[Or if he can, he may speak by way of prophecy for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the whole] by prophecy here I mean a plain, and brief declaration of the mind, and counsel of God, in words significantly and easie to be understood, confirmed by the words of the Apostles and Prophets of God, and brought forth for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the whole; The 14 of the 1 Cor. will plentifully clear this truth, and make this liberty good unto the Saints, in the Churches of Christ, and it cannot be shut out but by the spirit of Antichrist. See verse 1. 5. 12. 24. 26. 30, 31. 39, 40. So 1 Thes. 5. 19, 20. Quench not the Spirit, is the exhortation to him that is therby moved to speak; and despise not prophecyings, is the exhortation to them that are present to hear. But to proceed.

[And out of the congregation at all times, upon all occasions, and in all places, as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends] which is not only to the utmost parts of the Earth, but also to heaven. See Mat. 28. 18. Heb. 1. 2. Ephes. 1. 20, 21, 22.

[May (yea ought to) walk as a Child of light, justifying wisdome with her waies, and reproving folly with the unfruitful words therof, provided, &c. For a warrant here, see Deu. 6. 7. Mat. 5. 14. 16. 10. 32, 33. 11. 19. Eph. 5. 11. Act 4. 20. Jam. 3. 13. And so have I done also with the 3d. Conclusion, the fourth followeth.

4. [I testify that no servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty, much less authority, from his Lord, to smite his Fellowservant] This will be evinced to be a truth many waies from the mouth of the Lord.

1. In that it is the great commandment of this Lord to his disciples, and servants, to love one another, and so to bear one anothers burdens, who ought to have their love stronger than death, so as to lay down their lives for the brethren. See John 13. 34. 15. 17. 1 John 3. 23. 4. 21. Gal. 6. 2. 1 John 3. 16. Now to smite one another is a breach of that Law of Love in a very high degree. Therefore.

2. The servants of Christ are called upon by their Lord to learn of him to be meek, and lowly, and are put thereby into a capacity to be further taught the way, and fear

of the Lord, to increase their joy, and they are such as shall inherit the earth, and also heaven, for they shall find rest for their souls; and this meek, quiet and gentle Spirit is declared by the Spirit of the Lord to be an ornament of very great price. See for a proof of all this Mat. 11. 29. 21. 5. Psalm 25. 9. Isaiah 29. 19. Mat. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 4. But to smite is an argument of a domineering, proud, and lofty spirit, which is far from a Spirit that is meek and lowly. Therefore 3. The servants of Christ are called upon by their Lord to be so far from smiting their fellows, that in case they should be smitten by others for his, and the Gospels sake, meerly on one cheek, they should rather turn the other, than seek to revenge it. See Luke 6. 20. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 7. why do ye not rather take wrong (saith the Apostle) why do you not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded? but this is far from smiting one another. Therefore, &c.

4. This Lord being also that Prince of Peace, doth so far dislike such practices as these among any servants of his, that belong to his house, that he hath absolutely and expressly declared, that he by no means will have a striker to supply the Office of an Elder, or Steward therein, no nor one that is of a Lordly, or domineering spirit, nor yet one that is froward, and will be soon angry. See in the first Epistle of Timothy 3. 3. Titus 1. 7. Peter 5. 3. Therefore, &c.

5. That no servant of Christ hath such authority from his Lord to smite his fellows, doth plainly appear in that Parable Mat. 18. 34. where it is said, The Lord was so wroth that he will have that wicked servant delivered to the tormentors, that did but take his fellow by the throat; and him that fell to smiting his fellowes in his Lords absence: Mat. 24. 51. it is said, The Lord shall come upon, in a day when he looked not for him, and in an hour that he is not awar of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrits, where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. But to proceed in the testimony, where it is said,

[No nor yet with outward force, or arm of flesh to constrain, or restrain anothers conscience, nor yet his outward man for conscience sake, or worship of his God, &c.] That

4TH S.

13

this is a truth will be made out by the Scriptures of truth, and that many waies. The first argument to prove it

standeth thus.

1. Arg. If any Servant of Christ Jesus (be he high, or low, rich, or poor,) have any such liberty, or authority from his Lord so to do, then he is able to shew it, (as that which may be his warrant so to act) either out of the words of the Lord himself, or out of those that were spoken, or writ by the Apostles, which were his Ambassadors, and were furnished from their Lord with commands for his Servants observance until he come again.

But no servant of Christ (I suppose) is able to shew, either out of his own words, or out of the words of the Apostles, any such liberty or authority from the Lord, as that which may be his warrant so to do. Therefore.

The first Proposition cannot be denyed, which is this, If any servant of Christ Jesus have any such authority from his Lord, he is able to shew it, either out of his own words, or from the Apostles. And indeed for a man to act in the name of the Lord, and not to have a word, or warrant from him, is high presumption, and so will it appear if these things be considered.

1. In that it is plainly declared, That all power in heaven, and in earth, is given unto Christ, and therefore must all authority in heaven, and in earth, be derived from him; and hence it is, that it concerns the feet and the toes of that great image, if it be possible, to stand clear of him who is that little stone cut out without hands, and shall ere long become a great mountain, and fill the Earth.

2. In that it is as plainly declared, that the living God hath in these last daies spoken by Christ, Heb. 1. 1. hath made him the heir of all things, and thereupon hath called upon every one that hath an ear to hear him, hath threatned that soul that will not hear him that he shal be cut of; therfore it concerns every servant of his to take heed he use no such authority over another which he hath not heard and received from Christ.

3. In that it is declared that Christ Jesus the Lord is that one law-giver, and that they are blessed that do his commandements, yea, so blessed, that the Apostle saith he

is become the author of eternall salvation to those that obey him, and that he is also the Judge unto whom the living God, hath appointed a great, and notable, and terrible day, in which and by whom he will Judge the world in righteousness, yea, the very secrets of mens hearts, according to his gospel. See James 4. 12. Rev. 22. 14. Heb. 5. 9. Acts 10. 42. and 17. 31. Rom. 2. 16. From which consideration it also appears, that it concerns the servants of Christ, that they despise not such a Law-giver and such a Judge as he is, in taking such liberty, or exercising such authority, over other mens consciences, which cannot be made out from his words that he hath given them; all which, as so many arguments, will prove the first proposition.

And as for the second, which is this, sci. No servant of Christ can shew a warrant from Christ for such an authority, either out of his own words, or his Apostles; if that be denied, we must then call for the warrant, which must be shewed either out of the Evangelists, the book of the Acts of the Apostles, the Apostles Epistles, or the Revelation of Jesus: but I suppose it cannot be shewn out of any of these. If the 13. of the Romans be produced for a warrant, no man can deny that the power there spoken of was such as belonged to a heathen, and I think no man will acknowledge that he had such an authority from Christ to order mens consciences, or outward man, with respect to the worship of God, and therefore that word cannot be their warrant.

If the words of Paul, Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you, be produced for a warrant, let the words be considered (and in the first place) there is no mention made of outward force, or outward affliction, and therefore no warrant for any outward or carnall hand so to afflict; but 2. The words were spoken to the Churches in Galatia, which were spirituall societies, and concerning spirituall transgressors, and therefore their cutting off must be from that spirituall relation and union which hitherto they enjoyed, and how that is done, compare 3. Acts 23. with Mat. 18. 8. 17. Rom. 11. 17. 19. 20. 22. And the carnall cutting off from the carnall Israel (before the time of reformation) was but a type of this spirituall

cutting off and casting out from the spirituall Israel of God since.

And thirdly, consider, the words were spoken by the Apostle Paul, who would have us to know (as he declares it, 2 Cor. 10. 4.) that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall, he was not wont to strive with them that opposed themselves with carnall weapons, and therefore if he speaks to such persons as these Galatians were (that had received such power from the Lord) touching a cutting off, which is a business that belongs to a sword, it would be too carnall an understanding of the place to conceive that this should be done by any other sword, than by the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and can reach to their Spirits, and is the only offensive weapon the Saints are to take in such cases as this against their spirituall opposers; and so have I done with the first Argument. A second, to evince this, is taken from that law wherewith Christ Jesus, that Sonne of Righteousness, hath more or less enlightened the Nations, which I may therefore call the law of Nations, being that law by which the Lord will Judge those which may otherwise be said to be without law: the Law is this, Do, as thou wouldst be done unto, which is also (as Christ speaks) the Law and the Prophets. The argument

standeth thus.

2. Arg. If every servant of Christ Jesus have a commandement from his Lord, as he will answer it before him when he shall appear as Judge, to do to others, as he would have others to do unto him; then no servant of his can have either liberty or authority from him thus to force another mans conscience, or his outward man merely for conscience sake.

But every servant of Christ hath this command from his Lord, viz. Do to others as ye would that others should do unto you. Therefore, &c.

The second proposition is undeniable. See 7. Mat. 12. Luk. 6. 31. The consequence of the first proposition can scarce be denied, but if any should rashly deny it, then I appeal to that mans conscience, not being seared, which also knows but in part, in the sight & presence of God, whether he can be willing that another who is further in