First, the Foundation of all foundations, the Corner-stone it selfe, the
Lord Iesus, on whom all depend, Persons, Doctrines, Practices, 1. Cor. 3.
2. Ministriall foundations. The Church is built upon the founda∣tion
of the Apostles and Prophets, Ephel. 2. 20.
3. The foundation of future rejoycing in the fruits of Obedience,
1 Tim. 6.
4. The foundation of Doctrines, without the knowledge of which,
there can be no true profession of Christ, according to the first instituti∣on,
Heb. 6. The foundation or principles of Repentance from dead works,
Faith towards God, the Doctrine of Baptisme, Laying on of Hands, the
Resurrection, and Eternall Iudgement. In some of these, to wit, those
concerning Baptismes, & Laying on of Hands, Gods people will be found
to be ignorant for many hundred yeares: and I yet cannot see it proved
that light is risen, I mean the light of the first institution, in practice.
Gods people in their persons, Heart-waking (Cant. 5. 2.) in the life
of personall grace, will yet be found fast asleep in respect of publike
Christian Worship.
Gods people (in their persons) are His, most deare and precious: yet
in respect of the Christian Worship they are mingled amongst the Baby∣lonians,
from whence they are called to come out, not locally (as some
have said) for that belonged to a materiall and locall Babell, (and, lite∣rall
Babell and Ierusalem have now no difference, Iohn 4. 21.) but spi∣ritually
and mystically to come out from her sins and Abominations.
If Mr. Cotton maintaine the true Church of Christ to consist of the
true matter of holy persons call'd out from the World; and the true forme
of Vnion in a Church Covenant; And that also, neither Nationall, Pro∣vinciall,
nor Diocesan Churches are of Christs institution: how many
Thousands of Gods people of all sorts, (Clergie and Laitie, as they call
them) will they finde both in former and later times, captivated in such
Nationall, Provinciall, and Diocesan Churches? yea and so far from li∣ving
in, yea or knowing of any such Churches (for matter and forme)
as they conceive now only to be true, that untill of late yeares, how
few of Gods people knew any other Church then the Parish Church of
dead stones or timber? It being a late marvailous light revealed by
Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousnesse, that his people are a Company or
Church of living stones, 1 Pet. 2 9.
And however his own Soule, and the soules of many others (precious
to God) are perswaded to separate from Nationall, Provinciall, and Di∣ocesan
Churches, and to assemble into particular Churches: yet since