CHAP. XIV.
Yea; but it is said, that Jews, weak in Christian liberties, and zealous for Moses’s law, they were to be received.
I answer, two things must here carefully be minded:—
Difference between God’s own holy institutions to the Jews, and Satan’s paganish, or anti-christian institution to the Gentiles, as concerning the manner of coming forth of them.
First, although bondage to Moses would separate from Christ, yet the difference must be observed between those ordinances of Moses which it pleased God himself to ordain and appoint, as his then only worship in the world,though now in the coming of his Son he was pleased to take away, yet with solemnity; and on the other side, the institutions and ordinances of anti-christ, which the devil himself invented, were from first to last never to be received and submitted to one moment, nor with such solemnity to be laid down, but to be abhorred and abominated for ever.
A comparison between the Jewish and Christian ordinances.
The national church of the Jews, with all the shadowish, typical ordinances of kings, priests, prophets, temple, sacrifices, were as a silver candlestick, on which the light of the knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus, in the type and shadow, was set up and shined. That silver candlestick it pleased the Most Holy and Only Wise to take away, and instead thereof to set up the golden candlesticks of particular churches (Rev. i.) by the hand of the Son of God himself. Now the first was silver,—the pure will and mind of God, but intended only for a season; the second of a more precious, lasting nature, a kingdom not to be shaken, that is, abolished as the former, Heb. xii. 28.
Moses’s ordinances at one time precious and holy, at another time beggarly and deadly. The first Christians communicated in the Jewish synagogues until the Jews contradicted and spoke evil, &c., then they separated.
Therefore, secondly, observe the difference of time, which Mr. Cotton himself confesseth: “after instruction and conviction,” saith he, “Moses’s law was deadly, and would separate from Christ;” therefore, there was a time when they were not deadly, and did not separate from Christ, to wit, until Moses was honourably fallen asleep, and lamented for—as I conceive—in the type and figure thirty days, Deut. xxxiv. [8.] Therefore, at one season, not for Timothy’s weak conscience, but for the Jews’ sake, Paul circumcised Timothy: at another time, when the Jews had sufficient instruction, and obstinately would be circumcised, and that necessarily to salvation, Paul seasonably cries out, that if they were circumcised Christ should profit them nothing, Gal. v. [2.] Hence, the Christians atEphesus conversed with the Jewish synagogue until the Jews contradicted and blasphemed, and then were speedily separated by Paul, Acts xix. [9.] But to apply, Paul observed a vow, and the ceremonies of it, circumcised Timothy, &c.; may therefore a messenger of Christ now, as Paul, go to mass, pray to saints, perform penance, keep Christmas and other popish feasts and fasts? &c.
A member of a true church falling into any idolatrous practice, not presently to be excommunicated.
Again, is there such a time allowed to any man, uniting or adding himself to the true church now, to observe the unholy holy days of feasting and fasting invented by anti-christ? Yea, and, as Paul did circumcision, to practise the popish sacraments? I doubt not; but if any member of a true church or assembly of worshippers, shall fall to any paganish or popish practice, he must be instructed and convinced before excommunication: but the question is, whether still observing and so practising, a person may be received to the true Christian church, as the Jews were, although they yet practised Moses’s ceremonies?
These things duly pondered, in the fear and presence of God, it will appear how vain the allegation is, from that tender and honourable respect to God’s ordinances now vanishing from the Jews, and their weak consciences about the same, to prove the same tenderness to Satan’s inventions, and [to] the consciences of men in the renouncing of paganical, Turkish, anti-christian, yea, and I add Judaical worships now, when once the time of their full vanishing was come.
Not one degree of sight of, or sorrow for anti-christian abominations; yet a necessity of cutting off from the false before union to the true church, ministry, worship, &c.
To conclude, although I prescribe not such a measure of sight of, or sorrow for anti-christian abominations—I speak in respect of degrees, which it pleaseth the Father of lights to dispense variously, to one more, to another less—yet, I believe it absolutely necessary to see and bewail so much as may amount to cut off the soul from the false church, whether national, parishional, or anyother falsely constituted church, ministry, worship, and government of it.[253]