with the Jews in fome of their rites; which makes against liberty of various practices in the church of Chrift, and not for indulging them. That inftance about the difference of Chriftians as to meats, &c. has nothing in it to the end for which it is alledged; for this related not to church-order or communion, but private and perfonal freedoms, what each might do with refpect to themselves; that is, they might make laws to themselves, in things that only concerned private perfons, and it centered there; e. g. What I will eat, e.g. when I will eat,' things to myfelf, and for myself, as a man having power over my own appetité: the liberty in things private, perfonal, and indifferent, makes nothing for diffenting about church matters in things of communion and fociety, and that also are not indifferent, (as to eat fish, or eat flesh, or eat berbs, plainly is) but neceffary; as to be careful and orderly about the external business of the church: these are no Jewish rites, nor fhadowy ceremonies; no meats nor drinks that are private and perfonal, where weakness is apt to mistake (that were an unneceffary and an unchriftian yoke to bear) but things comely, orderly, and of good report, that tend to purity, peace and diligence in things acceptable to God, and requifite among his people in their temporal and christian capacity. And herein the apoftle Paul exercifed his godly authority; and we find that not only thofe that oppofed themselves to it, as thinking he took too much upon him, demanded a mark of Chrift's fpeaking in him, but are in fcripture branded with <contention." But the true believers, that had in themselves a mark of Christ's speaking in him, were of one mind, and avoided fuch as were given to contention; for it was not the custom of the churches of Chrift. Thus were Chrift's people of one heart, in things relating to their communion. Yet a little farther; they that have the mind of Chrift, are of one mind; for Chrift is not divided: they that have Chrift for their head, have one counsellor and prophet, one feer and bishop, they difagree not in their judgments.

in things relating to him, and the good of his church; they have one and the fame guide; for the one fpirit, into which they have all drank, and by it are baptized into one body, leads them all. Now to every member is a "measure of the fame fpirit given to profit with," and though every member is not an eye, nor an ear, nor a mouth, yet every member hath unity with the eye, with the ear, with the mouth, in their proper and refpective acts, and they one with the other: the eye fees for the mouth; the mouth fpeaks for the eye; and the ear hears for both: this variety hath no difcord; but in this diverfity of gifts and offices, each member is fenfible of the other, and moves and acts by one and the fame life, fpirit, and guidance, which is omniprefent, proportionable to every member in its diftinct office. It must be granted, that there are helps in the church, as well as that there is a church at all; and the Holy Ghoft has compared thofe helps (as is before-mentioned) to several members and fenfes of man's body, as an eye, an hand, a foot, hearing, fmelling, &c. All then cannot be the eye, neither can all be the band, for then they would confound their office, and act difagreeably to the ordination of the great orderer of his church. And if I will not comply with him that God hath made an eye, because I am not that eye, or an hand, because I am not that member myfelf, nor a party to the action or performance of that member, I refift the Lord, though under pretence of refifting man for the Lord's fake. And truly, this is the rock that fome of our own time, as well as perfons of former ages, have fplit upon; they have not been contented with their own ftation in the body, they have not kept to their own gift, nor been taken up with the duty of their own place in the church. If he that is a foot would be an hand, and the hand covets to be an eye, envying others their allotted station, through height of mind, and walking loose from the holy crofs, there can be no fuch thing as concord and fellowship in the church of Christ.

VOL. IV.

T

Farther

Farthermore, fince the fpirit of the Lord is one in all, it ought to be obeyed through another, as well as in one's felf: and this I affirm to you, that the fame lowly frame of mind that receives and answers the mind of the spirit of the Lord in a man's felf, will receive and have unity with the mind of the fame spirit through another: and the reafon is plain; because the fame felf-evidencing power and virtue that arifeth from the measure of the spirit of truth in one's felf, and that convinceth a man in his own heart, doth alfo attend the discovery of the mind of the fame fpirit, when delivered by another; for the words of the "Second Adam, the quickening fpi"rit," through another, are spirit and life, as well as in thy own particular: this is difcerned by the fpiritual man that judgeth all things, although the carnal man pleadeth being left to his freedom; and it may be talks of being left to the Spirit in himself too; the better to escape the fenfe and judgment of the fpiritual man. It is my earnest desire, that all that have any knowledge of the Lord, would have a tender care how they use that plea against their faithful brethren, that God put into their mouths against the perfecuting priests and hirelings of the world, namely,

I must mind the fpirit of God in myfelf:' for though it be a great truth that all are to be left thereunto, yet it is as true, that he whofe foul is left with the spirit of truth in himself, differs not from his brethren that are in the fame spirit; and as true it is, that those who err from the fpirit of truth, may plead being left to the fpirit in themselves, against the motion and command of the spirit through another, when it pleaseth not his or her high mind and perverse will; for a saying may be true or falfe, according to the fubject matter it is spoken upon, or applied to: we own the affertion, we deny the application: there lies the fnare. It is true, the people of God ought to be left to the guidings of the fpirit of God in themselves; but for this to be fo applied, as to difregard the preachings or writings of Chrift's enlightened fervants,

because

because by them applied properly to the preaching or writing of falfe prophets and feducers, will by no means follow. I fay the doctrine is true, but not exclufively of all external counfel or direction; therefore falfe in application, where men are allowed to have had the fear of God, and the mind of his spirit, and are not proved to have acted in their own wills and wisdom, or without the guidance of the fpirit of God, about the things of his church and kingdom.

Qu. But though this be true, which hath been alleged for heavenly concord, yet what if I do not presently fee that fervice in a thing, that the reft of my brethren agree in? In this cafe, what is my duty and theirs?

Anfw. It is thy duty to wait upon God in filence and patience, out of all fleshly confultations; and as thou abideft in the fimplicity of the truth, thou wilt receive an understanding with the rest of thy brethren, about the thing doubted. And it is their duty, whilst thou behavest thyfelf in meekness and humility, to bear with thee, and carry themselves tenderly and loving towards thee: but if, on the contrary, thou disturbeft their godly care and practice, and groweft contentious, and exalteft thy judgment against them, they have power from God to exhort, admonish, and reprove thee; and (if thou perfevereft therein) in his name to refuse any farther fellowship with thee, till thou repenteft of thy evil.

Qu. But, left I should mistake, when thou fpeakeft of true liberty, that it ftands in being made free by the truth from all unrighteoufnefs, doft thou mean, that no other perfons ought to have the liberty of exercising their diffenting confciences, but that force may be lawful to reduce fuch as are reputed erroneously conscientious?

Anfw. By no means: it were a great wickedness against God, who is Lord of the fouls and fpirits of men, and ought to prefide in all confciences, who, as the apoftle faith, "Is the only potentate, and hath "immortality." For though I give the true liberty

of foul and confcience to thofe only that are set free by the power of Chrift, from the bondage of fin, and captivity of death, yet do I not intend that any perfon or perfons fhould be in the leaft harmed for the external exercise of their diffenting confciences in worship to God, though erroneous: for though their confciences be blind, yet they are not to be forced; fuch compulfion giveth no fight, neither do corporal punishments produce conviction: this we, above all people, in our day, have withstood, in fpeaking, writing, and fuffering; and, bleffed be God, continue fo to do with faithfulness. For faith is the gift of God, and forced facrifices are not pleafing to the Lord.

Qu. But according to thy argument, it may be my fault, that I have not the gift of faith; and upon this prefumption, it may be, thou wilt inflict fome temporal penalties upon me.

Anfw. No fuch matter; for fuch kind of faults are not to be punished with temporal or worldly penalties; for whether the errors be through weakness or wilfulness, not relating to moral practice, all external coercion and corporal punishment is excluded. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but " fpiritual."

Qu. But what then is the extent of the power of the church of Chrift, in cafe of fchifm or herefy?

Anfw. The power that Chrift gave to his church was this,That offenders, after the firft and fecond admonition, (not repenting) fhould be rejected:' not imprisoned, plundered, banished, or put to death; this belongs to the whore and false prophet: O! all these things have come to pafs for want of humility, for want of the ancient fear, and keeping in the quiet habitation of the juft: the truth in you all fhall anfwer me. And this I affirm, from the understanding I have received of God, not only that the enemy is at work to scatter the minds of friends, by that loose plea, What haft thou to do with me? Leave me to my freedom, and to the grace of God in myself, '

and