TO SIONS LOUERS, BEING A GOLDEN Egge, to avoide Infection: OR, A SHORTSTEP INTO the Doctrine of laying on of hands, to provoke such as have time, hart, and parts to prosecute resting upon the promise, the tongue of the stutterers shall speake plaine, and out of the mouthes of babes, Iehovah shall have praise.

Looke not to Scottish, nor Dutch, New-England, nor Olde, Behold the paterne, the Apostles fellowship and so goe up by the Tents of the Shepheards.

Printed in the yeare 1644.

VVorthy D. Gouge,

REmembering your antient acquaintance with mee and my Father long since at rest, I presume to father this naked child Without Scholasticke phraises, or Schoole learning to dresse it and garnish it, and so bring it forth to further view, knowing by experi­ence, and also you were well reported of for the opening of Doctrines, seeing you have had a word of knowledge to preach the Do­ctrine of Repentance from dead workes and faith towards God, and have sweetly taught Christ in his Priestly Office, I beseech you leave some good savour of your name before the close of your eyes concer­ning Christs Kingly Office; open the Doctrine of the laying on of hands, and rest not in the ceremony which hath been used by the lay­ing on of hands of bloody persecutors, I hope you will be wary of new inventions, to lay on fowle hands againe, leane not to their wisedome that have so long erred, take the advice of the Assemblie of the Saints, and so of the spouse of Christ who washeth her hands in inno­cencie and compasseth the Alter, let her have her due benevolence and so her right; as she is the Eldership to lay on hands by whom she shall appoint.

Sir, there was much jelosie of you in the time of the Prelates, that you were too full of feares, And now the Lord hath shortned those dayes of persecution; and you have a prise in your hand, being one of the Maisters of the Assemblie, fasten some naile concerning the Do­ctrine of laying on of hands, which will cleare up holy fellowship and take off that aspertion layd upon your congregations, that they are false; none of Christs, but Antichristian: Though I doe not for [Page] my part say so of them, yet the Doctrine of Baptisme and the Do­ctrine of laying on of hands is left out of them, notwithstanding the ceremonys have beene of Baptisme and laying on of hands with more then needed which makes some to goe to a second Baptisme. And on other forme, some are seekers out of a Baptisme looking for Elyas as John the Baptist to bring it from heaven, forsaking all fellow­ship till Christ shall send forth new Apostles to lay on hands; All this is (as I conceive) is for want of the knowledge of those two mid­dle principalls, seeing these things are come to passe in your dayes, before your end; labour in the word and doctrine to cleare up those two principalls, so to our great Doctor I leave you to teach you the misteries of the Kingdome, resting ever to love the Saints.

S. Iones

I Printed a few for my owne use, because I would not loose my thoughts, & for such as shal councell me for the best; for without councell the thoughts perish. If herein I have failed, I hope it will be easily passed by being the first fault upon that subject of laying on hands desiring to provoke to love & goodworkes, so to him that hath loves to bestow upon his beloved, who is the wonderfull councellor. I leave all the worke.

TO SIONS LOVERS, Being a Golden egg to avoyd Infection, &c.

CHristian Reader, I thought to have beene silent, but this is a time of warre, the war increaseth not onely in earth but also in heaven, when the Lord will destroy his enemies, hee provokes them to come out against his people; and the Saints are as a marke for many to shoote at, but this is the comfort of the Saints, the Prince of peace, his Angells the Ambassadors of peace fighteth for Sion and the hill there­of, against the Dragon and his Angells, blessed those that helpe the Lord against the mighty, the Lord takes part with those that helpes the Saints,Psal.118.7. wherefore let those that are against the Saints hold there peace; I will speake come what will; The enemies of the godly are for­gers of lies,Ioh.13.13. and the Saints become their enemies because they tell them the truth; wherefore deare friends of Christ,Ierem.2.8. har­ken not to lying vanities and so forsake your owne mercies; joyne to the Saints in holy union, as Iehovah saith to the Pro­phet let them returne to thee but returne not thou to them,Ier.15.19. though it be hard to goe against the flood the Dragon casts out of his mouth, yet looke to him that guides the stearne the Captaine of our Salvation,Ier.51.15. remember that the destroying mountaine Babell is rowling downe as a burnt mountaine, and the beast and the false Prophet is comming also with the ebb into the lake,Rev.12.20. wherefore let the Saints take hart, though they goe against the streame of the times, for their way is one [Page] high, and it will be easie for they of the world to goe downe the streame with the lyers their companions, wherefore com­fort ye my people, comfort ye my people saith our God, though there be pleaders against Gods people, and they are not suffered to pleade for themselves, yet the Lord will pleade their cause;Esa 51.12. the spirit may depart from seven and sevens, but hee that hath the seven spirits will never depart from his spouse, he will be with her to the end of the world, walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, all the congre­gations that puts away all abominations so farre as they know and mingle not with drosse, what is not declared by letter, must be cleared by the word that was before the letter; Christ manifest in all his offices, and so measure the Temple, the Altar, the worship, and the worshippers, put away all humaine inventions that agree not with that rule; and so in his armes I leave thee that lovest Sion.

Exhortations to Gods people.

GIve glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darke­nesse; and before your feet stumble upon the darke mountaines,Ier.13.16 while you looke for light he turned it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse.

Heb.12.6.13.Let that which is halting be healed, least it be turned out of the way, Come out of her my people least your hearts faint when you see the judgement:Ier.51.16. It is commendable for Gods people to abide steadfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellow­ship.Acts.1.42.

Observations for Gods people.

Eze 10.15.They that be ashamed of the iniquities, shall see the pattern of the house of Iehovah, The labour of the foolish weary eve­ry one of them, because he knoweth not how to goe to the City.

Comfort to Gods People.

Esa. 41 15.Behold I will make thee a new threshing instruments have­ing [Page] mouths wherewith thou shalt thresh the mountaines and beat them small and make the hills as chaffe,Psal. 149.8.9. this honour have all the Saints they shall have a two edged sword in their hands, they shall be terrible as an Army with banners;Cant. 6.4. great are the Armies, many were the publishers all the Congrega­tions of the Saints; as shee preachers hold forth Christ,Psal. 68.11. pub­lish the Gospel, take in and cast out, exercising the power of Christ

Admonishons to such as goe from mountaine to hill forgetting their resting place.

Mich. 2. 10.Arise, this is not your rest, because it is polluted, Polluted Congregations is not the rest of the Saints;Jer. 2. 36. why gaddest thou so much to change thy way, thou shalt be ashamed of AEgypt as thou wast of Assyria, It may be thou maiest be ashamed of the Presbytery as thou wast of the Hierarchie.

Holy fellow­ships are fen­ced Cities, up­on all the glo­ry shall be a defence.Why doe we sit still? Assemble your selves and let us en­ter into the defensed Cities, and let us be silent there, for the Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us water of gall to drinke, because wee have sinned.

Esay 4 5.Beware of doggs, for the leaders of this people cause them to erre, and they that are led by them are destroyed, they that posesse them, slay them,Jer. 8.14. and their teachers have swallowed up the old path.Phil. 3. 2.

Good councell to luke warme Congregations.Esay 9. 16.

Zach. 11. 5.I councell thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire that thou maiest be rich, and white rayment that thou maiest be clo­thed,Esay 3. 11. that the shame of thy nakednesse doe not appeare, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou maiest see,Revel. 3. 18. such as see the evill of their way, will enter into holy fellowship with silence and here the Saints: The Prelates in their time put the godly to silence, and the time will come when God shall put many to silence, and then they will heare what the spirit spea­keth to the Saints none dareing to speake against them.

Q. What may be the darke mountaines wee may avoyde falling on them.

A. This is a begging age, and there is Phisitians of no va­lue that beg questions but not for healing, but some have ma­ny questions to beg, but before we fall upon querees, let us [Page] here what hath beene done against the Saints, There have beene councellors of state that have councelled for their hurt: I hope better things of some that are now clouded with temptations; that they will dote upon questions of no worth, and plead for a thing of naught, and against the Saints, but were they grave councelors as healing Elders, they would endeavour to heale Babell, shee not being healed, or come out of her into holy fellowship, as the straight gate by reason of persecution,Ezek. 42. 8. and so shine forth to the consuming of Antichrist,Rev. 22. 2. and their holy fellowship and godly conversation will be as the leaves of the trees of the sanctuary for the hea­ling of the nations. And if they were wise pleaders, they would not plead against the Saints, who were companions with them in sufferings, and in their adversitie, gave them­selves to prayer in holy fellowship for them, which they cal­led convinticles, who after the way they called heresie wor­ship they God abiding steadfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, and put away uncleannesse from them so farre as they know, they doe not separate with shame, as some Con­gregations like darke mountaines, those that abide in holy fellowship doe not seperate with whores, they doe not wor­ship with harlots as the people that doe not understand, but may fall upon the darke mountaines; If those pleaders that accuse the Saints of that they know not, were they wise plea­ders they would plead the cause of the dumbe,Hosea 14. 4. who keepe si­lence inevill times, the wicked being in sight:Psa. 39. 1. If they would plead their own innoecncy after some that have been first as seeming just, they are made dumbe and put to silence, for none of their Complaints shall passe the Presse, but the Presses are fil­led with their Letters, that open their mouthes wide to smite the Saints with the tongue, and wound them with the Pen, blotting them with their Inke, as if they would not have the name of holy Ones among them; as in the time of the Hirarchie, the pretious were put out, and the uncleane kept in, and compelled to come to worship, though they re­lished it no more then the White of an Egge: But now when the name of Antichrist should be raised out, now they have a prise in their hand to set upon reformation, now the judge­ments [Page] of God are on the earth, should not the Inhabitants thereof learne Righteousnesse; shall the hands of the wicked be strength­ned, and the hearts of the godly sadded, whom the Lord hath not sadded: Remember what is said,2 Cor. 18. 22. this is that king Ahaz that sinned more and more in the time of distresse: Oh that the Saints were wise to gather into holy fellowship, the roote of Iesse set up for an Ensigne, and so Thrones set up for Judge­ment in the gates of Sion, 1 Cor. 6. 5. executing the power of Christ to judge each other; then there would bee little or no worke for Lawyers, especially among the Saints; then evill reports of the Saints would not be received, and such as bring up an evill report of the good way of God, are not likely to see the pattern of Iehovahs house: Let such take heed they fall not upon the darke mountaines, as they fell in the Wildernesse, but give glo­ry to God, confessing their sinne, be ashamed of Iniquities,1 Cor. 10. 5. so shall yee see the Pattern of the House, and goe not so much as neere the Corner of the Harlot, gad not from mountaine to hill, forgetting the resting place, dayes without number: Why gaddest thou so much to change thy way, If there be another Lord-like power set up,Jer. 2. 36. you shall be ashamed of it, as you were of the former Hirarchy, marke what the wise Preacher saith,Eccle. 10 15. The la­bour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to goe to the city. Is there not great labour lost in wrong rea­soning, strife about words, Presbitery and Independency which the Saints in fellowship owne not? is there not much weari­nesse in reading many bookes to no profit, but to please the flesh? is there not much wearying in carnall disputes, conten­ding for nought shewing lust which should not be the custome of the Saints? the reason of their wearinesse is, they know not to goe to the city where the Saints sit together in holy fellow­ship as in heavenly places, according to the doctrine of laying on of hands, which hath not beene tought, so farr as I know in the confused congregations since the defection of Antichrist; the doctrine of Baptisme and the laying on of hands hath been as it were lost, as the book of the law which was found in good Iosias time of reformation, such as desire reformation now,2 Cor. 34. 14. may doe well to put to pen, and presse, pulpits and conferences to cleare those two doctrines, the doctrine, of baptisme will cleare the purities of the ordinances, the doctrine of laying on hands [Page] will cleare holy fellowship, the laying on of foule hands, yea, bloody hands of the Prelates hath beene taken for the doctrine of laying on of hands as if the using of the ceremonie as a shell to the kernell held forth in the doctrine, even as if the joyning of the lips which is the ceremony were all that is required to imbracing by love.Rom. 16. 16.

If there bee another power out and above the congregation which is the Elder ship above her stewards,Heb 7. 7. for the lesse is bles­sed of the greater, so surely the congregations united together in Covenant, by worship or agreeing in the name of Christ in time of reformation having beene back-sliders, such as the ti­picall, nationall, great congregation said,Psal. 50. 5. come let us joyne in Covenant, what was meete for the tipiall Church as the gene­rall congregation of the first borne,Esay 50. 5. the same is meete for eve­ry visible congregation when they come to reformation, uni­ting themselves together in holy union, to injoy holy com­munion and so shine forth to the consuming of Anticrist, e­lecting, choosing out from among thmselves, ordaining, in­vesting by her owne power given her from Christ, shee being in his stead the Eldership to appoint her Officers, as her maides to kill her fatlings,Pro. 9. 1. dwelling together in one Parish, is not from heaven to make one bread and one body but of men, but many members becomes one body according to Gods, Ordinance to have power to take in & cast out by uniting together by faith & order agreeing in the name of Christ, and so we are indowed with power and order; as two parties husband and wife be­comes one by Covenant more of few partners becomes one by covenant, civill fellowships many members becomes one con­gregation by Covenant, so joyning to Christ by faith gives us not a visible right to the ordinances, but uniting together accor­ding to the minde of Christ,Jer. 50. 5. joyning to the Lord in Covenant; so in times of persecution holy fellowship will not falsefie their Covenant, though the Parish Assemblies turne with the State in evill times, but this is too great a labour for my selfe,Psal. 44. 17. I doe but hint it to the honored that labour in the word and doctrine as a patient desire to be healed wherein I erre, I earnestly beg these questions of the wise and learned, by what name or title soever called or would be called; for of them is pretious Preach­ers concerning the doctrine of repentance from dead workes [Page] and faith towards God; but of them are those that have spo­ken evill of the old and good way of them there is that have blasphemod the Tabernacle and dwellers in heaven, of them there is hirelings to speake against the gathering of the Saints in order, as Shemaiah was hired by Sanballat & Tobia to hinder the building of Gods Temple,Neh 6. 10. of them there is not any that ever I heard that opened the doctrine of laying on of hands, wherefore though I honour them for the truth they teach, yet I submitt not to them in that which is besides the text, wherefore turne my questions to the more honored Christians, peculiars purchased by Christs blood, such as have the tongue of the learned to speake a word in season to the weary, honored before such as ashame their name, as the righteous is better then his neighbour, such as through beleeving out of whose bellies flow rivers of waters of life,John 2. 38. such as feare Iehovah, with whom are his secrets,Psa. 25. 14. holy brethren such as are made partakers of the Divine nature, I know no other Divines but brethren and sisters united together as godly Phyladelphian, Rev. 3. 8. and sweet Smyrna dwelling even together in unity,Jer. 2. 8. honored Saints with the double edged sword of those holy hearers,Psa.133. I begge these questi­ons following.

Quest. 1. Whether the Congregations that know not the Doct­rine of laying on of hands, that know not the power, or have given their power to the Beast, that know not how to weld the two ed­ged sword, that know not how to speake each to other, 2 or 3 by course, and others to judge, that know not how to judge one ano­ther, that know not how to deale with one another,Mat. 18. 15. 16. 1 by telling privately, 2 by two or 3 & then to the Congregation, whereof they be members, that know not how to elect, choose, ordaine, invest Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, Male and Female, qualified ac­cording to holy writt, whether such congregations as these may not be said to be darke mountaines.

Q. 2. Whether such as be tontosticated with the cup of fornica­tors, rayging and rangling drunke with pride and passion, al­so staggering are not like to stumble and fall upon those darke mountaines.

Q. 3. Whether the Saints that withdraw from all that walke disorderly either brethren or congregations agreeing in the name of Christ covenanting to walke with God, and one with another to walke with God in all his waies, so farre as they know or shall know be not the way and order of the Gospell.

[Page] Q. 4. Whether such Congregations as last aforesaid be not fen­ced Cities which are walled by the power of Discipline,Esay 4. 5. upon all the glory shall be a defence, and such for whom the Prophet prayes the walls may be built.Psa. 51. 18.

Q. 5. Whether the mixt Congregations, that exercise not the power of Christ that he hath given them be not unfensed Cities.

Q. 6. Whether that now threshing instruments having mouthes called new, as the new commandement which was from the begin­ning be not the ordinance of Dissipline to beat the mountaines into chaffe, the graine may appeare, behold I will make the tipicall con­gregation nation one congregation, behold I will make thee a ve­ry visible congregation under the Gospel a new threshing instru­ment,Esay 41. 15. so the power is given to her, not to her officers.Psa. 68. [...]1.

Mat. 28. 19. 20. Q. 7. Whether the Congregations be not the shee preachers to whom the command is given, to whom the promise is made, goe Preach and Baptise, observe and doe all I command you, and I will be with you to the end of the world.

Q. 8. Whether all the Saints shall not have honour, the power as the two edged sword, her overseers being one with her, not Lords over her.

Q. 9. Whether the Saints that would have healed Babell she not being healed are not to come out from confusion and gather into order as flockes of sheepe goe up from washing.Cant. 5. 6.

Esay 11. 10. Q. 10. Whether the Congregations that suffer Christ to reigne over them, the Roote of Iesse set up for an ensigne, exersing the power of Christ to take in what is serviceable, casting out what is offencive, would not be as terrible as an army with banners, com­ly as Ierusalem beautifull as Tirzah. Cant. 6. 4.

Q. 11. Whether the Males in every Congregation be not to lift up pure hands, propheng one by another, two or three by course, the rest judging.

Q. 12. Whether such Preachers as speake against such as walke in order and are of the quiet of the land, such counsellers as advi­seth to their hurt, such pleaders as pleade for a thing of nought shall not be called to the barre of Gods judgment if they repent not.Eph. 5. 21.

Oh, that wee might submitt one to another in all that is good. O that the time were come that the wolfe might be with the lamb and a little childe should leade them.Esay 11. 6 &c

FINIS.

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