The true keeps out Doctrine. of Saints hath Chrift equally for their Head, and fo ought not to fet up, any outward or visible Head for them to joyn to; for this is to rend the body in pieces, and to work great division and diftraction among the faithful. And therefore I conceive it is a mistake among fome brethren, to call the Congregations of Chrift, by the names of men, though godly and eminent; and to fay, Mr. fuch an ones Church, or Mr. fuch an ones Church; and fo to put the Church under feveral Heads, which works diftinction and divifion; whereas they should rather fay, the Church of Chrift, in fuch or fuch a place; it being, wherever it is, one Church, under one Head and Governour, Jefus Christ. And therefore let us know, that it is part of the mystery of iniquity for the Church, or faithful, to have one or more visible Heads to go to, not being contented with Chrift alone. And though this hath been, and will be, the practice of the carnal Church: yet the fpiritual Church and people, do only own, and have recourfe to Chrift, their true and fpiritual Head. And fo they all, living as one body, and members one of another, under one only Head, live all in invincible peace and unity; whereas difference of outward Heads and Ring-leaders, always breeds difference and divifions among Chriftians. The eighth Rule, is, For the true Church, to keep out all error in Doctrine; feeing this breeds, not only division, all Error in but confufion and ruine alfo in the Church, Wherefore the Congregations of Chrift must be the more careful and watchful in this matter. When fome falfe Apostles taught at Antioch, that, Except Chriftians were circumcifed after the manner of Mofes, they could not be faved; which was a moft dangerous error against Chrift, and the Gospel; the whole Church, 1 Church, first, at Antioch, and presently after, at Jerufalem, met together to keep it out: which accordingly, through God, they did. So that what ever Doctrines are evidently against the Word of truth, and Gofpel of our falvation, the Church is to take care to keep them out, as it loves its own peace and unity, Now if any fay, By what means may the Church be Quest. able to keep out error? I Answer, It may certainly keep out Error by Answ. these means. the true Error. 1. Let the Church fuffer none to teach among The ways them, that are not themselves taught of God; whereby though they have never fo great natural parts, Church and never fo much humane learning. For, when keeps out they are the Teachers that are taught of God, they will only teach the truth, which they have heard and learned from God: And the line of every mans teaching must extend no further. But when they teach, that are not fo taught, they will in many things vary from the truth, as it is in Jefus; yea, and under a form of found doctrine, will give forth an unfound and falfe fenfe, to the deceiving of many that are weak and fimple; and fo under pretence of Chrift, will utter the voice of a ftranger; and endanger the mif-leading of fome sheep for a time. 2. Let the faithful examine every thing that is taught by the Word of God, and not receive doarines upon truft, from their Teachers, who, through the reputation of their learning and holinefs, may easily lead them unawares into error. And therefore let the Church compare the present Doctrine, Preached and Printed, and generally received, with the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apoftles, which without doubt is fure and certain, feeing those holy men of God, fpake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit: And what ever Doctrine shall be found contrary to, or different from, that Doctrine, let them reject it as reprobate filver; feeing the Church is to be built upon no other foundation of Doctrine, than that of the Prophets and Apoftles. And though, through Gods efpecial goodness, the Doctrine of the Gofpel be again revived among us, at this prefent time, yet ought we not to fit down content with the present state of things; but to fearch and fee if our prefent Doctrine do not yet err from the Primitive Purity and brightness of the Gospel, and that in many confiderable points; and whether fome, or many corruptions do not yet remain among us, to be purged out, by the light and truth, of the Apoftles Doctrine. Wherefore to conclude this thing, let us know, that the Church cannot poffibly keep out Error, longer then it precifely keeps it felf to the bare and naked Word of God, and tries all Doctrines of their Teachers by it. 3. The Church, that it may be able to keep out Errors, must defire of God, the Spirit which he hath promifed; that this Spirit of Truth may lead them into the true and fpiritual knowledge of the word, and understanding of the mind of .Chrift. For no man can make any right Judgement of the word he hears or reads, without the teaching of the Spirit. And by this Anointing, as we fhall be certainly taught, which is Truth; fo alfo we fhall difcern which is Error, and that by fo clear and true a light, that we shall not mistake. Wherefore Chriftians must take heed, that they do not think, with carnal people, that the ability to judge of divine truths and humane and Antichristian errors, depends upon humane learning, Arts and Sciences; for thus it will come to pass, that they judging themselves unable to judge of matters of Religion, will wholly leave the judge ment ment of them, to thofe whom they conceive after this manner learned: whereby they leave open a wide door through which the Teachers may bring in all forts of Errors upon them. But Believers must know, that the gift of the Spirit only, without all humane learning, is fufficient to teach us perfectly, which is Truth, and which Error; and to make us able, to judge of all doEtrines of men and Angels; and that all humane learning in the world, without the Spirit, is not able to do this. And fo a poor, plain, Countryman, by the Spirit which he hath received, is better able to judge of Truth and Error, touching the things of God, than the greatest Philofopher, Scholar, or Doctor in the world, that is deftitute of it. 4. Another notable means to keep Error out of the Church, is to restore in it, that most antient Gospel-Ordinance of Prophefying, which, how much foever, it have been out of ufe during the reign of Antichrift, yet is no other than the very commandment of the Lord, as Paul witneflèth, 1 Cor. 14. 31. where he faith, When the whole Church is met together, ye may all Prophefie one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted; and adds verf. 37. If any man think himself to be a Prophet or fpiritual, let him acknowledge, that the things I write unto you, are the commandments of the Lord. Wherefore brethren labour that ye may prophefie. So that prophefying in the Church, is Gods own Commandment, as every Prophet and spiritual man must acknowledge, Now this divine Ordinance of prophesying, is three wayes helpful, to keep out Error. 1. For firft, When one man only speaks in the Church, and no man is fuffered to speak befides him, as he is very subject to be puffed up, and to conceit, that wifdom only dwells with him; fo he is more ready to vent the thoughts of his own heart, and to fpeak the Dreams and Vifions of his own head. But when he knows the word of God is not come to him only, but to others alfo, and that they have wisdom and spirit, to speak in the Church, as well as he, this will both keep down his pride, and make him careful what he speaks, when he knows, there are those present in the Congregation, that are able to reprove his darkness by light. And this prophefying, is a strong bit and bridle in the jaws of Error, that it cannot run that race in the Church, it doth defire. 2. When one man only speaks, and the doArine he preaches proves to be erroneous, as it is ordinarily in the common Ministry of the Kingdom, it comes to pass, that Error is not only preached, but also goes away uncontrouled, and no way is left for the reftraining Error proportionable to that of propagating it; no body being permitted to speak, to keep the people from the poifon of it. And thus whilst the liberty of publick speaking is permitted only to one man in a Congregation, and to one fort of men in the Kingdom, any Error may fuddenly be spread over the whole Kingdom (as we fee by daily experience) without any fufficient and proportionable remedy to prevent it. But now, when the right or power of prophecying, is allowed to the whole Church, the Minifter can no fooner vent any Error, but there is fome believer, or other, whofe heart God fhall move, ready to convince it by the word of God: And fo, Error is as foon discovered, and detected, as it is published; and as foon deftroyed, as it is detected; the word of God, though from a pri vate Chriftian, being more mighty to deftroy Error, than Error can be, to uphold it felf against the word. 3. Pro |