A Way to Zion Sought out and Found for Believers, Title page – Introduction
SOME BEAMS OF LIGHT, FOR The further clearing up of the WAY: VVherein crooked things are made streight, and rough places made plain, by Direct Scriptures: And the way of the Lords people in respect of their obedience to Christs Commands, is discovered and cleared.
By DANIEL KING.
Joh. 1.23.
The voice of one crying in the wildernesse, Make streight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet.
Act. 24.14.
This I confesse unto thee, After the way which they call Heresie, so worship I the God of my Fathers, beleeving all things which are WRITTEN in the Law and the Prophets.
1 Cor. 11.18, 19.
There are Divisions amongst you, and I partly beleeve it. For there must be Heresies also among you, that they which are approved, may be made manifest among you.
Revel. 3.8.
Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denyed my name.
LONDON, Printed by R. I. for Hannah Allen, at the Crown in Popes-head Alley. 1649.
THE INTRODUCTION.
THE Third part of this Treatise is to vindicate the Truth, in regard of the continuance of the Ordinances commanded in the New Testament, to be practiced by the Saints of God: Which is denyed by some, by reason of whom many of the Saints are drawne off from yeelding that obedience to Jesus Christ as he requireth in his Word.
It is the usuall manner of some men, to draw their application, (whatsoever Text or Point they preach upon) still to the throwing downe of outward Ordinances and Institutions. Tell people they must be now carried on by the Spirit, all in Spirit; and not matter any outward thing, which perisheth with the using: And so some labour to be at downe Baptisme with water, and the Supper; as Mr. Saltmarsh in his Book entituled, (Some beams of that bright morning Star.) And he that writeth the Doctrine of Baptisme, pleading mainly against Baptisme with water; yet cry downe in generall all outwards (as usually they doe) without distinction: And so cause many people to contemn (by such generall crying down of all externalls) that which some of them will allow of, as preaching &c. Some againe, cry downe preaching, reading, hearing; among the rest, as Mr. George Hassall, a Member of the Army, in his little book called (The designe of God in man.) Some again, saying, Prayer by word of mouth, is but an invention of man, and therefore despise both the thing, and the people that pray; and some taking liberty to all manner of loosenesse from this Tenet; yea, and many of them contemne the Scriptures, under the terme Letter. Some calling them a peece of confusion, E. E. W. E.and scoffe at them as directory. Others saying, they can write as good Epistles as Paul. Others saying, D. P.the Scriptures are but for information what was done, not a rule to us for our duties that we must doe; saying, the Epistles, W. L.of the Apostles were but to particular Churches for that time, or Age, but not reaching this Age; saying, they would not cite Scripture but to stoop to the weaknesse of some. Some other affirming, that the outward Court given to the Gentiles, Rev. 11.1. is all outward Profession, W. S.Wisdome, Art, Knowledge, Gifts, Churches, Ordinances, SCRIPTƲRES, Government, all these things are the outward Court, &c. I shall here goe as briefly to worke as I can: And I adde this to my Treatise formerly written, because there are many new objections made, which were not then come to light. And here I must of necessity deal with many things in Mr. Saltmarsh his book, because many that I hear plead, plead his Arguments, almost verbatim; and the Book is much admired with many people, taking the things therein as an Oracle of God; beleeving it, though there be no Scripture proof for many things affirmed, or many Scriptures cited impertinently: And so the Doctrine of Baptismes, the like.
I professe I doe not bear the least hatred to any mans person, but love to the TRƲTH, and the Glory of God, causeth me to deal with these Books, because there is the substance of what is pleaded against Ordinances, and the use of them. And I shall not deal with every thing in them, but onelyonly such places as have greatest shew of strength in them against this thing. Let no man say, I deal with Mr. Saltmarshes book because he is dead, and cannot answer. I say no: for I had gathered Answers to many things before he was dead, and made account, had I had opportunity, to have bad them in the Presse before I heard of his death: And however he be dead, his Booke yet speaketh, and that I deale with. And though he be dead, I make no question, but there are enough alive of his judgement in this thing to vindicate him, if I should doe him wrong: But it is the Tenet written and affirmed, and not the man, that I speake to; though I sometimes name him. And I rather choose to pitch upon the objections made there principally, because I think he hath said all that can be said to that point; as Mr. Tombs was moved by the same reason to answer Mr. Marshals Sermon about Baptisme.
Some Beams of Light for the further clearing up of the WAY.
The course I shall pitch upon in these Additionals is,
1. To discover what an Ordinance is, and so to prove the continuance of them.
2. To Answer some Objections made to the contrary.