earth if I have told you earthly things and ye believe not saith Christ how will ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things There are higher and there are lower administrations wherein God appears Are we acquainted with them Do we know them God speaks on earth from Mount-Sinai and he speaks from heaven at Mount-Sion he spake from Mount-Sinai and he was refused yet there was a shew of entertaining All that the Lord saith unto us will we do but O said the Lord that there were such an heart in this people that they would obey my voice They said they would obey but their hearts turned back again to Egypt God speaks on earth and who doth hear who doth not refuse he speaks with a loud voice on earth he manifests his glory and every one seems to hear seems to stoop and bow before him but they are all lyars God speaks from heaven he speaks in the spirit he speaks in a low and still voice as it were afar off in a far Country and from this far Country he sends to his Subjects to see if they will own him but they say We will not have this man to reign over us God comes in a full manifestation of himself and then every knee stoops and bows to him some sincerely others feignedly and lyingly as it is said Thine enemies shall be found lyars When God shall make us Mount-Sion when he shall awaken the spiritual man when he shall quicken the new man that lieth as it were dead in us then we shall hear then we shall obey There is nothing so much concerns us as to know the voyce of God to hear him speak My sheep hear my voyce and the voyce of a stranger they will not hear John 10. God speaks and God gives an ear to hear him speak He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened then said I Lo I come in the volumn of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will Psal 40. 6 7. God is speaking and the Devil is speaking happy are they whose ears God hath opened that can distinguish that know the voyce of God from the voyce of a stranger See that ye refuse not him that speaks There is nothing in man but what refuseth to hear God speak but what refuseth God himself whether he speaks from earth or from heaven That man doth hear God speak that doth know the voyce of God it is the spiritual man the new man that is born of the Spirit The carnal man the natural man cannot possibly hear God speak he refuseth God The wisdom that is in him is enmity to God He is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be But they that will not know his voyce they shall know it They that will not yield to it shall be broken by it it is a terrible voyce When he shall come and speak from heaven those whose hearts are not brought to a compliance with him shall be destroyed by his presence He will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that obey not the Gospel Next we may take notice of the effects of this voyce whose voyce then shook the earth but he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the earth only but heaven also When you meet with shakings and violent motions then know what the matter is Why the Lord is speaking Heaven and earth are shaking at this time Do we see the Lord and hear the Lord We are fallen into shaking times His voyce once shook the earth but now it shakes not only earth but heaven Haggai 2. This Scripture shews what is to be expected the shaking of heaven and earth and then the desire of all nations What is that Why it is Christ he is called the desire of all nations All nations desire him though they do not know him and when he is come he shall fill Sion and Jerusalem he shall fill his Saints and people the City and the house built of living stones shall be filled with Glory he will fill all things Eph. 4. 10. When Christ came forth in flesh there were shakings in heaven and earth When Christ came forth in Spirit upon the Apostles and primitive Christians what a shaking was there then of heaven and earth What strange workings were there in the hearts of men through the light and evidence and demonstration of spirit that went abroad That was the beginning of this last shaking after that God was pleased to draw in and to retire that the wicked one might return again to shew what he was that Antichrist might appear and set up his trade under the name of the Spirit and when the man of sin is fully revealed then the Lord will come forth again and by the Spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming will he utterly destroy him and that will be a terrible shaking indeed Yet once more I shake not earth only but heaven This shaking is begun Are we sensible of it What wars and rumors of wars are there What overturnings Let us see whether we be not under the appearance of this shaking shaking of earth shaking of heaven shaking of Forms of Religion of Churches All that is earthly shall be shaken that the earthliness being removed the true body may be brought forth anew in the Spirit How many in these times hove lost their wisdom and their righteousness that they looked upon as great gain was ever such confusion as there is at this day Yet once more I shake not the earth only but heaven It is certain we are come to it but are we sensible of it God is shaking us out of fleshly and formal Religion out of mans Religion and mans Righteousness he is destroying the old man and bringing forth the new man he is destroying the old earth and heaven and bringing forth a new earth and heaven wherein righteousness shall dwell He hath promised saying yet once more This terrible shaking cometh forth in a promise It is a mercy a blessing a deliverance It is the Redemption of the people of God Lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh When Paul and Silas were in Prison and in the Stocks at Midnight there was an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and that became their deliverance How many of the Saints will lie in Prison and in the Stocks at midnight till this earthquake come and shake them out Then shall come the desire of all nations By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us O God of our salvation How will God answer us Why saith he I must remove all this corruptible frame I must create a new heaven and a new earth I must shake the Civil Estate and the Religious Estate I must shake off old Adam I must shake out Antichrist Christ must go away in his appearance in flesh that he may return again
to Mount-Sion to the City of the living God to an innumerable company of Angels c. Here is the Gospel-state here is the glory of Jesus Christ the glory of God that the Gospel brings us to brings forth in us Are we come hither or no There are some come to it that do not know it There are many of us heirs but we live in bondage we live like servants we know no better portion then Mount-Sinai though of right our portion be Mount-Sion Let us wait till the spirit of God shew unto us the things that are freely given to us of God This glorious state is nothing else but the state of the spirit which we are waiting for We are come unto Mount-Sion the City of the living God Christs work is to bring us to God and so we are no more strangers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints we are set down with Christ in heavenly places we are set down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God We are set down in the same glory that the Apostles and Prophets are set down in we are fellow-Citizens with the Saints and with the General Assembly and Church of the first-born See your glory Christians if you be Christians indeed If you be in the spirit and not in the letter onely If you be free-born if you be born after the spirit and not after the flesh see your glory In the words read you may see a Doctrine and a Use 1 A Doctrine propounded which holds forth the glorious state of Believers It is that which eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what it is but God hath revealed the same to us by his spirit It is in the letter and now our business is that it may be revealed to us by the spirit It may be the fathers good pleasure and his time now to bring forth the inheritance to some that hear me this day that hitherto have been kept under Tutors and Governours little better then servants This we are to try now how God will be with us to take away the vail and reveal our inheritance to us The Doctrine begins at the 18 ver and reacheth to the 25 ver At the 25 ver there begins the Use the Application which is an exhortation 2. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh c. Do not turn away from him that speaketh life and glory Turn not away from him that calleth you to sit down in heavenly places in Christ Jesus The Apostle useth divers Arguments to enforce the exhortation First He that speaks doth not speak from earth but from heaven Secondly from the danger of refusing to hear If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven Thirdly the Apostle shews the effect of this voice ver 26. Whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not onely the earth but also heaven And the evidence the Apostle brings for this is from a Scripture taken out of the prophesie of Haggai Hag. 1. 6 7. The word that was spoken on earth shook the earth The word that is spoken from heaven shakes earth and heaven also Then the Apostle interprets this word yet once more ver 27. It signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain In ver 28. he further enforceth his exhortation from the advantage that the Saints have by this change Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear In the former administration there was not grace to serve God acceptably in this there is that was leading to bondage this to a kingdom The Apostle concludes with this Argument For our God is a consuming fire of which more hereafter I shall speak of these particulars as time shall give leave Here you see a Gospel state what it is it is a strong state a glorious state a state that cannot be moved a kingdom that cannot be shaken it is strong and it is sweet There was a weak state and that was full of terrour The Law was weak through the flesh It was a weak state a shaking Mountain a Mountain not to be touched If so much as a beast touch the Mountain it was to be stoned or thrust through with a dart That was weak and terrible but ye are come to that which is strong and gracious Ye are come to Mount-Sion to the City of the living God The glorious state of believers is held forth here from the 18 verse to the 25. Our business will be to run over the particulars with some short explication and to set before you one or two parallel Scriptures that hold forth the same things though not so fully and particularly The first Scripture is Eph. 2. 5 6. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ by grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus And ver 17 and 18. of that chapter And came and preached peace to you which were afar of and to them that were nigh ver 19 20 21 22. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles c. Ye that are Believers are come to Mount-Sion and ye are built up a spiritual house fitly framed together an holy Temple in the Lord In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit The other Scripture is 2 Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not given us a spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind We are not come to the Mount that might not be touched and to blackness and darkness No God hath poured out another spirit upon us of power of love and a sound mind Ye are come to the City of the living God to the heavenly Jerusalem and to God the judge of all Now let us briefly run over the words as they lie before us Ye are not come to the Mount that might not be touched It might be touched and it might not be touched It might be touched but not without danger of death It might not be touched There was such a terrible manifestation that there was no coming to it It was an administration of distance from God It had a spirit of fear that gendred unto bondage There was a terrible manifestation There was blackness and darkness and tempest the sound of a trumpet and the voice of a word Nothing but an outward command a word that could not be obeyed and
Refreshing Drops AND SCORCHING VIALS SEVERALLY Distributed to their proper Subjects according to the Wisdom given that precious servant of the Lord Mr. CHRISTOPHER GOAD Sometimes Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge and Batchelor in Divinity as men speak But before his Translation Become a Disciple and Learner again sitting at the feet of Christ and his Spirit where he took a higher degree and now sits with Christ in Heaven Eccl. 12. 11. The Words of the wise are as Goads and as Nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd London Printed by R. W. for Giles Calvert at the sign of the Black-spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1653. TO THE READER Friend HE that ministred these ensuing Discourses to us did withall sow his life and in testimony thereof when he had finished this Ministration took his leave of us calling upon thee and me to follow him And if his life spring up in us it will carry us whither he was continually making Even without the Camp It was not the least of his services to dye for the flock which he did daily therein following the great shepherd Now a Box of precious Oyntment is broken Oh that the whole house of God on earth may be filled with the savor of it He was wont to say of every thing he said or did how good righteous and excellent soever and refreshing to others This is but a vail upon the Lord God considered and answered him in the desire of his heart and hath rent the vail for him A witness is gone but his Testimony remains and shall remain while the Sun and Moon endure If these Records should be destroyed yet the truth therein shall be preserved in the living Records of the breasts of faithful men and shall there grow up and be purified until the Lord come and bring this Author and all his Saints with him Zach. 14. 5. Even so make haste and come Lord Jesus And now let not any man think these Sermons were preached or are now published to enrich the world with notions They are to make us poor in spirit to slay ye to undo ye he that loves his life let him not come here They are to pull down the flesh and abase the glory of man but to lift up the Lord If he be your life here you may hear of him There is in the world a great deal of light and knowledge falsly so called Men are very rich in their several Administrations hence that unbrotherly walking one towards another and yet they talk of peace and accommodation but it is but talk Ye will never meet with an expedient for either until ye dye Come and in the grave of Christ let us reason together and be one There is no parling with men till the Cool of the day till the Sun of their imaginary glory be declining It is this grave makes all even there rich and poor master and servant lie down together and are at rest There the brother of low degree is exalted and the rich is made low They are enemies to peace that are enemies to the Cross of Christ Whosoever sets up any excellency besides Christ himself sets up an Occasion of strife and enmity a partition-wall The Cross of Christ took away that distance between the Jews and the Gentiles and t is the preaching of the Cross and the knowing of Christ crucified experimentally takes it away through all ages And it is in vain to send Embassies of peace to men while their strength is firm in them Why then are ye offended at Preachers of the Cross But be it known to ye ye that live and will not dye ye are dead while ye live To be carnally minded is death or which is worse your life is a continual torment to you And be it known to you there is strength in the grave The weakness of God is stronger then Men if ye will build for continuance ye must resolve to lay your foundation in confusion He layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters That building that shall stand for ever must rise up wholly purely out of God himself and his Spirit But to you that are dead with Christ and whose life is buried under the foundations of this world and its fleshly frames Behold I bring you glad tidings all things are dissolving the heavens are passing away with a great noise as it is said they should the elements are melting with the fervent heat of the Day of the Spirit and the earth with all the works of men are burning up by the same fire Lift up your heads your Redemption draws nigh Friends I have not of a long time had any power to go forth in this kinde I mean to open any thing Therefore accept the willingness of my minde to have done some thing by way of Preface and do ye make the supply by being the Epistle of Christ whereby ye shall shew the best respect to the labour and travel of him that is gone And let all expressions that are here left dark and homely through my deficiency to whom chiefly the inspection of the Copies was committed be corrected in the pure springings up of the living Truth in your hearts Yours in the Lord JOSH. SPRIGG A Preface to the Reader IT is time for us to be looking out of this world which grows old and is ready to vanish away God is by the brightness of his own discoveries burning up the works thereof and stablishing that new heavens new earth where righteousness dwells the creation hath sent up strong groans and hath long lien under bondage the redemption thereof now draws nigh We are the children of the last times and upon us are the ends of the world come Prophesies and Promises which have been bid from ages and generations are now enriching us by their revealing and fulfilling in us Arise and shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee It shall come to pass in the last days the Mountain of the Lords house shal be set up above the Mountains exalted above the hills Now begins to be brought to pass the saying that is written Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shal be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God Rev. 21. 3. The Church hath long lien among the pots God is giving her the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers of yellow gold she hath been conformed to Christ in his death and hath lain with him in the grave she that hath thus descended must also ascend she that hath suffered must reign since the mystery of iniquity began first to work it hath wrought most effectually and prevailed men and their traditions have been the unquestioned authority the light and teaching of the spirit in the Scriptures hath been forgotten and stood like a Sparrow upon the house
sin when the Lord is not with us it hath this issue nothing but foiling nothing but scorning nothing but reproach and shame With the power of the Lord Iesus To mention the name of the Lord Jesus and not to have the power of the Lord Jesus is nothing but prophaning that name taking it in vain 'T is nothing but a bug-bear All mans power it is on the body it is not on the Conscience It is impossible man should deliver himself or his brother from one error from one sin all that he can do is to restrain and lock up sin all that man can do in matter of error and sin is to bring forth Hypocrisie It is Gods prerogative to fashion hearts and to know hearts Psal 13. He fashioneth their hearts alike and understandeth all their thoughts And this is that God will make all the Churches to know Rev. 2. the latter end All the Churches shall know that I the Lord search the heart and try the reines If the Churches go forth with Carnal weapons to deal with the Devil and sin in their own power they shall know that this is the Lords prerogative It is only he that searches hearts and tries reines They shall find they have done nothing whatever they have seemed to themselves to have done They shall find they have confirmed and settled the Devil in his habitation while they have seemed to throw him out I have the keyes saith Christ of Hell and of death The keys are the power the power of man is not able to conflict with Sathan and Hell Christ hath received all power in Heaven and Earth And Christ manifested in us we shall go forth against principalities and powers and against the Rulers of the darkness of this world with the power of the Lord Jesus The weapons of our warfare are not carnal saith the Apostle but mighty through God The new Testament is the Ministry of the Spirit and so t is an able Ministry God hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit Letter and man and noise of words could never yet scare the Devil This we spake of before taking occasion from the Apostle calling the Corinthians to mourn which doth tell us they had no power of themselves 'T is a professing they had no power We cannot rid our Consciences or Congregations of sin But if we wait power will come in And when we once come out of this delusion of the Devil to see we have no power to see how the Spirit of power hath withdrawn from us and hath been absent a long while we shall begin to mourn after him and he will visit us and then we shall know what power is again We shall know what the Kingdom of God is that is not in word but in power We have hitherto known little of any Kingdom but in word When once we are sensible of this want of power and of this withdrawing of God that the man of sin might be revealed we shall mourn after him till he turn to us again 'T is by the power of the Lord Jesus only This is allowed and granted everywhere as a principle but how little do we act according to our Principles The Spirit of God only can throw out error and sin this is granted But the will of man and the actings of man this shall be called the Spirit of God The pride of man comes forth which is nothing but the Devil the name of the Lord Jesus that is put upon it To walk and act according to that Principle the Spirit of God Not we but the grace of God We live not but Christ in us 'T is looked upon as that which tends to confusion as that which lays by all mans gifts Object 'T is said then what will ye throw off your Ministers your Teachers Sol. The Apostle saith We have but one Master but one teacher that is Christ that is the Spirit Ye have the annointing that teaches you all things and need not any mans teaching 'T is not mans teaching we look after now if we understand ourselves but we look if we can find the name of God the power of God in the speakings of men God holds forth his anointing in man gives us a proof of Christ in man But take mans Ministry and all Ordinances if the Spirit be not there if the anointing be not there they are of man they are nothing So you see it is the power of the Lord Jesus only that rids Consciences and Congregations from sin In the name of the Lord Iesus when you are gathered together with my spirit and the power of the Lord Iesus In the second place take notice of this That the Lord Jesus and his power is in all Saints as well as in Ministers The Apostles Spirit joynes with them when they are gathered together The whole Church men and women the simplest as well as the wisest the weakest as well as the strongest with the power of the Lord Jesus The power of the Lord Jesus goes with you if you censure him and therefore my Spirit shall be with you In the name c. So the power of the Lord Jesus is in every Saint acts there and manifests it self there at the pleasure of the Lord Jesus It is the Spirit that makes Ministers and those Ministers that are made by the Spirit do minister the Spirit And that is ministring the Gospel when we Minister the Spirit But if we have only the Letter of the Gospel we have that that is no better then the Law If we be able Ministers of the New Testament it is in the Spirit I am a Minister of the New Testament so far as the Spirit speaks in me and by me and I would not be owned any further And all my work is to prove if the Spirit of God will go forth into any heart while I speak I know that Paul is nothing and Apollo is nothing If we be a sweet Savour of Christ then we are something In whomsoever the spirit stands up and speaks that person for that time is a Minister a true Minister The Spirit doth not regard Sexes the Spirit regards not Age Learned or unlearned 'T is not Age nor Sex nor any Major part can Minister Spirit but whom the Spirit pleases Obj. The Spirit will not teach by a woman For it is said let not a woman speak in the Church Sol. Where the Spirit doth not teach 't is but a womans teaching So far as we speak and speak not by the Spirit the woman speaks who is commanded silence And my Spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus The Apostles Spirit would own the meanest of the Saints and the power of the Lord Jesus in them There are in whom the Spirit acts and Ministers more constantly and there are in whom he doth Minister occasionally there are whom the Spirit of God hath made Overseers Acts 20. Look to the flock over which the
Christ is given me both in heaven and in earth The Father comes forth in Christ and Christ comes forth in the Saints Christ comes forth in the flesh lower then the Angels He makes him lower then the Angels he comes forth as a servant while the son is under age he is kept as a servant he is made of a woman made under the Law at last the Father comes to own him as his son and Christ owns him as his Father When the time appointed of the Father comes he sends his spirit into our hearts saying 'T is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom Christ hath the keys of hell and death and he exercises these keys in his Saints We at present do not know how he exercises these but we shall know how when we feel the want of them when we see our weakness and darkness and mourn after the Lord. God hath suffered the devil hell and sin to be a kinde of Cloak and covering upon himself but when he pleaseth he will come forth and command them The Saints need not the worlds power and force to go to the world for power is to go to the devil for power The Saints have power with God and therefore must needs have power over Satan And this power the Saints obtain by mourning as the Apostle hath it in the second verse Ye ought rather to have mourned Iacob wept and made supplication wrastled with God and so prevailed The Saints indeed they are great persons but few there are that know themselves We are the sons of God but the world doth not know us God hath brought forth himself and brought forth Christ in his Saints and people but that was but a first fruits to shew what he will do fully He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in them that believe The spirit of God was withdrawn that the man of sin might appear This is that believers should do they should be looking after this power the power of the Lord Jesus What a poor thing it is to spend our time in an outward powerless profession onely If we are Christians and of Iesus Christ we cannot do so The kingdom of God is not in word but in power Do we profess Christ Where is the power of the Lord Iesus Why do lusts and corruptions reign in our hearts Why have Satan and the world such power over us Where is the power of the Lord Jesus Where is the spirit of Eliah as Elisha said when he had seen his master taken up into heaven and had received his mantle and had a promise of a doubling of that spirit Christ is taken up into Heaven He hath told us greater works then he did in that flesh should we do in his Spirit Where is that spirit Where is that power by which devils were made to tremble and submit to him 'T is time we should begin to know our selves that we are of God that we are the Temple of God the body of the Lord that we are the fulness of Christ and that in us he will manifest himself and 't is that we should look for We should be weary of a formal outward languishing profession and so bringing forth the Lord Jesus we shall make his name known O that thou wouldst bow the Heavens that thou would'st come down and make thy name known that Hell and Death and Satan and all the powers of darkness might melt before thee Resist the devil saith James and he will flie from you What is that power by which the devil is resisted 'T is the power of Christ the power of the Lord Jesus is with his people though not yet manifested we should wait for it and not rest contented with the name but look after power to command hell and death those that have commanded us We are comforting our selves that Christ hath done this for us 'T is true he hath done this for us he will do it in us The Apostle bids us stand to it in Eph. 6. You wrastle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers therefore put on the whole armour of God If you be true Israel you are able to deal with God and then the devil and the world are not able to stand against you Do you believe this Then wait for it The next thing I shall commend unto you is this That we must be delivered to Satan before we can be delivered from Satan For the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. And if this stick in your stomacks and will not go down let me offer it to you in an old expression of Divinity as they call it that is That God leads his people to Heaven by Hell We must be delivered to Satan if ever we will be delivered from Satan Satan hath carryed all the seed of God captive in the flesh 'T is under the law of sin sin and death hath captivated the whole seed of God here this seed lieth as it were dead in a swound and in this state we dream of nothing but life and happiness great enjoyments when we are captives to Satan at his pleasure God he quickens this same seed this divine nature and then they see where they are see how they were deceived what a fools Paradise they were in then they have no rest till they be delivered This is to be delivered from Satan to see that we are in Satans power So it comes to this That there must be a discovery of our state under the power of darkness before we be delivered from it Deliver him unto Satan destroy him that he may be delivered destroy him that he may be saved kill him that he may be made alive convince him of sin then of righteousness Deliver him unto Satan is quicken him and enlighten him that he may see where he is in Satans power And whereas before there was peace when the strong man kept the house it was because he did not see Satan but now he sees him there is nothing but trouble there is no rest till he be delivered This is nothing but what the Apostle saith you hath he quickened that were dead in trespasses and sins Dead in trespasses and sins here is the seed of God under the power of Satan The spirit quickned sees whereabouts it is sees that it is in hell among devils lusts death and flames and it cannot abide here The Prodigal came to himself that was the quickning of this divine seed he was well enough before at the swine-trough till he comes to himself O then he cannot endure it he cannot live here any longer We must be delivered to Satan before we can be delivered from Satan And the ground and reason of this lieth thus God hath let all his seed fall under the hands and power of death and Satan and he would never suffer this state unless he meant they should be sensible of it unless he did
no unless the spirit of God declare it to you let me tell it you a hundred times you can never know it But Paul would try whether they might know it or no whether God would let them into the secrets of his kingdom There is this ingenuity in them that is not to be found in many Professors the devil hath that power in their hearts they must not hear any new thing for why they may be misled Thus the devil keeps them bound to him and under pretence of taking heed of error keeps them from the truth Verse 20. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears we would know therefore what these things mean If ever we mean to be built up in the knowledge of God we must look to hear of new things but let 's not receve them suddenly yet not throw them out of dores Be not forgetful to entertain strangers we know no other guide but the spirit there is not any Minister in the world that is our guide or any company of Ministers but the spirit if he speaks in them and by them we have but one Master that is Christ Verse 21. For all the Athenians and Strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing This To tell or to hear some new thing was not going about and asking what news how is it with the state but they were searching into the secrets of nature every one was improving their studies and were communicating one to another what any had found out and thus they improved their time Verse 22 and 23. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill and said Ye men of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious for as I passed by and beheld your devotions I found an Altar with this inscription To the unknown God whom therefore ye ignorantly worship him declare I unto you The Apostle doth not dispute with them in any point of their Philosophy but goes to their devotion he takes occasion thence to deliver himself concerning Jesus the Resurrection so he dealeth with them according to their principles When he hath to do with the Jews then he disputes out of the Scripture when he hath to do with these Greeks that did not own the Scriptures he deals with them by principles of their own first of all he charges them with superstition You are led without rule you can give no accompt for what you do and it appears by your own confession your own hand for as I passed by c. See whether the light and learning of these men had broughr them even to shew that they were at a loss concerning God Ask ignorant carnal people whether they know God or no they will take upon them to know him But here are men improving their light by studying and it may be when they first entered upon the search of knowledge they might think that they did know God but after some time spent therein they saw they did not That is it that all our wading in studies doth bring us into concerning God to discover our ignorance and I look upon it as a kinde of ingenuity to profess truly as they did here they did acknowledge a God but did not know him I found an Altar c. There is no man but worships an unknown God unless Jesus Christ be his Altar There is no Altar but Jesus Christ can bear this inscription in truth To the known God There is no knowledge of God but in Jesus Christ When the Son declares him then he is the known God Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship him declare I unto you So Paul by degrees brings them unto Jesus Christ Verse 24 and 25. God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things q. d. You are mistaken in this God as if he stood in need of somewhat therefore you build Temples to him and make Offerings to him This is that simple people think that God needs them and is much beholding to them for the service they do him what saith the Apostle he giveth to all life and breath and all things Therefore he receiveth nothing from the creature as of need Verse 26. And hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation God the onely wise God that made all things hath so brought forth all things and brought forth man in this Creation that man should be quickly at the end of his travel that so he might begin to seek after God That 's the Apostles scope and Argument here He hath made of one blood all Nations and determined c. That they should seek the Lord c. ver 27. God hath made the earth and brought forth man Man when he comes forth in the earth makes after earth there he is planting and building and purchasing but God hath bounded his time he shall continue so long and no longer and God hath bounded his habitation he shall go so far and no further and what is the design of God in this but that man being at an end here in this Creation should look after him that made all things that he should seek the Lord. This is that the creature saith to man when he is searching after it greedily pursuing it earnestly Surely thou art out in thy pursuit thou dost not seek that thou shouldest seek thou art at an end here as to thy self So the very creature speaks to man to seek the Lord. Thou wouldst have rest here thou wouldst have satisfaction here but thou seest how much thou mayst have thy days here wil run to an end that which thou hast got thou knowest not who shall gather and God hath bounded thee that thou shalt get so much and no more that so thou mightest seek the Lord. So the Apostle here Verse 27. That they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him though he be not far from every one of us Man reaching after these things at last sees vanity in them I must seek the Lord if happily I may feel after him in a dark state and condition Thus God begins to quicken his people by shewing them an end in the world then they begin to feel after God to grope after him where is he who is he There is no rest in this Creation Verse 28. For in him we live and move and have our being as certain also of your own Poets have said For we are also his off-spring For in him c. He is about us he is in us there 's not a finger stirs but 't is in his power not a thought moves but 't is in him
when the people undertook to obey it the Lord pittied them O that there were such an heart in this people that they would obey me It was a manifestation to discover sinfulness and weakness death and the curse and so to usher in a manifestation of life and power But now ye are come to the Gospel state ye are come to Mount-Sion ye are come where God dwells ye are come into a comforting and chearing presence ye are come to the Mount that may be touched without fear or terror It may be touched There are spiritual senses as 1 Joh. 1. 1. That which we have heard which we hame seen which our hands have handled of the word of life that declare we unto you that you may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ and so it s the Mount that may be touched We are come to the City of the living God We are come where God dwells we are come to communion with God and one with another in the spirit we are come where God is in the midst of his people He hath quickned us who were dead in sins and set us down in heavenly places in the heavenly Jerusalem If we are come to the heavenly Jerusalem we are past the wilderness we are come to our rest There remaineth a rest to the people of God and that 's the heavenly Jerusalem of which the earthly Jerusalem and Canaan were but a Type This heavenly Jerusalem is the mother of us all And to an innumerable company of Angels Not onely to be administred unto by Angels as under the legal dispensation but to administer unto Angels for to them is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God And to the general Assembly and the Church of the first-born We are come to the General Assembly we are above particular Churches though we walk in them yet we are not bound to them nor bound in them We are come to the Church of the first-born who are written in Heaven We are come to those that are in Christ that partake of the divine nature in which God lives and acts and whom God fills who are born of the spirit who are sons and heirs together with Christ Who are written in Heaven There was a first-born written in earth in the letter in flesh Let Israel my son go for he is my first-born said God to Pharoah but this was after the flesh We are come to God the Judge of all We have boldness towards God We are above the judgement of men yea above the judgement of our own Consciences It is a very small thing to me saith the Apostle to the Corinthians to be judged by you or of mans judgement yea I judge not mine own self 1 Cor. 4. 3. We are passed from death to life and we are come to God the Judge of all we can stand before God the Iudge of all We are come to the spirits of just men made perfect We are come to see and to acknowledge the spiritual and divine nature whereof through exceeding great and precious promises we are made partakers we are come to see and to be the spiritual man the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness we are come to the holy one born of the Holy Ghost to Christ formed in us who is not tainted with any pollution who sinneth not nor can he commit sin Though he dwell among devils and death yet he partakes not of their filth and guilt but shall overcome and destroy them all And to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant We are come to Iesus to the truth as it is in Iesus to the power and wisdom of God which is Iesus we have the Law written in our hearts We are come to Iesus instead of Moses who is the Mediator of a better Covenant If we be Christians indeed we are not come to a Law that hath onely a sound of words written on stone but we are come to a Law written in our hearts we are come to Iesus the Mediator of the new Covenant We are come to the efficacy of his mediation And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel The blood of sprinkling It is an allusion taken from those sprinklings under the Law all which pointed to this We are not come â—â— corruptible blood we are come to the blood of sprinkling that is incorruptible That speaks better things c. It speaks and what doth it say It makes intercession for us it makes intercession in us and the Lord he is with us by a word of power speaking and commanding sin and death Satan and Hell out of our souls This is the Doctrine The glorious state which is the true Gospel state it is the state of every true Believer though it may be many do not know it it is a state in the spirit and it is revealed by the spirit This is the Gospel state and therefore if you profess the Gospel do not sit down below it Let us all be making to it let us not stay at Mount-Sinai but let us pass on to Mount Sion Let every one of us look whereabouts we are whether we be under a spirit of fear if we be this is Mount-Sinai or whether we be under a spirit of love of power and of a sound minde if we be this is Mount-Sion Are we in earthly or in heavenly places Take notice that there are three states 1. One is in Egypt under the bondage of sin Satan death and hell 2. Another is leading out of Egypt in the wilderness at Mount-Sinai leading up to Adams perfection to a perfection in nature but there is no resting here This is but a shadow Christ in the flesh came in this natural perfection but he dyed to it and in it and rose again to the life of God 3. A third state is the spirits of just men made perfect Here is rest and stability Here is the kingdom of God do not sit down below this for if you do you sit down at best in natural Reason in a shadow in a lye Some sit down in the filth of nature but do not ye sit down no not in the excellency and perfection of nature Look to the high calling of God in Christ Iesus unto which ye are called But I pass over from the Doctrine and come to the Vse which the Apostle makes in ver 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven God speaks once and twice and we hear him not God is continually speaking He speaks in every creature he speaks in every providence he speaks in every administration do you know his voice He speaks on earth and he speaks from heaven See that ye refuse not him that speaketh God speaks from
in the Spirit That which is earthly and carnal must be shaken and removed that that Kingdom which cannot be moved may remain We wonder what God meaneth when he is pulling down and destroying Why he meaneth to plant and to build and when we see his design we sit down and are still It is a sad thing to a childe to hear that the time shall come when all his Rattles shall be taken from him What a sad thing is it while we are childish Christians to have our Religion as it is of man shaken It hath a great excellency and glory in it but it is to be shaken that that which is excellent indeed may come in its place To know the state of Christ risen from the dead was that which Paul was making after The Resurrection of the dead Before we can come to this the Cross of Christ must crucifie all the glory of flesh And that is to be taken notice of That the last shaking shall be the most terrible shaking God will shake all nations no nation shall escape nor man in it shake them in their earth shake them in their heaven God need to shake but once and shake all to pieces certainly he will shake once more and we may think after this shaking to settle again but all that is shaken shall be done away that which is natural shall be done away that that which is spiritual may take place Are we sensible of these shakings it is only the spiritual man that is sensible of it the carnal and natural man eats and drinks till the flood comes and sweeps all away The Apostle expounds those words Yet once more And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made All fleshly forms of Religion all mans Righteousness all this outward frame of things are things that are made and therefore must be done away that those things which cannot be shaken may remain T is true the spiritual man is made but as he is taken into God and in union with God he is not made the new creature is not made T is one thing to make another thing to create It s said the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us that is the Word was for a while vailed or covered with flesh he took flesh upon him Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same Heb. 2. 14. but the spiritual man in union with God is taken into God and carried into Mount Sion The Apostles inference or conclusion is Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom that cannot be moved Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear When we come to the Kingdom to that Kingdom that is spiritual Let us have grace We are come to grace let us make use of it to serve God with reverence and godly fear Here is freewil the right freewil freewil in Christ and in the Spirit This new man sits at the fountain and draws water out of the wells of Salvation this new man hath freedom to work out his salvation he hath grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Do ye see what the Kingdom is that cannot be moved Why it is to serve God Here is the Kingdom a natural free complying with God When we shall have the minde of Christ it shall be our joy and delight to serve God and this service shall be with reverence and godly fear The nearer we come to God the more awe the more fear but it is a fear with love and joy with reverence and godly fear For our God is a consuming fire The Saints do glorifie God in the fire in the flames which consumes all flesh God is a consuming fire that consumes death and hell to the new man that is one with him that knows him and therefore rejoyceth in those flames glorifies him in the fire and when his bones are burnt then he walks with the son of God as the three young men in the fiery furnace We are saved yet so as by fire God is dealing with the people that are his burning up their hay and stubble their dross and tin and changing them into his image daily And if our God be a consuming fire then here is safety in God there need no carnal weapons to keep those safe that dwell in God For our God is a consuming fire This Scripture that hath been opened to you is a Glass that God holds out to us and sets before us Let us look there and see our faces and the Lord set upon our hearts those discoveries that he makes of himself to us that he makes of himself in us that so they may abide that we may not go away and forget what manner of faces we have That being doers of the Law as well as hearers of it that the Law being written in our hearts and we dwelling in God and God in us may be changed into the same image from Glory to Glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. The Mother of Mischief or the Original of all VVars and Fightings JAMES 4. 1 2 3 4 c. From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members Ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God c. THis Epistle is written to the scattered Jews which had scattered their Religion There is a carnal profession of Religion which after a while is scattered and comes to nothing James in this Epistle shews what lusts and evils did lift up their heads and bear sway among this scattered people who notwithstanding that they were under great pressures yet did not amend nor take up as to those evil courses But scattered and afflicted they were therefore James begins to instruct them as touching Afflictions and Temptations My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations in the second Verse of the first Chapter then he comes to discover and reason against many evils which were found amongst them as you may see if you shall peruse the Epistle from the beginning unto this fourth Chapter here he tels them of their brawlings and quarrellings their contentions and fightings one with another The Jews were in Affliction and James he is discovering their sin contention and brawling that is one he mentions here and he is turning their eyes to look into the spring of this From whence comes wars Ver. 1. Here 's wars and fightings brawlings and quarrellings from whence comes these he shews them whence
well or as it should be You ask not and therefore ye have not you ask amiss and therefore have it not as good not ask as ask amiss Another thing is this That the main amisness in Prayer is when our Lusts are regarded when we ask to gratifie our Lusts This is a thing of special consideration and will come neer to every one of us 't is a great abuse of God to go to him and desire this or that of him to consume it upon our Lusts what is our Lust it is an enemy to him it is a strange God it is an Idol it is another Lover we go to God and would have more love that he would thus and thus furnish us to commit Adultery that the Lord would give us to serve his enemies we go to God to serve us in the creature we have a burning Lust after this after the other he must satisfie us that 's to serve his enemies that 's to maintain us in opposing him in scorning him and mark where God is set when I sue to him for such a thing to satisfie my Lust where is God put under my Lust and he is made use of to serve my Lusts if my lust be served I care not a rush for him I would never seek him but for my lusts I want this and the other thing therefore I pray I do not want him I care not at all for him God makes his very enemies stoop to him and acknowledge him Lust and the devil can do nothing unless he give to them you ask for your devil and lust you ask of God that you may play the whore you Adulterers and Adulteresses says Iames a strange word and yet in such praying we think we have perform'd excellent worship and service to God when we do put God in the very place of the veriest drudge and scullion there is not a worser place we can put him in then to seek of him to serve our Lusts This is a drudging to his enemies 't is a main amiss in Prayer and so he reckons it and therefore he says Ye did not cry to me when ye howled on your beds for corn and wine and oyl To ask to satisfie your Lusts is to go to the devil And therefore as we are to consider what we do so we are to consider how we do it and as in every thing else so in Prayer and as we are to look into many amisses and miscarriages and faults there so especially to this this is a main one to ask to consume upon our Lusts why it may be you will say we do not know for what end to ask else why it is good to be ingenuous it may be you do not but I hope better things of you but I know a carnal heart can have no other end a carnal heart cannot seek God and this is the right asking this is the asking is not amiss when we ask God give me thy self and when in asking for other things we submit to God as the Apostle hath it here Submit your selves to God put all into his hands let him dispose it be you satisfied with his love do you desire that he would shew himself shew us the Father and it sufficeth and for other things commend them to him with submission as he pleases he knows what 's good what 's convenient Father says Christ if it be possible let this cup pass from me but thy will be done this is the right asking to ask God let God be the boon you ask Labour not for the meat which perisheth but labour for that bread which endureth to everlasting life Joh. 6. 26. What 's the bread endures to eternal life It is God manifesting himself communion with God seek this ask this and all things will come in with this Seek the Kingdom of God and other things shall be added unto you put your selves into Gods hand and dispose he is all your exceeding great reward You ask amiss when you ask any thing but God Let this cup pass away but if it be possible but Father says he glorifie thy Name Whom have I in Heaven but thee and who is there on earth but thee I have none to look at besides thee glorifie thy self this is right asking and this is an asking that flesh can never attain to this is beyond flesh and blood who is there can beg this of God but God himself flesh and blood hath not taught thee but my Father as Christ said to Peter If you seek any thing and do not seek God you make use of God to serve your Lusts and you subject God to the devil and there is as much setting up the devil and vilifying God in that that 's call'd Prayer and worship as in any thing whatsoever You ask amiss because you ask to consume it upon your Lusts And now it follows in the fourth verse what kinde of Lusts these are what are these Lusts they are lustings after the creature they are no worse You Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity unto God The friendship of the world We love the world we run after the creature with violence you must have it cannot get it pray for it cannot get it fight for it kill for it Here is Murder and Adultery in going forth unto the world the Apostle James here reproves in the spirit and he is bold Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses and he takes in both Sexes men and women and he would let them know he deals with them upon a known principle do ye not know the friendship of the world is enmity to God It is written in every one of your hearts that to go out unto the creature is to go from God and if you do not know it it shall be made appear to you that you do it You do know it and your Consciences will tell you when it s awakened Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity to God And then he makes this conclusion Whosoever is a friend of the world is an enemy to God I 'le point at two or three things Observe here first that according to the tenure of the Scripture to embrace the world to go out after the creature is to commit Adultery to go out in earnest desire after the creature to make the creature a chief or a main thing that our hearts go out after is Adultery Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses I had not known sin says the Apostle unless the Law had said thou shalt not Lust Whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her says Christ he hath committed Adultery in his heart whosoever looks after any creature to lust after it he hath committed Adultery too our Ministers it may be do not teach so but we see what the Scripture holds forth you have heard how it hath been said of old sayes Christ but I say unto you we count it not evil after mans reckoning but it is accounted so
of men Rom. 1. 17. The wrath of God is as it were in its place now kept up The wrath of God is nothing else but the manifestation of God God manifested to them that walk contrary to him his manifestation is wrath God manifested to Bryars and Thorns set in battle against him is consuming fire Now this wrath of God seems to be shut up in a secret place it shall be revealed from heaven it shall come forth out of its place All the glory rejoycing and prosperity of earthly men Earthly minded men in the creature you have your life in the earth your joy in the creature and your rest here you have this only while God is in his place while he is withdrawn but when he comes forth indignation comes upon you wrath comes upon you like Sorrow upon a woman in travail and you shall not escape Now you slight God care not for him say he sees you not say in you heart there is no God he will be upon you on a sudden and when he doth appear every knee shall bow to him and his enemies shall be found lyars And God doth appear purposely that it might appear what man is if the Majesty of God did appear no man would blaspheme him no man would slight him but now he is in a kind of absence and withdrawment he is in his place Now the world appears in riot and the evill servant drinks with the drunkard and beats his fellow-servants and saith My master will not yet come When he comes forth who shall stand before him Who shall stand before devouring fire Who shall stand before everlasting burnings All earthly-minded people they will vanish away they will come to nothing Even as darkness stands by the absence of light and when light comes it is destroyed so the darkness of this world and the joy of the wicked it hath its place while God is withdrawn when he appears and is manifested when he takes off his Vail that is upon him they consume out of their dwelling Let God arise and his enemies shall be scattered Set the Bryars and Thorns against me saith God who will do it I will burn them together I will go through them and burn them and it is but going through them and they are burnt There is everlasting destruction from his presence Darkness wickedness sin cannot stand but in Gods withdrawing and this is the reason of sin and hels rage God is gone into his place when he comes forth again these are like dust before him There are that have their time only in Gods absence and who are these They that live upon the world they that are satisfying their lusts they that have nothing but that which is seen that put their trust in it have all their life in the creature these have all their joy here in Gods absence and are just like the wild beasts as we have a description of them in the Psalms Man goes forth unto his labour till the evening and the evening comes and the beasts go abroad after their prey And this is the time of mens satisfying their lusts while God is in his place while God is not manifested My master defers his coming saith the evil servant And here is the reason of the dreadfulness of the mention of the day of Judgement unto an earthly heart a carnal heart O how terrible is it The thought of Doomesday the Judgement day the Throne set the Books opened The reason why this is so dreadfull is because that then all their sport is at an end all their joy is done they had it in the flesh but there shall no flesh glory in his presence All the glory that is in flesh shall dis-appear when the glory of God appears The day of the Lord is darkness and not light unto all that live in the world This is mans day Mans day which is Gods night and Gods day is the worlds night If you have your life in the earth when God comes forth there is an end of your life The Saints are dead till the Lord comes forth this is the reason why they wait for this day O that the Lord would come They love his appearance they long for his appearance they wait for his Kingdom Thus the Spirit of God in Scripture doth decipher out Saints and Disciples unto us They waited for the Kingdom of God They love and long for his appearance As he appears down goes sin his appearance sets a flame unto sin even the sin and lust that is in us and when that is burnt up there is nothing but glory nothing but glory that remains He is come out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth that is those that have their life and rest in the earth They have this life and rest and joy only while God doth not appear when he appears and comes forth nothing but blackness and darkness nothing but destruction from his presence as it is in 2 Thes 1. Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe Now he is dishonoured and reproached then he shall be glorified The Lord is come out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity The earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain The earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain When the Lord is discovered when he discovers himself there is a discovery of every thing there shall be no longer hiding The earth is disclosed God is light and there is an end of darkness when light comes forth The earth shall disclose her blood and shall no longer hide her slain What is this blood and this slain which the earth hides and covers for the time and which it shall disclose It is the Lords blood Do we not read in Scripture of the Lords blood Acts 20. The Church he hath redeemed by his own blood The blood of the Lamb the Lamb slain There are two things to be observed here First this That the Lord of life lyeth slain and buried in the earth and this is his place spoken of before When he comes out of his place the earth discloses her blood and discovers her slain The Lord lyeth slain and buried in the earth Another thing is That the Lord by his own power will rise up and discover and manifest himself and say I am he that was dead but am alive and I live for evermore and I have the keys of hell and death The Lord lyeth slain and buried in the earth the earth is the grave of the Lord this Creation is the Lords Sepulchre it is the Lords Monument and it hath this inscription written upon it Behold the place where the Lord lies the Lord lyeth slain in the earth and this is his place where he is hidden he is every-where but he is as
brings us into the Spirit and now our way is above all the righteousness of man above all the wisdom of man above all the contentments of the flesh Ungodliness and Worldly lusts Here take notice of this that ungodliness lieth in worldly lusts Godliness is being like unto God Ungodliness is fashioning our selves to the World Ungodliness and worldly lusts are one So far as we are in worldly lusts we are in ungodliness You cannot serve God and Mammon The Apostle calls the love of Mony the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6. 10. Mony stands for any thing of this World of this life the love of that the lust after that is the root of all evil The same that James tell us Jam. 4. 4. The friendship of the world is enmity unto God and those that love the World and go after the things thereof he calls Adulterers and adulteresses Love not the world nor the things of the world saith John For if ye love the World the love of the Father is not in you 1 Joh. 2. 15. The Lord complains Jer. 2. 13. My people have committed two great evils for which be astonished you Heavens and horribly afraid And what are those two great evils They have forsaken me the fountain of living water and have hewen unto themselves broken Cisterns that will hold no water They run from the Creator to the Creature They have turned the glory of the invisible God into an Image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts They have set up the creature in my place and made it their fear and their joy and their delight and their love And so the Apostle in Phil. 3. Speaks of those Whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things They that mind earthly things are ungodly in the Scripture sense God that made Heaven and Earth is not their God but the things that are made Their belly is their God all they seek is for their belly who craves it of them All ungodliness lieth in worldly lusts Fashioning our selves unto the World is the defacing of the Image of God It is a turning away from the good and holy and acceptable will of God as 't is in Rom. 12. And the ground of this is plain and obvious to every one that will see it Whither can a man go forth from God unless it be to the creature there is the Creator and the Creature he that goes from God must go to the creature Whither can he go else Ye have forsaken me and digged to your selves broken Cisterns There is no going from God and godliness but to worldly lusts There is no stirring anywhere else All ungodliness lieth in worldly lusts worldly desires going out to the Creature All going forth to these is going forth to the Devil who is the Prince of this World as Christ calls him The Prince of this World comes saith Christ All that sue to the World sue to him worship him The Devil is served in every desire that goeth forth from God In all opposition to God the Devll is set up We use to reckon of three enemies to God the Flesh the World and the Devil The going out to the World is for the flesh the serving the flesh and the World is serving the Devil What is offered in sacrifice to Idols is sacrificed to Devils and the Apostle calling us to the mortifying of fleshly and worldly lusts mentions Covetousness among them which he calls Idolatry and Covetousness which is Idolatry Ungodliness lieth in worldly lusts that is in loving the world and desiring the things of the World Love not the World nor the things of the World Quest But you will say Is every desire of any worldly thing ungodly Answ If you will hear the Scripture and let that be judge harken while I propound some Scriptures unto you which shall shew you what lusts they are What desires after the World they are in which ungodliness lieth Consider that in Heb. 13. Let your conversation be without covetousness be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Desiring any thing more then you have is covetousness and worldly lusts and is a denying of Godliness If you be not content with that you have you are covetous and there is ungodliness God is rich in himself content in himself full in himself and if you partake of the Divine nature you shall have riches and fulness in him I am God Alsufficient saith he to Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward walk before me and be perfect q. d. thou hast nothing to do but to approve thy self to me whatever thou wantest here it is I am God alsufficient Looking after any thing but me is looking from me and is ungodliness Again consider that Scripture in Mat. 5. Take no thought what you shall eat or what you shall drink or what you shall put on after these things do the Gentiles seek All this is ungodliness 't is ungodliness to take thought what you shall eat what you shall drink or what you shall put on Now what is godliness Seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof Here you shall have supply So far forth as you look from God his Kingdom and the righteousness thereof you are of the world you are ungodly 't is your little Faith O ye of little faith why do ye take care Seek nothing but the Kingdom of God if there be any thing else it shall come into you with it 'T is godliness to seek God 't is failing of godliness when you seek any thing else but God when you turn to any broken Cistern whatsoever when you see not God before you there turn away or else you turn from God Love the Lord your God withal your heart withal your Soul with all your strength Let nothing of the world have any place in you Let God fill your hearts his train filled the Temple What concord is there between Christ and Belial between God and Mammon I have learned to abound and to want to be full and to be hungry Phil. 4. In every state I am instructed I know what to do and I am content godliness is contentment and that is Great gain We have content in God and nowhere else If we seek anywhere else we seek trouble and vexation and disappointment Man doth not live by bread but by every word of God What a foolish thing 't is for man to seek life frombread let him seek God everyword of God So Christ put off the Devil when he bid him of stones to make bread he tells him man could not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Consider that Scripture mans life doth not consist in the aabundance of those things he possesses or that Scripture All things are lawfull but I will not be brought under the power of any thing I 'le
be under the power of none but God I want none but God I 'le seek to none but God Consider that of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 7. Let them that are married be as if they were not married and they that use the world as if they used it not All going forth to the creature to the world to any piece of it t is ungodliness t is going from God If you cannot be content with God alone t is ungodliness You deny his alsufficiency 't is little Faith this is want of godliness Your Father knows what you have need of you have nothing to do but to please your Father he will supply these things Seek his kingdom these things shall be sent into you So All going forth unto any part of this Creation is ungodliness it is going from God Here is the root of all ungodliness discovered going from God to the creature You will be rich and you must have this and you must have that there is but one thing necessary and if you think any thing else necessary t is denyal of God t is ungodliness You will say this is a hard saying and who can bear it When Christ had told his disciples that it was easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven who then can be saved say they Surely not one that trusts in riches for that is a denying of God Who shall be saved then who is there shall take off his desire from every creature that shall take off his heart and make it over wholly unto the Lord that shall desire nothing but the Lord and say I have none in Heaven but thee nor in earth but thee mark what Christ answers there to men this is impossible but with God all things are possible That which is called for of us is impossible to man but to God all things are possible even this is possible The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus will free us from the Law of sin and death God calls us to that which is above mans strength to yield to His belly cleaves to the ground and dust is his meat being beguiled by the Serpent and his looking towards God is meerly Hypocritical But God brings forth Christ in him raises up that substance that holy seed and that seeks him alone Vnless you be born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God So that it is impossible to please God except you know a better Righteousness then mans Righteousness Vnless your righteousness exceeed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Man will not see the extent of sin because he will not see his own condemnation in it but that man that is of God he sees that the power of God is his and the holiness of God is his And he hath a nature that shall rise up out of the creature and throw off all its dust and earth that is upon it and cleave perfectly to God And he delights in the greatness of the commands that God gives Look how great the command is so great is his inheritance there is nothing God commands but what he hath promised His Law he writes in the heart Whatever God commands he gives the higher God commands the Spiritual Man likes them the better God will work all this in me to this shall I rise in and through God Christ in me is able to do this It is God worketh in me to will and to do of his own good pleasure I 'le work out my Salvation Man dealing with the Scripture is lessening sin as much as may be by saying this is not sin and that is not sin May not I do this and may I not do that may I not take care how I shall live And then he comes to his distinctions of a tormenting care and a necessary care there must be a providence This is true providence to seek God You are to know your Father to please him and to deal in outward things as he leads you and no farther If you want it shall be good for you he will teach you to want and to abound to be hungry and to be full Godliness is beyond mans reach and he cannot comprehend it t is beyond what he can attain unto by nature and if you will have a right scantling of sin look upon it as the Apostle sets it out All have sinned and come short of the glory of God All falling short of the glory of God is sin We shall be brought in Christ into the glory of God and then we shall be brought quite out of sin Vse For the Applying of this Let this direct us in our account of sin and of ungodliness Let us reckon according unto this rule all worldly lusts all going forth from God to the world is ungodliness Where is the godly man There is no flesh can stand before God There is the man that is born of God though he lieth in flesh he will come forth and will be able to stand before God when fearfulness surpriseth the Hypocrite There is the new man that is created in true holiness shall stand There is an Hypocritical holiness an Hypocritical godliness that runs to the world and runs to the flesh making their belly their God they mind earthly things and yet they hold forth themselves high in godliness But the Scripture holds forth all going forth to the creature but in the Lord to be ungodliness It must needs be ungodliness to go out from God and it must needs be a denying God and his all-sufficiency to go out to anything but him Therefore let this teach us to mend our account and to correct our reckoning in matter of sin and matter of ungodliness If we be free from Cheats and Robberies and gross defraudings we lick our selves whole we wipe our mouth we are of the godly party so long as thou dost well for thy self men will speak well of thee when as there is raking after the world scraping riches and wealth together and we are ready to die for this thing and the other thing adding house to house and land to land I know not how to live without this Thus hell and the grave in us will never be satisfied alway craving And this is wisdom Prudence Providence This is to be a wise man in the account of men Men cry up this But dost thou acknowledge the Scripture then consider how that censures it Why do you take care Why do you look after any thing but God is not he alsufficient doth he not know what you need have you any thing to do but to look after his Kingdom Cannot you trust him O ye of little Faith is unbelieving godliness with you is not denying God ungodliness Therefore Le ts look into our own hearts and learn what to count ungodliness Sin lurks and is loth to be discovered the discovery of it is
and Godliness There 's the life of man and the life of beasts and the life of Devils and there is the life of God when the grace of God that brings Salvation appears And now for the time and place where this lesson is taught and where this Sobriety and righteousness and godliness is brought forth in this present World a little of the time and I have done In this present World In this place in this time the World the present World the mad World the unrighteous World the ungodly World the World that lies in the wicked one in the power of the wicked one in this time of darkness and hour of temptation in this Kingdom of the World and Kingdom of Satan God he hath let Satan possess himself of this World and of this Creation and God is here trampled upon and oppressed by Satan and his Instruments and he lies under foot as madness and unrighteousness as filthiness and the Devil and the World they stand up and boast of sobriety and godliness they stand in the power of the Creature and the glory of God is shut up in his Servants Notwithstanding all this power and rage he appears in his servants in this present World He teaches us to oppose and confront and adjudge the World and the wickedness of it I have made thee a fenced City and a wall of brass says God against the princes of Judah The grace of God enables a man where it appears he fears not faces he fears not Hell he sees him that is invisible Moses feared not Pharaoh It sets us above all scorn and all reproaches in this present World We must needs be signs and wonders signs to be spoken against we are contented to be so we can bear it The grace of God that brings Salvation teaches us so Persecution comes and troubles come we can take up our Cross and we can follow Christ This sobriety which the grace of God teaches and this godliness and righteousness exceedingly enables a man to be contented to be scornd and spit on My life is not dear to me says the Apostle that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received Endure the afflictions of the World says Paul to Timothy by the power of God And when the grace of God hath broken forth and I have seen him that is invisible what 's this World when God hath set it up only to make a fool of it God uses the Devil and wicked men and enemies to make fools of them and we see God standing behind then what cause is there to fear in this present world under their very nose to their face to their teeth The grace of God teaches us to live soberly righteously and godlily God out of the mouths of babes and sucklings ordains strength God suffers himself to be brought into a very seed by the Devil and the World and thence he rises up and the lower he suffers himself to be brought the more glorious is he in the Conquest The Kingdom of heaven comes to be like a grain of mustardseed it is a very little seed and it is hid in the earth a little leaven is hid in three measures of meal that nothing is seen but the power of darkness the Kingdom of Satan and sin this little grain of mustardseed springs up and though all the power of the World rise against it it prevails and is glorious Here 's two or thre things I would but hint at by way of application Vse 1. The grace of God teaches us to live soberly righteously and godlily in this World First of all this shews how much out they are that think to carry Religion so that they 'l sleep in a whole skin will carry it like a Talent bound in a napkin The grace of God teaches us to live soberly in this present World 'T is as possible to carry fire about us and not to be burnt If it be true Religion it will be burning Is that Religion that lies under fleshly lusts and worldly lusts From the Devil it came and to him it must go it hath his life in it God is not in it but one that is truly Religious he may for a time think of hiding and concealing himsel as Nicodemus came to Jesus by night but where godliness is in truth it will he like new wine that will vent or break the vessel God hath not given light to put under a bushel but to set on a candlestick 2. Again There are many professing Religion that excuse themselves that the times are evil and therefore they cannot do this or that If the grace of God hath taught thee it shall teach thee in evil times to appear soberly and righteously There is a love grows cold as iniquity abounds this is not the love of God that like fire grows hotter in the coldest weather God had Saints in Nero's house he had them in Sodom and they shined there and appeared there and opposed this world this present World 3. And again Some are putting off this day This is for heaven say they this is not for the present It seems grace and Salvation is not come to such they that are not here in heaven will never be in heaven One Scripture that may conclude us in this is No man ascended into heaven but he that came down from heaven If ye are not in heaven while ye are in the world you 'l never be in heaven The grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared Heaven hath appeared to you and heaven is in you you are in heaven and that same heaven shall be interpreted into you and an entrance shall be given more abundantly If you say this is a hard Saying to live soberly righteously and godlily to convince the world to challenge the world to dare the world what a life must we live what suffering must we meet with You are appointed thereunto God hath given us another hope a blessed hope that is that follows Looking for that blessed hope at the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ The grace of God that brings Salvation it will be a strong help to you even in persecution for the joy that is set before us we shall bear up against all the persecutions we meet with in the world under all reproaches all burdens under all scoffs and sufferings The grace of God brings Salvation Let the world do what they can do let hell do what it can do I 'le be a sanctuary to them says God The grace of God teaches us to live soberly and righteously in this present world even in the midst of enemies It lifts up our heads even here before men and enables us to judge the world and condemn the world and so shall all do that are heirs of that righteousness which is by faith And thus much for this time FINIS The Authors last Testimony The brief heads of a Sermon Preached by Mr. Goad at Mr. Wallis his Funeral
at Soper-lane with which he finished his Testimony THe occasion of this meeting I need not to mention We may make it an occasion to speak and hear something which may hold forth our life and his life that is dead for he is but dead to the world and that he was whilst he lived It is not amiss if we look at somewhat else then burying the dead which is to bury death Let the dead bury the dead If you be dead and have not a seed of life in you I have nothing to say to you Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord Whilst our life is onely in the body and in bodily things we are dead and the seed of God lies buried in us Now to quicken that seed is the work of a true spiritual Ministery Let us see if we can quicken the dead so saith Peter The Gospel was preached to those that were dead and Paul to the same purpose you hath he quickened who were dead in sins and trespasses Christ may lie dead amongst us and the glory of the Father may appear here to raise him up That is our business if we preach the Gospel to preach Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life Where Christ is not in any as good preach to the Corps that lies in the grave as preach to them If there be any children of the Resurrection here either manifested or not manifested to them we speak for the hour is coming and now is that the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and live Joh. 5. 25. Do we know no grave but such as we have put a Corps in To be at home in the body is to be in a grave absent from the Lord who is our life But to such as have life or a seed of life in them do I address my self and therefore you may please to look upon that Scripture ISAI 25. 6 7 8. And in this mountain shall the Lord of hoasts make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of Wine on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wine on the Lees well refined And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it ANd in this mountain The Lord is this mountain that appeares in the first verse of the chapter Thou art my God and I will exalt thee A Mountain is a thing exalted and we exalt God when we bring him forth in power He lies hid in our weakness we shall bring him forth in his power You are dead and your life lies hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him in glory When he lies no longer hid in our weakness and darkness but comes forth in his own life righteousness and strength then he is our Mountain There is an expression to the same purpose Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my Rock my Fortress my Strength my high Tower c. There are many Mountains many appearances of God in flesh wheresoever God appeares in flesh that is a Mountain When he is pleased to withdraw and give way to the devil then the whore comes and sits upon the seaven Mountains Not that I exclude the common interpretation of the seven Hills but take in this with it But though Satan hath possessed all other Mountains this he shall never possess this is like Mount-Sion that shall never be removed Mount-Sion indeed is but a shadow of this Mountain The woman of Samaria Joh. 4. propounds a question to Christ whether they were to worship in the Samaritan Mountain or at Mount-Sion but she was content to wait for the resolution till the Messias come Sion is the true figure but Christ that reveals the Father is the true Mountain God speaks in figures and parables very much This Mountain That is it that all other Mountans are but Types and Figures of All this world is a Figure and some special parts and pieces thereof are more instituted figures more eminently so where God appears to his people that is a Mountain A Mountain is an exalted thing a great thing and strong thing A Mountain stands in a good Ayre The Mountain of Spices a Mountain gives a pleasant prospect these are the properties of Mountains God will appear in his people in his greatness pleasantness height strength eternity In this mountain shall the Lord make a Feast There is a Mountain that is not to be touched Heb. 12. But ye are come to the Mountain that may be touched Ye shall feast in this Mountain The world shall see the Feast not touch it The natural man knows no Mountain but what is visible This Mountain is to flesh invisible Whilst the Saints do boast of God and have outward helps to lean upon the world looks upon them as such as have some cause why they should boast but when their fleshly helps fail the world jeers them Now flee to the mountain like a bird The eleventh Psalm is an answer to the Worlds jeer I trust in the Lord how say ye to my soul flee as a bird to your mountain When outward props are removed from the Saints Now saith the world where is your Mountain Answ Our Mountain say they standeth firm The Lord is in his Holy Temple The Lord is our Mountain He is all in all to us Whom saith David have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in earth I desire but thee The Lord in his people and the Lords people in him this is their Mountain The Church is called a City on a hill or Mountain which is founded in God We are not come to the mount that may not be touched The Lord is the Mountain and the feast too The Lord the Mountain and the Lord the Feast Nicodemus will say how can this be This is Non-sense To them that are without we speak parables To you saith Christ it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom but to others in parables that seeing they might see and not understand There is a vail upon all faces If this will not go down easily with you the Lord is the Mountain and the Lord is the Feast consider it comes but to this to make the Lord all all in all and the world a shadow of him a vail upon him it is no dishonour to the Lord to make him all if it be a dishonour to the world to make it a shadow to make it nothing let it be so if you cannot bear the worlds dishonour we must take that boldness to give you offence The Mountain and the feast too How so There is bread and there is wine in this feast Christ the
in the fire of affliction Observ 4. Fourthly observe that the Lords sweetness and life lies now under a vail and covering that is the reason it is so little owned in the world A feast but not seen he that will see the Lord he that will feed at this feast must not look at the things that are seen but at things not seen which lie within the vail Obser 5. Again Fifthly take notice that there is no destroying the vail but by the Lords coming forth until the substance come forth the shadows are substances No perfect destroying the vail untill the Lord be fully come forth All the Ministers in the world cannot do it Observ 6. Sixthly Observe this That all people have a vail or a covering cast over them not one excepted He will destroy the vail of the Covering cast upon All people spred upon All Nations Though the Lord be not far from every one of us yet the Vail keeps us from seeing him and whilst we lie under the vail we grope and feel after him Till God destroy this vail we have foolish fancies and false apprehensions of God What wonder seeing All nations are under the vail All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. God suffered all nations to walk in their own ways They that remain under the vail judge their brethren that see further then themselves of Error and Heresie but they that have the vail destroyed by the Lord will not be harsh to their brethren that lie under the vail although whilst the vail and the face of the Covering was spred upon them they were so grosly ignorant as to cry out against others Error Heresie Blaspemy Observ 7. Seventhly Observe the twofold expression in the Text The vail and the face of the covering And it is not only Cast but Spred also There is exactness in it Quest If you demand what this vail is that the Lord will destroy I Answer This Creation in its purity and perfection You will say The Creation declares the glory of God Psal 19. The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth shews forth his handy work Sol. True but in a vail Christs flesh was a vail Heb. 10. 20. This Creation in its purity and perfection is a vail but when Satan the world sin and death have gotten root in it then its a thick a dark vail or a shadow of death To those that sate in darkness and the shadow of death is this light come All Gods manifestations in it are vails till he get above it and cover it which he will do He is sunk into it as a seed as he riseth up in it it is in a vail Quest But how comes this vail Who casts this vail Answ 1. The Lord He makes darkness and light he makes vails and open Manifestations 2. Satan hath cast and spred this vail 3. We have every one of us cast it and spread it and we are shrowding our selves under it as God appears and God is righteous and holy in it and we and Satan are in the same sin We are all running into the vail as much as we can But God will destroy the vail and then every eye shall see him Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him He is not seen now but he shall be seen his manifestation is life and death Life to those that are of him who feel themselves under the vail death to those that rest and have their life in the vail There 's everlasting destruction from his presence and from the glory of his power We are a sweet Savour of Christ to God in those that perish To some we are a savour of life to others a savour of death That is the Ministry of the Spirit It follows in Verse 8. He will swallow up death in victory Observ 1. Destroy the vail and destroy death The taking away of the vail is the taking away of Death Death is dead Death upon a true account is nothing but a vail upon God who is our true life We live because he lives You heard before what this is even all this Creation in its purity and perfection but much more a vail a thicker and darker vail when sin and death and devil are gotten into it The Scripture expression is elsewhere The vail of the shadow of death Darkness and Death Light and Life are the same even Christs flesh was a vail Ordinances are vails No disparagement to Ordinances If God appear in them t is well Mans ministry is a vail if we see God in it it is but darkly If we be refreshed it is but in part This life and body is a vail while we are at home in it till it be changed and made spiritual till we be cloathed upon with our true life which is from heaven The Apostle saith While we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord While we are absent from the Lord we are absent from our life for our life is to be with him We are not perfectly quickned perfectly alive till we be cloathed upon with our life which is from Heaven Therefore take notice that the pulling down of this body is not properly death to the Saints but the destroying of death He will destroy the vail and swallow up death in victory So then that which we call life is not so indeed but death This body this present appearance is but the face of the covering and the rending of it is the swallowing up of death Let us mend our account if we can We have judged things by the outward appearance by the face of the covering by the vail now let us judge righteous judgement The flesh judgeth that to be life which the Spirit knows to be death Our friend is not dead but gone out of death into life Those that know not God but have all their life in the flesh in present appearances they live not indeed They that live in pleasure are dead whilst they live If God be our life then the less we are in these things the more we are in life If our life be in the vail when this vail is destroyed our life is swallowed up of deaths victory and the second death seizeth on us Refer this to the feast that the Lord makes it is himself that is the feast it is himself that makes the feast he dyes into our weakness and when through his death his life is manifested in us in a spirit of Love of power and of a sound minde then death is swallowed up in victory It goes into the draught we hear of it no more The Lords life manifested swallows up death in victory Death is sorrow and tears See if you can imbrace this account of death He that hath ears to hear let him hear He that hath not it may be will cry whimsey fancy and turning the Scripture into an Allegory Further it s said And the Rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth All the Saints Rebuke is whilst they are under the vail They are judged by the vail the world knows them not We live in the vail whilst we are in sorrow and tears whilst God who is our life is hid we are under the worlds Rebuke In the mean time we wait till God appear and whilst God appears not the world jears us saying Flee to your mountain Psal 11. 1. All the worlds joy is in the vail when the vail is rent then comes the second death then that is made good Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evil but now thou art tormented and he is comforted And now have I walked in a vail and in a cloud unto you Do you not understand The time was when my self did not and it may be my weakness in expressing as well as yours in hearing It is my weakness that cannot put the vail from off your eyes Consider what hath been spoken that you may understand it rightly If it please God to bring it home as a seed sown to any of you I shall rejoyce I leave it to the blessing of God FINIS Isa 50. 1. Isa 2. 2.