe of the Gospell his God hath intrusted him with Againe ye pray for the full 〈◊〉 and liberty of Gods Ordinances doe ye not Take heed ye doe not 〈◊〉 â—ut the sinewe of this your prayer and quite weaken it by granting a liberty free Amission to all whilest you set parity aside as a neglected thing though it be the maine even the all of the Duty Remember ye should still the one is to be as full as the other full liberty and as full purity A liberty without purity will certainly bring us into straightness of place which we English anguish Rom. 2. 9. such as we cannot tell what to doe-in to get one minutes time of ease If ye will give liberty see it be stinted and bounded within the bounds and limits which God hath set us To keepe within the compasse of Gods Commands is the best liberty of all Then shall I have liberty when when I keepe all thy Commandements If we Psal 119. 45. would have liberty out of God and beyond His bounds our liberty will proove our misery our undoing and utter destruction Looke ye to it as ye looke God should looke after you and your prayers That ye carve not forth so liberally in your Lords matters granting to your people a full liberty without regard had at all to full purity But having said so much against your full liberty and all those impurities which cleave as fast to that liberty as ever any did to their Idol we will say no more here onely as ye goe on praying ye will goe on sinning and provokeing your Lord to His face in His owne House if ye doe not looke better to His Administrations there than hitherto ye have done Seventhly Be pleased to Consider That the Body whereof our glorious Lord is the Head and the Saviour is as like Him as likenesse can be a very comely and a glorious Body and however little glory or comelines may appeare from without and none at all in the worlds eye yet is she all glorious within partakeing of her Lords owne glory though not in the same degree and every one of this Mothers genuine Children are made Princes in all lands where any one of them is there is a Prince how poore and meane soever the out-side be for whatever the Lord-Christ is by Nature he and she are by Grace Consider we pray you this thing then we know what will follow upon this Consideration so be ye be much if not wholy in it That the fire will consume all that is glorious in the world yet a very little while and there will be no excellencie but the excellencie of Christ and His Church and Children we are bold to presse you unto this Consideration againe because ye and we know what must needs follow thereupon First Ye will give the Lord Christ the preheminence in your assemblies and at His Table specially ye will set His deare Children Beloved Friends and faithfull servants next unto Him And by no meanes will ye suffer that which may offend or grieve them And ye will stave off those nasty filthy Creatures two footed Dogs and swine from comeing neare unto them till they have bethought themselves what they are and of their uncleannesse And Secondly As ye know The first thing the Spirit of grace doth within doores is to set God and Christ in His own place the heart so that person that is acted by that Spirit will shew forth or proclaime Gods Justice in the world and Christ His Righteousnesse in His Church which is to set Him in His place a King and a Prophet a Prince and a Saviour and perswade an hearty obedience and subjection to Him to be directed by Him for if a man be subject to Christs Kingly Office His Propheticall office shall guide him and cause him not to erre in that he speaks from God or to God or in what he is to doe for God and His People CHAP. VII WE would give you two or three Scriptures to muse upon draw two or three things from them and then draw to a close of all The first Scripture Isa 52. 1. From henceforth there shall no more come into them the uncircumcised and the uncleane The like promise ye have Joel 3. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy Mountaine Then shall Jerusalem be holy and there shall no Stranger passe through her to defile her No stranger to open that notion as we read Mr. Caâ—yl Job 15. p. 89. it opened unto us No stranger that is no child of Bolial no wicked person shall passe through her to defile and pollute her But strangers may passe through her to be visited and relieved by her The other Scriptures Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Acts 2. 42 43. They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship And all that beleeved 1 John 1. 3. Truely our fellowship is with the Father and with His Sonne Jesus Christ Rev 21. 27. 22. 15. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth nor whatsoever worketh an Abhomination for without are Dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters And who so loveth and maketh a lye From the premised Scriptures we would Conclude First SECT I. First THat it is one of the highest priviledges promised to the Church that a time shall come when the wicked shall not come unto her Awake awake Put on thy strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Jerusalem the Holy City Wherefore must Jerusalem the Holy City awake thus and be ready in her dresse in her beautifull garments why there is good newes for her from henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and uncleane As if He had said In times of Sions defection or opposition when there was no due Reformation of worship nor order among worshippers than the uncircumcised and uncleane came and stood yea even dwelt with thee as thy owne Children but oh Jerusalem A Time shall come when the uncircumcised and the uncleane shall not so much as come into thee they shall be rejected and cast out for ever Prophane ones shall find no place
often meeting one with another and speaking one to another and working one for another what possibly they can We will put a close to this in Blessed Sibs his words Next to the meditation of Christ and the Excellencies that are in Him I know no way more effectuall than is holy Communion with those that are led with the Spirit of Christ when we see the sweet fruite of it in others It hath been a meanes sanctified to doe a great deale of good to many and those that delight not in it never knew what the likenesse of Christ meant for those that desire to be like Christ they love the shineing of Christ in any They are a carelesse people to whom all companies are alike But they that walke circumspectly looking round about making it their onely care how to please God these will make choice of those that find some worke of grace on their hearts by the Spirit of God if not they may well doubt of their Condition and that there is no worke of grace wrought at all for grace will make us love the like As you see creatures of the same kind love to company with one another Doves with Doves and lambs with lambs so it must be with the children of God or else we do not know what the communion of Saints meanes In the last place and in prosecution of that was last said Fourthly We Conclude That the Saints loving and delighting in their Communion together are fruitfull and usefull to one another while they are together and therefore doe speake often one to the other Thereby to stirre-up one anothers pure minds And this is a Duty so cleared in the booke of God to be according to the mind and word of God to keepe off from the wicked who will keepe far off from God And oppose the meanes whereby they may be brought nearer unto Him It is so agreeable to the Divine Nature and as we heard the new creature to converse with their like and so to walke together in Gospell Order that truly we cannot conceive what can be reasonably said against â—t by any reasonable man specially by Ministers of Christ Nay we are assured nothing can be reasonably said against it True it is Ministers in name such and godly by profession doe oppose this Assembling together of Saints but they are ashamed no doubt to shew so little reason as to reason against it For to gaine Instruction from lower matters Can we thinke That the matters or concernments of a parish are so considerable That the chiefe men or Masters there with the rest must meete sometime to conferre about them for the better disposing of them according to decencie and right order Can we thinke then and thinke like men that the matters of Christ the concernments of His glory in our salvation will not require the like care and so Command the people of God Saints by calling to meete often and conferre about those high and sacred matters so nearely relateing to the welfare of that Body whereof the Lord Christ is the Saviour that these may be administred according to the mind of Christ and rule of His word praescibed by Himselfe to be observed in His house by His Stewards there If they will make full proofe that such they be by fidelity as well as in Name and by Office Well we are confident our Lord and Master makes us so whose manner was to speake alone and apart with His Disciples so doe all those that have gone forth by the footsteps of the flocke following His steps That all those Ministers who oppose this Assembling of the Saints together there to speake often one to another for the ends aforesaid are self-willed men self-will is their reason so there is no argueing with them who have nothing to oppose against this Gospell fellowship but their will or carnall Reason onely we would commend them to the Prayers of the Saints And for thy selfe Reader if thou canst skill onely in thy Mother tongue we would Commend to thy meditation that plaine English thou readest Eph. 4. 16. From whom the whole body c. and if thou canst skill in the Latine Then we heartily commend to thee Learned Calvins three doctrines therefrom and Beza's observations thereupon in his notes common with us and in his larger Annotations too large to be inserted in this place SECT II. ANd so we make bold to give in our Jealousie which may passe for better Reason than any self-will can give why Ministers reputed Godly plead for a loose way of receiving all sorts of persons to Communion at the Lords-Table and by promiscuous admissions prostitute the Ordinances of Christ to every Commer opposeing in the meane while what they can as they must needs doe allowing such doings the Communion of Saints here below and fellowship one with another First Is it not because they would not displease the people least thereby they should open the peoples mouths against them and shut their purses As certainly it would be so for two footed swine and dogs who returne to their folly as those foure footed ones to their vomit and myre cannot endure to be called such and dealt with as such in point of Church Communion Indeed as worthy Mr Manton saith this pleading for a loose way of receiving Epist before Mr. Sanders Booke all sorts of persons to holy things Looketh as exactly calculated for a wordly interest We charge you not so as he doth not but we would charge you in the name of the Lord ye would examine your selves whether it be not so And this we dare say to helpe you-on in your tryall That as long as a mans heart is over-loving and over-delighting in any thing but God he shall doe little for God perhaps much against Him For be he a man of great Part. 2. 359 illumination raised gifts as worthy Mr Burgesse saith and parts whereby he is admired in the world yet hath not a crucifyed and mortifyed heart he cannot but pray preach and discourse of those things which though not above his understanding yet above his heart and affections And then little can he or will he doe for God in his owne private house or in the house I have had much to doe with my proud swelling miâ—d my stiffe neck and stubborne heart Hier. of His God Therefore we would advise others as we doe our selves in Luthers words If they would overcome a world of enemies without they must begin with their master-lust within and when that Goliah is subdued the Army is routed and they will flye This I know saith Luther by certaine experiences That I have more cause to feare what is within me than what is without and I have hit the naile on the head when I say venter in omni Vbi non videnâ— quaesâ—um rident Christum ubi datur uâ— edant addâ—ci possunt ut credant Toâ—no upon Hos 10. 11. Avariâ—â est plerumque haeresinem comes somes
lifting every day but conscience holds it and will not let the forme of it goe the power was never there Well we grant that no principle of this way so far as we know is peaceable It yeilds no peace to the flesh but to the Spirit peace peace For being an holy or pure way it must needs be peaoeable first pure then peaceable O it is a peaceable way James 3. 17. to the Spirit It yeelds more peace to the Spirit renewed in one houre than that peaceable principle of Infant Baptisme can yeild the person all his life time Nay that peaceable principle is like to end in desperate sorrow There is no peace to this peace to be subject to the Prince of peace the more subject thou art in thy walke to Him the more peace shall be upon thee The connexion of these two is observable Of the encrease of His government and of His peace there shall be no end to shew saith that Saint on earth now in Heaven Dâ— Preston That as His government encreaseth in mens hearts and is enlarged so as a man is made more subject to Him so also peace Eph. 5. 9. encreaseth In those that are most subject there is most peace and therefore He is called the Prince of peace for where He rules as a Prince there is that peace which He as a mighty Prince is able to procure to them But He landeth upon the soule as an Enemy and with His sword makes a Conquest there before He is to that soule a Prince of peace Object 4. This way causeth differences betwixt Neighbours and Friends whereas observe it well they that walke in the way of a Nationall Church both Ministers and people as Mr Hs sayes and we find it to be just so are very well accorded there is no difference between us Ans This makes for the way still to be the way of Holines and that other way to be the way of wickednesse because they are all that walke in that broad way so well agreed and accorded We doe believe That the veriest varlet in the National Church agrees with Mr Hs Mâ— Prynne and John Timson and are all three all one as to that Doctrine of free admission That all are to be admitted even the worst of all to the Lords Table so be they stand not excommunicated These three are in one way and of one judgement how or wherein can they differ I have said Luther Non aliud habco robustius Argumentum no stronger Argument against the Pope and his shavelings than this That they are all agreed platted together like thornes against Christ and the offence of the Crosse ceaseth amongst them This banding against Christ and though in other things they differ greatly all true Christians hath accorded deadly enemies as once it did Herod and Pilate for upon the like account they were made friends together who before were at enmity between themselves Luke 23. 12. Truely we cannot readily find a more peaceable principle raking in the dunghill of Popish superstitions than is this That although the worst of all are to have free Admission to the Lords Table The Ministers of that perswasion hold to this the people love to have it so what disagreement For observe Secondly Those places and persons and their way where their Religion is rivited-in by Infant Baptisme Observe it in villages Townes Cities and see how quietly and peaceably they live no difference among them in point of Church-Administrations Then againe observe those places where Religion hath been Rivited-in by preaching the Gospell the power of God to salvation and see what deadly fewdes and devillish differences there are there occasioned by those hellish lusts in the hearts of men which Gospell-light comes to discover and with a sword in its hand to slay and with fire in its mouth to consume We would remember more of Luthers words here also If we were all quiet and lived at peace one with another while yet we live in our sinnes It is a sure signe the Gospel is not come unto us or it be come it hath made no conquest over us it hath not throwne fire amongst us we have not felt it cutting like a sword making division betwixt us and our lusts for how well accorded and like Friends doe we live while Friends and well accorded with our lusts Truly said Luther Nisi tumultos istos videâ—em Christum in mundo non crederem Math. 10. 34. Luke 12. 51. unles I should see what I doe see and heare what I doe heare words like swords drawne out against God and all good men troubles and tumults and divisions I should not beleeve the Gospell to be in the world for it brings a sword with it where ever it comes and causeth Division As we have read from our Lords own mouth and so have we heard and seene It is notable if we can observe it That the people of God were never vexed with more and more strange adversities or grievances to the flesh than at that when the Lord Christ lived amongst them when were there more leapers palsied men and women lunaticks and men possessed with Devills so usually it is with our Spirits when Christ Jesus our Lord lives within us for He brings a sword and maketh Division there before He establisheth peace in our borders We proceed-on here Tell us we pray you what difference have you observed for we doubt not but you have made your observation in the place where you were borne betwixt Pastor and people there or in any other place where you have made your observation and there is like Priest like people as the one is such like are the other and a just agreement betwixt them for indeed what should make difference here in this broad way of the Nation The whole Nation is Baptized and every person there and now Religion is Rivited into them by their Infant Baptisme and thereby they are instated in and possessed of all Church-priviledges for that is the peaceable principle thereof Certainly those make-bates the Spirit of the world without and that uncleane Spirit of man within will cause no difference there They all goe-up to their meeting place as friends then up to the Lords Table as Beleevers Disciples Saints and in the After-noone to the Ale-house if they please their Church will passe no censure upon them what difference can be here for Aske them now what they would have more to make peace amongst them and to take away all differences Their Minister will give it to them having indulged them so much if they can tell what they would have more as to Church Administration We teâ—â— our perswasion That Satan himselfe as to their Church matters desires no more and he seekes their peace so far that he will not disquiet them and therefore he will not visibly appeare among them though he is their God Prinoe by choice and the head of their company amongst whom there