all things never faileth albeit other Gifts have 1 Cor. 13. from the first Verse As by this the Excellency of Love is shewn so the Necessity of pressing after it and living in it will be readily acknowledged by all but seeing the Sum of this Love as well as the Perfection thereof consists in Loving God above all so whatever diverteth in any thing there from is not to be accounted Love though the same Word be used to Express it and that in the Scripture it self Self-Love such as the Love of Self the Love of the World the Love of any Creature Hence for the Attaining of the true and excellent Love the Love of all these other things is not only to be laid aside and the Love of God preferred to them but they are to be hated as Christ himself Phraseth it He that hateth his Life Jo. 12.25 Yea he useth it so as to speaking of hating Father and Mother Luk. 14.26 Though when the Love to such is truly Subordinate to the other it is both Commended and Commanded The Testimony of the Love of God is to keep his Commandments The Testimony which is required of our Really being in the Love of God Christ himself signifieth to us If you Love me keep my Commandments And as the Beloved Disciple John said in the Case of Knowledge shewing us the Falshood of such as pretend to know God and yet do not so saying He that says he knows God and keeps not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 Jo. 2.4 So may be also said He that saith he loves God and keeps not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him according as the same Apostle saith 1 Jo. 5.3 For this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments Hence it is apparent that Love without Purity is but a False Pretence and that whatsoever hinders from the Practice of this Love of God or withdraws from the Obedience of the least of his Commands is to be denied and no ways to be Entertained as being either the Love of the Devil the Love of the World or the Love of Self and not the Love of the Father And as from the True Love of God having taken Place both upon the Vnderstanding and Will there ariseth a great Fervency and Desire of Mind that it may be wholly Vnited with the Lord and made Conformable unto his Will in all things So from hence ariseth also a certain Aversion from Indignation of and even Hatred to whatsoever is Contrary thereunto or has a Tendency to lead from it which is commonly called Zeal Which Zeal having a right Bottom and Foundation The True Zeal proceeds from the love of God and proceeding purely from the Love of God is a great Virtue greatly to be commended and pressed after and the Defect thereof is justly reproveable in a Christian. That Zeal then thus considered is a thing Excellent Pure and Holy of it self appears in that it is ascribed to God himself 2 Kings 19.13 Where the Performance of the Blessed Evangelical Promises is to be performed by the Zeal of the Lord Isa. 19.17 He is said to be Cloathed with Zeal as with a Cloak and 63.15 His Zeal is numbred with his Bowels and Mercies Next David Recommends himself to God for that the Zeal of his house had eaten him up Psal. 69.9 and 119.139 And Paul commends the Corinthians for their Zeal 2 Cor. 7.11 1 Cor. 14.12 And for this End has the Grace of God appeared unto all that there might be a People gathered Zealous of good Works Tit. 2.14 And as this is commended and recommended on the one hand so is the contrary thereof to wit Indifferency and Luke-warmness reproved and rebuked as a thing displeasing to the Lord. Of many Instances whereof that might be given that unto the Church of Laodicea may serve at present Rev. 13.15 16. Because for a Remedy against this Evil she is Exhorted vers 19. To be Zealous and Repent But as there is a True Zeal so is there a False one The False Zeal its Kinds and Degrees and it is not more needful to have the one than it is to avoid the other Now as the True Zeal proceedeth only from the pure Love of God and single Regard to his Honour and Glory so the False Zeal proceedeth from the Love of something else and the Regard to other things And of this False Zeal there are several Kinds as well as Degrees all of which though they ought to be shunned yet some are far more hurtful and pernicious than others The Worst and Highest of these is when as Men through the height of Pride Lust Ambition or Envy shew themselves Furious and Zealous to satisfy and fulfil their Desires and Affections 1. A Furious Cain 's Zeal This is the highest Zeal for Self From this Zeal did Cain slay Abel Ishmael mocked Isaac and Esau hated Jacob Pharaoh Persecuted the Children of Israel Saul David and Jezabel the True Prophets of the Lord. A Second Kind is when as Men that are not True and Faithful even to those Principles of Religion they profess themselves to acknowledge as True as being Conscious to themselves 2. A Wicked Persecutors Zeal and also publickly known to be such as are Vitious and Profligate yet do violently Persecute and Oppress others that differ from them though they be not only Equal to them but even by their own Acknowledgment exceed them in Temperance and Virtue having nothing to charge them with but that they Agree not with them in Judgment and Practice in Matters of Religion This apparently is a False Zeal and not of God for if it proceeded from the true Love of God it would first Operate in themselves to the removing of all those Things which they acknowledge to be Contrary to this Love of God before it exerted it self towards others seeing as the Proverb is Charity begins at home And like unto this was the Zeal of the Scribes and Pharisees Scribes and Pharisees Instanced who Persecuted Christ for a Breaker of the Law which themselves did not fulfil As is also the Zeal both of the Papists and Protestants in their Persecutions at this Day A Third Sort is of such 3. A Blind Religious Zeal who do indeed walk strictly and closely to their own Principles making Conscience of their Way but yet being Blinded in their Understanding do Persecute Truth supposing it to be Error Of this Number was Paul before his Conversion Being as to the Law Blameless and Persecuting the Saints out of Zeal Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 And therefore in this Class he numbers his Countrymen saying They have a Zeal for God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 And perhaps among these such may be numbred of whom Christ speaketh saying to his Disciples And when they kill you they shall think to do God good Service 4. A Rash Self-willed Zeal A
have been wrong to Confirm and Strengthen our selves in the Good now Revealed and Embraced which by the powerful working of God's Infinite Goodness turning all to the Advantage of those that love and follow Him makes the Ministry of such the more Effectual as in the Example of Paul and others was manifest It being then so that the Condition of my Life hitherto albeit I as yet am but a Young Man gives me Experience more than perhaps to many others to Treat of this Subject Therefore finding a true Freedom and Liberty in my Spirit I have willingly undertaken for the sake of some to Write something briefly and yet I hope clearly thereof that my Experience herein if the Lord will by His Blessing may be made Vseful to others My first Education from my Infancy up fell amongst the strictest Sort of Calvinists those of our Country being generally acknowledged to be the Severest of that Sect in the heat of Zeal surpassing not only Geneva from whence they derive their Pedigree but all other the Reformed Churches abroad so called The Author's Education and Experience So that some of the French Protestants being upbraided with the Fruits of this Zeal as it appeared in Jo. Knox Buchanan and others do besides what is peculiar to their Principles of this kind alledge the Super-abundance thereof to proceed a fervido Scotorum Ingenio i. e. from the violent Complexion of our Country-Men I had scarce got out of my Child-hood when I was by the permission of Divine Providence Cast among the Company of Papists and my tender Years and Immature Capacity not being able to Withstand and Resist the Insinuations that were used to Proselite me to that way I became quickly defiled with the Pollutions thereof and Continued therein for a time until it pleased God through his rich Love and Mercy to Deliver me out of those Snares and to give me a clear Understanding of the Evil of that Way In both these Sects the Reader may easily Conceive that I had abundant Occasion to receive Impressions contrary to this Principle of Love herein Treated of seeing the Straitness of several of their Doctrines as well as their Practice of Persecution do abundantly declare how Opposite they are to Vniversal Love as shall hereafter more at large be shewn And albeit the time it pleased God to deliver me out of these Snares I was so Young that it may be presumed my Observations could be but Weak and consequently my Experience Inconsiderable yet for as much as from my very Child-hood I was very Ambitious of Knowledge and by a certain Felicity of Vnderstanding I think I may say without Vanity successful beyond many of my Equals in Age though my Observations at that time were but Weak yet since I have with more Leisure and Circumspection gathered thence so much Experience as I am Confident will serve for a sufficient Foundation to any Superstructure I shall build upon it in this Treatise The Time that Intervened betwixt my forsaking of the Church of Rome and Joining with those with whom I stand now Engaged I kept my self Free from Joining with any Sort of People though I took liberty to Hear several His Hearing several Sects And my Converse was most with those that Inveigh much against Judging and such kind of Severity seeming to Complain greatly for want of this Christian Charity among all Sects Which Latitude may perhaps be esteemed the other Extream opposite to the Preciseness of these other Sects whereby I also received an opportunity to know what usually is pretended on that side likewise and thence can say some-what Experimentally on that part also As for those I am now Joyn'd to and whom I justly esteem to be the true Followers and Servants of Jesus Christ People's Various Judgments of the Quakers the World speaks diversly of them as to this matter some highly accusing them of the Want of Charity and quarrelling with them as such who peremptorily Condemn all but themselves Others have a Contrary Conceit of them each according as they are Prejudicated and Informed What may be truly said in the Case shall after appear I my self have been diversly Censured in this matter being ingaged in Controversy which as they can be scarcely handled without something of sharpness so are seldom managed by any so successfully as not to bear the Censure of some or other in this respect Having then upon the whole matter observed that this Want of Charity is that for the Want of which each Sect accuses the other and yet are most averse to see this Defect in themselves and that some do accuse All Sects as guilty of this Crime I have judged it meet to commit my Sense hereof to Writing according to the purpose signified in the Title afore-mentioned SECT II. The Nature of Christian Love and Charity demonstrated the Consistency of True Zeal therewith It 's distinction from false Zeal THE Nature of Christian Love and Charity is fully and abundantly described in the Holy Scriptures The Nature of Christian Love and Charity where it is preferred before all other Vertues and Properties whatsoever as that which Comprehendeth in it all other Perfections and is the Root and Spring of them For there can be no true Vertue but that which proceedeth from Love hence God himself is called Love 1 Jo. 4.7 as being that under which all his Innumerable and Unutterable Perfections are Included By this Love we are Redeemed from the Corruption of our Nature and have received the benefit of a Mediator Joh. 16. This is the Banner wherewith God covereth his Children Cant. 2.4 This is that which Constrained our Lord Jesus Christ to lay down his Life for us Joh. 15.13 The Exercise of this is given by Christ as the principal Token of his Disciples Joh. 13.35 It is numbered as the first Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 It is called the fulfilling of the Law as that wherein all Consisteth Rom. 13 10. For to love God above all things and our Neighbour as our selves is the sum not only of the Law but of the Gospel also 1 Cor. 13.13 Therefore the Apostle Paul giveth to this Love or Charity the Precedency before either Faith or Hope The Excellency of Love and Charity and Necessity of pressing after it in which Chapter he doth briefly but very Emphatically describe it For having first shewn that the speaking with Tongues of Men and Angels that the gifts of Prophesying Vnderstanding and Knowledge that the Faith that even could Remove Mountains and the Giving of all to the Poor yea and the Body to be burnt is nothing without it He proceeds to the Description of it thus Charity suffers long is kind Charity envieth not Vaunteth not it self is not puffed up dos not behave it self unseemly seeking not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in Iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth
Fourth or Last Sort is when as Men being truly enlightened in their Understanding but their Will Heart and Affections not being throughly leavened with the Love of God do Condemn things justly Reproveable but not out of the pure Drawings of Divine Love but even from a Mixture of Self in the Forwardness of their own Will as not suffering any to be Contrary unto them This is the most Innocent kind of Wrong Zeal yet not so but that it ought to be watched against And of these few that are guilty of it it were fit they Waited to be Redeemed from it But the pure undefiled Zeal that is acceptable to God is that which proceeds not only from a pure and clear Understanding The Pure and Vndefiled Zeal but also from a Renewed and Sanctified Will which moves not of nor from Self but from and for the Lord. SECT III. The Controversy Stated with Respect to the different Sorts of Christians how it is to be fetched from the Nature of their Principles and not from the Practice of Particular Persons True Christian Love the most excellent Virtue THe sum of what is said is That true Christian Love and Charity is the most Excellent of Virtues most needful to be sought after and attained that it is never joined but with Purity which it naturally leads to and there-from doth consequentially arise an Indignation and Zeal against Vnrighteousness which True Zeal is justly Commendable and really distinguishable from all false and Ignorant Zeal For the more clear Stating of the Controversy in proceeding in this Matter these following Assertions relating thereto may be Proposed and Affirmed Assertions taken for granted by all sorts of Christians I. That whatsoever Love is Consistent with the pure Love of God may be safely exercised towards all sorts as well of Men as Christians II. That whatsoever Love or Charity really conduceth to the Salvation of their Souls and so far as they are capable thereof may and ought to be shewed towards them III. That therefore the Good in all ought to be Commended Encouraged and Loved and no true Good either denied rejected or despised because of any Errors peculiar to respective Sects IV. That the Evil either in Opinion or Practice ought neither to be spared year 1677 encouraged nor fomented under any Pretence of Love whatsoever These I shall not enlarge nor yet offer to prove studying to avoid Prolixity because I presume they will be readily Granted and Assented to by all That then which principally comes under Consideration is to Consider and Examine Which of all the several sorts of Christians at this Day do most truly observe these Rules and shew forth most of the true Love and Zeal of God in their Way and Principles avoiding that which is Contrary thereunto Wherein that I may proceed clearly there are some things previous to be warily and seriously weighed As First I. Vnsettled Men Judging others are more reprovable than those others When I speak of the Charity of the several sorts of Christians I speak of such as are settled in their respective Principles as perswading themselves certainly in the Truths and Soundness of them so that their Love and Charity is really to such as they judge and believe are wrong Seeming to have Charity to all and be afraid to judge them from an Vnsettledness in ones self as not knowing which is right or which is wrong is a Virtue of Necessity and not of Choice and proceedeth no ways from the Love of God neither has any Resemblance thereunto For God loves and Compassionates Sinners and such as are out of the way not as being Ignorant or Doubting whether they be such but as really knowing them It were indeed the Height of Madness and Folly for these Vnsettled uncertain and straggling Souls to take the Liberty to Judge others for being Wrong while they profess they know not yet who is Right and who is Wrong being only sure of this that themselves are not come to Rights for they could not in so doing but be Self-condemned Not but I believe that the Condition of such if they be truly forbearing and ready to embrace the good when seen by them is both more Tolerable to others and Safe for themselves than those that are hardily Confident in a wrong Belief from thence forwardly Judging others But this I mention for the sake of certain Men of loose and uncertain Principles who being really Conscious to themselves of their own Vnsettledness finding themselves at a Loss as concerning many of the Controverted Principles of the Christian Religion which is right and which wrong and not finding a ready way to come to any certain Determination therein and being perhaps unwilling to undergo the Trouble and Difficulty of such a Serious Search and Enquiry as well as desirous to avoid these troublesome Circumstances or other Inconveniences which may seem to them necessarily to accompany their Imbodying themselves with any particular People or Fellowship and therefore find it more easie to satisfy and please themselves with some general Notions of practical Truths commonly acknowledged by all and therefore Cover themselves by Condemning that Heat Asperity and severe Censuring that is among the several sorts of Christians one towards another as not consistent with nor suitable to that Love which ought to be in all Christians Whereas poor Men they mind not how much they fall in this Crime and that in a degree far more Reprovable than those they thus Accuse For First Are not they found Guilty of the Want of this Christian Love and Charity 1. Different Opinions in Religion Censuring and Judging each other for that they are found Guilty of themselves that do Judge and Condemn all those several sorts of Christians as Defective in this so principal and necessary a Christian Virtue whereby they do indirectly shut them out from being Christians or Disciples of Jesus For if they judged it an Error Inconsistent with Christian Love and Charity to Condemn or Accuse one another for difference in Opinion why are they found themselves so guilty of it For since this Censuring and Condemning of one another among the several sorts of Christians is practised by them as their Duty and a necessary Consequence of their Doctrine why should these Judge them for it If they say They Condemn them for it because they believe it to be a wrong Principle shall not others be allowed the like Liberty to Condemn Principles they likewise believe to be Wrong One of two then must of necessity hold Either that wrong Doctrines or Opinions may be justly Reproved Confuted and Condemned without Breach of Christian Love and Charity and therefore the so doing amongst the several sorts of Christians upon their own respective Principles in it self simply considered not Evil or Reproveable and therefore these Men wrong in Judging it so Or it is an Evil and inconsistent with Christian Love and Charity to Condemn any sort of Christians
the true Faith that they might learn not to Blaspheme In short if we must as our Opposers herein acknowledge preserve and keep those that are come to own the Truth by the same means they were gathered and brought into it we must not cease to be plain with them and tell them when they are wrong and by sound Doctrine both Exhort and Convince Gainsayers If the Apostles of Christ of old and the Preachers of the Everlasting Gospel in this day had told all People however wrong they found them in their Faith and Principles Our Charity and Love is such We dare not judge you A wrong Charity and false Love to Cherish in Error is nor separate from you but let us all live in Love together and every one injoy his own Opinion and all will be well how should the Nations have been or what way now can they be brought to Truth and Righteousness Would not the Devil love this Doctrine well by which Darkness and Ignorance Error and Confusion might still continue in the Earth unreproved and uncondemned If it was needful then for the Apostles of Christ in the days of old to Reprove without sparing to tell the High-Priests and great Professors among the Jews That they were stubborn and stiff-necked and always resisted the Holy Ghost without being guilty of Imposition and Oppression or want of true Love and Charity and also for those Messengers the Lord raised up in this day to Reprove and Cry out against the Hireling Priests and to tell the World openly both Professors and Profane That they were in Darkness and Ignorance out of the Truth Strangers and Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel if God has gathered a People by this means into the Belief of one and the same Truth must not they they turn and depart from it be Admonished Reproved and Condemned yea rather than those that are not yet come to the Truth because they Crucifie afresh unto themselves the Lord of Glory and put him to open Shame It seems the Apostle judged it very needful they should be so dealt with Tit. 1.10 when he says There are many unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers especially they of the Circumcision WHOSE MOVTHS MVST BE STOPPED c. Were such a Principle to be received or believed That in the Church of Christ no man should be Separated from no man Condemned or Excluded the Fellowship and Communion of the Body for his Judgment or Opinion in Matter of Faith The Inlet to all manner of Abominations then what Blasphemies so horrid what Heresies so damnable what Doctrines of Devils but might harbour it self in the Church of Christ What need then of sound Doctrine if no Doctrine make unsound what need of Convincing and Exhorting Gainsayers if to Gainsay be no Crime where should the Vnity of the Faith be Were not this an Inlet to all manner of Abominations and to make void the whole tendency of Christ and his Apostles Doctrine and render the Gospel of none Effect and give a Liberty to the unconstant and giddy Will of Man to innovate alter and overturn it at his Pleasure So that from all that is above-mentioned we do safely Conclude That where a People are gathered together into the Belief of the Principles and Doctrines of the Gospel of Christ if any of that People shall go from their Principles and assert things false and contrary to what they have already received such as stand and abide firm in the Faith have Power by the Spirit of God after they have used Christian Endeavours to Convince and Reclaim them upon their Obstinacy to Separate from such and to Exclude them from their spiritual Fellowship and Communion for otherways if this be denied farewel to all Christianity or to the maintaining of any sound Doctrine in the Church of Christ. But secondly Taking it for granted that the Church of Christ or Assembly of Believers may in some Cases that are Matter of Conscience Quest. II pronounce a positive Sentence and Judgment without hazzard of Imposition upon the Members it comes to be inquired In what Cases and how far this Power reacheth I answer First As that which is most clear and undeniable In the fundamental Principles and Doctrines of Faith Answer in Case any should offer to teach otherways as is above declared and proved But some may perhaps acknowledge that indeed if any should Contradict the known and owned Principles of Truth and teach otherways it were fit to cast out and exclude such but what judgest thou as to lesser matters as in Principles of less Consequence or in outward Ceremonies or Gestures whether it be fit to press Vniformity in these things Consideration For Answer to this it is fit to Consider First The Nature of things themselves Secondly The Spirit and Ground they proceed from And Thirdly The Consequence and Tendency of them But before I proceed upon these I affirm and that according to Truth That as the Church and Assembly of God's People may and hath Power to Decide by the Spirit of God in Matters fundamental and weighty without which no Decision nor Decree in whatever Matters is available so the same Church and Assembly also in other Matters of less Moment The Decision of Matters of less Moment in the Church Obligatory as to themselves yet being needful and expedient with a Respect to the Circumstance of Time Place and other things that may fall in may and hath Power by the same Spirit and not otherways being acted moved and assisted and led by it thereto to pronounce a positive Judgment which no doubt will be found Obligatory upon all such who have a Sense and Feeling of the Mind of the Spirit though rejected by such as are not watchful and so are out of the Feeling and Vnity of the Life And this is that which none that own Immediate Revelation or a being inwardly led by the Spirit to be now a thing expected or dispensed to the Saints can without contradicting their own Principle deny far less such with whom I have to do in this Matter who claiming this Priviledge to Particulars saying That they being moved to do such and such things though contrary to the Mind and Sense of their Brethren are not to be judged for it adding Why may it not be so that God hath moved them to it Now if this be a sufficient Reason for them to suppose as to one or two I may without absurdity suppose it as well to the whole Body And therefore as to the first to wit Cons. 1 The Nature of the things themselves If it be such a thing the doing or not doing whereof that is either any Act or the Forbearance of any may bring a real Reproach or Ground of Accusation against the Truth professed and owned and in and through which there may a visible Schism and Dissension arise in the Church Against the Reproach of Truth by which Truth 's Enemies may be
Experience of the Church in all Ages as may appear from Matth. 24.24 Acts 15.54 1 Tim. 4.5 2 Tim. 3.8 Mark 13.21 22. 2 Pet. 2.19 Or on the other Hand that those that abide faithful Discerners of Evils to reprove and warn and have a Discerning of those Evils ought to be silent and never ought to Reprove and gain-stand them nor yet Warn and guard others against them and that it is a part of the commendable Vnity of the Church of Christ to suffer all such Things without taking Notice of them I know none will say so but if there be any so foolish as to affirm it let them consider these Scriptures Gal. 2.4 1 Tim. 1.20 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Tit. 1.9 10 11. Now if none of these hold true but on the contrary such Evils have been and may be found to creep in among the People of God and that such as see them may and ought to reprove them then necessarily the doing so is neither Imposition Force nor Oppression As to the Third concerning the Consequence and Tendency of them Cons. 3 it is mostly included in the two former for whatsoever tendeth not to Edification but on the contrary to Destruction Sowers of Discord among Brethren to be avoided and to beget Discord among Brethren is to be avoided according to that of the Apostle Rom. 16.17 Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And since there is no greater Mark of the People of God To follow Peace among our selves than to be at Peace among themselves whatsoever tendeth to break that Bond of Love and Peace must be testified against Let it be observed I speak always of the Church of Christ indeed and deal with such as are of another Mind not as reckoning only false Churches not to have this Power but denying it even to the true Church of Christ as judging it not fit for her so to Act as in relation to her Members For though Christ be the Prince of Peace and doth most of all commend Love and Vnity to his Disciples yet I also know he came not to send Peace but a Sword that is in dividing Man from the Lusts and Sins he hath been united to And also it is the Work of his Disciples and Messengers to break the Bands and Vnity of the Wicked To the breaking of the Bands of the Wicked wherein they are banded against God and his Truth and the Confederacy of such as stand in Vnrighteousness by inviting and bringing as many as will obey unto Righteousness whereby they become dis-united and separated from their Companion 's with whom they were Centered and at Peace in the contrary and cursed Nature And indeed blessed are they Prov. 20.26 that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here that they may gather into the Vnity of the Life and they are blessed that in this Respect even for Righteousness sake are scattered and separated from their Brethren that they may come to know the Brotherhood and Fellowship which is in the Light from which none ought to scatter nor to be scattered but be more and more gathered thereunto And this leads me to what I proposed in the Third Place under this Head of the True Churches Power in Matters Spiritual or purely Conscientious which may be thus Objected If thou plead so much for an Oneness in the smallest Matters wherein Quest. III consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of the Conscience which may be Exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another In Answer to this Proposition I affirm first in general That whatsoever Things may be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit Answer though divers in its Appearance tending to the same End of Edification and which in the Tendency of it layeth not a real Ground for Division or Dissension of Spirit Fellow-Members ought not only to bear one another but strengthen one another in them Now the Respects wherein this may be I can describe no better than the Apostle Paul doth principally in two Places which therefore will be fit to consider at length for the opening of this Matter this being one of the weightiest Points pertaining to this Subject Because as on the one Hand due Forbearance ought to be exercised in its right place so on the other the many Devices and false Pretences of the Enemy Place 1 creeping in here ought to be guarded against The first is 1 Cor. 12. from Verse 4. to 31. thus Vers. 4. Now there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit Diversity of Gifts Administrations and Operations from the same Spirit makes no Division V. 5. And there are Differences of Administrations but the same Lord. Vers. 6. And there are Diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all Vers. 7. But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal Vers. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit Vers. 9. To another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit Vers. 10. To another the Working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues Vers. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will As many Members in one Body concur to the upholding the same Vers. 12. For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ. Vers. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit Vers. 14. For the Body is not one Member but many Vers. 15. If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand I am not of the Body is it therefore not of the Body Vers. 16. And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the Body is it not therefore of the Body Vers. 17. If the whole Body were an Eye where were the Hearing If the whole were Hearing where were the Smelling Vers. 18. But now hath God set the Members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased him Vers. 19. And if they were all one Member where were the Body Vers. 20. But now are they many Members yet but one Body Vers. 21. And the Eye cannot say unto the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet I have no need of you Vers. 22. Nay much more those Members of the Body which seem to be more feeble are necessary Vers. 23. And those Members of the Body which we think to be less honourable upon these
Ineffectual to bring them the least step towards Salvation and do only Contribute to render their Condemnation the greater and their Torments the more Violent and Intolerable Having thus briefly Removed this false Doctrine which stood in my way because they that are desirous may see it both learnedly and piously Refuted by many others I come to the Matter of our Proposition which is That God out of his Infinite Love who delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that all should live and be saved hath sent his Only-begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him might be Saved Christ tasted Death for every man Which also is again affirmed in the sixth Proposition in these words Christ then tasted death for every man of all kinds Such is the Evidence of this Truth delivered almost wholly in the Express words of Scripture that it will not need much probation also because our Assertion herein is Common with many others who have both earnestly and soundly according to the Scripture pleaded for this Vniversal Redemption I shall be the more brief in it that I may come to that which may seem more singularly and peculiarly ours § VI. This Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption Christ's Redemption is Vniversal contrary to the Doctrine of Absolute REPROBATION or Christ's dying for all men is of it self so Evident from the Scripture-Testimony that there is scarce found any other Article of the Christian Faith so frequently so plainly and so positively Asserted It is that which maketh the preaching of Christ to be truly termed the Gospel or an Annunciation of glad Tidings to all Thus the Angel declared the Birth and Coming of Christ to the Shepherds to be Luke 2.10 Behold I bring you good Tidings of great Joy which shall be to all people He saith not to a few people Now if this Coming of Christ had not brought a possibility of Salvation to all it should rather have been accounted Bad Tidings of great sorrow to most people neither should the Angel have had reason to have sung Peace on Earth and good Will towards men if the greatest part of Mankind had been necessarily shut out from receiving any Benefit by it How should Christ have sent out His to Preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16.15 a very Comprehensive Commission that is To every son and daughter of Mankind without all Exception He Commands them to Preach Salvation to all Repentance and Remission of sins to all Warning every one and Exhorting every one as Paul did Col. 1.28 Now how couldd they have preached the Gospel to every man The Gospel is preached to Every man as became the Ministers of Jesus Christ in much Assurance if Salvation by that Gospel had not been possible for all What! If some of those had asked them or should now ask any of these Doctors who deny the Vniversality of Christ's Death and yet preach it to all promiscuously Hath Christ died sor me How can they with confidence give a certain Answer to this Question If they give a Conditional Answer as their Principle obligeth them to do and say If thou Repent Christ hath died for thee doth not the same Question still Recur Hath Christ died for me so as to make Repentance possible for me To this they can Answer nothing unless they run in a Circle whereas the Feet of those that bring the glad Tidings of the Gospel of Peace are said to be beautiful for that they preach the Common Salvation Repentance unto all offering a door of Mercy and Hope to all through Jesus Christ who gave himself a Ransom for all The Gospel Invites all and certainly by the Gospel Christ intended not to deceive and delude the greater part of Mankind when he Inviteth and Crieth saying Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ' I will give you Rest. If All then ought to seek after him and to look for Salvation by him he must needs have made Salvation possible to all for who is bound to seek after that which is Impossible Certainly it were a mocking of men to bid them do so And such as deny that by the Death of Christ Salvation is made possible to all men do most blasphemously make God mock the World in giving his Servants a Commission to preach the Gospel of Salvation unto ALL while he hath before decreed The Absurdity of that Doctrine of Absolute Reprobation that it shall not be possible for them to Receive it Would not this make the Lord to send forth his Servants with a Lie in their mouths which were blasphemous to think commanding them to bid all and every one to believe that Christ died for them and had purchased life and Salvation whereas it is no such thing according to the fore-mentioned Doctrine But seeing Christ after he Arose and perfected the work of our Redemption gave a Commission to preach Repentance Remission of Sins and Salvation to all it is manifest that he died for all For he that hath Commissionated his Servants thus to preach is a God of Truth and no mocker of poor Mankind neither doth he require of any man that which is simply Impossible for him to do for that No man is bound to do that which is Impossible is a principle of Truth ingraven in every man's mind And seeing he is both a most Righteous and Merciful God it cannot at all stand neither with his Justice nor Mercy to bid such men Repent or Believe to whom it is Impossible § VII Moreover if we Regard the Testimony of the Scripture in this matter where there is not one Scripture which I know of that affirmeth To Pray for all for Christ died for all Christ not to die for ALL there are divers that positively and expresly Assert he did as 1 Tim. 2.1 3 4 6. I exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men c. for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have All men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Except we will have the Apostle here to Assert quite another thing than he intended there can be nothing more plain to Confirm what we have Asserted And this Scripture doth well answer to that manner of Arguing which we have hitherto used For first the Apostle here Recommends them to Pray for all men And to obviate such an Objection as if he had said with our Adversaries Christ prayed not for the World neither willeth he us to pray for All because he willeth not that All should be saved but hath ordained many to be damned that he might shew forth his Justice in them He obviates I say such an Objection telling them That it is good and acceptable in the sight of God who will have all men to be saved I desire
purpose to make a long digression concerning the Debates among Protestants concerning the first day of the Week commonly called the Lord's day yet forasmuch as it comes fitly in here I shall briefly signifie our sense thereof § IV. We not seeing any ground in Scripture for it Of the first day of the Week commonly called the Lord's Day cannot be so superstitious as to believe that either the Jewish Sabbath now continues or that the First Day of the Week is the Anti-Type thereof or the true Christian Sabbath which with Calvin we believe to have a more Spiritual sense and therefore we know no moral Obligation by the fourth Command or elsewhere to keep the first day of the Week more as any other or any Holiness Inherent in it But first forasmuch as it is most necessary that there be some Time set apart for the Saints to Meet together to Wait upon God and that secondly it is fit at some times they be freed from their other outward Affairs and that Thirdly Reason and Equity doth allow that servants and beasts have some time allowed them to be eased from their continual labour and that fourthly it appears that the Apostles and primitive Christians did use the First Day of the Week for these purposes We find our selves sufficiently moved for these Causes to do so also without superstitiously straining the Scriptures for another Reason which that it is not to be there found many Protestants yea Calvin himself upon the fourth Command hath abundantly evinced And though we therefore Meet and abstain from Working upon this day yet doth not that hinder us from having Meetings also for Worship at other Times § V. Thirdly Though according to the Knowledge of God revealed unto us by the Spirit through that more full Dispensation of Light which we believe the Lord hath brought about in this day we judge it our duty to hold forth that Pure and Spiritual Worship which is acceptable to God and answerable to the Testimony of Christ and his Apostles and likewise to Testify against and deny not only manifest Superstition and Idolatry but also all formal Will-worship which stands not in the Power of God yet I say we do not deny the whole Worship of all those The Worship in th' Apostasy that have born the Name of Christians even in the Apostasy as if God had never heard their prayers nor accepted any of them God forbid we should be so void of Charity The latter part of the Proposition sheweth the Contrary And as we would not be so Absurd on the one hand to conclude because of the Errors and Darkness that many were covered and surrounded with in Babylon that none of their Prayers were heard or accepted of God so will we not be so unwary on the other as to conclude that because God heard and pityed them so we ought to continue in these Errors and Darkness and not come out of Babylon when it is by God discovered unto us The Popish Mass and Vespers I do believe to be The Popish Mass and Vespers Bernard and Bonavent Taulerus Thomas à Kempis have tasted of the Love of God as to the matter of them Abominable Idolatry and Superstition and so also believe the Protestants yet will either I or they affirm that in the darkness of Popery no upright-hearted men though zealous in these Abominations have been heard of God or accepted of him Who can deny but that both Bernard and Bonaventur Taulerus Thomas à Kempis and divers others have both known and tasted of the love of God and felt the Power and Vertue of God's Spirit working with them for their Salvation And yet ought we not to forsake and deny those Superstitions which they were found in The Calvinistical Presbyterians do much upbraid and I say not without Reason the formality and deadness of the Episcopalian and Lutheran Liturgies The Bishops Liturgy and yet as they will not deny but there have been some good men among them so neither dare they refuse but that when that good step was brought in by them of turning the publick prayers into the vulgar Tongues though continued in a Liturgy it was acceptable to God and sometimes accompanied with his Power and Presence yet will not the Presbyterians have it from thence concluded that the Common-Prayers should still continue so likewise though we should confess that through the mercy and wonderful Condescension of God there have been Vpright in heart both among Papists and Protestants yet can we not therefore Approve of their Way in the general or not go on to the upholding of that Spiritual Worship which the Lord is calling all to and so to the testifying against whatsoever stands in the way of it § VI. Fourthly To come then to the State of the Controversy as to the Publick Worship Assemblies of Worship in publick described we judge it the Duty of all to be diligent in the Assembling of themselves together and what we have been and are in this matter our Enemies in Great Britain who have used all means to hinder our Assembling together to worship God may bear witness And when Assembled the great Work of one and all ought to be to Wait upon God and returning out of their own Thoughts and Imaginations to feel the Lord's Presence and know a gathering into his Name indeed where he is in the midst according to his Promise And as every one is thus gathered and so Met together inwardly in their spirits as well as outwardly in their persons there the secret Power and Vertue of Life is known to refresh the Soul and the pure motions and breathings of God's Spirit are felt to arise from which as words of Declaration prayers or praises arise the acceptable Worship is known which edifies the Church and is well-pleasing to God And no man here limits the Spirit of God nor bringeth forth his own cunned and gathered Stuff but every one puts that forth It s Glorious Dispensation which the Lord puts into their hearts and it 's uttered forth not in man's Will and Wisdom but in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power Yea though there be not a word spoken yet is the true Spiritual Worship performed and the Body of Christ edified yea it may and hath often fall'n out among us that divers Meetings have past without one word and yet our Souls have been greatly edified and refreshed and our hearts wonderfully overcome with the secret sense of God's Power and Spirit which without words hath been ministred from one Vessel to another This is indeed strange and incredible to the meer natural and carnally-minded men who will be apt to judge all time lost where there is not something spoken that 's obvious to the outward senses and therefore I shall insist a little upon this subject as one that can speak from a Certain Experience and not by meer hear-say of this wonderful and glorious
26. It is absurd to affirm Christ is in none but those with whom he is united 6 63. Christ's praying to save him from this Hour explained 783. what the Flesh and Blood of Christ is 861 901. Christian how he is a Christian and when he ceaseth so to be 269 270 273 281 282 283 285 394 410 412 418. the foundation of his Faith 294 295. his Priviledge ibid. when men are made Christians by Birth and not by conversion 405 406. they have borrowed many things from Jews and Gentiles 475 476. they recoil by little and little from their first Purity 486 509. the Primitive Christians for some ages said We are Christians we Swear not 555. and We are the Soldiers of Christ it is not lawful for us to Fight 562. Concerning the Life of a Christian what and how it ought to be 149 157. Every Christian ought to be concerned in the Work of the Lord 707 a Judgment of several sorts of Christians must be made from their respective Principles and not from the Practice of particular Persons 684. the Gathering of the Primitive Christians was an uniting of Hearts and not of Hands only 697 709. Christianity is made as an Art 273. It is not Christianity without the Spirit 281 283 296 297. It would be turned into Scepticism 423 424 484 491 492. It is placed chiefly in the renewing of the Heart 407. Wherein it consists not 450. what is and is not the mark thereof 484 486 492. why it is Odious to Jews Turks and Heathens 498. what would contribute to its Commendation 534. What the Cause is of all the Mischief in Christendom 711 713. the Essence or Being of Christianity placed in the true and real Conversion of the heart by vertue of the operation of the Light Seed and Grace of God 700. that there is nothing but the Name and nothing of the Nature of true Christianity among Christians is manifest in the Clergy 708 709 27. the Call of God to blinded Christendom 356. CHVRCH without which there is no Salvation what she is concerning her Members Visibility Profession Degeneration Succession 403 to 417. whatsoever is done in the Church without the instinct of the Holy Spirit is vain and impious 419. the same may be said of her that in the Schools is Disputed of Theseus's Boat 431. in her Corrections ought to be Exercised and against whom 508. she is more Corrupted by the Accession of Hypocrites 521. the Contentions of the Greek and Latine Churches about Leavened or Vnleavened Bread in the Supper 506. the Luke-warmness of the Church of Laodicea 411. there are Introduced into the Roman Church no less Superstitions and Ceremonies than among the Heathens and Jews 406. The Church of Rome's pretended Charity 688 689. the Church of Rome no Church 647. the Basis and Foundation of that Church stands in Confessing the Superiority and Precedency of Peter and his Successors and in believing that Infallibility is annexed thereunto 688. the True Church is distinguished from the False by its real Sanctification and true Holiness 203. what a Church is defined 208. the Notion and Definition of a Church which arises from the Universal Principle of Light and Grace doth Establish Universal Love 702. the Cause of the True Church's gathering to a Body was a Sense of their Want 697. such as are sanctified properly constitute the Church 226. who is the Head and who the Ministers thereof 139 144 167 168. God's Care over his Church and Heritage 191 192. Men may be said to be within the Church who want outward Preaching 805 807. the great property of the Church of Christ is pure Vnity in Spirit 217. The Ground of Division Separation and Schism in the Church 188. In the Primitive Church Condescension was practised in case of Weakness though those weak ones were not suffered to propagate their Scruples 223 224 In what Cases the Church of Christ may pronounce a positive Sentence and Judgment without the hazzard of Imposition upon either of the Parties Controverting 216 867. Circumcision a Seal of the Old Covenant 490 586. Clergy 428 430 433 436 437 507. The Clergy the greatest Promoters of Wars 708 709. they are so Impudent as to thank God for the Destruction of their Fellow-Creatures 709. upon the Charge of a Prince or State they will pray for those to whom before they wished Ruin and Destruction ibid. They cloud the Truth that the Common People might Maintain and Admire them 731. they acted the Mad Pranks of John of Leyden in the Civil Wars of England 668. See Protestants Clothes That it is not Lawful for Christians to use things superfluous in Cloaths 543 545 564 565. Comforter for what end he was sent 271 272. Commission The Commission of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more Legal than Evangelical 419. Communion the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is a Spiritual and inward thing 148 149. that Body that Blood is a Spiritual Thing and that it is that heavenly Seed whereby Life and Salvation was of old and is now Communicated 593 594. how any become partakers thereof 496 497 498. it is not tied to the Ceremony of breaking Bread and drinking Wine which Christ used with his Disciples this was only a Figure 494 497 to 503. whether that Ceremony be a necessary part of the New Covenant and whether it is to be continued 504 to 515. Spiritual Communion with God through Christ is obtained 311. they that Witness Christ come need not Bread and Wine to put them in Remembrance of him 35 see Supper Community of Goods is not brought in by the Quakers 516 533 534. Complements see Titles Conscience see Magistrate Its Definition what it is it is distinguished from the saving Light 366 337 338 515 516. the good Conscience and the hypocritical 400. he that acteth contrary to his Conscience sinneth and concerning an Erring Conscience 516. what things appertain to Conscience ibid what sort of Liberty of Conscience is defended 517. it is the Throne of God ibid. it is free from the Power of all Men 527. Conscience and Reason are distinguished from the Saving Light of Christ in all Men 603. Clem. Alex. his Testimony 579. God alone can Inform and Inlighten the Conscience 704. Conversion what is Man's therein is rather a Passion than an Action 331. Augustin's Saying ibid. this is Cleared by two Examples 339 340. Conversion presupposeth having Light and Grace 8. Controversy Solid Controversies may be entertained for Clearing and Maintaining the Truth 730. Correction how and against whom it ought to be exercised 517. Covenant The Difference betwixt the New and Old Covenant-Worship 286 287 441 442 456 458 484. See also Gospel Law Courts see Princes Cross the Sign of the Cross 492. D. Dancing see Plays Day whether any be Holy and concerning the Day commonly called the Lord's Day 442 503. Whether the First Day of the Week has any more Inherent Holiness than any other Days