and that as briefly as may be And shall cast in also even this poor mite into the Churches Treasury and that by way of proposal as ayming chiefely at the proper end which is the end of the Commandement as hath been said For without all controversie That which is the end of all the Commandements should be all our ends in all our endeavours and undertakings But the undoubted end of all the Commandements is doubtless Love out of a pure heart and good Conscience and Faith unfeigned This therefore being the proper end I shall hold it forth in all the means that I shall propose from the Law of God and shall carry it along in my own intention and also make it manifest as much as possible how such meanes properly tendeth to atchieve that end and how useful and necessary such means is to attain there unto the Lord assisting who is able to do it and to make it clear 1. And first then because it do appeare to be against Love To God above all and our Neighbours as our selves It is worthy to be rejected for even the whole Law is contained in this Yea what ever it be that is against Love is against God for God is Love and Love cometh of God and is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost and if we be partakers of this divine love which is shed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost We are made partakers of the godly nature and it is of all others the first and chiefest of those fruits of the Spirit and the most essentiall 1 Joh. 4. 7 8 12 13 16 17. And so is a clear evidence That God dwelleth in us and we in him for the love of God is essentially of God such love I meane as cometh of God 2. And secondly If it do appear to be against this love out of a pure heart it is also worthy to be rejected for what ever Law Doctrine or argument shall be proposed to oblige men to in purity either in heart or life It is without all controversie against the Law of God for Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and men ought to keep themselves pure Mat. 5. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Especially in heart for thereout cometh the issues of life 3. Thirdly if it be propos'd against a good Conscience it is worthy to be rejected as not included in the Law of God For all Laws Doctrines or Arguments whatsoever they are that would ingage us against a good Conscience manifestly grounded on the Word of God and of sound Doctrine that cannot be reproved we ought to reject them and yeeld no obedience nor approbation thereunto either in obedience unto men or to please them c. For we must not be men pleasers nor servants of men but obey God rather then men and ought to love and therefore serve and honor and please him rather then men For all the men in the whole Universe cannot by any meanes give men liberty of Conscience to commit sinne if their Conscience tell them and be convinced from the Law of God that they ought not to do it as Rom. 2. 11 12 13 14 15. But their Consciences will accuse and condemne them also and that in the day of Judgement when God shall Judge the secrets of men by JESUS CHRIST according to the Gospel Therefore as they cannot properly give men liberty of Conscince no more then save and exempt men from punishment due for their sinnes against Conscience they ought not to binde or engage men to obedience unto any Law against a good Conscience rightly grounded on the Law of God as hath been said But should give men libertie to be as strict and severe and as carefull and watchful and as inquisitive is they please how to keep a good Conscience voyd of offence both to God and men 4. Fourthly if any Law or argument or motion whatsoever shall be made against Faith to wit unfaigned Faith As that we should not beleeve or trust in God but in something else or that we should beleeve or put hope and confidence in any thing else or that we should not beleeve whatsoever he saith or proposeth to us in his sacred Word or biddeth us beleeve c. We ought to reject it yea though all the men and Churches in the World would ingage us to beleeve what they assert and resolve upon as being most able because wise and learned and because a multitude of Counsellors to determine and resolve what ought to be beleeved in such a case Yet if we certainly know that the Word of God affirmeth the contrary we ought to beleeve it and to reject their resolves and counsels and assertions be they what they will and must not conform nor comply with them nor approve the same But if an Angel from heaven or the whole world being become an Arrian should decree or teach us the Arrian heresie we should let him be accursed and so also for any other Doctrine then may be made manifest as it ought to be from sacred Scripture There is a time spoken of Zach. 13. when men shall be so zealous against false Prophets and false Prophesying that a mans father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him thou shalt not live for thou speakest lyes in the name of the Lord and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesie Zach. 13. 1 2 3 4 5 6. We must therefore resolve to let God be true and every man a lyar and therefore rather to beleeve him then all and every or any man in the whole world And also we must and ought to draw neer unto God in full assurance of Faith not casting away our confidence in God which hath great recompence of reward for faith in God is of all other graces Love excepted the most chief and principal and the most essential for it is said of Faith and Love that they are in Christ Jesus yea though now in heaven It is not said that they were in Christ to wit when he was on earth but that they are in Christ Jesus for when the Apostle writ so of him he was ascended already into heaven yea and though he be in heaven yet he is said to dwel in mens hearts by Faith And therefore such faith may well be called a precious faith being so properly essential to the spirit of Christ as that where Faith dwelleth Christ also dwelleth properly and essentially even by his holy spirit for faith and love which are in Christ Jesus are not onely fruits but they are essentiall witnesses of his holy Spirit abiding in us He that beleeveth saith the Apostle hath the witnesse in himself 1 Joh. 5. 10. And so he that loveth it is also a witness that he is born of God and knoweth God Chap. 4. 7. and that he also dwelleth in us vers 12. and that he hath given us of his spirit vers 13. And so
parrallel to those in the Primitive times that were more perfect then the beginners And they are justly parallel to the freemen of a Citie who have votes in Elections and out of whom the Common Councel is chosen as their representatives and to act for them as neeed requires 3. And thirdly the Elders chosen by all the joynt members of such a particular Church and ordained c. Are justly parallel to the Sons of Aaron to whom belonged the Priesthood in a peculiar manner above the rest of the Sons of Levi for they were anointed with the holy oyle as well as Aaron Levit. 8. 30 31. and were ordained and consecrated to the Priests office And they are justly parallel to those that were chosen and ordained in the Primitive times to look into the lives and manners of such as were admitted into the Church and to banish c. And they are justly parallel to the Aldermen of a Citie or Corporation 4. And fourthly The Ministers of the Churches that are chosen by the Eldens and all the rest of the body Numb 4. 16 17 18 19 20 27. Are justly parallel to Aaron the chief Priest who figuratively represented the Lord Jesus Christ and governed and ministred in his sacred Name and was above his Sons And they are Iustly parallel to the teachers in the Primitive times who were chief in government as well as in all other ministrations in the Name of God and the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore are called Angels Revel 2. And they are also parallel the to Majors of cities who though they are chief in power and command yet it is by consent and according to the agreement both of the Aldermen and of the common Councel who are chosen by the freemen as well as the Major for the agitation and transaction of all their businesse for the good of all But it will be objected on the other part that this publique profession of faith and repentance and of a resolution to amend our lives and to walke worthy of such vocation will be thought too much considering that many both men and women are bashfull and timorous and unfit to speak and declare themselves in the open Congregation Answ I answer briefly that they may come before hand to the Ministers and Elders and signifie their minds and desires unto them and desire them to express so much in publike on their behalf to satifie the Congregation of their desires and resolutions and of their repentance and hope in these respects and it will be sufficient that they testifie their assent to what they express for them and in their names and behalf And how can the whole Congregation be more easily satified in these respects that men are cordial and sincere in such desires then by doing it publikely in the open Congregation Who may all beare witness of such profession and if they turn back and live not sutable in some good measure they may all joyne in their publike censure in like manner as in their admittance And it cannot be denyed but that which is the duty of every man and woman to beleeve and do before he approach to receive the Sacrament That he ought not to deny to profess in publike before all the Congregation that are of that profession with whom he desires communion And no man will deny but that these ensuing duties are requisite and necessary to be beleeved and done before we approach to this Ordinance 1. First Repentance for all our sins with confession of them such as have been notorious and publike if they be objected against us even in the publike congregation with a resoltuion to forsake them and amend our lives c. 2. Faith is a necessary duty before we approach to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for without Faith we cannot receive the things signified we cannot eate the flesh and drinke the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ but by a lively Faith For the outward bread and wine being but the Sacrament or Signe thereof is not the thing it self that is thereby signified for the one may be eaten by dogs and swine but the other cannot but by him onely that hath true justifying and saving Faith And therefore this Faith must at least be professed else the most charitable judgement cannot think them prepared for this ordinance If they deny to profess it before the whole Church 3. Thirdly Love is also a necessary duty Love unto God and the Lord Jesus Christ And love to our brethren and neighbours and the whole Church of God For a true faith worketh by love and he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love and he that loveth not his brother abideth in death c. And therefore no man is fit to receive the Sacrament that is not reconciled both to God and men and in charity with all as these Scriptures shew But it will be objected that if all children of such beleeving parents who outwardly profess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God must be admitted to the Christian baptism Then all must be admitted without distinction For all will profess that they so beleeve though they be never so wicked and malicious enemies to the Church of God and even unto Christ himself but our holy things must not be given unto dogs and swine Mat. 7. 6. I answer True if they be dogs or swine that is to say if they be such as bark against and speake evill of the waies of God and of his Name and Truth or of his Ministers or Disciples and Children c. for righteousness sake They may and ought to be excluded from all such priviledges and their children likewise Or if they be despisers and scorners of such holy things turning with the dog to his vomit and with the saw that was washed to her wallowing in the mire they may be excluded and ought so to be if they can be proved apparently to be such But as the Lord inhibited the condemning of any man or putting him to death under two or three witnesses yea though one witness might never so fully assert and assure it to the judgements of men yet it must not stand Even so also it must either be apparent and clearly witnessed Or it is not sufficient to exclude their children from their outward Ordinance they themselves being such who have been baptized in their minority for they are no other but in like condition with grandchildren of godly parents who are not approved as actuall beleevers and yet their children are admitted unto baptisme If they be not so profane as to account them dogs or swine c. as hath been said If they turn not to be enemies to the Church of God He that is not against us is with us saith Christ Object But it will be objected If the Root be not holy how may we expect that the branches should But the Apostle plainly asserteth it that such whose parents are both of them unbeleeving are unclean Now
be Bretheren and so doe know and acknowledge each other And first then let them both consider this falling out by the way is not like as they were bretheren for by this saith Christ All men shall know that ye are my Disciples If ye love one another Is this like love which is the end of the Commandement as is before proposed even thus to bite and devoure and destroy one another And all because that both parties but seeing in part and knowing in part and understanding in part are of different Judgements As so they are likely as yet to be in some thing or other whiles it is so with them as that they are not perfect till that which is in part shall be done away And what then will they never agree till they all be perfect will they never love till in every particular they be of one judgment But it will be objected that men who think themselves in a right way and others wrong and holding forth their arguments from cleare Scripture grounds that are sufficient to convince themselves They are apt to think that the other are obstinate and that they see and will not see nor acknowledge the truth so that they cannot chuse but be in a great measure out of charity with them as accounting them perverted and men that sin being damned of their own consciences Answ I answer That if we can know for certain after once or twice admonition that men sinne being damned of their own consciences it is a foule thing Such ought to be rejected Tit. 3. 10 11. But such must be known to be Hereticks and obstinate c. And therefore observe the nature of love in this kind that we be not censorious and too too injurious in judging our bretheren in this kind For Charity saith the Apostle suffereth long and is kind Charity envieth not nor vanteth not it self nor 〈◊〉 it pufft up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evill Rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things c. 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. And seeing that all these are natural properties of that love which is the end of the Commandment Let us try our selves by all these properties whether we have behaved and carried our selves accordingly towards such before we censure and let our hearts loose to reject and oppose and deal with them as enemies of God We ought not to hate nor to deal with such as enemies at all but to love and pitty and pray for them and acknowledge them brethren and admonish them as brethren though they seem to walk disorderly and obey not the Word even of God himselfe in some things 2 Thess 3. 14 15. and Mat. 5. 44 45 46 47 48. Though I doe confesse that if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ he ought to be held even in execration if it manifestly appear And we ought to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jud. 3. And we should stand fast to our Christian liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not be entangled again with yokes of bondage nor suffer men to Rule over us at their pleasure according to their own fancies or arbitrary wills not submitted to the Laws of God nor holding to the head and to the foundation c. Coloss 1. 18. and Chap. 2. 8 9 10 11 12 16 17 18 19 c. But still always with due respect to their persons as pittying their ignorance weakness infirmities failings and imperfections that we discover in them As considering our selves lest we also be tempted and that we also have been in like condition in one particular respect or another having been erronious and misapprehensive and offensive unto others in such respects for who that lives but if he will examine he may remember that he hath erred from the truth in some thing or other and been reduced and convinced by others or by searching of the Scriptures have seen our selves as of our selves subject to all or to any error And that we ought to acknowledge that it is of grace and the gift of God that we are sufficient or able to know or understand any thing of the things of God And why then should we be high minded and not rather fear least we also fall or fail c. of the grace of God Or why then should we be too confident either that we do not or that we cannot err And if we do not expect that men should think so of us why are we so angry that all men are not just on our minds and that they will not follow us nor conforme unto us just in our wayes Doth it not Imply that we think of our selves above that which is meet to wit that we cannot erre and expect that others should thinke so likewise And what is this lesse then the Pope that Antichrist and the Church of Rome challenge to themselves and by reason thereof exalt themselves above the Magistrates above all that is called God or that is worshipped c. Whereas on the contrary part it is manifest that the generality of the whole Christian world hath erred iexceedingly Was it not once said That the whole World was become an Arrian Nay were not all the opposers of the Arrian Heresie in an error likewise both one and another to wit those that maintained That the Trinity of Persons was one substance For though the Trinity of Persons be one and the same in Essence yet they are not one substance for the blessed Deity is all Essence as the Scripture is clear Exod. 3. 14. I Am that I am to wit that He Is is all Essence But no proof can be made from Scripture ground that the invisible God is any substance at all but an Infinite Essence and not locally circumscriptible as all substance is but unlimitably existent filling both all place and every substance both in heaven and earth and infinitely beyond them on every side circumventing all things and filling all things even from the very top of the highest Heavens to the middle and bowels or center of the earth and yet he himself is not cirumvented with any thing at all no not with place it self in which as Phylosophers speak All things stand But is Infinite and unlimitable without circumference and without center the heavens of heavens are not able to containe him but he filleth all things as the Scripture is clear and as might evidently and convincingly also be made to appeare to any rational man by Reasons and Arguments drawn from the motion and government of all things and constant course and subsistence of the heavens and of the earth and waters and all visible Creatures for who else is the efficient cause of their being and subsistence and of their motion c. Look Rom. 1. 18 19 20 21. and Psalm 19. 1 c. But if
beleeving that according to his promise he will make it effectual and ratifie in heaven what ever they agree on or binde on earth or denounce c. as Matth. 18. For if a man have faith in God yea though never so little if it be but as a graine of Mustard-seed provided it be concerning such very particulars is he prayeth for or desireth to be done yea though it were for removing trees and planting them in the middest of the Sea it should doubtlesse be effectual Matth. 21. 25. Yea What ever yee aske of God in prayer beleeve that ye shall receive it and it shall be given you saith our Savior Christ Mar. 11. 22 23 24. Mat. 17. 20. Luk. 17. 6. And this Divine Authority this power through faith being ministred in his Name as it ought to be is a far greater and more awful authority then any humane power or carnal authority that can be given by men in what place soever for it is indeed The power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ spoken of 1 Cor. 5. 5. It is the power God Mat. 18. 18 19 20. fetched down from heaven by the hand of faith 3. A third thing that I have against the Independent Government is their strictness in trial of all whom they admit to partake of the Sacraments But lest I should be over-tedious and there being many Arguments which have long been opposed each against other concerning this maine difference which if once reconciled all other differences would easily be agreed I shall therefore propose my own apprehensions partly abreviating what hath formerly been said in some particulars by way of result and then shall answer some objections concerning this main difference and shall so conclude lest my Book should swell to a tedious Volumn After that a particular Church is constituted and organiz'd for administration of all the ordinances they ought to observe these ensuing Rules as most consonant with the practice of the Apostles and of all the Churches in the Primitive times and most sutable to the Word of God and the rule of Charity therein contained and to his own ways held forth to us for our imitation who profess oour selves to be followers of God as his dear children and to walke in love as Christ hath loved us and do account the end of the Commandment to be love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and of faith unfeigned 1. First It ought to be their chief care and endeavour that the preaching of the Word which is the chief means that God hath appointed for the saving of souls be with all diligence publickly administred both to beleevers and infidels even to all comers with this end and respect chiefly That such who are already beleevers might be edified in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus and that others might be convinced and converted and turned to the faith yea and that even all such whom God hath ordained to eternal life through Jesus Christ for care should be taken that non should be lost nor go astray nor be offened in any respect that neither bruisedreeds should be broken off nor smoking flax extinct or quenched nor that which is halting be turned out of the way but rather healed and restored yea blown and kindled and bound up and mollified and helped and strengthned by all possible means that God hath appointed in his holy Word 2. Secondly as saving of soul and edifying of the Church is the chief business to be cared for and indeavoured by the Church and as the ministry of the Word is the chief means tending thereunto so it necessarily follows that not only for the present but for future likewise provision be made that none be elected nor admitted into office as Minister of the Word to labour in the word and doctrine nor to rule and govern or minister to the poor as Deacons c. but such who are so qualified as the Word of God requires they should that so they might not be lead either by blind guides or Idol shepherds dumb dogs devouring wolves soul-murtherers false Prophets that sew pillows under all armholes and flatter men into a fools paradise being partial in the Law or profane and scandalous in any respect as the Scripture is large for direction herein how they ought to be qualified through faith and love which are in Christ Jesus Act. 6. 3. Not any officer no not the Deacons but care should be taken that they should be men of honest report full of the holy Ghost and wisdom 3. Thirdly that in any possibility this might be secured and provided for not only for the present but for future generations as much as possible it ought to be the care of every Member of that body corporate that visible Church so joyned and constituted That none be admitted and joyned or incorporated together with them either first or last either for the time present or for future generations But such only in whom all the members of the said body In the judgment of charity may justly confide that they will not to their knowledge either in Elections or Ejections approbations or results in any Church-busness either for receiving in or casting out or any matter wherein their voice or sufferage is justly requisite as a member of the body deal unjustly or impartially perfidiously or unfaithfully but as before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angels Lest in after times by means of ungodly men which might be crept in if care be not taken and provision made to keep such out they that are ungodly might heap to themselves Teachers after their own hearts such as have been mentioned And therefore so far forth as such body corporate is in any respect politically joyned for the good of the whole every member being part of the whole and therefore having interest in the whole it self and that not onely for the good of the rest but for it self likewise and therefore ought in conscience to have vote and sufferage amongst the rest in all such cases as concern the whole for the good of all So every member ought to be careful that none be admitted as joynt members and incorporated with them as a body politique but such in whom they do and can confide That they will not to their knowledg in any such case either deal unfaithfully concerning the whole or any particular member in any such respect but as hath been said for the glory of God and the good of the body And not onely so but tryal should be had concerning their knowledg and spiritual understanding both in the things of God and that concern the Church in respect of Government and Discipline thereof that they be both sound and able to discern even of things that differ in some good measure and be likewise conscientious suitable thereunto For as they that are weak ought to be received though not unto doubtful disputations So they that are weak ought to be received