V EC AV. V. caufe is his, and in fpight of the gates ofhdllball fucceed, though we were not : our A negktt may !lacken rhe pafe of rrurh, cannot fray the palfage. Why are we nor as bufie, as fubrill, more refolure! Such fpirits, and fuch hanols as yours (Reverend Lord) mull pur life into the cold broatls ofthis frozengeneration, and raife themup to fuch thoughts and endeavours, as may make the emulation of our adverfaries equal! to their enmitie. To my Lord Bi!hop of1Vorcefler. E p, I I. Sht,.,ing the dijftrtn<t •f tht prt{tnt Church fmn the Ap•flolic4U; •ndnudlef 11t{fe•fDrJr tonj1rmitie therttlinA1hhmgs. B I F<are not to fay, thofe men are but fuperllitiou!ly curious (Right Reverend, and Honourable) whichwould call backe all circumtlances to their fidl patterns.The Spoufe of Chrifr bath beene ever clothed with her owne rites: and as apparell,fo Religion bath h<r fafhions, variable according to ages and places. To reduce us to rhefame obfervations whichwereinApofrolicallufe, were no better thentotieus ro the fandals ofthe Difciples, orfeamelelfe coat ofour Saviour. In tbefe cafes, they did what we need not; and we may, whatrheydid not : God meant us no bondage in their example : their Canons bind us, whether for manners, or dottrine, nor their Ceremonies.Neither Chrift, nor his Apofrles, did all things for imitation: I fpeake nor ofmiraculous atts. We need nor be tilent before aJudge, as Chrif\ 1vas; we need C not rake atowd,and gird our fdves,and wail1 our fervants feer,as Chrtll: did;weneed not moke tents for our living, as P•ul; norgoe armed, as Ptttr; nor carry about our wives, as he, and the other Apoll:les. I acknowledge the ground, norondy of teparation, but Anabaptifme,and wonderrhar rhefe conceits doe noranfwer themfdves. Who can chufe but fee a manifefr difference betwixt rhofe Lawes,which Chrifr and his great Ambalfadors madefor erernall ufe, and thofe riruall matters, which were confined to place and time! Every Nation, every perfon finnes that obferves not rhofe ; Thefe fur themoll part, are not kept ofrhe moll:; and are as well left without finne by us,as ufed withour prefcriprion or necellity by the Authors. Some ofthem we cannot doe: others we noed nor : Which of us call our devils by command! Who can cure the ficke by ointment, and impofirion of hands! The Difciples did D ir. All rhofe aCts which proceeded from fupernarurall priviledge, cea(ed with their caufe: who now dare undertake to continue them! Uoleffe perhaps fame bold Papi!ts, who have brou~ht in grolfe Magicke, in !lead ofmiraculous aurhoritie 1 and dawbe very carcaffesin ll:ead ofhealingdi!eaf«. There be more yet whichwe need not doe. What need we rochufe Minill:ersby lot! what need wero difclaimeall peculilritie in goods ~ What need we to Chrill:en in rivers; or to meet upon their bmks ~ What need we to receive Gods Supper after our owne ~ What to leane in each others bofome while we recciv< it ! What to abhorre leaven in that holy Bread~ What to celebrate love-feafts upon the receit ! What ro abfraine from all ftrangled and bloud ! What to d:pend upon a mainten~nce arbitrarie, and u~cer· taine ~ What to fpend our dayes ma perperuall pererrauon, as not ondythe Apo· E files, bur rhe Prophets and Evangelifrs fame ages afrcr Chrift! Whofoever would impofe all rhefe on us, he fhould furely make us, nor the !onnes, bur the !laves of rhe Apoll:les. Gods Church never her fdfe in fucb fervile rearmes; yea Chrill: him· fdfe gave ar firfr fame precepts ofthis nature, which he reverfed ere long: when be fent the Difciplesro preach, he charges : Take nor gold, nor filver, normoney in your girdles; aftetl~ards Iud.u carried the bagge. He charges, not ro take fo muchas a fraffe; yet afterbehold rwofwords: fhould the Difciples have held their Mall:er ro his owne rule! Is it neceffary, that what he once commanded,fhoold beobferved alwayes~Th,e very next Age ro rhefe Chrill:ianPatriarks,oeither would oar durft have fo much varied her rites, C. augmented them 1 if it had found it fdfe tied either ro number, or kind : As yet it was pure, chafte, and (whichwas ground ofall)perfecured. ,
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