have laboured to prove and maintain for truth Fourthly I am ready to receive a confutation in any thing wherein you can with either Scripture or Reason confute mee provided that you doe not argue against Scripture where a Babe may not onely read but as easily conclude what is truth Sixthly perhaps my plainnesse in phrase and method may dislike some that have more learning in the Tongues and other Liberall Arts to display truth with I intreat them to note what my end is in this my paines not to come with excellency of speech if I had it I aime at truth of matter for it is that which we have need of in these times Seventhly I beleeve that they are the vulgar sort of people that have most need of helpe in these Points I treat of for the Learned I hope there are not many of them that doe much miscarry in these things nor will dissent from the substantialls in them Eightly if I chance to come out a second time it may hap I may sore higher then some looke for but I would first appeare to the weakest for they are those that the wolves doe watch to make a prey of chiefly therefore I would endeavour to secure them and then I passe very little to meet with both Fox Wolfe and all the Frogs of Rome And so much I beleeve you will conclude upon when you see their skins so pulled about their eares as in this Booke they lye if a course be but timely taken with them they will rather be gone from us then stay to be so mangled as here they be Ninthly I intreat you to bee advised by mee in this one thing especially viz. when any Point is treated upon in any Booke wherein the Text to prove a Doctrine by is not expressed at large by the Author but the place named by figures onely there take good heed lest you too soone make a conclusion of a supposed truth before you looke in the Text it selfe for many Writers doe not rehearse the sentence it self but name the place and so goe on in argument with it and many times the Reader makes a conclusion as the Author of the booke doe conceive to bee the truth although it bee many times false therefore it were good that all Writers would rehearse the sentence of the Scripture they quote to prove any thing by at least in a matter that is of any great weight as in this Book I doe Another thing I intreat of you which is this that you will read seriously and minde onely that you read free from distraction or trouble of minde as you read and read through a Point from the beginning to the end when you read And when you have a Booke whose matter is sure Divinity and short for memory and plaine for capacity keep that by you to view continually I intreat the Reader to accept of this my good will to doe him good and by his so doing I shall bee well satisfied and bee ready in any way I may or can be able to be Your Servant George Palmer Canterbury June 11. 1647. Sectaries unmasked and confuted NO separation ought to bee in the Church of Christ nor divisions or forsaking the assemblies of our selves together in the publick Ordinances of godly and religious exercises Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them c. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speak the same thing and that there bee no divisions among you but that yee bee perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement And in Chap. 3. 3. Yee are yet carnall for whereas there is among you envie and strife and divisions are ye not carnall c. And Heb. 10. 24 25. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is c. 1 Cor. 12. 24 25 26. God hath tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked that there should be no Schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another that they should suffer one with another By all these places of Scriptures it doth appear that the Church should have no divisions viz. Christs body I say it should not have divisions for although at some times it had some divisions yet the Apostles did alwayes endeavour to reclaime them from such divisions as you may see by these texts of Scriptures here now quoted But it is to bee now considered what kind of Divisions those were at least chiefly that the Apostle doth disclaim which was amongst those members hee then did dehort these Corinthians from and how farre he then for the present did condescending to their weaknesse permit them liberty of conscience for as I said hee did endeavour to settle them in one way of religious exercises void of division though for the present hee permitted them some liberty of conscience in some things that were of least concernment and not destructive to the whole Body or indanger it to an absolute confusion And to this end I will first look over the Texts already quoted and produce what I am able from them and after that produce Reasons to shew the inconveniences that comes by the divisions that are amongst Christians in their religious exercises Briefly and also the happines that we may attain unto by a godly unity in affection and next after I will by Arguments endeavour to shew that this unity in affection is much forwarded by a uniformity in religious exercises where it may be attained in a warrantable way and next whether we may not now in these our dayes attain unto these things without offending at least much any good conscience though weak And then I will hang forth some signes or characters by which wee may collect which party is in most fault in their conversations between those that stand for the Presbyterialists government or at least nearest it and those that dissent from it and proceed to the Independent ways which they call Congregationall that so we may by that meanes see our hearts more clearly For doubtlesse many of us that are assured that we have some goodnes in truth in us are not so forward and apt to espy our sinister ends or by-respects and that it is a great tryall to a man who having once interessed himself to maintaine an opinion to undergoe a disgrace by renouncing it afterwards though he be convinced in his judgement And I will briefly note some things that may move us to give God the glory and our selves take some shame seeing wee all deserve it And lastly indeavour to perswade those that stand for the Presbyteriall government to imbrace those that renounce the other wayes or any sins
in divine things and heavenly ordinances Now I come to the chiefe Master-piece or Goliah with his armour-bearer And that is Whether wee in these our times may not attaine to this uniformity in a warrantable way without much offending any good conscience though weake that so we may attaine to this unity of affection in godlinesse and thereby attaine to the happinesse I spake of both in this life and the world to come sempiternally And I will name some points of Doctrine which those that stand for the Presbyteriall government or nearest it doe hold and maintaine the which those that doe dissent from us doe oppose some of them in one point and some of them in another point c. the which points are not amongst most of us held to bee fundamentalls of our Religion as in truth they are not that is to say both parties if honest and true hearted in the fundamentalls may bee saved without them if they could hold and continue so to the end of their dayes and their seed also successively But those things we differ in are such as are to maintain and preserve us in those fundamentalls chiefly and without which we cannot long stand upon them but shall fall off And these points doe chiefly concern the government of the Church and divers particulars in the demeanors or manners in the same as also who ought to bee accounted worthy to bee esteemed a member of the Church and accordingly received to be of the company and partakers of the ordinances belonging to the Church Therefore I will name so many points as I have heard differenced between those that are for the Presbyteriall government or nearest it and their opposites and perhaps I will insert a few more points too and produce what Scriptures I can remember to cleare the truth of the points and bring divers Reasons for some points too by which meanes many may not pretend liberty of conscience without just cause and bring ruine to the whole body spirituall To name these points in order strictly I will not promise content to every one And first for the Church viz. Who are it To this I answer in strict knowledge of it none but God can tell but so farre as the Scriptures give us light to see so farre we are to conclude in a charitable esteem and that is thus Those that professe to be saved by faith in Christ Jesus according to the fundamentalls contained in the Word of God and are partakers of his ordinances and frame their lives according to his commandements Now herein we differ much about this latter part the Independents and we Presbyterialls The Presbyterialls say that there be divers degrees of sanctification which in some is more and in some is lesse yea so little in some as that they doe but eschew the habituall acting of capitall sins in their outward demeanors to mans view so to speak comparing one sin to another as those the Apostle hath laid down as a rule for us to be guided by in this particular point now in hand viz. to judge and account of a fit member in some degree of a Church as we may see in Ephes. 5. 5. No whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man which is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners nor such like shall inherit the kingdome of God But the Independents or as they will rather be called the Congregationall party they hold that except there be a more greater and more larger or stricter walking in the wayes of God there can be no conclusion made that those persons have any saving grace in them at that time and therefore not to bee received as members of a Church but that if they will be esteemed members of the true Church they must have such godly exercises in their families in a more demonstrative degree and manner then doe appeare to bee in them that are for the Presbyteriall government for the more part and more zealous and frequent in the exercises of divine ordinances or else they are not to be received as members of Christs mysticall body Now to decide this question I will bring divers Scriptures to prove that there were divers sins and divers sorts of sins both of omission and commission amongst the true beleevers not onely in the time of the old Testament as the sins of David a man after Gods own heart as the Scripture termeth him and divers others also of good report but in the Primitive Churches in the Apostles time And first I will begin in 1 Cor. 3. 1. to 5. these are said to be carnall and addicted to strifes c. and yet they are called babes in Christ Heb. 5. 12 13. these are such as are said to have need to be taught again the first principles of the oracles of God c. they were not capable of strong meat but had still need of milk viz. babes diet for they were still babes these were relapsed in part yet Christian babes Col. 3. the former verses These had their affections too much set upon the things of this life 2 Pet. 1. 5 6. these must then adde to their faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. 1 Thess. 4. 1. to the end of ver. 6. and also ver. 10 11. these are wanting in knowledge and holinesse and were addicted to carnall lusts to uncleannesse and to fraud and deceit as too many professors are now adayes 2 Cor. 7. 1. these were exhorted to cleanse themselves both of flesh and spirit too 1 Thes. 3. 12 13. these were to increase in love one toward another and toward all men that God might establish their hearts unblamable in holinesse Chap. 5. 23. here the Apostle prayeth for these that God would sanctifie them wholly c. Heb. 13. 5. these were dehorted from covetousnesse Col. 1. 9. the Apostle prayeth for these that they might bee filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding and that they might be fruitfull in every good worke Joh. 17. 17. in this place Christ prayed for his Apostles that they might be yet more sanctified And the Corinthians were too much hankerers after fornication and adultery as you may see in 1 Cor. 6. 23. to the end of the Chapter and some of the former verses also and in the eight first verses you may see a great fault in them reproved by the Apostle viz. so great a defect of love and good will each to other that they went to law one against another and that before the unjust unbeleevers yea they themselves did use fraud to each other as in v. 8. appeareth and yet these to whom this reproof was given were beleevers as you may see in ver. 6. By all these Scriptures it doth
appeare that many in the present state of grace have been charged and reproved for many sins and corruptions at that time when they were in the faith and present state of salvation yet the Apostle did not make a separation nor divisions nor schismes I doe not note these faults and defects of sanctification which betoken weaknesse in the faith to strengthen any in sin far be it from me to incourage or comfort any in their persisting in vice but I would not have any judge of men too rashly and uncharitably contrary to the rule of Gods Word lest wee condemne some to be in the way of damnation when they are in the present state of salvation And from this mistake ariseth a spirit of uncharitable and unwarrantable and dangerous separation from all the ordinances and meanes of salvation or at the least the most part of them by this their blind judging without the true rule How shall such weake Christians beset with corruptions be helped and strengthened against their sinnes and ignorances if the stronger Christians separate from them We that are strong saith the Apostle ought to bear the infirmity of the weake viz. instruct them exhort them reprove them and allure them by the Word of truth by the danger of damnation in hell and salvation in heaven Now consider these things you that are so forward to censure men so much uncharitably as to separate your selves from men that are not worse in their conversation then these men aforesaid were nay you separate from some that are not so scandalous as many of these now quoted were and you do debar these and such like men from receiving the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is due to all Christians and such as you are to account so they being not worse then these aforesaid in their outward demeanor nay we are to hope better of some that are worse then these before quoted See for this also in 2 Thess. 3. 14. these are the words If any man obey not our Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother as in v. 25 in the 6. such a person is named to them also and in 1 Thess. 5. 14. are these words Warne the unruly By all these places it doth appeare that these were not to bee separated from the Church for still they were to admonish them as Brethren which they were not to doe if they were utterly cast out or rejected onely they were to estrange themselves from them that is to say not to have so much familiarity as before or as with those that were not so disorderly or unruly but yet admonish him as a Brother still and thus much shall suffice for this Point now thus stretched and tagged Now having found a Rule out of Gods Word by which we are to esteem and receive a member of the Church viz. the body of Christ lest we cast out or reject more lambs of Christ then wee shall retaine sheep In the next place it is requisite to know who ought to feed them or bee their most publike Teachers for although the members of Christ are all to bee helpfull each to other that is as the Apostle commandeth edifie one another yet the same Apostle did ordaine publike Preachers over the flocks as we may see easily in Timothy and Titus and divers other places and that successively too as I shall afterward shew in the point for the ordination of the Ministers of the Gospel Now for this I will be brief thus they ought to be the Teachers that are best able and true Christians according to the former rule in the former point that is those that are most knowing and obedient to the will of God so known according to the rule which God hath given us to judge by and of those two properties neither ought to bee wanting but if a man have in some good measure the latter and have not the former viz. knowledge he then cannot give strong meat to any and if such a one be a Teacher we shall have but babes at the best yet which is worst he will for the more part bee medling with the matters too high above his reach and so lead those whom he teacheth to errours and heresies as we have too much experience of at this time But some may demand How if the Preachers have knowledge in a competent degree and too little honesty he will doe much hurt that way by his ill-example for men live more by example then by precept for the more part if they bee very ignorant especially To this I answer thus briefly were it not for the love of God to us we should have neither knowledge nor honesty neither the Preachers nor hearers therefore we are to look to God in this point more especially for if those that are the people to be taught do frame their lives according to that little measure of knowledge that God doth give them in faith and obedience in Christ he then wil provide such as shall be both able and honest too to be their guides and examples also however we may not choose a novice 2 Tim. 3. 6. for wee must take it as a curse of our God to us when we want such as should be able and honest too the Scriptures of God do testifie thus much thus I prove it When the people of Israel did perversly sinne against their God after long instruction and meanes of their edification in the will and word of God then he did threaten them and said thus By men of other tongues and stammering lips will I speak to this people c. as in Esa. 28. 11. and in Ezek. 3. 26. it is said thus I said God will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth that thou shalt bee dumbe and shalt not bee to them a reprover for they are a rebellious house These places are clear for this purpose that God will send unable Teachers to a people as a curse to them for their sins against him in time of plentiful knowledge and for their sins he did at another time tell them that he would let them have as bad Prophets in their lives and conversations to be evil examples for them see this in Mich. 2. 11. these are the words If a man walking in the spirit of falshood doe lye saying I will prophecy of wine and strong drinke even he shall be the Prophet of this people and in another place it is said There shall be like people like Priest And so much for to prove that because of the peoples disobedience when they have the Word of God taught them truly they shall have evill Teachers as a curse to them in the stead of good and fit guides And now that God will give better Teachers of his people when they walke obediently to him according to his
cursed Tenet I told you that the last Monster as I thought did arise out of the bottomlesse pit from Baalzebub but I think this is that old Dragon himself neverthelesse I beleeve some honest people might be intangled in this error also because this hath been a time of difference in many things among the learned The first Scripture is Acts 21. 20. compared with ver. 24. In ver. 20. you may see that the Jewes that were beleevers were zealous of the Law and in ver. 21. you may easily collect that they still observed the old Ceremonial rites and customes from which Paul did disswade them in teaching but in ver. 24. you may see it clearly that Paul observed the old morall Law still for there you may perceive that some had given a false information of Pauls not observing the Law as is very likely the which is by those Jewes mentioned in this verse and confessed to be an untruth being now better informed for these are the words of the Text at the latter end of it All may know that these things whereof they were informed concerning thee are nothing but that then thy self also walkest orderly and keepest the Law Now Paul had alwayes preached down the Ceremoniall Law that were but types and figures of Christ c. therefore it was the Morall Law and truly why not to be observed by us under the Gospel as well as by the beleevers before Christs comming in the flesh provided we observe it but as those beleevers did for they used it but as a guide to live honestly by for Abraham Isaac and all the servants of God recorded in the Scriptures of truth are said to be justified by faith and therefore God commanded the Jewes that were beleevers in the promise of everlasting life by faith in Christ in the time of the Prophet Malachi to remember the Law of Moses which he had commanded in Horeb these are the words of that text Remember yee the law of Moses which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel c. Rom. 7. 14. We know the Law is spirituall saith the Apostle there viz. it is suitable to the pure Spirit of God by the which our Spirits should be qualified and guided to thoughts words and deeds and therefore in Matth. 5. 17 18. our Saviour Christ forbiddeth us to have so much as a thought that the Law or the Prophets should be destroyed but shall continue till all things be fulfilled and that will not be till heaven and earth be passed away c. Now that he meant the written Law in this Text is plaine for the words are Vntill heaven and earth passe the Law shall not passe But if hee had meant the Law onely written in the hearts of the godly darkly for so it is but darkly in the best then he would not have said till heaven and earth passe for the Law spirituall in the hearts of those that are to be saved shall be more perfect in them for evermore And beside to put you out of all doubt see 1 Cor. 9. 21. where Paul confesseth ingenuously That hee was then under the Law to Christ even then when hee was a beleever in Christ for salvation yea as in Rom. 7. 22. hee confessed hee did delight in the law of God after the inner man but even then there were some that did slander him in this very point as is more then likely as you may easily perceive in Rom. 3. 31. by his speech there as by way of vindication the words are these Doe we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we establish the Law thus you may see that he did not null the Moral Law by his preaching of faith nor yet by his beleeving it therefore O yee Antinomians detest your cursed Tenet for the best of us doe see our sins but dimly in our selves and although the more a man is sanctified the more hee can discerne the remnants of his sins in him yet he cannot see them all And you know the lesse a man is sanctified the darker he is in his judgement in the knowledge of sin to speak plainly thus we have all even the best of us need of a guide for God hath ordained outward meanes as well as inward for the edifying of his Saints And if we retain the Law for a looking-glasse to shew us our deformities and not to be justified by it what hurt then is there in the retaining it It is to us not a curse but a blessing but if we reject it and cast it off from using it I am sure we shall thereby procure not a blessing but a curse therefore beware lest you have unawares admitted of some Jesuiticall spirits I will note one thing more out of that in Mat. 5. 17. viz. that our Saviour joynes the Law and the Prophets together and saith That he was not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets why will you understand one of them in the spirituall sense onely and the other in the literall onely for I hope you will all conclude that he spake of the Prophets in the literall sense that their prophesies that are written shall last no longer then the end of the world therefore it is the Law also that is written that our Saviour meant and not the Law written in the hearts of his children and I hope that in 1 Cor. 9. 21. and also that in Rom. 7. 22. will fully satisfie any honest man that is capable of Babes meat but I feare they hold another dangerous Tenet which this latter cursed Tenet doth produce viz. God is not angry with his children though they act or commit such actions or deeds which God by his Morall Law hath forbid as adultery or fornication or theft or idolatry and the rest and consequently that a man needs not repent after any such vile actions To this I answer that God is angry with them when they so transgresse against him and also did usually afflict them sore see for this Deut. 9. 20. the Lord was angry with Aaron even to destroy him in making the golden Calf although he were occasioned therunto through fear of the peoples doing him some hurt this evill deed of Aaron you may see in Exod. 32. 21 22 23. 24 25. Deut. 4. 21 22. Moses said That the Lord was angry with him for their sakes for they occasioned him to be rash and unadvised in his words as in Psal. 106. 32 33. And hee smote the Rock in a rash anger and therefore God was angry with him Deut. 3. 26. 2 Chron. 19. 1. Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord for my part I doe conclude with Saint Paul and say I am under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 21. for he in almost all his Epistles brings some of the Morall Law against them dehorting them from sins contained in it As for this Morall Law it brings to us no curse That Rule may still us awe
will revealed in his Word is also as true for in a certaine place God promised to send them Pastors that should teach them with knowledge and understanding And when the people under King Sauls government were well humbled and brought down by his oppressing them then God heard their cry and pityed them in their misery and provided them a blessed guide and feeder of them with knowledge and understanding viz. the kingly Prophet David thus you may see that it is the love of God to us in giving us able Teachers the which wee shall have when wee live obediently to him with all our hearts according to his will revealed in his Word and thus much shall serve for this Point viz. Who ought to bee the publick Teachers and also some Objections answered And I have concluded that those that are best able ought to bee the publick Preachers of the Word of God to the people But now followeth in good order another Point and this is a speciall one too and this point the Independent party for some Congregations at least and almost all Sectaries are against me in onely the Presbyterialls are on my side and this Point is concerning the proving allowing and ordaining these Preachers for the work of this great Ministration I shall for this pitch upon Scriptures in the first place and after that confirm the Point by Reasons and my Reasons will be strong I am sure this question is Who ought to ordain the Preachers of the Gospel I answer that chiefly and ordinarily at the least the Preachers of the Word of God ought to doe it and the first Scripture is Act. 14. 23. And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church and prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they beleeved for the places where they did ordaine them you may see in the end of ver. 21. If you doubt whether these were preaching Elders that the Apostles did there ordain I must say that it is very likely they were but if not yet it makes for my point in hand for if it belonged unto the Apostles to ordain inferiour Elders then I am sure you will grant me the other viz. that they did ordain the preaching Elders I can prove it out of other Scriptures plainly but I know you will not oppose me in this But here is another objection and that is this although the Apostles did it yet we are not to follow that Rule still unlesse we had a command left unto us so to doe for evermore successively To this I answer that what the Apostles did then was for our imitation in that particular for they did not give or leave any other order or rule to us in the Word of God and therefore wee must say as Paul said Whatseever was written was written for our instruction But I will proceed to other texts Titus 1. 5. to the end of ver. 9. these are the words For this cause left I thee in Creâ—e that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I have appointed thee That these were preaching Elders which Titus was to ordain or at least some of them is apparent in vers 7. for those that in ver. 5. Paul had called Elders he in this verse called Bishops now in that Titus was left to ordain those Bishops you may see a succession of the ordination of Preachers of the Word of God by the Preachers of the Word of God and 2 Tim. 2. 2. you may see what Paul commanded Timothy these are the words The things that thou hast heard of mee among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure here you may see a second succession of the ordination of the Ministers of the Word of God by the Ministers of the Word of God for now Timothy must commit the doctrine or the word of God to others that he could find able and fit to teach others also the word commit carries weight with it and signifieth the leaving in trust as it were the Word of God to their dispensation to whom it was to be so committed here you may see that the common hearers were not to ordain the Preachers of the Word of God and the true reason thereof is rendred in 2 Tim. 3. 10. in these words Thou hast fully known my Doctrine c. it seemeth Paul knew well that those that were best able in knowledge were the fittest to ordain the Preachers and they were most knowing men that were then the Preachers of the Word of God and farther Paul gave him a Rule whereby hee might know who were those fit men to bee the Preachers of the Word of God as you may see in 1 Tim. 3. to the end of ver. 13. whom in ver. 1. he called Bishops yea he had characters given him whereby he might know how to choose fit and able Deacons also as in ver. 8 9 10. are to be seen and they did use to lay hands on them that they ordained for the Ministery of the Word of God at that time as in 1 Tim. 4. 14. in Chap. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 1. 6. at which time Timothy had a speciall gift given him when Paul or others with Paul did ordain him to be a Preacher of the gospel and also in Heb. 6. 2. Alas if every one may be permitted to preach that would doe it we â—hen must needs have a Babel therefore they ought to be proved by the Preachers of the gospel before they do preach And now I demand of those that would have every Congregation ordaine their own Pastor or Preacher why those that are in the Synod or Ministers like them should not be the ordainers of men for to bee the Preachers of the Word of God rather then those that are more ignorant by thousands of particulars in the Word of God and so many honest men there too What are they not so I say they are and ablest and honest too but put case some should be thought otherwise you know that no company of any sort is usually so intirely good but that some may be defective what think you of your selves may there not bee some worse then others Nay may there not be hypocrites and varlets too if so then you every way are worse then the learned and therefore every way more unfit for to ordain men to be Preachers of the Word of God Now a touch of one thing more and then I will passe to another point and this is somewhat differing from the former but I will joyn them together and that is this The Preachers of the word of God were superintendents of other Preachers in the Apostles time and this I prove as followeth 1 Tim. 1. 3 4. where you may see that Timothy
the wildernesse viz. it is written Psal. 33. 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord c. this was spoken of the Jewes then the people of God Gen. 22. 18. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed Gen. 18. 18. All the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in Abraham I know some will not be satisfied fully with these Texts of Scripture and I know their objections therefore I will produce some other although I know these are for the same purpose Another Scripture saith That Nations shall flow to thee viz. to Christ But let us see what the Lord saith by the mouth of his Prophet Esay chap. 55. ver. 5. these are the words Thou shalt call a Nation whom thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee viz. to Christ he did not mean that whole Nations should or would run to Christ singularly generall viz. not every particular man or woman should bee converted to Christ but that the Nation should in the more generall profession embrace the doctrine of Christ and many of them in truth of heart as the Jews did at that time when David the kingly Prophet spake those words now quoted out of the 33 Psalm aforesaid though there be many rebellious Corahs and other sinfull murmuring people and wicked transgressors amongst these as there was amongst those Jews as they were in the way to Canaan land the type of heaven And now me thinks this Monster is stopped in his aime and hopes I therefore now will proceed to another Point as I have proved it by Reason and Scripture that divisions in the divine exercises of our Religion is naught and dangerous to the state of Christians And also that it is a great happinesse to bee united together in a warrantable uniformity in the Divine ordinances of our Religion Now I come to prove more particularly what speciall decrees and ordinances the Apostles did ordain and appoint for the Churches of God in the Primitive time the better to accommodate them in a warrantable uniformity and thus I prove it Acts 15. 23. to 31 4â— compared with chap. 16. v. 4. In ver. 23. wee may see the Apostles and Elders and Brethren sent greeting to the Brethren in Antioch in Syria and Cilicia these were divers Churches And in ver. 29. you may see what the decrees were that they had decreed for them or at least what some of the decrees were the which were for all those Churches And in chap. 16. Paul and Silas going through the Cities delivered them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jerusalem Here wee may see that all those Cities had but one sort of decrees as is more then likely for the Apostles did ordain for Antioch Syria and Cilicia but one sort of necessary things as in ver. 28 29. of chap. 15. doth appeare plainly the which Paul and the rest delivered to those in Antioch as in ver. 30. appeareth and afterward they came to Syria and Cilicia as in ver. 41. you may see and those ordinances did much confirme the Churches as you may see in the last words of this 41. ver. aforesaid and in ver. 5. of chap. 6. also surely uniformity in the truth is a meanes of confirmation and unity of affection and in 1 Cor. 7. 17. Thus ordain I in all Churches in this place the Apostle resolves some questions to the Corinthians and putteth them and other Churches into one uniformity as is cleare by the words of the text viz. Thus ordain I in all Churches and so in 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. As I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so doe yee there was a uniformity in providing for the poor Thus we may see the blessed Apostle did endeavour uniformity in all the Churches of God I wish the like practice were amongst us in these dayes viz. uniformity in godly wayes But some may demand a question if the Apostle did not sometime in some cases give leave to Christians in case of Conscience for want of true knowledge in some particulars to doe or not doe It 's true he did so but not in those things that were of any danger to the state of the Church or Churches for those that were weak in knowledge for the present that they might not sin against their conscience in eating of herbs by him that did think he might not eat flesh likewise to celebrate service to God upon some speciall day or dayes rather then in some other days provided that they did not doe it as having respect to the old types or shadows that did foreshew the comming of Christ the substance lest they either be intangled with justification by works or else in stead of relying on the true Christ already come should as the Jews do now look for a Jesus to come as hee is already come But this liberty the Apostle did not confirm to be as a law alwayes for them to rest on as not to seek for better assurance of knowledge therein for hee at that time did shew the very legs of that statue in these words viz. He that eateth herbes is weake and so said he of him that should bee opinionated about the observation of a day Not that which before was to be observed as a type Gal. 4. 10. but that we may set apart some days more especially then others for divine exercises for the Apostle had done so himself very likely setting apart the first day of the week as in 1 Cor. 16. 2. and as you may perceive by their usuall meeting upon the Lords day and other dayes so often spoken of in the Scriptures But what is all this to those things that are now in these our dayes so much pleaded for Alas those things were but flea-bitings to them that some would have now adayes shall we give way to such things as are so materiall as will ruinate the state of Christians God forbid the government of the Church is of a higher nature the Apostles did not give toleration in such great matters this is the staffe of Bands the which if it be broke I am sure the other staffe called Beauty wil soon be all to shivers If all that plead tendernesse of conscience may have liberty as they desire every one that is without grace will take up that plea Do you not think that a very varlet or peevish or perverse man out of a malignant disposition will plead liberty of conscience to act meer knavery surely yes I condemne not all but if men may bee allowed to plead and in pleading obtain liberty as they list you will hold them in no good duty To speak plain and short hee that hath been a professor of Christianity any competent time and yet is pleading for liberty of conscience against those things that common capacity can fathome is either a vain professor or else his
were to be sung afterwards to Gods glory this you cannot deny I am sure And if you say men do now but speak the words of it and therefore if they were debarred of them then they would pray in the Spirit if they have any saving grace in them To this I answer in the first place with the words of St. Paul To the pure all things are pure but to the contrary party nothing is pure for their mindes and consciences are defiled the meaning is this That those that have honest hearts will honestly make use of honest things Again if you would utterly deprive all sorts of a Form of prayer how then shall ignorant youths and little young maids pray nay many times old men are but new converts and what will you have them do If they use many words in a prayer they will too soon ask they know not what like the mother of Zebedees children yea they being ignorant will presently in their pride of Spirit think themselves fit to fit at the elbows of Christ in heaven for they will think they are fitter for the place then Moses or Aaron surely it were safer for such to use that Form which God taught the people in the time of Moses Deut. 28. it was to them a Form viz. Amen But if you can pray knowingly then poure out your hearts to God according to true knowledge But I have heard some pray or say many words and but little matter but chiefly it was tautologie and often repeating the same words and could not proceed farther and thought themselves highly gifted too therefore take heed of spirituall pride judge of your abilities with a single eye I know some that have applauded a Minister for making such an admirable prayer as none near him was to be compared unto him but it was the sillyest tautologie that I was ashamed to heare it Doe you think in your conscience that if you were taught in a Form to ask for a hundred pounds of some that are both able and willing to give it and also you wanted bread to put in your belly being hungry and empty that then you could not ask in that Forme yes I warrant you therefore beware of spirituall pride But now having thus a little prepared you as I hope for some sure instruction I now come more home to you Luke 11. 1. you may see that our Saviour taught his Disciples a Form of prayer they not knowing how to pray as it seems unlesse some short prayer as at some other times they did as in these words Lord increase our Faith c. in these words When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven c. here you may see that they were to use the words that he taught them And although Luke hath it in this manner Pray you that 's nothing to overthrow this Evangelist for both wayes are lawfull nay God sometime did bid the Jews that they should take unto them words and come to him in prayer and taught them a Form of words too by the Prophet Hâ—sea 14. 2 3. these are the words Take unto you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously so will wee render the calves of our lips Ashur shall not save us we will not rid upon horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands Ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy All this Form of Prayer the Lord taught the people by the Prophet Hosea And Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord c. He did not here mean in this place any new Psalmes or hymnes for he bad them admonish each other in those Psalmes and hymnes therefore those Psalmes and hymnes were then Canonicall although I could wish that upon some occasion were it not for startling the weak in knowledge that some Preacher that were a solid man would frame a Psalm for that speciall occasion for he that can make a prayer according to the Word is able also to make a Psalm but this I think would be inconvenient but this is fit to bee done viz. the Preacher himself should fit a Psalme out of the Book of Psalmes for the severall occasions and suitable to his Sermon And thus much for this point also with this conclusion Now since we had no Prayer-booke The Sabbath afternoons The sleep so much some heads have tooke That dead they are in swoons Some Scriptures we in stead thereof Might safely entertaine Lest wee so much from it be off That there wee sit in vaine And now me thinketh I see another stand by with a question in his mouth for these times are fraught with them now And this is it viz. How if Pipes and Organs should chance to be put upon us againe as they were before the Parliament begun will not that bee Idolatry thinke you and if so then I hope you will graunt us a warrant to run out of the Church To this I answer First what is lawfull in it selfe is one thing and what is an inconvenience is another thing therefore ye ought to be informed well in your judgement before you bee too forward to make a conclusion First if in it selfe it be Idolatry now what was it all that time when God himself in Davids time allowed it in the praises of his people If you say that the Pope useth it to his Idols and therefore it is Idolatry I answer so did the heathen very likely And besides if that be it by the which you would gather a conclusion viz. that because the Papists use it therefore we may not use it then may not we sing unto the true God because the Papists sing unto their Idols for singing is melody therefore this your argument is of no validity But here is another question put to mee and this is the maine one viz. In the time of the old Law it was lawfull but is not now it being not now commanded therefore it is unlawfull To this I answer briefly if you consider the end wherefore it was at the first allowed you may easily make conclusion The end why it was first allowed was this to occasion joyfulnesse or chearfulnesse in the users and hearers of it that so they might praise God with the more lively affections for all know it is an outward occasion of naturall joy and the Word of God being then used with it viz. in Psalmes or hymnes doe turn the use of it by the operation of Gods Spirit to the more hearty praising of God Secondly to your question more fully that is because it is not commanded by the Apostles therefore it is not now lawfull for us to use it in the praises of God Why the Apostles would have us to use all meanes possible to inable us to praise God