destroy that he reduc'd unto Noah in the Flood and that he has raised up Antichrist to confound Indeed is not this that Kingdom that he has clouded and sealed up all along from the Wise of this World and to which as the Apostle observes not many wise not many mighty nor many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 And yet through which we have an assurance that he will pour out his Spirit in the latter days Surely therefore I may add if ever we intend to make any Progress in Christianity in this Kingdom it is that we must lay our Foundation and which as I may say perfectly harmonizes with the Revelations both of Moses and Christ I am not Superstitious however I shall add a Modern Prophecy also about it 't is said to be Withers's and 't is not unlikely for he not only wrote a Comment upon the Lord's Prayer to the same effect but really his Writings shew him a Man of so admirable a Sincerity and Piety that he seemed a proper Object for so great a Gift But be it whose you will the words are as follows That Kingdom which the Jew did long ago Mould out according to his erring Brain And whereof many Zealous Christians too Unwarrantable Fancies entertain That Kingdom whereof now in Types we hear Shall to the World essentially appear Now if GOD therefore has set us thus to be tryed on the Stage of this World according as we make our Attainments to this Glorious Kingdom had we not better then with an Holy Ambition let him Glory in us as Conquerors than become the despicable Captives of the Devil Not I mean that we should be lofty or proud with this Ambition neither for if ever we expect to Conquer it must be by an entire and Lamb-like Submission to the Will of GOD. To be short this is that Kingdom that we are told is within us and that comes not by Observation Luke 17.20 21. and for which we need not to go to the Wilderness of Teachers that cry lo here Christ and lo there for 't is in our Hearts and whence if we hold fast that which is good and quench not the Spirit but permit him to lead us through an entire resignation into all his Paths of Holy Suggestions we must needs attain it And whereas on the contrary in the Kingdom of Satan and where our Sins bear Rule St. James tells us Cap. 1.13 That our Lusts will bring forth Sin and that the Wages of Sin are Death But that I may the better proceed on this Subject I shall here suppose Of the Crisis of our Tryal in general that there are two distinct great Kingdoms to wit the first of GOD and the latter of Satan as also that they have their several and distinct Crisis's and measures of Judgment But first a little of this matter in general Alas who that 's either Christian Jew or Turk or that but believes the Old Testament can forbear lamenting to see the Devil's Tyranny through sin in Adam poor dying deformed and wretched Man a Creation groaning and longing to be delivered Rom. 8.22 What are our Riches Coaches and sine Cloaths but as Rags to our Innocence lost Will they avail us any thing either against Death or Sorrow or are they able to keep us from the Dreadful Day at last And yet for all this and though that if we Repent the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand nay and though we have a Promise that if we first seek the Kingdom of GOD all other things shall be added unto it as if GOD had expresly reversed the Curse of the Earth and resolved rather than fail with the Israelites to feed us with Manna and Quails on our first step of retreat towards the Heavenly Paradise Mat. 6.33 Yet alas who seeks to GOD either for Eternal Life or Necessaries as they should do No we are all run astray some one way some another some are drowned in Infidelity and neither regard what either Scripture or Reason informs them others are perfectly stupidly negligent and regard no more what yet they cannot but believe than a fair Story that they have heard with delight And yet the Spirit of God warns us all and so leaves all inexcusable to their Condemnation And hence also it is that every Man whatever has his hour of Visitation and which will and must certainly continue to lead him right and that even to perfection if he follow and not resist it And hence every Man I see methinks shews me an Angel or a Devil in making some moving on to one degree of Perfection and others to another while others starting aside like a broken Bow and uneasie to follow the leading of GOD's Spirit proudly seek Devices of their own and so are lost in their own Contrivances So hence 't is that others making their application imperfectly to GOD are forced to be purged for it through Martyrdom or Death when could they learn with Enoch but to walk perfectly with GOD canst thou think Friend that he would let them dye No know GOD is no respecter of Persons the whole course of Scriptures besides general Texts witness it Ephes 6.9 Acts 10.35 1 Pet. 1.17 And yet beware how thou rashly attempt this for know these Glories are defended by a fiery Tryal and before thou attainest them thou wilt find a real Fight of Infidelity Pride and Inconstancy and a terrible one too thy little seekings of Curiosity and Passion will not avail for this Kingdom no 't is worthy of thy Constancy and therefore such Lusts thou mayst be sure will but obstruct thy proceedings Take care therefore and purifie thy Heart throughly for know as thy great Conflicts will be between GOD and thy self in private where no body sees and where you will be forced to fight your way through Principalities and Mights to the Kingdom of GOD and wrestle with the Powers of Darkness Ephes 6.12 So you must expect to be most exactly pure for that alone can support you and which if you are you need not fear any dangers nay rather thou mayest joy against Satan when he brings his Temptations to destroy thy Hopes for if thou thus trust in GOD they must advance them 2 Cor. 12.9 What shall I say then if Christ for these Reasons has assured us that the Kingdom of Heaven has through his Instructions and Example suffered Violence Exhortation and may be taken by force Nay if he himself has gone the way before us why should we longer obstruct so great a Grace by delighting to welter in our Iniquities Perverse Man that will not skill his Seasons of Grace Man more sottish than Birds or Beasts they know their Times and Seasons and follow the Instincts of their Nature but Man will not follow the leadings of the Holy Ghost We dare not trust the words of Christ our Saviour like Martha we will not neglect our Temporal Affairs though but a little to get the one and great thing
forced as I have said once in 2000 years or less either to destroy the World as he did by the Flood or else in Mercy to raise up some new Patterns of Faith to lead us again and thus he gave us Moses and Christ after both whom some afresh begun to serve GOD in Purity and to become Prophets also but alas how soon are we returned like the Dog to his Vomit and sunk into our old Infidelity again In truth one may justly say of the best of Men amongst us now adays they entertain so many Vertues and so many Vices so much Piety and so much Sin and which continually encounters with one another in them if Vice prevails he is mostly wicked if Vertue he is our good Man O that we could but say of any of us that Sin and Vice were quite extinct in us at least as to our will if not to frailty for then with Enoch might we be truly said to walk with GOD also But besides this I may add and what shall we never learn with the blessed Simeon and Anna and Joseph of Arimathea purposely to wait with a doe Patience for the Kingdom of GOD Mark 15.43 Luke 23.51 If with them we do not happen to rise to the greatest Perfection yet at least we shall find that GOD at last will accept us and bless us for our hearty endeavour's sake as far as they reach and surely that will be better than a dead Infidelity Come unto Christ then all ye that are weary and heavy laden for his Yoke is easie and his Burthen is light indeed you need fear nothing under his Conduct as heavier Scholars indeed GOD pricks us forwards through Afflictions but if we sincerely endeavour to be perfect he cannot but take them from us for then even Angels will deliver us out of Prison Ravens will be forced to feed us and the mouths of Lions will be stopt against us only Christ suffered in this state of Purity and that for our sakes and by his own consent he not only tells us he could have more than Twelve Legions of Angels to help him if he pleased Mat. 26.53 but even his Persecutors were forced to go back and fall down from his Presence e're they could seize him John 18.6 As the All-just GOD therefore cannot inflict the Punishment or Purgation on those that walk as pure already so let us learn to cherish this little Mustard-seed of the Kingdom of GOD till it become as a Tree and wherein all the Vertues of Divinity and Morality may flourish Mark 4.32 Elijah destroyed Ahab's Guards Moses drowned Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea and we have a Promise even to bind Kings in Chains and Princes with Links of Iron And think you not that these things were done and these promises made for the Example and the Encouragement of the Saints 'T is true St. Paul by his being wrap'd up into the third Heaven and St. John by his having the Revelations given him seem only of the Apostles to have made their approaches near this Perfection Transfigurations and such Visions being the usual dawnings of Translation as Divine Dreams are of Prophecy And they failed too but what if they did were they not Men as well as we They had a greater measure of Christ's help and Example indeed but what is GOD a respecter of Persons And have we not the same offers of Grace and as fair a Tryal given us as ever they had For shame therefore let us serve GOD with all our strength and all our might The Compleat Faith Mark 12.30 and so recommend our selves more nearly to his Protection and that can only be through a vigorous Faith The Scriptures have told us already that Faith without Works is dead and I shall add also that Works without Faith to lead them are dead also I mean as to the Kingdom of GOD. Without Faith 't is impossible to see or please GOD whereas our Faith if it be strong it must prevail nay and though it be erring if not wilfully as appears by Cornelius and St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 Whereas on the contrary if it be strong and evil it must needs draw down Enthusiasm and Delusion upon us And hence it is that our Saviour tells us That all things are possible to him that believes Mark 9.23 Indeed he says Had we the Faith of a grain of Mustard-seed we might at a word remove this Sycamine-tree or Mountain and cast it into the Sea Luke 17.6 And hence it is that O ye of little Faith is almost his constant Expostulatory upbraiding throughout the whole Gospels Luke 9.41 Hence likewise it is that his Apostles after him when they had their Faith once strengthned in themselves to move it in others tell us That whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 So also that Faith was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness Rom. 4.22 And therefore to use their Argument though at the time of our Ignorance GOD winked at us yet now he expects we should Repent Acts 17.30 and remain in our dead and brutish Infidelity no longer Nay further this Faith of the Kingdom of GOD is the only real and excellent Faith to believe barely in Christ and that he was crucified is no more than what the Devils believe and yet have still reason to tremble but to believe in him and to act pursuant to his most excellent Doctrine of the Kingdom and to lead good Lives is to follow the design and scope of his Gospel and is that active Faith which only has the Promises of Salvation But why do I remain on the brink of my Argument thus Hath not Christ even expresly promised That those that keep his sayings shall never see Death John 8.51 And that those that believe in him shall never dye John 11.26 but are passed from death unto life John 5.24 And doth he not expresly limit this Death in his Discourse to our Life in this World as well as the other John 6.49 50.58 Nay has he not promised us more that we shall do greater Works than he himself has done and really whatever we shall ask in Faith John 14.12 As Sin therefore is the Road to Death as also Grace is to Life Rom. 5.21 So let us through these Encouragements of Christ learn to avoid our Sins and Lusts which run us into Sin and Death James 1.15 and follow those ways that lead us to Holiness and Life The Apostles that could not get out of Prison themselves yet through the Prayers of the Church had their Liberty Acts 12. And can you think that had they purified themselves exactly as Christ did they would not have opened the Prison Doors of themselves as well as Elijah destroyed Ahab's Guards Yes undoubtedly they might and God shewed exact measures of Justice in all these Events or else 't were impertinent nay impossible that these things should be written for our Example and Encouragement and what needed else that Christ and his
Apostles so wonderfully magnified and exhorted to a Powerful Faith as is done especially Heb. 11. if the Precepts they left were only just designed for themselves to follow But then withal we ought to remember that it is not our Faith at spurts and times though never so lively but 't is our constancy in it that is to bring us to work these Wonders And thus it is that such a Faith is only of effect that Rules our Actions as with a Law that stands firm though ruffled by disappointment and that dares laugh at Crosses and whom no outward Stay can fail we must not with David against GOD's Command number our People as if we would repose on an Arm of Flesh but we must learn with a generous freedom readily and wholly to obey the Commands of GOD maugre all Fears and Disappointments whatever and then we need not fear but that in due time we shall even wrap up our selves into Immortality And thus also what though thy frailty make thee to continue to sin yet despair not but resolve at least to be good through GOD and Christ nor judge thy Faith through little Doubts and transient Despairs incident to the frailty of Humane Reasoning but if it has all along influenced thee to be Active and Faithful scorn even all the Arts and Wiles of Satan to discourage thee What wilt thou let any Creature out-vye thy Constancy Wilt thou see the Sun and Stars continue their courses and lustres in Obedience to their GOD whilst thou only forgoest thine Holy Faith and Integrity Though as a Woman conceiving and in Travel therefore thou art forced to bear many a bitter pang e're thou arrive to bring forth this Son yet at last doubt not but that thou wilt have him I mean him that shall be able to Rule the Nations as with a Rod of Iron Rev. 2.26 27. and that will not only be able to deliver thee with David and Jonas from Goliath and the Whale's Belly but even give thee the power of Tongues and of feeding Multitudes too if occasion But thou doubtest thy assurance in these things And what cannot Examples satisfie thee Surely that Enoch and Elijah and Christ after his Resurrection were translated were Evidence enough did we weigh matters justly besides if we enter the Kingdom of Heaven by the reverse of the Fall of Adam and as is most rational can we think GOD so cruel as to require the Punishment after the Purgation Or can we Blaspheme so as to say he has made us naturally uncapable of that Perfection he requires of us Nay or can we have any regard to the Promises of Christ who has assured us that whoever keeps his Sayings shall never see Death and doubt it What shall I say then Could GOD grant these Favours to some Men only and not be partial Surely without we will Blaspheme him they are in the power of all to seek and have and if so what though you have few Talents as I have shewn you use them but well and you have a Promise of Increase And what though you are tempted fear not for from St. Paul you may learn that the Grace of GOD is sufficient for thee So what though God hide his Face from thee without thou forsakest him he cannot leave thee in truth he is nearest when seeming furthest so that if thou art lost in this matter 't is plain it must be wilfully and knowingly and not by Accident for otherwise GOD's Veracity cannot let thee fail If thou once layest hold therefore on the first Link of this Divine Chain the Holy Spirit must needs lead thee right and if thou pursue the other Links he shall carry thee to faithfully and couragiously thou must ascend but if you let go or stop 't is your own fault and you must expect either to fall into a despair or at best that the Holy Ghost cease to raise you higher and endeavour to purifie you as high as he can Whereas if thou art but once truly and throughly prepared thou needest not fear either Dangers Misfortunes or Temptations for as GOD cannot but secure thee from them if thou relyest on him in them so their seeming hazard in a perfect Faith thou mayest assure thy self will but hasten thy Tryal and Victory the sooner Nor be concerned at the meanness of thy Person whoever thou art for as Christ himself was a Carpenter's Son at least in Repute and Education so though thou art even a Slave GOD will admit thee heartily a Freeman-Workman in his Kingdom nay he 'll accept thy constant Meditations towards it if thou hast no other leisure and no matter whether thou be Eloquent or Foolish in thy Address so thou be but sincere GOD like a tender Father will as well hear thy stammer'd Prayers as those of his most learned Sons We see by the choice of Christ in his Apostles that none are contemptible to GOD and that even Fishermen if they have good Hearts shall be preferred before either the wisest or the wealthiest But you expect clearer grounds than these you say for such a Perfection as Translation I answer was not Christ to be our Pattern and Example in all things And if he was was not he translated 'T is true he dyed first because he came purposely into the World to be our Sacrifice and to obtain the Second Covenant Heb. 8.8 9. But you see for all that that Death could hold him but three days and Enoch and Elias obtained it without And besides why doth Christ all along exhort to a powerful and operative Faith Indeed Prophecy Miracles and Translation seem now all equally impossible but that is from the want of our Faith or else why should it not seem as possible for a greater Faith to attain Translation according to Heb. 11.5 as for a less to reach Prophecy or Miracles Surely it seems easier in its self for GOD to keep us from Death altogether than to raise Men again so Miraculously as he did from the dust of the Grave at the Death of Christ Mat. 27.52 But you will say we are naturally Mortal And was not Adam so Object who was created to subsist through eating and drinking as well as we And if he through the Providence of GOD was capable of being preserved Immortal till he fell as seems the very purport of the Scriptures have we any reason to despair the same Care or Power Is either the hand of the Lord grown short or can his Loving-kindness ever fail us Surely that our Lives are short as they are is in great measure to be attributed to our selves do we not see how we might prolong our Lives if we were careful as Galen and many others have done by their Temperance before us With a like Reason also you wonder to see the Destructions of Death the Ravages of War and the Blood of Massacres Alas you should rather wonder at the sin of Men that will not let them perfect themselves above these things