from an high estimate of Christ and causeth them to wander from him and not to hold the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Compare 1 Cor. 8. 1. with Chap. 13. 4. and Col. 2. 18 19. It is much to be feared that we have also too high conceits of our selves and therefore though we are not quite Cold yet such thoughts make us Lukewarm we are too apt to think we know all already we have attained to excellent Ornaments and are pure in our own eyes Oh that we may come to the light of the Lord and therein see and examine our selves and if this iniquity be found with us put it far away for this thinking of our selves more highly then we ought is that which is the cause of our loathsom temper or 2. This Verse is a reason of Christs threatning and of that wo and judgment threatned Ver. 16. I will spue thee out of my mouth because thou saist I am rich c. Oh! what a provocation to Christ is it what a loathsom thing in his sight that such babes as we are should boast as if we were come to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ that we should imagine and say we have need of nothing when so little a portion is known of him by us that we should think and say we are whole what need then have we of a Physician What need of a Mediator to intercede for us We do by â—â—â—h like thoughts and sayings make the Cross of Christ and Preaching of it foolishness to our selves and render it a needless and undesirable thing and they do lead us to set light by and undervalue Christ and to give our hearts unto and take up our contentment in our attainments and receits which are indeed broken Cisterns which can hold no water and which we make as Idols to our selves and incense him against us who will not give honour to another nor his praise to graven Images his name is jealous and he cannot he will not indure it that we should give our loves to and take up our rest in any thing besides himself who was crucified for us and in whom only there is rest for our weary Spirios His jealousy when his love is abused or slighted is cruel as the Grave the Coals thereof are Coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Cant. 8. 6. He cannot bear it that those that are espoused to him should treacherously and adulterously depart from him and cast their eyes upon and give entertainment to other lovers and therefore when any do so that have been called to the fellowship of himself the fire of his jealousy is kindled against them and he as here threatneth to cast them off Wo saith our Saviour to you that are rich for ye have received your consolation Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Luke 6. 24 25. Manifold afflictions shall come upon them and they shall weep and howl for those miseries that shall come upon them James 5. 1. He that filleth the hungry with good things doth send the rich empty away Luke 1. 53. Such he will abhor and vomit them out of his mouth as most loathsom persons to him Oh! how sad and calamitous is their condition who boast and witness of themselves that they are pure sinless perfect as to attainment there is a Generation who are pure in their own Eyes though yet they are not washed from their filthiness and oh how lofty are their Eyes and their Eye-lids lifted up they can witness their enjoyment of all that is to be enjoyed now in this day that they have no sin in them and that they are perfect in themselves Woe unto them they have their happiness now their portion in this life and those that are in any measure like to them are loathsom to Christ and the more loathsom and abominable the more they are like to them It was displeasing to the Lord that Job had such an overweening conceit of himself of his knowledge purity innocency though he was destitute of such light and advantages as are afforded to us and it brought forth evil fruit in him even to condemn him that was most just and that good man when convinced of his evil was ashamed of himself and confesseth that he was vile and professeth he would lay his hand upon his mouth Once saith he have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further and when his eye saw God he did abhor himself and repented in dust and ashes Job 40. 3 5. 42. 4 6. This is a becoming thing for us to be low in our own eyes to take notice and be sensible of our vileness bruitishness shortness in every matter and to acknowledge that when we have done all that is commanded us yet we are unprofitable servants to confess with him That we are more bruitish then man and have not the understanding of a man that we have neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Prov. 30. 2 3. That we have yet much wanting and lacking in our faith in him love to him and conformity to his Image To this man will he look that instead of boasting what he is and hath done and proclaiming his own goodness is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at his word that hath nothing to glory in but the Lord Who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Isa 66. 1 2. 1 Cor. 1. 29 31. But the proud the rich the full he knoweth a far off The foolish such as are vain-glorious boasters who lift up the Horn on high and speak with a stiff neck who commend themselves and their own mouths praise themselves such shall not stand in his sight Psal 5. 5. with Psal 75. 4 5. His eyes are upon the haughty that he may bring them down 2 Sam. 22. 28. And their conceitedness is so unpleasing and distastful to him that he cannot away with them but if they repent not he will at last spue them out of his mouth he will not plead for them as his Church but cast them forth as an abominable branch and then how will they be exposed to all miseries afflictions and judgments whatsoever Oh! consider we this that pride may be hidden from us and that we may not be wise in our own eyes but viewing our selves in the Glass of the Lord's body may take shame to our selves For pride goeth before destruction and an haughty Spirit before a fall Prov. 16. 18. 18. 12. 29. 23. Were we but comparing our selves with that object that is proposed to us and set before us in the glorious Gospel and viewing what is the breadth and length and depth and height thereof and considering that love of Christ which passeth knowledge that Peace of God which
amongst the Jews did falsly accuse Christ with being a vicious person the men of that generation those who were the men of the times then they said of the Son of Man Behold a gluttonous person and a wine bibber a friend of Publicanes and sinners But saith he Wisdom is justified of all her Children All the Children of Christ and the Gospel know that this is but a slander Luk. 7. 31-35 Matt. 11. 16-19 There is no other Doctrine besides that so sheweth the vileness of sin and necessity of our being washed therefrom in the blood of Christ as doth this Doctrine of the Gospel For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Titus 2. 11-14 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Rom. 5. 18. with chap. 6. 1-3 But this slander of theirs is the issue of their ignorance and prejudice and what better fruit can be expected from such evil and bitter roots 3. This instruction may also shew unto us the great evil of those that deny that Christ hath died for all and by the grace of God tasted death for every man for these render it impossible for the greatest part of men to be made partakers of that darable riches and righteousness in Christ The Doctrine of the Gospel maketh the gate unto life strait enough and yet no straiter then is needful But these shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men and neither enter in themselves nor suffer them that are entring to enter The little finger of this Doctrine is heavier then the loyns of the Gospel to the greatest part of man kind Nay indeed as with respect to one part of men there is no straitness in the gate at all and with reference to the other and greatest part there is no gate open for them at all were their doctrines as true as they are counted by many But these herein are false witnesses of God and like the evil spies that brought an evil report upon the Land of Canaan and thereby discouraged the hearts of many of their brethren Take we heed and beware of those evil and pernicious doctrines that cause to err from the words of knowledg and way of truth 4. Seeing we cannot have these heavenly commodities without buying in selling all that we have let us so seriously consider the excellency of them that we may be made willing to let go all things as loâ—s and dung 〈◊〉 for the excellency of the knowledg of them that we may be made partakers of them For the great and eternal worth and excellency of these considered will make this yoke easy ano this burden light And this leadeth us to the last instruction propounded to be considered by us viz. 4. That to the end the wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked may buy this gold tried in the fire and this white raiment here commended to us it is good and neeful for them that they anoint their eyes with eye salve that they may see This though the last mentioned and counselled unto is surely needful to the former for without knowledg the soul cannot be good Prov. 19. 2. How should any man so highly prize any commodity as to part with all his substance for it that seeth no worth or excellency in it And how should Christ's Angels and Churches part with all they have for those heavenly treasures if they see no beauty in them why they should desire them There is no earnest desire after or high prizing of that which we are ignorant of and see no worthiness in Now then in this Instruction here propounded we shall speak unto these three things contained therein which may be usefully and profitably considered by us As to say 1. That Christ's Angels and Churches may be blind and ignorant of the excellency of Christ and those treasures in him 2. That there is eye-salve prepared for such blind ones also wherewith anointing their eyes they may see 3. That to the end they buy Christ and that in him it is neeful they anoint their eyes herewith that they may see 1. That Christ's Angels and Churches may so depart from him as to become blind and ignorant of the excellency of Christ and of those treasures hid in him Thus it appeareth here in this place in which our Lord saith to the Angel Thou art blind and counselleth every one that hath an ear to hear what the spirit saith to the Churches as intimating this was spoken to them all for their admonition and that it might so befall them also if they did not look diligently lest they failed of or fell from the grace of God God's people may become foolish and not know him they may be sottish children and have no understanding Jer. 4. 22. Yea the Pastours may become brutish and not seek the Lord. Jer. 10. 19-21 The blindness here spoken of is not the being destitute of natural or artificial wisdom the wisdom of this world for this men may have and yet be sufficiently blind in this consideration we have to speal of for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world 1 Cor. 3. 19. and chap. 1. 18-21 But the blindness here spoken of is a being without the wisdom that is from above a being destitute of spiritual understanding And so this Angel was blind if not wholly yet in a great measure and in so great a measure as that our Saviour the wisdom of God signifieth that he was blind Those that are watchmen amongst God's people and who have high conceits of themselves for knowledg and piety may yet have their eyes blinded with darkness His watchmen saith the Lord are blind they are all ignorant there may be blind guides blind leaders of the blind and how sad is it when it is thus Then surely their leaders cause them to err and they that are led of them are destroyed Isa 56. 10. 3. 12. 9. 16. Matt. 15. 14. 23. 24. Jer. 2. 8. This Angel and Church might be in such a condition as the Apostle Peter speaketh of when he saith He that lacketh these things to wit these great and precious promises ministred in and with the Gospel he in whom these are not and abound not dwell not richly so as he addeth not to his faith virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly-kindness and to brotherly-kindness charity such an one is blind and cannot see afarr off he is poreblind He may see some things near hand but he is so blind he cannot see these things afarr off he cannot see within the vail he cannot see into Heaven where Christ is nor those things above where he sitteth Deut. 30. 11 12.
us not lift up our selves in our doings knowledge attainments for we have cause sufficient to take shame to our selves that we are so barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Nor let us think our selves or others to be any whit the better because of our thinking or speaking highly of our selves but rather suspect our selves and know that this is an evidence and cause of our Lukewarmness We may say the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are we and yet steal from and defraud others and commit adultery c. Jer. 7. 4-10 We may boast that our hearts are right and cry come see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts and depart from and destroy inferiour Idols and yet serve Golden ones 2 Kings 10. 15 16 25. 29. We may speak one to another and say come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth out of the mouth of the Lord and may come unto his Servants and Prophets as the people cometh and sit before them as God's people and hear his words and the word of his servants may be unto us as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an Instrument and yet we may not do what we hear but our hearts may go after our covetousness Ezek. 33. 30-32 We may come into God's presence and stand and pray with our selves as being so holy that others may not come near us God We thank thee we are not like other men and yet those we separate from may be justified rather then we Luk. 18. 11-14 We may know we have knowledge and yet know nothing as we ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 1-3 We may boast that we are rich and full and yet be so carnal that God's servants cannot speak to us as unto spiritual ones 1 Cor. 4. 8. with chap. 3. 1-5 We may bestow all our goods to feed the poor and give our bodies to be burned and yet not have charity and so it may profit us nothing 1 Cor. 13. 3. We may plead that we have prophesied in Christ's name and in his name have cost out Devils and in his name done many wonderful works and yet not be built upon the rock which is Christ and so be rejected in conclusion Matt. 7. 22-27 We may glory in our building of Temples for God and yet forget our maker and count the great things of his Law strange things to us Isa 66. 1 2 3. Hos 8. 12-14 Oh! take we heed of seeking our own glory or boasting of our selves or of any of our own things before him though we may be in any measure perfect or so graciously reputed yet let us not know our own souls thereby Job 9. 20 21. Though we be righteous yet let us not lift up our heads Job 10. 15. Though we know nothing by our selves yet know we we are not thereby justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. And be we well assured that when we cry we are full and come not continually unto Christ as the onely foundation of faith fountain of grace and truth bread of life god tried in the fire robe of righteousness great and fundamental â—itness and evidence of God's love we are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot and deserve to be spued out of his mouth And though in a right examining our selves in the glass of the perfect law of liberty we perceive it to be thus with us and that we deserve to be abhorred of him and to be put away as dross and he is rebuking and chastening us yet notwithstanding consider we as many as he loveth he rebuketh and chasteneth that we may not be discouraged or faiâ—t in our sighing but rather let us anoint our eyes with eye-salve that we may see the excellency of Jesus of his Cross and of what he hath thereby effected and obtained into himself and is become and the vanity and unprofitableness of all other things in comparison of him that we may be zealous and hâ—t in spirit and demeanour and so sake all we have that we may win him and be made partakers of him and of those unsearchable and durable riches and that everlasting righteousness in him for that is his end in all his counsels calls and admonitions yea and in all his rebukes and chastisements while it is the day of his grace and patience It is in love to our souls that he doth rebuke us and order afflictions to us not for his pleasure but for 〈◊〉 that we might be partake s of his holiness Heb. 12. 9-11 Joh. 5. 42-45 Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees and make strait paths for our feet and he will forgive our sins and turn again and have compassion on us for he is gracious and ready to repent him of the evil threatned by him and deserved by us Heb. 12. 10. 13. Joel 2. 1 -12 13. I shall adde no more here having spoken so largely in the following Treatise but to desire thee to consider what is said and what agreeth with the Testimony of Christ receive and hold fast and what swerveth there-from refuse and reject And the Lord give us an understanding in all things and help us so heartily to embrace and retain the word of truth that though now we see not Christ we may love him above all and believing in him may rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls so he desireth who is thy Servant in and for the Lord Charles Phelpes Lyn. Sep. 15. 1671. Needful Counsel c. Rev. 3. 18. I Counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the Fire that thou mayest be Rich and white raiment that thou mayest be cloathed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see THE Words we see are a gracious needful and instructive Counsel given to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea In which let us consider 1. The Person that counselleth 1 2. The Person or Persons counselled thee 3. The counsel it self I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tried in the Fire c. 1. The person counselling 1 Who is that He is described to us vers 14. and giveth such a descritpion of himself as in which he giveth us to understand that he is excellent and comely for the escape of such as have fallen away by their iniquities and thereby brought themselves into a loathsome condition and deserve and are threatned to be cast forth as abominable branches persisting therein though such have destroyed themselves yet in him is help salvation and recovery for them Vers 14. These things saith the Amen to wit he in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ratified Confirmed Sealed and so made sure even by his precious blood which is the blood of the New Testament
passeth all understanding and seeing what treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ oh what cause should we see to be abased and to bewail our dim-sightedness and shortness of understanding and comprehending these things and see cause to complain of and acknowledge our great incompleatness in our selves and in conformity unto him yea to cry out of our uncleanness unlovingness barrenness leanness and witheredness If the Apostle could confess of himself and his Brethren that they saw in part and knew in part and that their present knowledge was as far short of that attainable and hereafter to be enjoyed as a Child's knowledge of the understanding of a man what cause have we rather to humble our selves and hide us in the dust who are so far short of what they had attained to 1 Cor. 13 9 12. Surely his Grace is vouchsafed to us to lay us low and hide pride from us and break us off from our high thoughts of our selves and though the Spirit that dwelleth in us as of us lusteth to envy and leadeth us to lift up our selves yet he giveth more Grace Grace abounding and exceeding the corruption of our natural Spirit that our lofty looks may be humbled and our haughty hearts bowed down wherefore he saith God resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble Jam. 4. 5 6. Humble we our selves therefore under the mighty hand of God and suffer we those high thoughts of our selves to be purged out of us and mortified or otherwise we shall never be servent in Spirit in seeking the Lord and yielding up our selves unto him The Apostle saw it needful and profitable to give this admonition to every one of the believers that they should not think more highly of themselves or of their parts gifts and attainments then they ought to think but to think soberly and this he giveth unto them through the Grace given to him and to that end he giveth it That they might present their bodies as moved and strengthened by the Mercies of God a living Sacrifice to him c. And not be conformed to this world but be transformed according to the renewing of their mind c. Rom. 12. 1 3. Implying that if they had unsober thoughts of themselves and did think of themselves above what was meet this would hinder them from an hearty yielding up themselves to the Lord as those alive from the dead and their members as instruments of righteousness unto holiness they would otherwise be apt to think and say They had need of nothing and so expose themselves to wrath as here Because thou sayst I am rich rich in knowledge and utterance the unsober taking notice hereof is very hurtful and pernicious and puffeth up men bloweth them up like a Bladder 1 Cor. 8. 1. And maketh them grow careless and negligent when opportunities are afforded to them for buying that Gold tryed in the fire and to despise and set light by those helps afforded them of God And increased with goods they intimate that time was when they were poor and had nothing but now they are inlarged and grown rich and their substance is increased Time was when they were in bondage to the Law or rudiments of this world and were without Christ and God in the world but now they are the Temple of the Lord the Church of Christ they are not like others or like to what sometimes they themselves were they have now excellent ornaments they have a great gift of prayer and can inlarge themselves therein they can speak freely and fluently for the truth they can plead and contend earnestly for the faith of the common Salvation and have so much to say for it and such strong and weighty Arguments that they can silence opposers and so stop their mouths that they have nothing material to say they have much mortified their corruptions subdued their lusts cleansed their ways escaped the pollutions of the world and have put on bowels of mercy kindness meekness long-suffering temperance sobriety c. They were become like those that trusted in and whose heart was lifted up because of their beauty and who made to themselves Images of God's fair lewels of his Gold and Silver which he gave them Ezek. 16. 4. 19. 28. 17 And have need of rothing or of no Man need of no Instruments though they did not leave off the assemblings of themselves together but seemed to take delight in approching to God yet they knew all already that could be said to them they needed nothing to be perfected in them for they had nothing lacking nothing to be healed for there was nothing lame in them they needed no teaching they were such knowing persons and had such great understanding they had need of no edification they had attained already they needed no reproof they were clean in their own eyes and free from those evils that others might charge them with and fault them for they were even saying Blessed be the Lord for we are rich God we thank thee we are not like other men we have all we desire to have we have need of nothing this was not only their thought but their Language they so said concerning themselves But what account did the faithful and true witness who will not lye give of them For it is not be that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10. 18. Did he confirm their saying and witness the same of them which they said of themselves No they were their own witnesses he giveth them to understand that they were greatly mistaken and deceived in that he saith and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked What a great mistake and error was here Do those that are so highly conceited of themselves think their case is so sad No these knew not their high and unsober thoughts of themselves blinded them and made them worse then fools Prov. 26. 12. And their blindness and ignorance was apparent and their shame and nakedness visible to such as had their eyes open they were blind and yet they thought and said they saw and truly ignorant persons usually are most highly conceited of themselves as the Apostle Paul signifieth when he saith I would not have you ignorant lest you be wise in your own conceits Rom. 11. 25. They thought themselves to be rich and full and see how empty and poor they were while they thought themselves to be something as men may do when they are nothing they deceived themselves Gal. 6. 3. And if any thinketh he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 3. The fool regeth and is confident thinketh himself to be in a good and happy condition that he hath need of nothing is so secure that he can never be moved but the wise man seareth he is not high-minded but feareth he is always jealous of himself and departeth from evil Prov. 14. 16. with Rom. 11.
20. See also what a mistake was in the Corinthians who were high minded and highly conceited of themselves Now ye are full saith the Apostle now ye are rich increased with goods ye have reigned as Kings without us c. We are fools for Christ's sake ye are wise in Christ ye can be his Disciples and followers of him and yet are so wise that you can keep your substance and be free from trials reproches and persecutions or ye can declare the Testimony of God succesfully and yet make use of excellency of speech and wisdom we are weak but ye are strong ye are honourable you have esteem and repute amongst men but we are despised c. But what manner of persons were these that had such high thoughts of themselves See what the same Apostle saith of them I Brethren could not speak unto you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal as unto Babes in Christ I have fed you with Milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear neither yet now are ye able for ye are yet arnal for whereas there is yet among you envying and strise and divisions are ye not Carnal and walk as men 1 Cor. 4. 8 10. with Chap. 3. 1 4. As there is that maketh himself poor and hath great riches who appeareth as one that hath nothing and yet possesseth all things so there is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing Prov. 13. 7. Such a mistake there was with this Church and is with many that have high thoughts and conceits of themselves Herein they are like a dream of a night Vision as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his Soul is hungry or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his Soul hath appetite Isa 29. 7 8. To such a sad and loathsorn condition may such bring themselves who have believed on the name of the onely begotten Son of God by turning their eye from Christ and doting upon and admiring themselves their knowledge parts gifts receipts attainments Oh that we may look into the perfect law of liberty and con-continue therein that we may so behold our own vileness sinfulness shortness and incompleatness in our selves that we may be low in our own eyes and so preserved from this lukewarmness and quickned and inflamed with love to Christ to seek after the knowledge and injoyment of him and for that cause to part with and forsake all things Yea and with fervency to hold forth the profession of our Faith without wavering that we may overcome by the blood of the Lamb and word of our testimony not loving our lives to the death that none of the things we may suffer may move us nor may we count our lives dear to our selves that we may finish our course with joy These are the persons to whom this faithful and true witness whose name is Wonderful Counseller speaketh and to whom he giveth this useful and gracious counsel We have in the next place to consider and speak unto 3. The counsel it self I counsel thoe to buy of me Gold tried in the fire c. We may note in general from the person counselling persons counselled and counsel it self given to them 1. That when men have sitted themselves for being spued out of Christ's mouth and brought themselves into such a condition that they deserve to be no longer pleaded for by him as his Church but to be vomited forth as loathsome and he threatneth so to deal with them yet while it is called to day such is the graciousness and mercisulness of this faithful and true witness such is the loathness and unwillingness of Christ and God in him to execute what he threatneth that he is long-suffering to such unworthy and ill-deserving ones and giveth good and wholesom counsel to such that they might hear it and receive it that so the judgment threatned may not be executed upon them He had said I will spue thee out of my mouth but before he doth so he here saith I do counsel thee in the present time to buy c. So when the Lord had been declaring the wonderful iniquity of his people in former times and commanded it to be recorded and threatned judgement desolating judgement yet before he executeth the sentence he giveth good advice to them Now go saith the Lord to the Prophet write it before them in a table and note it in a book that it may be for the time to come the latter day to warn and admonish us for ever and ever That this is a rebellious people though they fast and pray and tread God's Courts lying children children that will not hear the Law of the Lord which say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesy not to us right things speak smooth things prophesy deceits Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in an high wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant and he shall break it as the breaking of the potters vessel that is broken in pieces he shall divide them and separate them one from another and make such a breach amongst them as cannot be repaired by them again Thus he threatneth and yet to these he saith In returning to him from whom ye have deeply revolted and rest ye shall be saved namely from the judgement deserved and threatned or from the evil of it In quietness and confidence shall be your strength yea and though they would not presently listen to this counsel yet still he saith therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you c. Isa 30. 8 18. Thus also when the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy had threatned sore judgements on his people for their multiplied and heinous provocations and commanded him once and again and a third time not to make intercession for them nor to lift up a cry or prayer for them yet such was his unwillingness to destroy them and such testimony he giveth of his willingness to receive them in returning to him that their hands might not hang down nor their knees be seeble that he acquainteth them with the end and intention of such threatnings and giveth unto them good counsel At what time I shall speak saith the Lord concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem saying thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil and devise a device against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your way and doings good Jer. 7. 16. 11. 14. 14. 11. with chap. 18. 7 11. To this also
lifting up himself by his Spirit and rendring himself more precious then all the things of this world then all our injoyments relations attainments lives c. that so we might run with the feet of our Souls even with hot and fervent affections unto him from all other things Because of the Lord his God and for the holy one of Israel who hath glorified him Isa 55. 5. And that we might follow him whithersoever he goeth And laying aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us run with patience in induring afflictions and in a patient continuance in well-doing and patiently waiting for the Lord the race set before us looking off from all other things unto Jesus Heb. 12. 1 2 3. This is a needfull and usefull garment to be put on by us in and with Humility in putting on the new man and in being clad wherewith we shall be Instruments of good to others and provoke very many to seek and follow the Lord with us 2 Cor. 9. 2. and especially needfull for the Angels of the Churches that they may be ensamples to the flock and fervently seek their good Colos 4. 12 13. And abundant need and great cause have we now to buy this of Christ in these last and lukewarme times in which iniquity doth abound and the love of many wax Cold As was also soretold by our Saviour Math. 24. 12. And to that end that this Angel and Church might be zealous and repent change and forsake their evil and high thoughts of themselves therefore out of love and faithfulness the faithful and true witness did rebuke and chasten them Rev. 3. 19. Bowels of mercy kindness c. Are also to be put on by his Angels and Churches not only outward acts of mercy but bowels of mercy having an inward affection to men pitying and compassionating the ignorant and those that are out of the way and being kind also in heartily desiring the good of them that they may be saved Col. 3. 12. And these garments aptly follow and are joyned with zeal for when the love and loveliness of Christ is so known believed and considered by us as to inflame our hearts with love to him together herewith also his love is so infused and diffused into the heart by the holy Spirit as to fill us with love to all and so with bowels of mercy pity and compassion and with an hearty kindness to them and earnest desire and indeavour of their good This filleth with bowels towards all yearning toward them and breathing for their good that their eyes might be opened and that they might be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God the love of Christ known and believed frameth and constraineth hereto And so it frameth us to be like-minded unto Christ and God in him to be merciful as our father which is in Heaven is merciful Luk. 6. 36. And especially his grace teacheth and strengthneth the believers in putting on the new man to put on as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness c. one to another exercised in a desire and indeavour of their good especially avoiding what is contrary to bowels of mercy and kindness as judging one another condemning one another and in doing what springeth therefrom as forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any have a complaint against any even as Christ freely forgave them that they should do likewise Col. 3. 12 13. with Luk. 6. 36 37. And as we have opportunity doing good to all men especially to those that are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. 1 Joh. 3. 16 17 18. Meekness is also to be put on by them as a garment Col. 3. 12. To this the believing women are instructed whose adorning saith the Apostle Peter Let it not be that outward But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which though it be despised and laught at by men yea by many that profess godliness yet is in the sight of God of great price for after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves c. 1 Pet. 3. 1-5 And this is joyned with and put as the consequent of lowliness Ephes 4. 2. And of humbleness of mind Col. 3. 12. And meekness and lowliness of heart were conjoyned in our Saviour Matt. 11. 29. And unless we so receive the grace of Christ as to be clothed with humbleness of mind we cannot adorne our selves with this garment of a meek and quiet spirit for pride and high thoughts of our selves will cause us to be soon angry and fill us with contention strife envying confusion and every evil work Prov. 13. 10. Isa 16. 6. And this is to be exercised in subjection unto those that God hath set over us 1 Pet. 3. 3-5 And in quiet bearing injuries afflictions reproches and persecutions for the Gospel's sake and not indeavouring to resist the evil or leave our place of subjection Psal 37 7-11 In seeking the restoring of those that are overtaken with a fault Gal. 6. 1. In instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2. 23 24. In giving a reason of the hope to him that asketh us 1 Pet. 3. 15. And in all our receiving the ingrafted word with the instructions thereof and the reproofes of its instruction which are the way of life Jam. 1. 21. And this is also a fruit of the spirit which he is effecting in those that believe in glorifying Christ and discovering his excellency and that excellent example he hath lest us that we should follow his steps It is the fruit of that wisdom that is from above even of Christ and is therefore called meekness of Wisdom Jam. 3. 13-17 Gal. 5. 22. And is with the former to be put on by us especially in those last days in which evil men and seducers are grown worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and especially the Angels are to be clothed herewith The Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves c. 2 Tim. 2. 23 24. Charity also is to be put on Above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. 14. Above all things have fervent charity among your selves 1 Pet. 4. 8. Let all your things be done with charity 1 Cor. 16. 14. Charity is distinguished from brotherly kindness 2 Pet. 1. 7. Brotherly kindness hath for its motive and object somewhat lovely and amiable in the party loved but Charity is a free manner of love fastening on and flowing forth toward the party loved not because of any worth or worthiness in him yea notwithstanding great unworthiness and manisold evils be found in him Thus it is in God God so infinitely loved pityed and compassionated the world that he
is a Garment for beauty and Glory Hence it is said The Lord God hath covered me with a Robe of righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself as a Priest with Ornaments Isa 61. 10. 4. 2. Exod. 18. 2-4 2 King 22. 10-30 Rev. 7. 9-13 14. Christ hath washed them from their sins in his own Blood and hath made them Kings and Priests unto their God and as such he is clothing them and they by faith are putting on this beautiful and glorious Raiment Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 4 5-9 And the fruits of this righteousness render them comely among men so as being clothed and filled therewith they have a good report of all men as it is said of Demetrius 3 John 12. Though yet they hate them and hereby those that speak evil of them as of evil doers shall be occasioned to glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 2. 9-11 12. And hereafter they shall be gloriously arayed herewith as with a Robe and as Kings shall reign with Christ on earth they shall then inherit the Earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace then shall God bring forth their Righteousness their white raiment as the light and their judgment as the noon day Rev. 5. 10. 20. 4-6 Psal 37. 6-11-22-29-34 Isa 32. 1. Such like instructions are contained in this end here proposed to move and ingage us to buy this white raiment here commended to us We should now come to speak to the third thing here counselled unto to wit To anoint our eyes with eye-salve but to this in due time God assisting This which hath been said shall suffice for this first instruction And we now come to speak to the second Viz. 2. That Christ Jesus and this preparation in him may be had and partaken of by those that are miserable and wretched and poor and blind and naked and know it not while it is called to day This is imported to us in this counsel in that he saith who is the Amen the faithful and true witness I Counsel thee c. And this will further appear if we diligently mind and consider these things 1. That the ground and cause of all was for every sinful soul of mankind 2. The preparation is made ready in Christ the last Adam for all 3. This is discovered to all and especially where the Scriptures are vouchsafed in due time and they are invited 4. It may be had freely without any worth or worthiness 1. The ground and cause of all this provision in Christ was for all men for every sinful soul of mankind That is to say Christ was made of a Woman made under the Law for the good of all and to the end he might become a fountain for all according to their needs and capacities Gal. 4. 4 5. with Rom. 3. 19. He came into the World and was abased therein and further that he might become the Saviour of the world Joh. 3. 17. 4. 42. 1 Joh. 4. 14. And this was not whispered or spoken in secret or in the ear by our Saviour but publickly spoken and loudly proclaimed by him that we might know he was not ashamed of reporting this good news Jesus cried and said If any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not in this day of grace and patience for I came not to judge the world but to save the world Joh. 12. 44-47 It was in love in infinite pity and compassion to the world of mankind and so to those that are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked that God gave his only begotten Son And therefore it is thus expressed by his Son and that disciple whom Jesus loved God so loved the World so infinitely in expressibly yea inconceivably merciful and kind was he that he gave his only begotten Son Joh. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 8-11-14 As to say 1. Jesus Christ took upon him the nature of all men and was as the Son of Abraham and David and so the witness and evidence of the truth and mercy of God to them in whom God hath shewed himself to be a God keeping covenant and mercy Luk. 1. 54 55-68-75 Acts 13. 32 33. So also the Son of Adam Luk. 3. 23-38 Yea the Second man who was foreordained of God and interposed himself for the good of mankind while there was none in a personal being but one even the First man in whose loyns all were and who was the representative of all mankind and so in his room became the Publick man for the good recovery and bringing back of mankind to God which had departed from him in the First man and so were justly banished from him in the righteous sentence of his Law 1 Cor. 15. 47. Yea He the Second man is the last Adam of whom the first was the figure or type 1 Cor. 15. 45. Rom. 5. 14. And the truth falleth not short of the type in those things most materially intended thereby but rather exceedeth it as the Apostle giveth us to understand Rom. 5. 15 16. Heb. 9. 13 14. And hence when Christ was actually born the Angel saith Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for to you men as distinguished from and opposed to us Angels Heb. 2. 16. is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And the multitude of the heavenly host confirm and set their seal to the truth hereof praising God and saying glory be to God in the highest on earth peace goodwill not evil will towards men Luk. 2. 10-14 Hence also he is so frequently called the Son of Man yea only so called when one person is spoken of indeed when spoken to Ezekiel and Daniel are so called but he is never so called when spoken to but always when spoken off or speaking of himself I say He is so often called the Son of Man even of that kind or species of creatures because he partook of the nature of man and undertook their cause and was the Heir of man's misery to the end he might become their Saviour And by means of the King 's making a marriage for his only begotten Son in which our nature was married to the Divine nature in the person of the word the Son of God all things are ready and prepared for all mankind Which doth clearly intimate to us that he came into the world in a publick capacity and condition for the good and behoof of all men Matt. 22. 1-4-8 Luk. 14. 16-23 Isa 25. 6. 2. And being made of a woman he was therein and by the will of God made under the Law and had the guilt of our old sins the wages whereof was the first death imputed to him and laid upon him When God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself he did not impute their trespasses to them But he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us who knew it and were guilty of it and
the shame of their nakedness may not appear And here is signified to us that there is Eye-salve also to be had to cure and heal the blindness of the eyes In Christ as declared in the testimony there is all compleatness prepared for us for supplying all our wants and healing all our diseases Psal 103. 1-3 Colos 2. 3. 9 10. In that feast which is prepared by means of the marraige of our Nature to the Divine Nature in the person of the word the Son of God there is a compleat provision for us poor empty miserable diseased creatures And hitherto are invited not only the poor and the maimed and the halt but the blind also For therein there is cure and healing for them Matt. 22. 1-4-8 Luk. 14. 16-21 The father hath so loved the Son that he hath given all things into his hand into his possession and dispose Joh. 3. 35. And though it be marvellous in our eyes and hath been wondred at that the blind should receive their sight yet it is easy with him unto whom all power is given both in Heaven and on earth Matt. 15. 30 31. 28. 18. Though there be no healing medicine among men yet he can heal this disease also no word is impossible unto him Jer. 30. 12-17 But before we come to speak to this Instruction particularly it may be useful to consider and give Answer unto this Question which may reasonably be propounded viz. Quest Why doth the Amen the faithful and true witness counsel this Angel and Church to buy of him Gold and White raiment and not also this Eye-salve Wherefore is the Phrase here altered He had said I counsel thee to buy as with respect to the two former particulars and now the Phrase is changed and here he saith anoint thine eyes c. What may the Reason hereof be Answ 1. In general we may say doubtless there is good reason for it though it be hidden from me who am such a babe and so unskilful in these things For there is not the least word variation or change made use of in the Scripture by the Spirit of God but it is so used and done in much wisdom and upon weighty accounts all the words of whose mouth are in righteousness and given forth in judgment And therefore oftentimes called judgment and judgments Isa 51. 4. Psal 105. 5. And hence I believe though I may not see wherefore that there is good cause for the altering the manner of expression here in this part of the counsel And had I more anointed mine eyes with this eye-salve I might have better seen the cause so as to have been helpful to others in giving a satisfactory Answer hereto But 2. More particularly I conceive as hath been intimated before that though this part of the counsel be placed last in the order of words yet it is first to be received and observed in order of nature for how can we so highly value this gold and white raiment as to buy in selling all that we have unless we first in some measure see the worth and value thereof Now therefore this Eye-salve is brought unto us preventingly and we are instructed to anoint our eyes herewith before it be required of us to buy The eye must first be opened before we can turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. 18. It cannot reasonably be expected from us that we should forsake all we have or be saved from our sins and idols until our eyes be opened and we see and have found this treasure Hence that call Look unto me and be ye saved to wit from your iniquities and vanities but first look unto me saith Isa 45. 22. The kingdome of Heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field But first before he buyeth in selling all that he hath he findeth it and discerneth and perceiveth the excellency of it so as it causeth joy unto him Matt. 13. 44-46 Prov. 31. 16. So here this Angel and Church is instructed without and before buying to anoint their eyes and then and to that end that they buy those unsearchable riches and invaluable treasures of Christ Jesus which are here set before them and the excellency whereof is propounded to them Now then in speaking unto this Instruction we shall inquire into and shew 1. What are these eyes of theirs here spoken of and which they are called upon to anoint 2. What is this Eye-salve here commended to them wherewith they should anoint their eyes 3. What is this anointing the eyes which is here called for and counselled unto 4. Shew That this is prepared for them and brought unto them that they may anoint their eyes herewith 1. What are these eyes of theirs here spoken of and which they are called upon to anoint To this we may say Not their outward or bodily eyes For here the holy Spirit speaketh of spiritual things as hath in some measure been shewn And it appeareth their blindness was not upon the bodily eye because they would then have known it But of these he saith thou knowest not that thou art blind They were insensible of their misery which very rarely if ever persons are of their outward blindness unless such as are wholly bereaved of judgment But there are other eyes to wit those of the soul the mind or understanding of a man that faculty of the soul whereby a man may see when it is opened such things as the bodily eye cannot discerne And of these inward eyes our Saviour here speaketh Their understandings were darkened Ephes 4. 18. Their minds were blinded 2 Cor. 4. 4. 3. 14. These eyes are called the eyes of the understanding Ephes 1. 18. Of these eyes our Saviour speaketh when he saith to his Disciples perceive ye not yet neither understand Have ye your hearts yet hardened Having eyes see ye not How is it that you do not understand Mark 8. 17-21 And of these eyes the Apostle meaneth when he saith to the Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Gal. 3. 1. He was never crucified in the view of their bodily eyes for he was crucified at Jerusalem but he was set forth crucified before the eyes of their understanding in the glorious Gospel These eyes may be sufficiently blind and dark as with respect to spiritual things though the bodily eye be never so quick-sighted and though a man may be rich in the knowledg and sight of natural or moral things So it was with this Angel and Church and therefore this gracious and faithful Counseller instructeth and counselleth them to anoint their eyes to wit of the understanding with this Eye-salve 2. What is this Eye salve here spoken of and commended to them by this
NEEDFUL COUNSEL FOR Lukewarm Christians BEING A CONSIDERATION OF Some part of the Message sent to the ANGEL OF THE CHURCH in LAODICEA By CHARLES PHELPES a Servant of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of the Grace of God to Mankind PROV 19. 20 21. Hear counsel and receive instruction that thou maiest be wise in thy latter end There are many devices in a mans heart nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand LONDON Printed for Benjamin Southwood at the Starr next to Sergeants-Inn in Chancery Lane 1672. TO THE READER THough this Epistle a part whereof is spoken to in the ensuing Treatise was directly and expresly sent to the Angel and Church in Laodicea yet it also as well as the rest of the Messages or Epistles was spoken by the holy Spirit unto the Churches in general and therefore every one that hath an ear is exhorted and called upon to hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 3. 22. And it is therefore of concernment for others for all that have received the Word of the beginning of Christ to mind and consider what is reproved and faulted in this Angel and Church what is threatned to them and the counsel given by the Amen to cure their distemper and prevent the judgement It is possible that other Angels and Churches and particular persons who have formerly been called to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and who have received the word of God as it is in truth the word of God may also suffer a decay of those things that have been wrought in them by the glorious Gospel and grow remiss heartless and indifferent as it fared with this Angel and Church and as our Saviour hath premonished that because iniquity should abound the love of many would wax cold Matt. 24. 12. And especially toward the time of the end he hath foretold us there would be a generall security in such as are of his Churches and people in such as profess to wait for and attend his coming as he signifieth in that parable of his mentioned Matt. 25. 1-5 In which he saith not as in many other Parables The kingdom of Heaven is like c. But Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened by those therein unto Ten Virgins which went forth to meet the Bridegroom And while the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbred and slept They did not with zeal and fervency hear Christ watching daily at at his Gates waiting at the posts of his doors that they might find him as his grace instructeth and is operating in those that have it and yield up themselves to it Prov. 8. 34. 35. But in too great a measure were grown slothful heartless and secure And surely this is written and recorded for our admonition and warning upon whom the ends of the world are come to the intent we might give such earnest and diligent heed to the things we have heard the word of Christ which is as a fire that our hearts might burn within us and be inflamed with love to him and filled with such an high prizing of him and the unsearchable riches of him as to sell and forgo all we have for the excellency of him and them that we may gain him and be found in him Luk. 24. 26 27 32. Jer. 23. 29. Seeing then that it is possible and may so come to pass that others yea any who have received the grace of God may become Lukewarm and neither hot nor cold and may go backward and not forward Jer. 7. 24. If they abid not in Christ Jesus as they have received him it is good and needful for us all to examine our selves in the light of the Lord and search our hearts and ways that we may see and discern what manner of persons we are and what discovery the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ maketh of us Let us not rest contented in any good thoughts we may have of our selves For not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10. 18. Nor let us conclude that we are in a good condition because others may think well and speak highly of us that are our brethren and companions for a man may have a name among the Churches that he liveth and yet be dead Rev. â— â— But let every man prove and approve his own work and then shall he have his rejoycing in himself alone and not in another not in another's good thought or opinion of him Gal. 6. 4. We may have run well in former times we may have run from all our own things unto Christ and followed him through good report and bad report and yet now be letted and hindered from that fervent demeanour and exercise our selves Gal. 5. 7 8. We may have been called unto Christ and called according to purpose and yet again be removed from him that called us into the grace of Christ Gal. 1. 6. We may have gone after him in the Wilderness as it were and yet now go far from him and walk after vanity and become vain and so grieve him and his good spirit by whom we have been called to the knowledge of the truth Jer. 2. 2-5 Let us not then be high minded but fear Let us noâ— say inâ—â—ur hearts our mountain is so setled that we can never be moved our hearts have been and are so upright with him and close cleaving to him that we cannot depart from him But let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. And come we to the light that our selves and deeds may be made manifest and discovered Joh. 3. 20 21. That if this loathsome iniquity of Lukewarmness be with us we may cleanse our selves there-from lest we provoke him who is slow to anger to abhor us and to sp 〈…〉 out of his mouth And be we well assured of this that if once we entertain and retain such high and unsober thoughts of our selves and of our attainments and injoyments as to say We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and so shut the door upon and against Christ Jesus and suffer him to stand and knock thereas we shall but deceive our selves if we imagine we are free from this nauseous distemper we may then be confident that blindness hath happened to us in some yea in a great measure and may upon sure grounds judge and conclude our selves to be like to this Angel and Church and fear he will deal with us as he threatneth to do to these if we continue and persist in our high thoughts of our selves For Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty Spirit before a fall Prov. 16. 18. He will save the afflicted humbled people those who are poor in spirit who have nothing to glory in before God but the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified But his eyes are upon the haughty that he may bring them down 2 Som. 22. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 29-31 Oh! Let