YOU have seen, (or may see) what that Balm is, which I have (as a weak instrument in the hands of Christ the great Physitian of Souls) en­deavoured to powre forth in the former Consi­derations, for the healing of your wounded soules: And you have also seen (or may see) in my Epistle to the Reader, what my grounds and ends have been in so doing; so that (I doubt not) but you will look upon me as one that hath had nothing in my eye, but the honour of Christ, and welfare of your soules. If the busines I have undertaken, had not been of great importance and concernment, I had not (I assure you) put pen to paper, but when I saw the sad effects were like to attend this opinion and practice of yours, by intro­ducing a spirituall Anarchy and Confusion in the Kingdome of Christ, and threatning Ruine to all the true and right constituted Churches in the world, I could not but Principiis obsta, serò me­dicina paratur, Cum mala per longa [...] conva­luere moras. make haste (according to the Ephes. 4.7. measure of the gift of Christ vouchsafed to me) towards the preventing of them. If I have spoken or written none other then the words of Truth and Sobernesse, I shall desire you in the name of him, who is Truth it selfe (our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) to subscribe thereunto: If otherwise, I trust by the same [Page 22]grace received, I shall be ready to see it, and acknowledge it whensoever it shall be made out unto me: onely I shall desire, that the same Apud Eccle­siae Alumnos non ad humanas rationes & co­gitationes diri­gendae sunt res divinae; sed ad sensum & vo­luntatem do­ctrinae spiritus, oratio inter­pretatio (que) ac­commodanda. Just. Mart. Neque te quo (que) disserentem su­stinuissemus, nisi cuncta ad seripturas re­fcrres; inde e­nim demonstra­tiones adducere studio tibi est. id. ibid. Dial. cum Triphon. medium, viz. the holy Scriptures of God, contai­ned in the old and new Testament, which I have endeavoured to use in the former considerations, may be used by such as shall at­tempt such a work. But because I may save that labour in order to your further and greater satisfaction, I have thought it requi­site to doe something by way of answering those objections, or removing those grounds, upon which (I suppose) all of you, (or at least) many of you, doe build your practice of renouncing and casting off the use of Ordinances and religious Duties.

Now I suppose the grounds upon which you build the cast­ing off the use of Ordinances, may be reduced to these eight Heads.

• 1. That a person may doe well enough, and comfortably enjoy himselfe without the use of Ordinances, as hearing the Word, Prayer, breaking of bread in a communion of Saints, &c.
• 2. That the successe of things doth not depend upon the per­formance of Duties and Ordinances, but on Gods eternall purpose and decree.
• 3. That God knowes our wants, and stands not in need of any of our performances, to move him to the helping and satisfying of us.
• 4. That many have used Ordinances, and performed Duties, but to small purpose, and those that doe use them, are little the better.
• 5. That Ordinances are but poore low Dispensations, and not so consistent with a Beleevers living in God, that is altogether above Ordinances, and that God doth use to lead his people from Gospel-formes, to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit.
• 6. That none are to pray or perform Duties at any time, fur­ther then they are moved thereunto by the Spirit.
• 7. That the use of Ordinances is more Legall then Evangeli­call, and engenders to bondage rather then liberty, looking more to a covenant of works then grace, the Gospel requiring beleeving not working.
• 8 Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances, is this, Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit. They can never work [Page 23]any impression upon the soule, or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman, that the Lord is his God, or that Christ is his Saviour, &c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God; the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an im­pression in the soule.
• 9. That there are many places in the new Testament, which hodl forth the non-performance of duties, and laying aside the use of Ordinances, as Heb. 8.11. 1 Iohn 2.27. Rev. 21.22, 23. 2 Pet. 1. ult.

These are the grounds upon which people build their leaving and casting off of Ordinances, some of them respect those that are meere Atheists, and others respect such as pretend to the greatest perfection of holinesse attainable in this life, I shall (by the help of Christ) make answer to them all, as they are laid downe, in order to the discoverie of the unsoundnesse of them.

1. Touching the first of the former grounds, upon which peo­ple build the casting off the use of the holy Ordinances of Christ, and duties of religion, it was this, That a person may doe well e­nough, &c. without the use of them. Now in answer to this, for the discovery of the unsoundnesse of it, I utterly deny it, and affirme the contrary, that such as cast off the use of Ordinances, 1 Cor. 3.22. or live in the neglect of them, cannot possibly doe so well, nor so comfor­tably enjoy themselves in the neglect, as they might if they did conscionably performe them, and my reason for it is this (which I conceive is ungainsayable) Because whatsoever such doe enjoy in order to their welfare and prosperity here in this world, though in the greatest fulnesse, they doe not enjoy it with the blessing and favour of God, they may enjoy them, but not comfortably, be­cause not through a promise, nor by vertue of having interest in Christ, through whom all our enjoyments become blessed to us, and without whom all good things become evill and accursed to us.

Now such cannot possibly enjoy their good things through Christ & a promise, that neglect prayer, &c (& so by consequence not enjoy them nor themselvs comfortably) because those mercies that come to us through a promise, and by vertue of our interest in Christ, they come in the way of Prayer, and the use of Ordinan­ces; for the same God that hath made a promise to be our God, and to make us blessed in the enjoyment of himselfe and his mer­cies, [Page 24]hath also said, that he will be sought unto for all those mer­cies, before we shall enjoy them, as Ezek, 36.37. And when a person is once in Christ, his being in Christ doth not take him off from duties, but rather puts him upon the diligent performance of them. And hence it is, that the Spirit of Christ that dwells in beleevers, is called a Spirit of prayer and supplication, Rom 8.15.26. Gal 4.6. Zech. 12, 10. And Christ hath promised beleevers to grant them their desires upon their asking his Father in his name John 14. and 15. and 16. chapters, Matth. 7.7. with many o­ther places to the same purpose, and hereupon he enjoynes belee­vers to watch and pray, and ask necessaries daily at the hands of God their Father, for the good both of their bodies and soules, their temporall and eternall welfare, Matth 6.11, 12. So that 'tis not faith in Christ, and a promise, that in it selfe simply conside­red, makes us partakers and possessors of the good things of God with comfort, but faith exercised, and put forth in prayer, and use of holy Duties and Ordinances of worship. Faith in Christ, and the covenant of Grace, layes claime to the good things of God, yea God himselfe (blessed for ever) is his Portion, but Prayer fetcheth them in to the soule, through Jesus Christs mediation. And therefore as persons living in the neglect of duties, discover themselves to be destitute of the Spirit of Christ, and consequent­ly of true faith in Christ, so they manifest themselves to have no true right to what they enjoy as men and women in Christ, nor to have them in mercy from God, or in a capacity to enjoy a holy and sanctified use of them, but are under all with the curse of God upon them, so that as the wise man saith, the very prosperity of such fooles destroyeth them, Prov. 1.32.

The second ground upon which people build their neglect of duties, and casting off ordinances, is the Eternall purposes and decrees of God, who hath by them appointed how things shall be, and there is no altering of them, by our fasting, praying, &c. or performing any duties of worship whatsoever. Shall wee think (say some) that the judgement of the Sword, Pestilence, and Famine that walked up and down the Kingdome, as the Exe­cutioners of divine Justice in an uncontrollable manner have been (in so great and wonderfull measure) removed from the prayers and supplications of any or all the Saints in England, and not ra­ther from the predeterminate Councell and decrees of God.

To which I answer, That the Decrees of God doe not exclude [Page 25]in the least, the use of the means towards the effecting & bringing about of them, but as God hath determined in his eternall coun­sels what he will doe for the good of any of his people, so he hath also determined that the means shall be used for the obtaining it: Yea, we finde in Scripture, that this is made a certain signe that God hath determined to do us some great good, when he stirreth up our hearts to be earnest with him in prayer, and the use of o­ther lawfull meanes for the obtaining it, as we may see in Daniel 9.2, compared with Jer. 29.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. where we finde in these two Scriptures, two things to our present purpose, 1. That God had purposed the deliverance of his people from their Ba­bylonish captivity, after 70. yeares were expired. 2. That he pur­posed also, and foretold by Jeremy, that neare about the expira­tion of those 70. yeares, a Spirit of Prayer should bee given to them, and they should goe and pray unto the Lord for their deli­verance; and hereupon Daniel is stirred up about the end of those 70. yeares, to a more then ordinary seeking to God by fast­ing and prayer, for the accomplishing of his promise, as is cleare from Dan. 2.3. and how much is the Lord taken with it, verse 20, 21, 22, 23. so that we may from hence easily see, that the de­crees and purposes of God, doe not exclude the performance of prayer, and use of holy ordinances, but rather include them: not that they are deserving causes of our mercies, but onely such wayes and means as God hath in his wisdome appointed (in or­der to the manifestation of our duty towards him) without which he will not vouchsafe us our desires. And hence it is also, that we find the practice of the Saints hath been manifested this way, by seeking to God in the way and use of his ordinances, for their enjoyment both of mercies Spirituall and Temporal, as the Scrip­tures abundantly declare and testifie.

And whereas many think, that the use of second causes, and or­dinary meanes naturally, are sufficient to attain their desires with­out the use of prayer, &c. because God hath given a power, or naturall force to second causes to doe us good, as fire to heat us, meat to nourish us, cloathes to warm us, reason to guide us, Phy­sick to keep us in health, and cure us of diseases, &c. I wil evident­ly prove from the Scriptures, that the Lord hath put his servants upon the practice of prayer to seek his blessing and directions in the use of all these, yea, in such naturall, civill, and morall things and actions, wherein all men have freedome of will, and want nei­ther [Page 26]ordinary meanes to help themselves, nor wisdome and un­derstanding naturally to guide them. As for instance, 1. in the use of food, though there be therein a naturall vertue put and placed by God to nourish us, yet we finde how the servants of God have used prayer to desire the Lord to blesse that unto them, as Christ himselfe frequently, when he took bread he looked up to heaven and prayed for a blessing on it, and so the Apostle Paul and many others, according to 1 Tim. 4.5, 6.

2. In the undertaking of Journeyes, how was the Apostle Paul carried out by prayer to the Lord, for his direction, as in 1 Thess. 3.11. Now God himself, and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. and Rom. 1.10. And thus Ezra in his journey towards Jerusalem with the children of Is­rael that came out of Babylon, earnestly sought the Lord for a right way Ezra 8.21, 22, 23.

3. In the making of marriages, how did Eleazer, Abrahams servant, (though he were an understanding man, and very able to manage his businesse he went about) earnestly supplicate God for direction and successe, Gen. 24.12. where we finde, that be­fore he attempted his work, he sought the Lord to give him good speed, as knowing that such in businesses as these, though but of lesser importance, the way to become prosperous was to seeke to the Lord for direction and good successe.

4. In the actions of our common Tradings and ordinary em­ployments, the Lords people have desired God to blesse and pros­per them, as knowing that it is not so much their naturall actions, and diligent endeavours that makes them rich and prosperous, as the blessing of God. And if there were no instances at all to be given, yet the command of God is so cleare for it, that it may a­bundantly satisfie those that are ingenuous, as that of Prov. 3.6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths And Phil. 4.6, 7. Be carefull for nothing, that is, in respect of the e­vent, or issue, or successe of things, but in every thing, mark in every thing [...], by prayer and supplication with thankesgi­ving let your requests be made known unto God. And then this will follow, that the peace of God shall keep our hearts and mindes through Christ Jesus, as if there were no true peace to be enjoyed where there is a neglect of a persons duty this way.

3. The third ground upon which people build their casting off [Page 27]the use of religious duties and ordinances, is taken from Gods knowing of all our wants, and his readinesse to supply them with­out our seeking to him: for say they, God hath no need of our prayers and performances to move him to doe us good.

To which I answer, that though this be a truth, yet the infe­rence men make from it in casting off the performance of duties, is not good, but weake and idle; for first of all, though God know our wants better then we our selves doe, yet he hath made it known to us in the Scriptures, that it is his will wee should spread them before him in prayer, &c. as Phil. 4.6. In every thing let your requests be made [...]. known, saith the Apostle, and that by prayer and supplication, now this cannot be meant of making known these requests to any other then unto God, be­cause he alone is able to supply us, to heare and help us. So Mat. 6.11, 12. & 7.7. Ezek. 36.37.

2. Though God stand not in need of our prayers and suppli­cations, yet he will have us to perform them that wee may the better know our duties, and how much we are beholding to him who is the alone Author and Donor of all our enjoyments. And hence it is that he would have his people of old to put him in re­membrance, and declare that they might be justified, Esay 43.26. not that Jehovah is forgetful, or stands in need of a Monitor, as it is too too frequently with poor creatures like our selves. No; but that we might know our duties, and consider from whom all our mercies flow, and to whom all our Returnes of praise ought to be made.

3. Although the blessed Nature of God in Jesus Christ be infinitly carried out with readinesse & for wardnesse towards the helping of poore creatures in and under all their wants and weak­nesses, yet our seeking for this help, doth not in the least derogate from the glory of his goodnesse, but rather advance it. My rea­sons for it, are these: 1. Because it is a most evident Demonstra­tion to Heaven and Earth, that he is gentle and easie to be intrea­ted, full of bowels of compassion, rich to all that call upon him, even to the young Ravens when they cry, as the Psalmist spea­keth, Psal. 147.9. And me thinks there is a great Emphasis in the word [Cry,] as thereby noting to us, how gracious and full of compassion the Nature of God is, which could not be so well discerned, if there were not such Cryes put up from poore crea­tures to him: So that the drawings forth of those tender mer­cies [Page 28]which are in God, by the cryes of his poore creatures to him, doe exceedingly speak: out and commend to men and Angels, the unconceivable goodnesse of his Nature. 2. Because the Lords pleasure, that we should first seek him, before we en­joy mercies from him, is a great Argument of this singular love to us. And this is evident from hence: 1. In that it is from the great delight he hath to behold and heare the work of his owne Spirit in us, making intercession with sighes and groanes that are un­utterable, Rom. 8.26. Cant. 2.14. 2. because he knowes that his mercies and blessings will be a great deale the sweeter to us, when we have got them in the way of prayer, as we finde they were to David, Daniel, and other of the Saints. And this the Saints find by experience, that those mercies which are gotten in a way of faith and prayer, (through much wrestling with God, and endea­vour to honour him by beleeving) are farre sweeter to us then those that come to us in a common and ordinary way of generall Providence, and cost us nothing.

4. The fourth ground upon which people build their leaving the use of Ordinances, is this, that they themselves have used Or­dinances, and performed duties, but to small purpose, and those that doe use them, are little the better by using of them.

To which I answer, 1. As concerning themselves, whether they have not oftentimes discovered the contrary, beleeving that they have enjoyed very much of God at such times, when they have been in the use of Ordinance, as in Prayer, hearing the word, communion with the Saints, &c. saying with David, O how a­miable are thy Tabernacles! my soule longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of thy House, Psal. 84.1, 2. And with Peter when he was with Christ in Mount Tabor, It is good to be here, let us build here three Tabernacles Matth. 17.4. This, I say, and much more, have those said and spoken, that now cast off Ordi­nances. If they plaid the Hypocrites, and were not reall in what they did, but suffered their tongues to speake more then their hearts felt, they must blame themselves, and not finde fault with the Ordinances. Besides, doth the grace of God (wrought in any soule) teach them to lay the fault of their unfruitfulnesse and bar­rennesse on the meanes, Christ hath instituted to make them fruit­full? Are not such reasonings carnall and fleshly, and not from the Spirit, which such persons pretend to be wholly caught up to live and walk in. Why may not a sicke and diseased person, [Page 29]that lies under the predominancy of corrupt humours in his sto­mach, complain as well, that the ground of his distemper pro­ceeds from his food which he eates (which is excellent good, and full of sweet nourishment in it selfe) and not from the super fluity of corrupt humours in his stomack. Therefore I should advice such persons as blame the sacred ordinances of Christ, to reflect back on themselves, & see the ground of all their unprofitablenesse in their own hearts. And whereas some say, that they have often prayed, but to small purpose; for they have seen it hath been all one to them and with them, when they have, or have not prayed, I would fain know whether this be not the very garb and lan­guage of the Wicked, as the Scripture abundantly mentioneth, E­say 58.3. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest it not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soule, and thou takest no know­ledge of it? And therefore it seemes in the Prophet Malachies dayes, they resolve to leave praying, Malach. 3.14. It is in vain, say they, to serve God, and what profit is it unto us? Hippoctitas cannot endure to wait on the Lord, but like the King of Sama­ria, What should I wait on the Lord any longer? 2 Kings 6. ult. whereas those that are true worshippers of God, (though they may at some times through temptation be shaken in their confi­dence, and consequently be taken off from drawing nigh to God in duties for a season, yet) their hearts fall not foule with the duty, but rather with their own corruption, and are still pressing on af­ter further communion with God, and greater enjoyment of him in the duties of his worship, and are resolved to wait on the Lord in a way of seeking his face, through the strength of Christ, and not to give him rest till hee hath returned to them, and spoken peace to their soules. The Saints know that the Lord hath graci­ous ends in deferring to answer and help them when they cry un­to him, and that they shall be no losers by their waiting on God, and therefore keep on seeking and waiting, though the Lord doe not forthwith heare and answer them.

2. As for that concernes others, that such as use Ordinances, and are daily in the practice of prayer, &c. are (for ought they can see) little the better for them: I answer, if they mean Forma­lists, and carnall Gospellers, that have a meere form of godlinesse onely, but want the power of it in their hearts and lives, it can­not bee denied but so it is, yet no reason in the least, why the blame should be laid on the Ordinances, or that any that are up­right [Page 30]in their walking w ^th God, should cease the using of them: for the abuse of what is lawfull by some, is no sufficient reason why others should bee taken off from the use of it. Meat and drink, and recreations, with other things that are lawfull and good in themselves, may be abused oftentimes by some that seeke after nothing more then the satisfying of their carnall lusts; yet that may not take off others from the moderate use of them. And so 'tis here in the poynt of Ordinances; we may as well reason, be­cause Judas and Demas, with others, abused their profession of Christ, therefore none are to make profession of him.

But secondly, if it be spoken of all in the generall, those that are upright before God in their performances and use of Ordi­nances, as well as those that are meere formalists, then I demand of such, whether living in God (who is Love it selfe) can possi­bly lead them forth to such wayes of uncharitable judging their brethren. It's true, that the best of the Saints may not live and walk up so exactly to those performances of duties and enjoy­ments of holy Ordinances as were to be wished; I plead not for the unprofitablenesse of any under the meanes of grace: but, that none of them are fruitful, nor growing up to fuller enjoyments of God in Christ, through the Spirit, in the use of Ordinances and holy Duties, this I deny, as a grosse and foule untruth, having ex­perience to the contrary in many of the servants of God through rich mercie. And I am confident of it, if those that now cast off Ordinances, could look with a clearer & stronger eye of love and charity in those that make use of them, and could beleeve that they live in the use of Ordinances (not formally and customarily, as the men of the world that place their greatest religion in the en­joyment of them, but out of pure conscience, and obedience to the commands of Christ, and from higher and more noble principles and ends, then Hypocrites or carnall Gospellers can possibly put forth and manifest) they would not cry down the use of Gospel-ordinances, nor judge those for poore, low, weake Christians, that use them as now they doe. But (through an un­grounded and unchristian jealousie that is entertained by them touching others, together with an high and over-weening con­ceit of themselves) it is to be feared they are so offended with or­dinances, and speak so contemptibly and undervaluingly of those that use them, I shall say no more to such, on this particular, but wish them to be cloathed with humility, and better to study the [Page 31] grounds of their own leaving ordinances, before they call into question their brethrens, in the use of them.

5. The fifth ground upon which people build their neglect of Duties, and casting off Ordinances, is this: That they look upon Ordinances, and Duties of worship, as Prayer, Preaching, admi­string the Seales, Church-fellowship, &c. as poore, low dispensati­ons, weake formes, childish things, and such as be not so consist­ent with a persons living in God, &c. but out of which God doth lead his people to a more immediate enjoyment of himselfe in the Spirit.

Now for answer to this, First, I desire it may bee seriously considered, Whether the Ordinances and Institutions of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, are low things, poore, weake, childish dispensations; Are those low and childish things, in which the glory of Christs Wisdome, Power, and Faithfulnesse doth shine forth? And are not the Scriptures, & divine Institu­tions and Ordinances of Christ held forth in them, such Dispen­sations? How then darepoore sinfull dust and ashes thus reason and argue? Is it not rather a cleare Demonstration, that such men and women as thus speak, have low and base thoughts of Christ in the managing of that great busines his Father hath intrusted him with, about the ordering and governing his House & Kingdome. Let that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3.7, 8.9, 10, 11. be seriously weighed, and then tell me whether the Dispensations of Christ under the New Testament, be low things and childish. The A­postle in the former place shewes clearly that the very dispensa­tion of the Legall Covenant ministery and ordinances, was [...]. glo­rious, but how much more then (saith he) must the Evangeli­call Covenant ministery and ordinances under the New Testa­ment be glorious? If the ministration or dispensation of Death and Condemnation under the Law, and that which was to be done away, was glorious, how much more the Ministration and Dispensation of the Spirit under the Gospel, which is perpetuall, & to remain, so that we see that the Dispensations of Christ under the New Testament, are all glorious things: and if so, how dare any speak so disgraeefully of them, as to call them poore, low, weake childish things? Doubtlesse the Lord Jesus will give men and women but little thankes for those * hard speeches of theirs they have uttered against him, [...]. at his comming to execute judge­ment upon all ungodly ones, Jude Epist. v. 15.

[Page 32]Besides, I desire such persons as speak so ignominiously of the Lord Jesus, ordinances, and Gospel-institutions, would but an­swer mee, or rather the Lord Jesus Christ, to these few de­mands.

• 1. Is the Name of the great and glorious Jehovah a low and meane, a poore and childish thing, and is not his Worship his name?
• 2. Is the publishing and bearing forth his Name before the world, a low and childish thing, and is not the Ministery of the Gospel so much? Acts 9.15.
• 3 Is the sanctifying this great & glorious Name of Iehovah, a low & childish thing? And do not the Saints do so much, when they drw nigh to God in the performance of the duties of his wor­ship? Lev. 10.3.
• 4. Is Glory a low thing, and not worth the looking after, and is not Mount Syon and all the holy Assemblies so stiled? Esay 4.5. & 60.7.

In a word, are not all the Vessels of the Lords spirituall Temple and House under the New Testament, clean and holy? And shall we call that common and unclean that the eternall God, the King of Sion hath cleansed and sanctified? As Christ said to Peter, Act. 10.15. so may I say to such men, Cal not those things common and unclean that the Lord Jesus (the great Judge of quicke and dead) hath cleansed and sanctified, and set apart for his use and ser­vice, call not the ordinances and institutions with the holy Saints and servants of Christ (that are called out of the world to make use of them, in order to the lifting up of the glory of their Lord and Master, their Head and Husband) poore, low, weak things. If Christ will own them, and honour them, let men take heed how they despise and dishonour them.

2. Whereas it is said, that the use of such Gospel-ordinances and Institutions of worship, are not consistent with a persons li­ving in God, I utterly deny it; & my reason for it is this, because those things that are subordinate in their nature one to another, may very well stand together without confounding and destroy­ing one another: And so is it here, Divine ordinances of Wor­ship, as Prayer, Preaching, hearing, communion with the Saints at the Lords Supper, &c. are subordinate wayes and meanes which Christ hath appointed to further (not hinder) a beleevers living in God. And the more the Saints are in the use of those [Page 33] meanes, with upright and spirituall hearts, the more they are fur­thered therein. Indeed living in God, and living in ordinances, cannot stand together, because a person cannot give his heart to two lovers at once; but living in God, and using of Ordinan­ces as meanes in order to the enjoyment of the end, may very well stand together. As for example, A person that depends on God for his naturall life, eats and drinkes, and sleeps, and mar­ries, and takes physick, and useth these and other like meanes, in order to the preservation of that life, and the use of these meanes doth not null or make void his faith in, or dependance on God. Indeed placing our life, joy, comfort, excellency in these, and putting our confidence in them, cannot stand with a persons living in, or depending on God, because it is to make them our gods, & not the Lord; but where there is only a conscientious use of them in obedience to the will of God, and in order to the furthering of his providence, there a person may bee said to live in God, and depend on him, very well notwithstanding his use of these. And thus it is in respect of a Christians spirituall life, he lives in God a­lone through Christ, and makes him alone the Rest and Center of his Soule, and yet makes use of Prayer, Preaching, rea­ding the Scriptures, fellowship with the Saints, &c. as the meanes which Christ hath appointed in order thereunto. And therefore what can be plainer then this that we affirme, viz. that living in God, and using of Ordinances, are consistent, and may well stand together. And what horrible wickednesse and Hypocrisie is it in I charge not all, but some more especially, that are [...] of this opinion and practice, who are grown very loose and pro­phane in their worship. many of those that deny the use of Ordinances, and af­firm that living in God, and using of ordinances and duties, are not so consistent, when they can grant, that living in God, and dicing, drinking, dancing, drabbing, &c. (with divers other a­bominations that are done of them in secret, and too too openly, that a man may be a shamed to mention, Eph. 5.12.) are consi­stent, and may very well stand together. But, ô tempora! ô mores! Oh the desperate wickednesse of men and women in this Age! Can the wayes and workes of darknesse that the Lord hath for­bidden, stand with a persons living in God (which is such a blas­phemous abomination, as hell it selfe can hardly afford a fouler) and cannot the wayes and works of righteousnesse and godlinesse, the serving and worshipping of God, stand with living in God? O quintessence of impiety. thou child of the Devill, thou enemy of all righteousnesse, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes [Page 34]of the Lord? Acts 13.10. What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp Arrowes of the mighty, with coales of Iuniper, Psal. 120.2, 3.

3. Whereas they say, That God doth use to lead his people out of those low and childish dispensations, to a more high enjoyment of Himselfe: I answer briefly, Is it not a childish reasoning to say, God leads children from their childish words and actions they manifest whiles they are children, therefore hee leads them from speaking, and reasoning, and discoursing, and studying, and other actions that belong to a rationall creature when they grow old: So here, what weaknesse doe men discover to the world, when they say, God leads his people out of the use of ordinances, and wayes of worshiping and serving of him, by prayer, &c. when he leads them out from their ignorance, darknesse, fleshli­nesse, filthinesse, carnalnesse, that was wont to cleave to, and bee mixed with their performances. Because God leads his people out of living in, and trusting to their meat and drink, and other creature-comforts and enjoyments, to which their hearts are apt and prone to bow down; therefore he leads them out, and takes them off from eating and drinking, and use of creature-com­forts: what madnesse would it be in any man to affirme this? So here, because God is pleased to take off his people more and more from their unbeliefe, pride, selfe-seekng, &c, and other weaknesses and sinnes, in the performance of the duties of his worship, therefore hee leades them out of, and from the duties themselves; Is not this handsome reasoning. Besides, how can it possibly be, that God should lead the Saints from the use of Or­dinances, when he hath ordained the perpetuall use of them to his Saints in all ages, as I have shewed in the Quaeries. Hee leads his people indeed to live above them, but not to live without them.

6. The sixth ground on which people build their neglect of Duties, &c. is this, That none are bound to pray, or performe Duties,, &c. further then the Spirit moves them thereunto.

Answ. To which I answer in the first place, That though this be a Truth in somesense, yet we should take heed how we Though wee are to goe when Gods Spirit moves us, yet are we not to neglect when wee doe not perceive such sensible moti­ons of the Spi­rit. &c. Bolt. Bounds of Christian freedome, v. 202. We must doe duty sometime out of obedi­ence, although we want both a heart to it, and a heart in it. Id. ibid. a­buse it, and make a wrong use of it, to bring about those ends for which it was never intended, as this in particular for one, viz. The willing omission, and witting neglect of the duties of Gods worship both publick and secret, which he calls us daily to the performance of. It is true, as the Spirit of Christ is the efficient [Page 35]cause of spirituall life in beleevers ( without whom we can doe no­thing, Iohn 15.5.) and works the grace of Sanctification in their hearts, so there is no performing of holy duties without him: But whether a beleever so sanctified and enlivened by the Holy Ghost, is not to Though wee cannot bring the Spirit to us, yet let us set our selves in the way for him, to meet with us. Hold up the performance of duty, &c. Id. ibid. enter upon religious duties, before the Spirit put forth a new act of spirituall life in him, I suppose can hardly be made out: For I suppose after Regeneration, or the new Birth, when a person is implanted, or incorporated into Christ, he is not to be lookt upon as a meere passive in the performance of holy duties, as Prayer, Mortification of sinne, &c. but as a worker together with God. And so much those eminently anoynted and qualified servants of Christ, M ^r. Tho. Goodwin, and M ^r. Ieremy Burronghes, and M ^r. W. Greenhill affirme. M ^r. Tho. Goodwin in his Treatise of the tryall of a Christians growth, p. 82, 83. & 138, 139. Treatise quoted in the Margent touching a beleevers Morti­fying sinne, saith, ‘We are purged from sin as the body is by Physick from humours; though the Physick work, yet Nature joynes with the Physick, being quickned and helped by it, to cast out the humours: so as the meanes whereby God purgeth us, are not to bee imagined to doe it, as meere Physicall A­gents, like as the pruning-hook cuts off branches from the Tree, or as when a Chyrurgion cuts out dead flesh; but these meanes doe it by stirring up our graces, and quickning them, and by setting our thoughts, and faith, and affections a-worke, and so God assisting with the power of Christs death, he doth purge us daily, by making his word, afflictions, &c. for to set our thoughts on work against sinn. It is certain, that unlesse our thoughts work on the meanes, as well as the meanes work up­on us, and so mingle themselves with them; unlesse Faith and Christs death bee mingled in the heart, it purgeth not: And therefore it is said, we purge our selves, as 2 Tim. 2.20. and 1 Iohn 3.3. and Rom. 8.13. Wee by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh, this is said (saith hee) as well as that God purgeth us, because God still in going on to purge us, doth it by stirring up our graces, and useth therein acts of our faith, and love, and many motives and considerations to doe it.’ Thus this pretious servant of Christ holds forth, with much more to this purpose, taking off the grand objection is made against it in the same Treatisa, p. 138, 139.

M ^r. Burroughes on Hosea speaking against wanton Professors in this Age, saith, ‘We finde revealed in the Gospel, that it is [Page 36]God that must work the will and the deed; the Covenant of grace is such, as that God doth not onely require, but work all for us. How is this goodnesse (saith he) mis-interpreted and abused? Therefore (say they) what need wee doe any thing? Why doe Ministers urge people to duties? Your principle is good, the truth is good, that it is God that workes all in the Covenant of Grace, but this deduction is very absurd and vile, and an abuse of Gods goodnesse, that therefore you must not work together with God, as rationall creatures, &c. p 743.’

So M ^r Greenhill, in his elaborate Lectures on Ezekiel, Chap. 3. verse 1, 2, 3. p. 293. Observ; 1. hath these words, ‘The god­ly must act and put forth their graces towards further reception of spirituall things; When Christ will give Ezekiel Donum Prophetiae, a Roll to eat, he opens his mouth, he sets a-work his faith to receive this gift of prophesie; Faith in the habit is like the mouth shut up, nothing enters; but in exercise it's like the mouth open, and ready to receive. It's infinite mercy that God at any time will offer us spirituall favours and excellencies; we should therefore beforward, and stirre up our soules and graces to the receit of such mercies. It's a lazy and ill excuse for godly ones to say they can do nothing: Grace is an active &an enabling thing, and where there is a principle of life (as all godly men have) there is a specificall difference between that man and a­nother that hath it not; a man without it cannot act nor stirre up himselfe to a further reception of spirituall things, because he is dead, but a man that hath it, can & ought to quicken up his own soule to spirituall things. The Prophet had received the Spirit that entred into him, and he opened his mouth, exerci­sed his Faith, to take what the Lord should give: The Apostle Paul bids Timothy stirre up the gift of God that was in him, [...]. 2 Tim. 1.6. He would have men deal with their gifts and gra­ces, as they doe with fire vnder the ashes, they blow them off. and blow the fire up, and there is a flame fit for service. Sloth, feare, infirmity, carnall reason, are ashes that doe oft cover divine fire, that it seems dead; but we must stirre up our selves, blow off those ashes, and blow up the fire of grace, that it may burn and shine, be usefull to our selves and others. The Prophet com­plains in Esay 64.7. There is no man that stirreth up himselfe to take hold of me: they are like men asleep, that sit still and doe nothing.’ The vulgar is, Non est qui consurgat.

[Page 37]So that I conceive as it is in the great businesse of a Beleevers mor­tification of sin, so it is in the performance of prayer, and other religious duties; the Rule by which a true beleever is to walk in the performance of those duties, is not to sit still and doe nothing till hee is wrought upon by the Spirit, but hee is through the strength of grace received, to act his They that speake against performance of duty, might as well speake a­gainst the act­ings of faith & exercise of grace: for pray­er is nothing else but the com­munication of the soule with God, the act­ings of faith, & exercise of grace. Bolt. ut supra. faith on the truth and faith­fulnesse of God in the promise, who hath undertaken to give in as­sistance to us, and ability to goe through that worke hee calleth us unto, and requireth at our hands. For the same God that calls us to duty, hath promised to give in strength by his Spirit, to dis­charge it; and this faith is to rely on, and make use of for its en­couragement in all the workes the Lord calls a beleever to the performance of; not but that faith and all other graces are the Spirits, but because the Spirit doth not act without them in a true beleever. For doubtlesse such as are truly incorporated into Christ, and made one Spirit with the Lord, are not acted as dead stockes, as if every time and moment of their acting Godward, they received new life from the Spirit of Christ. And I am con­fident, for want of the knowledge of this, it comes to passe, that many formall easie Professors, take such liberty to themselves to live in the neglect of holy duties, because they say, they can doe nothing of themselves further then the Spirit moves and quickens them, as if one that is in Christ, were altogether without spiritul life and motion longer then the Holy Ghost falls upon him, as in the first act of conversion. From whence it must needs follow:

1. That there are no habits of grace, nor inherent workes of holinesse wrought in beleevers at their first Conversion and Rege­neration, when Christ is formed in them, which is contrary to the Iohn 1.16. 2 Cor. 5.17. Ephes. 2.10. Ephes. 4.24. Scripture, and all found Writers.

2. That whensoever a beleever is without the motions of the Spirit, as in times of sleep, and bodily rest, or times of temptation, yea falling into sin, as the best are subject to doe James 3.2. then he is not to be lookt upon as one in Christ, which is as absurd as unsound.

3. That all those 1 Tim. 4.14, 25. 2 Tim. 1.6. Luke 21.26. Ephes 6.18. Iam. 1.19, 21. Phil. 2.12. 1 Cor. 15. ult. exhortations to beleevers, that concern the stirring up their grace, their watchfulnesse to the performance of religious duties, their working out their salvation with feare and trembling, Their giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure, their fruitfulnesse in good workes, and abounding in the work of the Lord, &c. are void and of none effect, making [Page 38]beleevers under the Gospel and new Covenant of grace, to be in no better condition then those that were under the Law, & a Co­venant of works, who had their duties discovered, but had not grace and power given to them to enable them to the discharge of them, which is contrary to the Tenor of the new Covenant, which all those have a share in, that are in Christ, and can say in some measure, as Christ their Head did, Psalm 40.7, 8, 9. compa­red with Heb 10.7, 8. I delight to doe thy will, O. my God, yea thy Law is within my heart.

4. That there are no just grounds for Christ and his Apostles in the Scriptures to Mat. 26.40. Mark 16.14 Luke 24.45. Mat. 25.26. Heb. 5.11, 12. 1 Cor. 5.2. Rev. 2.4. Rev. 3.15, 16, 17. charge home the guilt of sinnes of omis­sion and neglect of prayer, repentance, mortification of sin, &c. nor the guilt of carelesnesse, slothfulnesse, negligence, luke-warmnesse in the service of God, upon such as are beleevers, which is fre­quently done by them, as we may read in the New Testament: for if they can act no longer nor no further then the Holy Ghost acts them, as [...]t their first conversion, then why should they bee char­ged with such faults, and commanded to amend, threatned if they doe not, as Rev. 2 4, 5. seeing God deales not with belee­vers in Christ under the Gospel any longer by a Covenant of works, but of grace, though the Covenant of Grace bee full of justice, and in the hands of him who orders it in righteousnesse, whose Psal. 89.32, 33. Scepter is a righteous Scepter, and will correct his sub­jects in righteousnesse yet still in greatest love and mercy.

2. Besides secondly I answer, Doth not this ground upon which people build the neglect of duties, &c. as it is propounded, expose them to great danger of being acted by Vid. Boltons Bounds of Christian freedom, p. 199. where hee shewes how Sa­tan may move a person to the performance of religious duties many wayes. a Spirit of Delusi­on: For suppose (they staying till the Spirit move them (as they speak in the former ground) to pray, &c.) that the motion to the performance of the duty be irregular, and unseasonable, yea alto­gether unsuitable to the calling and condition of the party that is moved to the duty, shall they forthwith conclude, that this mo­tion is from the Spirit of God? Nay, are they not rather to con­clude, that it is from Satan, who is a lying and deceiving Spirit, whose depths and wiles are numerous, and who knowes how to advantage himselfe against us as well by ill performing of duties, as by Non-performing them: and is it not the generall opinion and judgement of the godly that are taught of God, that one speciall differencing character between the motions of the Spirit of God and Satan, is this, that the one moves orderly, seasonably, and [Page 39] suitably to the word, and a persons calling and condition, but the other disorderly, unseasonably, and contrary to, or at least without the word. And therefore without question, those that build their performing of duties upon this ground onely, may as well (especially if they be not experienced Christians) bee delu­ded by Satan as led by the Spirit of God.

3. Lastly, to say no more; are not the Scriptures altogether si­lent herein, and doe not in the least hold forth such a Rule as this to beleevers, that none should not enter on the performance of duties, till the Spirit move them: nay, is it not as cleare as the Sunne at Noon day, that the Scriptures doe expresly hold forth to the contrary, Luk. 21.36. Rom. 12.12. Ephel. 6.18. Col. 4.2. 1 Thess. 5.17. enjoyning beleevers to pray alwayes, to pray continually, to pray without ceasing, to watch unto prayer, with sundry the like expressions, not (take heed) as if beleevers were to doe nothing else but pray and perform religious duties; for then there would be no place left for their civill employments in their particular Callings, which in their place and order are to be done also, but that they should endeavour to preserve in them­selves a holy and spirituall disposition towards that duty, and all other duties of the like nature, that so they may be ready upon all occasions, ordinary and extraordinary, publique and privat, to draw nigh to God in the performance of them.

Object. But doth not this derogate from the honour of the Spirit?

Ans. No more then the working of particular & next causes do from the universall cause, which seldom or never produceth parti­cular effects without a concurrence of particular causes. e. g. The Sunne is the universall cause of all the fruitfulnesse of the Earth, Vide Bridge Overflowings of Christs ful­nesse, p. 31, 32. yet it doth not produce that fruitfulnesse without the help of man: So here, the Spirit of God is the universall cause of all the spirituall actings of the Saints, yet he doth not ordinarily produce those actings without the concurrence of those gracious habits are wrought in their hearts in their conversion. Nay, the con­currence of such particular causes with the universall cause, can be no dishonour to it, in regard that they doe not act by them­selves properly, but together with and from the influence and vertue of the universall, without which they could doe no­thing, John 15.5.

The seventh Ground on which people build their neglect of duties, is this, That the performance of duties and use of Ordinan­ces, [Page 40]is more legall then Evangelicall, looking more to a Covenant of workes then a Covenant of Grace; engendring to bondage, where as the Gospel gives more grace, and affords more liberty, looking more to beleeving then working.

Ans. The whole frame of this Argument is carnall, and sa­vours too much of the flesh, and very much nnbeseeming those that would have the world to look upon them as more then ordi­narily spirituall, and such as have attained to greater enjoyments of God then others. My Reason is this, Because those persons that enjoy most of God, and live highest in the Spirit, have their hearts most enlarged and carried out in communion with God in Ordi­nances, and especially that of prayer, so that I may truly affirme it, A man of most grace is a man of most prayer, but a man of least grace is a man of least prayer. And wee have a singular evidence of it in the Apostle Paul, who was as Evangelicall a Christian, and lived as highly in God (I suppose) as any that now cast off Ordinances, how exceedingly was he given to prayer, how much was he in that duty as well as in other duties; but in this of pray­er he was more then ordinary, so frequent, as if he had leasure for no other employment, and tooke delight in nothing else. And hence it is, that he saith oftentimes, that he prayed without Rom. 1.9. Col. 1.3.9. 2 Tim. 1.3. Phil. 1.4. Philem. v. 4. 2 Thess. 1.11. 1 Thess. 3.10. cea­sing, that he prayed alwayes, that he prayed exceedingly night and day, with divers! such like expressions. And as it was with this pretious servant of Christ, so it hath been with the most eminentst beleevers in all Ages, so far have they been from looking on per­formance of holy Duties, as Legall Services, and engendring to Bondage.

2. But secondly, if wee diligently observe the Tenor of the Gospel, and new Covenant of Grace, shall we not finde that they call upon beleevers for the strictest and most exactest performan­ees of the duties of Gods worship, not allowing beleevers to live in the willing neglect of any known duty towards God, or man, or themselves; if wee are not convinced of it, let that notable place of Tit. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. be considered, where the Apo­stle shewes, that the Grace of God that bringeth salvation, viz. the Ministery of the Gospel and new Covenant, that worketh grace instrumentally in mens hearts, and revealeth the freelove of God through Jesus Christ, to sinners, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: i. e. so­berly [Page 41]in respect of our selves, righteously or justly in respect of men, and godly or holily and religiously in respect of God. In which words I conceive are wrapt up the whole duty of a Chri­stian as it respects the first and second Table. This is the Do­ctrine of the Gospel, or new Covenant of grace, not of the Law, or Covenant of workes: And the Apostle in the 14. verse goes on to amplifie it, by shewing one chiefe end of Christs comming into the world was, to redeem them from iniquity, and to sancti­fie to himselfe a people zealous of good workes; where he gives us also a character of those that are the peculiar redeemed ones of Christ, that they are such as are not onely freed from the power and thraldome of their lusts, but are made zealous of good works. To this place many more might be added, as Luke 1.74 75. Jam. 2.8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Ezek. 11.14 & 6.27.37.

But thirdly, it's considerable to examine and enquire what this Liberty is which the Gospel brings with it to beleevets; now without question it cannot be meant of a lawlesse liberty, a car­nall, sensuall, sinfull liberty, a liberty and freedome to dishonour Christ, to cast his Lawes and Ordinances behind our backes, and to live as we list. It's as cleare as the Sunne at noon day, that the Gospel brings no such liberty with it to the world: indeed the Devils Gospel doth, and Antichrists, and Mahumets, they give to people elbow-roome enough, as we use to say, in the wayes of sinne, but not so with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, Tit. 2.14. Rom. 6 14. 2 Tim. 2.19. 1 Ioh. 3.3. Rom. 6.1, 2. for this saith, Christ came to redeem us from iniquity, this sayth, sin shall have no Dominion over us, this saith, whosoever names the Name of Christ, must depart from iniquity, this saith, hee that hath true hope in Christ, purifies himselfe as Christ is pure; this saith, we are not to continue in sinne that grace may abound, nay it demands a reason how men can imagine that those that are dead to sinne (through interest in Christ) should live any longer therein; 1 Pet. 1.14, 15. 1 Cor: 15. ult. Phil [...]. 11. Tit 3.8. 2 Cor. 7.1. Phil 3.13, 14. and doth not the Gospel of Christ say also, that wee should be holy as Christ is holy, that we should abound in the work of the Lord, that we should be filled with all the fruits of righteousnesse, that we should bee zealous of good works, and maintain good workes, and perfect holines in the feare of the Lord, forgetting what is behinde, and pressing after what is before, &c.

4 Besides fourthly, the use of Ordinances, and performance of duties under the Gospel, is to bee lookt upon as a Beleevers [Page 42]priviledge, not as his burthen: and if the commands and service of Christ be called a Yoke and a Burthen, and Bonds and Cords, in the judgement of men, yet it's an easie yoke, and a light bur­then, such cords and bonds as are gentle, so that as the Apostle saith, his commandements are not grievous, 1 Joh. 5 3. The pe­dagogy of Moses indeed was burdensome and grievous, so that our fore-fathers could not beare it; but not so with the service of Christ under the Gospel, when heavenly and spirituall soules are in it. Indeed when carnall hearts enter upon, or tarry any time in and under the service of Christ, they are as under a burthen, and the worke they are about is a burthen to them; and what's the reason but this, that there is an unsuitablenesse between the work and their hearts, neither come they to enjoy communion with Christ in Duty, but come to the very duty as men do to their task or daily labour: Vide Bolt. true Bounds of Christians Freedom, p. 213, 214. now that person that hath to doe with no­thing but duty in duty, cannot chuse but finde that duty tedious and irksome to him, as the ordinances under the Law were to the carnall Jewes that did not eye Christ in them. But now on the other side, when a gracious spirituall heart comes to a spirituall duty, & not to the duty so much as to God and Christ in the duty, to converse with the Father and the Sonne in the Spirit, how sweet and delightfull then are times of duty unto such soules, so that the performance of duties in a right manner, is no Legall thing, nor matter of burthen and griefe to the Saints; but that which affords them the greatest sweetnesse, content and satisfacti­on that is to be enjoyed on this side glory, and so is to bee lookt on as matter of priviledge, not of bondage.

5. To say no more; whereas it is said, that the Gospel requires be­leeving, not working; if by working you understād the purchasing of life and salvation at the hands of God by our performances, the justification of a sinner before God, &c. it's granted, the Gospel requires it not at the hands of sinners, because it offers more grace, that is, it shewes us the work is done to our hands by Je­sus Christ, he hath procured our ransome, satisfied his Fathers Ju­stice, appeased his wrath, procured peace and reconciliation, and that firmly through his own blood, and wrought all our workes for us this way, Esay 26.12. And our duty is primarily, and a­bove all, to beleeve this, and accept this as it is held forth in the Gospel, Iohn 6.29. 1 Iohn 3.23. because the great work of God, and commandement of the Gospel, is to beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus, that we [Page 43]may be saved. But if by working wee understand the fruit that flowes from our beleeving in Christ, and taking hold of him to justification and salvation, viz. a holy study in all our wayes to please God, and doe his will, to walk in a childlike fear and reve­rence before God, and have respect to all his commandements, that in all things we may be found to the honour and praise of him that hath loved us, and called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light, &c. then I suppose there is none whatsoever that pretends to Christianity (especially if he have in an experimentall manner felt the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart) but will acknow­ledge the Gospel requires such working. And the whole scope of the New Testament is so cleare and plain for this, as that none but such to whom the Gospel is hid, can be ignorant of it. If any desire further satisfaction herein, (for it would be too large for me to produce all that might be spoken to this particular) let him read those Gospel Downam of Iustification, l. 7. c. 1. p. 434, 435, 436, 437, 438. Bisco's golri­ous mystery of Gods mercy, p. 298, 299. Eatons Hony­comb. Boltons bounds of Chri­stians freedom. Burges Vindi­diciae legis, p. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. with many other. &c. Treatises that are abroad concerning this poynt.

8. Another ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Word and Ordinances, is this, Because the Word and Ordinances are nothing without the Spirit. They can never work any impression upon the soule, or acquaint the Spirit of a man or woman, that the Lord is his God, or that Christ is his Saviour, &c. but this belongs to the office of the Spirit of God; the Word and Ordinances of themselves are never able to work such an im­pression in the soule.

Answ. I find an answer to this objection in Doctor Crisp, vol. 3. p. 93. 94. 95. which because his workes have been of great esteeme amongst such people not long since, and because he speakes fully to the point in hand, I will here transcribe, as they are in the book set downe; the words are these, p. 94. What serve all the Ordinances for, will you say? Is not here a crying down of Ordinances? There will be still this scandall cast upon us: But let me tell you, there is a most comfortable use of Ordi­nances, though they serve not to such high purposes as these are: I say, though they are not efficient to beget, and finde out, and re­veale to the spirits of men the things that concern God, yet beside the efficient revelation of God to be out God from the Spi­rit alone, there is a passive Instrument, by which the Lord doth make himselfe known to be the God of his people, but that way is meerly passive, not active.

[Page 44]1. Passively God makes himselfe known to be the God of his people by the word of his grace, and faith laying hold on the word of grace revealed, and more subordinately in prayer, fast­ing, receiving the Lords, Supper, and such ordinances, so farre as they are mixed with faith. Now give me leave to communicate to you the full use and utmost extent of Gods thoughts concer­ning the ordinances that he hath propounded, how farre forth he would have the creature look upon the ordinances, and as much as may be put upon the use of them, so farre forth as they are use­full. Know therefore, as I said before, that all these ordinances are but passive wayes of conveying this great gift, the knowledge of God to be our God, I mean more plainly thus: These ordi­nances are onely of, and in themselves, empty, dry Channels, or Pipes, through which the Spirit of the Lord brings from God himselfe the Spring, those riches, and conveyes the same into the Spirit of a man. Look as a channell digged in a dry ground, is the way through which the Spring conveyes his water unto a cistern, the channell it selfe communicates none of its own, onely it is a passage through which the Spring conveyes his water: So are all the ordinances, even faith it selfe, prayer, and all other Services, they are but channels through which the Spirit of the Lord passeth and bringeth from the Lord himselfe (the Spring and Fountaine) the revelation of God to be our God. In all the rest of the gifts of God, which he hath so freely bestowed, never a gift of Gods Spirit procures any thing of its own, our faith hath nothing of its own, fasting and prayer have nothing of their own, but as the Lord hath been pleased to make these ordinances to bee passages to convey himselfe to the sonnes of men, and so they are to bee made use of by the sonnes of men: Faith as it apprehendeth the Lord Jesus, and other Ordinances, as therein true faith is exerci­sed, and no otherwise. And indeed beloved, this is the loadstone to provoke persons to the use of all ordinances, God hath ranked them together, that the Lord hath so much and so often promised through them, to convey himselfe. You are kept through the pow­er of God through faith (saith the Apostle) unto salvation. As if he should have said, The Lord doth convey himselfe, and the ma­nifestation of his own salvation through our beleeving. The Spirit of the Lord passing through the Ministery of the Gospel, as the breath of man passeth through a Trumpet; the Trumpet is the instrument, the breath is the Spirit of the Lord: the Trumpet [Page 45]adds nothing to the breath. Now know beloved, so far as you wil attend the Ordinances, because God calls out to Ordinances, and because you have heard the Lord to promise to bestow such things upon you in the ordinances, so farre you shall attend the ordi­nances according to his pleasure; but when you ascend so high, that the ordinance doth get things, then you rob the Lord, and give more to ordinances then God hath given. ‘Now though the ordinances have no efficiency of their own, in the nature I have spoken, yet there is good cause for all Gods own people to esteem very highly of ordinances, and to be joyfull of ordi­nances, and to long much after ordinances, to make much of them, for why the Lord hath made his promises to be found of them, & to be with them in ordinances. In the day of adversitie call thou upon me and I will deliver thee. And here by the way know from hence what is the expectation of beleevers them­selves, which they ought to have of the Lord for such things, when they come to such ordinances, that so, when we attend the Lord in his ordinances, we may find him in them, &c. Therefore as the poore man lay at the Beautifull Gate, not be­cause the Gate would relieve him, but because it was a place of concourse where honorable men resorted, from whom he might have Almes; so in the Ministery, in fasting and prayer, and all other services, there is the gate of the Temple of the Lord, there is the place the Lord makes usually his concourse and resort, there is the place God appoints to give the meeting; therefore in expectation of the Word of his grace, that we may find him in Ordinances, we doe resort to them.’ Now what derogati­on is there all this while from the Ordinances, while we make the but thus passive? The richest treasure in the world may come to a man through the poorest vessell; the treasure is never the fur­ther off, nor never the worse, because the vessell is poore. It is no matter of what price the meanes of conveyance is, so that the thing we desire be conveyed to us by it, onely we must not give it that which is above its due, &c.

And this shal be encouragement sufficient to wait upon all or­dinances of all sorts, where the Lord appoints, that he will for his owne sake give you a gracious answer, and bestow all good things upon you that you stand in need of, in ordinances, This is motive sufficient, I say, to stirre you up to attend upon ordinances, and yet not to make Gods of them, to ascribe that to them which be­longs [Page 46]alone to God (who doth all ordinarily through ordinances) which is the only way to disappoint you of your hope, when you expect help from them.

9. The 9. ground upon which people build their casting off the use of Ordinances, is the severall Texts of Scripture which seem to plead for the Non-performance of duties, and laying aside of all ordinances in the ties of the Gospel; As,

Ans. Much might be spoken in answer to such as produce these and the like Scriptures for the cessation of Gospel-ordinances; but I shall study brevity, and referre all to two heads.

• 1. Show what I conceive to be the proper meaning of these texts of Scripture.
• 2. Give in the joynt consent of the most judicious and godly Au­thors with it, that have written on these Scriptures.

Touching the first, I suppose that the holy Ghost in the fore­mentioned Scriptures, doth not in the least, mean or intend, that the Word, Ordinances, and Ministery, appointed and instituted by Jesus Christ in the dayes of the New Testament for the Saints to make use of, should be laid aside, and not at all made use of, be­cause I have shewed in my Quaeries, that in the purest Gospel­times, Christ will have Ordinances, and Officers to administer them, and Saints to enjoy them, though in a purer manner then they have been, or possibly now are; but I conceive he meanes, that Christ himselfe will be their Teacher in the new state of his [Page 47]Church, in the use of these his own meanes he hath institured and appointed. And this teaching of Christ, the King and Head of his Church, will be, I conceive, divers wayes.

1. By giving the Saints a greater measure of the Spirit, and a more nearer communion and fellowship with himselfe then for­merly, the fulnesse of God shall be more brought into their hearts by the ministery of the Spirit; and then Christ shall be all in all indeed: not all without all, but all in all, that is, all in all Saints, and all in all Ordinances, and all in all duties, and all in all mercies; so that nothing shal be lifted up, acknowledged and exal­ted, but Christ alone, and the Father in him.

2. By making the Saints to be so wise and understanding to salvation, that they shall not hang or pin their faith upon the Au­thority of men, the Authority of Parliaments, Councels, Synods, Conventions, Dictates, Decrees, Iudgements of men, though never so wise, learned godly, but they shall cleave to the Autho­rity of the Scriptures [...], and rest upon the teachings of the Spirit in the Word, who is alone the infallible teacher and revea­ler of the mind of Christ.

3. By clearing tho truth made known by outward instruments, after so sure a [...] [...]tain a manner by the Spirit inwardly, that the outward teaching shall be as no teaching in comparison of the inward operation and concurrence of the holy Ghost perswa­ding of them, as the Samaritans when they came to Christ him­selfe upon the report of the woman that had been with him, they got such satisfaction from him, that they said, Now we beleeve, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him our selves, and know that this is indeed that Christ, Joh 4.42. Even thus doubt­lesse, will the Lord Jesus deale with the Saints when those glori­rious times come, he will by his Spirit inwardly so make known the mystery of the Gospel preached outwardly, that they shall say to those that are his instruments, Now we beleeve and understand, not so much because of your saying, as that we have heard him ourselves teaching us inwardly by his Spirit. This I take to be the scope and sense of those Texts of Scriptures, not a taking away the use of ordinances, but a more spirituall and fuller enjoyment of God and Jesus Christ in them.

2. Touching the judgement of the godly agreeing with me herein, take a few in stead of many that might be alledged.

1. Pareus, that famous and judicious. Writer, in his Commen­tary [Page 48]on Heb. 8.11. hath these words: Non itaque hinc recta conficiunt fanatici, ministerio Ecclesiae opus non esse in novo Te­stamento, quo [...]am ad complement um tanta luck Deus in huc vitae per ministerium Evangelii nos preparat. Fides enim est [...] audi­tu, auditus per verbum Dei; Ideo dedit Christrs alios Apostolos, alios Doctores, ut Ecclesia exedificetur ad perfectionem futioram. Ʋtrumque docet Scriptura, omnes docert à Deo, & omnes debere audire, legere, meditare scriptur as & verbum Dei. Itaque pro­missiones non evertunt praecepta; neque positae causa prima tollun­tur mediae. Ut enim non sequitur, Deus omnes pascit, ergo non opus est pane & agricultura, per haec enim media Deus pascit. Ita non sequitur Deus omnes docet, ergo non opus est verbe. Per verbum enim auditum & praedicaetum omnes doret. The interpre­tation is this; Therefore those brain-sick men doe not rightly ga­ther that there is no need of the ministry to the Church in the times of the new Testament, because God to the compleating of so great light in this life, doth prepare us by the Ministery of the Gospel; for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word, Rom. 10.17. Therefore Christ gave some to be Apostles, others to be Teachers, that the Church might be built up to future per­fection. And the Scripture doth teach both, viz. all to be taught of God, and all ought to heare, read, meditate on the Scriptures and word of God. Therefore the promises doe not overthrow the commands and precepts, nor the first prime cause take away the meanes: For as it doth not follow, that because God feedeth us, therefore there is no need of bread nor husbandry, or tilling and sowing the earth; for by these very meanes God feedeth us; so it doth not follow, because God reacheth all, therefore there is no need of the Word: for by the Word heard and preached he teacheth all.

Thus we see by a little, how the judgement of this famous Writer joynes with us in what was formerly delivered touching the true and genuine sense of those Scriptures; he hath much more in the same place upon his solution of divers questions to this purpose.

So learned Hyperius in his Commentary on this place of the Hebrewes, is so full and copious, that I hardly know any have written more largely on this subject (unlesse it hath been in a Treatise by it selfe) answering all objections against it, which would be too much to transcribe in this place.

[Page 49]2. For that place of 2 Pet. 1.19. many of the Ancients have understood it of the state of glory: but learned Gerard in his Exposition of the words, shewes it to be understood of Gospel­times here. Sed per diem illucescentem & Phosphorum orientem rectiùs intelligitur uberior, perfectior, clarior, & magis expli­cata Christi & mysteriorum divinorum cognitio. And this hee proves by five Arguments, but yet reproves those that would hereby lay aside the Scriptures, and look upon them as unusefull to them, when the Day-starre is risen in their hearts; considering the whole state of the New Testament-light, is no other to that of glory, then the midnight is to the noon-day; and especially because that the dawning of the day, and the arising of the Day­starre in our hearts, spoken of here, is meant of the Ministery and Doctrine of the Apostles, who were the best interpreters of the Prophets, Christ himselfe having (before his ascension) opened their understandings to that end, Luke 24.44, 45. Sic ergo ser­monem Propheticum comparat Apostólus lucernae tempore noctis lucenti; Apostolicum vero sermonem, seu Evangelii in N. T. praedicationem comparat Lucifero & diei plenam lucem adferenti, & hac ratione majorem doctrinae claritatem N. T. tribuit. And thus Piscator, Beza, and others understand the place; so that be­leevers are to have respect to the Scriptures alwayes, both of the old and new Testament, and not to cast off the use of them, as soon as the Day-starre begins to rise in their hearts, that is, so soon as they come to understand or attaine a more cleare know­ledge of the doctrine of the Gospel, or salvation by faith alone in Christ crucified, by the ministery and teaching of the Spirit.

3. Concerning that Text of 1 John 2 27. in my judgement Calvin and Beza speake out the proper sense of the place, Vide Bee. Annot. Calv. in loc. say­ing, That the Apostle in these words, onely signifieth to those he wrote, that they were not so ignorant as to be taught such things as were unknown to them, or that hee propounded such things to them, as the Spirit of Christ which they had received in­to their hearts, did not readily prompt and make known unto them. And therefore faith Calvin, Frantick men doe rashly from hence seek to shut out of the Church the use of the publique Mi­nistery. For in that the Apostle saith, that they are taught in all things by the Spirit, it must not be generally taken, but restrai­ned to the circumstance of the present place, &c.

4. As for that of Revel. 21.22, 23. though the most (both [Page 50]Ancient and Modern) Writers, doe understand it of the Church Triumphant hereafter in glory; yet M ^r Brightman and others, take it to be meant of the glorious times of the Church here on earth, when the Jewes shall be called, and come to their full glory in Gospel-enjoyments. At which time the worship that shall then be in use, shall be most simple, and most pure, &c. Let the Jewes (therefore saith he) hearken to this, and let them not expect the re-edifying of a new materiall Temple amongst them any longer, as they have done to this day foolishly and perversty, but let them breathe and bray with their hearts & hearty wishes ter the right manner of worshipping God, which shall not stand in need of any Temple: Let them long with hopefull hearts to see Al­mighty God himselfe, and the Lamb conversing among them; in respect of which glory, they shall judge whatsoever can be fra­med by the policie of men, are but vile and nothing worth. And then afterward upon the 23. verse. Now these things (saith M ^r Brightman) are not spoken to this purpose, as if there should be no use at all of the Scriptures, but because all men shall be so able to understand the will of God at this time, as if they had no need to be brought to knowledge by the reading and studying of the Scriptures, or any other holy bookes which help to open them.

To this agree M ^r Bernard on the Revelations, with M ^r Bur­roughes on Hosea, and divers other late Writers.

10. Lastly, though some of those that renounce Ordinances, will make use of Scriptures, so farre as they conceive will advan­tage their cause, (as is the property of all Heretickes to doe) yet for the most part such persons wholly renounce them, calling it a dead letter, a common writing, of no more value, truth and au­thority, then the writings and sayings of other Saints, containing in them many weake, silly, vain, grosse, and contrary things, and therefore not to be made use of, especially by grown Christians, as a Rule to guide them; but the Saints are to follow the dictates and teachings of the Spirit within them.

Answ. 1. It seemes then that the Scriptures, or the word of God which was written by the holy Prophets and Apostles, (who were infallibly led and guided by the holy Ghost in the penning of the Old and New Testament, as I shall shew in the following Answers) will serve young Christians turnes, and may bea help to such as are poore, weake, low beleevers, Babes in Christ. Well then, they are some way usefull: but why not as [Page 51]usefull and serviceable to S. Seripturae usū sui et neces­sitatem non tā ­tion rudibus & Alphabetarils in Christianis­mo, sed & per­fectioribus ac regenitis pas­sim commendat, nec tantum in vetere, sed eti­am in novo Te­stamento quem­admodum ex multis Scriptu­rae locis & ex­emplis liquet. Synops. pur. Theolog. old men in Christ, to strong and well grown Christians, as to them that are weak? Nay, is it not evi­dent, that not onely the most eminentest Saints before Christ came into the world, as David, Daniel, &c. but after Christ was come, made use of the Scriptures, as their rule and guide in knowing and doing the mind and will of God. Let us make a tryall.

1. The Apostles, though they had such a fulnesse of the Spirit powred out upon them, Acts 2. yet they made use of the Scrip­tures, Peter did, 1. Pet. 1.10, 11, 12. and chap. 2.6. and 2 Pet. 1, 20, 21. and chap. 3.16. And the Apostle Paul, who was caught up into the third heaven, (whose divine enjoyments were so great, that few could match him) he made use of the Scriptures, Acts 17.2. Rom. 1.2.4.3.9.17.10.11.11.2. Gal. 3.8, 22.4 30. 1 Cor. 15.3, 4. 1 Tim. 5.18. So the Apostle James he made use of them, Jam. 2.8, 23, 4.5. So the Evangelists, we read how of­ten they quoted the Scriptures. So Apollos was mighty in the Scripture, Acts 18 24.28. So the Bereans, they searched daily the Scriptures, and were highly commended for it, Acts 17.11. Yea, the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe, (our alone blessed Saviour) made use of the Scriptures often, as we finde Iohn 7.38. Luke 4.18. Luke 20.37. Matth. 21.42.22.29. Luke 24.27, 32, 45. Neither did Christ and his Apostles make use onely of the Scrip­tures for their own use, but charged others to make use of the Scriptures, and those also that were no mean Christians, but such as had attained a great measure of the Spirit. That they gave the Saints in charge to make use of the Scriptures, is evident from Iohn 5.39. Col. 3.12. Rom. 15.3, 4. 2 Tim. 3.14, 15, 16, 2 Pet. 1.19.

That they were no mean, but well grown Saints, and such as had attained to a great measure of the Spirit, is also evident from the Epithites the Apostles give them.

• 1. For first, they stile them such, whose faith is spoken of throughout the whole world, Rom. 1.8. [...].
• 2. Such as were wise men, 1 Cor. 10.15. I speak [...], that is, sapientibus, to wise men.
• 3. Such as were perfect, Phil. 3.15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect, [...].
• 4. Such as had received [...], i. e. Like pretious faith. 2 Pet. 1.1.
• [...] [Page 52]5. Such as were strong men in Christ, [...], 1 Iohn 2 14.
• 6. Such whose faith did grow exceedingly, [...], 2 Thes. 13.

So that by all this it plainly appeares, that the Scriptures are use­full to all the Saints, high as well as low, strong as well as weake, wife as wel as simple, yea every way able to furnish [...], the man of God himselfe, or instruct him perfectly, as the word [...]. signifies. 2 Tim. 3.17. to every good worke; and there­fore it's a fond and idle thing in any to say, that any of the Saints, while they are here in via, are above the use of the Scriptures.

2. Whereas they say, the Scriptures are not to be a Rule for the Saints to walk by, in matters of faith & practice, because they are a dead letter, common writings, containing in them many weak, filly, yea grosse contradictions, &c. I answer, This is blasphemy against the holy Ghost, (that was the Author of them, 2 Pet. 1.21.) in a high degree: For it's as cleare as the Sunne, to any but those whose eyes are shut up, that the Scriptures are without im­perfection, without weaknesse, vanity or Vid. Roberts Keye of the Bible, p. 38. to 49. excellently clearing and freeing the Scriptures frō contradictions in themselves. contrariety, being in­spired by him who is Perfection it selfe, 2 Tom. 3.16. Now if they be inspired of God; then they must needs be the most excel­lent of all other writings, both for verity, purity, certainty, efficacy, perfection & perpetuity, as were easie to Read Master Traps Theolo­gia Theologiae, or the true Treasury. demonstrate, which made one to call the Scriptures, Liber Librorum, the Book of Books; in comparison of which all other are but Sibyllae folia, Luciani libri, imò ipsae Ae­sopi Fabulae, vanitas vanita­tum. leaves, fables, trifles, va­nity of vanities, &c. which drew this saying from Auferantur de medio char­tae nostrae, pro­cedat in mediū codex Dei. In Psal. 57. Austine of old, Away with our writings, that room may be made for the book of God: and that of renowned Ego odi me è libros, & saepe opto eos interire &c. In Gen. Luther, I heartily hate mine own bookes, and could wish them out of the world, be­cause I feare they keep men from spending so much time from rea­ding in Gods book, the onely fountain of all the wisdome. Now if the Scriptures are so excellent, so perfect,, why should they not then serve to us as a Cauon or rule to walk by, in things that are both to be beleeved and practised?

Object. But they are a dead letter.

Ans. And why so? Are the words of the We must ne­ver abstract the Scripture from that Spirit of God which is alwayes in it, and with it, as a clear and suf­ficient wit­nesse of it, and as the very life and soul of it; whereas you with the Papists take the Scripture for no other but as a bare letter, or bark of a tree, or dead corps without any divine spirit in it. Mr. Burious Reply to a Relation of the Con­ference between the last Archbishop of Cant. and Fisher the Iesuite. For even as the veines in a natural body, do carry and convey in them the life blood; and as the arteries do contain in them those animall spirits conveyed from the head to all the members, whereby they are vegetated and moved: so the Scriptures, and every part of them have in them the Spirit whereby they are quick­ned, and which is in them, as the light in the body of the Sun, their proper light, &c. p. 151. living God dead [Page 53]words? Are they not spirit and life? Iohn 6.63. Are they not quick and powerfull, sharper then a two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soule and Spirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart, Hebr. 4.12. How are they then a dead letter?

Obj. But they are full of contradictions, leaving men still in the dark, and under uncertainties.

Answ. If we apprehend any darknesse or contradictions in the Scriptures, the fault is ours, and not theirs, 'tis defectus vasis, non fontis: There is a sufficiency of light that accompanies and shines forth in the Scriptures continually; but that we cannot see it, is because we come to it with blind eyes, Not habemus non limpidos, sed lippos oculos, as Aquinas notes on Coloss. 2.3. There are unsearchable treasures of wisdome and knowledge in the Scriptures, as there is light in the Sunne beaming forth to the world; but that men cannot discerne it, is from their own dark­nesse and not the Scriptures. How mach the blinde Papists have urged the obseurity of the Scriptures against our Writers (the bet­ter to keep up Antichrist on his throne by keeping the vulgar peo­ple in ignorance, through prohibiting and forbidding them to read the Scriptures) and how abundantly they have been confu­ted, is It is true, the Scriptures are obscure and dif­ficult, but not all, nor to all, nor alwayes. 1. All the Scriptures are not difficult and obscure, every part of them is not invol [...]d in obscunity, 2 Pet. 3.16. these things thas arenecessary to salvation, are plainly set down. 2. Those places in the Scripture that are obscure, are not so to all persons, but as the same Apostle saith, they are so to the unlearned and unstable, that is, to them that are meere Naturals, or Animals, 1 Cor. 2.14. Such as want the assistance of the Spirit to give them understanding. 3. Neither are they ob­scure alwayes: For those that are dark to day, and cannot understand the mind of God, may have it revealed and made known to them to morrow. Vide Langfords Enquiry after verity. plain to those that have any acquaintance with their con­troverfies. Admirable things have been done in this Age this way, both in Latine and English, so that people are left without excuse herein.

And as for contradictions in the Scriptures, it is from the same spirit of falshood that acts and workes in men to speak so disgrace­fully as they do of them. For how can the most High, who is the Author of the Scriptures, and in whom is no darknes at all, Iohn 1.5. be the God of truth and falshood together; and it, must of nececessity follow, if the Scriptures speak plain contradictions that either Jehovah could not, or that he would not speake so ex­presly [Page 54]as to have his minde knowne by his creatures, though he call upon them to look after it, which is blasphemy in a high de­gree. It were to be wished that Christians would come to the Scriptures with lesse Cum corde nostro nos con­cordemus: Et Scriptura sancta an nulla parte discordat. Aug. discord in their own hearts, and a greater sense of their own personall darknesse, weaknesse and infirmity, that they may crave the divine assistance of Christ, to open their understandings, and take more paines to find out the mind of God by comparing one text with another, those that are more obscure with those that are cleare, and weigh circumstances, Anteceden­tia & Consequentia. i. e. what goes before, and what followes after the text, which would very much help them to know what the mind of God is in it, and not presently fall Deus bone! in veritds ipsa quae est Author Scripturae, an spiritus sanctus à quo acti fue­runt sancti Dei illi homines lo­quentes & scri­bentes, ansacra scriptura tota divinitus inspi­rata sibi contra­dicere potest. Tum enim Deus cjusque spiritus simul veritatis & mendacii spiritus esset, et divinae hujus veritatis pars une necessariò vera, [...]era necessariò falsa esset, cum coniradicentium unum uecessa­riò vervm alte­rum falsum sit. Vid. Sharph. Symphon. in Epist. foule on the Scriptures themselves, as affirming and denying one and the same thing. But this is the misery of this age, that as Austine once spake of the Manichees, so may I of people now, that they wil not subject their opinions and judgements to the Scriptures, but would subject the Scriptures to their opinions. Such places as have but the least outward appearance or shew to make for them, those they will cleave firmly to, but such as directly speak against them, they throw away and cry out of contradictions, when the difference all the while is in themselves, and not in the Scrip­tures.

3. Lastly, whereas they say the Saints are to follow the pri­vate and secret Dictates and Teachings of the Spirit within them, and conforme to them as the onely guide and Cynosura of all they beleeve and practise, and therefore are to take no notice of the Scriptures.

I answer in the first place, that such that so reason, cannot free themselves of horrible slighting the sacred word of God, and derogating in a high degree from the excellency and authority of it: and I feare the guilt of this evill will one day lye heavy on their soules and consciences, though now they make nothing of it. For if the contempt of Civill Lawes, and Statutes of earthly Princes and States, when they are printed and published for the better regulating of Common-wealths, and to which all are bound to yeeld submission and subjection, that there may be no Tyranny nor Anarchy; I say, if the casting off of such Lawes, and refusing to square their outward actions in civill af­faires, to make our own wills our lawes to guide us, bee lookt upon as a matter so heynous, and deservedly punisht, what shall [Page 55]we conceive then will be the condition of those that cast off the Book of the Scriptures, wherein God hath set down his Lawes and Statutes to order all States and Common-wealths in gene­rall, and men and women in particular, in their walking before God, as the Apostle faith, in Heb. 12.25. If they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not wee escape, if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven. And where is the voyce of God now from heaven, but in the sacred Scriptures?

2. To lay aside the Scriptures, and trust meerly to the Spi­rit, is not this a down-right separating and dividing what GOD hath joyned together and made one? The Scriptures which are the very Word and Minde of God, have in every part of them, the Spirit, whereby they are quickned, and the Spirit is in them as light in the Sunne, and we may as easily separate the light from the Sunne, as the Spirit from the Scriptures. For as the Sunne would soon cease to be, if the light and heat were gone, or taken from it: so here, if the Spirit should cease from the Scrip­tures, they should cease to be the Word of God, which cannot be, in regard that Gods Word endureth for ever, Psal. 119.89. and Mark 13.31.

3. If the Scriptures must be laid aside, and men trust to the private Dictates of the Spirit, as they say, which way and how will they be able to confute those that are unsound in the Faith? now will they stone Lapidandi sunt haeretici sacrarum literarum ar­gumentis. A­than. cont. Ari. or. 2. Heretickes but by Arguments from the Scriptures? For others will as strongly pretend to the en­joyment of the Spirit, and to receive from the Spirit what they hold, as those that are found. e.g. If one should come and preach salvation by the workes of the Law, or a mans own righ­teousuesse, and not by the righteousnesse of Christ, or of faith in Christ, and say, The Spirit perswades him hereunto; who can contradict him, if there be no Scriptures or word of God writ­ten, to shew him the minde of God to the contrary, but onely the secret and inward teaching of the Spirit? And so I might instance in many other particulars.

4. Besides, what if you be deceived, (as nothing is more cer­tain) and in stead of the teachings of Gods Spirit, it be the teach­ings of your own deceitfull and corrupt heart, or the actings of that foule Spirit the Devill, that oftentimes changeth or trans­formes himselfe into an Angel of light, on purpose to deceive? [Page 56]What then? Now how will you distinguish between the Dictates of the one and the other, except by this, Hincotiam apparet impie­tas sententiae Libertinorum nostri temporis qui se zelotas spiritus appel­lant. Quorum aliqui Scriptu­rae sacrae Grāmaticum & ge­nuinum sensum zanquam literam oc­cidentem ecclrs. Nov. Test. in­utilem conten­dunt, & nescio quae pbanatica sui cerebri somniasub spiritus titulo bominibus conantur obtrudere. Haec senteneia falsa & pernitiosa est, quia S. Script: neglecta nihil certi in religione Chri liana constitui potest, quum nullum [...] aut norma extra eam dari possit, quae à falsa persuasione, & erroris efficacia, quam De­us Evangelit contemptôribus tanquam justus Iudex saepe immittit, divinam veritatem distinguat; & quia spiritus sanctus non nist per verbam extermon & sacram Scripturam in cordibus hominum ad salu­tem est efficax: nude & Paulus suitm ministerium, Ministerium Spiritus appellat, 2 Cor. 3. Vide Synop. pur. Theolog. p. 11. de S. Script. necess. that the Spi­rit of God never dictates any thing but what is agreeable unto, & may be resolved into the Scriptures, or t written word of God, but the other not. e.g. When a man is perswaded that Christ is not God, as well as Man, that there is no resurrection of the bo­dy, nor reward nor punishment after this life, that sin and grace are both equally of God, &c. with a thousand such like abomina­tions; how shall a person discern that the perswasions he hath of these things, are not from the Spirit of God, but from Satan and his owne wicked heart, but this, because they are directly against what is revealed to us in the Scriptures ^l, the Spirit of God never per swading any to such things as he hath himself spoken against in the Word written.

5. Moreover, to what purpose did the holy Ghost make use of those holy men of God (as the Prophets and Apostles are stiled) to be his Amanuenses, or Scribes to write down and commit to paper, what the minde of the eternall God was, which he would have made known to the children of men, concerning their faith and obedience, if the Scriptures are of no more use to beleevers? Doubtlesse the workes of God are not in vain, he made the two great lights in Heaven, the Sunne and Moon, the one to rule the Day, and the other the Night; now would it not be a weake, if nota wicked thing, for any to say, what need we any more the use of the Sunne or Moone, is not God himselfe sufficient? so here, is it not as weake, if not as wicked a thing to soy? What need is there of the Scriptures, when wee have the Spirit himselfe to teach us?

Besides, doth not the Apostle affirme in the first to Timothy, that the Scriptures are exceeding usefull and profitable for Do­ctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righteous­nesse, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished [Page 57]unto all good workes, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. And then to the Ro­mans. That whatsoever is written, is written for our instruction, that we through patience and comfore of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15.4. And doth not Christ himself say, that one chiefe cause why men erre from the truth, is, because they are ig­norant of the Scriptures? Matth. 22.29. And doth he not al­so requite men to search the Scriptures upon this ground, because they testifie of him. Mark that well, They testifie, not simply the Spirit, but the Scriptures also, they beare witnesse to Christs be­ing the true and onely Messiah that should come into the world, with many other pretious ends and uses, to which the sacred Scri­ptures are usefull and profitable, as were easie to produce, if need were.

7. But lastly, to say no more, how doth this open a doore to all manner of abominations both in opinion and practice: for if every man must be left to the private teachings of the Spirit, and have no recourse at all any longer to the sacred Canon of the Scri­ptures, what abominations will men and women stick to admit of, and beare off all with this. The Spirit leads me hereunto, I am taught by the Spirit, and perswaded by the Spirit: so that if a man should be stirred up to lay violent hands upon his neighbour (as I have heard a drunkard once did on one that was of this opi­nion, and basted him to some tune; and being demanded by the party why he did so, he answered him (in his own language) hee could not help it, the Spirit moved him thereunto) and take away his purse or his life from him; or a vile wretch should attempt the deflouring of a virgin, or committing of any other abomination, and put all off with this, that the Spirit dictates such things to him, & he is under no law but that of the Spirit, would not this be dreadfull both to God and Man: and so for any damnable errors in judgement, that the Scriptures condemne to the pit of hell, and warn us to take heed of, as we defire to escape damnation, doth not this opinion make way to the entertaining of them, when people shall be perswaded there is no use of the Scriptures to bee as a Rule to them to walk by, but they are to trust onely to the inward dictates of the Spirit.

Besides, if this should be allowed of, that the Scriptures are of no luse, but we must, trust to the Spirit in all, what certainty then can there be in any point of Religion and faith, for every one will be­leeve as the Spint dictates to him, and as many men, so there will [Page 58]be almost as many mindes. Nay further, what bottome will men and women have to build the foundnesse of their opinions upon, and that it's not their meere fancie if they cast away the Scrip­tures, seeing what they conceive to day to be the right, to mor­row they may be perswaded to be otherwise, if they trust to what is spoken and dictated secretly to them: and where will your soules end, and fix a period in matters of opinion, when they once begin to take this course of casting off the Scriptures? Doubtlesse they cannot tell themselves, there being a fathomlesse depth in the pit of error, out of which poore creatures can never extricate themselves, being once shut up in it. Blessed are those soules, that are so taught of God in the Ministery of his Word and Spirit, as to feare comming nigh the brink of that pit.

THus (Sirs) I have dispatcht the Answers to the forementio­ned grounds, what remaineth in the close of all (leaving the successe and issue of all to the Lord Jesus) but that I adde one word to perswade you, in the bowels of Christ, to consider from whence you are fallen, and repent and doe your first workes, Rev. 2.4. before the Lord Jesus be revealed from heaven against you. I cannot but apprehend your condition as very sad, not only in respect of your sin, but of your sorrow that is like to over­take you: For as sure as the Lord liveth, all those that refuse to kisse the Sonne, and will not have him to rule over them, but doe what in them lies to break his By bonds and cords is meant the discipline and government of Christ in his Church & king­dome, as the words [...] & [...] signify, Psal. 2.3. Now the lawes and ordinances of Christ, or his discipliue and government, are called bonds & cords, not that they are so in themselves, but because the wic­ked so judge of them, looking upon them as so many fetters & manacles that keep them from the enjoyment of their lusts and carnall li­berty, which is the main cause of their enmitie against them, and rejecting of them. bonds, and cast his cords from them, shall perish in the way of their rebellion, Psal. 2.12. and be brought forth and slain before him, Luke 19.27. You cannot be ignorant how jealous the eternall. God is of the honour of his Christ, and that he is now dealing with the great and migh­ty ones of the earth, for their slighting of him, and rebellion a­gainst him: And why should you be found in the number of them? you (I say) that have made profession of him, and sworne fealty to him? If such shall have stripes that have not done their Masters will, though they have been ignorant of it, what will be­come of those then that have known it and yet have not done it, nay, wilfully neglected the doing of it? O consider it betimes, for it's a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.31. If those that despised Moses law died without mercy, &c. of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall they be thought worthy that trample under their feet the Sonne [Page 59]of God? &c. Can you think that your profession of holinesse, and pretence of living in God, can beare you out while your pra­ctice is clean contrary, using your liberty as an occasion to the flesh? O consider whether you be not within the number of those which are prophesied shall come in these latter days of the world in which we live.

• 1. Men that shall have a form of godlinesse,
  The prophesie of the Apostle Paul.
  but denying the power thereof, 2 Tim. 3.5. that creep into houses, and lead cap­tive silly women, laden with sinnes, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, verse 6.7. resisters of the truth, as Jannes and Jambres, men of corrupt mindes, reprobate concerning the faith, who shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men, as theirs also was, v. 8, 9.
• 2. Men that deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2.1.
  The prophesie of the Apostle Peter.
  that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse, that despise Go­vernment, presumptuous, selfe-willed, and who are not afraid to speak evill of dignities, verse 10. that count it pleasure to ryot in the day time, and sport themselves with their own deceivings, v. 13. that have eyes full of adultery, not being able to cease from sinne, beguiling unstable soules, whose hearts are exercised with covetous practices, vers. 14. that have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the wayes of Baalam the sonne of Bo­sor, who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse, verse 15. that speake great swelling words of vanity, and allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonnesse, those that were cleane escaped from them that live in error, v. 18. that promise them liberty, but in the meane while are themselves servants of corruption, being overcome and brought into bondage, v. 19.
• 3. Men that have a Spirit of Antichrist in them,
  The prophesie of the Apostle Iohn.
  that goe out from the Affemblies, and communions of the Saints, 1 John 2. 18, 19. that deny that Jesus is the Christ, that deny the Father and the Sonne, v. 22, 23. that will not acknowledge J. Christ. to be come in the flesh, 1 John 4.3. that are of the world, that speak of the world, and the world heareth them, v. 5. that are not of God, and therefore will not heare those that are sent of God, being led by the Spirit of error, v 6.
• 4. Men that turn the grace of God into lascivious­nesse,
  The prophesie of the Apostle Iude.
  Jude 4. that are filthy dreamers, defilers of the flesh, despi­sers of dominion, and speake evill of dignities, verse. 8. that [Page 60]corrupt themselves as bruit beasts in what they know naturally, v. 10. That goe in the way of Cain, and runne greedily after the error of Baalam for reward, and perish in the gainsaying of Core. v. 11. That are spots in feasts of charity, feeding without feare, that are cloudt without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, v. 12 That are raging waves of the sea, foaming out their owne shame, wandring starres, to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever, v. 13. with much more to this purpose, in v. 15, 16, 18. concluding all with this, that they are such as
  This place hath formerly been much a­bused by the Prelates and their crea­tures, and still is by those that have changed the Name, but not the Nature of them, applying it to such as come out of Babylon, and from the mixtures and corruptions of man in the wor­ship of God, to serve the Lord after his own minde and will, made known to them in the word, when the place is clean contrary to be understood and applied.
  separate themselves, viz. from the true ordinances, & from the comunion of the godly in the use of them, as may be gathered from the follo­wing verses, 20, 21. being sensuall, having not the Spirit, v. 19.

Now whether such as to this day (under a pretence of living in God, and enjoying Gospel-liberty, doe cast off the use of or­dinances, deny Churches ministery, &c. and walk after the flesh to the fulfilling of the lusts thereof, as they were wont to doe before they were first enlightned) be not such as are before mentioned, I leave to any that are unprejudiced men to consider.

Wherefore to draw to a conclusion of all, in regard that the will of Christ is, that we should have compassion on some, making a difference, Iude 22. thereby teaching us, that some may erre out of infir­mity, and others out of wilfulnesse, and so are not to be dealt with in the same way and manner: I therefore in the last place humbly desire in the greatest meeknesse, and bowels of compassi­on, that such who have been carried away with this error of the wicked (to renounce and cast off the use of ordinances, and per­formance of duties which Jesus Christ hath commanded to be performed) out of weaknesse and infirmity, would be intreated timely to consider the evil of such a course and practise, how much it derogates from the honour of Christ, and happinesse of their own souls, Deare souls for whom Christ died, and to whom Christ hath (possibly) many times made known the kindnesse of his heart, I beseech you weigh the former Considerations without prejudice, and then tell me whether you are not out of the way. Consider the answers to the severall grounds, upon which you [Page 61]build the leaving off the practice of duties and ordinances, and then see whether you have not cause to sit down with Ephraim, and smite on the thigh, and say every one to himselfe, What have I done? what an evill and bitter thing is this, that I have cast off the wayes and meanes in which I formerly enjoyed such soule-sa­tisfying, ravishing, melting communion with the Lord Jesus, and the Father through him. ‘Pray give me leave to demand seri­ously of you, whether it was not farre better with your soules, when you kept close with God in the use of ordinances, and were strict in closet converses with your beloved, whether sin were not more irksome, tedious, grievous, but then some to your souls, then now it is? whether the Saints were not more amiable in your eyes then now they are, & comunion w ^th them in pray­er &c. a little corner of heaven in your apprehension? & the soci­ety of the wicked more loathsome? whether you were not more tender in your consciences concerning the commission of sin, and more afraid of dishonoring God, then now you be? whe­ther you were not more carried out and enlarged in doing of good, more spirituall in your walking, talking, affecting, acting, then now you are, more humble in your own eyes, and watch­full over your owne hearts, making conscience of all your thoughts, words and wayes;’ whereas now you thinke there is no necessity of such strictnesse, though the holy Ghost tells us, that as he that hath called us is holy, so ought we to be holy, and that in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16.

Now I beseech you, deare soules consider, can that possibly be the way of truth, the way to glory, that renders you worse then you have been, more unholy, unspirituall, uncircumspect, un­profitable to Christ, then you were wont to be? I beseech you deale plainly and impartially with your own soules; Don't you begin to find a change in your selves, in respect of the former par­ticulars? & you can now dispense with the duties of your relations both towards God and man, which formerly you could not in the least doe. Now I pray consider, can these things stand with a per­sons living in God? Can living in God and living in sin stand to­gether? Can the Ark and D [...]agon stand together? O that ever Sa­tan should thus beguile any of your pretious soules. In my weake apprehension, the higher a person lives in God, the more holy he is the more like to God, the more crucified to sin and the world, the lesse desirous of liberty to the flesh, the more studious of do­ing [Page 62]those things that are pleasing & acceptable unto God, through Jesus Christ. And whereas many talk of their liberty which they have above others, when they have cast off all duties and ordi­nances to live in God: I would fain know whether that liberty be not a lawlesse liberty, and whether the excellency of a Christi­an can possibly lie in it, or wheter living in God can stand with such a liberty. If to live in God be to take liberty to thinke, and speak, and doe as we our selves list, and to be without all check and controll in our way, both of God and Man; then wee may cast away the Scriptures in deed, and all religion, and every one walk after the imagination of his own heart. But, deare soules, be no longer led away with such deceivings and deceivers, that pro­mise you liberty, but in the mean time are servants to corruption themselves, and are overcome and brought into bondage, and seek to doe the same by you. O hearken no longer to their Syren-like Songs, but bow your eares to the voyce of Jesus Christ, crying to you, Return, return, repent, repent, and doe your first workes, for I am married to you, I am loath the death of sinners; why will you wilfully cast away your pretious soules? Though you have dealt unkindly with me, and forgotten those sweet embracings you formerly enjoyed from me, when you made conscience of the duties of my service and worship, yet return, return, for I am a God that delighteth to shew mercy, and whom mercy pleaseth: though you have in some measure denied my Name; and been ashamed to own it before the Heathen, yet repent and doe your first works, and I will take you and bring you to my holy mountain, and you shall goe no more out and I will write upon you the Name of my God, and the name of the citie of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which commeth down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon you my new Name. Now the same blessed God, and our Saviour, that spake these words, set home these things upon your hearts, and make them effectuall for that end for which they were writ­ten. Amen.