To all those, who looke for New Heavens, and a New Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse, hastening unto the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ, when shall be a Restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His Holy Prophets since the world beganne.
DEarely Beloved in the Lord, Called and faithfull, Followers of God as deare Children; we, surely the meanest, and most worth-lesse among you all, have very lately, (such lingring Spirits we have, O how loath to come out of our Sodom!) asked the way to Zion, with our faces thither-ward; and out of that broad way, we are pulled, the Lord being mercifull to us, in laying [...]ld upon our hand. And now we speake often one to another (The Love of Christ constraining) and to as many as will heare us, saying, Come, and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant, that shall not be forgotten.
But see! and no more but what ye have seene, and doe see all the day long, how many Adversaries from without, as many and more dangerous from within, still still opposing, contradicting, and blaspheming, how many? yet Blessed be our God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we faint not; He, that at the first laid hold upon our hand, will hold us by the hand; It is enough; Wee shall never looke backe to Sodom [Page] more, though our hearts, left to themselves, are as bad as whose are worst, and could easily forgett Lot's wife; and those many, who have drawne back unto perdition.
But not to detaine you long here. We may say as Luther said, He did not finde the rude and rascall Company so averse from, contrary to, and set against the Lords worke, in his dayes, as he did, you know, whom. We leave others to their own experiences in these matters. This is ours; Wee finde none so opposite to us, as are the Ministers of the Gospel, all and every one of them, that are of Mr Humphs: perswasion; (farre be it from us to meane or point to any other, whom we love, and honour heartily.) To open our matters morefully unto you, Thus it is; We are questioned, yea charged by a godly Minister, as we suppose, who yet doth sense and Practise with Mr Hs: That our way is not right, because averse from and contrary to (indeed it is, as the two remotest extreams are to) the said Ministers his way and perswasion, In point of Church. Administrations.
Now we suppose, ye have read or heard, what that Gentlemans perswasion is, and how much he hath said for it; how much also foure Worthies of the Lord, one after another, have said against him, withstanding him to his face. Indeed so much they have said, and so clearely from the Scriptures, That to us, it seemes as much a wonder, That Ministers of the Gospel should, after all this, commend that way, bend to it, walke-on in it, speak for it, draw Disciples after them (with so much ease and delight, to walke together with them, that is no wonder) as it was to heare a Pope commended, the very plague alwayes of the Christian world; And Hildebrand, among that cursed [Page] crue, extolled for a very holy Man, and a Panegyrick written of him; And yet, though he was, say their own men, the worst of all men, so bad, that we should blush to heare how bad he was, why yet, All the world wondered after the Beast? Whence we have concluded, That there is no person so vild, but his own have loved and commended him. Nor any errour so gross, nor opinion so deformed, nor example so pernicious, but as it is the more agreeing with the world, and to that principle within us, which drives us to incline towards it; so hath it alwayes found many Patrons standing. up in their might for it, and many following after it. And therefore our wonder ceaseth as to that matter. For
1. The Scripture must be full filled. A Carnall Ministery alwayes hath been, now is, and now is the time of their manifestation we hope, (which being well set is setling.) That they doe belong to that Out. Court, where the charge is, Leave it out, Measure it not. And
2. This their way, which is their folly, must needs be, as very taking with themselves, so must it be justified and maintained by them, being Calculated meerly for a Carnall interest. And
3. As taking with the people, as that can be, which is most pleasing and taking; as sweets with us which choak us; and grasse with sheep which rotrs them; for what more pleasing than is this, To wallow in every mire of sinne like a Swine; and yet to be wellcommed to the Lords Table as a Saint? No marvaile that many turne-in hether, and follow these pernicious wayes. So our wonder ceaseth.
We crave leave to proceed, That we may give you an account, why wee, the poorest of the flocke, have [Page] appeared against this way? Because after all this, these, the Lords Worthyes have said, We are questioned and charged, as aforesaid, that we walke by a fancy, if we doe not walke that is sense and practise with Mr Humphs: and those Ministers of his perswasion and practise, which is an abhorring to our Spirits. And now in point of Duty to our God, to our selves, to our Brethren, whom we love, as our selves, we could not be silent; ‘For Si accusaius non respondeat, aut crimininis convictus, aut cerse suspectus videatur. Silence, when we are charged, either makes a full conviction, or strengthens suspicion.’ Truely we saw it clearely our Duty, to vindicate that, which should be more pretious to us, than the Gold of Ophir; The Glory of God; The honour of His House; our owne credit, in disaspersing our selves, and giving witnesse to our wronged innocency, as we could; our Brothers eternall good was also full in our eye; as it is in our heart, the weale, or prosperity of his everlasting Soule.
This farther account, we must give of our worke, the exposing of it, to the view of the world; it amounts to a great volume, containing 60 sheets, and more, which few or none of our Rank, whom yet we have a speciall eye of Respect unto, have spare money to gett, or spare time to reade; so as we are constrained to send it forth by peece-meale, part after part, eight in all, which, we Conceive, may be made entyre, and compleate, containing distinct Subjects. And we begin, for the same reason, with the Epistles, which shew the occasion, Contents, drift, scope, and end of the whole, and every part; That Epistle to the Christian Reader we judge, of much concernment to him, and may suffice for his Information, in the highest matters, though he could reach to no more.
Wee have yet farther Reason, which mooves [Page] strongly with us to doe as aforesaid in the sending forth of our Matters peece after peece. (The maine and chiefest we omitt, being a point of Discretion we thinke so to doe; Only it may suffice to know ultra posse non est esse. What more is left to you to think) for
1. The matters we are upon, and manner of handling them will not down with the people (we speak after our Country manner) no more than Gall and Worm wood will; yet we speak not this in reference to our Country stile or Dialect, but in reference to the Truths here, which ye know are biting, still, yea tormenting Viritates mordaces. flesh and blood. Indeed our matters are rough and harsh, not one smooth word, as flesh will say, all along (yet, we hope, through Grace, that strengthneth, we are not wholy unacquainted with Pauls holy craft, and blessed guile) for we feare God, and seek to please Him, and our Neighbour for his Good to Edification. Now they, that, with Ahab, count nothing good but what destroyeth them soule and body anon-after, though it seeme good now at present, God forbid we should please such, for they cannot be pleased but with Deceits, Prophesies of wine & strong Drinke. So now few will read us. The Gallioes of these times, loose and prophane Libertines, these regard none of these things; Carnall Gospellers, formal professors, those regard as little: What or whosoever Rebukes ungodlinesse, or would advance the power of godlinesse, is an abomination to them: Smooth upon smooth runs smoothly away; And that which is sweet, goes down sweetly. More of that which is sweet (said Chrysostomes hearers of old, as He tells us) though it choak us.
Yet O that they could consider the later end, what a sower farewell sweet will have. O that they could [Page] bethink themselves what will become of them in that day, when the haile shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the Hiding place, and the well-built wall, in conceit, shall be rent with a stormy wind in His fury, when it shall be said, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? Isa. 28. 17. Ezek. 13. 11, 12. And
2. Good Ministers, and a good people, not a few, as in charity we are ready to Judge, will stick at our matters; for our affections cannot easily fall-in there (the greater is our fault, if not our crime) where our judgement falls-out. And
3. In the last place; we are indeed the poorest of the flock, truely and indeed less than the least. And ever the less any one is, the less regard will be had to what he saith (It would goe to the heart of them, if it were so with their God, but with Him the fatherless find mercy, a gracious wellcome, yea a glorious acceptance, but we were saying) The worth of the speaker, addeth weight to his words; for as the man is, among men, such is his strength, and as his worth is, such is the worth of his words. This onely we can say, and we trust in singlenesse of heart we doe say it, That (1) we love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And (2) That our intentions are single, and cary level, in desire and endeavour, to his Glory, and our Brothers everlasting good. And then we may conclude, so may you with us, as a worthy man concludeth for us all, The singlenesse of the intention, is the Sacrificium, Medullatum. Mr. Jen. upon Jude 371. sweet of a performance, and makes it even a Sacrifice with MARROW.
Here we break-off, commending you to God, and the Word of His Grace, praying with all prayer together with you; That He, who is able to build-us-up, [Page] and to give us an inheritance among all them who are sanctified, would make us perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle us; for so an entrance shall be ministred unto us aboundantly, into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.
Seen, alowed and subscribed by their Pastor,
A faithfull Account given-in by faithfull Brethren of the same minde, way and judgement, in the matters of Christ; To a faithfull Minister of Christ (as it is meet for them to think) upon his earnest request, or rather Charge, That they would give him Scripture-grounds or reasons of their judgement and practise, somewhat different, if not Contrary to his,
In Reference to these particulars.
- I. To Free admission of all Infants to Baptisme, and growne-persons to the Lords Table.
- II. To the observation of that Day we commonly call Christmas-Day.
- III. To Formes of prayer; specially the Lords prayer; and foure Queries thereupon.
Relating
- IV. To a Nationall Church, whether ours is as the Jewes was?
- V. To the principles of Infant Baptisme.
- VI. To the power, The Law of a Relation written upon the heart of Ministers and people by the finger of God, hath to make them walke with a right-foote in the way of God.
These are digested into seaven Sections; the Contents whereof you have in the Epistle to the Rev: Ministers.
Job 32. 17, 18. I will answer also my part, I also will shew my opinion; for I am full of matter, the Spirit within me constraineth mee.
Jer. 23. 28. He that hath a Dreame, let him tell a dreame? he that hath my word, let him speake my word, faithfully: What is the Chaffe to the Wheat, saith the LORD?
Titus 1. 9. Holding fast the faithfull Word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound Doctrine, both to Exhort, and to Convince, the gainesayers.
1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready allwayes to give an answer to every Man, that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meeknesse and feare.
A Letter annexed to these Papers, when by the Brethren, they were presented to the Reverend Minister, requiring a Reason of their doings.
THere is no little Difference betwixt us Opinionum varietas & opinantium unitas, non sunt [...]. in opinion, none at all, we trust in Affection; which shall appeare, we hope, on our part, in the manage of the Debate between us all along. It were well if we could be every way accorded. And we think these words presse hard upon us, to strive in this thing, that there be no strife at all. There was a strife between the heardmen of Abrahams Cattle, and the heard-men of Lotts Cattle, and the Canaanite and the Perrezite dwelled then in the Land, Gen. 13. 7. They did not walke in wisdome towards them that were without. The enemies of God could discerne, being quicksighted that way, There were animosities—that which should not be among the Lords own people: Therefore faithfull Abraham, bestirres himselfe, for it was high time, and sprang, or ranne-in (to use that word, and witnesse the [...]. haste he made) Let there be no strife I pray thee between Acts 14. 14. 16. 29. thee and me, and between my heardmen and thy heardmen, for wee be men-brethren, verse 8: This is commended to Acts 7. 26. your serious thoughts, and the Lord grant it may abide upon ours. For Divisions among brethren, makes friends mourne, and enemies within laugh and scorne, and hinders them that are without from making offer to come in. Let Gods [Page] people walk as becometh, study to be quiet, follow after peace, act nothing while they be angry, not giving place to it, no not for an houre, for that were to give place to the Devill. The Preacher tells us, that anger resteth in the bosome of fooles; and passion dwells at the signe of folly; we are never angry, and sinne not, but when we are angry at nothing but sinne. Factions cause Fractions; Ʋnity makes strong. David pray'd heartily, so shall we by his grace, Lead me in a plaine path because of mine observers, Psal. 27. 11 Enemies we reade, who are observers, they note diligently what we that are men-Brethren doe: The Lord humble us for the pride of our hearts (It is likely you may pray so too,) from whence comes warres and fightings among us? For untill we are well humbled, we shall doe nothing well, nor can we suffer, as Christians for well-doing. The Lord humble us, such need we have to pray this prayer againe, make us vile in our owne eyes, and then it will be no trouble at all how vile we are in others eyes. And all our things shall be done in Charity, (which shewes us what we are Non facium bonas vel malos mores, nisi boni vel mali amores. Aug. Ep: ad Maced:) wherein wee should abound one towards another.
We come to that now, we would say to you at the porch, or entrance to our worke.
We have answered your desire in giving you here an account of your matters; how short of your expectation, or full-up unto it we know not. Only this we know, our strong desire and earnest endeavours were to please God, and our Neighbour for his Good to Edification in all we have done, keeping close to His rule laid before us in His Word. And having so done, we would hope, we have not displeased you. This being the way, you and wee must take if we goe right; In the active obedience, what we doe, we labour to please God; In the passive, we endeavour, what He doth may please us. Exceeded we have all expectations, yours and our owne, in the largenesse of our Worke, whereunto we will say as followeth.
1. It falls out in matters of this Nature as in building, The cost and paines amounts to double as much, as at first was intended.
2. Your Brothers Book of Infant Baptisme accidentally coming to our hands (for as we heard not of it, so we sought not for it) put us to an after-trouble, altogether as great as the former.
3. If it be said, we are tedious herein, we can clearely say, it was to make Truth's cleare, we considered withall to whom we speake, at least, whom we would have to heare, poore simple ignorant Country folke, who are taken wholy with the rind or bark, the out-side of Sacrament, to whom if you speake concisely, little and short, you speake nothing at all; possibly a man may, though we cannot, speake much in a little; but surely we commonly understand but little in much: Therefore it was not beside our purpose to be so large, nor beyond the marke we sended to.
4. You speake highly of Mr. Hus: we suppose it was in favour to his way, and in love to us, that we might walke in his way. We would suppose also, thus highly you spake of him, hearing much good of him, from those that may have little good in them, we meane, you might speake by heare-say, not by what you had found in him, by reading his Books, you call them too, The works of the flesh. So we would suppose, because we would not question the soundnesse of your judgement, as to those matters you may finde in the worke he hath made. But whatever you doe, or have done, we judge of a Man by his workes, as of a tree by his fruits. And this we must say of him, as once holy Fox of an unholy Bishop, He was a Divine little seasoned with the Gospell. And for his book, said that Saint on earth, long since in Heaven, I would tell him to his Teeth, were we face to face, That it is a grievous plague to the Common safety of Christians. Yet because you might intend our [Page] good in mentioning, that—Man and his workes unto us (and surely through grace, for we have it in us readily to comply with, and greedily to catch at such works of the flesh, but through grace, we have, as others may doe, gained much good by it, to advance our Love to Gods way, and our hatred to his) we will returne your Love as we can, onely in this, making honourable mention unto you, of three the Lords Worthies, (we need not mention Doctor Drake to you) that have made Answer to Mr Humphs: Mr Anthony Palmer, Mr Hum: Saunders, (whose booke, hath worthy Mr Tho: Mantons Epistle before it) Mr John Collins; we mention them in the same order, they came forth, and to our hands; and not before we were Come to the Close of our worke. The last of these, Mr Jo: Collins hath given the people an Antidote against the poyson of his last booke. We heartily Commend these to your reading; knowing no other meanes, whereby to commend our Love unto you.
And so, Sir, having more to say to your beloved Brethren, and by us as much honoured; and then to the Christian Reader, we will leave the matters here under Debate, to better judgement; And the Lord God of judgement be with them, that shall make judgement thereof, which by the supply of the Spirit is what it is, as wee by His grace are what we are. Only this we would Remember your selfe, your Brethren, and our selves off, That all those matters we have, perhaps, too rigidly, or possible, too hastily and inconsiderately passed our judgement-upon, must have another day of hearing, and then be called over againe. Therefore we say againe. The Lord helpe us to give up our judgements unto the Lord, that so we may judge righteous judgement. And to begin at home with our selves, judging there every one of us, where God hath made us Judges: And enquire in the first place what truth is wrought in the inward parts, [Page] which will quickly shew-forth it selfe in out-workes, so as others may see what is within, by what is done without, and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven.
So we heartily take our Leave of you for this time, and at this place; and Leave you and your Brethren to your owne time for perusall of these matters, as they shall be presented to your hands, and then to deale therein, as they, after serious debate about them, shall require.
And the Lord God prosper you, and blesse your Labours faithfully undertaken for Him, as sure He will if you Labour earnestly, to be accepted in Him, as the ambitious Man doth to clamber to the pinnacle of honour here below. And with you blesse all your faithfull Brethren all over the Nation, with one minde, heart, lippe, and shoulder, That by your and their meanes, the glorious Sun of the Gospell may spread all over the same, as the morning spreads upon the mountaines, That His people all may walke by the light thereof, as Friends and Fellow-helpers to The Truth, preaching one thing, and praying as all may agree, whereunto all the good people in all the Nations will say Amen; and wee with them, Amen and Amen.
To the Reverend and Learned, Mr John Bateman, Mr Will: Jemmatt, Mr Simon Ford, Mr Christop: Fowler, Mr Will: Brice, Mr Tho: Owen, Mr—Hartley.
WE the poorest of the flocke, and in the account of the World (which was, and now is, the Case of our betters) as the filth there and off-scouring of all things, have found our selves pressed, after we had made our addresses to God, to appeale unto you, who stand in His steede, and are Stewards in His house, hoping you can looke off from our persons, as meane and despicable as ye can thinke us, and looke on the matters here presented before you, of neare alliance, we judge to your office, which is to take care, that all things be done in Gods house according to decency, and right order, as well becometh those, who have this still in their thoughts, how they may magnifie their office, and give up their account with joy, when the time cometh they must be no longer Stewards. This is the scope we drive to, as He knowes, That knowes all things.
The things insisted upon here, are digested into seaven Sections, foure referre to the clearing of these particulars.
1. Whether all Infants borne of Baptized Parents, are to have admission To Baptisme?
2. Whether all persons are to have the like free admission to the Lords Table?
3. Whether the observation of the Day we commonly call Christmas, may passe with the allowance of any true Christian?
4. Whether formes of prayer are good for the evill, or of any use for the good to teach them to pray? And in reference to the Lords Prayer there are foure Queries. 1. Whether a wicked Man may say that prayer? 2. Whether a godly-man may take it into his Closet? 3. Or a godly Minister into his Pulpit? 4. Whether a godly Parent may teach it his Children? Together with these this is is queried and resolved, whether John taught his Disciples to pray by giving them formes of Prayer to say?
All these we have from Gods word, as we suppose, resolved in the Negative, being pressed to give our perswasion in reference to these matters.
5. And in the fift Section have endeavoured to make full proofe, That it is the Duty of every godly Minister resolved in his Conscience as to the Negative in all these, to hold it forth before his people in due time and place.
6. In the sixt, after we have given a fuller account of our matters, which, for haste, was omitted in our Preface, we argue against a Nationall Church, that ours is not as the Jewes once was; and we give our reasons wherefore we contend against it; As also against the principles of Infant Baptisme as they are declared unto us.
7. In the seaventh, and the Last, is shewen how prevailing The Law of a Relation written upon the [Page] heart by the finger of God, is with Ministers and people to point them to, and to hold their foote fast in the way of holinesse.
We suppose now, ye would be cleared in this first, why we meddle in these matters? To this we humbly offer you a very briefe account in this place, having spoken largely unto it in the second part of our Preface, and first leaves in the first, and sixt Sections.
1. We have, through unspeakable grace, our fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ; And Gospel Communion one with another: And, bending towards Church-order, as the Head and King thereof, hath taught us in His Gospel, we are to hold it out from His Word, having a lowde Call so to doe, That our workes are wrought in God, in the power and strength of God; at the Command and by the Authority of God; And that we are not afraid of the light, but readily offer our selves & our workes unto it; to the ballance, or to the touchstone, not doubting but they shalbe found weight & right; And that our practise shall be found regular according to Gods Word in all things so farre as the Father of lights hath been pleased to Communicate of His light unto us, from which we would not decline willingly an hairs breadth for all the worlds good: for should we doe so, we should live, not, (which is charged against us by one amongst you) by faith in Church-order, but by fancy. The matters we have been questioned about, are here debated on in the foure first Sections; wherein we humbly give our opinion, and tell our perswasion as we stand fully satisfied in our own mindes, who must live by our own Faith, Rom. 14. 5. 23. We will onely repeate what hereafter wee have said to this our undertaking; [Page] we have been, if we may ufe that Persian word, angariati; Compelled to doe, as now we have done.
2. In the second place, it is likely ye would have our Reason, wherefore we appeale to you? It was because we were not willing to stand to the Umperage of one single person among you, for though with us it is a very smal thing, that we should be judged of him, or of mans judgement; Yet he being of the same judgement, in point of free admission to the Lords Table (so he hath declared himselfe) with Mr Hums: that unworthy man, whom the Lord God we feare in his righteous judgement hath given over to a minde voyde of judgement. Therefore we have made our application to you, beloved in Christ, who can so well remember, we must all appeare, before God, give to Him an account of our doings, to whose judgement, in His owne matters, we all appeale now, for to that we must stand anone after. We would adde to this some particulars more, for the further clearing our selves, and our undertakings unto you. And
1. We would speake two things (which were omitted in our Preface to the first Section) (1) To that remote right an Infant hath to Baptisme borne of wicked parents. The judgement, you know, of Divines very Learned, & godly, and possibly your own judgement also. To this we tell our perswasion, and our Faith, That a parent notorious for his Deboisery may Cut-off himselfe & his posterity from all Church priviledges, as well now as formerly it was: When Ismael a member of the Church & Circumcised, grew to a prophane mocking of Isaac, he was cast-out of the Church as unworthy to continue in that holy fellowship, Gen. 21. 9, 10, 11, 12. And Esau his Fathers darling being very indulgent to him; yet for his prophanenesse, [Page] despising his birth-right, the hand of God cut him off from the inheritance both of the birthright, and of the blessing. Whence it was, That he was deprived of Church-fellowship, and his posterity deprived both of Church-fellowship and of the seale of the Covenant. And so Jeremiah reckoneth-up Edom among the Nations uncircumcised, Jer. 9. 26. It is our perswasion as we finde it made out by others, That a Debauched parent may cast himselfe out of the Church now, and from all priviledges of the same, as soone and sooner now under this Gospel light, than they did under the Starre-light of the Law. And (2) Those godly Ministers, that doe admit all Infants to Baptisme upon account of that remote right there-unto, when they speake de jure what ought to be, (as he that hath spoken last, hath spoken much that way) they speake, as he, very safely and holily, Children of Beleiving Parents should be admitted to Baptisme. But when they speake de facto, what is done, and allowed off to be done, here they walk at large, and give more Liberty, than, we humbly conceive, the word of God, gives them. But howsoever, if they can satisfie their Consciences in a larger latitude, they will not, we hope, judge others that cannot so doe; Conscience being such a tender thing, and cannot be forced no more than a parable ought to be.
2. We have spoken somewhat Confidently against free admission to the Lords Table, as they use to doe who are perswaded, they have truth on their side; and the word of truth to warrant what they say. And indeed the more arrogantly Mr Hums: hath spoken to maintaine the Affirmative, the more confidently we have spoken in maintenance of the Negative: for why should not we be as bold for our Lord Christ, [Page] as he is, beyond all expression, shamelessly bold against Him. We are perswaded in our soules, That the Lord of glory hath written in so faire and legible Characters, who are, and who are not to be admitted to His table, that He who runs may reade. We have heard of a Godly man, that said to a wanton Lady (complaining of the darknesse and obscurity of the Scriptures, though too well acquainted with the works of darknesse) what more plaine than this Madam, said he? Thou shalt not commit Adultery. So indeed we may say, what more plaine that this, ‘If thou take forth the pretious from the vile, thou shalt be as my Ier. 15. 19. Mouth; Let them returne unto thee, but returne not thou unto them. What more plaine then this? They shall teach my people the difference between Ezek. 44. 23. the holy and prophane; and cause Men to discerne, between the uncleane, and the cleane.’ And what more plaine then is the complaint of the Lord against those Preists, who did not doe according to their Charge? Her Preists have violated my law; and have prophaned my holy things: how so? They have put Ezek. 22. 26. no difference between the holy and prophane, neither have they shewed difference, between the uncleane, and the cleane. What more plaine then this? ‘If any Man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator, 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Joh. 10. or Covetous, or an Idolater, or a Railer, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, with such an one no not to eate.’ Such grosse sinners are no more to be suffered in Holy Assemblyes, then swine in your garden, than toads in your dishes, than dead flyes in a box of ointment (to use worthy Mr Burgesse his glosse upon that Scripture) What more plaine than this? Ye cannot be 1 Cor. 10. 21. partakers of the Lords Table, and the Table of Devills. What more plaine then this? What fellowship hath righteousnesse [Page] with unrighteousnesse? What communion hath light with darknesse? What Concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that beleiveth with an Insidell? And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idolls? 2 Cor. 6. 16, 17. Ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walke in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; Wheresore Come out from among them, and be ye seperate saith the Lord God, and touch not the uncleane thing. What more plaine than all this; and this which followes. There shall in no wise Revel. 21. 27. 22. 15. enter into it any thing that defileth. Without shall be dogges. Ye know what the Learned say of those Scriptures. All agree, we thinke, That the house of God, the Church of the living God must be kept cleane by the Stewards there of. Leg. Aug Martor. in Revel. 11. 1, 2.
Thus we have beleived; and thus confidently we have spoken in all things where we observed the Spirit with the Word going before us; and herein we appeale to you, as to the Truth of these matters resolved in the Negative we may erre, as weake simple men use to doe; but this we can say, we doe not erre in our hearts; if we erre, It is as a wearied traveller may doe, he erreth in his way, but sore against his will, and thankes him heartily, that will tell him he is out of the way; and points him to it. And
3. We hope, we have not done that which we abhorre to doe, made the least reflection of Dishonour upon you, or any of your brethren of the Presbyterian way. Some one of us have read their bookes, wherein they declare their Steward-like care to keep the Table of the Lord from prophane mixtures. And what they have spoken with the mouth, and declared with their pen de jure what ought to be, we would hope they performe with their hands, de facto, that is, [Page] they practise accordingly, as they stand cleared in their judgements they ought to doe. Yet
4. We cannot see, how the Godly Ministers can answer their God, or their own Consciences, when they can maintaine fellowship and keepe Communion with such as they judge not godly, being of their owne opinion and in their way; And not maintaine fellowship (it is cleare some of them doe not) with such as in charity they judge godly, because they are not of their opinion and in their way. Idem est motus ad Imaginem, & ad rem. Arist. Qui amat suprd, amat infrd upon, 1 Joh. 5. 1. A godly man loveth all that are godly; and those most, that most excell in godlinesse, in them he delighteth, with them he converseth, them he honoureth. Sicut se habet simplitèr ad simpliciter, it à magis ad magis, If Godlinesse be the reason why we love, then the more godlinesse, the more love.
5. We can speake this clearely, though we are divided from some in our opinions, yet not from any in our affections, how different soever unto us in their judgements. We love him, and them dearely, we oppose in these following matters heartily. We can say, and doe, as we say, love Mr Hums: though we doe not dislike only, but loath his—Scrible as we should doe sin or hell it selfe. For surely the sinne of Division is the greater, when we make Religion to Patronize it. It is the manner not of a few to divide from one another, under a pretence, as if they made it Religion to bite and devoure one another. Surely this virgin is forced, for there is nothing more contrary to the Name or nature of Religion, than to cause or further-on divisions. Dictam esse Religionem, quod quasi in fascem Domini vincti & religate sumus dixit. Hieron. By Religion we are made Gods bundle, first tied to Him, then one to another. Religio à religando, The name caries strong union with it from binding us againe to God, and to one another, after we were divided from Him by our sinne. We hope, we shall be found [Page] all along so farre from doing that, which Nazianzen Orat. 12. condemnes in pleading for the Truth, bely one another; we are fastened to Christ, yet loosened our selves; we are for peace, yet we fight one with another; so far from this too ordinary among Christians (as if that were the way to maintaine Truth) that we shall not let a rude word passe from us. Yet if any should sound that way, or be mistaken rudely for Cuttingly, (we English it sharply,) Let it be understood as it is meant and intended, spoken against Mr Hums: onely, (against whom we could sharpen our words, as Paul did his against Elimas, Acts 13. 9, 10.) and those that are fully of his way and judgement, and this after they had read his (how loth we are to call Books, observing, That great Philosopher, and Learned Lo: Verul: denies that name to things of that make, having neither reason, nor honesty to patronize them, And savouring worse in the Nostrills of all the Godly, we thinke, than doe the worst excrements of the Dragon) whereby that rude man, justifies his way, and in so doing hath dealt rudely with our Lord and Master in heaven, blaspheming His practise with His Saints, when he tabernacled on the earth.
6. If it be objected against us, That (1) we censure the writings of the Learned and godly; we humbly reply no; we censure them not, we bring the writings of men (in reference to set formes of prayer) to the Scriptures of God, the duty of every man, laying them in that ballance, and trying them by that touchstone, whether they hold weight, and proove themselves Gold. Those more Generous Eereans might have trusted Paul as soone as any man alive, That he would not speake a word, which wanted a graine of weight, yet their eares (a pair of ballances [Page] in the Hebrew) would weigh the words of Paul, though He had an infallible Spirit, and spake by inspiration immediately from heaven; Auditus & Intellectus, hearing and understanding should goe together; and that each may doe its proper worke, our eare must try mans words, not taking them-up upon Trust. Indeed what the Lord God speaks once, we should heare twice, without more to doe, onely to doe it in our lives, as those use to doe, who have heard God speake with the sensitive eare of their bodies, and the intellectuall eare of their soules; and so what He spake once, they heard twice.
And, if it be said in the second place, that we doe unbecoming our meane Condition, when we take upon us to advise and Councell our betters; Let it be observed, That our Counsell is pointed to them onely before mentioned; and these have as much need of it, as any persons ye or we know in all the world. Yet ye shall finde, we hope, this Counsell is given in much love. And if it be so taken, all will be well, though it be a Reproofe, which is good Counsell made keen and sharpened; and not a hairs-bredth from our Rule; Them that sinne, saith the Apostle, 1 Tim: 5. 20. (scandalously and to the offence of others, as Mr Humps: hath done, and as doe all that are in his way) Rebuke before all, that others also may feare. We would adde hereunto, That we know no other way to manifest our Love openly, but by open Reproofe; Open Rebuke being better then secret Love, Pro. 27. 5. And to hate a brother, and not to rebuke him, are equivalent expressions in that Law, Levit. 19. 17. we are assured we have not brought a railing accusation against that Railing man; for so we should not have done, had we contended with the Devill. But [Page] so he hath done with worthy Dr Drake, taking his Lords part against that Scrible, wherein he blasphemeth his Lord; and then what wonder if he raileth upon his servant.
7. We have but two words more, and then we have done. If ye finde Art wanting here all along (It were a wonder ye should not, if you daine to looke through any part of it) it is a small want; and not unbecoming us to speak like our selves. We love the Cause dearely we here maintaine, relating as we judge, so nearely to our Lord Christ and his people. It is better to be straightned in expression, than in affection. If there be much of heart, it matters not how little of Art there be: for what some men most admire, God least regards, as that usefull man speakes Mr Venning. after his manner; It is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing. Zeale without knowledge wants eyes; knowledge without zeale wants feete. If it makes way at all, it is after a snayles pace, coldly, heavily, dully. We doubt not to answer that man, that should say to us as Erasmus to Luther, You are hot like fire; as Luther answered Erasmus, You are cold like frost in Gods matters. We are perswaded Zeale is more wanting all along than is knowledge, though there may be a want also; and we well know what is the cause of that want of zeale we meane; ‘For they that warmed their hearts at the Fire of Gods love, thinke zeale it selfe to be Coldnesse, and Fruit fullnesse to be barrennesse,’ as said holy Sibbes.
8. If our prudence be questioned here, no great matter neither, If having lesse of the Serpent, we have more of the Dove. I desire said Luther in his Epistle to his freind Gerbelius, to approve my selfe a faithfull servant of Christ and His Church, if I cannot be a prudent one.
Drawing up to a close, we would only adde this, our only desire in reference to what we have spoken of our selves, here or hereafter shall speak (for so we are compelled) That it may be understood spoken not so much to shew what our Attainments are in the things of our Lord, as what in desire and endeavour, we would attaine unto. But specially, That it may be understood of them all over the Nation, who walk with a right foote in a Gospel way.
We will close our Letter unto you, and with you all, if it may be, in Pauls words, we thinke, we can speake them heartily. ‘God is our record, how heartily we long after you all in the bowells of Jesus Christ.’ And Phil. 1. 8, 9, 10, 11. Strive we with God in prayer for one another, and we shall not strive in anger one against another. this we pray, That your Love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgement. That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere, and without offence, till the day of Christ, Being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Amen.
HAving named thee Christian, we account thee one of the very best or very worst in all the world; like those figgs (Jer. 24. 3.) If good, very good; If bad, very bad; or like the Vine (Ezek. 15) If fruitfull, the very best; If barren, the very worst; worse than thornes and briars, these will serve to stop a gap better than Roses or Rosemary; These serve for some use, so not a barren Vine, nor a See D. G. Triall of growth. p. 19. barren Christian; he doth but cumber the ground, he shall be taken away and cast into the fire, saith the Lord, Joh. 15. 2. 6. 26. His being a branch in Christ, (which we must observe in passage) shall not help him at all, but rather further increase, and hasten his condemnation, being to be understood in respect not of internall implantation, but externall profession; he hath the visibility of a branch, not the reallity; not by any internall communion, but outward profession, as a branch that hath no coalition with the tree, nor receiveth any juice or nourishment from it; so neither hath this person any inward participation of efficacy from Christ; he is in Him by outward baptisme only, but not baptized into Christ by the inward work of the Word and Spirit (in those that are growne up to yeares, for the Spirit workes alone in Infants as wonderfully, as is the knitting and growing of the bones in the womb of her that is with Childe) whereof he gives cleare evidence, not having put-on Christ, nor walking in Him, he is not united to Him; he hath no communion with Him, no participation [Page] from Him of life and holinesse, therefore he must be taken away, and cast into the fire. It shall be dealt unto him as unto the barren Vine, which being not for fruit, must be for fewell, Ezek. 15. 4. Once more and more plainly, Thou art as the Jew was, If indeed a Jew, and inwardly, he was one of the excellent of the earth. But if one outwardly, and in name onely, he was the basest of all men. A very provocation to God, and a very abomination; for, saying he was a Jew, he blasphemed, Rev. 2. 9. and a very loathsome person he is among the living in Jerusalem, Christians indeed, being dead while he liveth, and then continuing such, how dead will he be when he dyeth, being twice dead; now dead as to that death we are all involvedin by nature; and dead to all the means of quickening, and plucked-up by the roots; in no capacity now by the sent of water to revive and quicken againe, which soarest judgement can befall none but the Jewes then and Christians now. This being a point of so great and general concernment, In our tenderest love unto Thee, we take leave to be more large that we may be more plaine about it. And truly our Drift is to remove some grand-mistakes, relating to this Name and Thing we commonly call Christian or Christianity; There are some errours about it, which we have heard or reade some-where, may be called Beelzebub-errours, being as pernicious, we thinke, and damnable, as any heresie can be: so as, if we are taken with them, we are fearfully mistaken, and undone for ever; We would narrow these things what possibly we can. This is the first grand-errour.
1. That the Civil honest man, he is the Christianman, who attends only the Negative Commandments, Thou shalt not kill. He hath obeyed God therein, for he hath layd violent hands upon no man. Nor hath he committed bodily adultery with Maide or Wife; he stands cleare [Page] to God as to that matter also; nor hath he violently taken away any mans goods, a sin to be punished by the Judges, he is cleare at that point too; He minds Affirmative precepts as wel as the Negative, though he understandeth them not at all, in their comprehensive sense or latitude. This is the Christian man though, And his negative godlinesse, he is neither drunkard, nor murtherer, whore-master, nor theife, shall intitle him to Church-communions here, and to fellowship with the Saints hereafter.
A grand a Beelzebub errour! That any man living under the means of salvation, instructed out of Gods word dayly, should get passe for a Christian, and knowes nothing as he ought to know touching the depth and breadth of the mystery of original sin, nor of the mystery of the dutyes comprehended in Gods law, and then nothing at all of the mystery of Grace by Jesus Christ. A Christian, though but in his owne conceite; for he is indeed, living in a land of visions, much worse than is the worst heathen, though you suppose him a Sodomite, or a worshipper of the Devil.
2. There is another mistake much the same with the former: ‘That there is a middle person or a middle state between good and evil, godly (in Christ Jesus) and ungodly’ (out of Christ.) The truth is, there is nothing between good and evil, light and darknesse, no medium of participation between these extreames. Solomon, Eccles. 9. 2. rankes all in two orders, so doth a greater than Solomon, our Lord and Master, Math. 5. 45. This is the dichotomie, the division that runnes through the whole world, righteous or wicked, good or bad, cleane or uncleane; good and evil in a remisse degree may be mingled in the same person, but no mans person is in a middle state between good and evil. And suppose him, as here we must, to be a Christian, he is very good or very bad, the best in all the world, or the very worst; there is not an allmost a Christian in all the world, [Page] he is altogether or not at all a Christian, & then worse than can be the worst heathen in all the world. And it is a pernicious conceite to thinke the contrary, and mindes us how Mr Smith, an able Preacher in his time, argued the deadlinesse of that Conceite (take it in passage) The woman in travel was almost delivered, not altogether, which cost the life of the Mother and the Infant both. It is so in Christianity, in a Christian land we meane, where Christ is preached, to be almost a Christian, that is, to be altogether an heathen and worse, though the worst among the heathens.
It matters not then, where thou, or we ranke our selves; and as little where our Ministers rank us, nor what account we have of our selves, nor how our Ministers reckons of us, or deales forth unto us. What are we in Scripture account, among whom doth the word of God ranke us? we have read some-where, That Scripture-Christianity is as farre different from that, which passeth for Christianity in the account of most men, as the Sun is from a Glow-worme, which is but a slimey earth-worme, and casteth some luster in a darke night. Therefore for the remooving of this mistake, let us heare what the holy Scripture saith, Thou mayst be more chained-in than is another from running-ut into the same excesse of riot; but if this be all, this is nothing at all to render thee a Christian. This is the Division; Thou art changed in thy nature, and in thy actions, or not changed; renued in the spirit of thy minde, or not renued; renued in the out ward-man in practise and conversation, and in the inward man in thy minde, yea in the spirit of thy minde, if not in both, then in neyther of both; Thou art of the first Adam, in whom all dye; or taken out of him by the glorious worke of the Spirit of Grace with His word, and brought-up to the second Adam, in whom all are made alive; thou art dead or alive, dead in trespasses in sinnes, or [Page] being quiokened by the Word and Spirit, thou art alive to God. In a word, for we would faine remoove this mistake; Thou art light, or thou art darknesse; and doe not dreame, as thou regardest thy pretious soule; for it is but a dreame that there is a middle thing betwixt these extreames, thou art marvelously light, or marvelously darke, light it selfe or darknesse it selfe. If light in the Lord (Eph. 5. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 9.) then how marvelous is that light! if darknesse, how great is that darknesse! When the light that is in thee is darknesse, and while the Sunne of the Gospel shines round-about thee: we say againe, how great is that darknesse, the greater and more hideous, the more glorious the light is.
And let not that which looks like light deceive thee, nor thy looking more like a Christian than others may doe; thou wilt be the worse for that, for looking like a Christian, and not one indeed, thou wilt looke like an Ape in Christianity, whose great deformity is, (And therefore we hold in great scorne to be likened unto an Ape) in this, because he is so like man. Copper, we know, is never rejected but when it would passe for silver; The Devil was never so like himselfe as when he seemed covered with Samuels Mantle, or looked like an Angel of light; as a Christian in name only lookes never so like a Devil, as when he lookes like a Saint at the Lords Table.
3. A third mistake, and if we mistake not one of the greatest magnitude, what Christianity or a true Christian is? He is one (the common conceite) that doth performe some knowne dutyes, and abstaineth from grosse sins, This is well and to be commended, but if this be all, we know who condemneth it to the lower most hell; for what is it, in dread of that wrath that is written, shall be the portion of those familyes who call not upon Gods name, (Jer. 10. 25.) to [Page] pray in thy closet, and with thy family, and then goe to Church, while yet thou doest speake and doe evil things as thou canst, Jer. 3. 5. onely for shame of the world thou abstainest from grosse sinnes. All this is searce Christianity in forme, it will hardly render thee a Christian dealbatum, whited over to use Mr Calvins word upon Mat. 23. 27. At the most, all this and more than this makes thee but like a dead corpes, as somtimes thou hast observed stuck with sweet flowers all over it, or like a dunghill covered with scarlet.
To cast-out this Beelzebub-errour, pray to God for his eye-salve, that thou mayst see and perceive, heare and understand; That a forme of Christianity is nothing in power, it is but a forme. That a name without the thing is worse than nothing; like a dreame, that an hungry man is eating, who, when he is awakened, feeleth himselfe hungry and seeth nothing. It is like a Title without reality, a miserable comfort, to be titularly rich, and really poore. To beare-up a mans selfe upon fleshly priviledges is an high presumption, and the higher thou art built-up upon it, the more terrible thy ruine will be; for if the flesh of Christ profiteth nothing, Joh. 6. 63. And if we now know not Christ after the flesh, 2 Cor. 5. 16. lesse must we know a Christian after the flesh, because he bath some carnall or fleshly priviledge: Well; he is not a Christian then who hath no more but what we may call flesh, some outward thing; but he is a Christian truly and indeed, in whom Christ 2 Cor. 13. 5. Col. 1. 27. himselfe is the hope of his glory; for Christ without us, all that glorious Redemption wrought by him, but a broad and without doores in the world, can profit us no more, than cloaths on anothers backe, or meate in anothers stomack, or the spirit of holinesse in anothers heart; A Christian indeed is Christ in the soule, the Anointing of Christ, [Page] the new creature, the divine nature, the image of holinesse rooted in the heart, and fruited in the life; he is, as the whole Church, and every part is, the habitation of Eph. 2 22. God by the Spirit. He is godly in Christ Jesus; the power of godlinesse is in him, and with him, his whole conversation is a meere mortification, a very hell to flesh Perpelua na [...] violentia. and blood; he is still offering a sacred violence thereunto; he prayes, and in prayer, prayes earnestly; he heares, and he heares in hearing, he heares as for his life, in desire and indeavour that he may heare, and live. There is no duty he performes, but it putteth him to cost; a meere outside Christian, not so, he will heare and pray, but all this he can doe with little or no trouble, all his care is for this, that his flesh be put to no cost; he would rather performe an hundred thousand Religious dutyes, than to put himselfe to the torment of crucifying one lust pleasant or profitable. Once more.
This Christian indeed speakes of the Sacraments, as the holy Scripture doth, contemptibly of them, when these are rested upon, and gloried in, as they are by the outside-man, this Christian in name onely. Circumcision is nothing, and availeth nothing; Baptisme as little, and availeth as little. The Passeover is nothing, and availeth nothing. Receiving at the Lords Table is as little, and availeth as little. The new creature is all, and doth all, and receiveth all, the Lord Christ and all, our Passeover sacrificed for us. Thus contemptibly as the sacred Scripture doth, he speaketh of the Sacraments, when as aforesaid. But when the Institution is observed, together with the proper use of them, and blessed intendment the Lord Christ had in the instituting of them, then as the Scripture doth, so doth he speake gloriously of them. And so we come to the fourth.
4. The fourth mistake, as great, and deadly, as any of the former, How thou camest to thy Christianity? or how thou waste made a Christian? The common conceite is, and a meere conceite it is, That to be sprinkled on the face with water makes us Christians; This was our conceite, and we are sure tis thine, if thou art not truely a Christian? Thou wast baptized, and ever since in thine owne account, and others, a Christian. Thou art not wholly, or alltogether mistaken herein, yet such a mistake there may he that may procure thee desperate sorrow at the end of thy dayes, when thou art launching forth into the wide Ocean of Eternity, where thou must continue for ever, eyther everlastingly blessed, or vnspeakably miserable for ever and ever.
Outward Baptisme gave thee thy name Christian; but there is a worke wrought within by the Spirit and the Word on Gods part, and faith on thine, that gives with the Name the thing, and the name without the thing is nothing, and renders thee worse than nothing, a meere vanity, a thing of nothing. All holy actions come from within first, and thence to the outward man: A Christian, within first, then, sure enough, he is one without. Therefore to remove this grand errour, or to doe what we can, observe well what was hinted before, and we can but repeat it now. It is the voice of Christ in the Ministry of His Gospel, heard, obeyed and beleived, that makes us true Christians. All the Angells in Heaven, much lesse all the waters in the Sea, are not able to turne one sinner upon earth, and make him cleane, that is, make him truely Christian; but the Word in the Spirits hand, having the Lords seale of Institution upon it, that onely can doe it. Now put this to thy heart as thou canst. Hast thou heard God speaking his Word unto thee? that is, hath the Spirit. [Page] spoke the Word to thy spirit, which the Minister spake to thy eare? (as farre as he could possibly carry it, to the eare, and so farre when time was, his hand bare the water to the face.) Hath thy heart heard the Word, has thy soule been listod up to it? And in making answer hereunto the Lord God chargeth thee not to hearken what thy owne heart sayth, the most notorious deceiver, the veriest jugglar in the world; no nor what the Minister sayth, if he speakes his owne words, which are but his dreames, and not the words of his God, being as his mouth and standing in his stead. Hearken what the Lord sayth in his Word, That thou art not made Christian, if the Word in the Spirits hand hath not made a thorow change in thee, as well of thy nature as of thy actions, This is the onely meanes, where and when God gives them, whereby we are translated from darknesse to light; from death to life; life and mortality is brought to light to the soule by the Gospels voyce, or the voyce of Christ in the Gospel; which alone quickeneth the dead, awakeneth the sleeper, bids him standup for his light is come; Put it then to the question, Hast thou heard this voyce? Thou hast; Then thou art a Christian indeed; Thou haste not heard this voyce, Then thou art, as was said, worse than an Infidel in the remoatest parts of the world, being but a washed heathen, and doest slightingly passe over the meanes, whereby thou mightest understand thy case, and the way to better it: And now if thou wilt seale the Stone upon thy graves mouth, and make thy condition irrecoverable, (which we would be as loath Thou shouldest doe, as that thou shouldest thrust thy selfe upon the mouth of a Cannon charged against thy breast with a Bullet of a tallent weight) yet if thou art resolved to undoe thy soule for ever, hasten (so Sathan, and thy foolish heart will advise thereto, and thy Minister will [Page] admit thee) together with the heards and droves of men in thy case unto the Lords Table, to receive Christ there, whom thou haste rejected in the Gospel; This will doe it, and nothing more certainly than this, for there thou shalt eate and drinke damnation to thy selfe, not discerning the Lords body. Therefore desire of the Lord He would make thee serious in this matter. Hath the Word been prevailing in thy soule, to make thee a childe, a sonne or a daughter? Then thou haste the heart of a Childe to thy heavenly Father; Thou wilt breake his Commandements as willingly and studiously as thou wilt thy bones; and offend Him, with full consent of will, when with the same will thou offendest the apple of thine eye; And now thou mayest be assured He hath the heart of a Father towards thee; Thou haste the priviledge of a Childe, a warranted right to all Church Communions here; thou art instated-in and possessed-off, being new borne, all thy soule can desire, open the mouth of it never so wide; Onely we repeate againe, make it thy worke and thy very buisnesse to make this sure to thy owne soule, thou art borne againe. Its meere presumptionesse, as holy Bolton sayd to his deare Children when he was dying, To thinke that God will receive our soules to heaven, whom He hath not renued here on earth; This being a grounded truth, for a man to be alwayes the same, he was from the womb, borne a childe under wrath, and in that state dying, is certaine and irricoverable death.
Oh! this undoes many, even all that are undone, are undone by it; As they never dreame of a change, which death will one day make upon them, so they never desire a change, that grace in this present life should worke on them, Therefore heare the Counsell that worthy man Master Burgesse gives thee; As Job sayd of the change by [Page] death, He would every day waite till his change come, Job 14. 14. Doe thou say of this change by grace, I will every day pray, heare, reade, meditate, mourne and roare out before God, every day and all the day long, till this spirituall change come; And doe not accept of the Ministers invitation to the Lords Table (though thou findest him very gentile and courteous this way) before this change be wrought, or in a way of working; for heare what that worthy Man sayth; Heathens, Fornicatours, Idolaters, Adulterers, Theeves, Covetous, Drunkards, Revilers, Extortioners, became washed and cleansed by the Word; but washed Fornicatours, Idolaters, &c. we meane, Baptized Drunkards, Theeves, Covetous, These sit under the Word and reforme nothing, but make a scorne of it. What may be the reason? Why? They live in the practise of knowne sinnes, and in the neglect of knowne dutyes, under the dayly exercise of the Word, and yet frequent the Lords Table, which hath provoked a spirituall Censure, and sorest judgement, now wholly inflicted upon them; whence it is as the Clay under the Sunne, so these become more obdurate under the Word, from which judgement the Lord deliver thee and us all.
But beware of this as thou tenderest thy life, (therefore we caution thee againe,) That thou dost not goe to the Lords Table in a conceite, presumption rather, thou shalt receive Christ Jesus the Lord there, whom thou haste not received in the Ministry of the Gospel. Remember and forget not, The rocke shall not be removed out of his place, as was spoken by Job, that is, God will not change the course, which He hath setled as firmely as the Rockes, or as the Earth, He will not alter His method, nor goe out of the way He hath prescribed; His Word shall profit thee first, before any thing else shall or can; thou [Page] must keepe close to His way, if thou lookest to attaine His end.
We intended more to thee, so dearly we love thee, as to minde thee well, there are but two Masters that can be served, and to which of these thou art an obedient servant, the Apostle will tell thee. Rom. 6. 16, 17, 18. (2) And as there are but two rankes or sorts of people, whereof before, so also but two wayes, the roade way of the world, the broad way; the roade way of the Lords redeemed ones, the way of holinesse, where the uncleane cannot passe, nor any Lion can be, nor ravenous Beasts, being a straight and a narrow way, which these cannot indure, And thou must certainly know in what way thy foote walketh, for suppose it the narrow way, and thou wilt finde thy flesh pinched, if not tormented. (3) And that there are but two Mansion houses, where thy soule anon, and thy body anon after, must dwell that long day, or night of eternity, the narrow way tendeth to the one, the broad way to the other; If now thou wilt conferre with flesh and blood, we know what way thou wilt choose, the broad way, and hell to be thy Mansion house for ever; for though thou mayst have, as the wicked may have, a Velliety, a faint will for Heaven, to dye the death of the righteous, and that thy last end may be like his; yet, walking in that broad way, the strength of thy will carryeth thee hell-ward, that horrid place of darknesse, Therefore give-up thy hand to God, having fixed thy eye upon His Word, and say, Lord plucke me into the way, and leade me in it, and suffer me not to decline from it.
In all this we intended to be more large; And to touch lightly upon other things also, the subject matter of the following discourse, but this well digested and pondered-on may suffice; And it will be sufficient, though thou readest [Page] not one word of the Booke; for suppose thou art made a Disciple indeed, a Christian in truth, thou wilt seperate from the world, at the Lords Table, nor wilt thou eate, that is, familiarly converse with the men of the world, unlesse necessarily (as a Physitian with the sick) having thy warrant for it, thou mayst convey good unto them, and thine owne affaires may require it. And (2) Thou canst no more observe the day, the men of the world call Christmas, than thou canst prophane the Lords day; for thou mayst have heard that one being asked whether he did observe the Lords day, keeping it holy? Yes, sayd be, for I am a Christian. And doe you observe Christmas day, to keepe it holy? No, said he, for then I were no Christian, unlesse in name, and that is nothing indeed. A true Christian flees from Idolatry, for what hath he any more to doe with Idols? And be will not put up his Petitions in anothers words, he praiseth God for what he hath received, he prayeth to God for what he would receive; he confesseth the sinnes he hath committed, all this with his owne mouth: He used set formes of Prayer, when time was, hee was a Christian in name onely; but now that he is, through grace, a Christion indeed, he remembers heartily, that a prayer by the Booke left him as cold as it found him, it had no more heate in it, than hath cold Iron or frost, and had he not layd them aside, he had proved a Christian when an Ape prooves a man; he bares himselfe-up as formerly, upon the crutches then, as others now doe, and he was as well in his owne conceite as others now are; bare formes never put the flesh to any paine; But to feele no paine, Comes, we know, from the rottennesse of the flesh as well as soundnesse. A dead Christian, such as he, that hath but a name that he liveth, feeles no paine, hee presumes [Page] all is well with him, and presumption being a sinne of mans-selfe flattering-heart, meets with no trouble; though he be desperately wicked, that is, deadly sick unto death, yet aske him how he doth, and he sayes well, for he was baptized when time was, and dealt with as a Saint, he thankes his good Minister, ever since he grew up to the yeares of understanding. But little doth he know how hardly that disease is curable, that is so like to health; Ille morbus vix sanabitur, qui sanitatem vinitatur. one sayth, seldome or never; and he addeth, None are more desperate than those, that are least despairing in their owne selves, through not of the grace of God; presumers therefore are in the more desperate condition, by how much they are the lesse despairing. But what a sad thing is it that men should presume they are rich and want nothing, when they are miserably poore and want all things, we will pitty those deluded mad men, who are perswaded, they are such great persons, and have such large estates, when in the meane time they lye miserable and wretched bound up in chaines in a darke dungeon; such a spirituall madnesse is upon most, and this renders them more mad, if more can be; they were baptized, and upon that Infant priviledge, have free admission to the Lords Table, without making the least profession of faith and repentance, wherein it comes to passe, that as they live like mad men, so they are like to ciye, being strongly perswaded still upon principles of Infant Baptisme, That, they are Disciples and Saints, while they are Drunkards and Devills; they are sheepe and lambs, when they are dogges and swine; And call themselves grapes and figges, when they are thornes and thistles, to use, and so to end with that Learned Mr Burgesse his words:
Love, that spares no cost, nor feeleth any burthen, hath drawne us-out thus farre, consider what hath been sayd, meditate upon it, be wholly in it, and so doing, whoever fareth ill, thou shalt fare well.
FINIS.