them at a Font in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost yet how many imitate them therein and how hot the Presbyterians are for this positive necessity and order it is obvious to every eye As for the forme whether in the Name of Jesus Christ or of the Father Son and holy Ghost this hath been a doubt of long standing and this did cause Novatus to disowne the Church of Carthage for that this form of Father Son and holy Ghost and necessary baptizing of Infants were brought in and he and Cyprian were at great oddes about this order Anno. 240. whilest Novatus very earnestly pleads for it as the practise of Christ's Churches in primitive times and all along the Apostles daies to that hour viz. To baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus the Head of his Church After that in Anno 400. was great contention about it but I leave this to further light and liberty only affirm with all the Protestants who are engaged against the Papists about the form Synops. 12. Controv. Q. 3. that the name is taken for the virtue power and authority Act. 3. and so doubtlesse the Apostles baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ and healed in his name and preached in his name only Beda Act. 10. Jussit eos in nomine Jesu Christi baptizari But I know no necessity of a Font nor of sprinkling more then of dipping nor any positive necessity of baptizing Infants who are soonest drowned but that these be left to light and liberty of conscience as things left either doubtfull or indifferent in Scripture without positive precept and I am perswaded for that purpose that every one may do as he is fully perswaded As for Infants the Papists make it a ground of their Baptisme that they have the habit of faith in themselves and so partly by their own faith and partly by the faith of others they are to be baptized Bellarm. lib. 1. de baptis cap. 11. So say our Ministers they have the habit of faith though not the act and by the faith of the Parents with that they are to be brought to baptisme but we say with the Protestants against the Papists that Infants have not true justifying faith which is alwaies actuall Gal. 5 6. in themselves nor yet are profited by the faith of others for Scripture saith Rom. 1.17 The just shall live by faith i. e. his own particular faith and beleeve and be baptized not let others beleeve for you for then it were as well that others were baptized for you but this will be enter'd at large I hope in the next part 3. lib. of the body organicall Tertulâ—ian speaking of Infants saies Fiant Christiani cum Christum nâ—sse potuerint Let them be made Christâ—ans and baptized into the faith when they be able to know Christ Et per fidem est cognitio Christi and that is by faith Wherefore we say that children as children have no right to Baptisme and then secondly that parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as parents can't give them a right thereto and seeing Baptisme is the ordinance of initiation or entrance into the Church of Christ it is wonderfull to see how sudden some are to null the very nature of that ordinance But lastly they and the Papists are too nigh one another in the effects which they say such a Baptisme produces in children The Papists affirm that Baptisme takes away originall sin in Concil Trident. Sess. 5. Decret de origin Peccat and in Infants newly baptized there is no mortall sin Rhemists 1 Joh. 1. Sect. 5. So have some Ministers hotly pursued this benefit of baptisme viz. that baptisme wipes away sins going before whilest we dissent and deny this Jesuiticall doctrine applying this to be the effect of Christ's baptisme which none but Christ himself can baptize with Joh. 1.33 Mâ—t. 3.11 viz. the holy Ghost in a spirituall washing our hearts and consciences with the warm bloud of Christ whereof baptisme is a sign if not a seal and in this we have declared our judgement before to be different from the Anabaptists that attribute so much to the form and element as makes it an Idoll But to conclude this it is in baptisme as it was in the pool of Bethsaida if the Spirit move on the face of the waters there is a healâ—ng else none 3. There is too much alliance between them in that Ordinance of the Lords Supper so called I shall instance briefly for I have been too long in this chapter in some few particulars The Papists make it no more then a preservative against sin Bel. lib. 4. de Sacra cap 17. and would have confession and absolution of sinnes to qualifie for this ordinance Concil Trident. Sess. Can. 11. and that none are prepared but such as are absolved and then that all may come but that they must be sure to come fasting to it and eat nothing before all that day Concil Constant. Sess. 13. Bell. lib. 3. de Eucharist cap. 22. ratian 4. and then they would have every Communicant highly adore even cultu latreiae and worship the Host c. who doth not is to be accursed Trident. Concil Sess. 13. can 6. And they say even reprobates that receive the Sacrament receive the very body and bloud of Christ Rhem. 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 16. Now although our Ministers I speak of the violentest Presbyterians do not altogether agree with them in these particulars yet they are not far from them 1. For preparation how earnestly doe they presse men to Confession of sins sorrowes legall repentance and the like and bid the people to prepare themselves whilest we say the preparations of the heart are of the Lord Prov. 10.1 Psal. 10.17 Et opera sunt secundum principium a quo sunt and they are good as they are of grace our preparation is to be from Christ in us our wisdome righteousnesse sanctification we hold with the Orthodox Protestants against the Hetero-dox Papists Opinionists and Jesuites that we must have a lively faith who come to this Ordinance but it is to be the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 and that we must have true Evangelical repentance which is for sin as sin but this must be in Christ Jesus repent in Christ believe in Christ for Acts 5.31 32. Christ was exalted to give repentance for remission of sins So that there is no preparation or qualification by any act of our own but all by Christ in us and grace teaching us to deny all ungodlinesse and wordly lusts Titus 2.12 14. For as Mr. Rogers sayes in his right way to be saved pag. 54. many mistake and are deceived whilest they dote for a faith and a repentance of their own make and look for something to ground on in themselves they are like one that does not set a young tree but lets it lye on the ground till he see what 't
fellowship or injoynting into one The Devill hath set his black and fowle cloven-foot of divisions and dissensions in every Parish upon the earth yet the God of this world the Prince of Parishes hath blinded their eyes and they will not beleeve 2 Cor. 4.4 O what persecutions of the Saints oppositions of Christs ordinances Menaces against his Ministers what desperate Oathes devillish cursing horrible lying detestable libelling monstrous malice palpable cheating and unsufferable slanders yea and what not is in every Parish and what is the reason read what Christ saith Joh. 8.23 Yee are from beneath but I am and my wayes are and worship is from above yee are of this world but I am not of this world And as Rev. 9.1 2 3 4 c. out of the bottomlesse pit arose smoake as the smoake of a great furnace the Sun and Ayre were darkned by reason of the smoake and out of the smoake came Locusts and unto them was given power as the Scorpions of the earth have power and it was commanded them that they should not hurt any green thing a Saint in his viridity full of sap and in the spring neither any tree a flourishing Saint in his virility and well grown Psal. 1.3 Psal. 52.8 Psal. 92.12 Jer. 17.8 but only such men as have not the seale of God in their fore-heads These Locusts of Hell these Aegyptian plagues which have Scorpion-stings in their tayles ver 10. whilst the fairest out-side and faces of men ver 7. yet are ever running and ready for battle ver 7. ver 9. have seised upon the spirits of many men more ridged then religious and they doe eate them up See but what hot contentions Suits at Law Plots to doe mischiefe desires to persecute the people of God devices to make them odious among men Jer. 18.18 and what not came along with this Soule-comfortlesse bottomlesse-pit smoake when your Parishes were constituted and tell me then if Pharoahs leane ill-favoured Kine doe not eate up the fat Gen. 41. and if the withered wild blasted eares doe not devoure the full and faire eares See if as yet amongst many the Magicians rods doe not turne Serpents and seek to eate up Aarons though Aarons shal devoure theirs ere long and Truth shall triumph over errours Christ over Antichrist Faith over fallacies maugre all their malicious mischievous dispositions and oppositions and their water shal be turned into bloud speedily and all their Fish shall dye that swim now in their Elements and croaking Froggs shall cry in every place I meane them that give now and then a little leape and that is all upward and such will also dye and then their dust shall be turned into Lice and their pleasures to plagues then boyles and blaines their contagion and corruption shall appeare to all whilst the Lords owne Israel and Saints shall be safe and free This shall bee shortly but in the interim how Parishes swarme with Egyptian flyes let wise men judge whilst Serpents lye by the way-side Gen. 49.17 and bite us or rather backbite us before we are aware not openly in our sight but crookedly and craftily treacherously and behinde us Dublin hath the most of this Tribe of Dan that ever I met with Moreover many an Adullamite Gen. 38.20 might wee finde here in this City for if their occupations were but printed upon their foreheads as some of them have full foreheads wee should heare and see their trading and delight is to serve an ill-master and to runne upon ill arrands to cog to carry tales to dissemble lye and flatter and to have faire faces as of men but to sting as Serpents and Scorpions being bound to hurt the Innocent and harmelesse ones But I say no more only that such Parishes fal infinitly short of the true Forme of true Churches of Christ and I can confidently assert such Synagogues as I said matter-lesse and form-lesse or if some fit matter may bee found amongst them yet they are but as the Philosophers say of the earth when it was a Chaos and without forme materia prima informis sine formâ normâ the first matter which is without forme and order and which is semper passiva sayes Tho. Aquin. 1.54.3.3 to suffer another nature and workmanship Eph. 2.10 till then wee may say of them as in Zeph. 2.15 How are they become a desolation and a place for beasts to lye downe in And why so as Mayer sayes but because no difference is put betwixt the righteous and the wicked therefore it follows every one that passes by shall hisse and wag his hand and Zeph. 3.1 Woe to her that is filthy c. which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or provoking and disobedient such are your Parish-Churches And they put mee in minde of that place in the hot sands of Africa where wilde beasts of all sorts meet together to drinke and there are the strangest monsters got whence the Proverb is Africa aliquid apportat novi And so in Parish Churches all sorts meet and many monsters are made by reason of such who are not fit for civill society much lesse for Saints And a Heathen said Qui aequo animo malis immiscetur malus est he must needs be bad that likes and allows of such a mixture And I might also mention the saying of one That as often as he had been among such men hee returned home lesse a man then he was before Wherefore common rules of reason may dictate this doctrine to us The Lacedemonians would enquire of the carriage of their children by the condition of their Play-fellowes And as Socrates said to Alcibiades the Parragon of beauty I feare not thee but thy companions so may wee say to some honest men And indeed it is a sad thing for will the loyall wife still keep that company which her husband dislikes sheep lose wool that will keep in the wildernesse among the bushes so doe men be they ever so good lose much that will continue in Parish-Churches which are upon their destiny being too old to live longer for the Lord will discover their filthinesse their whoredomes their Idolatries and abominations even unto their Lovers and they shall loath them But the Bramble of Rome which hath brought so many unto obedience shall be burnt up and a strong voyce shall say Rev. 18.2 Babylon is fallen is fallen and is become an habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull bird and verse 9.11.16.18 And then the Kings and people and Merchants and Ship-masters that have traded with her from time to time and have had of her commodities to carry to other Nations and have brought away of her Trumperies and Traditions will hâ—wle and lament and yet stand a far off for fear of her torments verse 15. Wherefore come out of
Ghost which Water-baptisme could not doe Orig. An. 200. in Rom. but how ever it was to be executed by Christs Spirit 2 The command is Teach them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make them my schollars now little ones as well as great ones Infants as well as growne ones may be his schollars in his school to learne for a little childe that knowes not a letter in the book is a schollar as well as others that do so not onely the lowest boughes but the uppermost and least twigs partake of the nature of the root But What do they infer 1 That none must be admitted but such as are baptized we say so too but we deny they must be rebaptized And whereas they instance in the Apostles practise they would doe well to cleare up the difference of old betwixt adulti and catechumeni for qui bene distinguit bene docet otherwise they will but lead about the blinde and leave them in the ditch in darknesse 2 They say this is that fundamental Ordinance by which we put on Christ. Ans. To call the watry part of baptisme viz. in abstracto I say the element the fundamental Ordinance by which wee put on Christ and are ingrafted into Christ and planted into his death c. is to make no lesse if not more then an Idol of it and so it is to attribute to Dipping what is onely attributed to Christ himselfe for what is Idolatry but exhibere cultum Dei honorem Christi creaturae Th. Aq. 22. q. 94.10 to give the worship and service of God the glory and honour of Christ to a contemptible poore creature Is not this to say Lo here is Christ but beleeve them not O sad sad sinne of this age that Professors should fall down so to this Image which they imagine must doe all for them without which no salvation Were ever the Pontificians or Prelates more uncharitably rigid for it to Idolize it on Infants then they are to Idolize it on grown ones that then presently they are accounted Saints Beleevers Christians ingrafted into Christ c. as if Dipping did all Alas a day what could the Pool of Bethesda doe till the Spirit moved the waters there was no healing O this soule-dangerous and dreadfull glorifying the forme Idolatry is gravissimum peccatorum say the Schoolmen and makes the shortest cut to confusion The Lord help poor Ireland still the land of Idols and Ire 3 They say the Jewes might as well have admitted uncircumcised ones as they uâ— to have communion with them O charity where art thou that thou shouldest live longest and strongest of all O unchristian and uncomfortable tenet For 1 Their non-communion with such was by the command of God but yours is not with us 2 Jewish Church was national ours not 3 Jewish worship was in the forme but ours in Spirit and Truth 4 Jewish eating the Passeover was typical 5 Circumcised ones after the flesh was enough with Jewes but it is not with us 6 We have been baptized as you put it in the room of circumcision and more answerably unto it then you 7 The case being altered as it is now we finde that Jews and Gentiles circumcised and uncircumcised had sweet communion together Act. 15.5 Gal. 2.3.7 12. 1 Cor. 12.13 in severall Churches so that the outward forme was left to liberty Rom. 14.2.5 as a thing of nothing Gal. 6.15 as it is nâ—w to be 8 Their end and their beginning they make one viz. Dipping i. e. their all in all and indeed very indiscreetly and disorderly they lay that downe for the end which is the Rule by which they are brought into fellowship so that it is like enough Logicke is the language of the Beast to them that know not how to define Church fellowship Lastly Because I want room to write more They conclude that because of their great disobedience in joyning with us they must make amends by casting all of us that would not be dipped out of Church-fellowship for old leaven and accordingly the members of them sent from Mr. Patient with those of them that walked with us consulted often together conspired and plotted and laid snares in designes to break us in peeces but when that would not be they bruited abroad scurrilous and scandalous reports of many of us to represent us wicked and unworthy to the world and others after that they thought to have excommunicated us for old leaven but the Lord would not suffer it so that their plots and designs brought forth nothing but wind which became a blast to themselves at last But whereas they say they may as well admit all manner of wicked men as one that wil not be dipped do but observe their spirit in deifying Dipping and in vilifying the Spirit that without this though we be under Spirit-baptisme we must not have so much mercy shewn to us as to partake of Church-Priviledges is this doctrine of Christ or the Devil but I pray mark their ground for you may say they as well admit one that will not partake of the Lords Supper c. Ans. Suppose one should be admitted that were unsatisfied therein were that a sinne But Secondly we deny this their haire-brained assertion for that there is positive command for the Lords Supper Preaching Almes c. and so there is not for Dipping but all the Scripture is against Re-baptising as being but the Idol of the Braine and a brat that must be dashed a peeces Psal. 137.9 * The next thing to this Commission with their several forced and unworthy Inferences In the fifth place they would faine insinuate a necessity of Dipping out of Ephes. 4.4 5. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace he saith not the union of the Forme but of the Spirit which is preserved not by outward formes but by inward principles Then follows Verse 4.5 One Faith one Bapâ—isme c. all these must be to make up the Vnity of the Spirit and it is true that they all must owne one and the same Baptisme but what is that I pray not dipping but Christs Baptisme Matth. 3.11 We are all mark all Jewes and Gentiles before and since the Law before and since Christ all Saints of all ages members of one Body viz. the Church of Christ mystical and all this by one Baptisme 1 Cor. 12 13. For by one Spirit we are All baptised into one Body Now this cannot be as by this Letter they would faine have us beleeve by water for so all Saints in all Ages were not so baptized into one Body or Church for before the Law this was not the fundamental point which these men say we must hold so that they peel but the barke of the tree and the Goars may doe so but we feed upon the sap and substance This is a principle of spirituall union viz. the baptisme of the Spirit which all Saints of all judgements must doe and have enjoyed for the life remains
same for matter and substance made by all An Account of Faith as it was made and given in by word of Mouth on the Eighth day of the Eighth Moneth 1651. In a Publick Meeting-place at Dublin upon his entrance into Church-fellowship there By J. R. c. I Acknowledge and profess from my very heart before the Lord and you all here present That I do believe there is but one God who is omnipotent omniscient omni-present and an infinite and all-glorious Being and distinguished into three subsistences or if that word offend I will say into three personal proprieties and relations according to his several operations and administrations namely of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The Father is of himself the Son proceedeth from the Father and the Spirit from them both And although the Saints cannot take hold of God as God incomprehensible and inapprehensible yet they know him as a Father as a Son as a Spirit dwelling in them and so far as his several attributes makes him known to them First Concerning the first Person so called of the Trinity or God the Father that he is the great Creator and Governor of all things in Heaven and Earth eternally distinct as in himself from all Creatures as Creatures in his absolute Being and absolute Well-Being And that this God shall judge the World But Secondly Concerning the second in the Trinity the Son Jesus Christ of whom Moses the Prophets and the Apostles wrote and in whom all the Scriptures are and shall be fulfilled I believe him as he is both God and Man making a compleat Mediator and as God equal to the Father as Man of the tribe of Judah the line of David the seed of Abraham and born of Mary c. And as both the onely Mediator between God and Man And he was from everlasting and yet as Man from the Womb he was separated called appointed and anointed most fully with all gifts and graces necessary for all mankinde Concerning his Offices That he is King Priest and Prophet First As the Prophet he hath revealed his Fathers whole will so far as is necessary to Salvation in his Word and Ordinances and speaks it to his Church and Saints by his Word and Spirit Secondly As Priest being consecrated for us he hath appeared to put away sin and hath offered himself the sacrifice for the sins of the people once for all laying down his life for his sheep and he hath absolutely abolished all legal and Ceremonial rites and shadows and is now entred into the Holy of Holies and sits at the right hand of glory making intercession for us Thirdly As King in general all power is given him in Heaven and Earth and he doth exercise his power over men and Angels good and bad for the safety of his Saints and destruction of his enemies till he hath made them all his foot-stool In particular that Christ is King over his Church and shall reign on Earth spiritually in the hearts of his Saints and by his Word and Spirit he gathers all his peoples together from Idolatry Superstition Darkness c. into his own Spiritual way of worship and holiness and brings them to the Father and by his Spirit he makes them a peculiar people a royal Priesthood a holy generation and instructs and governs them by his Laws prepared for his Church and people Thirdly Concerning the Spirit the third of the Trinity that he is sent by the Father and the Son to make application of the whole work of Redemption to those whom the Father hath given to the Son by his decree and whom the Son hath brought to the Father by his blood according to the everlasting Covenant made between the Father and the Son which the Spirit carries on to us as the Covenant of Free-grace for our Salvation By the operation of this holy Spirit in me This Grace was begun first by and through the Law which awakned me so as that I saw I was lost and undone for ever and then by the Gospel whereby Christ was revealed to me and in me by his Spirit and his righteousness cleared up mine But of this hereafter This Spirit applyed Christ Jesus as far as I knew him manifested to and in me by which I was brought at length to close with Christ and that so unfainedly that I resolved to loose all before Christ. So such are First by Christs righteousness justified Secondly by his Spirit adopted sons Thirdly by his Grace sanctified and really changed to the piety and purity of Gods holy Image gradually and Fourthly Glorified and changed from misery to happiness which begins in the inward sence of Gods soul-melting love to them in Christ from whence is the hope of glory and assurance of salvation joy peace and happiness within c. Fifthly Concerning the Scriptures in Old and New Testament they are the Word of God as they were writ and indited by the holy Spirit and that they are the standing rule left us both for our knowledge and practise doctrine and Discipline here below Sixthly I believe that by the first Adams disobedience we all fell and that we are all by nature the children of wrath dead in sins and trespasses and that those who live and dye in their sins cannot be saved nor any without regeneration or new birth Seventhly Concerning the Church of Christ I know it is but one Body Universal and Catholick and that is of all Saints past present and to come invisible and visible yea spiritual and formal But this I also believe that God hath left a rule in his Word for Particular Congregational Churches here upon Earth as the visible to make up his one intire and universal Body Eighthly Now concerning Christs particular Churches I believe as I have preached and proved such a Church to be a Fellowship called out of the world and united to Christ As Members to the head and all one with another according to the Word for the worship of God and the edification one of another and that such must be separate from false ways worships Antichristian superstitions observancies c. and willingly joyn in Christian Communion and Covenant or resolution of cleaving close to the Lord in this his way with purpose of heart and by free confession of their Faith and subjection to the Gospel and therein especially I believe That the Ordinances of Christ are to be freely and frequently dispenced as preaching praying prophecying one by one Singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Sacraments Censures Offices and Officers and often and ordinary exercising of gifts And that there is a chusing of and setting apart Officers by the whole Body and that none doth orderly do the office of a Minister among them but such and besides to omit many other things and bring all up in this rear I do really believe that such orderly Churches have priviledges royal oracles and seals and
Lord is tryed I can tell it by experience and I know that he is a buckler to all that trust in him And David Psal. 51. promises that as soon as his broken bones were healed and the joy of his salvation was restored to him Verse 12.13 that he would presently preach it and teach even sinners Gods wayes to give them warning of uncleannesse sinne c. and to tell them what it is to lye in hell horror to have a wounded spirit an accusing conscience and the judgements of an angry frowning God Thus also 2 Cor. 5.11 Wee knowing the terror of the Lord that is by terrible things which would make a man tremble and his heart ake we perswade men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we tell them the condition we were in and now how wee are out on purpose to perswade them to beleeve in God and to get out of their carnal condition for presidents sometimes doe prevaile before precepts so that this is no novelty to declare the condition which we have been in and are in Taste and see the mercy grace and love of God in Christ in the Gospel by pardon peace reconciliation assurance or whatsoever is to be tasted as Dr. Ames observes on 1 Pet. 2.3 if so be ye have tasted how gracious the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely taken grace for so many do but tasted grace per metonymiam effecti and found experimentally feelingly feedingly how it tastes O then you will say O it is good O this is sweet and say to others Come and taste The Israelites when they had tasted the manna they called it Angels food but before they sleighted it What is this Thus Psal. 119.103 but why should we taste it and tell it to others There be divers Reasons both with reference to God the Church and those Saints themselves that doe enjoy them why they should declare them to the Church First It is a bearing the best outward testimony to God reason 1 and his Attributes that can be when we can say by experience that God is gracious loving slow to anger ready to forgive that he is true and faithful for we have tryed him and therefore know it Psal. 18.30 But on the other side it is the want of this that makes us call his care and his truth and his mercy and love so often into question especially in times of trials as Sibbs sayes in his soule-conflicts chap. 18. in Joh. 15.27 and ye shall beare witnesse sayes Christ because ye have been wâ—tâ— to mee from the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye shall witnesse upon your owne knowledge the word is not from hear-say but have-say from your own experiences yee shall testifie even before the Judge in the eye and ears of all the people that I am full of grace light life and salvation You shall know it by experience and witnesse to his truth faithfulnesse righteousnesse justice mercy c. And though a thousand should deny it a child of God that can say by experience that God is a good God the word is a true word his love is a most soul-ravishing and never-ending love and the like and his hand helped me his blood cleansed cured comforted me his owne good will restored me Oh such a one opens the mouths of many to praise the Lord Psal. 35.18.27 and to beleeve in the Lord Joh. 17.21.23 Jo. 11.48 Act. 3.9 Luke 18.43 reason 2 Secondly It is needful for the Churches benefit too to set upon this duty to declare experiences of Gods worke on the soule and that for these several Reasons which follow As 1 To know so far as may be judged by the effects who are the Elect of God 1 Thess. 1.4 beloved of God that is by the judgement of charity not of infallibility for none can say for certainty thou art a Saint or elect but so far as we judge and beleeve in Vers 5. the proof of Election lyes in Vocation and ye know what manner of men we were sayes he so that the Church was endued with a spirit of discerning 1 Cor. 12.10 Now such as the Church beleeves to be called of God she beleeves to be of the election of grace Rom. 11.5 and such she must admit Now to make Election sure as 2 Pet. 1.10 and cleare we must make our Vocation sure and Calling clear 2 Tim. 1.9 where it is called a Holy calling that is from sin to grace Tit. 2.11 12. from darknesse to light 1 Pet. 2.9 from former sins and lusts to holy life 1 Pet. 1.14 15. and by this our election is knowne To open which note know that Election it selfe is secret and mysterious as it lyes in the decree it is from all Eternity Now poor man must needs bee lost to look what was done from all Eternity in the secret conclave and councell of Heaven a Being that is spanned by time cannot reach to it his Decrees are kept close under locke and key till it is time to open them wherefore I finde it not praise-worthy in them that so distract themselves and others by their curious disquisitions and nice disputations in this point For our way to have the fruit of it is not to dig deep and to search to the root but to reach to the boughs and branches thereof So look out and take hold on the Holy calling For the head of Nilus cannot be found out but the many sweet issues and Springs of that hidden head are found out and known So though the Head is secret and kept hid yet the Springs break out in our vocations and holy obedience and conversation as Adams on Peter P. 210. hath it for a River may runne a great while and a great way under ground but in time and in some place it breaks out and runs openly So the Decree may bee hid and secret for a while but the streams break out in Vocations which is the way from Predestination to Glorification Rom. 8.30 This cuts off that absurd sottish and soule-overwhelming opinion of many poor wretches who say if I am decreed to bee saved then I may live as I list for I am sure I shall be saved if it be decreed but if it be decreed I shall be damned why I shall bee damned doe what I can and my best way is to live in pleasure loving and serving my selfe here for I am sure all my care cannot alter Gods counsel Oh alas how subtil is the Devil but does the Word say thus no! but the Word sayes If God have decreed thy salvation as elect why then thou shalt walke in the way of salvation and then thou art decreed to be called as well as saved from sin to grace to a holy life from all uncleannesse 1 Thess. 4.7 to sanctification Origen makes mention of one sicke who was perswaded by a friend not to send for a Physitian for
Experiences you shall heare how they are changed O! what a great alteration there is now in them all old things are passed away and all things become new O what trouble and signal change they then finde a new nature a new heart new affections new objects new smilings and flowings of light and love Oh then they could bee content to dye for God! to lay downe their lives for Christ yea if it were to be cast to Hell so they have but Christ in their armes their sweet Jesus in their hearts yea if they thought that hee would not save them yet they will love him and serveâ— him and doe any thing for his sake and though he slay them yet they can finde in their hearts to trust in him and now they forsake all evill wayes and prize the word as a hungry man does food feed on the Ordinances heartily and are frequent in prayer and duty and are able to comfort others in the like case that they have been in and do all they can to call home others and to get them into Christ they are loath to eat their sweet morsels alone and this makes them so ambitious of the fellowship of the Saints all which will appeare in the ensuing Examples so that it is for this Reson also to satisfie the Church that they give out their experiences of their Call to Christ. But I shall be briefer Secondly by this they are a warning piece shot off in the eares of others to keep them off from coming into such reason 2 sinfull practises purposes and perswasions as they were in so it is in 2 Cor. 5.11 If the rich man as Thomas Goodwin hath it in his Childe of Light walking in darknesse pag. 113. the rich Glutton had gotten but a little while backe againe from hell O what stories would hee have told his brethren to have scared them and frighted them from sin here heare the like of such I say of such as have descended hell and seen the wonders of God in the deep O now they are ashore and lye at anchor or are safe through mercy at harbour in Christ hark now they can tell you of the rocks and sands the sad shelves and storms the roaring threatning surging waves and gaping gulfes that they have met with and been in and under And all sinners that live in the like concupiscence passions lusts covetousnesse pleasures and the like must look for the same and without mercy too if this be not a Sea-mark for them seeing they are escaped and as it were rose out of their graves and returned out of the deep dungeons and black abyssnesse of endlesse wrath to give them warning I say if this will not doe and they will not beleeve them then they shal find experience the Mistris of fools Piscatorictus sapit The Fisher-man made haste to thrust his hand into his net to take out a Fish but was instead of a Fish bit with a Scorpion this made him ever after wiser and then he had learned to looke before he leaped So many unwise men are made wise it may be too late by too lamentable experience and as Robinson I remember sayes in his Essayes page 198. Some who will not beleeve sinne hath so sad a sequel as it hath till they know it by experience are like that Physitian Tertullian speakes of Herophilus by name who bloodily butchered six hundred men that he might search into their bodies and know their natures destroying them to know them and murthering man to finde out the nature of man O monstrous wickednesse but oh more wicked Monsters that are so mercilesse to their owne soules I say it of such who will not learne the nature of sinne so as to avoid it till fatally destroyed by it and then they will learne by experience indeed wofull experience when others warning will doe no good no not though the dead doe as it were rise again to give them warning neither will they regard the rough checks of their consciences within them but will stil go on they are like the Flye which though it hath scorched its back and burnt its wings in buzzing about the candle flame againe and againe yet it will venture againe and still to it till it be burnt downe and buried in the flame I say so many mad men who will take no warning till they be burnt and burning and buried alive in the flames of hell O sad when Examples and such as these too told by experience instruct not God teacheth as well by them as by Precepts saith Mr. Rogers on the good Samaritan page 222. And the two senses of learning viz. seeing and hearing have both enough to doe to instruct them by such experienced examples as are now before them Et scripta sunt exempla pâ—iorum ad cautelam posteriorum ARDEVS wherefore that is the second Reason to warn others reason 3 Thirdly to teach us to suspend our censures and to forbear prejudicate opinions or harsh judgement of such as suspire and perhaps long too and aspire under lamentable soule-travel and heart-pangs and agony and afflictions and temptations all which Christ suffered to succour them that are under them Heb. 2.18 Luke 4 13. Mat. 4.3.11 after which the Angels came and ministred to him Verse 11. But in the mean time whilst poor soules are set on the racke and roar under torments though they cry out Oh! they are damned undone forsaken of God! c. yet condemne them not for even then they may be the dear children of God and passe a false sentence upon themselves for some time so long as they lye under despaire and in the sense of their own ruinous condition till they see a repaire in Christ O how they cry out O wretched man that I am and as David roared out in his troubles and said This is my death Psal. 77.11 Sir Francis Spira thus despaired but doubtlesse dyed with an interest in Christ. So do in these dayes many and so you may finde it in that little Treatise of Experiences before-named and in these that follow and yet they were raised out of the fire refined and out of horrour the more holy For before we reap in joy we must sow in tears Ps. 126.5.6 and for one seed or tear we shall reap a whole sheaf of joy and their joy shall be like the joy in harvest Isa. 9.3 and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoyle that is before they arrive at it there is a time of great trouble a seed time before the harvest a fighting-time before the spoyle In the seed-time there is rending and plowing and trampling and harrowing of the poore earth and when all this is done to look on you would thinke it a dirty blacke barren piece of ground for you see no fruits at all upon it Oh! so it is with the Saints they have a seed-time such
declared in the same place at the same time by John Bywater Preacher of the Word BRethren I do declare here this day the desire of my heart which is to have fellowship with such a society as are built up by the Spirit to be one with all those that are one with Jesus Christ the Head knowing this That all rudimentary and elementary things do but point at a higher glory As for my Faith I acknowledge God one not three but as you have heard before c. As for my life I shall in short say thus When I was a little one going to School God began with me for once I swore one Oath as I was playing with my School-fellows but I was presently struck with horror for it and sence of it as if I were to go to Hell for it presently in which horror and great trouble I left my School-fellows playing but I could no longer being in this misery for that sin but away I went into the Church-Porch not far off and there I sat alone and wept bitterly to my self for some time but at length growing in some hopes I know not how of pardon I began to grow chearful and fearless until a little while after that I went to see some malefactors suffer and after I came home this sight ran so much in my minde and was for a long time set so before my eyes That my sins and the horrors of Hell came afresh upon me again so that I was exceedingly cast down and cryed out O what shall I do how shall I be saved which I had often in my mouth and in the hearing of my friends in which condition I could take no comfort from them till the Lord himself brought me out of it and gave me to be given up to Jesus Christ by the life of Faith which I now live notwithstanding I was under several temptations and oftentimes very thick but even then I resolved if that I were flung into Hell yet it should be holding on Christ for I will not let him go now and here I hold through mercy ever since So that I take Christ for my King Priest Prophet and do believe him to be a Propitiation for my sins And I believe that he will restore to us a pure language and that we shall all worship him in one Spirit and with one consent And my desire is to walk with you thus in union and love and by one and the same Spirit Another Testimony or Report made of the work of grace upon his heart at the same time in the same place by John Hewson Colonel and Governor of Dublin HAving an opportunity to speak something to you I shall do it without many words Time was that I was in a state of disobedience as to God a childe of wrath and lived in a wicked and profane family in London but yet I went often to hear a good man in London preach by which means I was brought to see sin and shown within me that I wanted Christ which when I saw I began to desire him and to long after him and still frequented the means and by the use of the means I was drawn nigher to himself but ever since I finde I have a corrupt heart and have much ado to keep it in therefore God brings me under many troubles and temptations more then many others And I though I am in places of power yet I account them nothing seeing an emptiness in all things and a fulness in none but in Christ. I confess I was sometime for the Presbyterians and very rigid and bitter against all others of the Independents till the Lord did shew me the Parish-Church was no true Church being a mixed Congregation and I was ignorant of this way which they call Independent But now I am clearly convinced of it and satisfied in this society and for matter of Faith I concur with the Brother that before spake and finde what he said to be true in me and do desire communion with you as you have with Christ Jesus The Testimonial of Raphael Swinfield or his experience as was taken out of his own mouth in Dublin in another publick place called Michaels I Do declare here what God hath done for me First in my youth my Father being a godly man brought up his children very religiously but for my part although I were well brought up and instructed yet I was very disobedient being yong and head-strong and hearkned not to my fathers advice which I had often but regarded it not which grieved me greatly afterward for I could not endure to be curbed or kept in but at length because of his continual and yet justly reproving me for my ill courses and ill company which I kept I resolved I would stay at home no longer but I would be gone into the Low-Countreys and we were put out to Sea but by contrary Winds and Seas were driven back again But I could not see this but still held on my purpose and having an opportunity I got away for all that into England and I was in England a while where my friends set upon me and perswaded me to turn home again telling me many things to move me but whilest I had my abode with my friends there for some time I began to be acquainted with some things for there I heard good men and Ministers often and there I was made to see my sin and wicked disobedience by one Master Evans and I was thereupon sadly affected and disconsolate and could have no quiet nor rest In this time my Father hearing of me where I was not knowing before what was become of me but that I might be dead or drowned now writ a Letter to me wherein I was admonished to beware of such as run headlong to perdition with many other good advices and he seemed as Iacob joyed to hear that his son was yet alive c. All which things struck me heavily to the heart and so I lay long under the fearful sentence of my sin and disobedience and could not take any comfort or content I prayed fasted heard the Word went to Ordinances yet had no satisfaction at all And thus I continued till my heart was ready to burst a peeces and then I began to make it known to my friends how I was afflicted who did a little comfort me but this lasted but a little while for I soon fell again into my old malady and grief as before being sadly diseased and so as I could finde no comfort at all by any means until that place in Isa. 50.10 came into me How he that sitteth in darkness and seeth no light should trust in the Name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God which did much fasten upon me and me upon God whereby I had abundance of comfort but yet never free from many temptations and fears and doubts and such sometimes as
hath been ever since I acknowledge this great mercy to me and doe live upon Christ the true Messias whom I beleeve to have dyed for my sinnes and will save my soul. Experience of Lawrence Swinfield I Have been a Travellâ—ur for some yeares and wandred about in far Countries beyond Seas till I came backe againe into England and all this while in my natural condition and so I continued a great while but I came hither in a sad condition and very comfortlesse and could not tell what to doe but to fall to prayer and I did that often and found I thanke God much refreshment from that meanes but nothing to satisfie my minde for I have been much troubled in conscience and could not take comfort untill the Lord was pleased to give in some promises to feed upon as Matth. 11.28 29 30. where he promised to ease the heavy oppressed and to make his yoke easie and light and then I began to long for a Reformation and to desire to be under his yoke which was before I thought a burthen to me and so Esa. 55.1 Come buy without price and without money and so I came as freely as I was called and was presently confirmed by the Spirit of God perswading me to give my selfe up into Gods hands upon these his owne termes and so I did to this day and many other sweet promises I had whereby I had a great deale of peace and comfort and can confidently say the Lord is my God and I have ever since found in me a very great change from what I was before As to instance in anger I am now so free from that Passion that I thinke none can anger me and so for many other things and I have a great delight in the Word and Ordinances and have received a great deal of comfort and been much confirmed by Mr. Rogers and some others and I know now that my Redeemer lives Experience of John Chamberlain I Beleeve as you heard before in one God manifested by three Relations and I beleeve this Church-way is Christs and the very minde of God and that the Premises made to the Assemblies of Sion are yours being thus separate from them wihout But to tell you my life it hath been very evill but now the Spirit of God testifies in mee that I am his About fourteen years agone I was a grievous Wretch and was cast out of doors for my disobedience But afterward being bound an Apprentice the example of my Fellow-Prentice who was well-given wrought much upon mee and hee seemed to mee to doe all for Heaven and to minde Heaven altogether which began to incline mee much that way too and one time I went to him and desired him to own me and to let me be with him and partake but hee told mee hee must not cast bread to Dogs which troubled mee much but then I remembred to say But I may have the crummes and thence forward was hee willing to helpe mee all he could so I went with him often and by my selfe to heare good men and the word preached but I was yet puffed up with Spirituall pride and did backslide from my promises and the profession which I made wee were after that about such a way of walking together as this is but wee were not so strict and carefull of admitting so I was admitted without any great Examination or Triall but by reason of a Contract with a Woman which I could not owne I was much troubled and brake out into sinne and God would have one sinne a scourge to another sinne to fetch me home againe which hee did to the purpose and I was after much trouble in minde restored againe to the favour of God Since that being a Souldier I was thereby brought under many Temptations to sin especially that vile lust of Drunkennesse which too much pursued mee and so strongly that sometimes I was ready to yeeld at other times ready to make away my selfe which I oftentimes was tempted to doe and sometimes I was ready to wish all manner of curses upon mee for that sinne yet so I continued till the Lord at last came and delivered mee out of these snares and filled my heart with his promises and presence and assured me of love in Christ and now I long to enjoy more of him and therefore desire to seek him with you in this fellowship Experience of Adrian Strong In short thus FOr my life I was two and twenty yeares a childe of wrath and then by the word preached and read out of good Books and the Bible I was brought in to God for my precisenesse and walking in the wayes of God I have been imprisoned twice Sometimes I have had mony before these troubles and then my heart was set too much on it but afterwards I was taken off of all and then I began to leave swearing and drinking c. which I did too much incline to And ever since as afflictons have growne greater on mee grace hath growne greater in mee I was travelling into England but now I blesse God for this mercy ordained for his Saints that I can have so sweet fellowship with them here in Dublin Experience of Hugh Leeson I Have something to say and I desire that the grace of God may appear more in me every day I am convinced of this way of Christ for believers to walk in and I have nothing to plead but my own unworthiness yet fully assured in Christ I am emboldned to bring my desires here like smoaking flax I cannot deny but my life hath been very bad and I have been exceedingly given to ill company and courses and can complain and do of what I have been more then others viz. A great sinner till grace was given me and mercy shown to me and Christ manifested in me by his Spirit which was begun at first by my Wife a Widdows daughter in this Town a godly Christian and whom God made the first Instrument of my good by her often reading of the Scriptures to me and giving me good councels and admonitions and by the Spirits working within me with it And yet I did even hate the Saints and forbid many of them coming to my house and was yet under many temptations I must needs say but I am now made sure of Christ convinced by the Word and much comforted and established since Mr. Rogers came hither and do now long after nothing so much as Jesus Christ and do desire earnestly to be in one with his people and pray them all to pray for me that I may stand by faith established in the truth Experience of Frances Curtis I Cannot but condemn my self before I speak I am so unworthy of this mercy I have lived wantonly in my youth forgetting God doing no good but all evil till Gods hand was heavy upon me for about eleven years and when in
seen my sins and been much troubled and have earnestly sought pardon and I am by the Spirit of Christ confident of it and I trust in Christ that I shall be established and do beleive it and I doe finde dayly a great change in me and now I long to hear of Christ and I love the Word and Ordinances of Christ and am sure that Christ hath paid the ransome for my sins and I am resolved in the power of the Lord to walk in his his wayes and to doe his will 35. Experience of Sarah Barn-well IT hath pleased God to exercise me with much afflictions and his love was all which drew me to himself and nothing else but first I lay long under a legall sorrow and grief for sin and I was then put upon works and duties hard for heaven but I saw I could not get it that way and in this great Plague-time in this City I was carried further from the notion to the Power and to spirituall holinesse and higher into Christ yet I used the means much as praying preaching reading meditating c. and by the Word I was struck home when Mr. Dunstable teached on the sad condition of some even Professors that were in Hell howling Oh! this sad doctrine struck deep to the heart and I lay long wounded in my spirit upon it But it hath pleased God to work upon me in divers wayes and by his Spirit he hath set me free from this bondage which mercy I obtained first from the consideration of Gods great love in Christ and hereby I was brought to this assurance which I have 36. Experience of Jeremy Heyward THE Lord hath opened my eyes to see sin and showne me my self and I lay under his wrath half a year and so long as I sought to make out my own righteousnesse I lay thus and yet this while I followed the meanes heard the Word and I saw at length nothing but Christ would serve me and till then I could have no comfort wherefore one first day of the week I fell to prayer I prayed thrice and at the third time I heard him say Loe my grace is sufficient for thee whereby I was much satisfied ere since rowling my self on Christ and living in him alone and I finde so great a change that I can say whereas I was blinde now I am sure I see 37. Experience of John Megson I Have often been in danger yea of losing my life and then have desired to live and to amend in many great afflictions I have been in in my youth time I was very ignâ—rant but now I am earnest for more light that I may be in the wayes of God That Scripture of Christ in Revel 3.20 Standing at the doore and knocking did work upon me and then I understood Christ must come in and all evill be put out and then I did desire Christ and seek out after him and so I doe yet and shall doe though I dare not presume of any thing of my owne but all on Christ and therefore I desire to be of this Church for God shall adde such as shall be saved 38. Experience of Ann Megson I Have been long time troubled in minde but yet I dare not despair for Come unto me and I will ease you saith the Lord. The Lord did let me be long where there was but small goodnesse to be learnt But at London-stone I heard a good man out of Isay 53.6 like sheep we have gone astray and he showed how the Shepheard had a Dog when any run out of the flock to fetch him in again and so the Lord did by his Word fetch in us that went astray and thus the Lord wrought upon me and made me see my sins and my self and I was long afflicted and I thought if I were the Lords I should not be in this trouble but then I remembred that Daniel was in the Den and Jeremy and Hezekiah were afflicted and these were the Lords and that the Lord delivered them and so that he would me in due time and I bless God he did deliver me out of them all O that he would give me the heart to praise him I was lewd but now am changed by his grace and goodnesse and I love the Lord and I wish there were such an heart in me that I may ever live for his honor and glory I doe long after Jesus Christ and love to be here in the wayes of Christ and I praise my God that he hath brought us so much out of darknesse as now to see his wayes Many more experiences I might insert but being of the same nature with these I have omitted them and shall keep them by me for another occasion There were others in Dublin that did declare many excellent passages of Gods workings in them and upon them as Captain Jones since Major whose being imperfect I purposely let alone lest he should take offence and William Holme Giles Mee Randall Lester William Fanshaw Elizabeth Holm Anne Bell Joice Latherd Elinor Meeke Robert Barnwell Elizabeth Gardner Robert Glover with many others And I doe earnestly desire pardon where offence is thought to be given especially of such dear friends whose testimonies I have brought into publique view to bear witnesse to the world of the workings of Gods Spirit in these dayes to the facilitating of which I doe to all the world call God who is righteous to bear me witnesse herein That 1. In the first place I have aimed herein at the honor and glory of God in the setting out his rich love to the lost sons of men and declaring the variety of his dispensations in grace and the sundry wayes of working both ordinarily and extraordinarily yea in these days to the fulfilling of his promises made us 2. I have dealt faithfully with all as I finde them in my Notes as near as I can to a tittle taken out of their owne mouths without respect of persons excepting some of the most ordinary sort which I have taken summarily as I promised at the first 3. I think I have done my duty herein and wish it might incite others to doe thus viz. to gather out the flowers of their garden to present to the Saints in other places and though some appear in their weaknesse as wel as in strength this doth the more magnifie free grace and all those variety of notes concur to make up the tune of the song of the Lamb that one song of Moses and of the Lamb So that the variety of the flowers and of the colors and of the natures and of the formalities of them gathered together into one give a glorious lustre and like the Rain-bow of many colours signifie fair weather for Ireland And I am in good hopes no good man can have the heart to blame me for my good will and worke before any take offence let him
said before being a type of this foundation we shall finde was to be laid by those whom the Lord had endued with most skill the chiefest and ablest of the laborers in that building and none are fit for this work viz. To lay the foundation principles and to fit out Christ to the capacity of the building in hand but such as are very wise experienced and filled with the Holy Ghost Others that are raw and unexperienced and not endued with divine skill and understanding for this work which will require the most accurate regard and judgement do but do what must be undone again and bring much discredit upon the work Therefore as Solomon sent to Hiram 2 Chron. 2. and about for able men so must we seek hard and send up to Heaven for the Holy Ghost to fall upon some who may be fitted for it This is another reason to me full of perswasion and power that many of our seeming orderly gathered Churches that yet are must be rifled and ript up to lay the foundation though it may be good yet more orderly and regularly and with more heavenly skill and wisdom then as yet it is laid But 2. In the next place the foundation of the Temple was also the choisest matter as being of most precious and permanent substance costly and curious stone 1 Kings 5.17 and 7.10 Christ is the most pretious tryed stone Isa. 28.16 8.14 Cut out without hands and elect for that use 1 Pet. 2.6 Most costly chary and continuing for ever Thus in Rev. 21. 19. the foundations of the New Jerusalem we finde garnished with all manner of pretious stones indeed all excellencies yea all manner of excellencies are in Christ the foundation of every particular Church 3. Furthermore when the foundation of the Temple was laid there were the largest and liveliest testimonies of joy that could be exprest Ezra 3.10 11 12. So is it to be at the laying of this foundation which is Christ to build upon it is to be done with shouting crying Grace grace unto it Zach 4.6 or as it is in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with wide acclamations and cryes of rejoycing and gladness O shall they say the grace the wonderful grace of God in Christ And mark this That till the foundation be laid there is no such loud shoutings out grace grace The whole strength and stress of the building lies in the foundation so does ours in Christ who is also our City of Refuge Now let this stone which most builders have refused and which others have rejected become the Head of our Corner Amen Use 4. The last use then that I would make now of this is to inform us of these two necessary things in imbodying together vse 4 First to be well grounded secondly to be well united without both these better never to have been a building for the fall will be great This is exceedingly requisite and of all places I should pitch upon Dublin at present to press this for sure I am we have great need of laying a sure foundation First That ye be well grounded and founded upon the Rock how requisit it is you have heard before onely this I adde That such a building will never fall but last ever and is of perpetual use for the Saints to dwell in till the full appearance or coming of Christ without alteration or cessation This Church-state upon this foundation ceases not I say not but the superstructure may sometimes want mending ordering and repairing but the essentials of it shall remain for ever Dan. 7.14 Luke 1.33 Isa. 9.7 8. 59.20 21. Eph. 3.21 Till it be grown up into a perfect stature in Christ Eph. 4.11 12. and then it shall be translated into a state triumphant 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Therefore Paul charges Timothy to a special care of those Ordinances which are to continue till the coming of our Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 6.13 14. So see 1 Cor. 11 26. Christ hath promised his presence and personal assistance to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 Now Saints that are built up together upon this foundation cannot fall neither shall the gates of hâ—ll at any time in any age be able to prevail against them Matth. 16.18 Here is no room left for that erronious opinion of Mr. Prynne now for such States-Politicians that would make Christs worship like the weather-cock to serve every wind or his building but a Crane to serve the Stâ—â—e and to turn as they list and Religion like a nose of wax to stand which way they will and to be altered and formed into what fashion they think fittest for the State and most suitable to the Civil Government and Laws of that Common-wealth But let that policy power and those persons expect the rigor of his rod of Iron which is already reached out against such Politicians of our times who like the King of Navar to Beza profess not to stir a foot further for Religion then it promotes policy and agrees with his interest Let such call to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb. The great day of his wrath is come Revel 6.16 17. Neither in the next place can we read less then an apparent repugnancy to sound truth and to this sure foundation in that lean opinion of the Cessation of Ordinances which some hold at this day contrary to Eph. 3.21 1 Cor. 11.26 1 Tim. 6.13 14. Wherefore they forsake publick assemblies Heb. 10.23 24. Duties Ordinances and will neither build nor be built up pretending the day is not come as Hag. 1 2 4. and it is time enough wherein as one notes there is a double sin First Their negligence and pretending it not to be the Lords time to cover their sin and secondly their rashness in charging others that are about the work and in the building of Gods house as if they made too much haste and might better let it alone because the time is not yet come c. So that they would have all lie in their ruines till the Restitution of Miracles as was in the Apostles days and then to do it by an Apostolick-power and authority and not till then But O! what an error is here Have they any warrant in the Word for this Is not this an argument of a sensual carnal low spirit that must be confirmed by miracles Job 20.29 and of want of faith Heb. 11.7 Besides are not miracles fallible Nay are they not notes of deceivers and false Christs in these latter days Matth. 24.24 And doth not Christ call them evil and adulterous that do seek for such signs Matth. 12.38 39. before they will believe that they must go about this building In a word I think they are under a world of temptations and very unsound if not sinfully sensual that are of that judgement though I will judge
no person but the sin for in forsaking Ordinances Assemblies Christian-duties c. They run a desperate hazard Heb. 10.23 24 25. which some say is the Prodromus or Harbinger of that pardonless pitiless sin of the Holy Ghost Vers. 26 27 28 29. and of ruine V. 39. But this I have offered on the first part of this use to show a necessity of being well-grounded upon this Rock Christ and Secondly To be well-united in and to this Rock Christ by communion as 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye are called unto the communion of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord This is the voice of all the Oracles sayes Mr. Ainsworth to raise men into communion with Christ the Rock and then with one another 1 John 1.3 7. Hence it is that there be such variety of similitudes to resemble this communion and to illustrate it as Christ the Head we the Members and all by due joynts arteries and sinews united to the Head receiving life motion and government in all actions and affairs from the Head and yet by the same arteries sinews joynts and spirits united one to another so Christ is the Vine we the branches i. e. One with the vine the stock the root all participating of the same juice fatness sap sweetness and yet one branch deriving from another refreshed by another growing to another and one with another So Christ is the foundation we are the building Eph. 2.21 1 Cor. 3.9 all fastned knit and united to the foundation Christ although one may differ from another in form shape order place c. And although some be of a courser and some of a finer substance and appearance in this building although some be greater and some lesser some in one fashion and some in another yet all alike do depend upon and are set upon Christ the foundation all are rooted in him Col. 2.7 Eph. 3.17 grounded and built upon him and pinned fastned and united to him and yet are so to one another in faith and love as if they could not live or stand one without the other for they be many in particulars and some are under one form and some under another yet all are coupled together tacked and nailed together so that they grow together up unto an holy temple in the Lord. Now if we lie loosely and not firmly fastned as I said before we shall slip aside and fall out 1 Joh. 2.19 20. and thereby bring danger to the whole building This communion makes us in unity without which is neither comfort nor continuance in a Church-state neither am I of opinion with some that they must be all of one judgement and under one form and of one opinion in one body or society c. that hold together in love and faith For I finde no building no body no Church that ever was or will be without different forms opinions appearances c. according to the nature of the Members and Matter they are made up of There be many Members and particular parcels of several shape and use and yet by the wisdom of God all are so well-united and set together that there appears so admirable a decorum so goodly a frame and lovely a proportion and symmetry of the whole I say of the whole that not the least Member though the most differing from others in form or fashion could be spared for the Lord hath use of all his people under what dispensation soever to build up his house withal as I shall if the Lord please shew in the second Book Wherefore I am perswaded those Churches that consist so much in and subsist so much of and upon an uniformity will fall for they are not of Gods building but those the Lord builds as before though many Members be in them that differ in opinions forms or the like yet all shall be very useful and necessary in the place the Lord hath put them in by his holy Spirit and shall be so far from making fractions or divisions that they shall promote the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace being all are borne up by one foundation upon whom all are built one as well as another and that foundation which is the strength of the building is as able and fit to keep up one as another so fastened in him bee hee of what judgement soever and under what shape soever hee appeares to others so he be but good matter Now those Churches are of the Lords building doubtlesse that doe agree in Spirit though differ in forme and though they have in them of sundry Nations natures languages judgements or opinions yet are all one in Christ the foundation and are firmly cemented and united one to another in Christ by his own and the same spirit which enlivens enlightens quickens comprehends acts inables moves and governs all though under diversity of gifts and administrations And these are they that shall stand by his wisdome though not in the wisdome of flesh and blood or of the world Well in a word Sion thus governed thus grounded and thus united as before must be the delight of the whole earth beautifull for scituation not onely in a faire air lovely climate and good land but lying on a fair full and sure foundation which shall never bee removed but which he will establish for ever Psal. 48.2.8 SELAH Wherefore thus saith the Lord of hosts let your hands be strong ye that heare in the day the foundation of the Lords house is laid Christ being for that purpose preached that the Temple might be built For the building is all in vaine that is not laid upon this Foundation And to conclude The Lord make our Builders wise in laying the Foundation first I feare too many and I desire to deale home with my owne naughty deceitfull heart herein that have sought more their owne fame then others felicity more to glorifie themselves then God in gathering the godly into Fellowships and so they have gotten a good many and those great ones too and made themselves some body then they Christen their Churches into their owne names The Lord shame us for it whom he findes guilty Constantine the Great called Trajane who was a Great Builder the wal-flower for that his name was engraven on so many walls So indeed are many mens names most shamefully if not impudently ingraven on your Churches This was not in Primitive times we never read of any Churches called by mens names then as St. Pauls Church or Peters Church but all called the Churches of Christ for they were built upon him for a foundation upon this Rocke which Eagles flye up to but the Ostridges have their nests in Sand. So that all true Churches and Saints have one and the same substantiall Foundation For as Rhetoricke is said to be a Fist extended and displayed into an open hand but Logick a hand contracted into a close Fist