Europe is made a shambles wherein the Blood of millions of the Innocent Lambs of Christ hath been poured forth for which they shall be plagued destroyed in the time appointed by the Lord These things are known to all who have thought it their concern in the least to turn aside to consider of them The boody cruelties of the Antichristian Party against the Bohemians in Holland also the Massacre of Paris Ireland the Valleys of Piedmont c. wherein many thousands of the Lord 's Innocent Ones have been barbarously murder'd for no other reason in the World but because they laboured according to their Light to maintain and be found in the Doctrine and Worship of Christ is yet recent in the memory of most What heart so rocky as to read the Histories of the deep suffeings of those worthy witnesses of our Lord the Waldenses without pouring forth floods of tears What treacheries clandestine Plots breach of Covenants Oaths have the Antichristians been found guilty of pursuant to that bloody principle Nulla fides No Faith is to be kept with Haereticks and all are such in their account that embrace not their heresie abomnable Idolatries that they might obtain their end to waste destroy root out the Heritage of God Another way Satan hath taken to accomplish this his design is 2. Schisme amongst the Churches of Christ This was early set on foot even in the Apostles dayes 1 Cor. 3.3 11.18 When ye come together in the Church I hear that there be divisions Schisms among you and I partly believe it and hath been more or less with cunning heat violence managed ever since by Satan to the disturbing breaking crumbling into nothing some Churches of Christ The frequent charging and recharging of Schism upon each other by those that truely fear the Lord and agree in the fundamentals of Christianity hath been no small machine of the wicked one to weaken destroy them A work he 's still managing and we are too too little awakened to see his design and to study in the right Spirit to prevent it 'T would make ones heart to bleed to see hear with what keenness acrimony bitterness some Protestants are acted against others who are not of the same mind in all things whilst the Devil in the Papacy stands laughing to think what an easie prey hereby he shall make of them all Ah! alas where is the Christian simplicity amity How little respect have some to the great Commandment of Christ to Love one another who yet would be accounted his Disciples Were it not for a hasty Spirit bitter envying that is upon some one would think they had no concern for Religion at all and yet even this discovers that they are too little impregnated with the Spirit of the true Religion of Jesus Christ which engages to love meekness condescention mutual forbearance amongst Saints 3. False Doctrine Worship This also had an early entrance amongst the Churches The denial of the Resurrection of the dead substituting in the room thereof a metaphorick Resurrection betimes infected some at least of the Church at Corinth 1 Cor. 15. with 2 Tim. 2.18 Justification by the Law by Works was introduced into many of them as the Churches at Rome Galatia c. against whom the Apostle of the Gentiles Paul smartly disputes in his Epistles directed to them Into the pure Worship of God the inventions traditions of men were at last so introduced that God could no longer own it as his Worship at all And in respect of both these none ever were so degenerate corrupt as the Synagogue of Rome To enumerate particulars were endless what more contrary to Truth sound Doctrine than their assertions that the Original Hebrew and Greek of the Old and New-Testament is corrupt That the Scripture is not perspicuous cleer That to one Man the Pope the interpretation of Scripture doth belong who is Infallible and Judgment Conscience all is to be subjected to him That he is the alone Judge of Controversies who hath the Spirit of God given to him above others for his so doing That the Pope can dispense with the Law of God That he is Universal Head of the Church That he is not to be questioned for his Doctrine or Actions Si Papa infinitas animas in infernum traheret tamen nemo debet ei dicere quid facis If the Pope should carry an infinite number of Souls headlong to Hell none ought to say to him what doest thou For the will of the Pope stands for reason Glossa By his own Authority he can make Laws to bind the Consciences of the faithful He hath Power Authority over Princes can crown un-crown set up depose as he pleases That the Scriptures are not a sufficient Canon or rule of Faith and Manners but Traditions written and un-written are also necessary That Traditions are sufficient without the Scriptures but the Scriptures are not sufficient without Traditions That Christ is mediator only according to his humane Nature That 't is unlawful for Priests to marry That there is a certain place in which as in a prison after this life souls are purged who were not here perfectly purged that being so purg'd they might enter into Heaven That Saints are to be Worshipped That Images are to be Worshipped with the same Worship that is due to those whose Images they are as the Image of God Christ yea so that the Worship be terminated in the Image That the Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato That they justify That there are seven Sacraments That the Church hath power to Institute new Ceremonies for spiritual ends That persons un-Baptiz'd are damn'd there 's no salvation without it That Baptism takes away all sin That the Bread and Wine is converted into the Body and Blood of CHRIST That the Priest offers up Christ a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead to God the Father That there are sins in their own nature Venial That Concupiscence in those that are renued is no sin That men may be sav'd if they will 't is in their own power to believe c. That men are not justified by Faith without Works That inherent Righteousness justifies That none can be certain in this Life either of their Election Justification Perseverance to the end or Eternal Life That we are justified by Works that we merit Eternal Life by them And these are some of those pure streams that too many have a great mind to return to drink of and would by force bloody cruelty compel others to drink and be poysoned with them 4. False Visions lying Revelations upon which many times false Doctrine Worship hath been built supported Somwhat of these was also in the Apostles times Divine Visions Revelations there were many see Act. 10.11 16.9 18.9 10. 23.11 27.23 24. Gal. 1.12 2.1 2. 2 Cor. 12.4 Act. 7.55 10.3 Some also there were who were full of their false Visions Revelations 2 Thes 2.2 Now we
by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declar'd him Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son 4. That all Persons whatsoever are obliged bound under the severest penalties to attend to whatever was revealed by this Prophet This is also enforc'd by a voice from the excellent Glory Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him So then the Scriptures of the New-Testament are our Directory whatever Christ hath enjoyn'd therein all Saints are to have regard to For what he declared from the Father is therein contain'd and no where else But II. There 's not the least intimation given by God the Father or this great Prophet of the Church of any other way or means of instruction in his Worship or Service but only the Scriptures 'T is true the Popelings talk of Traditions as did do the Jews before them and much of their Worship many of their orders is bottom'd upon receives its Original from pretended Visions Revelations the personal Appearance of the Virgin Mary yea of Christ himself as they vainly pretend and perhaps Satan might appear to them as an Angel of Light and avouch himself to be the Lord Christ As touching the Carthusians 't is acknowledg'd that Hugo who joyn'd with Bruno in laying the Foundations of that Order had a vision of Gods Building an House with seven Stars conducting them to a place call'd La grand Chartreuse from whence the whole Order hath taken its name The Order of the Carmelites was from a Vision that Simon Stock had wherein the blessed Virgin appear'd with the Habit in her Hand which she would have them wear with a Promise that whoever dyed in that Habit should not perish by everlasting Flames Innocent the third hath a Vision of St. Francis and St. Dominic supporting the Lateran Church whence the Franciscan and Dominican Orders sprang As for the Jesuits their Grandsire Ignatius was full of Visions Sometimes Peter appear'd to him sometimes the Virgin Mary with a great deal of Glory and her Child in her lap whereby he was greatly strengthned and incouraged But above all the strangest Vision he had was a Vision of the Blessed Trinity plainly under a corporeal Representation which fill'd him so full of Joy that he could not hold weeping before all the People and was so strangly enlightned by it that he began to write a Book of the glory of the Blessed Trinity In one of his Exstasies he continued eight dayes in which it's probable saith Orlandinus he saw the frame and model of the Society of the Jesuits Christ appeared to him once and again sometimes he was lift up from the ground the room where he was being fill'd with a great Light In a Vision he saw God the Father commending himself and his Brethren to his Son Jesus bearing his Cross whom he very kindly received and with a smile said to Ignatius I will be favourable to you at Rome which greatly comforted him and his Companions And in the issue it fell out accordingly his order being confirm'd by P. Paul the third his Bull dated Octob. 3. 1540. As were their Orders so their Festivals were instituted upon the bottom of pretended Visions and Revelations The Festival of Corpus Christi was instituted by Vrban the fourth in honour of Transubstantiation by the Revelation of a famous Virgin call'd Juliana which had many raptures and so prophetick a Spirit as to discern the thoughts and intentions of her neighbours hearts she wrestled with Devils discoursed with the Apostles and wrought many Miracles Bullar Rom. Tom. 1 p. 147. Paul the Hermite was Canonized for a Saint upon the Authority of a Vision and Revelation The Feast of Michael the Arch-Angel upon a Revelation to the Bishop of Siponto and a few Drovers upon the Mountain Garganus To which many more might be added These are the wayes Satan hath used to establish his Kingdom by and to introduce his false superstitious idolatrous Orders and Worship destructive to the bodyes and souls of Men. But in Christ's Doctrine Gospel there is a deep silence touching any such matter He himself and his Apostles after him introduce nothing upon the account of such Revelations but appeal to the Scriptures and prove their Doctrine from thence Not the least intimation is there of any way or means of instruction in his Worship but only the Scriptures If there be let the place be produced and we are satisfied If there be not as most certain there is not to hearken attend to Visions Revelations is to say no more unsafe dangerous Nor can it be consistent with the Love of the Father to his Church had he intended any other way of Instruction not to give the least notice of it to them nor with his Wisdom to make that discovery of his mind and will in the Scriptures to give it forth as our Rule when upon this supposition 't is a most imperfect one But III. God sends us to the Scripture for direction in this matter Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word whatever their pretentions are of the morning or the breaking forth of a more glorious day it is because there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 morning in them They have not the Light of the Glorious morning they speak of Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets i. e. the writings of Moses and the Prophets let them hear them John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal life and they are they which testify of me IV. Jehovah himself in and under each Ministration hath commanded his People to observe whatever he hath appointed in the Scripture without Addition or Substraction Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command you Chap. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Josh 1.7 That thou mayest observe to do according to all the Law which Moses my Servant commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left Prov. 30.5 6. Every word of God is pure Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a Liar Rev. 22.18 19. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book
of Life and from the things which are written in this Book Evidently God tyes up his people under Law and Gospel to a strict and sole attendment unto what he hath given forth in the Scriptures And that because V. These are sufficient able and perfect as he affirms of them to instruct and guide us Psal 19.7 The Law of Jehovah is perfect 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie more sure than what than the voice that came from the excellent Glory when Christ was transfigured upon the Mount whereunto we do well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts The word of Prophesie contain'd in the Scripture is a sure word 't is a light every way sufficient as such to direct us in the way we should take and is carefully to be attended to till the morning of the day of the Son of Man or the Revelation of Jesus 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are are able to make thee wise unto salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works The sum of what we have been Arguing Proving is this That the Holy Scriptures are our Directory with respect to Worship all then and no more whatsoever Christ hath commanded his people therein Saints are bound to attend and give up to And if so as is clearly demonstrated then Christ having given charges therein touching Saints walking together in the fellowship of the Gospel Worshipping Waiting on him in Gospel-institutions Praying Preaching Baptism breaking Bread is unquestionably the duty of Saints in every generation Quod erat demonstrandum Object T is true these things were once of the institution of Christ but they are now ceased Answ 1. They are the Scriptures of the Lord as we have proved we are solely to attend to both with respect to Doctrine and Worship let but then one syllable tittle be produced there-from that demonstrates the cessation of these Institutions of Christ and the matter is at an issue The honour of our Lord Jesus being so deeply concerned herein no sober Christian except under a great power of temptation will be willing to part with them upon easier terms 'T is not pretensions to Visions Revelations Angelick Appearances that will remove them from their stedfastness to the institutions of Christ those that depart from them upon such pretensions will never answer it in the day of Christ But 2. By the same reason the institutions Ordinances under the Mosaick Ministration might long before the fulness of time for their dissolution have been exploded so all the Authority of God with respect to Worship been rejected To the very time of their passing away by the exhibition of Jesus who was greater than Moses by whom the Law was given John 1.17 greater than Angels whose Ministry was made use of in its solemn Promulgation Act. 7.53 The Lord charges his People to be found in the practice of them Mal. 4.4 And those that were so as corrupt as the then Church-state was were honoured signally blessed by the Lord as Zachary Elizabeth Simeon 3. There 's not the least mention of the freedom exemption of any of the Lords Children from these Institutions till the personal Appearance of Christ but the contrary Object 2. Well then it seems 't will be granted that when Christ doth personally appear on earth there is to be a cessation of and period put to this Church-state with the Institutions and Ordinances thereunto appertaining what if he hath so appeared already Answ 1. As touching the first we very readily grant it upon Christ's next visible glorious appearance there will certainly be a dissolution of this Fabrick But 2. As to the question whatever the pretensions of any are or may be of Christs personal appearance to them it s evidently false and untrue not to be believed heeded or attended to for these Reasons 1. Christ foretels us there shall be such pretenders and charges us not to believe them or go forth after them Mat. 24.26 Therefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not 2. The Scripure mentions but one second coming of the Lord Jesus Heb. 9.28 And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Upon this pretext there may be must be many comings of Christ 3. The Heavens must receive him till the times of the restitution of all things when and not before God the Father will send him Act. 3.20 21. Of these times there 's nothing appears that bears the least resemblance 4. Christ gives his Church no notice of any such thing which had he designed and for such an end as is pretended viz. to put a period to the present Ministration and to erect a new one send forth new Apostles c. he would certainly have done A total silence herein were there any such thing intended by him is perfectly inconsistent with the Love he bears to his Children 5. 'T is expresly said he must sit at Jehovah's right Hand till his Enemies are made his Foot-stool Psal 110.1 which as yet we are sure they are not 6. The Work of Intercession now in Heaven where he is constantly to attend it will not admit him to come from thence tell he bring the New Jerusalem down with him For he makes Intercession as God-Man in that Nature Body in which he was Crucified which though a glorious Body yet is limited circumscribed else 't were not a Body 7. The Scripture is express that when he comes from thence he comes visibly as he went away so that every eye shall see him Mat. 24.27 30. For as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory Act. 1.9 10 11. And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he Christ was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in White Apparel which also said Ye men of Galilee Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall SO COME in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him 8. When Christ comes Satan shall be bound Rev.