that loved him and kept his commandments and that he intended the same unto other visible disciples that should love him and keep his commandments unto the end of the world will also appear for if the appointment of Christ sci the supper that went before and is exprest chapter the 13. and the prayer of Christ that followed after and is exprest chapter 17. did belong unto them that should believe through their word till he come again then this promise that is so often repeated between doth as well belong unto them as to these but the former is true See Iohn 17. 20. 1. Cor. 11. 26. therefore the later If the consequence be denied it will still be proved out of Christs own words See Iohn 7. 37 38. and the consideration even in reason of Christs exceeding love and tender care towards all his disciples that love him and keep his commandments and their sensible wants of the same supplies of the Spirit will clearly evince it 2. It will clearly appear out of the words of the Apostles of Christ See Iohns interpretation of these words of Christ Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he saith Iohn of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the holy Spirit was not yet because Iesus was not yet glorified John 7. 29. See also what they all say with one mouth after they had received this holy Spirit with power whereby they were furnished as Apostles or Embassadors of him that had all power in heaven and earth in his hand to go forth with the embassage of peace into all Nations and could deliver the mind of their Lord unto them in their own language Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Iesus for the remission of sins ye shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit for the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far off as many of all these as the Lord our God shall call sci to repentance from dead works to faith in Christ Iesus to this visible manifestation thereof by being baptised and so visibly planted into the death buriall and resurrection of Christ for the remission of sins 3. This will also appear by the enjoyments of those that first trusted in Christ and visibly manifested their faith and love in and to the Lord by keeping his commandments The Disciples which were also called Apostles waiting in the appointment of their Lord at Jerusalem received and were filled with that holy Spirit with power according to promise See Acts 1. 4. compared with 2. 2. So that great number that were about three or rather five thousand souls that believed through their word and were baptized in Jerusalem and waited in the appointments of the same Lord that is to say together steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer they also enjoied this holy Spirit according to promise See Acts 4. 31. The like may be found among the Saints in Samaria Acts 8. 17. in Ephesus Acts 19. And the same may be found among the Saints that thus put on Christ and walked in him among those that first trusted in him in all places See it in the Romans chap. 5. 5. and chap. 8. at large See it in the Corinthians Epistle 1. chap. 2. 10. 12. and 6. 11. 19. and ch 12. at large In the Galathians ch 3. 2. 4. 6. In the Ephesians chap. 1. 13. In the Philippians chap. 3. 3. In the Colossians chap. 1. 8. In the Thessalonians Ep. 1. chap. 1. 5 6. and chap. 5. 19. This promise is also found true in the litle children that Iohn writes to and is often repeated 1 Iohn 3. 24 4. 13. and in the 2. 27. he speaks unto them after this manner but the anointing speaking of this holy Spirit of promise which ye have received of him abideth in you and such is his supply that you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him And now litle Children abide in him c. And Iude telleth us that the very ground why some that had made a profession of the faith and order of Iesus caused divisions and offences contrary to that doctrine they had received and separated themselves was because they were sensuall not having this Spirit Iude 19 And as all this hath been proved by the last Will and Testament of that living Lord so is it also clear that his Will is not to be added to or taken from compare Gal. 3. 15. with Rev. 22. 18 19. which notwithstanding if any man shall attempt to do let him know this Lord is alive and will ere-long appear sufficiently able to avenge it 3. I testifie that every such servant of Christ Iesus may in point of liberty yea ought in point of duty to improve that talent which his Lord hath given unto him That it is their duty to improve the talent the Lord hath given unto them and that for that end it was also given will appear by those two instances of the Lord himself the first is Mat. 5. 13 14 15. Ye saith the Lord to his Disciples are the salt of the earth the light of the world c. neither do men light a candle and put it under a hushell but on a candlestick whereby he intimates that if it be far from the intention of men who are but weak and foolish in their intentions and actions to sight a candle which is for use and then to put it under a bushell and so make it useless then much further from the purpose and intention of God who is the father of lights to enlighten the spirit of a man which is the candle of the Lord and then to have that light concealed and with-held therefore it follows let your light saith the Lord so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven The other instance is in the 19 th chapter of Luke 11 12 13 14 15 16. to the 27. verse in which Parable is lively declared by the Lord 1. That that glorious Kingdome of God that shall certainly appear should not so immediatly appear as some thought it should for which end is the Parable spoken verse 11. and the first words of the Parable will prove the same thing for the Noble-man which is Christ Iesus the Lord must first go into a far counâ—ry to receive his Kingdome which is to the right hand of the Father there to sit untill all his enemies become his footstool and so return 2. Here is declared the order in which this Lord left this houshold when he went to receive his Kingdome he bestowed gifts or talents upon them and commands them as his servants in their severall places to occupy till he come
verse 13. which proves that for which I produced this scripture and for further encouragement unto a servant of Christ to improve that Talent in his Lords service that he hath bestowed upon him 3. In the third place is declared the exceeding great countenance and rich reward which this Lord will bestow upon a faithfull servant that hath thus improved his Talent when he shall have received the Kingdome and shall return in the glory of his Father the countenance I say appears in these words he will say well or as it is in the 25 of Matthew well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a few things the rich Reward appears in these Enter into the joy of thy Lord or have thou Authority in my Kingdom over ten Cities be thou also ruler over five Cities c. But to proceed And in the congregation he may either ask for information to himself This was a liberty amongst the Jews in their synagogues or congregations as appears Luke 2. 46. where Christ being about twelve years old is found by his parents among the Doctors in the Temple not only hearing them but asking them questions and when he also taught in the Temple or elsewhere the people did not only hear him but asked him questions yea made objections against what was delivered without interruption and it cannot be conceived but this is much more a liberty in the congregations and Churches of Christ and therefore 1 Cor. 14. 35. where women are directed to ask their husbands at home if they will learn and the reason is given because it is a shame for them to speak in the Church it is plainly declared that men that will learn may ask in the Church for it is not a shame for them to speak there But to proceed Or if he can he may speak by way of prophecy for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole by prophecy here I mean a plain and brief declaration of the mind and counsel of God in words significantly and easie to be understood confirmed by the words of the Apostles and Prophets of God and brought forth for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole The 14 of the 1 Cor. will plentifully clear this truth and make this liberty good unto the Saints in the Churches of Christ and it cannot be shut out but by the spirit of Antichrist See verse 1. 5. 12. 24. 26. 30 31. 39 40. So 1 Thes 5. 19 20. Quench not the Spirit is the exhortation to him that is therby moved to speak and despise not prophecyings is the exhortation to them that are present to hear But to proceed And out of the congregation at all times upon all occasions and in all places as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends which is not only to the utmost parts of the Earth but also to heaven See Mat. 28. 18. Heb. 1. 2. Ephes. 1. 20 21 22. May yea ought to walk as a Child of light justifying wisdome with her waies and reproving folly with the unfruitful words therof provided c. For a warrant here see Deu. 6. 7. Mat. 5. 14. 16. 10. 32 33. 11. 19. Eph. 5. 11. Act. 4. 20. Jam. 3. 13. And so have I done also with the 3d. Conclusion the fourth followeth 4. I testify that no servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty much less authority from his Lord to smite his Fellow-servant This will be evinced to be a truth many waies from the mouth of the Lord. 1. In that it is the great commandment of this Lord to his disciples and servants to love one another and so to bear one anothers burdens who ought to have their love stronger than death so as to lay down their lives for the bretheren See John 13. 34. 15. 17. 1 John 3. 23. 4. 21. Gal. 6. 2. 1 John 3. 16. Now to smite one another is a breach of that Law of Love in a very high degree Therefore 2. The servants of Christ are called upon by their Lord to learn of him to be meek and lowly and are put thereby into a capacity to be further taught the way and fear of the Lord to increase their joy and they are such as shall inherit the earth and also heaven for they shall find rest for their souls and this meek quiet and gentle Spirit is declared by the Spirit of the Lord to be an ornament of very great price See for a proof of all this Mat. 11. 29. 21. 5. Psalm 25. 9. Isaiah 29. 19. Mat. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 4. but to smite is an argument of a domineering proud and lofty spirit which is far from a Spirit that is meek and lowly Therefore 3. The servants of Christ are called upon by their Lord to be so far from smiting their fellows that in case they should be smitten by others for his and the Gospels sake meerly on one cheek they should rather turn the other than seek to revenge it See Luke 6. 20. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 7. why do ye not rather take wrong saith the Apostle why do you not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded but this is far from smiting one another Therefore c. 4. This Lord being also that Prince of Peace doth so far dislike such practices as these among any servants of his that belong to his house that he hath absolutely and expresly declared that he by no means will have a striker to supply the Office of an Elder or Steward therein no nor one that is of a Lordly or domineering spirit nor yet one that is froward and will be soon angry See in the first Epistle of Timothy 3. 3. Titus 1. 7. Peter 5. 3. Therefore c. 5. That no servant of Christ hath such authority from his Lord to smite his fellows doth plainly appear in that Parable Mat. 18. 34. where it is said The Lord was so wroth that he will have that wicked servant delivered to the tormentors that did but take his fellow by the throat and him that fell to smiting his fellowes in his Lords absence Mat. 24. 51. it is said The Lord shall come upon in a day when he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not awar of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrits where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But to proceed in the testimony where it is said No nor yet with outward force or arm of flesh to constrain or restrain anothers conscience nor yet his outward man for conscience sake or worship of his God c. That this is a truth will be made out by the Scriptures of truth and that many waies The first argument to prove it standeth thus 1. Arg. If any Servant of Christ Jesus be he high or low rich or poor have any such liberty or authority from his Lord so to do then he is able to shew it as that which may be his warrant so to
soul it may so shine forth before the sons of men that they seeing thy good works may have cause administred to glorify our father which is in heaven It is not words now Christian although they were spoken with tongues of men and Angels when that worthy name is every where well spoken of but faith that works by love and love by works that will distinguish a heady from a hearty Christian Say not in thine heart that Christs Comands are low and his appointments carnall legal injunctions and at the best but neat for babes least hereby thine heart be declared to be vainly puft â—p in thy carnall or fleshly mind and to have too low and carnall conceits of Christ himself who is the injoyner appointer and commander thereof and shall ere long appear as Judge yea least hereby thou be declared ignorant or at the best forgetful of this one thing that it is the great design of God in Christ as to glorifie himself to admiration in poor sinful flesh so whilest he doth it to hide pride from man and therefore as he hath chosen not many wise mighty nor noble of this world but the foolish weak base despised nothings thereof so hath he suited his commands and appointments thereunto and intends through these foolish things so to cause his wisdome to shine forth as thereby to confound the wise through these weak things so to cause his power to appear as thereby to confound the things that are mighty and through these base dispised things that are not to bring to nought those noble glorious and excellent things of the world that are Thou mayst herein see gentle Reader that I have rather chosen to bear witness to the faith and order of our Lord and to shew unto the world but especially unto thee what is the mind of Christ in this time of his absence as to faith and obedience to shew I say rather what is truth which is but one than to bear witness against the ly which is so various knowing that the truth once established shall discover the falshood and light breaking forth shall scatter the darkness And whilest I lead thee forth to seek him whom thy soul loveth and longeth after who is also thy joy and thy Crown while I lead thee I say by the footsteps of those flocks that first trusted in Christ and were fed by such pastors according to his own heart as he gave them God forbid that thou shouldst be as one that wilt turn aside by the flocks of his companions and shouldst be found remaining either on the left side in a visible way of worship in deed but such as was neither appointed by Christ nor yet practised by them who first trusted in him or on the right in no visible way of worship or order at all either pretending that the outward court is given to the Gentiles and the holy City is by them to be troden under foot that the Church of Christ is now in the wilderness and the time of its recovery is not yet or else pretending that God is a spirit and so will in spirit be worshipped and not in this place or that in this way or that Well if thou beest in these waies misled I can no longer forbear in tenderness of spirit and compassionate bowels of love to stretch forth a helping hand thereby to try whether it be the good pleasure of God at this time to drop down a word of light and life and power into thine heart that thou mayest be there by awakned and quickned to be still saying within thy soul Lord what wilt thou have me to do so shalt thou hear such a saying as this Come out from among them Oh my people and be ye separate from them and touch no unsanctifyed thing and I will receive you and be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty and also such a saying as this Blessed are they that do his commands for they have right to the tree of life and shall enter in through those gates of pearl into that glorious City Rev. 22. 14. and know that these are the commandments of Jesus sci As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him and behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast yea hold fast till I come And such as may be under the later disceptions let me intreat thee to ponder these words in thine heart sci That prophecies although marvelous plain and easy to be understood cannot warrant a pure conscience to neglect much less to cast off the commandments and oppointments of Jesus neither can the spirit of Christ direct or incourage the heart of a Christian to cast off his lordship no no the spirit of Christ is hereby distinguished from that of Antichrist in that he shall unfainedly confess that Jesus is the Christ and that this Christ Jesus is come in the flesh and when he is come according to promise into the heart of a Christian he shall not speak of himself but as a messenger his office is to gloryfie Christ by taking of him and his and shewing it unto yea writing it in the heart of a Christian so that I dare boldly say there is none for the exaltation of Christ Jesus the lord according to his last will and testament and for the nourishing a lively hope in the heart of a Christian concerning his glorious return I say there is none to that holy spirit of promise who being also the spirit of truth shall guide the souls of the Saints to worship the father as in spirit so likewise in truth and therfore that spirit that speaks of himself and is so far from taking of Christs to exalt and gloryfie him according as he hath foretold and his father intended that he takes from Christ laies him low and diminisheth his glory that spirit cannot be the spirit of Christ or that holy spirit of promise and for asmuch as the spirit speaketh expresly that in these later daies there shall be seducing spirits that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect of God whose incounter will not be so much with flesh and blood but with wicked spirits in high places let me therfore exhort thee in the words of that beloved disciple of Christ beleive not every spirit but try the spirits and that by this rule whether they be of God or no bring them to the wholsome words of the holy Apostles Prophets and son of God ye erre saith Christ not knowing the scriptures and the power of God let it be thy care Christian therfore to search the Scriptures and therein to wait for the power and glory of the spirit of God And look to thy spirit for as immediately before Christs appearing in flesh Satan in a large measure possessed the bodies of men that by his casting them out his power in flesh might appear So before his coming again in glory I have grounds
pre-suppose to have power over his spirit and conscience to cause it to conform likewise or else he cannot attain unto his Religious intent 2. This is but a forcing of servants and worshipers upon the Lord and I say at the best for it is more likely to force worshipers from him And this will cleerly appear because the true worshipers and such as the fathe seeks for are such as worship him in Spirit and in Truth See John 4. 23 24. who having received from Christ the Spirit of life and love have his word stand in their heart as the word of a King so that thereby they become a willing people to do him service and stand not in need of such outward force to compell them thereto they therefore that stand in need to be and therefore are by outward force compelled to the worship of God to the faith and order of the gospel of Christ they I say are such servants and worshipers as are forc'd upon the Lord whom he seeks not for This outward forcing men in the worship of God is the ready way to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and men which wise men abhor the truth of this will be thus demonstrated for if they be spirituall true and willing worshipers such as the Father seeks for then what need is there of a constraint or restraint such are a law of life to themselves but if they be not then what make they there before him who calls for the heart and wisheth men to look to their spirits for he is a Spirit and will be sanctified of all those that draw neer unto him See Prov. 23. 26. Mal. 2. 15 Rev. 10. 3 4. Then as they are forced upon the Lord against his will and without any warrant from him so are they also against their own and therefore although their bodies may be present and through fear of the stroke or hope of reward may seem to conform yet their hearts and minds not being changed and the strong holds thereof not being beaten down as by such carnall weapons they are never likely to be they I say are absent and far from the Lord so then while their hearts and confciences still cleave to their Idols and yet their bodies are caused to conform what is this but to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and man and that it is the way to put men upon the profaning the name of the Lord is also evident understand by name his attributes word ordinances worship they are all profaned by such a person that stands in need to be forc'd to Religion See Hag. 2. 13 for him to call upon the name of the Lord is to profane the name of the Lord for their prayers are abomination to him Gen. 4. 26. Prov. 28. 9. Isay 1. 13. And a calling the name of God or Christ upon such is counted by him a blaspheming his name See Rev. 2. 9. 13. 1. 5 6. and unto the wicked saith God Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or to take my CoVenant in thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee By all which it doth evidently appear that the second proposition doth also stand firm A sixt argument against the forcing of men against their understandings and consciences is taken from the prohibition of Christ and stands thus 6. Arg. If Christ Iesus the Lord hath expresly forbidden his servants by such a force to seek to constrain or restrain another mans conscience or his outward man against his understanding and conscience in things appertaining to God although his understanding and conscience be cleerly discerned to be erronious and evil then can no servant of Christ Jesus have any liberty much less authority from him so to practise This cannot be denied But Christ Jesus the Lord hath expresly forbidden his servants so to practise and for the proof hereof take two or three instances Mat. 15. 14. where Christ speaking to his disciples touching the Pharisees who were blind guides seducers hypocrites strong opposers of Christ yet seemingly full of zeal and devotion and such as brought a vanity upon the worship of God and made his commandements of none effect by their traditions as appears V. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. of the same chapter yet V 14. saith Christ to his disciples let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind and so leaves them to that sad event which is their falling into the ditch or perishing together See the parable of rhe wheat and the tares Mat. 13. 24. interpreted by Christ himself V. 37 38. And he that soweth the good seed saith Christ is the Son os mâ—n The field is the world the good seed are the children of the Kingdome which being sown by the son of man must needs be meant faithful land sincere-hearted professors of the truth of the gospell But the tares saith he are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that soweth them is the deVill which being the children of the wicked one and sown by the devill after the children of the Kingdome must needs be meant such as crept in unawars and were sent in as Paul speaketh See Gal. 2. 4. to spie out the Saints liberties that they might bring them into bondage and so were formall Professors of Christ at the first but afterwards discovered to be Hereticks Schismaticks Apostats Blasphemers such as was Hymiâ—â—us Phyle us Alexander Demas and such false teachers as Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 2. 12. That should bring in damnable heresies eVen denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction whose pernicious wayes many should follow by reason of whom the way of truth should be evill spoken of but to go on the harVest saith Christ is the end of the world and the reapers are no other than the angels Now the question for our instruction in righteousness being made by the servants unto their Lord when the tares were discovered whether it was his will that they should go and gather them up and take them out of the field his first answer V. 29. is nay and the reason he renders is this lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them And the next answer V. 30. is an express word of command that they should let both grow together in the field which is the world and untill the time of the harvest which is the end therof and then his purpose is to speak to the reapers which are not men but Angels to gather them up and bind them in bundles to burn them I shall produce but one instanee more to shew that our Lord Jesus forbids such a practice as this among his Disciples or servants 2. Tim. 2. 24 25 26. The serVant of the L Lord saith Paul in the word of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach not to strike patient in meekness instructing those that