The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

6. Lastly, I shall conclude with this, though I thought such a thing might have been spared, for it will not reach all, but some. What opinion hast thou of thy Lords Institutions? I am sure this Lord hath set up Ordinances in his House, Divine institutions. There is his Ministry, and the work which he hath called and ordained his Ministers to do. Is he your Lord, have you received him so? and can you find your Lords Institutions, and trample upon them? Men are now grown so spiritual, that they can live above Ordinances, yea, and above your Lord too, if he be your Lord, which I much doubt. Tell not me of your spirituality; I tell thee, if thou hast truly received Christ thy Lord, then all thy Lords Institutions in his House are reverently received by thee, thou hast a high esteem of them for his sake who did appoint them, else you make your self to be the Lord, and not him: Whose Image and Superscription is this? said Christ, Matth. 22.20. to them who sought to entangle him, if Caesars, then give to Cesar the things that are Caesars, &c. So say I, whose Superscription is there upon the Gospel-ministry, upon Baptism, the Lords Supper, Church Discipline? Is it not the Lord Christs? I look not on him as a sober Christian, that dare deny it. Let then the Lord Christ have what is his. It was a very unsavoury speech (if true) of one, whose name I spare, and very unbecoming a Minister, let his notions be as high as they will, calling Baptism and the Lords Supper Low Ordinances: Was it fit for a Servant to call the Institutions of his Lord low Ordinances? We do bless him for his Institutions, he appointed nothing in vain in his Church: But this is our misery, since the Orthodox have rectified the doctrine of good works and Sacraments, Charity, good works, and Sacraments, come to be slighted by a Gospel-glutted generation: I do not intend Infant-baptism alone, when I mention Baptism, for the Anabaptists do set up Baptism, if they do not put too much upon it; the Ordinance they keep up, though as to the subject of it, there they differ; I intend not to meddle with the Opinion.

6. Lastly, I shall conclude with this, though I thought such a thing might have been spared, for it will not reach all, but some. What opinion hast thou of thy Lords Institutions? I am sure this Lord hath set up Ordinances in his House, Divine institutions. There is his Ministry, and the work which he hath called and ordained his Ministers to do. Is he your Lord, have you received him so? and can you find your Lords Institutions, and trample upon them? Men are now grown so spiritual, that they can live above Ordinances, yea, and above your Lord too, if he be your Lord, which I much doubt. Tell not me of your spirituality; I tell thee, if thou hast truly received Christ thy Lord, then all thy Lords Institutions in his House are reverently received by thee, thou hast a high esteem of them for his sake who did appoint them, else you make your self to be the Lord, and not him: Whose Image and Superscription is this? said Christ,