Certain Notes of Ainsworths Last Sermon
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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
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Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
CERTAIN NOTES of M. HENRY AYNSWORTH HIS LAST SERMON.
Taken by pen in the public delivery by one of his flock, a little before his death. Anno 1622.
Published now at last by the said writer, as a love token of remembrance to his brethren, to inkindle their affections to prayer, that scandals (of many years continuance) may be removed, that are bars to keep back many godly wise and judicious from us, whereby we might grow to farther perfection again.
Matth. 9. 37. 38.
Surely the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Wherefore pray the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.
Imprinted 1630.
To my beloved brethren in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel in all places specially those my native countrymen resident in Amsterdam, grace and peace from our God in Christ.
B Eloved the Scripture tells us that while the Ark of God tarried in Kiriath-jearim, the time being long (for it was twenty years) all Jsraell lamented after the Lord 1. Sam. 7. 2. The same affections me thinks I perceive in many of you, even for the sundry years absence of the Lord's ministers, whereby our comfortable portion in the Lord's house is greatly lessened, for being left now as sheep upon the bare commons, I fear we may truly cry with the Prophet, My leannes, my leannes, and with all being divers times hurried and torn with the loud out cries, and hard handling of furious and unmerciful spirits, who under pretence of godly zeal and hatred against sin, ungodlily massacre the true & living members of Christ's body, and by pulling out the squared living stones endanger the fall of the house. And herewith considering what reproach not only ourselves, but also the truth itself sustains by reason of such courses, for now the ways of Zion mourn, in that few or none come to her solemnityes so that we may truly take up that complaint of the Prophet Lament. 1. 8. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, therefore she is in derision: all that honored her, despise her, because they have seen her filthiness: yea, she sigheth and turneth backward. And besides all this, the vigilant adversary is as forward to discourage and dishearten us by slandering our holy practice with schism and profaneness. Who duly weighing these things brethren cā refrain pitying us as our savior Christ did the multitude, because they were dispersed, and scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. But this being now toward the end or last days, love in men towards others is grown cold, every man seeking his own and not that that is Christ's, Therefore brethren let us at last learn to be wise for ourselves, in weighing the danger of biting and devouring one another which tends to the consuming one of another Gallat. 5. 15. Let us hereafter study to be quiet. 1. Thess. 4. 11. and if any yet lust to be contentious, we must answer with the same Apostle, We have no such custom. 1. Cor. 11. 16. And touching those that seem to be possessed with Diotrephes spirit, who are unwearyed to prate against us with malicious words, & not therewith content thrust them out of the Church that witness for us, and testify against their iniquity, what shall I say of them (since they reject the word of God, and all wholesome counsel for their amendment, contrary to the very letter of the 38. Article of our published confession of faith) but only leave them to the Lord who only hath power to change them or cut them of. In the mean time read & consider that affectionate exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark them diligently which cause division and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them, for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but themselves. Yet least they should take themselves hereby to be wronged if nothing be said farther, amongst the many evils done us, I have thought fitting to give the Christian reader a taste of some, to will them in the fear of God to consider their ways in their hearts, and judge without partiality their courses by the law of God, so may they soon see, how injuriously and irregularly they have walked ever since the death of our wise, faithful, and honored guides, who spake enough to declare our danger, and the means (through God's blessing) to avoid it, for who can forget those oft pressed speeches of our Teacher upon his death bed when he earnestly exhorted even to his last breath, to Christian moderation in the affairs of the Church, as the main thing wherein our tranquilly would consist, and he had great reason to urge it upon some, because many years experience bad taught him how fierce, unadvised, & preposterous he had found some (to be left now in main trust as the principal) from time to time, in kindling fire that their wisdom and understanding found work enough to quench. And the last deceassed Elder that best knew him that was principally aimed at, said in direct words, that it would never be well with the Church while it was guided by a strangers head, & who can deny his words to be true hitherto, nay let even himself and his privy counselors speak, whether in their firey zeal they did not instantly so far forget our Teachers counsel for moderation, that they sought up and forced into the Church new causeless troubles contrary to the Law & Gospel, as the Church of Leyden plainly proved to them, & contrary to the very letter of the 8. Position of our Apology.
For when even in a mere matter of advise (desired of us by another Church) the Church here had come to a peaceable conclusion to the content of ech part that differed in matter of judgment, and that the Elder had solemnly promised to write a letter accordingly, certain discontented brethren made a meeting to change that solemn agreement of the Church, the Elder consenting & acting with them, which he bringing and reading to the Church, it was instantly blamed in the Elder, for writing contrary to the Churches joint agreement, and his own promise, and so he was turned back (after much striving by him & his confederates, who were afterwards discovered as guitly of that they unjustly had censured others for) & willed to write the first peaceable agreement, that the church might not be farther troubled, but in soms absence (minded chief) the next Lord's day, there was advantage taken of the time, & the letter brought again unaltered in the least, and by a strong and violent hand those many masters then so far prevailed against those that pressed the former conclusiō, that the letter was consented to by the Church to be sent away as it was, only crossing out my name, because I could be no testimony, in that my name was produced for, and now the Church was so transported, that they refused so much as to signify under their letter, either that some brethren were differing minded thereto, or to take the advise of the Church of Leyden that were jointly interested with them.
But farther here was another thing yet worse, for either the Elder alone, or these privy counselors with him, stood not to this second agreement the Church made, but wrote another with alterations, additions, and diminishings besides the Churches knowledge or consent, & sent it for the Churches mind and act; yet behold the other brethren that never saw or heard this new forged letter, till near two years after they were cast out of the Church (which was dispatched in hast, even in 14. days time least they should be prevented) upon the very suspitiō, that a few of thē met to write to cōtradict the Churches action, in hir letter of advise, by the sole, yet false, information of the Elder, two of them were singled out, and selected from the rest, and produced to the Church for evil, which yet the informer professed, that the thing informed and accused, might be holy just, and good, for ought he knew, yet being desirous to get matter, the matter was prosecuted in the Church by interrogatoryes to find out sin, which the brethren testified against, as contrary to the law of love which thinks no evil, & rule of Christ Matth. 18. Yet offered they the suspected act to sight & correctiō wherein soever it should be found amiss, and with all protesting solemnly they had neither done the thing so suspected, nor intended it; & yet behold the brethren were cast out without the knowledge of sin or due dealing for sin, save that for refusing to answer intrapping demands, which they urged submission unto as God's word & Christ's government, they were Consured as contemners of both, and the maintenance of this both Elders & Church are now so wedded to, that the chief of them blush not to affirm, that rather then they will go back from what they have done herein, they will go on in it, yea though two of them do not remain together. And yet who sees not their palpable gross partiality in sparing their offending favorites in matters of scandalous and evil nature, least their evil combination be weakened, discovered, or broken. Oh how much better were it they would cease to abound in their own sense, and take counsel from such as in the fear of God are both able and willing to direct them better. O that they would learn to be wise at the last, so through the good hand of our God there might be some recovery of what is lost. Whereas now their irregular proceedings have made our brethren in all places to hang down their heads, as they have been plainly certifyed frō sundry Churches. Now from these and the like offenses divers that were of us turn their backs upon us, and betake themselves to live at large, as if now the door of indifferency or libertinism were set open, that it matters not whom they hear, or where they walk, anywhere or nowhere, and measuring these men's sins with others they think they can hardly go to worse: And whence riseth all this, & much more of the like, but even for the want of faithful Pastors and Teachers, and godly discreet and able guides or Rulers in the Church? but what hope of ever such worthyes coming in, when there is such an hideous noise in the house, by such unruly masters which cruelly smite some, wound others, & cast their dear brethren out at the windows. Hence come families to be divided, the loving husband from his beloved wife, the affectionate parents from their dear Children, hence come families to be spoiled by remissnes in neglect, nay, in utter laying aside of joint family duties; the new vessels want their seasoning, the tender plants their due watering, and so become barren before their full growth. So that we may justly take up the complaint of the Prophet Habakkuk 1. 2. 3. 4. Oh Lord how long shall I cry and thou will not hear! even cry out to thee for violence and thou will not help! Why dost thou show me iniquity, & cause me to behold sorrow? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention, &c. Oh consider this ye that are so bent to spoiling, repent and turn in time, least the living stones crying in the wall of the spiritual house, the corner stone be offended, and fall upon you and grind you to pieces. But I desire your conversion and not subversion, if the will of the Lord so be, though ye have been bold to vent your worst you can imagine against me upon all occasions, and for your presumptuous determining my eternal estate, the Lord forgive you. If you please to read what is here writ, I hope through the Lord it may turn your courses, that ye may see your duty is to build and not to destroy. They were the instructions our late faithful Teacher M. Ainsworth, delivered to us all, the last time he ever executed his ministry with us, which was at such a time as his body & natural strength were so decayed, that he wanted (as ye know) ability to come up again, even that very Lord's day in the afternoon as his usual manner was, wherein his faithfulness may be seen even to his last gasp, in striving to feed the flock even when the hand of God was heavy upon him in that sore perplexing and tedious disease of the stone, of which in a few days after he died, yet since even in his strong pains (that sometime by reason of the extremity caused a stay of speech, to the grief of the hearers and beholders) he was delivered of this, as the last fruit of his ministry, let the Israel of God love it as Jacob did Benjamin the dear son of his beloved wife, of whom she died. It is not for nothing that the Holy Ghost expressly tells us. These be the last words of David 2. Sam. 23. 1. Give me leave therefore (though not to call you together as Jacob did his sons when he was to deliver his last words to them Gen. 49.) yet to entreat you to read what our loving Teacher as a father spake in his charge last to us. And though some or the most of you heard them set out in the lively voice God's solemn ordinance of preaching, yet let it not grieve you, that I write to you some of the same things, so far as my slow hand could extend to compass, the fullness of his words I profess not to report, no nor yet the sum or substance of everything he hence delivered, no nor yet have I published things so well as J might have done, had I set upon the work to write it out fair instantly, while things were green in my own & others memoryes, but now these notes having lain by me near 8. years before I set upon this resolution, it is more defective then is requisite for the report of a work of so able and faithful a man, yet I trust none will be offended at me for this my service of love, since if ought shall be found amiss, I am willing the blame lie upon my misunderstanding or forgetfulness, and so let him be free, whoever approved himself in his ministry to every man's conscience. Besides, had I been exact in taking, yet considering his condition at the time of the delivery, it is not probable to come so refined to satisfy this curious carping age, whom nothing almost pleaseth, but novelly garnished with human art. But as the contents of the sermon tend not that way, so neither do J pass to please the world herein. My chief drift is, to commend the remembrance both of the person and work, that ye may be affected with the days of old, when we went together to the house of God with joy, as those that keep a feast, that so we may resolve with the Prophet Isaiah. 62. 1. 6. 7. Not to hold our tongues for Jerusalem's sake, nor give the Lord rest till he repair and set it up, that so the righteousness thereof may break forth as the light, and salvation thereof as a burning lamp. I end with the heavenly words uttered when our great and good shepherd came into the world. Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God in the highest, & on earth peace, good will toward men.
Your brother in all Christian affection SABINE STARESMORE.
1. PETER 2. 4.
To whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed of men, but chosen of God and precious.
5. Ye also as living stones, be made a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
T He purpose of the Apostle in these words and those following, is to exhort all Christians to the increase of faith and holiness of life. He having before mentioned the bounty of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath affoarded the sincere milk of his Word, that they might grow thereby: Now because Paul may plant, & Apollos may water, but it is only God that gives the increase, he doth thereby lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath so provided for his newborn babes that they may have wherewith to grow up.
First he speaks of coming to Christ, describing him a living stone as he is elsewhere called the chief corner stone in this building, upon whom all the people of God ought to rely, he being then the chief corner stone, notwithstanding he be disallowed of men, yet to God he is elect and precious.
The first duty the Holy Ghost here teacheth us is, That we should be careful to get faith and holiness in our persons which we do obtain by coming to Christ: secondly we are next to come to his house, that is, to become members of his visible Church. Now we come to Christ first by his call of us by the preaching of his word, as Christ saith Come to me, &c. secondly by the drawing of the father. So that there are two ways or means to come to Christ, the one is outward, the other inward, the first is the Word, the second is the Spirit, by persuading our hearts and bringing us to the obedience of the Gospel.
Next we are to consider from what we are called, namely from that that is by nature sinful, from our sinful estate, secondly whereto we are called, that is, to Christ, that we may become living stones, to be built a spiritual house.
Christ is called a living stone as having life in himself, and giving life to his church, he is called the chief corn stone in way of similitude; for as the corner stone to the building, is to join the walls together, so Christ is to the whole Church, he joins all his, both Jews and Gentiles into one spiritual house. Again he is called a stone in respect of his firmness of grace given of God by him; so that all that are built upon him, are as a house built upon a rock which stands sure against all assaults, opposed by our Savior to an house built upon the sand which falls when tempestuous assaults come: so is it with us, we have a firm foundation which is God's decree, his love stablished to us in Christ.
Is Christ then such a firm and sure foundation, it is for the exceeding comfort of all his people, that however they be opposed by the world and Satan yet they shall remain firm forever, the gates of hell shall never prevail against them.
Again hath Christ life not only for himself but for us, this is to show us our duties that we carry ourselves as living stones in his spiritual house which is his Church, he that is Christ's must be a new creature, by faith he must put on Christ, for unless we come to Christ by faith, we shall depart from him without fruit: and by these several comparisons laid down in scripture we are to know the grace of Christ is set forth to us. He is a living stone and he makes us living stones, he gives life to the whole body.
He is called also living bread, whosoever eat him (that is believe in him) shall live by him, if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever.
He is called the vine and we the branches, he that abides in him brings forth fruit, but without him we can do nothing, by him alone we bring forth fruit, and expect salvation in the day of the Lord.
Disalowed of men.) First this was in his own person when he was here, so also in his after. In himself, in that he had neither house nor home; for he was a carpenter & brought up without school learning, and because of his base and low estate, he was despised and men regarded him not.
2. The Jews were crossed in their error, while they expected salvation by the works of the law, but he declares, if they will have salvation they must have it by him, without him none can see God, to the Jews then Christ was a stumbling block, by them judged an enemy to God and Moses.
3. Christ came preaching the death of the cross, which to the Gentiles is foolishness, and in respect of his plain & simple administration of the Gospel, for these causes he may be said to be disallowed of men.
This is spoken to comfort us against the scandal of the cross, when we see he is rejected of the world not only in himself, but in his servants, Is Christ then not respected? let us not be offended, for Christ was to enter into glory by suffering, let us then willingly endure despising here, that we may have glory in the life to come, for this cause are we to arm ourselves against the temptations of this world, because if the master of the house was thus entreated and disallowed of men, we his servants must not murmur if we drink also of the same cup, therefore we are not to think that the Kingdom of Christ here is a pompous outward Kingdom, but it consists in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and those that are his subjects must be meek and humble; and therefore let all take heed that they be not offended at Christ's meanness, nor yet stumble at the afflictions that come for his sake.
The 3. thing, (elect of God and precious.) Whence we may observe, how opposite the actions of God and men are, men make no accompt of Christ, but count him vile, but God honors and prefers him, it is prophesied of him that he should grow as a branch out of a dry ground, so saith the Prophet Isaiah of him, and David compares him to a worm and no man, despised of men, yet this hinders not God's respect of him, for after suffering he came to glory: Thus it is with all his people, although they are despised of men, yet are they in accompt with God, God accounts them his treasure, he pitcheth his tabernacle amongst them, with whom he will dwell.
Christ is called the elect of God by the Prophet Isaiah, my servant whom I have chosen, so we are chosen in Christ, before the world was, God givs us eternal life by him.
In that Christ is elect and we in him, it is to show the assurance of salvation by Christ, as Christ died and went to glory, so shall we also, even as God did regard him as his only begotten son, in whom he is well pleased, notwithstanding all his baseness in the worlds esteem; so doth God accompt of all true Christians, for this is for farther manifestation of the glory of God in accepting them in his sone Christ.
(Ye also as livinge stones are builte up a Spiritual House.) As in the first place we said, it is not enough to come to Christ in our persons, but we must adjoin to his Church, so now we must not content ourselves with personal good, but we must seek farther perfection to become members of his visible Church, It is not lawful for Christians to wander in the world or to live alone, nor to adjoin themselves in communion with false Churches, but as it is in the Acts, The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved, unto this estate all are bound to come, and so to be made partakers of all Christ's graces, who couples all the body together, for this cause are they called living stones in similitude from the stones of the temple cōpacted into one body, but the stones of the Temple were liveles, these living, and herein they differ. As the first Temple was a figure of Christ, so also it signified all the body of the faithful, who make all one house, over which Christ is set. If we then be his house let us hold fast our rejoicing to the end.
Moreover although those stones in that first Temple built by Salomō were without life, yet God took possession of it; and dwelt in the midst of it, how much more with them that are a temple joined together of living stones.
Now as this is for encouragement to all to become members of his Church, so also it showeth who are the fit members of his Church, even those only that are living stones.
And in that the members of the Church ought to be living stones, it should teach us, not to be idle in good works, faith without works is dead, and just men live by faith, by faith we are made partakers of the death of Christ and all other benefits, Christ is the head of the body: As is the nature of the head, so must the members be, and as the parts of the body natural, have life from the head, so also we from Christ, as he is the head and is living, so ought all true Christians that come to him; it is a thing against nature that a dead body should be fastened to a living head, and therefore whoever is not fastened to him by faith, cannot be made partakers of his life, therefore however hypochrites may come into the Church by their seeming regeneratiō, yet not having the life of God in them, they can receive no benefitt from Christ by the ministry of man. But because we are to insist upon the similitude of a building we will return to that.
We are built into an house three manner of ways, first by the gifts of the spirit, when God gives ability to build up one another by the graces we receive frō the Spirit of God, 2. Besides these, there are offices proceeding from the Lord Christ, of which some were master builders as the Apostles, and Prophets, next after them the Evangelists, upō the Doctrines they taught and writ the church is built, as the Apostle testifyes to the Ephes. 2. 20. 21. To these he adds the ordinary ministry of the church, Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11. 12. Unto these two we have a third namely the operations of God the father, who makes his word powerful and effectual, giving us grace to understand and apply it; and to bring forth the fruit of it: so that from the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we receive life & these benefitts here spokē of, and so become a spiritual house. This spiritual house is opposed to the matereall house built by Solomon, which was but a figure as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews.
We are therefore to be careful that the graces of God be not received in us in vain, but that we grow in grace in faith and holiness, that we may be built up an holy house & habitation by his spirit. In this life we are but in the growth, but in the life to come, we shall come to be perfect men, now in the mean time we are to know we are in this world as Christ was in this world, still growing.
There is all ways an end of building, as the Apostle saith Eph. 2. 20. The whole church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building is coupled together. 1. groweth to be an holy temple in Lord, whereby the holy Ghost shows, the state of the Church figured by the Temple. The second end is in the 22. verse, to be the habitation of God by the Spirit, hence is it the holy Ghost saith, know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost?
Thus being the temple of God, we may build upō the assurance of the Lord's promise of dwelling amongst us, as it is said, I will walk & dwell amongst them and pitch my Tabernacle amongst you, I will be your God & ye shall be my people, thus the most heavenly promises are set down under this mystery, the full accomplishment whereof shall be fulfilled in the world to come: In the mean time as Solomon prayed at the dedicatiō of the Temple, behold the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, so we may say, what are we, that God should dwell amongst us, or that he should pour out the graces of his spirit upon us? and forasmuch as we should be a spiritual house, we are to take heed that we defile not our bodies or souls: see what care God had of old of the Temple, none defiled, might enter therein, if a matereall house was so carefully kept, how much more the living house the church of God, if the former were carefully watched and looked to, to keep it from pollution, how much more should we be careful to keep ourselves from our own or others sins, therefore let us take heed that we harbor not uncleanness within us, but that we labor to be holy as he is holy, because we are built a spiritual house. Solomon's house was seven years in building, so we in this house of God must be still in building in that faith to which God hath called us.
The end of that house was to declare God's word amongst them, and there did the Lord promise he would accept their offerings.
From the house we are now to speak of the priesthood, for that he speaks of next, (an holy priesthood.) As of Christ, we are called Christ • ans, so from the particular offices of Christ, as of Prophet, Priest, and King, we are ever with h • m made partakers of the same, we have the anointing of Christ to make us prophets priests and Kings, of his priesthood we see here, that we should be an holy priesthood. Touching the holiness of the priesthood it was appointed by the Lord only to some, for none might take that honor upon them but he that was called of God as was Aaron, so no spiritual priest now, but he that is called of Christ, therefore there is now no true priests but of Christ, as Christ offered to his father a spiritual sacrifice acceptable, so we by him are made able to offer spiritual sacrifices.
The second thing belonging to the priesthood, they must be without blemish, if any were blemished they were to be putt from their office, signifying thereby that he that is our high priest, must be holy harmless and undefiled, separate from sinners, the priest must abstain from unclean things, we are not to marvel the Lord should be so careful of the priests, since he will be honored in those that come near him, they were to be tried and known to be of holy conversation in the sight of God; the same thing is required of us, that we purge out that natural corruption wherein we were born, that we should be changed frō our deformityes, and shake off our corruptions in the sight of God, that we may be holy as the priests of God, to offer holy sacrifices to him.
The sacrifices that the priests did offer of old were of two sorts, some were to putt away sin, some for thanksgiving to God. These sacrifices are now ceased, for Christ once offering himself hath satisfied all, and hath putt an end to all those legal types, therefore now no sacrifice either bloody or unbloody is any sacrifice for our sin, but only the blood of Christ which cleanseth us from all sin.
First for the burnt offerings they were signs of our offering our bodies and souls to the Lord, for in it the whole creature was given unto God, only the priest had the skin for his labor, other free will offerings, some were of beasts, some of fowls, and other of corn, now in those offerings of beasts ad fowls, they were not to be brought dead: but living, and therefore no fish that dies so soon as it is out of the water was fit for sacrifice.
God hereby teacheth us, not to bring lame and dead sacrifices, but to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to the Lord in Jesus Christ. These things did the law of Moses teach them in those legal sacrifices, but unto us we know all those outward sacrifices are abolished, and therefore we are not to do so, but we are to kill our worldly lusts, we must present our bodies and souls to God, and serve him with all our hearts, with all our soul, and with all our strength, and this more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
For first spiritual sacrifices do consist in the heart, of which David speaks in the 51. Psalm, The sacrifices of God are a broken heart, a broken and contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise. Then is there the fruit of the lips, so that we must not only have holy affections, but also out mouths and lips must sing to his praise, we must have no unproffitable and profane words to come out of our mouths. 3. Likewise all our actions and benefits to the poor are acceptable sacrifices, To do good, and to distribute forgett not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased, so that in general, all good works God appoints us to walk in, in prayer, in thanksgiving, in performing duties one to another, in relief of our brethren, wherein we are poured out as in sacrifice for our brethren.
Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. These sacrifices then must be so offered as they may be accepted in Jesus Christ. If a man offered sacrifice not accepted, he both lost his charge and his reward, so God doth not respect sacrifices that are not offered in Jesus Christ.
He then that would have his service pleasing to God, must first have his person accepted, otherwise his sacrifice cannot be well pleasing to God, so in Cain and Abel, the Lord had respect to Abel, & his offering, first his person was accepted then his offering, the reason is, because the the sacrifice of the wicked is abhominable to God, therefore no wicked man can offer a sweet smelling sacrifice to God, because himself being wicked all his actions the Lord hath no respect to. Secondly God doth not only require holiness in our persons, but he farther requires that they be done at his command, for if men had offered any other sacrifice then he commanded, it was a thing that he abhorred, therefore in offering their children to Moloch the Lord protests against it as a thing he never commanded, whatsoever worship then is done by the precepts of men without the commandment of God it is vain and sinful, In vain do they worship me (saith Christ) that teach for Doctrines the commandments of men.
3. As we have a care to do what God commands, yet are we not to think for the worthiness of the work done to be accepted; but simply to delight to do it as a thing commanded of God in obedience to him.
4. We must have faith, that so it may be well pleasing to him, we must perform it in him in whom the father is well pleased, that is in Jesus Christ, the reason is, because every man by nature being corrupted, we cannot offer anything wherewith God is pleased, As it was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should purge sin, so is it not possible to offer any other sacrifice pleasing to God, but only that that is done in faith of Christ. 2. It must be by and through Jesus Christ, because he is the Mediator of the new testament, because God & we are not at one, therefore we must have a Mediator, and there is no other Mediator between God and man but Jesus Christ, therefore whosoever offer any duty & not in faith in Christ, they cannot please God, be they prayers or any other service. In the sacrifices of old they were still to have salt, as salt keeps from putrifying, so it also alters the relish of the flesh: which is to teach us, not to think to come to God in the taste of our own works, but by the Covenaunt of Jesus Christ.
The sum of all is that we are called of God from our natural and corrupt state, to the state of grace in Jesus Christ, which is despised in the world, but rich in the sight of God, and so ought it to be esteemed of us above all things, even the greatest riches & honors of this world. Let us not then pass for the reproach of the world, for having Christ we have all, therefore we are to esteem of this privilege aright, and forasmuch as God requireth holiness should be in his house of old, and we are his spiritual house, let us not think that God requireth less of us thē of old. Labor we to keep ourselves without spot, As Christ was said to be faithful in his own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence, & rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, for this is our happiness that we are called to the communion of himself & spiritt, he defends us frō evil, & doth us good, here and forever, and so should we be thankful to God, for if God would be honored of the fathers in the matereall temple, how much more of us, to whom he hath given the spiritual house & spiritual sacrifices, the fathers saluted the promises a far off, God providing some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
A Postscript to the Brethren absent.
BRethren, it may haply seem strange to you, that the people here complained of, should be so irregular, in their proceedings, & so singular, as to reject the help of all, but since they had their reasons, I thought it requisite to give thē their due herein. The reason why they proceeded not by the rule Matt. 18. was, because in this case, they had nothing to do with it, but Joshua 22. & 1. Thes. 5. 22. And the reason why they rejected all others help was, because they said they were contrary to all mē. As for farther things observed, J refer myself to the indifferent present, whether I have not set down their offenses sparingly, they having bē mostly in addition in a constant course more then 7. years: yet (with grief I speak it) they are so confident and overjust in their courses, that they continue wearylesse condemning all others, & censure those within their power that withstand them in it, and this in deed and truth, is the fountain whence all our present troubles have issued. This I thought necessary to declare, because it ministers just occasion to many godly persons to stumble at us. Things thus proposed: Let the Brethren judge between us.