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A78090 The gospels glory, without prejudice to the law, shining forth in the glory of God [brace] the Father, the Sonne, the Holy Ghost, for the salvation of sinners, who through grace do believe according to the draught of the apostle Paul in Rom. 8.ver. 3.4. Held out to publick view. / By the ministerial labours of Richard Byfield, M.A. Pastor in Long-Ditton; and teaching on Thursedayes weekly in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. Byfield, Richard, 1598?-1664. 1659 (1659) Wing B6390; Thomason E1864_1; ESTC R210230 171,900 401

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the heart as ariseth from no lesse than the mighty working of the Spirit and that in a way Demonstration in which demonstration the Spirits light testimony and perswasion is so strong that faith is wrought faith in God and that faith stands founded and rooted upon the power of God 3. Such works of the Spirit as respect 3. Respecting the Church the Church of God Now these respect either Church-Officers or else the whole Church or those members which are called out to Martyrdome 1. As touching Church-Officers the works of the Spirit are these 1. He gives them their gifts which design them out to the Church unto their places and stations therein thus the Deacons Act. 6. 3. Rom. 12. 8 1 Tim. 3. 9. were pointed out by the holy Ghost in that he filled some members of the Church at Jerusalem with gifts of wisdome and of mercifulnesse and of simplicity and of knowledge of the mystery of faith held and kept by them in a pure conscience and this last was the special note of the foure by which the Church should be guided in the election of Deacons whom the Apostles upon such choice were to appoint and ordain that they might have those men in that administration whom the Holy Ghost had gifted and fitted for the work 2. He placeth them in their charges as you may see concerning the Bishops or Elders the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus of whom it is said that the holy Ghost made them Bishops over the flock of Act. 20. 28 God there Our Translators render the word overseers but in the Greek it is Bishops neither can any good reason be alledged why in this place as well as in others of the New Testament they should not use this word Bishops 3. He disposeth of them so that they are fit for one place rather than for another Peter was the Apostle of the Circumcision Paul had the uncircumcision committed unto him Although Peter first of all the Apostles preached the Gospel to the Gentiles as we read in Acts 10. yet Paul is called the Apostle of the Gentiles when neverthelesse the Apostles Mark 16. 16. all of them had the whole world given them in common as their charge in these words Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature And that the Holy Ghost doth in special and eminent manner dispose of the Ministers where they shall perform their Ministry consider these following Texts Act. 13. 4. 16. 6 7. 11. 12. 8. 29 39. Luk. 2. 27. there is not only a providential work of God about it who sets the bounds of mens habitations but there is a work of the Spirit which may be known by his work both upon the heart of the teacher and also upon the hearts and spirits of the hearers and lastly by the judgement and sentence of the Assembly of Pastors and Teachers the spirits work upon the teacher is his enclining and suiting of his spirit to the work of the ministery among them upon spiritual grounds and ends The Spirits work upon the hearers is his opening a door by enclining their hearts to 1 Cor. 16. 9 receive him by stirring up many with desires to heare and receive the doctrine although there be many adversaries and many difficulties The sentence of the Presbytery is also the work of the Spirit when it is done upon mature deliberation and is regular and impartial approving ordaining and appointing that Minister to dispense the Gospel to that particular people 4. He enableth them to their ministerial work with utterance and with a sufficiency for meditation and for ministration And this work of making able and sufficient to the ministery of the New Testament is necessary to the performance Act. 2. 4. 2 Cor. 3. 5 6. of every new acting of the Ministers who after abilities and gifts received still remain insufficient for the least action Ministerial yea for so much as a good thought in that way thus Paul acknowledgeth of himself so absolutely necessary is this concurrence of the enabling power of the Holy Ghost 5. He maketh their ministery effectual that is to be the ministery of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. Rom. 15. 18 19. Rom. 15. 16. of life of righteousnesse and of glory ministering these and thereby to make some of the hearers obedient for God sends not his Gospel to any place where he hath none to call and save and to sanctifie the offering of the converted and obedient ones up unto God as an offering 6. He enableth to solve cases of conscience to the comfort and settling of Isa 50. 4. dejected humble souls and of doubting and trembling feeble-minded ones and weak in the faith this is of high price among the Saints to have a minister that knows how to speak a word in season to the weary soul 7. He guideth them in Councils and Synods while their debates and determinations Act. 15. 28 Mat. 18. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 4. are directed by the Scripture and he is present and guides in the Administration of Church-discipline unto the performane whereof Assemblies in Christs name ought to be kept up 8. He raiseth the slain witnesses which are called the two Prophets whose work is Rev. 11. 1● with v. 2. ● to Prophesie and the dayes and time is the space of a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes which space is fourty and two months all which while the holy City is trodden under foot of the Gentiles even of those over whom the beast that ariseth out of the bottomlesse pit ruleth and his whore the whore of Babylon sitteth * Rev. 11. 7. with Rev. 17. 8 15. these are therefore not the Magistrates whose work by virtue of their office is never called Prophesying nor is it to Prophesie but to bear the Sword and they are not just two but the small yet sufficient number of faithful Preachers during all that space which in Prophetical computation makes 1260. years they shall be slain but that is the work of the beast that ascends out of the bottom-lesse pit It is the work of the Spirit of life from God entering into them to raise them and make them stand upon their feet These are the works of the Spirit respecting the ministery for the saving works sake 2. As concerning the whole Church the work of the Spirit is seen first in the Act. 19. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 4 8 9 11 7 28. gifts which he hath given for the good of the whole he hath given extraordinary gifts Apostles Prophets Miracles gifts of healing to speak with tongues to Prophesie or foretell things to come with the like Secondly in the gifts which he doth give they are divers making up the Churches rich embroidered garments and all of them for the edification of the whole society or body 3. As concerning the Martyrs he Act. 6. 10. Rev. 12. 11 13. 10. 14. 12. enables them to speak
THE GOSPELS GLORY without prejudice to the LAW Shining forth In the glory of God the Father the Sonne the Holy Ghost For the SALVATION of SINNERS who through grace do believe according to the draught of the Apostle Paul in Rom. 8. ver 3. 4. Held out to publick view By the Ministerial labours of Richard Byfield M. A. Pastor in Long-Ditton and teaching on Thursedayes weekly in Kingston upon Thames Surrey Justitia legis fides est Christiana Ambros tom 5. in cap. 2. Epist ad Rom. LONDON Printed by E. M. for Adoniram Byfield at the three Bibles in Corn-hil next door to Popes-head Alley 1659. QUid illam legem naturalem excluserat praevar●catio Adae ac propemodum aboleverat in pectoribus humanis regnabat superbia inobedienti âque sese diffuderat Ideò successit ●sta per Moysen ut nos scripto conven●ret omne os obstrueret ut totum mundum faceret Deo subditum Subditus autem mundus ei per legem factus est quia ex praescripto legis omnes convincuntur ex op ribus legis nemo justificatur id est quia per legem peccatum cognoscitur sed culpa non relaxatur videbatur lex nocuisse quae omnes facerat peccatores sed veniens Dom●nus Jesus peccatum omnibus quod nemo poterat evitare donavit chirographum nostrum sui sanguinis effusione delevit Ambro. Tom. 3. Ep. lib. 9. Epist 71. ad Irenaeum Because the prevarication of Adam had excluded that Law of nature and had almost abolished it pride did reign in mens breasts and disobedience had diffused it self therefore this Law written by Moses hath succeeded that it might sue us with a writ and might stop every mouth that it might make the whole world subject to God but the world is by the Law made subject to him because out of the prescript of the Law all men are convinced and no man is justified by the works of the Law that is because by the Law sinne is known but the fault is not released the Law did seem to have been hurtful which had made all men sinners but the Lord Jesus coming hath freely forgiven sin to all which no man was able to escape and hath blotted out our hand-writing with the shedding of his own blood TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS HIS HIGHNESSE Richard LORD PROTECTOR Of the Common-Wealth of England Scotland and Ireland with the Dominions thereunto belonging Grace and peace here and glory hereafter HUmane Creations in civil Societies God doth own And unto every humane Creation for our Lord Christs sake we owe submission this is our well-doing according to the Will of God Here supreme and sent of the supreme is order and beauty bands and beauty Lawes against evil-doers and for encouragement of wel-doers with execution of those Lawes for which purpose they beare the sword are of necessity that Magistracy in its various Creations may attain its end But in the Church all things are of God and whatever is of man is alien to that Society The grand enemies of the Church under the New Testament are the Dragon the Beast the false Prophet this last is the most dangerous the Beasts and Dragons spiritual wickednesse and power the animating vivacity of that lustful Whore Babylon the Great the Woman that rides the beast And the Beast is a Beast whether arising out of the sea or out of the earth or ascending out of the bottomlesse pit And the Dragons poison and paw is in all and all to mischief the Church of Christ This Paradise he affects to be in because not his place but chiefly out of his love his love to work ruines there How slily how insensibly slides in this old Serpent humane here humane of what note soever and Satan presently Acts it Christ knew it well who said to Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men The love-feasts shrowd divisions presently destroy the Lords Supper and harbour slie and spotty Heretiques and deceivers Prelacy in the ministery though brought in ad tollenda schismata to take away schismes brings forth the man of sinne and with him the mystery of iniquity An Easter day fill'd the Christian world East and West with miserable contentions and turn'd the Professors of Christs name after formalities and meer Nifles The retired solitarinesse of some eminently devout filled it with Monkery Nunnery and the swarmes of the orders of such Commandments of men received to teach the feare of God do Null the Commandments of God Mens opinions chosen for the rationality or the depth of them have proved the depths of Satan Mens Inventions entertained for their suitablenesse to humane Policies have while served the lusts of men in Magistracy trampled on Magistracy enthroned Tyranny and suborned for sacred Maximes that are the hornes to push at and gone all the godly and the power of godlinesse Such as these No Bishop no King Christs Kingdome is an enemy to Caesar Christs simple Ordinances for worship without the pompe of humane Ceremonies are not for the State and Majesty of Princes That is the world knows his own and will know nothing but his own It hath been long and lamentably experimented that the evils of the Church have ever disturbed the state That which corrupts men and sets up lust must needs be against God and against Magistracy which is from God The Gospel in its purity will help all this evil will bring with it all good this Gospel is one the name of them that hold that one faith is sacred the name Christian The love it teacheth and worketh is the bond that knits them together in one brother-hood love is for Communion not for single standing separating nor dividing It s power is as sweet as strong as beautiful as powerful as good as commanding Administrations there are in diversity but one Lord there is from whom as there is but one Church one body for whose edification all those are given One body in Communion distinguished into several but no severed fellowships or Churches for order and edification-sake Absolutenesse in severed Companies is of Primacy affected The 24. Elders are one community about the Throne and the Lamb and are more able to advise than one that arrogates because he loves to have Praeeminence The Instituted order in Administrations of the New Testament is Apostles Prophets these the Scriptures now supply lay the Bible in the midst and consult therewith and there you have them then Teachers Deacons Governments these Christ Jesus by his Spirit gifts and by his Church owns One way and one heart go together Diversities of wayes nurses up divisions of heart O Princes let Christ the King of glory in his Gospel and Gospel-Administrations come in These things belong unto the wise these concern the supreme primarily and Grace Wisdome and Prudence discerns closeth with and establisheth them The strange crossenesse and
waiting for Christ So Ambr. l. 3. de spir sancto c. 15 The same Father urgeth also that place in 1 Thes 3. 12 13. patrem dixit filium dixit quem ergo cumpatre filio praeter Spiritum junxit Mark 3. 29. Heb. 10. 29. Here are three distinct persons God to be beloved Christ to be waited for with patience and the Lord to whom the prayer is made that he would direct the hearts of believers into that love and patient waiting Now this Lord is the Lord the Spirit who directs the hearts of those whom he sanctifieth and enableth to believe Against the holy Ghost sinne may be committed and to great height and men may commit such sin against him as may become unpardonable because they wilfully and maliciously oppose and despight him in the manifestations of his presence and gracious workings in the Gospel for the Application of this salvation therefore he is very God he is the Spirit of grace 2. He is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son the Spirit of God and the Spirit Rom. 8. 9. Isa 61. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11. Gal. 4. 6. of Christ He proceedeth * Joh. 15. 26. from the Father and the Sonne and according to this his existing about the work of saving application of Redemption he is sent forth of the Father as he is the Spirit of his Sonne into the hearts * Gal. 4. 6. of those that are priviledged with the Adoption of children God the Father sendeth him as he is the Comforter and the Son Jesus Christ sendeth him and therefore he is Joh. 15. 26 Alius non aliud Joh. 14. 16 another a distinct person not another thing he is another Comforter the Lord Jesus the Bridegroome he is one Comforter the holy Spirit in the Bridegroome and the Bride one and the same he is another Comforter he is the Spirit who knoweth the whole heart and the most hid councels and secrets of the Father and the Son these Gospel Mysteries the 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. secrets of this bosome-love into which no Angels of light could dive no more than a man can know what is in another man unlesse he reveale it This is he who works in us to bring home this salvation therefore it is done most effectually and most comfortably SECT 3. 2. What is his saving work In the Elect of God the Father and in The saving work of the Spirit made up of 14. works the Redeemed of Jesus Christ his Son the Redeemer The holy Ghost hath his saving work and it is made up of these several works following 1. Renovation or regeneration In which the holy Ghost by the word of Christ as water as a laver of water washing a sinner as floods of waters poured out upon the dry and barren heart doth clense and wash and in the washing change and make a new the sinner The word of the Gospel is as pure water and water fructifying The Lord Jesus Christ is a fountain opened for sin and uncleanenesse who came both by blood and water all sorts of clensings and washings are found in him and the holy Ghost in the work of his grace by the Record by making the sinner to know his own foulnesse and uncleanenesse by sin and the fulnesse of clensing away sin by a bathe of that water and by a Sacrifice in that blood which is in Jesus Christ the only Sonne of God crucified and by taking the basin of the Word which sets forth Christ into his own hands to sprinkle and rinse the sinner so enlightened and by taking hold also of such a sinner to put him into this laver and under this sprinkling he makes the heart to feel Christs love and the flinty rockinesse of it to melt and flow down before the Lord God and all the abilities of his soul to flow together and rise up towards the Lord Jesus with strong and fixed desires and then the holy Spirit is as water water that catrieth with it and in it the virtue of Christs blood set Joh. 3. 5 6 8. forth in the Gospel all to the washing and renewing and begetting again in such wise that this sinner is born from above Tit. 3. 5 6. born of the Spirit born of God and Christ is formed in him The party came into this laver a sinful man all leprous a dead man but he comes out of it a new man a living changed man quite another man than he was before Behold the laver of regeneration the renewing of the holy Ghost shed on a poor humbled sinner abundantly and richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour this work is of absolute necessity for old and young for learned and unlearned for Jew and Gentile And as that which is born of the flesh is carnal corrupt earthly low and weak so that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit spiritual pure heavenly high and powerful and discerning the holy Mysteries of the Gospel of the high and holy God 2. Sanctification the Apostle Peter describeth a true member of the Church a subject of grace and peace by the work of the three persons in the undivided Godhead about his salvation so that the Spirits work is that which singleth out the individual person from among all other the children of men and seateth the Fathers love and the Sonnes grace of Redemption upon him particularly This is the Description He is one Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Sanctification is we see the saving work of the Spirit Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 1 Thes 2. 13 14. is the way through which God calling sinners thereunto by the Gospel ministred by the ministry of the New Testament doth bring those whom he hath chosen from the beginning to salvation unto the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as this Apostle Paul teacheth in another place Now the sanctifying work of the Spirit is this 1. He illightens and this illumination is accompanied 1. With wisdome that knows things as they are and values them as they are worth that knows the worth of the things of God in Christ discovered according to their excelling nature and difference and prefers them above all other things and it is 2. With R●velation also bringing Ephes 1. 17 18. the things of Christ unto the mind in Gods own light in a light above the light of mans reason And it is thirdly with rectifying or rather making anew the Organe the eyes of our understandings which were covered with blindnesse and Mat. 16. 17 that blindnesse was in and from our birth so that we were born blind they are opened that we may know All this is beyond the illumination which is of common grace and which may be found in the best of hypocrites 2. He quickens he causeth the dead in sins and trespasses to
were conceived and born with all the cursed brats thereof inward and outward in which actual transgressions she hath been and is prodigiously fruitful To be purifying the soul in obeying the truth unto more and more unfeignednesse in faith love meeknesse patience and in every other 1 Pet. 1. 22 Ezek. 36. 27. 2 Tim. 1. 14 grace to walk in Gods statutes to keep his judgments and to do them and to keep the faith committed to our trust as a thing deposited In all these the actions are ours the ability is the Spirits these are the works of the Spirit sanctifying us 3. Manuduction or leading by the Rom. 8. 14. hand the new born and sanctified are at first weak as children and ever after in this life stand in need of a guide such a guide as might inwardly act sweetly and powerfully draw graciously support and gently lead all this the Spirit doth for the children of God this work is accompanied with familiar sense of love and faithfulnesse taking and holding us by the right hand that our souls might follow hard after him these mighty dawnings Psal 63. 8. and sustentations the more they are felt the more are they prayed for that they might run after Christ and the more the soul is powerfully enabled in these pursuits the right hand and dexrous power of the Holy Ghost is put forth to uphold us so much the more and this work is expressed further with counsel as David Ps 73. 23 24. said thou wilt guide me with thy counsel and with inward prompting and whisprings as of a voyce behind them saying this is the way walk in it when ye turn to the Isa 30. 21. right hand and when ye turn to the left 4. Teachings as the anointing this teaching is with sweet and piercing efficacy as oyle that suppleth and entereth soakingly into flesh and bone and it is 1 ●oh 2. 20 27. with the perfume of the aromatical spicery of graces like the holy anointing oyle under the Law mentioned Exod. 30. 23 24 25. It is also with great establishment in our Royal Priest-hood and in the truth of the Gospel which we learn by this teaching therefore the Apostle John saith we have an unction from the holy one 2 Cor. 1. 21. we know all things the effect hereof is great peace of heart as it is said in prophecy concerning the true Church especially under the New Testament Ministry All thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Isa 54. 13. children 5. Consolation he is the Comforter by leading into all truth by bringing all things unto our remembrance by filling Joh. 16. 13. 6. 14. 2 us with joy and peace in believing by making us to abound in hope of glory through his power for the work is of Rom. 13. 13. 8. 15 16. 1 Joh. 5. 6. Rom. 8. 26. 2 Cor. 1. 22. 5. 5. Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. great and infinite power to set the heart of earthy man of sinful clay and keep it up stedfast so high as eternal life in the world to come and in the third heaven by being in us the Spirit of Adoption in his work upon the heart by witnesse-bearing by making intercession in us and for us by being the earnest in our bosomes and by sealing us up to the day of Redemption 6. Direction inward a most secret 2 Thes 3. 5. work which hath two branches or parts first the directing of the heart renewed and sanctified into every particular acting of every grace received especially of love and hope Secondly the directing of the heart into a very sensible taste and experience of comfort The words of the Apostle when he saith The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God this love of God may be understood actively of the love wherewith we love God or passively of the love wherewith God loveth us 7. Corroboration this renders the sanctifyed mighty in doing and in suffering enlarged to receive and hold the strong wine of Gospel mysteries and to walk at liberty in the wayes of Gods Commandments making their way through all impediments and oppositions confirmed in the truth and enabled to stand fight and overcome in the spiritual warfare This strengthens with might in the inner man the regenerate and no other have an inner man this is from the gracious free-gift of God as the Father of Christ according to riches of glory according to his Ephes 3. 14 16 20 19. Col. 1. 11. glorious power and from the energy the effectual working of the power of God working in us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think and this work is unto the dwelling of Christ in the heart by faith unto our rooting and grounding in love unto capacious comprehensions of the every way unmeasurable measures of the love of God and of Christ unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse in the profession of Christs name and Gospel and unto the filling with all the fulness of God even the fulnesse of his image 8. The giving of supplies which for the manner of the work is by influence from Phil. 1. 19 Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. Christ the head to believers as his members for measure it is in a proportion agreeable to the measure of every part for the things ministred grace and life spiritual and for the next end nourishment more firm knitting to the head and to every fellow-member and increase with the increase of God that is with a mighty increase an increase which beareth before it the work and blessing of no lesse nor of any other than of God himself 9. The shedding abroad of Gods love in Christ even the sense of that love in Rom. 5. 5. with the context from ver 1. to the 11. ver and upon the heart that lieth now next the heart nothing comes between this love and the heart it is plentifully poured on it this work strengtheneth hope patience experience joy in tribulations even unto glorying and holy humble boasting peace of conscience faith in Jesus Christ liberty of accesse into the favour and free-grace of God and standing in the same so that we joy in God against whom we have sinned this causeth all gladnesse more than that gladnesse of Psal 4. 7 8 corne and wine abounding more than all the comforts of this earthly Creation and it setleth the soul in holy safety and security 10. Assistance in persecutions this appears by special teachings of the Spirit to Mat. 10. 20 wisdome power and utterance which the Adversaries cannot gain-say or resist and by the resting of the Spirit on us as the Spirit of glory against the shame and as the Spirit of God against the pain of the Crosse by delivering also from the spirit of fear even a low pusillanimous slavish 1 Pet. 4. 14. base fearful perplexed selfish revengeful giddy turn-coat unsound