CHAP. I.

WEE crave leave to treat with you about those words ere set downe in the close of the former Treatise, ‘The power and virtue of the law of Relation written in the heart;’ If ye never met with those words be­fore blesse God you have met with them, and make much of them now. These are ‘Maschil,’ none like them so far as we know, to instruct your selves, and us to a right understand­ing [Page 2] of the way, to point the eye to it, to guide the foot in it, that our walke therein may be according to sound judgement and discretion.

§ 1 We have heard you speake highly enough, and pray as earnest­ly for Learned, and ordained Ministers. Well, If you will say more, we thinke all the Godly in the land can joine with you in your desires: but stopping there▪ we beleeve they will stop too, and cannot pray the same thing. Though yet we beleeve, That all o­ther faithfull servants of Christ, have the ‘mind of Christ,’ they love order, they hate confusion. Notwithstanding we take the bold­nes to tell you our perswasion ‘That a Godly man will assoone passe under Tyburne, as he will under the hands of those Ministers for ordination, whose way and judgement, as to Church-Admini­strations, is full-up with them so often mentioned.’ And this be spoken without the least refection of Dishonour upon the Chur­ches, governed by Presbyters, who seperate from the world at the Lords Table, as we suppose.

Srs, We beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christ His sake, and love of the Spirit; for His Churches sake; for His Truths-sake; for decencie, and order sake; for the Office, or Stewardship-sake, whereof you must give an account shortly, Consider, putting it upon your thoughts: ye say ye are the Ministers of Christ; ye stand in His stead; ye are Stewards in His House, ye are Stars in His hand; What are ye not, which we, with your selves, account ho [...]ourable, makes for your stabilitie, and strength, securitie, and safetie. Put this to your soules now; and if it be possible deale clearely and truly at this point in the resolution of this Question; ‘Hath God caused you to passe under this Relation of Ministers?’ Then He hath written the law of that Relation upon your hearts; What man hath done, should be little with you, and without something more, is nothing to us; Hath God caused you to passe under that Relation? that is the Question: If you say yes, hold it forth, that all may see you speake as well as heare you, and give Righteons judgement, ‘That the Lord hath written the law of that Relation upon your hearts.’ Now the Lord God helpe you all, and every one to looke after this writeing of God upon your hearts; for we are more than jealous, as you give us sad cause; That, it is not yet done, we meane the law of this Relation is [Page 3] not written upon your hearts. You may thinke it is, and you may say it is, It is nothing to us, nor we beleeve to any Godly man in all the whole Nation, what you say as to this matter, or what you thinke, while we see what you doe: ‘Saul speakes as confi­dently, as you may doe, and surely he spake as he thought I have performed the Commandment of the Lord,’ which was, that1 Sam. 15. Amalecke should be utterly destroyed, nor person nor thing spared; ‘That you have not said Samuell; What meaneth then this bleating of the Sheepe in my eares, and the lowing of the Oxen, which I heare?’ There are none so confident in beleeving (we meane a counterfeit beleefe) than are they, that are most outra­gious in sinning; ‘The foole rageth, and is confident.’ So may ye say ye have kept the charge of the Lord; You have performed His Commandment, ordering matters in His house, as becometh Stewards there.

§ 2 First, This ye have not done sure, for what meaneth those abhominations committed there, not onely by your connivence winking at it, but by your allowance also, and more, your doing and justifying of what you doe, where it is done; what meaneth all this?

Secondly, What meaneth then those Beasts in the shape of men, and they are the worst Beasts, presenting their Infants to Baptisme, and themselves to the Lords Table? not requiring of them so much as a bare profession of faith and repentance: all that, they can make; yet more than is required: What meaneth all this, if the law of your Relation be written on your hearts?

Thirdly, What meaneth this (which being granted will proove an In▪ let to, who knowes how great a flood of ungodli­nes) That things must be ordered in Gods house, not according to the Principles grounded in Gods Word, but according to the Principles of Infant Baptisme? What meaneth all this? If the law of your Relation be written in your hearts?

Fourthly, What meaneth then, That unreasonable, and wic­ked men passe for Beleevers, having no faith; and for Disciples, who hate Discipline; and for Saints, who persecute holinesse? If the law of your Relation be written in your hearts, can this be?

Fifthly, What meaneth then, That this monstrous body, we meane your Church, hath so much glorie, and favour in your [Page 4] eyes; and the Church of Christ the true members thereof, as in charitie you should judge, so little; That alone honourable with you, this alone despicable, so far as appeareth to mans eye; you are every day washing the face of the one to make it looke good­ly, and faire before men, and so to in-state it in, and possesse it of glorious matters, while you bewray the face of the other (which must needs be, while you wash the one) not with dust, as you may reade hereafter, but with mire, and dirt? Surely ye could not doe so, if the law of this Relation were writton on your hearts; for thus ye and we read; ‘In whose eyes a vile person is contem­ned; but he honoureth them that feare the Lord:’ Well, The Lord knowes who are His, and He hath made some of them to know it, that they are His, for Him they serve. And now they know, That He loves them, and to the end, that hath no end He loveth them. And now for mans love, if they have it they thanke him for it; if they have it not it matters little, and troubles them lesse upon their owne score. But this they know, That upon whose heart soever this law of Relation is written, this law of love is writ­ten also; ‘For every one that loveth Him That begat, loveth Him▪ also that is begotten of Him,’ 1 Joh. 5. 1. Idem est motus animae ad finaginem & rem, saith Aristotle some where; ‘The love that beares up the soule to God, beareth it also to the Image of God; Qui amat-supra amat infra, he that truely loves God above, heartily loves his Brothe [...] beneath.’ But see what it is to swallow downe the Principles of Infant Baptisme, and to re­gulate all matters in the house of God according thereunto? as some doe; for it is to the men of that way and judgement we speake.

Sixthly, If you have the law of your Relation written upon your hearts; what meaneth then, that you doe with your poore people, sottish, and brutish ones; so contrary to this law? In suf­fering them to take Sanctuary at the Ordinance of Baptisme? thereby to shelter them from the wrath that is to come? and while they live in their sinnes, give them right, and title to all Church-Administrations? Surely, surely, they, that feele the law of this Relation upon their hearts cannot doe so, no not for a world can they doe it; it were to make a poore ignorant people to ‘be­leeve a lie,’ which we are assured is far from your purpose to doe: [Page 5] But you know there is ‘finis operis, and operantis;’ utter destructi­on of soules will be the end of this worke, though it is not your end that are the workmen; no, the thought of it, that you should de­stroy soules is an abhomination to you. Let your worke, as to this matter, be an abhomination to you also. You cannot in evill things, and doiugs seperate the end from the meanes, (if the man will goe onn sinning, his end will be perishing for ever:) as ye ought not in good things to seperate the meanes from the end. (if the end I drive to, be eternall life, the meanes must be taken that conduce thereunto.) Therefore by the mercies of God, we be­seech you, and because of the terrour of the Lord, His heavy wrath, and displeasure, dolefull, and dreadfull punishments, that must be the portion of all Stewards, that feele not the law of their Relation written upon their hearts. by the finger of God there, and regard not to feele it, we would perswade with you to Con­sider these matters, what your doings have been, and are, how agreeable to the mind of your God, rule of His word, law of your Relation; advise with one another about it, and then speake your minds.

Having praemised these six things for tryall, whether, the law of your Relation be written upon your heart, we proceed herein ac­cording to the proposed Method, and first to shew

CHAP. II.

WHat an influence this law of Relation written in the heart by the finger of God, hath upon the ‘doctrine, and practise’ of a Minister; We will speake of him single; for as it is with one, it is with all, who find that ‘law as aforesaid, and of his Doctrine’ first,

§ 1 First, He is his Lords ‘Paranymph, or spokesman,’ he speakes a good word for Christ where ever he comes, if it be seasonable, thereby to make-up the match, and betroth the soule unto Him; He laboureth to come within the bosome of a sinner, and grapple so powerfully with his spirit, that He may take no nay at his hand: and for the attaining this end, and to make him see what [Page 6] need he hath of Christ; He will lay open the lothsome nature of sin, and let-in the terrour of the Lord upon the Conscience, that the carelesse, and rebellious sinner may come to a parley of peace, and be content to take Christ upon His owne tearmes, and take up the profession of the Truth, and not stand at the ‘Cost’ This is Gods resolution to humble the soule so low till it can in truth and se­riousness bid Christ wel­come upon any conditi­ons. His mer­cy and the blood of His Son is so pre­tious and un­valuable, that He will not cast-it away where no no­tice shall be taken of it; but He will make the he [...]rt subscribe experimen­tally to that Truth of His. 1 Tim. 1. 15. D. Re. Tr: p. 389.: Though so doeing he must part with all he hath of His owne, his dearest lust and all: And here He discovers to the sinner, as he can, the cunning fetches of his cursed heart, and hunts him out of his ‘Mu­ses,’ that he may not cozen himselfe, and sit downe with some reserved Delusion, and goe no farther. And this is the Lords way sure in whose stead he stands, and therefore craves of Him dayly His eye-salve, that he may stand in His counsell, and walke in His way, and doe that which he hath seene with his heavenly Father, as He hath done, and by His Word and Spirit still doth; so doth he in His strength, and by the directions of His Word; Wee will insist upon this a little.

When ever the Lord brings any soule over to Himselfe, He first ‘hideth pride from his eyes.’ Man, every man borne into the world, and growing up there, is a stout rebell, a stiffe-necked, crea­ture, as his father is; and as yeares adde Cubits to his stature, so is there an addition made to his pride, and rebellion: as he growes-up, he growes more like his father every day; now so soone as the Lord God is pleased to deale with this man by His Word, and Spirit, He knocks downe this Monster pride, for this beares-up mightily against the Word, and Spirit, and, like the possessed man, breaks the cords, and bands, the good Spirit would binde him with; as easily till the Spirit hath set them on, as we can doe, burnt flax, or make a thred snap before the Candle. Therefore this prido is discerned, and slaine first, which is enmitie in the will, affections, and mind; There it is still when discovered, and slaine there; but it doth a man no hurt, being discovered, and slaine, as pride doth not: for though it be, as they say, as the heart is, the first that lives, and the last that dyes, yet the man is hum­bled for his pride, and walks softly all his dayes, and doth put forth an holy enmity now against all that in his soule, which exalts it selfe against his God, his Lord, his Christ, and Word of His grace.

Secondly, This is it he would bring home to his owne, and others hearts. The Lord God by His Word, and Spirit, hides pride from our eyes first, by giving us a sight into our selves, what an hell there is within us, and makes it looke like hell, whereas be­fore it might looke like heaven; what a dunghill there is within us, and makes us smell the stench of it as of a Dunghill, whereas before it did savour with us, as a garden of spices, or a bed of Ro­ses; And then according to the exceeding riches of His grace, and abundant mercie through Christ, gives us a sight of Himselfe,Job 42. 6. a saving experimentall knowledge of Himselfe in Christ; we heard of Him before with the hearing of the eare, (and how did we slight Him, till pride was hid from us, our proud heart was sub­dued) but now our eye hath seene Him. And what then? Now He is exalted in our soules, for we are made low; Now He, and He alone riseth in our thoughts higher, and higher still, and so we fable; now sin appeares to be sin (the worst can be said of it) and grace appeares to be grace (the best can be said of that too) it is grace; now Christ is exceeding welcome; for sin is above mea­sure sinfull. He is pretious, sin is vile.

The hony-combe trampled upon before, while we were full ofProv. 27. 7. our selves, that is, proud, relisheth now like an ‘honey-combe, as it useth to doe with an hungry soule, and truely now we would ab­horre our selves, and repent in dust and ashes.’

First, To apply this to our purpose, ye must take Gods way, if you meane to doe Gods worke; and this way you cannot choose, but take when ever ye goe to worke, as workmen, that need not be ashamed, feeling the law of their Relation written upon their hearts.

Secondly, Preach Christ unto the People, lift Him up as an Ensigne before them; So the Apostles did, so the Ministers of Christ doe, that feele the law of their Relation; they tell their hear­ers what lost ones they are ‘without Him, what glorious crea­tures they are being found, and accepted in Him; His fullnes will convince us, as one saith, abundantly of our emptinesse, HisJob 9. 148. purity will shew us our spotts; His All sufficiencie, our nothing­nesse labour by all meanes,’ attend, and insist upon the meanes, which you cannot, but doe, if you feele the law of your Relation, how to wooe for Christ, as His Paranymphs, speaking a good word for Him.

Thirdly, Be sure you lay your ground-worke well, we are more than jealous of you about that matter, as we told you be­fore. Tell your people home, as you can to their hearts, what a Cup of wrath they are borne to, and that they must drinke it up to the bottome, the very dregs of it, if they goe out of the world, as they came in, without any reall change wrought upon them by the Word and Spirit; for they were borne Children of wrath, so soone as they were Children of men; and they have been ever since they were borne, filling-up their measures; and after their hardnesse, and impenitent heart, treasuring-up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous Judgement of God.

Fourthly, And tell them herewithall, which you must needs doe, if ye know the law of your Relation, and feele it written upon your hearts; That their Church- priviledges they hold themselves borne unto, being Baptized there, trusted to, and gloryed In, as the manner is, stand them in no more stead, than the Arke at Shiloh did the Jewes, or sacrifices multiplyed, or the Temple of the Lord; The Rocke and Manna; Circumcision, or the Lords Super administred at Corinth; Beate them off from putting any Confidence in the flesh; if you doe not, you doe nothing to pur­pose; nay you must tell them more, If no inward glory be gained by our glorious priviledges, (which indeed the Nation partakes off above many, if not above all in the world) these will serve but to expose us to more wrath, and fiery indignation from the Lord, rendring our condition worse, than was theirs of ‘Corasin, Math. 10. 15. [...]am. 4 6. 10. Ezek. 5. 10. and Bethsaida,’ and our judgement from the Lord more intol­lerable, even in this world, as Jerusalems was, and at the end thereof, than Sodome's, and Gomorrah's was. And these things you will speake before the people sadly, and mournfully, as the Apostle saith; ‘weeping; for you know who said it, though you know he was an Heathen; If you will have us weepe, you must weepe first.’ When you find the law of your Relation pressing upon your spirits, Ye will not mention before your people the princi­ples of Infant Baptisme, as ye have glossed them with a Comment worse than the text; nor will you make mention of god-fathers, or god-mothers either; Something we have read how they came in at first; But when the law of your Relation constraineth you, [Page 9] ye will see no need of them now, the Church of the living God shall be no more abused with them, nor that ordinance propha­ned. But these things yee know better, than we can tell you, Blessed are ye, if ye doe thereafter; And what are you if ye doe contrary to what you know? we say not, but leave it upon your thoughts.

Fifthly, Preach sound doctrine to them, holding fast the forme of sound words; and whatsoever is contrary to it, Command them to bid defiance to it, yea to curse it as Paul did, being that, which their soule must abhorre, when they feele the law of their Relati­on; Thus ye doe, ye will say but we doubt it, because your peo­ple are so well pleased with your doctrine; Now certaine it is, as once the Apostles found it to be, and told us it would ever be, especially in these latter times, they will not ‘endure sound doctrine,’ 2 Tim. 4. 3. which will make them sound in the saith. Sound doctrine is to a swinish spirit, (such is every spirit by nature, till the good Spi­rit hath wrought thereon,) like a corroding plaister to proud flesh, or a launce to a sore full of corruption, which will cut to the core, and cut it out. We intend cheifly this.

Sixthly, While you are delivering forth unto them ‘sound doctrine,’ take this in with it, which shall argue its soundnesse, and you sound also; That your peoples hearts are very unsound, and their eares uncircumcised, notwithstanding with their eare they must attend, for therefore they have an eare, and the very male of their flocke they must lay out this way, all their strength, elseMath. 1. ‘deceivers they are, and they are accursed.’

But this is not all you tell them, you will make them know, as ye can, That there is an ‘intus prohibens,’ that stands within like an armed man, and till it be remooved, or subdued, will oppose all that is good, keepe it from entring the soule, viz: ‘The enmities that are there against God, and the word of His grace.’ They comeJames 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. to heare, and cast it out they cannot, nor is it possible with them, as their case is so to doe; yet are they commanded to doe it, nor is the command in vaine; They must endeavour to doe it, look­ing up to Him, and spreading it before Him, and attending the meanes whereby it is done, we meane, whereby this ‘enmity (for that one word containes all) is discovered to us, and slaine in us by sound doctrine soundly preached.’ This is the point you must in­sist [Page 10] upon, as did your Lord before you; ‘The absolute necessitie of regeneration, or of being begot and borne againe;’ doe not sooth up your Disciples with that vaine title, and lying vanitie, ‘They were borne and baptized such.’ It is notoriously false and knowne so to be in all the earth: We are borne more like Devills, than Saints; at the best, we beare the Image of the earthly.

Indeed you must tell them so, they are, while they are, as they were borne into the world, and best pleased to be what they are, so far from being Beleevers, Disciples, Saints, that they are, as was said, wolves, dogs, swine, and much worse, because a ‘beast in the shape of a man is the worst beast.’

Ye have heard, or read what that excellent man Mr Bolton said to his deare Children, when he was departing from them, He verily beleeved that none of them durst thinke to meet him at that great Tribunall in an unregenerate state. And was he not well assured of what he spake from his Lords owne mouth? ‘Ex­cept Joh 3. 3. a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God.’ And he gives the reason at the sixth verse, (we borrough that LearnedDr. K. Pre­face, pag 4. mans words) for that which is borne of flesh is flesh, and is as unca­pable of seeing the mysteries of the kingdome of God, as fleshly eyes are of seeing Spirits.

Ye must preach this sound Doctrine to their eares soundly, and till it sound unto their hearts, and is taking there, what ever they are in your eyes, they are as vile, as the vilest in the Lords eyes, and in the eyes of His people, (for they are not washed from their ‘dung’ Pro. 30. 12. Isa. 4. 4. and accordingly they must be dealt with, thrust away from partaking in sacred things, as you would heapes of dung out of the chiefest roomes. When ye are at this point dealing ‘soundly with them,’ ye will see cause to pray, and the godly with you, as the Primitive Saints for th' Apostles of Christ, Grant un­to Acts 4. 29. 5. 20. thy servants that with all boldnesse they may speake thy word, all the words of this life, that He commands you, for if all must be heard, all must be spoken, and spoken it must be, as the Oracles of Acts 10. 33. God, and not teach onely, but command with all authority, that so ye may commend your selves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, as he did who felt the ‘law of his Relation written in his heart;’ Your people shall know, if ye know the law of your Relati­on, That ye are the Lord's Ambassadours, ye speake in the per­son [Page 11] of Christ, and in the vertue of His Spirit, and must speake as if Christ by you spake unto them, that is, as having power and au­thority committed to you for the edification of the Church.

And be sure ye begin right, Assuring them they were not borne with a Christ in their hearts, but enemies to Him; that they stand at an infinite distance from Him, and are wilfully set on it to have no acquaintance with Him; therefore they are but false conceits, and presumptions, of their being in Him, before the Word, and Spirit hath been praevailing with them. Assure them, they, by nature, hate the Lard of life, and holiness by Him, more than they hate that, their soule most loatheth; and they ‘love Prov. 8. 36. death,’ and a curse in the procureing cause of it) as a father loveth his dearest Child These things ye must speake to them with all boldnesse, for these things are most profitable for them to know first. This our ‘hurt is not to be healed with pleasing words;’ But now ye shall be dealt hatefully with, dealing faithfully with them, as was told you, ‘We cannot endure wholesome words.’

But the law of your Relation will helpe you to swallow that, and more; and ye can remember what the Lord, and Master found from His hearers, and all His faithfull servants ever since; This may comfort you too; you shall have no hurt from them, though they doe their worst. And if you gaine any of them unto Christ, they will be your deare Friends to their death, because you told them the truth. And for them that persist in their hatred, you know it is not a simple hatred, with which we hate most hurt­full creatures; for it is mixed with feare, and dread of you, speak­ing to them, as men that know the law of your Relation; they hate you, but they feare you too, as a man (so that learned man Dr Reynolds) ‘hateth a Lyon, or as a Malefactour hateth the Judge, as a theife hateth the light:’ For just reason we have been longer at this point; we leave it upon your thoughts, and so hasten to the practise of a Godly Minister, to see what that will be before his people, when he feeles the law of this Relation written upon his heart by the finger of God. But first we would for you and our Instruction, from these premisses draw these conclusions, and then, we will proceed to shew what a Godly Mans practise is, we meane, his, who feeles the law of his Relation written in his heart.

§ 2 First, That the same finger of God, which doth write the law of this Relation upon Ministers hearts, sheweth them the ordinan­ces 1 Tim. 3. 16. of their Lords house, how they ought to behave themselves there, all the formers thereof, and all the lawes thereof, writethExek. 43. 11. he in their sight, as in former times so now that they may keepe the whole forme thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and doe them; But this the Spirit of God never doth before He hath made them ashamed first of all they have done, contrary un­to the true way of Gods worship; They shall ‘shame themselves for this,’ or God will cast shame upon them; He will humble them for all their abhominations before; He will reveale to them the right way of the service of His house. And therefore it may be, God will not use those Ministers, how choice soever are their parts, who departed from God, when there was a generall depar­ture of the Nation; for why may it not be now, as once God threatned; when Israell d [...]d depart from Him to false worship, ‘That they should beare their iniquities;’ they might be imployed in meane services, but they should not Come neare Him; The Lord had listed up His hand against them; And it may be feared the Lord may doe so against some Ministers, now adayes; How ever, except there be extraordinary repentance, and taking shame unto themselves, The Lord may remember what they have done, ‘when Israell departed from God:’ and what their complaints were, and what little use, and improovement they have made of the blessed liberties they have had since to order matters in their Lords house full-up to what He hath commanded. In the next place

Secondly, They that know whose spokesmen they are, in whose stead they stand, have learnt Christ, and can teach Him, useing great boldnes, and liberty of speech; They are as the Officers of a great Prince going before Him, to praepare a way for Him, and will make bold to strike and to scatter those unruly throngs of men, who presse too neare upon His sacred preson; They will boldly smite with the rod of His mouth; they will cry aloude, and not spare; they will (as he saith) pull downe mountainous lusts, subdue strong holds; They will, in the strength of God (that is the scope, and end of their Ministery) bring low every mountaine, and hill; make the crooked straight, and the rough smooth; This in [Page 13] desire and endeavour they doe. And if any shew themselves stout against against God, making their browes brasse; These will set their faces as flint against all these; for so God hath commanded, and so doth the law of their Relation command

Thirdly, They doe all things in right order, and according to their patterne: they proclaime war first with mens lusts, come­ing as with a sword in their hand, and fire in their mouth against them, and so make roome for peace in the hearts of men, which pas­seth all understanding; But they will make them know first they are enemies to ‘this peace,’ while they are enemies to ‘holinesse,’ and friend with themselves, and their sins. These that understand their Commission, the power of Christ they are invested with, toge­ther with the law of their Relation, will assure them, that they must cast hell upon their sins, or upon their soules; If they will continue to be workers of iniquitie, they will hold-on to worke out their damnation to the utmost.

Fourthly, They that preach as men that know the law of their Relation, find not one principle (of holinesse) no not one, thorough the whole booke of God, which is ‘peaceable.’

Indeed all tends to peace at last, but intends warre at first. What may be found among the principles of Infant Baptisme, they know not, nor will they seeke to know; They will goe by Scripture­rule, which assureth them, if they please men (mens lusts) they cannot please God.

Fifthly, These searching, and reprooveing Ministers, these profit the hearers, and doe their soules good; these, and onely these; whereas a partiall, unsearching, and un-reprooveing Mini­ster (to use that learned mans words) is one of Gods curses against a place, the forerunner of a finall, and fearefull visitati­on;Hos. 9. [...]. The dayes of visitation, and recompence come saith the Lord; the Prophet is a foole, the spirituall man is mad; for the multitude of iniquitie, and the great hatred. If a man,Mich. 2. 11. walking in the Spirit, and falshood, that is, professing the worke of a spirituall man, and yet betraying His Office, or in a false, and lying Spirit prophecying of wine, and strong drinke, that is, cherishing and encourageing sensuall Livers in their pernici­ous courses; He shall even be the Prophet of this people. Thus in all ages, and never more apparently thus, than now in our dayes [Page 14] hath the Lord punished with an extreame revenge the Rebellion of a people against His Gospell.

Sixthly, They that will preach the Truth as it is in Jesus, as their love of Christ, and law of their Relation constraineth them, shall find Luthers words true, That this preaching will derive the hatred of the world against them. They shall stand as a Marke for all the world, with the god thereof, to shute against. Therefore, (for something hath been spoken this way already, and more may be spoken anon.) In the last place.

Seventhly, These are, and there is more than need they should be so ‘above the world;’ They are dwellers in heaven; Christ in them by His Spirit, they in Him by their faith; they feele the law of their Relation working as strongly in them, as the law of sin in their enemies; and so they can, as was said of Luther, beare the hatred, and shocke, the rage and violence of the whole world; they have a backe of steele, and underneath everlasting Armes; they cannot be greatly mooved, never remooved from their An­chor-hold. We proceed.

§. 3 The law of the Relation written upon a Ministers heart, is mar­vailously prevailing to regulate his practise before his people, and within Gods house.

First, His practice will be humble, and meeke; so he will walke with his God, and before His people. The Godly wiseA lifted-up spirit (in any man) the grea­test closer of the heart a­gainst the truth of God. Dr. Owen of Jol. 72. will never thinke him to be a man of God, if he be proud, and haughtie. It was a distinguishing Character, that Beda gives, whereby to know a man of God, and that he will preach to the people the preaching of God: If he be a man of God follow him, saith he of Augustine, that counterfeit Saint, And Eng­lands faigned Apostle. But how shall we know, said the peo­ple, whether he be a man of God, or no? Beda answered; If he be gentle, and lowly of heart, he carryeth the yoake of the Lord, and will offer unto you to carry the same yoake; but if he be disdainfull, and proud, then it is certaine, he is not of God, nor hath heard Gods word, nor can endure His yoake, and little good service can he doe; A proud person being like a gouty hand, or swelled Arme, which troubleth the body, doth it no ser­vice.

Surely a true servant of Christ is as like his Lord and Master as can be, lowly, and ‘meeke;’ for he remembers still, that for His sake, and to teach him, He stooped as low, as the feete, and washed them; and a little while after became a Worme and no Man, hum­bled Himselfe, and became obedient unto the death, even the Death of the Crosse.

Secondly, As he feeles the law of that Relation, of a Minister, so also, of a father to His people, and they to Him in the Relati­on of Children, even as Paul was, he desires, and endeavours to be gentle among them, as a nurse, cherishing her children;1 Thes. 2. exhorting, comforting, charging every one, as a father doth his children; And how curiously doth he walke before them, looking round about him, least he should loose his way, or misse his end,Eph. 5. 15. and should be blamed in that, for which he blames others; he considers with all his heart, turpe est Doctori, And remembers all along his walke, that his people observe him more in the streete, within, or without the house, than they doe in the pulpitt; their eyes are more intent upon his ‘doings; than their eares are unto his sayings;’ and thereafter they fashion themselves, and their whole course commonly, by what they see him doe, not to what they heare him say, unlesse he speakes to please their Lusts; Therefore feeling this Law of his Relation, with all his care, he is carefull here; so as he can say, as his patterne before him; ‘Yee are witnesses, and God also how holily, and justly, and unblame­ably We behaved our selves among you that beleeve;’ (And they were as carefull to give no offence to them that were without) We must adde this, That there be no mistake here. These that know the law of their Relation, behaving themselves thus gently, are as sharpe as who are sharpest, in reprooveing of sin, for it is good to reproove, as God reprooves. Ye remember who he was, that did not frowne upon sinners because they were his sonnes; but God frowned upon him, and brought sore displeasure upon his family: Great sinners must have great reproofes; as he saith;Job 13. 39 [...], Some must be saved by feare, a sanctified meanes to pull them out of the fire. Ye must cast them into the fire, that they may escape the fire; Pittifull cruelty is better than cruell pitty. Some in dealing both with sinfull practises, and erroneous opi­nions of men, handle them, as men handle thornes, as if they [Page 16] durst not touch them; this fatneth sin, and confirmeth errour. May we not adde; doe not some deale with Drunkards, as sweet­ly, as they should deale with Disciples? And with notorious sin­ners (unexcommunicate) as if they were Saints? It were infinite­ly better for them, if they had been delivered-up to Satan; for now they are delivered-up to their owne hearts lusts. ‘Lyars, evill Beasts, Slow-bellies, (as the most of your Nominall Be­leevers are, if not all) must be rebuked cuttingly,’ that they may be sound in the faith. Sores must be cut, and lanced, before they be healed.

Thirdly, They that know the law of their Relation, and feele it upon their hearts, doe know, they stand before the people as Ambassadors sent unto them from the Prince of the Kings of the earth; nay they are in ‘Christs stead;’ therefore as they must speake unto them, whereof before; so must they deale with them, as to all Church-Administrations; neither more nor lesse; but full-up to their Commission; even as Christ Himselfe did doe, when He was upon the Earth, and hath appointed to be done, till His returne from Heaven, all that, which is comely to be done, by all those, that stand in His stead; and are Stewards in His house; whereto so much hath been said, that we shall say no more to it in this place; Nor shall we speake to this Relation, which indeed containes much: they stand in Relation of Shepheards to their sheepe; they walke-on before them (like the Admirall Ship carrying the Light) and they looke well to their walke, and ob­serve as well, who followes them; and accordingly they deale with them; and who will not follow them, but follow ‘after Srangers,’ unto Strangers let them goe; for these good Shep­heards will make a difference, as becometh men instructed toEzek. 34. 17. Discretion: and so are enabled to judge between Cattle, and Cat­tle, the Rams, and the He-Goates.

When we have said all, (and how little is our All in these mat­ters?) ye may summe-up all in this one ‘Relation of a Minister of Christ;’ he that finds the law of that one Relation written in his soule by the finger of God, they humble themselves to walke with their God; and treate with their people, as a father with his children; standing before them in Gods stead, they deale with them, as becometh faithfull Stewards, and good Shepheards. [Page 17] In a word, They make cleare proofe, that they have learnt Christ, and can teach him; when they shew forth His life in theirs; when they walke, even as He hath walked; when, as ‘He was, so they are in this world;’ when the same minde, judgement, affections are in them, which were in Christ Jesus their Lord.

From all this, we would draw these Conclusions, and then proceed.

§ 4 This Minister of Christ, that feeles the law of his Relation written upon his soule, fully knowes, ‘Intus & in cute as ye say,’ or endeavours his utmost so to know, the state of his people, as ex­actly well in desire, and endeavour, as a father doth the state of his children; a Steward the state of the household; the Shepheard the state of his flocke. It is his [...], and not a [...], his very worke, and buisines to ‘know That; we meane the state of his people; for,’

Secondly, Put the case, (for teaching sake we may doe it, though it be not possible, but that a Minister knowing that Rela­tion must know it) That he knowes not the state of his people; then this must follow; he must speake unto them generalls onely, for not knowing their states in particular, he cannot speak unto them in particular, and so deale with them answerably. Some of them declare their sin as Sodome, they hide it not: they trample pearles under their feete, turne againe and rent the Dispensers of them; accordingly these must be dealt with. Some againe, and none of the worst have need of ‘Corrosives;’ other some may need Cordi­als; Some have need to be searched, and humbled; some to be en­couraged, and comforted; their states in particular must be enqui­red into, that the Minister of Christ may doe accordingly. We remember the expression, that James saith, Confesse your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. As if he should say, none can be able to pray for you so effectually for your comfort, as those, That know your sins well, and so can confesse them before God. A Minister must know the state of his flocke.

Thirdly, That there is no case, or condition, these people can be supposed to be in, but this Minister of Christ upon whose heart the law of his Relation is written, is able in the strength of Christ, by the supply of the Spirit, to give in that, which shall fitt the [Page 18] case, be an adequate, or proportionate helpe, ayde, succour, cure thereunto; he shall be able to give-in Reproofe, correction, in­struction, counsell, comfort, as the case and condition shall re­quire. And

Fourthly, In the last place▪ This will follow: If their estates in particular must be enquired-into, then they must be dealt with in particular, alone, and apart; And there must be time and place for it. This the people will not endure, and this course ye seeme not to approove, neither, we shall heare your reasons, wherefore, in due place. We have told you what you will teach in point of Doctrine, and what you will doe in point of practise, so soone as ye shall feele the finger of God writing the law of your Relation upon your hearts.

CHAP. III.

§ 1 NOw we proceed to tell our selves, and you, if ye will heare what those people will doe, in whose hearts the finger of God hath written the law of their Relations. They will speake, and doe the very same thing, which all Gods people, Minister and people speake, and doe, in whose hearts the Law of their Relation is written.

It may be asked here; What are these Relations? And what is the Law thereof? Breifly, and to narrow these matters as much as we can.

Their Relations are these; First, The great, and dreadfull God for His deare Son's sake (manifested in the flesh) stands related to them, as theirs, ‘their God;’ they to Him, as His people; more particularly, the great God saith of every one of these; ‘Thou art my Disciple, thou art mine,’ Isa. 43. 1. He againe Ecchoeth forth to his God, ‘And I am thine Lord;’ (for all is recipro­call between God, and this gratious Saint). The intercourse is mutuall; if He say, He is ours; We say againe, we are thine Lord, and we give our selves to thee; The claime is mutuall; He claim­eth us for His; we Him, for Ours. ‘Thou art mine; I am thine.’ Breifly, there is the Relation; Now the Law is this; As Jehovah God saith to this person (so singly we must speake) All I am, and [Page 19] I am all; All I have, and I have all; All I can, and I can all, I am for Thee, who doest trust Me, art my Disciple indeed, My Saint in Truth; So now saith this Beleever, this Gracious Saint, this sepe­rated-one, What I am, it is of Thee; What I have, it is from Thee; What I can, it is by Thee. All I am, I have, I can, it is for Thee O my Beloved Cant. 7. 13.; It is a Curse that one should sowe, and another reape; It is God that sowes, shall the flesh, or the world, or the Devill reape? God forbid, He that sowes, He shall reape, saith that person, that feeles the Law of His Relation. For thus this Person saith to his ‘Lord, and his God. Thou hast said, even be­cause it pleased Thee, so to say, That all Thine is mine; And by Thy grace, I say, and shall never cease saying of it; And All Mine is Thine.’ There is the Law of that Relation.

Secondly, The great God stands to them in the Relation of a Deare Father; they to Him as Deare Children; God saith to eve­ry one of them first, or last, I am thy Father, and call Me so, ‘My Father;’ He, or she Ecchoes againe to Him, Thy sonne, Thy daugh­ter; there is the Relation; The law thereof is this; This Heaven­ly Father in, and through Christ, makes over Himselfe unto His Childe; ‘His Love and all;’ This Child makes a deed of gift, as we may say, of himselfe backe againe, unto his Father, through Christ, by Whom he received all, gives Him all his love, and all too little (yet he has not the lesse, but much more for all his Re­lations here below, well corrected, and ordered, now God hath all) all ‘his love, and all his feare, and all his service (but feare is all)’ And now this Child shall be spared, as a father spa­reth his, and so he shall be served, For all things in heaven and earth shall serve him, and Minister to him, if need be; And this Child, while he is himselfe, and not over-taken nor surprized, is as tender of his Fathers Name, as he is of that he most dearly loveth, and as fearefull to offend Him, as he is to offend the tenderest part a­bout him, the apple of his eye; There is the great Law of that Relation also.

Thirdly, The great God stands to them in Christ, as a Bride­groome (for as was said, His love never decayeth; as servent at last, as at first) they to Him, as His Spouse; He saith to every one of these first, or last, I am marryed to thee; Thou art my Hephzi-bad, my delight is in thee; I am for Thee; and Thou [Page 20] shal [...] not be for another, Hos. 3. 3. There is the Relation: The Law is this: The Bridegroome is intirely the Brides; The Bride is in­tirely the Bridegroomes. His delight is in her (that implyes all, tongue can expresse, or heart can wish open it never so wide) ‘her delight is in Him, and that implyes also all that is expected from her: He sits downe with great delight taking pleasure in her;’ and she with the same delight, in her measure, taking plea­sure in Him. There is the Law of that Relation; we might be ve­ry large, and it is hard to speake little of so much as might be said, once more.

Fourthly, He stands to them, as a Lord, they to Him as ser­vants; He saith to every one of them, Thou art my servant: he, or she to Him againe; Thou art my Lord, (a Name of as much use and comfort as Jesus is with a Saint) and my God: There is the Relation.

The ‘Law is this, Thou shalt doe all that I command thee,’ as to the substance, or matter, forme, or manner of the worke; what I command thee, and as Ile have it done; all My will, and, all ac­cording to My will. The matter of a service hath been rewarded, when the manner of doing it hath been revenged. I doe it, Lord, saith this ‘servant; speake, Lord, thy servant heareth; Command, Lord, thy servant doth it;’ As the eyes of a servant lookes to the hand of his Master; as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mi­stresse, so my eyes waite upon Thee, my Lord, and my God. We will onely name two Relations more.

The Great God stands related to these His people every one of them, as a friend to a friend, as a Shepheard to his flock. From this, and all that which went before, we will set downe these Consectories.

CHAP. IV.

First, WE have heard, That the Law of the Relation of a Minister (for that one containes all those dignities, glories, titles of honour, His Lord hath bestowed upon him, calling them Angells, His ‘par-Nymphs, or spokes-men to wooe and gaine the good will of soules towards Him; Ambassadours, Fa­thers, Stewards, Shepheards, Friends,’ we have heard how en­gageing all this is to a Minister to preach pure Doctrine, and to live an holy life, which they must doe, and cannot doe otherwise, having the Law of their Relation written upon their Hearts.

Secondly, We have heard also how engageing the law of the Relation the people stand-in to their God in Christ, is, to them, being felt in them, written upon their hearts by the finger of God; they cannot but walke (this law constraining them) in the way of holinesse, full-up to that Law, and their Rule, perfectly, and with a ‘right foote,’ as to their course, and way, or walke, though through humane frailty, some of their steps may be out of the way.

CHAP. V.

WE come to that, which the great Devider, that Selah-Hammalekoth, if we may express it so, that rock of Divisions betwixt person and person, people and people. Thus it is objected;

Object. 7. The people of God, as they call them­selves, make a separation from others, these shall not come to them, they will not come to these.

We will heare what two ready Scribes, well instructed both unto the kingdome of heaven, have said to this Dividing thing we call seperation. We will set downe what that holy and learned man saith, who speakes much in a little, contracting, as we may say, the spirits of a point into a few words, which are these; Sepera­tionEschol, p. 51, 52, 53. generally heares ill in the world; and yet there is a sepera­tion suitable to the mind of God: He that will not seperate from the world and false worship, is a seperate from Christ. Now the seperation here commanded from any person, is not in respect of naturall affections, nor spirituall care of the good of their soules, Rom. 9. 3. Nor yet in respect of Duties of Re­lation, 1 Cor. 7. 13. Nor yet in offices of love and Civill con­verse, 1 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Thes. 4. 12. Much less is not seeking their good and prosperity, 1 Tim. 2. 1. or not communicating good things unto them, Gal. 6. 10. or living profitably and peaceably with them, Rom. 12. 18. But in (1) Manner of walking and conversation, Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 17, 18, 19. (2) Delightfull converse and familiarity, where enmitie and opposition appeares, Eph. 5. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. (3) In way of worship and ordinances of fellowship, Rev. 18. 4. These [Page 35] three, and the like commands and discoveries of God are most express▪ Necessity abundantly urgeth it, spirituall profit, and edification no less requires it. Causeth seperation from esta­blished Churches, walking according to th' order of the Gospel (though perhaps failing in the practise of some things of small concernment) is no small sin: but seperation from the sinfull practises, and disorderly walkings, and false unwarranted wayes of worship in any, is to fullfill the precept of not partaking in other mens sins. To delight in the company, fellowship, socie­tie, and converse of unsavoury disorderly persons, proclaimes a spirit not endeared to Christ. So far that Holy and learned man.

We will make bold also to subjoyne worthy Mr Ant: Palmers Pag. 165. words, which are these in the second part of his Answer to Mr Hs: objection against seperation from the wicked, unless in case of ex­communication.

What if a Congregation be so leavened with Customary ig­norance, and profaneness, and scoffing at Holiness (as it is too too easie to find such; nay where may one find better in the state they are now-in) and a godly preacher comes to this peo­ple, and a few Godly own him; Must this preacher and those few Godly be enforced to communicate with such? (after due meanes used for the instruction of the rest) or may they not withdraw from the rest who are scoffers at Godliness? sure we beleeve God and Angels and Saints will justifie such a seperati­on in this ordinance, and to draw into a closser communion to practise Discipline among themselves, specially while such a Congregation was never orderly united, and joyned, together by a free submission to the Gospel, having in most places never enjoyed it in the power of it; which Consideration indeed, wipes off many objections. So far that worthy man.

Truely, Reader, thou hast the very marrow, and substance of the whole matter already. Yet because we have made it our very work and business in this place to remove the scandalls in the way to this seperation, and the offences taken against it, and withall to speak to the understanding or the simple, as we our selves are slow and dull to conceive; we take leave to proceed according to our proposed Method, and this we would say first.

First, We take it from Holy Writ, That this must be, there must be a seperation. For as holy Bradford said, There are but two Masters, Christ and Satan; Two kinds of people, righteous and wicked; Two wayes, the way of Holines, and the way of wickednes; Two mansion places, heaven and hell; Now it is not possib [...]e to serve both these Masters; If you joyne to one, you se­perate from the other: And as impossible for the one, and the same person to be holy, and unholy at the s [...]me time, as it is to be in an extreate heate, and in an extreame cold at one, and the same time; As impossible to have our foote stand in both these wayes, as it is for one foote to tread Eastward, and the other West; or to fixe one eye on heaven, and the other on earth. Impossible also that we should arrive at heaven, when we saile with winde and tide hell-ward, as that one and the same way should lead us to two d [...]ffe [...]ent and contrary Mansion places.

Hence then it must needs follow (to goe over this againe) that here must of necessity be a ‘seperation.’ They that will with full purpose of heart serve their great Master the Lord Jesus▪ Christ, must turne their backes upon them, that will serve the other Ma­ster; And seperate from them, as to any familiarity, or intimacie with them. They that are resolved at this high point, they ‘will be holy,’ they have not a velliety, a faint wish, or cold desire, but they will be holy, and walke holily; As the men of the world say, ‘they will be rich, come on it what will,’ they will be rich, though they make shipwrack of faith (the profession of faith) and of a good Conscience: what care they, they will be rich, though they pierce themselves thorough with many sorrowes; The others say, as reso­lutely too, with the helpe of God, and blessing upon the meanes, they will be Holy; These now must make a separation from the o­ther. They cannot be holy, and unholy together; It is said that seldome it is, that the inward and outward man prosper together; such an enemy walketh and prosperity is to the soules weale. But certaine it is, holines, and unholines are so far from thriving together, that these would come no nearer together, than the East comes to the West; Therefore the holy, and unholy must part, and separate, as their wayes must part, and when they come to the end of their way, then there must be an everlasting seperation, and as far, as heaven is from hell those so separated mansion pla­ces. In the second place.

Secondly, Gods people must seperate, for He hath as marv [...]i­lously separated them, His gratious Saints, as He did between the Israelites, and Egyptians: Now, how unworthy had it been, andPsal. 4. 3. unbecoming, for the Israelites to have mixed themselves with the Egyptians? I will dwell in them, and walke in them, and I will 2 Cor. 6. be their God, and they shall be My people; ‘Wherefore come out from among them,’ and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch not the uncleane thing, and I will receive you; and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty. As if the Lord had said, not else; If ye expect I should walke with you, ye must walke as is comely for sons, and daughters, that looke to have that sweet and comfortable presence of God with them. If ye walke with the world, and as the world doe, that is famili­arly, and not having buisines with them, nor with an intent to doe good unto them; If ye will walke with them, I will not walke with you saith the Lord. If ye will not separate from them, I'le separate from you, and ‘woe unto you, when I depart from you.’ It is, as if a man should be conversing with some nasty poluted Creature, while He is talking with the greatest Prince on earth; or as if a Bridegroome to some great Princesse, should be court­ing of a strumpet before his Ladies face; whence we conclude, That there is as good a warrant for Ministers and people, that know the law of their Relations, to seperate from the Nationall Church, as they have to seperate from the world, and from Baby­lon; God will have it so; If Ishmael fall a mocking, out with him, saith the Lord, Gen. 21. 9. 12. If they will seperate from Me, seperate ye from them. Gods people will doe as their Lord bids them.

Thirdly, We say that Godly Ministers, and their people can­not be said so much to make a separation from the wicked, as these from them; The wicked will have no communion with godly Ministers or people, unlesse at the Lords Table, o [...] at a feast of wine, and strong drinke, we meane, where the flesh is feasted, no where else, they abhorre all other communions. You must com­municate with them in sin, else they will have no Communion with you; The world loves to Converse with whom they love, their owne; And should not they, that are chosen out of the world love to doe so too? The Godly need not separate from the wick­ed, [Page 38] these will separate from them; These can endure holy Com­pany no more, than they can endure Holinesse, which they have persecuted out of their house, and would persecute it out of the world; And should these be admitted to partake of holy things, who persecute holines, and will Communicate with you no where else, but at the Lords Table? and if not there, no where, And why so willingly, and chearefully there? to speake that by the way.

Holy Bradford gives you, we thinke, the Reason of that, wherefore your people are so ready to Communicate with you at the Lords Table? onely what he spake of the ‘Masse,’ we may speak of the Lords Supper (as to that we are speaking off, and contending againg) The Masse will not bite the people, nor make them to blush. ‘Nor will this Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, but the word preached will doe it, if it be heard, and obeyed, it will bite, and make us blush, it will cut like a sword, and burne like fire, it will torment the flesh, therefore the wicked will not come at it, if it be not a toothlesse preaching;’ but if it bite they will bite the preacher, at least snarle upon him, shewing their teeth, or turning their backes upon the word; but setting their faces to the Lords Table, thither they will hasten, there being no­thing (now that the word preached hath not done its worke) that can trouble them, or make them ashamed; ‘They may come De­vills to it, and goe home Devills, for no man finds fault,’ said that Blessed man; The wicked converse with none but those, that are like themselves; ye shall find them still platted together like thornes; surely it gives a great lesson to the godly, tells what they should doe—but we proceed, And

Fourthly, Take leave to tell you our perswasion, that if the Ministers shall make no difference here between the pretious, and the vile, but deale forth to the one, as to the other at the Lords Table, the godly in Christ Jesus, all the truly godly all over the Nation will be gleaned forth from them, shortly, they shall not have one among them to Communicate with them. For if, as is recorded of John, he would not come unto the Bath where Cerinthus was, that Blasphemer; Can we thinke that the godly in Christ Jesus truely and indeed such will Communicate among you, who admit as vile, loathsome, and abhominable persons as Cerinthus was, for you admitt all, if not excommunicated. We will [Page 39] shutt up this with a Complaint we have read, or heard off: where is now the zeale of former times? the Communion of Saints? the heating and whetting of one another by mutuall exhorta­tions? where is the boldnes for the Lord? we have the light of those times much encreased, but the heate much abated; their light was burning, ours but shineing at the most, and for the most part; Ignis, qui in illis calidus in nobis lucidus tantum.

Fifthly, In the fifth place, and to speak that more fully out, which was hinted before in the second Paragraph. They that work righteousnesse can no more (upon choice) mixe with the workers of iniquitie, than they can mix with their works. For their Lord, having set apart (marveilously seperated, or made wonderfull)Exod. 33. 16. Psal. 4. 3. him, that is Godly for Himselfe, hath given to this seperated per­son a principle of His own, even His own Spirit, to enable him to set apart, that is, to consecrate, dedecate devote or sanctifie him­selfe, and his All to God; To live all the dayes of his life as a sanctified or sequestred person to God, and His service; and from wicked wayes and companies. Be ye seperate, and touch no uncleane Math. 5. 48. 1 Pet. 1. 14, 15 thing, 2 Cor. 6. 16. God by His Spirit and Word, hath made them like Himselfe perfect and Holy in their degree and measure, as He is perfect and Holy above all measure. These people are by way of similitude, likenesse, or resemblance, the Image of God being renewed, and stamped upon them, as their God is, therefore they cary themselves God-like; Godlinesse being nothing else but a God­likenesse; So that as it is said, There is none like unto the God of Je­surun: Deut. 33. 26. 29. so also is it said in the same place; Who is like unto Thee O people saved by the Lord? There is none like Thee, O Lord God, saith David. It followes, What Nation is like Thy people, even like 2 Sam. 7. 22, 23. Israel? And hence it must follow, as Moses saith, speaking of Gods people, So shall we be seperated, I and Thy people, from all Exod. 33. 16, Num. 22. 9. the people that are upon the earth; and, they shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the Nations. The summe is this, They that are made like God, they cannot, upon choice, familiarly con­verse with, and delight in the company of the wicked; A seperate people, whom the wicked-one shall not touch, must touch no un­cleane thing.

Sixthly, In the last place, we would remember, what two per­sons said in their Contest for the Truth, and against the opposers [Page 40] thereof, and apply it to our selves; ‘Though, said he, I cannot dispute, yet I can dye for the Truth.’ The other, though, said he, I cannot unfold Popish Arguments, yet I have two maine grounds up­on which I can stand, and bid defiance to Popery, to the Pope, his Jesuits, and all the Papists in the world, ‘Equivocation, and the Powder-plott:’ So, though we can doe little by way of Argument pro, or con, as they say, yet we have two grounds upon which we stand resolved to bid defiance to Church Communions with those that ground all they doe, as to those signeing, and sealing ordi­nances, or Gospell Administrations upon the Principles of Infant Baptisme onely; (1) The first ground is, They have no Argu­ment (that ever we could meete with) but from flesh, or fleshly reason to draw us to it, or perswade to a likeing of it: Now fleshDr. Owen, Sanits persev: p. 298. is not onely a foole, but folly it selfe; not to be cured, but killed; nor stirred up, but mortified; as that excellently Learned man saith; And carnall Reason, as it is the great Idol of corrupt hearts, so it is the feircest enemie of God, and His grace.

2. The true Church is Christs Bride, or Spouse, your Church is notTuratio stulta es non sapis quae Dei sunt, &c. Luth: T: 3. 73. the Bride of Christ, for would the Ministers of your Church pro­stitute her to—we will say no more, though if we should speake it-out it would be much the same, which holy Bradford spake a­gainst the Pope, and his Priests in his Letter to the Ʋniversity, and Towne of Cambridge; Can the Pope, and his Praelates meane ho­nestly, which make so much of the wife, and so little of the hus­band? The Church they magnifie, but Christ they contemne, if this Church were an honest woman (that is Christs wife) ex­cept they would make much of the Husband Christ, and His Word she would not be made much of them, and admit they know not what, or whom into His Chamber of presence.

CHAP. VI.

ANd now we thinke we have the hardest worke behind to make a sweet and cordiall close with the Truth, and one with the other, and all in Christ; yet why should this be an hard thing, if we can approove our selves; (we take the boldnes to ranke our selves with you, so inferiour [Page 41] though we be) lovers of peace, and truth, and Friends to Righte­ousnesse, how can we be Adversaries? not to say, enemies unto one another? We would have our Lord Christ call us Friends, and deale tenderly with us, we must then more than shew our selves friends, and accordingly deale one with another; we must deale faithfully. So deale with us, we pray you, as you may see cause; Reproove us, rebuke us, we shall take it as a great favour, as an excellent oyle from you, which shall not breake the Head, as a fruit of your love cheifly, as the case may be, shewen in Rebukes, though yet we thinke it not comely to returne love for love, con­sidering the lownes, and meannesse of our persons; yet we should faile in our Duties, and Christian offices we owe to each other, if we should not tell you our feare at least, that the Lord our God hath a quarrell with you; give us leave Deare, and Honoured Sirs to tell-out our feare, and what makes us to feare.

CHAP. VII.

WE would give you two or three Scriptures to muse upon; draw two, or three things from them, and then draw to a close of all. The first Scripture, Isa. 52. 1. From henceforth there shall no more come into them the uncircumcised, and the uncleane; The like promise ye have, Joel 3. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy Mountaine; ‘Then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no Stranger passe through her to defile her. No stranger?’ to open that notion, as we readMr. Ca [...]yl Job 15. p. 89. it opened unto us;‘No stranger,’ that is, no child of Bolial, no wicked person, shall passe through her, to defile, and pollute her: But strangers may passe through her to be visited, and relieved by her. The other Scriptures, Mal. 3. 16. ‘Then they that fea­red the▪ Lord spake often one to another:’ Acts 2. 42, 43. "They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine, and Fellowship: And all that beleeved. 1 John 1. 3. ‘Truely our fellowship is with the [Page 49] Father, and with His Sonne Jesus Christ,’ Rev: 21. 27. & 22. 15. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, nor what­soever worketh an Abhomination; for without are Dogs, and sorce­rers, and whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, And who so loveth, and maketh a lye. From the premised Scriptures we would Conclude. First;

CHAP. VIII.

IN the shutting-up of all, we crave leave, first to ad­dresse our selves to your selfe, and brethren of the same perswasion with you. Secondly, Then to those of our owne ranke [...] Church Communion one with another. In the third place, we will set downe foure savoury Speeches, spoken, as we conceive, in answer to this very plea against separation here pleaded for.

But before we can have the least hope, that our Counsell should take, we must take off as we can, another Reproach we stand asper­sed with, which is this; That we have made mention of three men (of a contrary mind and judgement to us) with honour little enough to their persons, and contempt more than enough to their bookes; But not answered any one of their Arguments, no not one; To this we reply.

First, That we cannot make honourable mention of them, who have, to our seeming, [...]st such dishonours upon our deare Lord and Saviour, His Holy things, and people of His Holiness, speak­ing all along in their Pamphlets most contrary to Scripture, to Reason▪ and to the judgement of all the Orthodox Ministers, and people, that ever were or now are in the world; As if the de­struction from God was no terrour to them, and by reason of His Highness they could endure to be an occasion of drawing downe that Curse upon us, whereof we read, Levit. 7. 20. More dread­full [...]ow under the Gospell than that was under the Law, because Gospell Curses are most dreadfull; The soule that eateth of the sa­crifice Levit. 7. 20. of peace [...]ffrings, that pertaine unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soule shall be cut off from his people. We cannot speak, (because we cannot think, honourably of those men, that have spoken so as they have don, pleading for the Ad­mission of those to the Lords Table, who have all their unclean­ness upon them. And yet we have not to our knowledge vilified their persons, or spoken reproachfully of them, much less judged them as to their present state and beeing in Christ; they may be for ought we know, truely Conscientious, and men fearing God, [Page 61] and so, that they have don, hath proceeded from ignorance and mistake: onely this seemes strange unto us; that whereas all three have been told their errour, and little less than braied for it, yet they should persist to bring▪ in that abomination into Gods house, which causeth Desolation. We cannot think or speak honourably of them for so doing. And have so erred, though not in their hearts. And yet that saying may command all due consideration; An erroneous head, and a Godly heart will not meet. Corruption in judgement being like poyson in the spring. But yet this Consi­deration should be for a lamention, That the envious-one called the Devill and Satan, hath so mightily prevailed in these dayes, as to make Ministers themselves not a few, studiously active in the mis­cheiving, yea ruining their owne peoples soules. But

Secondly; As to our not Answering any one of their Argu­ments we say, That had we as many spare houres as there are spare books in the world; and as well able for such a service, if it may be called so, as they are who are best able, yet we had not medled with their Arguments; and these are our Reasons; for

First, Why should we actum agere doe that we find so cleare­ly and fully, so learnedly and holily don to our hands; so Mr Hs: is answered is he not? And Mr Prynn's twelve Arguments, if we may call them Arguments, for Free Admission of all to the Sacra­ment, It being one of the most effectu [...]ll principall meanes for ‘reall Conversion;’ are Answered with twenty set against them by learned Gillespy of plessed Memory, which will be replied unto and rean­swered, when blessed Juel is by any of them who are of Hardings old▪ Taking way and judgement, the great Rode of the world. And for John Timsons Arguments (who knows how many?) we will single but one out of the throng, whereby we may make judgement of the rest▪ and of the Answers thereunto; Unrege­rate persons, saith he, have an hand to take, and a mouth to eat, therefore a right to receive. This Argument, saith worthy Mr Collings, will prove a Monkies right to it also; I had thought the takeing, eating and drinking must be spirituall by faith; he ask­eth how we will prove it? And in a bold confidence, that this cannot be proved, he hath argued the Case afresh this last yeare, against two of his good Masters. And now we have Cause to be­leeve, he will be answered with silence, these worthy men Mr Hs: [Page 62] Sanders, and M John Collings having, as we conceive, a command from their God, Answer him not; his errour, which some may call folly will not, by that meanes, depart from him. They will com­mend him to God, and Word of His Grace, which is able to doe that which all the ablest men in the world are not able to doe, make his folly depart from him. In the next place because;

Secondlly, To make Answer was no part of our undertaking, but to give-in our perswasion in some matters before specified in their proper place to a neighbour Minister calling us to an account about them; and in speciall about free Admission of all to all Church Communions. This we have don according to our Measure, loos­ning the foundation upon which their whole building stands, and taking away that rotten pillar, which upholds it which is this; That being baptized into a Church, they are all holy every one, and eo nomine, all have a right to all Church Communions, un­lesse they be children in yeares, fooles or mad men. This is the very substratum or underbearer, upon which their building stands, And whereby a great multitude which no man can number, being as the sand of the Sea, are built up as high as Heaven, and, having no other stay to leane to must be cast down to the lowe [...] most Hell: To loosen this sandy foundation, and to throw down this rotten building, or dawbed wall, before the great hailestones fall, and a stormie wind rents it, was a great part of our undertaking; that we might cast a flood, if possible, and utterly drown the fooles para­dise, or lay our batteriers to his Castle he hath (by your good help, the Master-builder) built in the Aire; his strong Confidence, we meane, that being borne and baptized in a Church, he is a priviled­ged man to abide in Gods Tabernacle here below, and to dwell in His Holy Hill for ever and ever above in the highest Heaven Had we the Confidence of one man, we would speak as he doth; for shame therefore disclaime this absurd irreligious paradox' for which there is not the least shadow of Scripture or solid rea­son. A glorious Saint put a short Question, and a shorter Answer thereunto, we will set it down, and so an end of this matter; What brings men to hell in the Church? false Confidence, saith he, They beare themselves up as high as heaven, because they were borne and baptized in a Church; they must be thrown-down as low as Hell, If they have no other leane-to, to beare them up. Having [...] [Page 65] with sorrowes. We will commend to your Reading, as we said,Per [...]otam di [...] onem quàm lo [...]è pateat Ecclesie singulls [...] [...] Christi & Ec­clesiae prospi [...]i­te, pro sa [...]ul [...]ate veifrâ veni e [...]es adjuvando, dor­mientes excitan­d [...]; nihil cogi­tantes & igno­rantes accersen­do Jun [...]n locū [...]. and best observation, and the Lord sett it home unto you* Isa. 62. 10. as our English, 12, as Junius devides the Chapter, with his notes upon it; and so we commend you to God, and the worke of His Grace with you.

To your selfe Sir, who were the occasion of all, so this we would speake as Hierom to Augustine; Si Culpa est respondisse, quaso ut patienter audias, multò major est provocasse; sed facessant istiusmo­di querimoniae, sit inter nos pura Germanitas, & deinceps non que­stionum, sed charitatis ad nos scripta mittamus. But then you must come cleare off from that horrid opinion so often mentio­ned, That the Receiving the Lords Supper &c.

§ 6 Secondly, Now to our selves, and those of the same ranke with us, endeavouring after the same thing, purity of Doctrine, of Dis­cipline, and life.

First, Let us not trouble our selves with controverted points; True it is, in some Cases, Expositorum diversitas excitat attentio­nem, Diversitie of opinions, make the hearer more attent. But this is never where the Text is plaine; or if he be more attent he will be more unresolved. It is as true also, That Truth getts ad­vantage by a necessary conflict of arguments, but this is among the Learned in the Schooles; and when the Case admitts of some doubts; seldome or never among those of our ranke; And where the Case is cleare and resolved. Disputes among such, and in such cases, the more amuzes them, putting them into Doubts, where they should make none; None at all; None at all, as we conceive and have proved, whether all are to be admitted to the Lords Ta­ble? Whether Christmas-day, as we call it, with the like, of the same stamp, or institution, is to be kept holy? And being resolved at that point, as you are, in the Negative, then, whether a Mini­ster of Christ ought not contend with the observers of that hea­then-Feast; as Nehemiah did with the Nobles prophaning the Sabbath day, at least by conniving at those, who did. 13. 17. we take it, that such cleared Truths as these and those relating to formes of prayer, are not to be put to question, or if they be, we are not, as we conceive, to be carefull to answer in these matters; we are not to deliberate upon them. They that will put these things to question, may feare to be delivered-up into a minde voyde of [Page 66] judgement. And they that are resolved in these points, and would resolve the gaine-sayers; Let them looke into their [...]. For what hope have they, of our ranke, to prevaile with those, who have withstood the Resolves from Gods word by the mouth of Gods faithfull Ministers? They that contend for these matters, are not weake ones, but vaine and superstitious persons, built-up high in their fleshly confidences, so as your words can move with them, no more, than can a blast of winde move a tower of brasse, or the waves a rocke. In a word; Let not us dispute Gods right, but give it Him; nor the lawes of His house, but give our obser­vation unto them; nor the way of His people, but walke we there­in, and with so right a foote in desire and endeavour, that we may put a beauty upon the way, and so adorne it, that we may draw others to it, to walke together with us as Friends in it, having concluded within themselves, making observation by our walke; This is the way of Holinesse; for see how Holily they walke, who are walkers in it; Onely take this with it more, suspect that at the least, to be a cursed liberty the worldly Church contends for; and reckon upon that to be the Holy way, they would stand up against, con­tradicting and blaspheming.

2 In the second place. Let us pray God make us Learned to the Kingdome of God; That we may humble all our knowledge to the obedience of Faith. God grant to all his people the Spirit of wisedome and understanding, That they may be able to discerne the Spirits, whether they are of God, or no. That they may take heed of false Prophets, and give eare to the voyce of the Prince of Pastors, and fly the voyce of strangers, and beware of blinde Guides that so often have deceived them. Amen.

§ 7 Thirdly, In the last place, We will sett downe those foure sa­voury Speeches, we before made mention of. M^r Chillingworth speakes first, what the goodnesse of the man was, we know not, but this speech is very good, 1 If I did not finde in my selfe a love and desire of all profitable Truth; if I did not put away idle­nesse, and earthly affection, and to search to the bottome of my opinions in reference to Divine matters, being prepared in my mind to follow God, and Him onely, which way soever He shall leade me; If I did not hope, that I either doe, or endeavour these things; Certainly I should have (little comfort in my [Page 67] separation from the world at present and) little hope of obtain­ing salvation hereafter; There is the first speech.

Mr H: Sanders speech is next: The power of godlines is firstPag. 175. to be heeded; if we be nothing within; no great matter, though we sit at the right, or the left hand of Christs outward King­dome; let us contend principally to be members of Christ, to be of the invisible Church, imbodied in the Church of the first­borne; here we cannot easily be too carefull or too curious. But as to externall fellowship, though the mind of Christ in this also be to be sought, and followed; [...]et so much earnestnesse, and confidence needs not, as in the other, Ʋnlesse men take care how to live, 'tis not much matter, how they worship. Thou maist be, (this we take to our selves, as chearefully, and thankfully, as this good man spake it to himselfe, and his good people hear­tily) in a purer Church than another, and yet be the impurer, and vainer soule of the two; It is better to see a mans Conver­sation, commending his way, than to see men beholding to their way for their esteeme.

Mr Ant: Palmers words follow; An holy fellowship withSermon upon Math: 8. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, p. 85. such as are Godly, by frequent Conference; communicating their experiences of God in a more holy Church-fellowship than the mixt Congregations are yet reduced into, will abun­dantly quicken and strengthen faith, and every gift and grace of beleevers; and make much for the retaining and encrease of comfort.

Dr Owens words follow, and therewith we will close all; YouOn Ezek. 17. 24. p. 32. that doe enjoy Holy Ordinances, Labour to have holy hearts answerable thereunto: you have heavenly institutions, labour to have heavenly Conversations; if we be like the world in our walking, it is no great matter, if we be like the world in our worship: it is sad walking contrary to God in His owne Paths; shew-out the power, and efficacie of all Gospell Institutions in a frame of Spirit, course of life, and equability of spirituall tem­per all your dayes. Keepe up the power of private worship, both personall, and family. I have seene many good Lawes for the Sabbath, and hope I shall see some good examples: Looke what the roots are in the family, such will the fruit be, in the Church, and Common-wealth: if your spirits are not well manured [Page 66] [...] [Page 67] [...] [Page 68] there, you will be utterly barren elsewhere: that is done most cleare­to God, which is done within dores.

This being set home by the Spirit of holinesse, will keepe our foote close-up to wisedomes wayes, which are pleasantnes, and all her paths peace, and tends to that Blessed End, that hath no End, Eternall life. Excellent Bradfords good Counsell, and prayer shall put a close to all.

Molest not the good Spirit of God, which is given you, as a gage of Eternall Redemption, a Counsellour, and Master to lead you into all truth; which good Spirit, I beseech the Father of mercies to give unto us all, for His Deare Sonnes sake, Je­sus Christ, our Lord; To whom I Commend you all, and to the word of His grace, which is able to helpe you all, that beleeve it, follow it, and serve God, thereafter.