The opening of Master Prynnes new book, called A vindication: or, light breaking out from a cloud of differences, or late controversies. Wherein are inferences upon the Vindication, and antiqueres to the queres; and by that, the way a little cleared to a further discovery of truth in a church-order, by a conference or discourse. / By John Saltmarsh, preacher at Brasteed in Kent. Published according to order.

II.

Argument from the Power of Spiritual Ordinances and Dispensations.

THe Gospel-Ordinances brought into the World a power, and spiritual Law in them, though in degrees and mea∣sures, and several givings out, as in Johns time, and his Disci∣ples, in Christs own time, and his Disciples, and in the Spirits time; and according to these times of manifestation, believers were wrought upon: in Johns time they came out to the Bap∣tism of Water; in Christs and his Disciples, to the preaching of the Word; in the Spirits time, to the Baptism of the Spirit, to a more mighty and glorious working; and all these times of Gospel-manifestation, had a prevailing losse, and more upon the believers of these several times, in drawing them out from the world in part, though weakly: in Johns time, it is said, Then come out unto him all Judea; yet though they were Baptised of him, they gathered not off into such particular societies, as after, The Kingdom of God then was but at hand in Christs time, though his preaching was powerful, yet he let out the glory of his spirit, but sometimes with the Word, reserving his more glorious manifestations for other times; and even here, though Christs preaching gathered in his Apostles and Disciples into some particular, and neerer way to himself, yet not many more; nay, he rather left many, partly in that mixed condition of society he found them; and so the Disciples Commission which was given, was to preach but little yet of Church-ga∣thering, but by way of Prophecy, as in Matth. 16. and 18. The Kingdom of God was but yet at hand, not come: In the Spirits time, then the Kingdom of God was come, and then a mighty operation and measure of the Spirit was powred out, and then the believers through the powerful working, were brought more off from the World, and began to gather in closer to Christ, and one another. And now all power was given to Christ, which was not before his Resurrection, and now he sets

up a Kingdom;* 1.1 All power is given into my hands; and now the Kingdom begins to be set up in the hearts and practice of belie∣vers,* 1.2 and the Spirit to mold and cast the believers into Brother hoods and societies, and the form of a Kingdom; and now the Laws and spiritual policy are given out for ordering this King∣dom: And we see how the people of God in Rome, Corinth, E∣phesus, Galatia, drew off from the world, in the things of the Lord.

We see then how the Word did begin to work Believers into a fellowship from the world; and the more the spirit was given, the more and more off from the world, in all these several times: And it is a rational truth, and a clear conclusion, even to meer reason, that the more Christ, and his Spirit, is in any, the more neer and close they will gather up to heaven and walkings with God; and the more Christward any one is, the more off still from the multitude of the world: And thus the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, in which the Spirit breathes so powerfully, work men off from the mixed world, into fellowship with the Lord, and that spiritual fellowship makes them rejoyce more in one another, then in any other that are more carnal: The more men live to Christ, the more they die to the world, and are formed into the fellowship of his death and Resurrection.

The sum of the Argument.

If then the Ordinances and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ had ever a power, in some degree, of prevailing upon the souls of Believers, according to the manifestation of the Spirit: and if this Spirit, flowing from God and Christ, carry up the soul to God and Christ, according to the measure given to those Believers; and if the more they are carried towards Christ, the more they must come off from the world:

Then Congregational or Church-order wherein Believers are gathered into fellowship with God in Christ and one ano∣ther from the world, in the things of the Gospel, and unmixt communion, is warrantable. But all this is undeniably true from the Word: Therefore Church-fellowship and unmixt Communion is warrantable.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 8.
• * 1.2

  Ephes. 4. 8, 11.