A Conference in Boston with the Elders of New England, Dedication 3
TO THE HONOVRABLE, and the true lover of all conſcientious Covenantours, that ſtand up for a through Reformation, according to the word of our good God, in England, and Ireland, CORNELIUS HOLLAND Eſquire, a Member of the Houſe of Commons Aſſembled in Parliament.
SIR,
DAvid deſcribeth the godly man, by his pleaſure, and by his paines: Firſt, the pleaſure of the godly man, in theſe words:Pſal. 1. 2. He delighteth in the Law of the Lord. Secondly, the paines of the godly man: And in that Law he meditateth day and night; not only in the day appointed for man to labour in, but in the night alſo appointed for man to reſt: the reaſon is, becauſe it is his meat and drinke, to doe the will of his God. (Honoured Sir) The Word of Chriſt being the Rule of Englands Reformation; the good Lord (that writeth his Lawes in his peoples hearts, according to his new Covenant of Grace: Heb. 8. 10.) put it into my minde, ſeriouſly to conſider, What Schiſme was, that I had covenanted againſt. And ſearching the Scriptures, I found it thus written, 1. Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwiſe, and conſent not to the wholeſome words, even the words of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and to the Doctrine which is according to godlineſſe. Verſ. 4. He is proud, knowing nothing; but doting about Queſtions, and ſtrife of words; whereof commeth envy, ſtrife, raylings, evill ſurmiſings. Verſ. 5. Perverſe diſputings of men of corrupt mindes, and deſtitute of the truth; ſuppoſing that gaine is godlineſſe; from ſuch withdraw thy ſelf. Yea, and after a further enquiry, to underſtand aright the things that are controverted amongſt us; by the good providence of the Almighty, I found two Texts of holy Scripture, ſetting forth two ſorts of men, Diametrally oppoſing one another, as light doth darkeneſſe, truth doth falſehood; the one th…s written: 1 John 5. 1. Whoſoever beleeveth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is borne of God. And the other, thus; 1 John 2. 22. Who is a lyar, but he that denyeth that Jeſus is not the Chriſt, He is Antichriſt, that denyeth the Father and the Sonne. And when I thought to underſtand the difference, it was to hard for me, untill I went into the Sanctuary of God; where the Father of glory, of his good pleaſure, revealed to me (the moſt unworthyeſt of all his ſervants) the truth of that; which (I conceive) is the root of all our Controverſies, and gave me to underſtand the meaning of the Scriptures, 1 John 5. 1. Whoſoever beleeveth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, viz. the eternall King, Prophet, Prieſt of the Church of the new Teſtament, ratified with his bloud, whom the Father of glory hath exalted to bee Lord and Chriſt, Acts 2. 36. and head, Epheſ. 2. 20, 21, 22, 23. Is borne of God. Seeing no man can ſay, (that is confeſt) that Jeſus is the Lord but by the holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 3.
Hence I find it written, Joh. 1. 11. Jeſus came to his owne, but his owne received him not, that is, for the Chriſt, that Meſſiah which was to come: but onelyonly for the Carpenters ſonne; Matth. 13. 58. The reaſon was, becauſe none could underſtand that Myſtery: but they onelyonly to whom the Father of heaven revealed it, Matth. 11. 14. Hence, when Jeſus demanded of his Diſciples? Whom doe men ſay that I the Sonne of Man am? Peter anſwereth, thou art the Chriſt, the Sonne of the living God: Jeſus anſwereth, Bleſſed art thou Simon Bar-Jona; for fleſh and blood hatb not revealed this unto thee; but my Father in heaven. And thou art Peter, and upon this Rock (Jeſus the Chriſt, whom thou haſt confeſſed) I will build my Church, and the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it, Mat. 16. 16, 17, 18. Many for fear durſt not in thoſe dayes confeſſe Jeſus to be the Chriſt: Inſtance the Parents of the blind man: Becauſe the Jewes had agreed, that if any did confeſſe, that hee was the Chriſt; He ſhould be put out of the Synagogue, John 9. 22. But ſo many as recived him (viz. to be the Chriſt) to them he gave power to be called the ſons of God; even to them that beleeve in his name; which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of th… will of man, But of God, John 1. 12, 13▪ And as for that other Text of the holy Scripture that doth univerſally oppoſe it the heavenly Father gave me thus to interpret it: 1 John 2. 22. Who is a lyar (viz …orne of the evill one, who is a lyar, and the father of lyes, and abode not in the truth, John 8. 14. But hee that denieth that JESUS (whom hee confeſſeth dyed for his ſinnes; and roſe againe the third day, according to the Scriptures) Is not the Chriſt, viz. the annointed King and Prophet of his Church, in all his outward adminiſtrations and inſtitutions, in admitting of Members into his ſpirituall Kingdome, according to his royall Commiſſion, Matth. 28. 18, 19. Mark. 15. 15, 16. (though he acknowledge him to be his eternall Prieſt that ever liveth, to make interceſſion to God for him, Heb. 7. 25. He is that Antichriſt (viz. an enemy and adverſary to Jeſus the Chriſt) that denieth the Father and the Sonne, He that denieth the Sonnes Authority, to bee the eternall King, and his Commiſſion to bee in force, Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. Mark. 15. 15, 16. and to be the eternall Prophet; and his word to be the eternall rule for Doctrine and Gouernement; aſwall as his eternall Prieſt to reconcile him to God Denieth the Father, that ſanctified the Sonne, and ſent him into the World, John 10. 36. and raiſed him from the dead, and exalted him to bee Lord and Chriſt, Acts 2. 36. Hence it is (my Honoured friend) Firſt, that in all my writings, I have ſtudied to exalt Jeſus the Chriſt, it being the Primitive. Faith once given to the Saints, Math. 16. 16. Secondly, to diſtinguiſh Jeſus the Chriſt from all others named with the name of Jeſus in Scripture Record: as Joſhua is called Jeſus, Hebr. 4. 8. &c. others. Thirdly, becauſe I find the Scriptures giving that Title to him in divers places.
John confeſſeth, I am not the Chriſt, John 1. 20. The Woman of Samaria ſaid, I know the Meſſiah commeth which is called the Chriſt, John 4. 25. Apollos mightily convinced the Jewes, ſhewing by the Scriptures, that Jeſus was the Chriſt, Acts 18. 28. Now that I received from the Lord, I could not but make knowne to you, You being one of the tender hearted Loyall Covenanters, a Member of that High and Honourable Court, under whoſe ſhade Conſcientious Covenantours (that contend for the faith of Jeſus the Chriſt, once given to the Saints) find reſt.
Know (worthy Sir) that the departure from the faith of Jeſus the Chriſt, is a cauſe of ſo many Schiſmes, and Hereſies maintained in the earth. Diſdaine not therefore to read a little Treatiſe, called the Difference betweene the Chriſtian, and Antichriſtian Church, Deliniated according to the Scripture Record, though the truth therein contained (like the Two witneſſes, Revel. 11. 3.) have long mourned in Sackcloth: Yet if God give you an heart to receive it, It will be a Jewell ſurpaſſing all earthly Treaſure. For if Ieſus the Chriſt bee your Prophet to teach you, his heavenly Father will, Matth. 17. 5. Acts 3. 22. 23. He will then be your King to protect you, Matth 28. 20. Your Prieſt to intercede for you, Joh. 27. 20. Your Judge to acquit you, Joh. 12. 48. and if the love of Chriſt draw you to keepe all his Commandements (though in the world you meet with af…liction for his ſake; yet in Chriſt you ſhall find peace) for the Father, Son, and Spirit will dwell in your heart, and take it for the Sanctum Sanctorum, where they will abide to cheer and refreſh you, Joh. 14. 23. And if you confeſſe, him in this world before men: He will confeſſe you before his Father, and proclaime it to your eternall peace and comfort, (Euge bone ſerve) Well done thou good and faithfull ſervant, enter into your Maſters joy. Matth. 25. 21.
Orpington in Kent▪ the tenth MonethMonth, the firſt day, 1645. Yours, who contendeth for the faith of Jeſus the Chriſt. FRANCIS CORNWELL