A CONFERENCE M r. John Cotton HELD AT BOSTON With the ELDERS of NEW-ENGLAND 1. Concerning gracious conditions in the soule before faith 2. Evidencing Justification by Sanctification 3. Touching the active power of Faith Twelve Reasons against stinted forms of prayer and praise Together with The Difference between the CHRISTIAN and Antichristian Church Written by FRANCIS CORNWELL a Minister of Jesus the Christ London Printed by J. Dawson and are to be sold Fr. Eglesfield at the Signe of the Mary-gold in Pauls Church-yard 1646. TO THE HONOVRABLE AND True-hearted lover of his Countrey Sir HENRY VANE Junior Knight sometimes Governour of New-England Treasurer of the Navie Royall and a Member of the House of COMMONS Sir THe Churches of the Saints and the World may not bee unfitly compared to the Pearle and the Pebble though both of one naturall substance earth yet the one of rare price whose beauty is the sun-beames inclosed the other wanting it is cast away as refuse What maketh the Saint more excellent then his neighbour seeing both are borne of flesh both subject to the same corruptions sicknesse death but this The Saints excellency is nothing else but the Image of Jesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse shining in him For as the moone and starres derive their light from the sunne so all the wisdome righteousnesse holinesse a Saint hath hee deriveth from Christ Hence David the King doth so prize their fellowship All my delight is in thy Saints thine excellent ones that are in the earth and them that excell in vertue Yea it is a sure note of a Citizen of Sion that hee honours them that feare the Lord Whereas worldly men without grace are rendred in his eyes as vile Hence the Spouse acknowledgeth that all her excellency cometh from plantation Let my Beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruit Yea Christ declareth to Nicodemus that a beleevers holinesse cometh from regeneration that in Christ hee may onely glory How doth the Lord discover this his excellency to a beleever by his calling till that time hee lieth amongst the refuse of the world as foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie hatefull and hating one another But then the kindnesse and love of God to man appeared by delivering him out of the kingdome of darknesse and translating him into the kingdome of his deare Sonne By which it is manifest that hee is one of the Chosen generation the royal priesthood the holy nation the peculiar people whom hee hath called out of darknesse into his marvellous light But when doth the Lord discover the truth of his calling to his conscience Then when hee giveth him precious faith for that onely distinguisheth him form the world that lieth in sinne Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture concludeth father mother sonne daughter nay the infant that is borne of the most holiest parents all under sinne that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might bee given to them that beleeve So that in that same houre the Lord giveth him faith hee giveth him an evidence in himselfe that hee loved him in Christ before he was borne before hee had done good or evill that hee hath justified him from all those things hee could not be justified by the Law that hee hath purged his conscience from all dead works that his person is accepted his sinne discharged and he hath a right to the purchased inheritance amongst them which are sanctified Thus the love of Christ revealed to dye for him to take away his iniquity and reconcile him to God the Spirit given to take away his heart of stone giveth him an heart of flesh to cause to walke in his flatutes yea and draweth his heart to yeeld obedience to every commandement of Jesus the Christ The truth of this grace given Right Worshipfull you can give a true testimoniall for you were once in your naturall condition as well as others till it pleased God who separated you from the womb to call you by his grace to reveale his Sonne in you you consulted not with flesh and bloud but left your native soyle in the persecuting times of the Prelates chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God according to the light they had received then to remaine in England and enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Yet there the Lord exalted your Worship to bee the Governour And in that dawning light coming forth out of mysticall Babylon the Lord discovered much spirituall knowledge of the riches of his free-grace in Jesus Christ amongst you you being freed from the yoke of the Task-Masters heere the Bishops that kept you in bondage you had liberty there to debate those Questions which the naming onely of them heere would have rendred a man odious But Satan that envieth the peace of the Saints stirred up a spirit of contention amongst you especially when these Queries came to be debated 1 Whether there are any gracious conditions or qualifications wrought in the soule before faith 2 Whether any man can gather his evidence of the assurance of his Justification from his Sanctification 3 Whether there bee an active power of Faith and other gifts of grace in a Christian conversation The one side would not beleeve themselves justified no farther then they could see themselves worke making their Markes Signes and Qualifications the causes of their Justification The other side laid the Evidence of their Justification onely by Faith in the free Promise for there are foure things that makes remission of sinnes perpetuall to a beleever First The cause of Remission the sacrificed Body of Christ on the Crosse or accursed Tree Heb. 10. 4. By one offering hee hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Secondly The ground is a free promise tendred to us from God as to Adam The Seed of the Woman shall breke the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. John 3. 16. 1 John 4. 10. Thirdly The meane is Faith apprehending it Phil. 3. 9. Fourthly The Spirit of Christ sealing of it Ephes 1. 13. This truth revealed for the comfort of poore drooping Saints found great opposition But the good Lord stirred up your gracious spirit to countenance and defend them in the midst of strong opposition and though you were sleighted and set light by at the ende of your Government as not worthy to be an assistant with many other Instruments more yet the good Lord stood by you and strengthned you and delivered you from the hands of your opposers perserved you from the dangers of the Sea and though at your returne to your Native Soyle you lived like Joseph a while in a despised condition yet the Lord raised you up to sit amongst Princes So that though you were willing to lose life friends preferment for Christ found you not then life peace joy in the Lord Jesus which was better to you then all worldly
learned saying Read this I pray thee Anâ— hee saith I am not learned Esay 29. 11 12 So that it is not in him that is learned noâ— in him that is unlearned to discover the mystery of iniquity by which Antichrisâ— hath filled the Temple so full of smoak that no man can see how to enter into it untiâ— God enlighten him which caused the Lord Jesus in the dayes of his flesh to break out into an Eucharistia of praise looking on his Disciples I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and learned and hast revealed them unto babes Even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight Mat. 11. 25 26. That the whole glory in discovering of truth to any might be given unto God Thirdly Know gentle Reader who art a searcher after truth in these inquiring times that the Publisher wrote this Treatise to discover that the difference lieth not so much amongst us in point of Baptisme as it is about the Doctrine of the Faith of Jesus the Christ the Sonne of God which whosoever beleeveth and confesseth that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God it is lawfull to baptize him Act. 8. 36 37 38. And to which Faith of Jesus the Christ and Baptisme the promise of receiving the gifts of the holy Spirit is given Act. 2. 38 39. And though for publishing this mystery of Faith which hath been hidden for some Ages and Generations that are past hee suffer reproach and contempt from the hands and tongues of some yet if the will of God be so it is better hee suffer for well-doing then for evill Yet the love that hee beareth to the loyall Covenanters in the Nation constraineth him to doe it rather then his Country-men should ever remaine in blindnesse under the power of Antichrist Thine who is the unworthiest of all the servants of Christ who is content it should be said of his good name that is as a precious oyntment as Luther said of Moses his body Let it die and rot so God may be glorified and Jesus the Christ exalted in all his royall Offices FRAN. CORNWELL A DESCRIPTION Of the Spirituall TEMPLE THe Spirituall Temple of the New Testament the New Jerusalem which came downe from heaven the Bride prepared for the Lambe the Lord Jesus the Christ Revel 21. 2. may not be unfitly compared to the materiall Temple of Jerusalem in the letter whose foundation stone was of earth whose materials were hewen stones compacted into one edifice or Temâ—le the furniture thereof was an Altar a Sacrifice and a Priesthood who were made after the law of a carnall Commandement Heb. 7. 16. which was typicall and was not to continue for ever but onely to the time of Reformation and then the glory of it should vanish away In which materiall Temple none must come thither to worship but the circumcised Jewes and Proselytes for the uncircumcised and unclean were an abomination and must not enter in at the gates thereof Ezek. 44. 6 7. And for the defects the people of Israel and Judah committed in their worship so long as they continued in their integrity the high Priest went once every yeare into the Holy of Holiest and that not without bloud to offer up for himselfe and for the errours of the people Heb. 9. 7. Yea and great were the priviledges that belonged to the Jewish Church To them saith Paul pertained the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Who are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9 4 5. But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not made of this building Heb. 9. 11. reareth up a spirituall structure or house 1. Whose Foundation was the living stone who hath life in himselfe Jesus the Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. Seeing other foundation no man can lay save that is laid Jesus the Christ 1 Pet. 2. 4. For there is salvation in none other Acts 4. 12. 2. The spirituall Materialls are such as are borne of water and of the Spirit Joh. 3. 5. Who are they which are born of the Spirit Such men and women as through a Gospel Ministry are brought to beleeve and manifest by their confession that Jesus who was crucified dead and risen is the Christ is borne of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. For no man can say that is confesse that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Spirit and being born of water they are manifested to be lively stones that have received life from Jesus the Christ the living stone 1 Pet. 2. 4. and fit spirituall materialls to be set into the spirituall house 1 Pet. 2. 5. 3. What is the Forme of this spirituall house Union They which gladly received the word were baptized and were added unto the Church and so were compacted into one spirituall house whereof Jesus the Christ is Lord Heb. 3. 6. But Christ as a Sonne over his owne house whose house are we if wee hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end And these continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and prayers c. Act 2. 41 42. The Furniture of this spirituall â—ouse of the new Testament whereâ—f Jesus the Christ is the King Priest â—nd Prophet is a Priesthood Saâ—rifice and an Altar but all spiriâ—â—all First The Priests whether they â—e Male or Female they are all â—ne in Christ Gal. 3. 28. Yea every â—ember of this spirituall house are â—ade Kings and Priests to God the Faâ—her Revel 1. 6. Yea and the whole Church united into a body is a choâ—â—n Generation a royall Priesthood an â—oly Nation a peculiar People that they â—â—ould shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into â—is marvellous light Which in times â—ast were not a â—eople but are now the people of God 1 Pet. 2. 9 10. Secondly The Sacrifices that â—â—ese Priests offer are all spiriâ—uall 1. The first is Prayer which the â—pirit of Christ formeth in the heart â—f a beleever whereby hee layeth â—pen all his spirituall and temporall wants unto God his Father in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ through whom hee hath received a promise to bee heard and to have his request granted Joh. 16. 23 24. 2. Secondly Praise is a spirituall sacrifice offered up unto God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Heb. 13. 15. Which is done by praising God in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall Songs which the Spirit oâ— Christ formeth in us to sing and make melody in our hearts to thâ— Lord Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. What is a Psalme It is a rehearsall of those
the Christ 1 Johâ— 2 22. and crucifieth Christ in hiâ— members as the Church of the New Testament in the Apostolicall times was gathered out of thâ— Nationall Church of the Jewes that was of old once a true state untill they crucified Jesus the Christ in his humane nature whom God raised from the dead and exalted him to be Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. iâ— God shall by his Gospel-Ministery wound and prick their hearts for their sinne of crucifying Christ in his members that confesse the faith â—f Jesus the Christ 1 Joh. 5. 1. as â—ee did once the Jewes that crucifiâ—d the Christ their Messias in his â—wne person Acts 2. 37. so that â—â—ey trembling cry out Men and â—â—ethren what shall we doe Must not the Reply bee that â—oyce that the holy Spirit spake by â—e mouth of Peter Repent and be â—aptized every one 〈◊〉 you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sinnes â—nd yee shall receive the gift of the hoâ— Spirit For the promise is to you and 〈◊〉 your children and to them that are â—farre off even so many as the Lord 〈◊〉 God shall call And with many other words hee said and must not â—ee doe so likewise seeing whatâ—oever things â—ere written afore-time were written for our learning Rom. 15. â— Save your selves from this untoâ—ard generation Seeing the same wrath is fallen on them as was on â—he Jewes for killing the Lord Jesus â—nd their owne Prophets 1 Thes 2. 14 15 16. seeing they crucifie Christ in his members that contend for the faith of Jesus the Chrisâ— as Paul did Act. 9. Now so many as shall gladly receive this word and be baptized shall be saved from wrath as Noah and his family were saved in the Ark from perishing by water seeing it is written by thâ— like figure Baptisme saveth 1 Pet. 3â— 20 21. The Reason is first Because thâ— time of our ignorance God hath winkeâ— at but now seeing light is come and truth is revealed the Lord Jesus commandeth us every where to reâ—pent c. Acts 2. 38. Else our conâ—demnation will be heavie Joh. 3 19 20. This is tâ—e condemnation lighâ— is come and men love darknesse morâ— then light because their deeds are evill c. Secondly Because we have with Paul and the Jaylor in the time oâ— our ignorance beaten and perseâ—cuted Jesus the Christ in his memâ—bers that contend for the faith 1 Joh. 5. 1. and wee though within our selves we ought to doe something contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth as Paul did in the time of his ignorance Act. 26. 9. If God shall by his good Spirit convince us of the evills that wee have done so as that we trembling cry Men and brethren what shall we doe Must not the reply be Repent c. Act. 2. 38. Else shall they not be disobedient to the voyce of the Spirit that speaketh seeing Paul and the Jaylor arose and were baptized Acts 9. 18. 16. 33. Thirdly Because there is no promises of salvation to be found in the Antichristian states that deny Jesus the Christ 1 Joh. 2. 22. The Reasons are First Because all the promise of God are made over to them onely that beleeve in Jesus the Christ 2 Cor 1. 20. Hee that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath life and he that beleeveth not in the Sonne of God hath not life but the wrath of God abideth on him John 3. 36. Secondly Till we did beleeve in Jesus Christ we were in respect of any visible calling without Christ being Aliants from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world But once beleevers in Christ Yee who were sometime afarre off are made nigh by his bloud and through him have accesse by one Spirit unto the Father And are no more strangers and forraigners but fellow-citizens with the Saints and of Gods houshold c. Ephes 2. 12 13. 18 19 20 21 22. Thirdly Because they in denying the Sonnes authority to bee the King and Prophet of his Church in all his outward administrations in admitting members into his spirituall kingdome Math. 28. 19. 20. though they own him their Priest that ever liveth to make reconciliation to God for them Hebr. 7. 25. They deny the Father that sanctified the Sonne and sent him into the world and raised him from the dead and exalted him to be the Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. Ephes 1. 20 21 22. Fourthly Because the Antichristian state deny the Sonne 1 Iohn 2. 22 23. Whom the Father of glory commandeth us to heare Math. 17. 5. Yea and the Apostle Peterciting the Testimony of Moses saith Truely Moses said to the Fathers The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet from the midst of your bretheren like unto me him shall yee heare in all things whatsoever he shall say and the danger followeth It shall come to passe that every soule which refuseth to heare the voice of that Prophet that soule shall be cut off from his people Acts 3 22 23. The Reasons are these First If Jesus the Christ bee not our Prophet to teach us hee will not be our King to protect us Math. 28. 10. Teach them saith Christ to observe all things that I command you And loe I am alwaies with you to the end of the world Secondly If Christ be no Prophet to teach us his heavenly Fathers revealed will he wil be no Priest to intercede for us Ioh. 17. 20. I pray not for these alone but for all them that shall beleeve in me through their word Now it is not their word that they speake but what they have received from Christ to speake Seeing it is written 2 Iohn 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Sonne Verse 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrin receive him not to house neither bid him God speed Verse 11. For hee that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds Thirdly If Christ bee no Prophet to teach us Hee will bee no Judge to acquit us Iohn 12. 48. Hee which rejecteth mee and rece iveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the words that I have spoken the same shall judge us in the last day And then like the wise Merchant let us cast up our accouut what it will profit us If by denying to heare the voice of our Prophet Jesus we gaine the world and in the meane season loose our precious soules Knowing the Sonne of man shortly will come to judge the world And then they which be ashamed of him and his words in this sinnefull and adulterous generation of them will the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with all his holy Angels Marke 8. 38. Fourthly If we joyne with them that deny Jesus the