of goods or claiming of propriety 3. Concerning fasting or eating and drinking 4. Concerning being of the strictest Sect of the true Religion such as was the Pharsees or of one more remiss such as was the Scribes But it will be demanded how these may be applicable to the matter in hand I answer that as the case stands betwixt man and man in these particulars so it doth also betwixt Church and Church for they are all governed by the same Law and by the same Spirit and the case is the same in every respect 1. For such who make themselves chaste for the Kingdom of Heavens sake it is good for such not to touch a Woman as 1 Cor. 7. 1. And therefore they ought to be carefull how they carry themselves in such respects And it is not lawful for such to marry if they so resolve and know they have power over their own wills as hath beer said before Even so a Church being rightly constituted and having Divine power and authority given her through faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ And that desires to be presented as a chaste Virgin onely unto Christ and to be governed by him It is not lawful for such a Church or at least not good for her to binde her selfe to be subject to the Vote or power and Jurisdiction of other Churches that are not constituted as a chaste Virgin onely unto Christ and to be ruled by him and by his Word and Spirit Or if they be not resolved to be as chast as she and as fully subject to the Rules and Laws and waies of Christ but think they ought to consociate with such who are more loose in their Doctrine and Government and ways c. which as yet she cannot resolve to do upon any principles she hath yet received from Christ her head And there is a resemblance nto a little remarkable held forth to us by the Holy Ghost betwixt the Husband and Wife and Christ and his Church Ephes 5. 22. c. both of them being bound to be subject alike though yet in the Lord. And as it is so that there is cause of Jealousie that some Women will not continue chaste So there is cause of Jealousie that some Churches will not be espoused unto one Husband that they may be presented as a chaste Virgin to Christ but their minds will be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ as 2 Cor. 11. 2 3 4. Secondly As it is with a man as hath been said so it is with a Church in the second particular For if a particular Church shall amongst themselves being of one heart and of one minde have all things common and none of them claime propriety of goods as meerly his own but that they may be distributed as every one hath need As so it is lawful if they can so agree and do it freely without grudging or repining yet it were unlawful and a folly and madness to joyne themselves so in community of goods to such in whom they could not expect the like community they being quit of a contrary minde and heart c. like Ananias and Saphirah covetous and hypocritical and only ayming at carnal ends Thirdly And so likewise as it lawful for a particular man to give themselves much unto fasting and prayer as hath been said Even so it is likewise for a particular Church if they so agree amongst themselves to give themselves much unto fasting and payer as in their apprehension they shall think they have cause for the good of their soules in general or particular Where it may be on the contrary some other Churches in their apprehensions have more cause of thankfulness finding for the present that the Bridegroom is with them As so for this reason the Disciples of Christ fasted not whereas the Disciples of John fasted often And why then should Churches of different judgments in these respects be bound by Authority all to rejoyce or all to mourn and fast and pray at the same times and no more frequently but as all can agree so to humble themselves And how should it chuse but ingage men to hypocrisie save only in case of some general judgment of which we are certain that all are sencible and affected with it And fourthly and lastly As it is lawful for a particular man to be of the strictest Sect of the true Religion such as were the Pharisees So it is lawful for a particular Church to be of the strictest way in respect of Government Doctrine and Discipline that can be devised or made good from Scripture as lawful c. And the Magistrate ought not to enforce her to conform unto any Churches that are more remisse and loose or careless or not so strict or careful and conscientious as they ought to be Though I will not deny But the Magistrate ought to tollerate such who think they ought not to be so strict as well as the other For as all good men whose general bent is the glory of God cannot attain such measures or degrees of grace and wisdom as of faith and holiness and of zeal c. one as another Even so all Churches though they be true Churches cannot possibly attain to be so rightly constituted and so severe and strict in Discipline and Government and Doctrine c. as others can though the stricter the better in some respect as I shall hereafter shew though in some things to be over strict is a foule fault The one conceiving that they ought to proceed according to the rule of charity and the other of certainty The one expecting but faith Historical in their admissions But the other searching for Faith Justifying such as appeares by Works in all such whom they doe approve As there is strong Arguments that might easily be produced on both patties even from sacred Scripture that it is not easie to reconcile I hope they will not say that either of them yet have clearly demonstrated from sacred Scriptures their owne resolves concerning Baptisme I shall therefore it may be propose betwixt them something of that But from these precedent grounds First it is clear that these conclusions will justly reprove and I hope convince both the Independents and Presbyterians in that they do not labour to accord and love and strive to live and carry as Bretheren and communicate together in all the Ordinances as Bretheren ought and as occasion serves But the one striving to enforce conformity to their wayes and rules and principles c. to which in conscience they it may be are engaged And the other blaming and condemning them as too remisse and not so upright and conscientious nor walking by so just and strict a rule in constitution government and discipline of the Congregations as they ought to do and as they are resolved to engage themselves and therefore seek for liberty so to do By this means they fall at varience and fall out by the way and about the way though they
as to Abraham and David and Salomon and Joab c. and it is a more blessed things to be a giver then a receiver And men have a true and just propertie in their own goods or estates as Acts 5. 4. and it is in their own power neither ought any to be compelled to such community of goods and estates nor to distribute and communicate but as they doe it freely of their own voluntary minds without grudging or any impulsion as of necessity either to the poor or to the Ministery as Gal. 6. 6 7 8 9 10. and 2 Cor. 9. 6 7 8 9 10 c. And the Apostle moved them not as speaking by commandement but by reason of the forwardness of others and the Example of Christ who being rich for their sakes became poor that they through his poverty might be rich as Chap. 8. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. And that supplying each others there might be equallity as Vers 14. 15. as doubtless to such who are mutually affected it is no more but equal and therefore a duty but otherwise not but were a sin 3. It is lawful for a man to beat down his body and to bring it in subjection by fasting and by labour and travaile night and day as 2 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26 27 c. It is not unlawfull to fast often yea twice in the week like the Scribes and Pharisees Yea it is lawful for man and wife to defrande one another with consent for a time that they may give themselves unto fasting and prayer so they come together again That Satan tempt them not for their incontinency as 1 Cor. 7. 5. And they that do thus doubtless may see cause for it why they should fast sometimes when they give themselves unto prayer As first because when the stomack is empty the whole strength of the soul and spirit is set at liberty It not being bent and imployed in digestion of meat That with full bent of all the powers and faculties both of soul and body they may strive and wrestle with God in prayer and be the more faithfull and confident and the more capable and apprehensive of spiritual understanding for when the stomach is burthened and cloyed with meat the strength of the spirit is necessarily engaged for digestion of the same and makes the minde drowsie and dull and the more uncapable and unfit for Communion and fellowship with God and for the presence and power of his holy Spirit working therein and acting and exercising and inlarging the same according to his will making request for the Saints according to the will of God even with sight and groans that canned be expressed It is therefore meet upon serious occasions of seeking unto God that we fast and pray with fulness of devotion and fervencie of spirit if we would obtain And secondly in regard that some things are not attainable some kind of Devils not cast out but by fasting and prayer Mar. 9. 29. which cleerly implies that fasting and prayer jointly are more powerfull and prevalent with God then when severed as prayer only And yet for all this it was lawful for Peter and the rest of the Apostles to eat and drink c. and who could eat or who else could hasten unto outward things more then wise Salomon who seriously concludes That there is nothing better for a man then that he should eat and drink and he should make his soul to enjoy the fruit of his labour and this he saw that it was of the hand of God For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight Wisdom and knowledge and Joy but to the sinner he giveth travaile to gather and to heap up that he may give to him that is good before God Eccles 2. 24 25 26. And the Lord Jesus even Christ himselfe as his own words do plainly declare that contrary to the practice of John the Baptist He the Son of man came eating and drinking eating bread and drinking wine insomuch that they said of him Behold a gluttenous man and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners Luke 7. 34. And the Disciples of John fasted often but his Disciples fasted not whiles he was with them And therefore it follows that as there is diversities of gifts and of administrations and operations given out by the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Even so accordingly men are called of God one after this manner and another after that and have so also their proper gifts of God as 1 Cor. 7. 7. And as God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so he ought to walk for so the Apostle ordained in all Churches as vers 17. And therefore it follows that it must not be expected that every man should be alike absteneous from the things of this life not bind themselves to so strict a discipline both over their bodies and minds c. as some others both will and can and ought to doe 4. The Apostle Paul after the most strict Sect of the Jewish Religion he lived a Pharisee which clearly implies that at least there were three that were several Sects of the Jewish Religion of which the Pharisees were the strictest and yet they were all Religious men and of the true Religion too there were Scribes and Pharisees and Saduces and all religious and zealous also in their own wayes and according to their own Traditions and Doctrines though they something differed amongst themselves yet they were all tolerated by the Civil State and the Civil State was not reprehended either by John the Baptist or by Christ himself for such toleration but their false Doctrines and Covetousness and Hypocrisie were reproved and sharply too 1. Consequence And therefore it follows That all ought not to be compell'd to engage themselves to so strict and holy and severe a discipline as ought to be tolerated and practised by others who can embrace and freely engage to endure the same considering these grounds before named 2. And secondly it follows That a stricter Discipline ought to be tolerated by the Civil Magistrate that such who please and can freely accord to engage themselves to the exercise thereof amongst themselves may have liberty to doe it provided they offer not to inforce their way Then ought to be imposed or made as a general and binding Rule or way of Government to which all must necessarily be ingaged in or bound unto Reason For it is the Duty of some men as hath been said to bind themselves to a stricter Discipline then others need or ought to doe The one being qualified through the grace of God and fitted for it and so manifestly ingaged and called of God so to doe but the other not qualified nor so disposed through the grace of God are manifestly engaged and called of God to the quite contrary as in these foure Instances above written 1. Concerning Chastity or Marriage 2. Concerning community
generally not understood Quest 2. But may not some men by means of good Education attain to a great measure of wisdom and knowledge even in spiritual things and so to the word of wisdom and of knowledge and to speak unto men to Edification and Exhortation and Comfort and yet not have the spirit of God nor his power evidently demonstrable as is asserted Answ I answer No For the natural man perceiveth not the things of God neither can he know them saith the Apostle because they are spiritually discerned And therefore he neither can know them nor speak of them feelingly and apprehensively but only Theoretically according to the largeness and capacity of his memory as he hath learned and is grounded in the principles of Religion and of Faith and Doctrine as it were in a Catachetical child-like manner who can keep to the words but know not the sence And doe by Art of memory speak in the same words and phrases and manner and form of doctrine with others But as for feeling apprehension and spiritual understanding and knowledge indeed of what they speak they are utterly uncapable whiles they want faith And this is easie to discern by their coldness on the one hand or their zeal on the other in delivery thereof And by their Emphatical or loose and light expressions and arguments and motives and meanes c. it is easie to discern whether a man speak in spirit that is to say whether it come from the heart and affection or but from the brain only Neither is it easie to counterfeit hearty affection but it may easily be discern'd that it is but forc'd A very Ideot may by strength of memory speak the bare words of a Sermon and rabble them over but he cannot keep to the distinct sense of every period according to the proper intended Emphasis or meaning thereof but may by improper periods and interceptions make the sence seem quite contrary to what it is indeed but a man that understands it and is apprehensively affected according to it can expresse it suitable to the true intent and meaning thereof Even just so it is betwixt men that are spiritual through faith in God and such as are carnal in all their expressions concerning spiritual things Obj. But though it be difficult and hard to counterfeit yet it may be done so as few or none can discern but they are as spiritual and as sound as others Qu. What notes therefore is there to prove for certain and that will evidence and demonstrate indeed that it is the spirit of God that speaks in such miracles excepted Ans There is many notes by which men may be known to speak in the Spirit and by the Spirit of God But some are more certain and infallible then others I shall therefore instance in some of the most certain And those that on purpose are given out by the Spirit of God as evident demonstrations of the same Spirit and of power c. 1. And first That note given out by the Lord Jesus Christ himself is an evident demonstration that men are sent of God and come not of themselves to wit seeking his glory if that do appeare For saith Christ He that commeth of himself seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him Joh. 7. 18. Their zeal therefore for the glory of God and self-denial is a manifestation of the Spirit of God 2. That Joh. 10. 10. The Thief commeth not but for to steale and to kill and to destroy But the good shepherd 〈◊〉 that they might have life and have it more abundantly to wit spiritual life so that a desire will appear in the good Shepherds that the sheep of Christ might have A spiritual life through faith and that they might be edified and built up further in the same faith even from strength to strength And rather then saile of this their ends they will not stick to lay down even their lives for the good of their sheep as vers 11. But will continue to build them up further in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus as vers 28. 3. The wisdom which is from above is first pure not dark and confused darkning the councell with words without knowledge but pure words Psalm 12. 6. 2. It is peaceable not wrangling and froward angry and contentious 3. It is gentle and meeke not sowre and proud and harsh and furious 4. It is easie to be intreated not self-willed and obstinate obdurate and implacable but ingenious and tractable 5. It is full of mercy and good fruits both in word and deed and not cruel and unmerciful pittiless and careless of doing good neither to the just nor unjust Look Jam. 17. 18. 4. It is the property of the holy Ghost when he cometh or by whomsoever he speaketh To convince the world of sin of righteousness and of judgement Joh. 16. 8. 5. And to lighten things that are hid in darknesse and make the councels of the hearts manifest as 1 Cor. 4. 5. and Chap. 14. 24 25. The first by a clear unfolding and interpreting of sacred Scriptures that are dark unto others and not formerly opened and this of all others is the most manifest evidence of the Spirit of God And secondly a speaking to the heart and to the souls and consciences of men discovring their very thoughts and councels And approving themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 6. Their comming to the light that their deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought in God is a cleare evidence that they do truth as John 3. 21. their end appearing to be such that they meane no falshood 7. Their shining forth as lights in the world and holding forth the word of life Phil. 2. 15. 16. Yea even the faithful word that cannot be reproved and making it manifest as they ought to do for therefore they are called the light of the world Marth 5. 14. For all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Ephes 5. 13 14. But the chief of all these particulars is a cleare understanding and knowledge of God and of the sacred Scriptures and of the secrets and miseries of the Kingdom of God for without all controversie Great is the mystery of godlinesse as the Apostle saith Coloss 1. 26. 27 28. Rom. 16. 25. Ephes 3. 9. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Tit. 1. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 20. Reas For to them that are without and unbeleeving all things saith Christ are done in Parables Luke 8. 10. and Mar. 4. 33 34. Matth. 13. 11 12 to 18. How much more then are the secret mysteries of God and of Christ and of our spirituall union and communion with him which is onely spiritual through faith and love Parables and Misteries unto all such who have no knowledge of God at all but only as they have heard of him by the