NOTHING seems more to speak the misery of these evil and calamitous times in which [...]e live, then the extreame debordment of extravagant Opinions in matters of Religion, di­verse of which tend not onely directly to the un­dermining of Holinesse, and Christian Religion (which by the grace of God hath been long acknowledged and professed in this Kingdome) but to the subversion also, and destru­ction of civill society, and communion with men as men.

The rise of which exorbitancy (so far as my ob­servation leads me) is laid. First in a slighting of the Ordinances of worship, as thinge lesse profitable and usefull and more befitting Children then grown men, and then (according to the nature of errour which it easily multiplying and increasing, for one absurdity granted a hundred will follow and grow out of it) in a reprobating and utter casting of those Ordinances as things hurtfull and destructive to the nature of of Saintship, and altogether unproper and unmeet for that state of growth and perfection which they pretend to have attained unto.

This wile of the Devill is not by all good men ea­sily and at the first observed, nor doe they consider that by a shew of rationall and spirituall pretences, he deprives them at last of all the Ordinances and Institutions of God, that his inspirations and reve­lations may be in stead of them, and he at last may be all in all unto them.

For I beseech you, what else is the effect of those methods in these men in whom he hath gained most upon this way, but a forme of unsound words, by which evill communication they corrupt good man­ners; stuffing their Preachings and Writings with an uncouth and most unsavory gi [...]berish, or jergon language, which the Scriptures owne not, which ra­tionall and truely spirituall men understand not, till at last growing bolder in the vanities of their minds and expressions, they come to this [...]o which some of them are come to make themselves Christ and God, and to stile themselves the Lord of Hosts. Blasphemies unheard of in other ages, and such as are capable of astonishing the most debauch't and [Page 3] prophane spirits, and such as tend not onely to the utter subversion of all Religion, but as a necessary consequence of that, to the destruction and dissolu­tion of all bands of civill government.

Notwithstanding the horrour of these things, yet I must professe, when I thinke seriously of them I cannot but rest satisfied in the wisedome and good­nesse of God to his; who by letting them see the miserable consequences and effects of opinions so depraved as the casting aside of all Ordinances of worship, and yet of that seeming holinesse and spi­ritualnesse as the pretence of a more immediate and spirituall converse with God is, are bounded and kept in order by these exorbitancies, and taught that which the Scripture teacheth frequently; that The weaknesse of God is stronger then men, and the foolish­nesse of God is wiser then men; and therefore if any will be wise (for all these vanities arise from no­thing but from a carnall and vaine Philosophating a­bout spirituall things) he must become a foole that hee may be wise.

Now as to be instrumentall, to turne sinners and such as erre from the truth, from the errour of their ways, is a thing of the greatest concernment, and highly acceptable to God, so is it no way of more consi­deration, then in such errings and mistakings as are about the fundamentals of Religion and Worship, and which are so fertile of ill, as having gained once a prevalency and authority, there is no stoppe or bounds to any thing, which a vaine and carnall heart, deluded and imboldened by the Devill, shall broach to the World for good Doctrine.

That which immediately debauches the spirit of [Page 4] men this way, is (as I said) a slighting and underva­luing of the Ordinances of worship, and holy Insti­tutions; and after that, a despising and abhorring of them as things carnall and unbecomming a spirituall and raised state: But that which is yet a deeper, and more bottome root of this untoward production: is,

S [...]condly, Low and meane thoughts of the holy Scriptures, the Word of God; or which is as bad, and arises from the same root of pride and vanity, such a bold and ridiculous allegorizing of them, un­der a colour of going farre enough from the Letter, and understanding the mystery of them, as they ob­trude upon you all the vaine reasonings of a carnall heart, and that (as the Preachings and Writings of these times will abundantly witnesse) with such folly and madnesse, as that after that rate a man may not despaire to see the Turkish Alcoran brought out of the New Testament; or (if there be any greater) the greatest absurdities and follies that ever entered into the heart of any ignorant or carnall man, since the World stood.

He therefore that would indeavour the recovery of these men, or prevent the fallings and disorders of others, in these matters of greatest concernment, had need speake something to such errings as are a­bout the Scriptures. And,

First, Not to speake (if there bee any such) of those that question the Divine Authority of Scrip­ture, as if it had not God for its Author, and Ori­ginall; that which I shall speake something to, is that Opinion which seemes to be received amongst some, as if it were a straitning to the spirit of God, [Page 5] and indignity offered to it, to bring spirituall reve­lations to the touch-stone and Examen of the Scrip­tures. On the other side, to me, the Scripture seems amongst others, to have t [...]o excellent ends for our advantage; the one, as other Ordinances of God, to be a Medium of his owne setting up, and which he delights to use, for the conveying of himselfe to our spirits, in inlightening and sanctifying us, and making us partakers of the Divine nature. The o­ther, to be a certaine and fixt Standard, to which we may bring any thing that is broacht, under the name of spirituall truth; and may thereby (as the Scrip­ture sayes) Try the spirits whether they be of God; may know the voyce of God from the voyce of the De­vill, and the voyce of the holy spirit and good An­gels, from that of Satan, even when he transformes himselfe into an Angel of light. Nor is this any in­dignity offered to the spirit of God, as is before pretended, since he is confined to no Rule, but what is of his owne forming. If the Scriptures were a rule formed by man, or by Angels, it were unsuffera­ble to subject the spirit of God to any rule so infi­nitely below it selfe, but, All Scripture being of Di­vine inspiration, holy men of God speaking as they were moved by the holy Ghost, as it is of great use to us against the wiles of the Devill; so it is a particular honour to the spirit of God, which by the meanes of such a Standard, and rule, appeares ever like it selfe, that is, uniforme, and constant, and which is a high attri­bute of God, without variablenesse and shadow of changing.

From this good understanding betweene the spirit of God, and the word of God, the Scriptures dicta­ted [Page 6] by the same spirit, it is that in all matter of faith and worship and all things spirituall, the appeale is still to the Scriptures, as to the visible and lawfull Judge. So Christ convincing the Jewes of their sin of unbeliefe, tels them, There is one that accuseth them even Moses, for he wrote of him, John 5.45. And as for the Jewes, so for all others, out Lord saith, That he that rejecteth him, and receiveth not his word, hath one that judgeth him; the Word, saith hee, that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. So Paul gloryes in this, that the Thessalonians received the word spoken by them, not as the word of man (a thing subject to exceptions and limitations) but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh in them that beleeve, 1 Thes. 2.13. Hence, when Christ would convince the Sadduces of the Resurrection, he told them, They erred, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, Matth. 22.29. and then makes out his assertion by Scripture authority, Have yee not read that which was spoken by God unto you; And then brings them the very Scripture words, I am the God of Abraham, &c. vers. 32. So when Christ would prove himself to be the Messiah, he bids them Search the Scriptures, John 5.39. You see therefore it is no disparagement to the spirit of God, that there is a visible Standard and Rule manifest to all men, to which we may have a constant, and easie recourse in any doubt or controversie of faith or worship.

Obj. If any shal object further, that though this be not a disparagement or a lessening to the spirit of GOD (since the authority of God it selfe, and the reason of the thing seems to vindicate it from this:) Yet the Scriptures are capable of senses and interpretations [Page 7] so various (as we see in all experience) as it will be difficult to make it a Sandard and Rule of Faith and Worship, or a Medium to try the spirits by, since it needs the assistance of the spirit, to the right inter­pretation of it selfe.

I answer, Ans. that the ignorance or perversnesse of Interpreters, can by no meanes take away that Ho­nour from the Scriptures, that it should not be the Standard and Rule in things spirituall; no more then in civill things, the ignorance or peruersenesse of a man in giving the interpretations of the Law, should detract from the honour of its being the rule and standard of judging in things civill. It is cer­taine, that in respect of the things spoken, or in re­spect of the Speaker, the Scripture hath not various and uncertaine senses, but it seemes to have so often­times, in respect of our vanity or ignorance: Which leads me into consideration of the second charge, I lay to some perverse spirits of these times, which by obscure and mysterious Allegories, draw a vaile, and cast thick Clouds betweene us and the Scriptures; and then cry out, that they are mysterious, obscure, darke and hidden; but If our Gospel bee hid (as the Apostle saith) it is hid to them that perish, in whom the God of this World hath blinded their eyes: Pride, or some evill lusting hath blinded their eyes, and then they cry out, that there is a defect on the part of the object; that that is not visible, and the way by which they would spiritualize and inlighten it, rea­ders it a thousand times darker, whilst under a pre­tence of running far enough from the [...]etter which they judge c [...]nall and killing, they subject it to the vanities and dreamings of every addle head, and make [Page 8] the holy Scripture Eccho to the sound that is already in their eares, according to that English Proverbe, As the foole thinketh, so the Bell tincketh.

But first here they greatly mistake who in alluding to that place of 1 Cor. 3.6. Not of the letter but of the spirit, thinke there is an opposition put betwixt the letter of the Gospel, and New Testament, and the spirituall sense of it, for here plainely by Letter is meant the Law, and by spirit is meant the Gospel, or New Testament in the very letter of it; as you have, John 1. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Not as if the Jewes were onely under a literall externall administration, which did not affect their spirits: God knew how to speake to his in those times, but that was not the office of Moses, or of the Law, which propounded rules of living, with promises and threatnings; therefore, When the Law came, sin revived and I dyed, saith Paul; But the Ministry of the Gospel he cals spirit, because the things it declares, are quickning, enlivening, and restoring, and such (as speaking comparatively also) the spirit accompanies, much more then it did the Law, as being the instrument of the grace of Christ in his Ministry. The mistake of this place, made Origen first, and since very many, loose themselves and their auditors in senslesse and idle Allegories, supposing that the allegoricall sense was spirituall, and the literall killing; whereas the literall sense in most scriptures, is not onely a spi­rituall sense, but the onely spirituall sense of it, and if besides what sense I have given of this place of the Law and the Gospel, it reaches further; the letter and the spirit, is not to be understood of the Exposi­tion [Page 9] of the words, but of the fruit and effect of it, it then being onely received in the Letter, when it af­fects not the heart, nor workes saving changes upon us, and then in the spirit when it indeed converts, and turnes us and moulds us into that holy frame and forme to which God ordaines his people.

Now that these expressions of the Spirit and the Letter, are meant particularly of the Law and the Gospel, appeares evidently in the following verses, 7, 8, 9. For verse 7. speaking of the Letter he calls it, The administration of death, written and engraven in stones, which we know was the Law; this hee proves glorious from the glory and shining of Mo­ses countenance: In opposition to this, he cals the Gospel, The ministry of the spirit, verse 8. and shews in one point more the excelling glory of this Gos­pell beyond the Law, that it is to abide and remain evermore, whereas the other is done away and past; verse 10, 11. It is true that what the Law is of it self, that the Gospel is by accident, killing and destruct­ive, 2 Corinth. 2, 16. To the one we are the savour of death unto death, &c. But though the Gospel be the occasion of damnation to very many, notwithstan­ding it may be called the Spirit or Doctrine of life; for as much as God uses it as the instrument or vehi­culum of our conversion or new life; and that it holds out, and offers free reconciliation to us with God, whereas the Law (taking it simply and alone as it is here taken) is the Letter that killeth; and the ministry of death prescribing onely an exact rule of life (by which comes the knowledge and revi­ving of sinne which kill [...]) without shewing any re­leife or way to escape.

And thus have I briefly opened this place, which hath been the cause to many of such grosse errings and mistakes.

But to proceed; It is certaine the Scriptures have a plainnesse and easinesse in them to be understood, and therefore are said to be, A light to our feet, and a Lanthorne to our paths; and a light shining in a darke place: Thy words they give light, they give understand­ing to the simple. And if this may be affirmed of the Writings of the Old Testament, with much more reason may it be affirmed of those of the New. For Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. They had ma­ny things formerly in Type and Allegories, as things that concerned others more then themselves, For it was revealed to them, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that Preacht the Gospell unto you, 1 Pet. 1.12. Therefore Moses their Prophet was vayled to them, But we with open face, beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord, are changed from glory to glory, 1 Cor. 3.13, 18.

Nor will it be to any purpose to object here, that which is affirmed by Peter, 2 Pet. 3.16. That some things in Pauls Epistles, are hard to be understood: For even those things be made easie by diligence, prayer to God, communication and conference with others. God hath made in all things, indigency, the bond of Society, without we need one another, we should not value and esteeme one another, we should not have love, nor converse one with another. But who doth this difficulty or hardnesse here spoken of, hurt? Men unlearned and unstable; whose sluggish­nesse makes unlearned, and whose corruption and [Page 11] depravement makes unstable; men that are double in their ends, and therefore unstable in their wayes, as appeares by their wresting and destroying of the Scriptures, which is there spoken of; and not on­ly those hard places, but other Scriptures also to their owne destruction.

But if there be any difficulty in Scripture expres­sions (which God sometimes permits for holy ends, as I have said) will the way to helpe our selves be to fall a Figurizing and Allegorizing, making the Word of God saplesse and fruitlesse, by the vanity of our Traditions? Or because (as the men I com­plaine against use to doe) there are some figurative and allegoricall expressions in the New Testament, as when our Saviour calls himselfe, a Vine, or a Deere (which figurative speeches are to ordinary eares as easie to be understood as the most literall) shall we take liberty from hence to confound Heaven and Earth? And upon every itching of our owne fancy to dissolve the whole Scripture and Word of God, into Figures and Allegories? Which in stead of in­lightning, brings us into clouds and darknesse; that in that mist the Devill may use as he will. I will not deny, but some things are to be expounded alle­gorically.

The legall Ceremonies may be handled allegori­cally, because they were shadows and types of good things to come, as the Paschall Lambe of Christ Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5.7: Christ was the scope and Butt of the Old Testament, and therefore the Paschall Lambe, the brazen Ser­pent, and a hundred other things are accommoda­ted justly to him, also severall Histories upon this [Page 12] account have their allegoricall use, so there be a care had to preserve the Historicall truth stable and un­shaken: So our Saviour accommodates the Histo­ry of Solomon and Jonas to himselfe, as having be­sides the Historicall truth, an use of typifying out him in his office, and sufferings; and if a man by way of allusion or similitude, will allegorize a Hi­story, as to say that as David overcame Goliah, so Christ doth the Devill, so the spirit doth the flesh, if it be done pertinently, may have its use. But with­out all question, the literall sense of Scripture, e­specially of the New Testament is principally to be sought after, as that you may safely build upon for Doctrines, Exhortations, and Conclusions, Symbo­lica Theologia non est argumentativa; except such as the holy Ghost propounds and interprets, in which case wee may safely follow and conclude from Al­legories.

I would not therefore expound any Scriptures allegorically (except as before) but such as could not be expounded literally; as for instance, When without the supposition of a type or figure the Scriptures would imply a falshood; or when in a Gramaticall sense, the words of the Scripture would imply an absurdity, as that Christ is a Doore, or a Vine; or when the literall sense is contradictory to a rule of Faith, as when we are commanded to pull out an eye, or to cut off a hand, or foot, but to de­part needlesly from the Gramatical and literall sense of Scripture, to subtelize it with Figures and Alle­gories, is that which destroyes the majesty and in­tegrity of the Word of God, makes it a Nose of Wax, and subjects it to the fancies of every crasie [Page 13] and unsound braine; so that as in another case one complaines, they doe Verborum minutiis rerum fran­gere pondera.

And if it be objected (as it is by some) that if the literall and Gramaticall sense, be the Scripture sense, the naturall man may be very able, in under­standing Scripture.

I Answer, that no question they may, and to their greater condemnation, but yet they want the glory and life of this understanding, which is the spiritu­all impression affecting their hearts, and making them God like. Those things which are words of life and peace to one, are but a dead letter to them, there wants that infusion into the words, which makes them mighty and converting, Changing them from darknesse to light, and from the power of Satan to God; to one, it is the word of Men, to others, it is the word of God, the power of God to salvation, effectually work­ing in them that beleeve. Whereas those absurd Al­legorizers we complaine of, boast of the spirit, and revelations, and thinke they have got all, when they have mudded, and defiled, and nonsensifyed a Scrip­ture with their Figures and Allegories, though they feele nothing of the spirit and life, which should change and convert them into the forme of Doct­rine delivered to them. And according to this sense must severall Scriptures be accommodated; parti­cularly, that, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiv­eth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foo­lishnesse unto him, neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned.

That which we translate the naturall man, is in the Greek [...] animalis, [...] abanima, the [Page 14] soule, so as he is a naturall or an animall man which walkes according to sense, or to the flesh, that judg­es of things after a carnall and humane reasoning; other things are foolishnesse to him, so you have it in the 23. of the former Chapter, We Preach Christ crucified to the Greeks foolishnesse, And in the words of the Text, The things of the spirit of God are foolish­nesse unto him.

Yet the notion of Christ Crucified, as it is layd downe in Scripture in plaine and significant words, is certainely intelligible to an animall man; but the spirituall reason of it, which is the beauty and glory of it, which should alter and convert, and trans­forme, by beholding that he sees not; and therefore though custome and commonnesse have taken away the seeming absurdity of such a notion, so as men can beare it, and take it up, and professe it with o­thers; yet the spirituall beauty of it, which is the taking and converting thing, they see not. As the eye of sense sees the figure and superficies of a t [...]ing, but cannot tell the reason of it, for want of a prin­ciple to judge by; so a naturall man that hath no o­ther principles but sense and reason, sees the tr [...]th a right, and as it is; but it is a foolish and weak thing to him, in order to the end for which it is appointed, because there is a spirituall beauty which he hath no eye to see, nor sense to taste.

I deny not, besides this, but that when there are diversities of interpretations and allegoricall senses, of which I spake before; the spirituall man hath ad­vantage of all the World besides, and that not onely in the sense of which I have already spoken; but in opposition to one more raysed, and more spirituall, [Page 15] a man may be called a naturall or carnall man, so you have it in the beginning of the next Chapter, And I brethren could not speake unto you as unto spiri­tuall, but as unto carnall, even as unto babes in Christ, verse 3. For yee are yet carnall, for whereas there is a­mong you, envyings, and divisions, and strife, are yee not carnall and walke as men? Which as it shewes that the opposition of spirituall to carnall, may be made in respect of more or lesse spiritualnesse in the same party; so it leads us backe to that sense I gave be­fore:

That he is to be judged the spirituall man, and to comprehend best the mysterie of Divine things, and of the holy Scriptures, not who can most misteri­ously (that is, as these men use it, obscurely and aenigmatically, and if you will irrationally, and ab­surdly) discourse of Divine things, and of inter­pretation of Scripture; but he, Who laying aside all malice and superfluity of naughtinesse, rec [...]ives the word, and he who by seeing and beholding it, is transfor­med into that which is most opposite to envying, strife, and divisions.

The Apostle Jude, after he hath made a list of the worst and vilest of men, Uncleane persons that de­spise Dominion, and speake evill of Dignities; he tels you, verse 10. That these are sensuall, or animall, or naturall (for it is the same word that is used here) having not the spirit; These were all Christians, and Professors, and perhaps could Philosophate as my­steriously as their neighbours, for they were such as separated themselves, verse 10. and it is like were well opinionated of their abilities; but because the beau­ty of the Word gained them not to the love of God, [Page 16] what ever light they had besides could not defend them from the denomination of sensuall or animall, which is the word here opposed to spirituall.

And thus have I done with what I intend to say, in answer to the objection above made. To con­clude with what I first mentioned in this point of the Scriptures.

The spirit of God, and the Word of God the holy Scriptures, hold so good an intelligence, as we try the spirits by the Scriptures, and the holy spirit enlightens us to understand the Scriptures; so Christ by his spirit inlightened the Disciples go­ing to Emaus to understand the Scriptures; hee did not make them wise without them, which he could have done, but he chose that medium as a vebiculum of his spirit sutable and proportionable to them, and to his wayes and dispensations towards his people.

In like manner when Paul had exhorted the Thes­salonians, not to quench the Spirit, he doth not lead them from the Word of God to vaine speculati­ons, but immediatly subjoynes a command, Not to despise Prophecy; intimating, an aptnesse in men under the notion of magnifying and advancing of the spi­rit to despise Prophecy; and shewing also that the meanes to quench and extinguish the illuminations of the spirit, is to have low and unworthy thoughts of the Word of God, and of Prophecying, ac­cording to the Analogy and Proportion of that Word.

Now as some think it an indignity to try the spi­rit by the Scripture, and others with vaine allego­rizing, make the Word of God of none effect (to [Page 17] both which I have spoken already) so there doth not want of them which thinke the use of the Scrip­ture hath its period and time with men, beyond which it is uselesse and improper to attend to it, though before that time it be a duty and of use to us. According to this sense they interpret that place of Peter, 2 Pet. 1.19. Where the Apostle, speaking of the Scripture of the Prophets, tels them to whom he writes, That they doe well to take heed to them as to a light shining in a darke place, till the day dawne, and the day starre arise in their hearts: That is, till God have set up such a light in them, as they need no more helpe of Prophesie; according to which interpre­tation, they adapt also other Scriptures, as that of John 6. quoted out of Isaiah 54.13. They shall all be taught of God, that of Jeremiah 31.34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them; and par­ticularly also that place of John, 1 John 2.20, 21, 27. But yee have an unction from the holy one, and yee shall know all things: Verse 27. But the an [...]ynting which yee have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anoynting teacheth you all things.

To speak a little to these places, and first to speak something to this last of John: The Apostle seemes to doe two things, one is to bring what he sayes to the examen of the spirit, who onely is the full and sufficient judge; who seales to our spirits, to the end that wee may be certaine that God speakes it: Secondly, he would the better authorize his doctrine by referring them to the judgement of the spirit [Page 18] within them which teaches them, that finding some­thing that beares witnesse within to the word, with­out it might have a full effect upon their spirits, and worke in them a strong perswasion. But then parti­cularly, and perhaps especially in this place, the A­postle seems modestly to excuse himself for seeming to deale with them as with learners, and beginners, when as he tells them they have the unction of the spirit, and know all things: In like manner is that which Paul sayes, Rom. 15.14. and to the same pur­pose when he tels them, that they were full of goodnesse and filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another; and yet he tels them, he thought it his duty to admonish them, to put them in minde as he sayes; so here, Verse 21. I have not written unto you, because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it. For if they had beene altogether unlearned, and unbot­tom'd and had not knowne something, if they had not had foundations layd, and been principled, they had not beene fit for the Doctrine hee delivered: Whereas he sayes, Verse 21. They knew all things, that cannot bee taken in the full extent that the words seeme to beare, for we know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. but either with restriction to the subject in hand, or else to shew as before, that he doth rather remem­ber them and admonish them of such things as hee writ, then altogether lay foundations or deliver principles that are new to them, and with which they are not acquainted. Therefore Verse 24. hee admonisheth them that that might remaine with them which they have heard from the beginning, as intending rather to confirme what they knew already, and have been taught from the beginning by the word and [Page 19] spirit, then to add in this exhortation any thing in which they were raw and unprincipled.

But because John sayes here, that they have an un­ction from the spirit and know all things; and Vers. 27 that they need not that any man should teach them: To conclude that therefore they needed no other Mi­nistry or teaching but the spirit, neither Scriptures, nor Prophesies, were to make John himselfe ridicu­lous: For wherefore did he labour in this Doctrine, and wherefore did he teach them at all, if there were no need at all of his teaching, when Paul sayes (as he doth) 1 Thes. 4.9. Touching brotherly love, there is no need that I write unto you, for yee your selves are taught of God to love one another: Doth he forbeare therefore to exhort the Saints to that duty, or ra­ther shew that he need not doubt of the successe of that Doctrine of brotherly love (which he and o­ther Apostles inculcates exceedingly) because they have a principle taught them by God himselfe and his holy spirit that renders them apt to receive any hints or intimations that way.

It is a great piece of Oratory, when yee can per­swade your hearers that the things ye would inforce and make out more fully, they assent unto already. Therefore John here professes that hee wrote to them, because they knew the truth already, and upon that very ground, that they were taught, and did know, and that they needed not teaching; he was incouraged to the Doctrine and exhortation he gave them. It is one of the best arguments we draw from reason, to prove there is a God, and in the vertue of which we use many others, that this point is a thing they need not to be taught, this they are all taught of [Page 20] God, no man so barbarous, no Nation so remote from the knowledge and converse with others, that hath not this ingrafted in their nature, this notwith­standing, we doe not cease to multiply arguments to this purpose, to confirme and draw out that prin­ciple into use and practice, of which there is so faire a beginning layd deep, even in the nature of every man living.

The summe is (besides what I have sayd in the beginning that the Apostle would use them to bring all things to the Examen of the spirit, and that he would improve the confirmation of the truth of his Doctrine by the principles already layd in them bv the spirit of God) he uses these expressions, that they know all things, and need not that any man teach them, but as the same anoynting teaches them, and that he writes to them, because they know the truth alrea­dy; Both to avoyd the seeming to deale with them as learners, and beginners, altogether unprincipled and untaught, when as the things were such as were built upon principles, layd into them by the anoyn­ting of the spirit, as also to fetch an effectuall rise of arguments for the assenting to such things as they knew and were taught already; as there is no better bottome argument (as I sayd) to prove there is a God, then this, that they know it already, being all taught it of God, nor no better foundation to the exhortation of brotherly love, with which the Scripture abounds above any one thing, then that which Paul layes in the place above quoted out of the Thessalonians; That there is no need to bee taught that, For that they are all taught of God to love one ano­ther. We say it is the part of a wise man; Rerum ma­nifestarum [Page 21] causas quaerere, and it is especially the duty of those who have the care of instructing others to improve principles already lodged into them of which the foundations are most generally and most cleerly layd by the holy spirit in all the Saints, for those commonly are of the greatest use and concern­ment. So as here will be no good warant to depart from the use of Scripture, or the Ministry of teach­ing (for which God hath in all times, and in these particularly in which John wrote, indued men with gifts, and power) to follow vaine Enthusiasmes, un­lesse we wil put ridiculous and contradictory actions and wayes upon the Doctrines of this holy Apostle, and the dictates of the holy spirit.

Having largely and sufficiently I hope, opened these words, I proceed now to those other texts I quoted out of Isaiah and Jeremiah. That of Jere­miah is in Chap. 31. Vers. 31. &c. which is certain­ly a Prophesie of those times in which the Apostle John lived, and of that state of the Church in which in the place before discussed he speaks.

Here the Prophet (as it was usuall with the Pro­phet Isaiah, and the rest rising from the Type to the Antitype) having before discoursed of the inlarg­ing and bettering of the condition of the Israelites, he fals naturally and easily into the discourse of the times of the Gospell and New Testament. Behold, the day's come saith the Lord, that I will make a new Covenant, &c. what this Covenant is not, hee tells you, Verse 32. Not the Covenant hee made with their Fathers, when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt. What that Covenant was, we shall not need here to consider of; but then Verse 33. hee tells you what [Page 22] his Covenant shall be, I will put my Law in their in­ward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will bee their God and they shall be my people, and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his bro­ther, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will re­member their sins no more.

The great benefit of this New Covenant in oppo­sition to the Old, lyes in this, that in this New Co­venant God doth not onely propound the tearmes, but ingages himselfe to performe the condition, whereas the Old Covenant set before you life and death, good and evill, but ingaged you to the per­formance of the good without assistance (for the Law was without you) or to the suffering of evill. But in the new Covenant, the Law is within, written in your hearts, by which you are made holy and dis­posed for all good. If you sinne (as if any man sayes he has no sin he deceives himselfe, and the truth is not in him) He will forgive your iniquity, and remember your sin no more. And because the knowledge of God and his wayes is of the greatest consideration to us, for our happinesse and holinesse, ye shall be enlightened, have the holy unction, and be taught of God. This inlightening (especially in things of the greatest concernment, as that instanced in here, Knowing the Lord; that is, with a practicall knowledge, such as changes the heart and converts) is so much the work of God himself, and of the holy spirit, as of the prin­cipall and chiefe agent, that the subordinate instru­ments who contribute under God, by the will and institution of God to that work are scarce consider­able.

It is well knowne, this being the promise of the New Covenant, the time of opening and beginning of which was after the death and resurrection of Christ, as Heb. 8. Christ became the m [...]diator of a bet­ter Covenant: It is knowne I say, that in those times (in the course of which we live) there was the insti­tution of Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the worke of the Mini­stry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephes. 4. and 2 [...]im. 4.2. Paul commanded him there, To preach the Word, and to be instant in season and out of season; and Rom. 10. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they heare without a prea­cher; so that gifts and Offices and teaching were judged by the holy Ghost, extreame necessaries to faith, holinesse, and the right knowledge of God in Christ.

This notwithstanding in respect of that great part the holy spirit acts, the agency and working of men deserves scarce a thought or mention, so as on that consideration it may be sayd not to be. And it is not unusuall (as elsewhere) so in Scripture phrase that that should be affirmed of one, and den [...]ed of others, which more illustriously or more frequently appeares in that one, though in some sort it be com­mon with others. It is certaine Isaack loved Jacob and Esau too, but because he more loved Esau, its sayd, Isaack loved Esau, and Rebecca loved Jacob, Gen. 25.28. And though Christ loved all the Disciples, it is said notwithstanding that J [...]hn was the Disciple whom Jesus loved. But especially that place of Matth. 15. where Christ sayes, He was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel; and yet if Christ were [Page 24] not sent as well to the Gentiles as to the Jewes, it were little for our comfort.

The preaching of the Word, how necessary soe­ver to the begetting of faith (for how can they beleeve in him, on whom they have not heard, and how can they heare without a Preacher) yet how little doth it con­tribute, and how truely may so great an effect be sayd to bee alone from God. What can the sound of words doe, but strike the eare, but it is the unction, that must affect the heart. 'Tis not the noyse of a voice without, but something within, that produces such great and mighty effects. The great weight that turnes the ballance, and that ignea vis, that fire that inflames the mind, and carryes it up to God, to move after God, to follow God, is some greater and higher thing then the voyce of man or sound of words, and is nothing else but the unction within us, and the voyce of God himselfe.

In a word, it is the effect of that which is here, and more particularly in Isaiah promised; That they should be all taught of God; which place as it is ex­pounded and applyed by our Saviour (the best Ex­positor) will give the surest witnesse to the exposi­tion we have given of this: The place is, John 13.45, It is written in the Prophets, they shall be all taught of God, every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh to me. Our Saviour seemes to have respect to the place we have been speaking of all this while, where God undertakes to do so much as he makes the Ministry of man in comparison no­thing, or more especially to that place in Isaiah 54.13. where the Prophet speaking of the restauration of the Church, affirmes, that their Children shall bee [Page 25] taught of God. Now when our Saviour comes to ap­ply and improve this passage of the Prophet, doth he reject the Ministry of man, as a thing of no use, al­together carnall and unprofitable? Doth he repro­bate Preaching, Exhortation, and Doctrine? No such thing: He himselfe Preach't, that hee was the Messiah that was to come, and he sent out Apostles, and Disciples, to Teach and Baptize, promising great rewards to those that shall not onely prophesie, but shall receive a Prophet in his Name; so farre was hee from abolishing the use of the Ministry, or the A­gency or assistance of men, in that great worke of be­getting and improving faith, but tells the Jewes, to whom he spake, and who were offended with him, for the meannesse of his birth and condition, that the reason why they beleeved not, was because they fell not under that great promise, To be taught of God: That no man could come to him, except the Father drew him. That teaching of God was especially necessary, and that drawing of God, that secret language, and those invisible Cords without which all the words of man, no of the man Jesus would doe no good, nor contribute effectually to so great and high an end as comming to Jesus Christ, and beleeving in him. So as cleerly the use of this and other Scriptures of this kind is farre from excluding the Ministry of man, and the use of the Scriptures and other Ordinances, which the wisedome of God in the dayes of this new Covenant, hath made extreamely necessary and use­full to us; but to shew us where we must expect the Energy, force, and power, which as an infusion into these Ordinances, must produce these blessed effects, and to give us an account of the difference that is [Page 26] found amongst men under the same Ordinances and dispensations, that some come to God in Christ, and forsake all things for him, and others lye still dead in their sinnes for want of this Unction, this being taught of God, and of this strong and powerfull drawing which our Saviour speaks of in this place.

Having spoken that which is sufficient to the places last treated on, I come now to that which I first pro­pounded out of 2 Pet. 1.19. but this yet wee have gained already (if wee assent to the expositions gi­ven) that the highest teachings we are capable of in this life, the teachings of God, and of the anointings of the spirit, are nothing of Supersedeas to the teach­ings of others, or to our owne reading, and medi­tation in the Word of God. So as according to the truth already made out, this Scripture will receive the easier accommodation.

First, It is generally believed, that those two Epi­stles were written to the Jewes, of whom Peter was more particularly the Minister, and the Apostle: that this second Epistle was writ to the same persons to whom the first was, appeares by the first Verse of the third Chapter, This second Epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, &c. Now the first Epistle is intituled, To the Strangers scattered abroad, which James in his inscription calls, The twelve Tribes scattered abroad, James 1. For the Gentiles were not strangers in those Countreys which Peter mentions, but the Jews which dwelt in them. So as by the dispersed strangers, or the strangers of the dispersion, were meant the Jews.

Peter therefore writing to the Jewes his Countrey­men, and of whom he was the Apostle, exhorts them to constancy in the Faith, and profession of the Do­ctrine [Page 27] delivered to them by the Apostles. This hee inforces from an argument of the excellency of that Doctrine, the subject of which he calls the power and comming of our Lord Jesus Christ, Verse 16. by which he understands his comming in the flesh, and putting forth his power for the salvation of his people. He further inforces this exhortation from an argument fetcht from the certainety of this Doctrine, which had for his author Christ, and God, and was not cun­ningly advanced by devised Fables, and sophisticall rea­sons, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty, sayes hee, Verse 16. and heard also the voyce that came from the excellent glory, saying, this is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased. So that as John sayes, what wee have heard and seene, that declare wee unto you. Another argument which he uses to confirme them in this ex­cellent doctrine is the consent of ancient prophesies, to the Jews well knowne, vers. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie. Beza translates it Non firmiorem sed firmissimum sermonem propheticum, and shewes the parallell of other Scriptures, where the Comparative is used for the Superlative. But if you read it not most sure, but more sure, it is in respect of those to whom he writes, the Jewes, amongst whom the Writings of the Prophets were of the greatest and highest authority: Whereunto you doe well that you take heed as to a light shining in a darke place, till the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts.

This Doctrine of the Prophets, which in Verse 20. he commends from the infallibility of it, as ha­ving the spirit for its authour is another argument for the asserting and proving of that great truth which he mentions, Verse 16. (Viz.) The comming of [Page 28] our Lord Jesus Christ with power, &c. For both argu­ments confirme the same thing, this from Prophesie and that from the voice of God; to wit, That Jesus Christ was the Sonne of God, come in the flesh for the sa­ving of the World. He tells them therefore, they doe well to make use of this head of argument, and to at­tend to it, for it is like a light shining in a darke place: the propheticall Scripture, like a Lanthorne (as the word is) had a narrow and restrained light, and the times before the comming of Christ were times of darknesse; whereas the light of the Gospell is more day light, like the morning starre that chaseth away darknesse, and this was true in the very beginning of the Gospell to those who had received it, in the po­wer of it; and so yee have it, 1 John 2.8. The dark­nesse is past, and the true light now shineth. If therefore you attend to the Scripture of the Prophets, which had for author not any private or particular spirit, but the spirit of God, you will have a light to guide you in your darknesse, till the day at last appeare, and the morning Starre, the signe thereof, scatter alto­gether your darknesse; that is, till the light of the Gospell (which hee compares with that of former Prophesies) bring a clearnesse and a brightnesse, like to day light, in stead of the Candle, or Torch­light, yee enjoyed before; so as there shall be no doubt of scruple in you concerning this great my­stery of godlinesse, asserted by the voice of Heaven, and confirmed by propheticall predictions, scilicet, Christ manifested in the flesh.

And if you say here, that the Jewes to whom hee writ, being beleevers, were cleare in this point alrea­dy: I answer, that it is more then appeares: That [Page 29] there was a day light clearnesse, yee have it in the 17 Acts 10. That those that received the word with all readinesse of minde, searcht the Scriptures dayly, to see whether those things were so. And yet as yee may see in a parallell place to this, Acts 2.41. They who rea­dily, or as it is there, gladly received the Word were Bap­tized, which implyed them Beleevers, that being the condition of Baptisme: So although these Jewes were already Beleevers in Christ, as having readily and gladly received the Word, yet it would be migh­tily to their advantage and establishment, that they should search the Scriptures, and attend to the Wri­tings of the Prophets, that so there might a day light clearnesse, and assurance, concerning matters of this great moment arise in their hearts: So as many of the Jews that beleeved, amongst which number some of these might be, were not come to that clearnesse in beleeving, to which the preaching of the Gospell, joyned to the search of Scriptures would bring them.

Nor here, doth the Apostle at all give a tearme or period to the searching or attending to the Scrip­ture, or written prophesies, but shewes the great use of them for the attaining the ends above mentioned. Wee know things are preserved by the same way by which they are form'd, or procur'd. No man will deny me, that Timothy had attained a great degree in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.

Paul had no man like minded to him, who naturally cared for the things of the Lord. A man he was destin'd to great workes by prophesie, 1 Tim. 1.18. Gifted also and inabled for his Ministry, by prophesie and laying on of hands, and instructed in the holy Scrip­tures [Page 30] from a Child. And yet this Timothy forearmed already by Prophesie, and gifts, and study in the Scriptures, is commanded, 1 Tim. 4.13. to give at­tendance to reading, and in the 15 Verse he is comman­ded to meditate upon those things, and to be in them, and give himselfe wholly to them, that his profiting might be evident and appeare to all: Nay Paul himselfe who gave the rule of not knowing Christ after the flesh, and understood, surely, the mystery of godlinesse, as well as these men, in that very place where hee sayes, that he is ready to be offered up, and that the time of his depar­ture is at hand, 2 Tim. 4.6. When having fought a good fight, his thoughts runne of Crownes and glory Verse 7, 8. commanded Timothy expresly to bring with him when he came the Books which he left at Tr [...]as, and the parchments. That great Apostle was not of these mens minds, that it was a carnall and unspiritu­all thing to read and meditate, and use such helps, as God who knowes us better then wee doe our selves, judges meet for us, but is forward and ready himselfe to doe what he exhorts Timothy to, to give himselfe to reading and meditation, and thinke it no disho­nour to use that meanes as well as others.

And thus have I done with that which I propoun­ded to my selfe, to say concerning the Scriptures in order to the discourse I have in hand.

Those things which in the next place come into consideration, and need to bee vindicated from the dishonour and scorne put upon them, by a Genera­tion of these Times, who impose their vaine and ad­dle fancies under the name and title of Spiritual Re­velations, are Gospell Ordinances, such as Preach­ing the Word, Baptisme, the Lords Supper, Church [Page 31] fellowship and assembling, with what ever institu­tions our Lord hath left to entertaine us with in this state, whilst we are absent from the Lord, and pre­sent in the body, whilst wee live by faith and not by sight.

In order to this, that which I first pitcht my thoughts upon, was that place of the 1 Corinth. 1.21. For after that in the wisedome of God, the World by wise­dome knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching, to save them that beleeve; which seemes particularly to strike at the Vanity of such men, who being as little able as others in a way of wisedome to know God, by the wisedome of God, are yet ex­treamly scandalized at the weakenesse and foolish­nesse of Preaching and other Ordinances of that kind.

That I might the better discover the scope and drift of this place, I thought it would be necessary to consider something the coherence.

In this Chapter therefore, after the usuall salu­tations and gratulations in the nine first Verses, in the tenth he falls upon the first subject which he han­dles in this Epistle, to wit, the dissentions and divi­sions which were amongst the Corinthians, with which he charges them, Verse 11, 12. and from which he dehorts them. Hee gives them his authority for what he charges them with, The houshold of Cloe, Verse 11. then shewes what their fault was, that they were taken, and captivated with the names of men, which though of good and holy men, was not lawfull, nor fit for them to be; nay not of Christ himselfe, as if doting on his person after the flesh, his words, his deeds, his miracles, should be onely extold and mag­nified, [Page 32] with the despising or villifying of the gifts, and miracles, and doctrines of others, though as Christ, God, Man, they proceed from him. This Christ seemes himselfe to reprove in the young man, Matth. 19.16. One came and sayd, Good Master, what good thing shall I doe? Why callest thou mee good (saith Christ) there is none good, &c. But keepe thou the Commandements: Whereby Christ shewes that that which the man considered, was not so much God the chiefe good, and holinesse the way of converse with him, but look't upon him as some excellent and famous Master: Why callest thou me good? Why look­est thou so much upon my person, and outward man? Rather all acceptance of persons layd aside, mind my Doctrine. This knowing Christ after the flesh, as a gifted man so indowed, &c. with difference from others, Paul disclaimes, 2 Cor. 5.16. he knew him not now, as a Preacher of the Gospel, as a Minister conversing here on earth, full of excellent gifts and parts, of such a spirit and nature, but in a divine and heavenly manner, as he that was the Captaine of their Salvation, that reconciled them to God, that dyed for them, and rose againe, after such a heavenly man­ner he knew him, and therefore was to bee new him­selfe, both in the manner of his knowledge, and the rule of his life, Verse 15, 16, 17, 19.

Verse 13. He tells them, this their factious dis­sention shewes as if there were many Christs, many Gospels, many Saviours of the World, whereas Christ is but one, and not divided; or as if they were baptized into another Name then Christs, for so they gave themselves up as Disciples to par­ticular Teachers and Ministers, as if they held their [Page 33] Baptisme of them, or they were Crucyfied for them.

I thanke God, saith he, it is fallen out by a good providence, that I have baptized a very few, Least a­ny should say I had baptized in my owne name; That is, I had formed mee a Generation of followers and sect of Disciples: For that was, it seemes, a corrupt fa­shion amongst them, that those who baptized should be followed and adored by them as their spirituall Father and Master, Verse 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to Preach the Gospell: that is, the princi­pall piece of my Ministry to which I was adorned with such gifts and graces, and miracles, was Preach­ing. Baptisme indeed was an appendix of preaching and w [...]s in the Apostolicall Commission, but being every ones worke as the serving of Tables, was com­mitted when it grew burthensome to others, that the Apostles might give themselves to the word and prayer. For conversion from Atheisme, and Juda­isme, being the great worke, the administration of the Seales which needed not those gifts nor labour, was done ordinarily by other hands; so Peter in­structed the house of Cornelius, but hee commanded them to be baptized by others, Acts 10. So Christ Preached, but his Disciples Baptized, John 4.

Paul had Commission to Baptize, else hee would not have baptized any, but not principally: Suitable to this is that place, Jer. 7.22. I spake not to your Fa­thers, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices, but this thing I commanded them, obey my voyce, &c. Although in Aegypt they sacrificed the Passeover, and in Mount Sinai hee commanded them concerning Sacrifices, but the other was the principall: Like also unto [Page 34] which is that phrase, I will have mercy and not sa­crifice; that is, I require mercy rather, and most principally then sacrifice: So the Apostle sayd, It was not meet for them to leave the word of God, and to serve tables; yet Paul did gather money for the poore Saints at Hierusalem; that is, that was not their chief and ordinary worke, but the other.

Not with wisedome of words, &c. He had no sooner made mention of Preaching the Gospel, but he taxes the principall vice of these Sectaries, which was a certaine vanity in preaching the Gospel, not onely with Rhetoricall inlargements and expressions, but even so Philosophating the Gospel, as they made it hold rather of humane wisedome, then that divine simplicity which became so holy and heavenly a sub­ject. Least the Crosse of Christ, &c. that is, least the Gospell of Christ Crucified should be rendred vaine and uselesse, as needing the power of humane wise­dome to uphold it.

Verse 18. For the preaching of the Crosse, is to them that perish foolishnesse: This preaching of Christ cru­cified, or a crucified Saviour, seemes to proud, and seeming wise men, the foolishest thing in the world, that a dying man should give life to others, that hee that could not save himselfe, should save the World. But unto us who are saved, &c. Those who being pre­destinate to eternall life, beleeve and are saved, they feele it is the power of God; and what is a more ad­mirable effect of power, and of God, then that a cru­cified Saviour, by a company of illiterate poore men should render the spirit quiet and stable in God, and give that conversion in life, which all the learned dis­courses of Philosophers were not able to doe.

Verse 19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisedome of the wise, &c. God hath resolved on this long agoe, that by strength no man shall prevaile; wise and prudent men in the businesse of Religion shall be no more then others, so as you may aske where is the Scribe, and disputer of this World, either of Jew or Gentile, their wisedome is made folly, and in those things wherein they have thought to be wise, they have shewed themselves the weakest and foolishest of any other.

Verse 21. For after that in the wisedome of God, &c. Here hee gives the reason why God hath made the Gospell so opposite and contrary to humane wise­dome, because that the World in the wisedome of God, by wisedome knew not God.

By the World is meant the whole World consi­sting of Jews and Gentiles: To them both, God spake in severall manners, in the morall Law, and visions and apparitions, in the fabrick of Heaven and earth, the subordination of all things to their first cause, &c.

But the World by wisedome knew not God, in these things, in this wise and excellent way suitable to prin­ciples in them which they might have improved, they knew him not, nor glorified him as God, though that which was invisible was manifest, &c.

It pleased God, or seemed good to God: Here the sinne was the abuse of divine wisedome, the punish­ment was the infatuation of humane wisedome; so as by the foolishnesse of preaching, God would save them that beleeve: By that which to carnall and wise men, was the foolishest thing in the Word, the simple and plaine preaching of a crucified Saviour, by that [Page 36] it pleased God to save them that beleeve, that deny­ing their owne wisedome, and renouncing wholly themselves, did beleeve that God could by the most weake, foolish, and unlikely mediums, produce the greatest and most considerable effects.

From this place thus considered, it will evidently follow, that worldly humane wisedome in the know­ledge and judging of God and heavenly things, is a foolish uselesse thing, and that the foolishnesse of preaching, &c. are the meanes of the salvation of the Elect. And that also which I lay especially to the charge of these men, That the Gospel and all Gos­pel Ordinances, as Preaching, Baptisme, &c. are to such worldly men I speak of, no better then foolish­nesse and weaknesse, and therefore as poore and weake things, are despised by them and cast away. No man need seeke farre for reasons, why these things should have that Notion and Character in the spirits and reasonings of men not subjected to the spirit.

Certainely because things indeed spirituall suite with none of their principles, they have nothing they can take their measure by; a man that would judge of any thing, judges by some principles within him: But then againe, because there is a meanes and low­nesse in them, which is abominable to carnall wise­dome, as the washing of Naaman the Leper in Jor­dan: As also because they can see no suitablenesse and correspondence betwene the meanes [...]nd the ef­fect, as Epicurus disputes against the making of the World, where (sayes he) were the Engines, the Lad­ders, what devises to rayse such a mighty building?

But upon what ever ground this may bee, which I purpose not here to inlarge in; no man that consi­ders [Page 37] the premises will deny me this, That to be scan­dalized and offended at the Gospel, Christ crucified, and the Ordinances of Preaching, Baptisme, the Lords Supper (for they hold of the same weaknesse, hold out a dying suffering Christ) is a signe of a car­nall, worldly heart.

But here I must stand the Butt of some Objections which I shall be sure to meet withall, and be ingaged to answer certaine demands, which these pretended spiritualists will be sure to make to me: In the an­swer and consideration of which, that truth which I contend for, will, I hope, be made manifest.

First, therefore it will be sayd, those men that are Object. 1 prejudiced against Ordinances, are not against a cru­cified Christ.

Secondly, that such seeme to be the most spiritu­all of any other.

For the first, they must needs be prejudic'd as well against a crucified Christ, for it is no more weake a [...]d foolish to be baptized in water, or breake bread, according to the institution; then it is to beleeue in a Saviour hanged or crucified.

Secondly, De facto, they are so, and m ke the cru­cifixion of Christ, a kind of figurative allegoricall thing, which was to make such a representation of Gods mind to us, and then to end, not a thing indu­ring and remaining, they make a kind of notionall thing, of all the birth, life, suffering, resurrection, and session in Heaven of Chirst a thing for weake men, and weake times.

Secondly, For their seeming to be most spiritual. Object. 2

By way of answer to that, Answ. I would consider that the Apostle in the second of the Collossians, seemes to [Page 38] forewarne those to whom he writes, of two sorts of errings; the one, about antiquated formes of wor­ship and Jewish ceremonies, which men naturally superstitious, and of a more grosse and dull spirit are apt to bee deluded by; this hee mentions, Verse 16. Let no man therefore judge you in meat and drinke, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new Moone, &c. Which are but the shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Those things which were but shadows, and typicall, are vanisht at the appearing of the bo­dy and substance: The other was about such decep­tions and delusions as men of more raysed and notio­nall spirits were in danger of; of those hee speakes, Ver. 8. Take heed least any man spoyle you, through Philo­sophy and vaine deceit.

There seemes to have been in those dayes, as there are in these, certaine spirits, who not contented with the meannesse and lownesse of the Doctrine of Christ crucifyed, with such Ordinances and administrations as the spirit of God judged proper for the exhi [...] ­ting and making good to us such a Doctrine, would frame a kind of Philosophicall rationall Divinity, savouring rather the spirit of Plato, and Aristotle, then of Jesus Christ, and which being full of uncouth and unusuall expressions, made the people admire what they understood not, and caused that to passe for spirituall (though it were but vaine deceit) which seemed most remote from the common and usuall, though the truest and rightest apprehension. I affirme therefore, that it is but a carnall spiritualli­ty which these men have, and hold out; such as Phi­losophers subtelizing spirituall things with worldly distinctions, and notions, not holding the head, and [Page 39] indeed covering their carnall apprehensions under the name of spirituall; for that which a Socinian calls plainely and more honestly, Humana ratio, that they call the spirit, covering it with a fairer name, but both the one and the other, are transgressours a­like; both philosophating as wildly the one, as the other, about spirituall things, saving that these lat­ter are worse, keeping neither to the forme of whol­some words that the Scripture gives us, nor to prin­ciples of right reason, having this for an unanswer­able cloake when ever they are driven to a wall, that that is dictated to them by the spirit. And I doubt not but that the evill and uncleane spirit is fertile of notions and supplyes, by his suggestions, the irratio­nality of their opinions and practices.

If you aske now why God ordained such mediums as these, Quest. things so unsuitable and unproportionable to the reason and wisedome of men.

I answer, That no flesh should glory in his presence, 1. Answ. Cor. 1.29. Wherefore would God destroy Jericho by the blowing of Rams-hornes, Joshua 6. If all the men of Warre had taken it by an ordinary siege, they would have had the glory, and God would have lost his; but when the walls of a mighty City shall fall downe flat before the blowing of Rams-hornes, and a little instituted ceremony of incompassing it in such a manner, so many dayes, God alone had the glory, and no flesh could glory in his presence, upon the same account in this great worke of salvation (wherein if in any he would intirely have the praise, and is especially jealous least his glory should be gi­ven to another) God hath chosen foolish things, and base things, and weake things, and things which are despised, [Page 40] and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, Verse 27, 28, 29. Such as Christ crucified is, and all the seeming foolish, weake, and low Ordi­nances of Christ, as Preaching, Assembling, Church-fellowship, Baptisme, breaking of bread, &c.

But secondly, God doth this because we are poore, low, and foolish creatures, and God would have us by such things, remembred of it continually. Our bodies are one halfe of us, our soules and bodies make but one person; our bodies as well as our spi­rits, are the temples of the holy Ghost, and yet what pityfull, languishing, needy pieces are they; how do they subsist in a continuall succession of fillings and emptyings, how are they wound up by meate and drinke, and lye fallow by rest; so meane are they, as the Apostle knowes no Epithite more proportion­able to them, then that of Our vile bodies; so are our spirits, weake and foolish things, such as if they were let alone, to runne to the utmost bounds of their owne speculations, would runne out to the greatest vanities and extravagancies, would be vaine in their reasonings, and professing wisedome, would become fooles; therefore like fooles and children, God deales with us: And why doe we not pretend as well that our bodyes should live angelicall lives, without the aydes of food and raiment, as that our soules should not need such Ordinances, and Institutions, for there is the like reason of both, and when our bodies shall not need those aydes, but be as the An­gels, our spirits shall also bee freed from any such tracts or formes of worship, as for the present God hath made our portion and blessing. Though some I heare (wisely in that making the notion go round) [Page 41] say they are in a glorified state also, in respect of the body, and that they doe but seeme to eate or drinke, or doe any other actions of life.

If you aske then, what difference is betweene us and the Jewes, who were under Moses, who had ce­remonies and mediate Ordinances.

I answer, Very much, as much as betweene open-facednesse, and vailing, betweene seeing in a Picture and seeing in a glasse; Quod videtur in speculo non est Image, 'tis the thing it selfe, not the picture or image of it; and therefore the Apostle, speaking of the difference betweene the Jewes and Christians: The vayle (saith he) is over their hearts, but we all with o­pen face behold as in a Glasse the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 13.18. But the same Apostle speaking of our pre­sent state, with the times that are to come, sayes, That we see as a childe, and understand as a childe, and that we see through a glasse and in a riddle, but then face to face; and the seeing on this manner is to continue till Prophecy shall fayle and tongues shall cease and know­ledge shall vanish away: I thinke, in this life there is no body that will deny that there is use of ability in tongues, of the gifts of science or knowledge, and prophesie, which are of great use to the people of God, for the begetting them to the faith, and for their building up as long as is use of faith or hope, but when we come to live by sight and not by faith, to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.7. Then, and not before, tongues, prophesies, faith, and hope, shall cease together; then wee shall know as we are knowne and not in part, and shall see no longer through a glasse, darkly, but face to face, 1 Cor. 13. That is, all those eclipsing mediutus, which are pro­per, [Page 42] and necessary to this state whilst we are in the body, and in this earthly Tabernacle shall vanish to­gether, and there will be a seeing and converse with God, more raysed, and more divine, then wee can now conceive of: In a word, every body will easily, I conceive, discerne the vast difference of these Or­dinances, from those of old, by considering the dif­ference of the two Covenants, and the glory of the Gospell, from what was that of the Law; as for Prophesie or Preaching, common to us, with the Jewes, it holds out the whole mind of God in Christ, the great mystery of godlinesse, God manifested in the flesh, gives us that in history and accomplish­ment, which the Jewes that lived under another Co­venant had but darkly in predictions and types, they but a shadow and not the image, Heb. 10. Now we see the things have more then the image, as I sayd, that which is seene in a glasse is not the image; 'tis the thing, and as this is true of prophesying or preach­ing, so there will be found to be the same reason of other administrations, those wee call Sacraments, Baptisme, and breaking of bread, which is the ad­ministration of the same Gospell to us, by the me­diation of other senses; therefore these Ordinan­ces have the same advantage over the Sacraments of the Law, that the Gospell it selfe hath over the Law, corfirmes to our faith by the mediation of other senses all the riches and glory of the Gospell, and what ever revelation the spirit of God makes to us therein, seales to us that in history, and performed, which was darkly before represented in types, and God having made himselfe visible now at last in his Sonne, makes his Son and all his beauties and glories [Page 43] visible to us in his Ordinances, the holy Ghost speak­ing to our senses, by the mediation of words, or things, or signes of the same efficacy, with words set apart for that purpose, the great mystery of the Gos­pell. But lastly, and particularly to those two Or­dinances of Baptisme and breaking of bread (which besides other things, holds forth to us directly and immediately the death and sufferings of Christ) why may it not be thought that our Lord hath parti­cularly instituted these to keepe fresh to us for our comfort and his honour, that great love wherewith he loved us when hee gave himselfe for us to death, which the Scripture magnifies and values so much as to give it for the highest instance of the love of God the Father; God so loved the World that he gave his one­ly begotten Sonne, 1 John 3. and also of the greatest and highest engagement of our love to him. 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Christ constraineth us: Now this which speakes Gods love so much, and ingages ours so fully, and which in respect of the condition of our state in this life is of so great concernment, God would have kept fresh to us, by most visible and sen­sible demonstrations, and the rather to prevent and meet with the ingratitude of unworthy men, who after they have served their turne of him, fling away Christ crucified, as an element as beggerly as any of those Ordinances which represent it, and under I know not what vanity or pride of notion, cast that behind their backs, which Paul in his preaching de­sired especially to know and manifest, 1 Cor. 2.2. Thus much for what I thought to say to this head concern­ing the difference betweene us and the Jewes in our formes of worship and ministration.

Object. But if any shall bee yet unsatisfied with this, as pretending after a more spirituall converse with God then is suitable to such Ordinances of preach­ing, Baptisme, Church fellowshippe, breaking of bread, &c.

Answ. 1 I answer first, That for some part of these, to wit, Prophecy, or Preaching, neither God, nor the Devil, will easily part with that under any notion whatsoe­ver; not God, because by the foolishnesse of preach­ing hee saves them that beleeve, it is a mighty Ordi­nance in his hands for the converting and building up his in the faith and knowledge of him; nor the Devill, what ever in a kind of gallantry he or such as are acted by him may pretend to, for he would want the most proper, and naturall, and easie medium to diffuse and propagate his lyes; and therefore when I have heard of some who having prophesied noto­rious lyes in the name of the Lord, have by the same spirit of lying fayned themselves in the state of the resurrection, and that therefore they were to pray and preach no more; I alwayes sayd, before the e­vent proved it true, that for the businesse of preach­ing I would undertake they should not long refraine that, what ever became of other things, for as much as the Devill would not long loose that mighty en­gine of diffusing his principles, and accordingly these persons have beene since the most constant and diligent Preachers, and the Devill hath not beene wanting to his usuall methods of transforming him­selfe into an Angell of light, and mingling abomina­ble lyes with seeming raysed, and high, and spirituall expressions, that the one may be set of, and take bet­ter by the ayde and assistance of the other.

Then if prophesying, or preaching, or conference, which are of the same nature will be allowed by these men that are scandalized at the foolishnesse of Ordi­nances; why not Baptisme, breaking of bread, and the rest, which are no more foolish, nor no more carnall then the other; for cannot the holy spirit speake as spiritually and as effectually by these Hie­roglyphick's of its institution, as by the words and reasonings of any man? Cannot it tell you the love of the great God, the merits of the death of Christ, what conformity and assimilation God expects from you to your head, with all the rest of those things, wherein these Ordinances instruct you, as well as by the words or reasonings of any man, which unlesse the spirit informe and inliven it, is as dull and improper to convey spirituall things to us, and in it selfe as low and carnall as any other medium you can imagine?

This being granted, as it cannot be denied, they who will admit of prophesying or preaching or con­ference which goe all under one head, cannot deny any of the rest, Church-fellowship, Church-asssem­bling, Baptisme, breaking of bread, &c. to be pro­per an [...] fit mediums for Gods convaying himselfe to us in any piece of spirituall knowledge or manifesta­tion, for since it is the holy spirit that must doe all that is done in us, and upon us, for good, the holy spirit hath and can make as good use of these me­diums and preach to us upon that text as well as upon the word, or expressions, or reasonings of any man whatsoever, and it is as proper and suitable to that blessed spirit to speake to us by things, as by words, &c. Words in themselves and in their letter are [Page 46] as carnall and unfit for our spirituall edification, as any thing you can imagine.

This answer therefore is a Pari, if you will allow of preaching or conferences (which as I said none will be found to denie long) there will be no good reason to reprobate or reject Baptisme, breaking of bread, Church-fellowship, or the rest, as things in their nature improper and unspirituall; for whate­ver reason comes from institution we shall examine that afterwards.

Answ. 2 But then secondly, for those who would lay aside these mediums as things more carnall and bodily then befits their state (whether wilfully or ignorantly they deceive themselves and others) I would intreat them to consider how they come to apprehend any things spirituall, or whether whilst they are in the body, whilst their soules live in these houses of clay, they can reason, understand (by which spirituall impres­sions are conveyed) without the ayde and assistance of the body: For though God hath this prehemi­nence effectually to inlighten the understanding, and determine the will in respect of the event, which no creature, man, or Angell, can doe; yet the way by which he accommodates hims [...]e to us in the doing of these things is still humane more, and after the rate and, proportion of our weaknesses, as wee are able and fitted to receive things being in the body, and in this mixt, lame, and imperfect state in which wee are, when Gods speaks to us by men or things, it is alwaies by the mediation of our externall senses, but when hee goes another way to worke, it is not with­out the body, but by the mediation of phantasmes either formerly received, or newly injected (which [Page 47] God can doe, though perhaps neither men nor An­gels can) he represents objects to our understand­ings and wills, which take and move us as it peaseth him to give the blessing; so as you cannot contem­plate nor meditate, nor reason, nor thinke of God, without the assistance and use of the body, nor re­ceive impressions from him upon your understand­ing, and will, and affections, but by the same way. It is therefore grosse ignorance in men, as it is in the most (assisted and improved by pride) or wilful­nesse, which makes them subject to these mistakes to judge that converse with God unholy and unspiri­tuall which is administred to us by the mediation of Ordinances, which are outward and subjected to our senses.

But then thirdly, I would have these men consi­der the true nature and reason of this word spirituall, Answ. 3 as it stands in order to the discourse wee have in hand.

The notion of spirituall lies not in this, that one is more raised and improved in parts then another, as when the French say, C'est vn homme bien spirituel, they meane a man of good parts, or of a raised spi­rit: Though I very much feare that this goes farre for spirituall with many, and a great deale of that language and converse which is called spirituall, is nothing but the expressions of men of a more raised reason, or exoticke and extravagant fancy, which because the language is unusual goes amongst a great many ignorant and well meaning men for spirituall, as appeares by their inordinate affecting certaine preachings and writings, which a sober, holy, and in­deed spirituall man would looke upon with other [Page 48] eyes. Wherein the lucke is, that such kind of Au­thors are best and most readily understood, by those who as the Apostle saith, are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, which suites very happily with such Teachers, who as the same Apostle saith, Know neither what they say, nor wherof they affirme. Spiritualnesse therefore lies not in the fol­lowing or affecting such Preachers, or Authors, or wayes as come under a shew of raised or improved reason or fancy.

Nor doth it lye in this, that such waies or wor­ship are more proportionable or more suitable to the guise and fashion of the next, or a more raised state: If any one could by the spirit of prophesie or divine revelation, peepe into another World, and see what the converse of that shall be, such a search would be of excellent use to us as it was to the Pro­phets of old, who inquired and searched diligently after the times that were to come, 1 Pet. 1.10. But would be no warrant to alter or change from the way of life, or worship of the present state; for then Jeroboam had hit it, though not in his end perhaps, yet in the thing, who by altering the times and places of wor­ship did but anticipate Gospell practice, when it should be lawfull every where and at all times and seasons to offer up sacrifices acceptable and agreea­ble to God. Then also it had beene more spirituall in the last state, or times of the Jew [...]s, to signifie Christs death by breaking of bread, then by slaying of Oxen, or by worshipping God without Preistly adornments and ceremonies, rather then with them. Some of the Prophets, Isaiah particularly, and David saw farre into the way of that state that [Page 49] was then to come, yet neither did the one nor the o­ther nor any of the holy Prophets disswade from the practice of the ceremonies or ordinances of that time, though such as the Apostle since hath called beggarly rudiments, but incouraged and exhorted still to the constant persevering in them, onely blam­ed them when they were alone without holinesse of life and conversation, and faith in God, which they all tended to and taught, who of all the Prophets understood the way of a spirituall converse more then David, as appeares by his frequent calling upon the spirit, bemoaning the absense of glorying in the enjoyment of it, and yet this excellent and spiri­tuall David thought it not a carnall and unspirituall thing to converse with God in the Ordinances of that state wherein he lived, though he saw so clearly and happily into another and better, but longed after the ceremonious worship of those times, and envied even the condition of the Sparrowes that found a resting in Gods house, and by Gods Altar, from which he was excluded.

And if we consider it particularly, how absurd would such a thing be, the wise God hath fitted the liquour to the vessell, our way of converse with him in things spirituall according to our present recep­tive faculty, how ridiculous would it be to suite the garment of a man to a childs body, or because a child hath a principle in him that is rationall, to labour in that uncapable age to improve that principle by ra­tionall discourses and discipline: So and much more absurd and vaine is it to suite and proportion the converse of a future and more raised state to the lownesse and incapacity of a former and more weake [Page 50] and childish one; yet nothing is more frequently done by these men wee have beene speaking of, by which meanes it fals out that being wholy unfit for the converse of a more excellent and future state, and neglecting and sleighting that way of converse which God hath made their portion for the present, they loose the blessing of their present state, and all those influences which God conveyes to us, by me­diums of his owne fitting, and in stead of increasing in light which they so much pretend to, they grow vaine in their imaginations, and have their foolish hearts darkened (as their abominable and cursed opinion evidently makes appeare) by that Prince of darknesse who transformes himselfe into an Angell of light. So that to conclude, it is the word of institution for the present state in which we live, that gives the notion of spiritualnesse to Ordinances, and actions, and neither the vanity of our reasonings, nor a pretend­ed or reall sight into the state of those times that are to come.

Coroll.To all this, and as a Corollary to this discourse, I would adde this, That never any state or way of worship was changed without a very great visibility and notoriety to those whom it concerned. When by the hands of Moses there was but a graduall change, and a greater formalizing of the worship of the same Covenant; no man will denie me, but that it was by the appointment of God made so visible and so publike, as there was nothing left of obscuri­tie or doubtfulnesse in it: Moses the Minister of so great a change, was a man who had his Letters of cre­dence from Heaven, written in the most visible Cha­racters; a man that wrought ordinarily, many and [Page 51] great miracles, that was owned by God by many hea­venly apparitions: and yet besides all this, when the rule of life and worship was given, God himselfe tal­ked to them from Heaven, as he sayes, Exod. 20.22. and after the greatest preparation of the people for receiving those heavenly Oracles, that there might be no doubt but that they were from God; Mount Sinai (whither the people assembled) was altogether in a smoake, because the Lord descended upon it in fire, and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a Fur­nace, and the whole mount quaked greatly, and when the voyce of the Trumpet sounded long and waxed lowder and lowder, God answered him by a voyce, Verse 18, 19. Of which voice of God the people were so assured, As they besought Moses that he would speake with them, and that God might not speake with them least they dye, Exod. 20.19. So as though afterwards they proved a stiff­necked people, who having received the Law by the disposition of Angells did not keepe it, Acts 7.51, 53. Yet no man could pretend their ignorance of the mind of God, or that the forme appointed to them by Moses was not of Divine institution and com­mand.

In like manner when those Ceremonies and that way of worship was to cease, and a new and a very different administration both of Doctrine and wor­ship was to be in the World, the wisedome of God judged it meet (as before) to give the World a good account of it, that no man might justly pretend ig­norance in a thing of that great moment and con­cernment; and although the World (the Jewes e­specially to whom the first addresses were made) were particularly prepared for it by a long series [Page 52] and consent of prophesies which told them of very famous and notable changes, which had formed their spirits to a steady and earnest expectation of them, yet God intending to make a greater change in the World then was before, used a greater Minister then Moses, having therefore formerly contented himselfe to speake by the Prophets, He spake unto us now by his Sonne, whom he appointed heyre of all things, and by whom he made the World; and that we might be obliged to heare him, and to receive from his mouth this new Series of Doctrine and Ceremonies which have been the rule of our Faith and Worship ever since, it pleased God to declare this Sonne of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrecti­on from the dead; and to anoynt others (according to their measure) with the same spirit of holinesse which should be under Ministers, to this great Shep­herd of our soules, and which by most reall and mighty signes and miracles should confirme that Doctrine, and those institutions of Worship which he brought from Heaven and gave unto the World. So as this change was most visible to all, manifested not onely to the reason and faith of men, but to their very senses, so as no man could pretend ignorance, or reason of doubting, so as the f [...]ult must rest in their will, they would not come to him that they might have life, and they loved darknesse rather then light, be­cause their deeds were evill. Yea, our Lord appeales to his workes and miracles, and sayes, that if he had not done, amongst them the workes that never any man did, they had beene without sinne, but now they had no cloake nor no excuse: Thus it hath pleased God to deale with us when ever he hath given a rule of Faith [Page 53] or worship, or hath shaken and removed old forms of administration (which were the tracts and wayes in which he hath met his people, and communicated of himselfe to them) he hath ever given such visible and sensible testimonies of these things to the World, as was fit to give a generall and full satisfa­ction, that such was undoubtedly the pleasure and will of God in things of so great moment and con­cernment.

Now that Christians in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles, and since to these very times have been possessed of certaine Ordinances and formes of worship, such as Preaching, Conference, Baptisme, breaking of bread, and to comprehend all these un­der one head, Church-fellowship, in all its admini­strations of gifts and offices (though with much variation in the way & reason of administring these things) I thinke no body will deny.

But where (in the name of God I aske it) are those Divine Warrants which formerly have not been wanting to these cases made manifest and visi­ble to us, as formerly by mighty miracles, by the voyce of God, or the Sonne of God from Heaven (as formerly still) which should destroy that was built, and make such changes our duty, which else without them would be the highest and greatest Sa­criledge.

I appeale to God and man, whether any such things be or no; nay I dare be bold to say it in the Name of God, to all holy and rationall men, that there hath no such thing been, and that what ever hath been held out for any such mighty change and alteration for the present hath been nothing but an [Page 54] absurd and ridiculous allegorizing, of certaine pas­sages of Scripture, which very Scripture, these men that would destroy Ordinances, looke upon gene­rally, with as ill an eye as they doe on any of the rest of these formes, as they call them, but find good to make use of it now and then, for the more assured deceiving of themselves and others: I say there ha­ving been no such mighty and visible and authentick warrant for this change as becomes so great a busi­nesse, and as formerly God hath been used to give in things of this nature, nor nothing like it, nor no­thing at all, but the bold vanity and speculation of some men which would intrude their reasonings and revelations as good Gospel upon the world; I hope we shall learne to be sober, Not to be wise above what is written, nor to thinke that God hath altered or quitted all his methods in matters of so great mo­ment and concernment to the World, because it is suitable and agreeable to the fancies of a few men, the principall and most leading of which have been sufficiently deceived to the view of all men in those things wherein they have most avowedly and confi­dently interested the name and authority of God himselfe, and of whom I will be bold to say, that the best and ingenious excuse their owne frie [...]ds and followers can make for them is, that they are in some degree of madnesse and distraction.

This I would spare to affirme, but that it is no­toriously knowne, and it is sit also that the judge­ments of God should be knowne, and that the hand of God is eminently out against those who fear not the curse of adding to, or taking away, and either out of the vanity of their owne reasonings, or from Dia­bolicall [Page 55] inspirations are bold with him in things of so great concernment as are the utter racing and taking away of Gospell Ordinances, and Institu­tions.

Having sayd what I intended about the nature of Ordinances in generall, and the reason of their con­tinuance, I shall labour now more particularly to vindicate from that contempt and scorne which is put upon it by some men, the Ordinance of Bap­tisme, not onely to rescue that Institution from the violence that is offered to it, but by an illustrious instance in one of the same kind with the rest, and one at this time more opposed and undermined then any, to give a further account and shew more cause for the abiding and continuing with us of all the rest.

There hath been a great and much agitated contro­versie betweene the Papists and those of the reform­ed Religion concerning the identity and efficacy of Johns Baptisme (as it is called) compared with Christ; The Papists thundering Anathemaes a­gainst them who shall affirme the Baptisme of John to have the same vertue and power with that of Christs: Those of the reformed Religion on the o­ther side are generally of opinion, that the Ministry of John was the the same that was after delega­ted to the Apostles, and that the Baptisme of John was the same which was administred after by the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord, and which by the command of Christ was to be propagated into all the World, and all Nations to be Baptized with it.

This controversie though in the tearmes of it, it [Page 56] remaines much the same, yet in sense and meaning it is exceedingly changed by some men of this genera­tion, who would have us beleeve that there is no use of Water in the Baptisme of Christ (that belong­ing onely to Johns Ministry, the last terme of which was the Ascention of Christ) but that Christs Bap­tisme and the rule and Institution of it, Matth. 28.29. Goe teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c, is not to plung and dip them in cold Water, as John did his Disciples, But baptize them or dip them into the Name of God the Father, Sonne, and Spirit; that is (to use their owne words) by tne Ministry which shall be of the Spirit, and not of the Letter, You shall Baptize them, or dip them, or interest them into the Name of God, who is the Father, Sonne, and Spirit, or sprinkle his Name upon them, that they may be holy, just, true, mercifull, righteous, good, &c. The drift of all is (as they affirme distinctly) to exclude Water Baptisme, in lieu of which as a thing contradistinct, they would bring you in Spirit Baptisme.

To make this good, they draw most of their best weapons out of the Popish Quiver, in the disputes betweene us and them, of the difference of Johns Baptisme from that of Christs, though they manage them to a quite other purpose then they meant them, for we and they differ about the efficacy of Baptisme by Water; they (the Papists) affirming that Bap­tisme doth ex opere operato, conferre grace; that is, by the force and vertue of its administration with­out any respect to the foregoing Faith and Repen­tance in the party baptized, in which respect they preferre it to the Baptisme of John administred also by Water; but these would have us beleeve that [Page 57] there is no such thing remaining to Christians as Baptisme by water: When therefore I say they have helped themselves by these borrowed arguments to shew that the baptisme of Christ and that of John are two things, and abused the Popish arguments to their owne ends, then with many a specious flou­rish they acquaint you with the excellency of spirit Baptisme above water Baptisme, wherein as in a Theame very easie they make a great flourish, and shew us (forsooth) how much the efficacy of the spirit is more then water, which (for honour sake no doubt) ever and anon they call cold water, and so at length conclude with that which all the premises drive at, that all outward and carnall and earthly things are put to an end (in which number all out­ward administrations are contained) by the inward spirituall and heavenly things of a better and second testament. In which how little sincerely and faith­fully they deale with holy Ordinances, and the great Master and Institutor of them, Jesus Christ, by im­posing their Apocryphall novelties upon the people under the specious title of a more raysed and spiri­tuall administration, as I have in part shewed alrea­dy more generally in the preceding discourse, so I shall endeavour more particularly in the vindica­tion of the Ordinance of Baptisme to make ma­nifest.

For my owne part, I have thought that the diffe­rence of Johns and Christs Baptisme was not very considerable, for we, by the acknowledgment of all, injoying Christs baptisme, it was of lesse moment to know what the difference of the two Baptismes were if there were any.

But as it comes stated to us by new hands (and it is the particular credit of errour that it is new) there is nothing more considerable, since by vertue of that distinction of Johns and Christs Baptisme, they would utterly take away the Ordinance of Baptisme it selfe, and by a like reason all the rest, which with so much comfort and edification the Saints of God have knowne how to use as pledges of love, and paths and tracts of Communion with God in Jesus Christ, without adoreing them or putting them in Gods place; though I confesse according to what our corruption is, that is not without danger, but it is the part of good and wise men to reform errour without overthrowing foundations; on the other side, folly ever rests in the extremities to which the Devill drives it.

That there is a Gospell, New Testament, Bap­tisme, that these men will grant, and that it is par­ticularly held out in these places, Matth. 28.19, 20. and Marke 16.15, 16. The words of Matthew are Goe teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Sonne, and holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and so I am with you unto the end of the World. To say here that Christ might mean baptisme by water, of which ceremony there should be an end within a certaine time, is to contradict the expresse words of the Scripture, that sayes he will be with them in these things unto the end of the World, and they may with as good reason prefix a time to the ending of Faith and Hope, or any Christian grace or Ordinance according to their owne fancies, or pleasures, or to Preaching also, since Preaching and Baptisme are here put together.

But some would Philosophate more subtlely and tell you, that by baptizing here, is not meant dip­ping or plunging in water, in the Name of the Fa­ther, &c. But to Baptize them, or dip them, or interest them into the Name of God, or sprinkling his Name up­on them, that they may be holy, just, mercifull, righteous, good. But besides that this is boldly affirmed, how ridiculous and absurd it is, you will easily see; bold­ly, because in a thing of this moment, upon a ba [...]e affirmation, without any proofe, they goe against what hath been the sense of all ages, and of all men if you will judge of their sense as we must needs doe by their preachings and by their practice; but ridi­culous I say also, and absurd it is. The words are, wee know, Goe teach all Nations, or disciple them, [...], and then Baptize them, that is, first make them Disciples, first make them beleevers, and then baptize them; therefore in Marke, the place before quoted, Hee that beleeves and is baptized, shall bee saved.

According to this word of Institution and com­mand, yee have exactly the Apostolicall practice (and this I dare affirme, there can be no better way of finding out the nature of any Ordinance then by comparing the practice with the Institution.) The practice you will find in severall places, particularly, Acts 8.34, 35. When Philip had Preacht to the Eunuch, Jesus, and the Ordinance of Baptisme, as it appeares, because the Eunuch demands it instantly upon the sight of water, Philip tells him the condi­tion of Baptisme, which was beleeving in Christ with all his heart, which when the Eunuch affirmes he did, Philip, according to the command of our Lord, [Page 60] went downe into the water with him, and baptized him: Where you have the institution run parallell with the practice as exactly as is possible.

I shall name but one place more amongst many, which is that of the 10 of the Acts, where, after that Peter had Preached largely to Cornelius and his Fami­ly, the Lord Jesus, and the great things of the Gos­pell through him, and that their Faith which was the condition of Baptisme, was gloriously manifested by the powring down of the holy Ghost upon them, Peter puts them presently upon baptisme, as the se­cond piece of his Commission, which was to bap­tize those which by his Preaching were made Disci­ples, and did beleeve, and therefore commanded them to be baptized in water.

Thus you have the rule verifyed in the practice, and there is no Comment so good upon the rule or precept, as Apostolicall practice.

I have sayd before, that this forced interpretation was bold, as you may see it further evidently, by what hath been last sayd in the exact corresponden­cy betweene the rule and practice; but you will ea­sily see it also foolish, for I beseech you what is that which denominates any man holy, just, and good, but beleeving in God through Christ? And what is it to be a Disciple, or to be a Christian, but to be all that? He that beleeveth, and is made a Disciple, is baptized or interested, as they call it, into the Name of God and is made holy, just, true, righteous, mercifull, good, which is all that they understand by Baptisme ex­pressed in these places; then if beleeving, or being made a Disciple, be all that, that interpretation which they would inforce upon these places is no­thing [Page 61] but a loathsome and absurd tautology, thus; indoctrinate, teach or Disciple all Nations; that is, make them holy, just, righteous, good, mercifull, &c. interest them in God (for that no question they are when they are made Disciples and beleeve) and then baptize them; that is, make them holy, just, righteous, good, interest them in God; or as it is Mark, Chap. 16. vers. 15, 16. Preach the Gospell to e­very Creature, he that beleeveth, that is, is interested in God, is made holy, just, good, mercifull, &c. And is baptized; that is, is interested in God, is made ho­ly, just, good, mercifull, &c. shall be saved. What a monstrous and absurd thing is this new exposition to make the holy Scriptures speake not onely any thing to the gingle of our owne fancies, but even the most abominable and loathsome tautologies and Nonsence.

Things thus stated, I am not solicitous about that question concerning Johns baptisme, whether in all respects it be the same with that, concerning which Christ Commissioned his Disciples, and was used by the Apostles after the Ascension of our Lord; that is, whether it were generally of that efficacy and vertue before the Ascension of Christ, as after; which is the question as it lyes betweene us and the Papists: but as it is urged by these men, that Christs or the Gospel-Baptisme, had not the same ceremo­ny, especially in respect of the same Element of wa­ter, with that which they call Johns baptisme, can never be made out by any one argument of theirs; on the other side I take it to bee sufficiently made out already (though it will be more also in the exa­mination of particular objections) that the Gos­pell [Page 62] baptisme which was by vertue of the Apostoli­call Commission to continue, as the Preaching of the Word, unto the end of the World, was admini­stred by water.

To come now to their arguments, and particular­ly as I finde them layd downe by a namelesse Au­thor, who boasts to have been the first that broacht this Doctrine; but if none will contend with him for the glory of this, there are those that will not yeeld an inch to him in things of as great and consi­derable revel [...]tion, if to make themselves God, or calling themselves the Lord of Hosts, be things of as great and high a nature as this. This you must carry along with you, that the great businesse is to prove that Christs baptisme is not by water: He affirms therefore, as an argument to confirme his premises, that Johns Baptisme and Christs were distinct in their appellations; What will then follow? Ergo, Christs baptisme was not administred by water? Ab­surd, Where lyes the consequence, or what Logick will inforce it?

But to goe on, Was not Circumcision I beseech you, a leading Ceremony in Moses Law, in as much as all the worshippers of that Covenant were styled the Circumcision: it belonged properly and parti­cularly, and was the great Ordinance of the Mosaicall Law, as you may find, Acts 21.21. where the prime instance of forsaking Moses, was, not to be circumci­sed, and that also, Gal. 5.3. Who ever is circumcised is a Debter to doe the whole Law: This notwithstand­ing, Christ sayes, Circumcision was not of Moses, but of the Fathers. So Baptisme by water is a lead­ing and principall Ordinance to Christians, as Cir­cumcision [Page 63] was to the Jewes, and yet in the same sense may it be sayd to be not of Christ, but of John, that is, hee whom it pleased God to make use of in the first administration of it, was John.

I beseech you, is not the Law of the Old Cove­nant as often called Moses Law, as Baptisme is the Baptisme of John, doth that make Moses therefore the Author or Institutor of that Law, as a thing di­stinct from the Law of God.

In like manner, calling Baptisme by the name of Johns baptisme, doth by no meanes conclude, that it should not be Christian, and Gospell baptisme.

Secondly, our Author alleadgeth, that the Scrip­ture affirmes that Christs baptisme was to follow Johns, not to goe along with it at the same time, I have Baptized you with water, but he shall Baptize you, excellent, therefore Christs Baptisme was not by water, because it was to follow in time; this Logick is as new as his so much boasted of notion.

In other places, as Matth. 3.11. and Luke 3.16. John sayth, I doe Baptize you with water; In Marke yee have it, I have Baptized you with water, and hee shall Baptize you, &c. Mark 18. It seemes here ap­parently, that John describes the course of his Mini­stry, which was to administer the outward Element, and to give Christ his part, which was to doe the spirituall worke, therefore when hee sayes, hee hath, he doth not meane that he will doe it no more, and when he sayes, hee doth, it doth not exclude the times past, but speakes as I say of the proper course and parts of his Ministry.

Againe, for that of Christ, Hee shall Baptize, the future is often put for the present, parti ularly in [Page 64] the Hebrew Idiom, when perpetuity or continua­tion is designed, Psal. 1. He shall bring forth his fruit in his season, Why not here he shall baptize, for hee doth baptize; that is, hath this worke or office to baptize with the spirit: Besides, John 1.33. yee have it in the Present Tense affirmed of Christ, This is he that Baptizeth with the holy Ghost.

But then it is told us out of Acts 1.4, 5. he com­manded them they should waite for the promise of the Father, Ob. For John Baptized with water, but yee shall be baptized with the holy Ghost not many dayes hence, ac­cording to what John sayes of himselfe, I Baptize you with water, but hee shall Baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire: Therefore Johns baptisme was the baptisme of water, and Christs the baptisme of the spirit, and so not one but severall baptismes.

Answer, Answ. I doe not speake still of the efficacy of baptisme, but of the Ceremony or Element. It is certaine that here is not a distinction of baptismes, but of Baptizers, I Baptize yeu with water, but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost: Therefore when John sayes, I Baptize you with water, hee doth not handle that point, what his baptisme was, but what hee was himselfe, to the end that they should not attribute to him that which was proper to Christ; for so ye have it, Matth. 3.11. Hee that commeth after me is migh­tier then I, whose shooes I am not worthy to loose, he shall Baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire. So here yee have what is the vertue of John, or of the Minister in baptizing, and what of Christ: This distinction is common to the New Testament, and runnes through the whole course of the Ministry, I have planted, A­pollo watered, but God gave the increase: No Minister [Page 65] ever gave the holy Ghost, ever baptized with the ho­ly Ghost and fire, that was Christs part: So as when ever baptisme is administred, the Power and Ministry are to bee distinguished. The Power is Christs, the Ministry Johns, or any other man qualifyed for it. The baptisme of the Minister is externall, confer­ring but the signe, that of Christ internall, conferring the thing signifyed: and because John who had so great an opinion amongst the Apostles, was to de­crease, and our Lord to increase, therefore Christ in­stances in him, in this place of the first of the Acts, in opposition to his part in the Ministry.

But last of all, I aske any man, whether men were not baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire, be­fore that time, for first the Apostles were baptized with the holy Ghost before that, the Saints and Be­leevers were sanctifyed, and regenerated, and made holy before then, which is all these men would have to be that Ordinance, so as things were not annexed and affixed to that famous sending downe of the holy Ghost in the shape of fiery tongues, but was before long, during all the course of the administration of baptisme, though perhaps not with that efficacy and fulnesse, and glory, as after; for so it is true that the holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet gloryfied: So as clearly this place of the Acts holds out the excellency and glory of Christs admi­nistration, in respect of all under-Ministers, and par­ticularly in respect of John, who being the first Mi­nister of baptisme, had a peculiar honour from it, and the whole Church here was spiritually baptized as in a type; the Apostles receiving eminently the holy Ghost, not for themselves but for the Churches.

This extraordinary administration, Luke (as Cal­vin observes) improperly, that, is out of the ordi­nary signification, calls Baptisme (for baptisme pro­perly signifies Immersion) to the end that the Anti­thesis and opposition between Christ and John might bee intyre; by the same reason as Paul after hee had mentioned the Law of workes, to the end that the Antithesis might lye on both sides, saith, The Law of Faith, Rom. [...].27.

After this, wee have a new Interpretation framed upon Acts 19. where we are made beleeve that those twelve Disciples found to be baptized onely by Johns baptisme, were baptized againe in the name of Christ, and this baptisme into the Name of Christ, he sayes was not the repeating of any water, but meerely the gift of the spirit: This as the rest is boldly affirmed, but where lyes his proofe, or how doth hee make it out? It is most probable (as it hath beene taken by all to this day) that if this were another baptisme, or a repetition of baptisme, it was by water, as well as in severall other places in the Acts, where any are sayd to be baptized, hee himselfe understands it by water, why not as well here? But truely I am of opi­nion with those that thinke that Paul did not here command any to bee baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, which were already baptized with the baptisme of John, but rather taught that those who had received Johns baptisme were rightly baptized into Christ, and therefore had no need of any new, or other baptisme: It is very probable notwithstan­ding that from this place did either arise, or was confirmed in many, the opinion of the difference of these two baptismes of John and Christ; though as [Page 67] it is now stated to us by our namelesse Author, hee, for any thing I shall say to the contrary, shall have the honour of the novelty of it.

But to consider the place a little particularly, Paul being come to Ephesus found certaine Disciples, which afterwards, Ver. 7. are sayd to be about twelve, he presently askes them if they had received the ho­ly Ghost since they beleeved? The sense must cer­tainely be (as it will appeare by what followes) have yee received the gifts of the holy Ghost, which or­dinarily accompanied faith and baptisme in those dayes, according to that in the Acts, Repent and bee Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus (which our Author will not deny, I suppose, to bee administred by water) and yee shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost, and according to that, Gal. 3.2. Received you the spi­rit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of Faith; also Verse 5. He that ministreth the spirit and worketh miracles among you; where they are joyned together as things of a kind. Besides, being Christians, and having beleeved, they could not want the spirit of God regenerating, and sanctifying, for no man can say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the spirit, there­fore it must needs be meant of those extraordinary gifts which were peculiar to those times as an effect of beleeving and baptizing, and yet not common to all.

They answered simply, as the thing was, and par­ticularly to his question, that they had not so much as heard whether there were an holy Ghost or no. The sense whereof must cleerly be, that they were ignorant of the holy Ghost or knew not whether there were any such thing or no, to wit, as he was then visible or ex­hibited [Page 68] to beleevers, in miraculous, and extraordina­ry gifts, for else being Christians they felt the power of the holy Ghost, and being Jewes as they were, they knew that there was a holy Ghost by ma­ny Scriptures, Psal. 51. Lord take not thy holy spirit from me; also in the 1 Kings 22. Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to speake to thee; also Isa. 11. The spirit of the Lord was upon him. So as the sense must needs as I have sayd bee understood of the gifts of the spirit, scil. to speake with tongues, prophecy, and the like, for they are sayd to receive the holy Ghost which are adorned with any new or extra­ordinary gift.

Having received an answer of this question, hee presently subjoynes another, and askes them, Ver. 3. Unto what then they were baptized? which follows very pertinently the other, [...]or as he tooke it for granted, that baptisme immediatly followed beleeving, so the administration of spirituall gifts, called receiving the holy Ghost, or the gifts of the holy Ghost, or­dinarily accompanyed baptisme, sometimes before it, as a witnesse they were worthy of baptisme; as in Cornelius and his Family, Chap. 10. sometimes after baptisme, as to the Apostles, yea and our Lord him­selfe received the holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove immediately after the receit of baptisme.

Having therefore asked them how they were ini­tiated into Christian Religion; that is, by whom was that ceremony administred, or how or to what purpose were they baptized? They answer, that they were baptized into Johns baptisme; which was pro­per enough, signifying that they in baptisme pro­fessed the Doctrine taught by John, sealed to them [Page 69] by the administration of that Ordinance, but other­wise their progresse was not great, as having neither heard Christ himselfe, nor his Apostles. The like of which was sayd of Apollo, that he knew onely the Bap­tisme of John, Chap. 18.25. being instructed, or as Beza reads it, initiated in the way of the Lord, know­ing little or nothing more of Christ then what John preached, and sealed with his baptisme.

So as to be baptized into any ones baptisme, as in this place, into the baptisme of John, signifies to professe, and by the receiving of baptisme to imbrace the Doctrine which John preached and sealed with that signe, the preposition [...] signifying the finall cause.

And indeed baptisme seemes to have a threefold signification, one proper, which signifies immersion or dipping, which from the effect is also called ab­lution, or washing: The other two translation [...], as when it is taken for powring out the gifts of the holy Ghost, or when it is taken for the Doctrine which John delivered with the seale and ceremony ac­companying it, as when it is sayd, that Apollos knew nothing but the baptisme of John, for new Doctrines had new Ceremonies accompanying them. After this in the next Verses, scil. 4, 5, 6. Paul was so farre from bidding them to bee baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus, that hee taught them rather that those who had received Johns baptisme were duely baptized into Christ, and therefore had no need of a new baptisme, but rather as a consequence and due of it, might receive the gifts of the holy Ghost. For the fourth and fifth Verses are spoken by Paul, gi­ving a right account and narrative of the baptisme [Page 70] of John with the ground of it, whereas the fourth Verse, is commonly taken to be spoken by Paul to those Ephesians, but the fifth to bee spoken by Luke, shewing what followed the word of Paul: whereas it plainely appeares by the Particles, [...], which are adversative, that both those Verses were spoken by Paul.

Verse 4. Iohn verely baptized, &c. Verse. 5. But when they heard this, His vero auditis, so as both these expressions were Pauls, teaching that those who ha­ving heard Iohn had received baptisme, were baptiz­ed into the Name of Christ, that is, as before were consecrated or dedicated by baptisme unto Christ. Then Verse 6. begins the words of Luke telling the successe of this discourse: And when Paul had layd his hands on them, &c. signifying that Paul did no­thing else after he had informed them that they were rightly baptized into the Name of Christ, then to lay hands on them, upon which followed the gifts of the holy G [...]ost, speaking with tongues, and prophesying.

So as here is nothing of two baptismes, but a right explanation of Iohns baptisme to be the Gospel bap­tisme, or baptisme into the Name of Christ.

Ob. As for that they object, that [...] is a transitive, and expletive, and a note of transition, and so [...] exple­tive.

The Answer Answ is, That it may bee when [...] precedes not, but when [...] precedes, then no wise man will deny it to bee adversative, and to correct the other part of the narration, as when Mark 14. Truely the Sonne of man goeth as it is written of him: But woe to him by whom the Son of man is betrayed: No man here will grant that in the first place Christ speaks, and in the second Mark.

Having thus vindicated the Ordinance of Gospel-baptisme from the mistakes and objectio [...]s against it, I might here make an end, but that the foremention­ed namelesse Author takes upon him to answer the objections brought against his novelty, severall of which are certaine men of straw set up by himselfe to [...]e the easier by his addresses overthrowne. As, that by this meanes we are robbed of our Christendome. Againe, then so many ages have erred; also, that he is the first man that opposed it: Then, that Christ justifies and commands water baptisme, Iohn 3. Mat. 28. How that place of Matthew which holds out by way of Institution Gospel baptisme is to bee under­stood; I have formerly shewd also what a sympathy & correspondency there is between the institution and the practice, the one being the Comment upon the other, and therefore shall trouble you no further with that which is sufficiently cleared already, nor not at all with those petty objections I told you of before, which he so easily formes and answers. That argument which hee frames against Baptisme from Pauls not being Commissioned for it, and thanking God that he had baptized but very few, as Crtspus and Gaius, and the house of Stephanas, I have particularly considered and answered already, when I gave the exposition of the greatest part of that Chapter, scil. 1 Cor. 1. out of which it is raysed, to which I referre the Reader, not affecting needlesse repetitions.

But one objection would trouble him, if he would give it liberty, and let it have its scope, and himselfe sayes, it seemes to be the strongest, which is the con­stant practice of the Apostles in this case, not onely before Christs baptisme came in, but after, as he says, [Page 72] as appeares by many places which hee quotes out of the Acts of the Apostles.

This Objection notwithstanding doth not much trouble him, for he answers it easily thus; That the Apostles indeed did practice water baptisme, but not from Christ but from Iohn, whose baptisme they tooke up, and an outward ceremony of honour and account is not easily layd downe. This he helps him­selfe in, and proves by a parallell instance, to wit, that some of the Apostles used Circumcision, and that, after the Ascension of Christ, for Circumcision was an honourable Ceremony used from Abrahams time, and so they could not abruplty lay it downe, but used it for their sakes who were weake: and so in like manner the Apostles used the baptisme of Iohn, or water baptisme, &c.

This Objection that in his account seems so strong, if he had dealt ingeniously he should have beat it out thinner, and considered more particularly some of those places in the Acts, and hee would have found that so generall an answer would scarce have served the turne.

But I confesse in this place as well as in some o­thers I have much adoe to keepe my selfe from que­stioning the moralls of these men more then their intellectuals. It is true that Paul did once use a li­berty in circumcising one, to wit, Timothy, as ye find, Acts 16. Paul was to visit the Churches, and having a desire to take Timothy along with him in that work who was wel reported of by the brethren he took and circumcised him; Because (saith the Text) of the Iewes which were in those quarters, for they knew all, that his Father was a Greek: Least therefore the brethren of [Page 73] the Circumcision should be scandalized in the con­verse of a Gentile, the breaking downe of the parti­tion, wall being yet not so manifest as was needfull for the satisfaction of their scrupulous consciences, Paul tooke the advantage of his Mothers being a Jewesse, and to avoyd the scandal and offence of those brethren, circumcised him.

But the same Paul, who to avoyd the scandall of some weake brethren, circumcised Timothy (such ce­remonies as Divines use to say, having then a kind of indifferency in them not being yet honourably bury­ed) would by no meanes circumcise Titus, Gal. 2.3. for when there were false brethren who might draw that liberty into an ill example, he would not be con­strained by them to circumcise Titus, or hee would not doe that upon any occasion or ground, which they might prsently reproach him with, as varying from his principles, that he being the great Doctor and Preacher of liberty should yet at Jerusalem, and in the presence of the Apostles, alter his practice.

And generally where this liberty was knowne and averred, Paul was zealous we know to defend it, as we see in the case of Peters eating with the Gentiles, and withdrawing afterwards, fearing them of the Cir­cumcision, Verse 11, 12. and told him, that by his ex­ample he compelled the Gentiles to Judaisme, which was intollerable, for even the Jewes by beleeving in Christ were delivered from the bondage of such ce­remonies, much more the Gentiles whose portion they never were: You see now the force of this par­rallell in one part of it Circumcision, let us compare it now with the other of Baptisme.

Circumcision was sometimes administred, once [Page 74] (as we see) and but once that I know by the Apostles, after absolutely refused, the reason and ground ma­nifest, and given for the satisfaction of some Jewes that were in those quarters, who not having suffi­cient light about those ceremonies would have beene scandalized to have seene Paul taken Timothy with him as a companion and fellow-worker uncircumci­zed; after this, and in another circumstance, this was absolutely refused as I have sayd.

But baptisme by water administred frequently by the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel, to all Na­tions, to all sorts, Jews and Gentiles, who were taught and instructed in it, to take it up upon the most spiri­tuall and Gospell grounds, to the most spirituall and Gospell ends, and that from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell to this day, now above six­teene hundred years together, without any interrup­tion in any age, till the age of this Doctor, who boasts of a particular felicity in administring this light to the World.

Here then I call Heaven and Earth to witnesse whe­ther these men deale equally and uprightly or no, in the way of their reasonings and parrallels. To omit other things which will be confest by all men, as that not onely Jewes, but Gentiles, were led into, and in­structed in this practice of baptisme by the Apostles, and that after the ascension of Christ, when they would have the terme put to this water baptisme, e­ven after that, the Gentiles received it as a new thing and light from the Apostles Circumcision was for­bidden the Gentiles, and those that would have Prea­ched it to them were sayd to bee troublers and subver­ters of their soules, Acts 15.24. but where ever they [Page 75] Preach't Christ among the Gentiles, they Preach't also this baptisme either to Jewes or Gentiles, as a Gospell and New Testament Ordinance, which was to continue as long as Preaching, even to the end of the World, Mat. 28. So Peter, Acts 2. had no sooner Preach't and converted men, made them Disciples, but he led them into the Doctrine and Preaching of Baptisme, Verse 38. Acts 8. Those of Samaria and the Eunuch had baptisme preach't and administred to them as a Gospell Ordinance, and appendix of Preaching; so Cornelius, Acts 10. who wayted on Peter, to heare all things commanded of God, Verse 33. was led with his Family into the Doctrine and pra­ctice of baptisme by Peter.

For the ends of Baptisme, every one knowes they were the same with the Preaching and beleeving of the Gospell (this being nothing but another way of administration of the same Gospell) namely, our u­nion and communion with God in Jesus Christ.

But then for the grounds of Baptisme that they were Gospell and spirituall (if any can be) the whole course of the Scripture shewes. Is not Faith in the Lord Jesus, beleeving with all the heart, a spirituall and Gospell ground? Must not that needs be a spiri­tuall and Gospell Ordinance that hath that for the rise? But this is the ground and rise of this Ordi­nance, Acts 8.37. To instance but in one place more, is not the receiving of the holy Ghost, a spiritual and Gospell ground? Can that Ordinance be legall, and servile, and ungospell, that hath the baptisme of the holy Ghost, for the rise and ground of it? Yet so it was that this baptisme by water (which they so villy­fie as pretending to a Metaphisicall Religion) after [Page 76] the root of their owne carnall and fleshly wisedome and not after the foolishnesse of Gospel administra­tions, which yet is wisedome to those that are per­fect:) I say this baptisme by water had for its rise and ground the powring out of the gifts of the holy Ghost: That spirituall Baptisme being an appendix either a due to it when this went before, as Acts 2. Repent and be baptized, and yee shall receive the gifts of the holy Ghost; or else a ground and rise of it, as here, the powring out of these heavenly gifts giving war­rant or title for the administration of this ordinance.

But enough to shew the vanity and falshood of these men in their argumentations and parrallells, who like Orators that manage an ill cause, make least stay in the most important places.

And here I should put an end to this discourse of The Vindication of Gospell Ordinances, having shown by generall grounds of Scripture, the reason of the thing it selfe, and a particular instance in a leading and prime Ordinance, to wit, baptisme, that there are cer­taine formes and institutions remaining with us, sui­ted and proportioned to our state, which are pledges of Christs love to us, tracts and wayes wherein hee delights to meet us, and meanes by which he conveys himselfe to us in this state of our Pilgrimage, Whilst we are at home in the body and absent from the Lord, whilst we live by Faith and not by sight, whilst wee see in a glasse darkly, and not face to face, whilst wee know in part, and not as we are knowne. But least any should thi [...]ke that this tends to an undervaluing of the spirit of God, or a lessening of his Empire (though no such thing but the contrary is to be gathered out of all the pro­mises) yet I am not unwilling by way of Corollary, [Page 77] and conclusion to this discourse, to spend a few words particularly upon this subject; and to professe be­fore all the World, that nothing ought to be so dear to us, and so much esteemed, and so much sought for by us, as the accesses and influences of the holy spirit: That it is the spirit that leads us into all truth, it is the spirit that quickens, the spirit that comforts us, without which since our Lord went into Heaven, we had been left Orphans and Fatherlesse: It is the spirit that searcheth all things, the spirit that inables to judge all things, the spirit by which wee live, in which wee walke when wee walke with God, and doe any thing that is agreable to his will; it is the spirit that seales us to the day of redemption, and witnesseth with our spirits, that we are the Sonnes of God.

It is the spirit that hath done all the wonderfull things which the holy Scriptures record; it is the spirit that hath given boldnesse in all ages to doe, and to suffer great things, for the Name and Testimony of Jesus: If I should pursue this Theame at large, there would be no end or meane found of the Enco­miums and Elogyes of the spirit: It is the fellow­ship therefore and communion of the holy spirit which my soule breaths after, and longs for, above a­ny thing imaginable. But that which I affirme is, that the spirit is communicated to us particularly, and e­specially in such Ordinances as we have been speak­ing of: It was the spirit that strove with the old World in the Ministry of Noah a Preacher of righ­teousnesse, and in the administration of the old Co­venant the things they were taught and provoked to, were things spirituall, and they were sayd to have the good spirit of the Lord to instruct them, Nehem. 9.20. [Page 78] Which was undoubtedly the reason, why the Saints of those times breathed so much after those Ordi­nances, which God had fitted to their present state and capacity, as things in which the spirit instructed them, and God blest to them, to know more of his mind then all the World by any other way or wise­dome could doe: For the new and better Covenant under which state and condition we live, the spirit is conveyed to us by certaine formes and institutions of Gods owne inventing; Preaching is a great Or­dinance in the hand of God for the conveying of the holy spirit, the Galatians received the spirit by the hearing of Faith preached, Galat. 3.3. And we know that generally all the great and famous con­versions which are seene in the World, by which men are sayd to be borne of the spirit, are administred by the Preaching of the Gospell in the mouth of the ordinary Ministers and dispensers of it, former times for the greater glory of the beginnings of the Gospel had greater Harvests, but the way of administration was the same; then at one Sermon there were added to the Church three thousand, and whilst Peter was Preaching to Cornelius and his friends, the holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the word, but the way as I sayd, is the same ever since, and it pleases God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve. And as the holy Ghost doth preside the Ministry of prea­ching, so the ordinary Officers and Elders of the Church were sayd to be made Overseeers by the holy ghost to feed the Church of God which he bad purchased with his own blood, Acts 20.28. And for that Ordinance for which wee have more particularly contended, Baptisme, we are sayd, by one spirit to bee all baptized [Page 79] into one body; and usually the administration of the spirit accompanyed baptisme, either after it as an ap­pendix, or before it as a qualification for that Ordi­nance, as I have already shewed.

That therefore which makes mee contend for the holy Ordinances of God, and value them to that height, which through the grace of God I do, is that inestimable value and esteeme I put upon the holy spirit of God, who is pleased to meete us in these tracts, and to offer himselfe to us in these admini­strations.

But such is the vanity and perversnesse of men, that to avoyd errours they runne ever into extremi­ties: We see it in civill things, those who have found the pressures of the Tyranny of one man, thinke themselves never safe till they have cast off all Go­vernment, and runne willingly into Anarchy, or that which is next to that worst, Democracy, or the Go­vernment of the People. Whereas in all things (e­specially in things of God and Religion) truth and right is that which lyes in the middle, as diverse in its owne nature from either extreame, as one extreame is from the other. It were certainely absurd in na­ture, because it is our spirits that immediately acts our bodyes, for us to fall out with our blood, as with a grosse and dul substance that we would have nothing to doe with, when as our blood is the Vehiculum of our spirits: And it is not lesse absurd for us in the present state wherein we are, to cry out of Ordinan­ces as of things grosse and disproportionable to a spirituall life and man, when God who knowes our temper better then we our selves, uses them to con­vey his spirit by, and makes them tracts and wayes [Page 80] wherein he is wont to meet us. To Idolize and make a God of Ordinances, as if the opus operatum, rendred us spirituall and agreeable to God, as it hath beene the fault of Christians in many ages, so it is the most uncomely and most unsprituall thing that can be, but for the avoiding of this folly and fault, to fling them all away as things not at all usefull, because not suita­ble to our carnall reasonings about spirituall things, or capable of an abuse, is an unspiritualnesse and un­comelynesse no lesse great then the former. For my part, whilst God is pleased by the foolishnesse of Ordinances to save them that beleeve, I shall make it my indeavour to be in the possession of them, and shall expect God in them, for whom onely I desire them; for others that count themselves above these foolish things, it were well for them to learne, that the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, and it will cer­tainly be found their wisedome (as I sayd in the be­ginning) to become fooles, that they may be wise.