Certain Observations, Section 16
SECTION. XVI.
HEre it will not be amiſſe to inſert ſome …hings of the communion wh ch the … may hauehave in private, to perfo…m private duties. F…ſt, therfore o…ſerue theſe grounds.
1 What duties cannot be perform…d in publ…que, ought to be performed in p…ivate.
2 That God hath not reſtrained nor bound any pa t of his ſervic… to the publique places onelyonly; but ſo as neceſſity urgeing, we may uſ… the ſame in private, it b… ng not againſt the nature of the Ordinances.
3 The Ordinances of God are properly the inheritance of the ch…lor n of God.
4 The Commun…on of the Sa nts ought to be, to build up one an other. Hence it will follow,
That it is not unlawfull to preach the wo…d pr…vately: For,
1 Chriſt d…d it in every houſe, whoſe example in all morall things, without all queſtion we are bound to follow.
2 Th… Apoſtles Acts 5, they had then tolle…at…on to preach, they were not proh… bited herein, they followed Chriſt, and we are therfore to follow th…m.
3 The Apoſt…e Paul, Act. 20 20, makes this one Argument of the conſcionable diſcharge and faithfulneſſe in his Call…ng, that he had taught from houſe to houſe. 2 He propounds h mſelfe as a pattern unto them.
4 M…n…ſters are the laboure…s & ſervants to the Church, and ought therfore in private and publ…que to inſt…uct them.
5 Act 8, Phillip joyned to the chariot: whence it …s plain, the Lo…d w…ll hauehave his ſerv…n…s to tak… all occaſions to win any.
6 That which may tend, and is …equiſite to ed…fication be…ng the deſire of Gods children, ought and may be uſed by the Miniſters; but pr…vate teaching may, and doth build up …uch, Ioh. 11.
7 M…niſters may reade the Scriptures, and therfore giuegive the ſenſ…, and teach the people to make uſe of the ſame.
8 Th… t uth of God muſt be taught, and when …t cannot in publique, then …t muſt bee taught in private altogether.
9 None but Popiſh Canons, and German inter…ms were ever aga nſt it, till now.
10 The f…nction of the Miniſtery is ſo large and waighty, that take all occaſions, and doe to the uttermoſt, yet much a doe to doe our office in any ſort.
11 There are no ſound arguments againſt this courſe, for Chriſtians to be exerciſed in private; onelyonly ſuch reaſons as ſavour of ſloth or profaneneſſe are brought againſt us.
12 That which every private man is bound to, that the Miniſters of God are much more bound to; But private men are bound according to their gifts, Deut. 6, and Deut. 11, to inſtruct and admoniſh, and ſtirre up others.
Nevertheleſſe this ought to be done ſo, as men doe not neglect publique meanes, for which private ſhould prepare, and fit us.
2 So as Miniſters doe not diſable themſelues from doing the publique duties.
3 So as men doe not neglect any neceſſary duty in their ſpeciall Calling.
A ſecond kind of communion is to admoniſh and reproue ſome ſcandalous profeſſors; for theſe, men may meet together. For,
1 Diſcipline is the healing of the ſick ſoule, and finding that which was loſt, which all in their place are bound to, Math. 18.
2 Paul commanded the Church to mee… 1 Cor. 5, for this end.
3 Men that doe not reproue others are guilty of their ſins, and hate them, Lev. 19.
4 Examples of all times warrant this; our Saviour Chriſt in abſo…v…ng the man caſt out, Ioh. 9.
5 Gal. 6.1, A charge is laid upon all that are ſpirituall. Breth…en, therfore I beſeech you conſider theſe things; mens ſoules are precious, the divell is polit…ck, ever like a roa…ing L…on, watching for his prey: the long…r men hold on in any courſe, the hardlie… are they reclaymed.
6 Men d…pa…t ng away draw many others with them, and ſo Chriſt looſeth many ſheep for want of tending.
7 In common dangers when publique helps are wanting, every one is more tyed to his b…othe…: …oue in this c…ſe muſt eſpecially appear.
A third kind of Communion is to exho…t and ſtirre up another by conference, and to rep…at Sermons; this ought to bee, though d…ſcipline be ſet up, at times conven…ent.
1 Hebr. 10.24, 25, Men muſt conſider one another to provoke to louelove and good workes.
2 Men muſt not forſake the Aſſemblies which are private Meetings; ſince each muſt exhort one another. Every man is bound as hee hath received the gift to miniſter the ſame: 1 Pet. 4.10, therfore men ought to meet.
3 Private Conference helps each ones weakeneſſes, both in memory and underſtanding: one doth ſupply anothers want.
4 Ier. 6, Men muſt ſtand and inquire.
5 Theſe exerciſes make men bleſſed and happy, Pſal. 1.
6 Experience proues them to thriue beſt which uſe theſe meetings, in a holy and reverent manner.
7 The practiſe of all ages witneſſeth this, Mal. 3.
8 The nature of Gods ſpirit is to draw the Saints together in one; where, in a more ſpeciall manner, hee is preſent aſſiſting them.
A fourth kinde of Communion is to pray and humble themſelues; this is plain, Acts 12, where the Holy Ghoſt records it, and the fruit of it appears in Peters deliverance, and Eſter.
2 No duties that may poſſibly be performed ought to be omitted when the Lord …als for them. Theſe duties of faſting and prayer, the Lord calls for, in time of calam…ties, Math. 9.
3 Eve…y Chriſtian ought apart to faſt, if hee hauehave no company, or no convenient meanes w…th others; as Daniel, Nehemiah: but ever we muſt covet as much as …s poſſible to be together, where the Lo…d is eſpecially preſent, Act. 13, Math. 18.
4 Many private and more ſpeciall cauſes, which are matters of g…eat waight, and urgency which are to be comm…nded to the Lord with faſting; this being the means, which ever the Saints hauehave uſed to ſtir up themſelues and others by, Luk. 2.
5 It is a ſin not to be expiated, bringing certain judgment when men doe not faſt and humble themſelues: the Lord calling therunto, Iſa. 22.
6 Experience ſheweth this practiſe, to keep life in men, and preſerue them from dee…ning, to keep a foot the miniſtery of the Word, Act. 13.
7 The divell and our own corrupt natures are ſpeciall enemies to this exerciſe of Religion.
8 OnelyOnly the true children of God can diſcern dangers plainly before they come, therfore th…y ought to meet together, though others doe not that ſee no danger.
By all this we may ſee whence that adviſe is, which is too much followed; to wit, to bring in Popery againe, in doing wherof they obſeru Machivill…an policy.
1 They nouriſh the people in ignorance under blinde Guides, that ſo they may readily receiue any thing, and hauehave no diſcerning tw…xt truth and …rrour: For all men natu…ally like well of this Religion, as pleaſing to the ſenſes and carnall reaſon.
2 L…t there be Popiſh ceremonies and cuſtomes retained; for all that while it is well enough; many people never minde ſo much the doctrine that is taught, as the Ceremonies that are ſeen.
3 They that are chief let them favour Papiſts. 2 Perſwade to a commoderation. 3 Suppreſſe them that are greateſt Antipapiſts, both Miniſters and people, that will be ſo forward.
4 Let men be kept in a d…ſlike of the right way, by inveighing againſt it, as ſchiſmaticall, and d…abolicall.
5 Let men teach the people the great authority the Church hath in command…ng. 2 Let them teach how the people ought quietly to ſubmit themſelues to their Miniſter whatſoever, and be content with him. 3 Let them that ſeek Reformation be made odious to the people. 4 Let them be taught not to ſearch things doubtfull, but beleeue their Miniſter. And in caſes controverted, let men rely rather on the great learning of the preſent Church, and reverend antiquity, then to follow theſe new Geneva-like preachers, that will hauehave nothing warranted but that which is approved by the Scriptures.
6 Let not the Goſpell be freely preached: For theſe exerciſes of preaching, and propheſying cut down the kingdom of the Pope. This is ſo full of light, that if it be preached ſo plainly as many doe, it will lay open all.
7 Let men hauehave ſuch a kind of ſerving God, as will not ſtirre nor trouble them, but altogether pleaſe and delight. Let them hauehave ſuch preaching, ſinging, organs &c.
Are not theſe from Satan? Are they not directly againſt Chriſt and his Kingdom? And the Kings Majeſty and his Kingdom? which fals or ſtands, not with a Biſhop & Ceremonies, but with the Kingdom of Chriſt rather; witnes that experience of the Fr. King, who revolting from the truth, how did the Lord meet with him? Wherfore be wiſe ô yee Elders of Iſrael, and ſleep not you that are the Lords Watchmen. The divell ſows tares, and th… peace of the King, and weale of the Kingdom depends upon th… ſuppreſſion of Popery. Take hea…t every trueh…a…ted Chriſtian, and ſtand in your places aga…nſt ſuch courſes, as bring either Atheiſm or Idolatry. Keep up the Word ſoundly preached by the Miniſters of God, which are the ſtrength of the land. Incourage the ſervants of God that are moſt ca efull to pleaſe the Lord. Cauſe that there be a generall turning to the Lord by faſting and prayer. Let the Sabboths of God be kept and ſanctified, and t…y then wh…ther the Lord ſtay not his judgments, and bleſſe the land more then ever. Then you ſhall be called, The Reſtorers of the Breaches.
And if you be not more carefull to ſeek the Lord, and walk by his wiſedom, know that all human power cannot uphold your Kingdom againſt Satanicall d…viſes.