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A80142 The exhaltation of Christ in the dayes of the Gospel as the alone high-priest, prophet, and king, of saints. / By Thomas Collier, sometimes teacher to the church in Yorke. Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691. 1641 (1641) Wing C5281; Thomason E1101_1; ESTC R208336 117,464 275

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will have much against thee the world that is the men of the world will have much against thee for thy religion as once those against Daniel 6.10 11 12. nay thou mayst have much against thy selfe yet God hath nothing against thee he is at peace with thee Christ hath made peace for thee and secondly thou hast nothing now against God perhaps when thou wast in a naturall condition before faith came the mightiest have some hard thoughts of God like the evill servant in the Gospell Luke 19.20 21. thou thoughtest God to be a hard master time was perhaps that thou thoughtest do what thou couldest yet thou shouldest be damned but now thou seest that God hath given Christ to do all for thee to bear all thy sins to performe all righteousnesse to make true and perfect peace thou canst say or at least mayst say it God hath given al faith as the Apostle Ephes 2.14 He is my peace O blessed word what comfort may this afford your souls I speak to you believers it is your portion what ever men may do unto thee yet God is thy friend hee is at peace with thee what ever man or Devill hath against thee there is nothing in heaven against thee a high priviledge for poore christians that can look upon Christ as their peace The second spring that flows forth from hence is joy and consolation peace is a fruit of justification joy a fruit of peace and all flows from Christ our High-priest the fountain received by faith here lyes the ground of a Christians joy Peace with God Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with joy and peace through believing through believing of what that our peace is made with God through Christ This is the alone ground of joy I mean in the first place it is true that when once a soul attains to this he then shall have cause to rejoyce in every good thing of God wherein God is honoured or the Saints benefited as Acts 15.3 But this is the first fundamentall ground of joy Rom. 5.11 And not only so but wee also joy in God through our Lord Jesus by whom wee have now received the attonement when once your souls come to receive the attonement the peace that is Christ who is our peace then your souls will rejoyce indeed with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 What do your souls say to this now is your peace made with God and cannot yee rejoyce Is God become thy friend thy true friend thine everlasting friend and can ye not rejoce Mee thinks your hearts should leap for joy What if thou hast corruption stirring in thee What if thou art persecuted for the name and sake of Christ yet rejoyce See Luke 6.22.23 Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out you name as evill for the Son of mans sake rejoyce in that day and leap for joy and this the Apostle Paul doth 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Most gladly therefore will I glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake Mee thinks your soules should rejoyce in the Lord always as Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce that soule that hath fled to the Lord Jesus who is the alone hope set before us may have strong consolation Heb. 6.18 The third ground of consolation is that the Saints are made Priests to the Lord and so can now through Christ have accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace every believer is made a Priest in Christ and note this by the way that those that dare attribute that name to themselves by way of office it is no lesse then blasphemy against the Lord Jesus but every believer is made a spirituall Priest to the Lord and so the Church a holy Priesthood to offer up acceptable Sacrifice to God by Jesus Christ not propitiatory sacrifice that belonged to Christ alone but yet acceptable sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 Yee also as living stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Beloved here is your priviledge let it be your comfort that now you are made a holy priesthood unto God you may come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace through that new and living stay which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Beloved is not this a mercie that God should make way for sinners to come unto his presence and to have accesse unto him Ephes 2.18 Chap. 3.12 and that with confidence of acceptance Now thou maist goe to thy Father and make all thy wants known unto him and lay open all thy wrongs before him as those Act. 4. from the 24. to the 30 verse The fourth ground of cōsideration that flows from Christ thy High-Priest it is that assurance of in joying everlasting peace joy and glory with himselfe in another world after the resurrection of the just there shall be a fredome from sin and a freedome from sorrow a time will come when there shall be a deliverance from those miseries that the best of the Saints are now incident unto Note beloved you shall be freed from sin O thou hast a body of sin now and thou couldest be contented to part with any thing to be rid of sin why thou shalt be rid of it one day and thy vile body shall be changed and made like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 1 John 3.2 Then thou shalt be rid of the Devill and wicked men there shall be no Devill to torment thee the accuser of the Brethren shall be cast down there shall be no wicked men to persecute thee here will be a glorious deliverance for the Saints when there shall be no bad thing to them no bad person amongst them hence it is that there shall be no more death nor crying nor sorrow for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 and they shall not onely be freed of those former things but they shall possesse the same glory with Christ Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory and Rom. 8.17 If so be that we suffer together with him that we may be glorified together and this glory is conferred on the Saints by Christ Jesus John 17.24 Father I will that they which thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory Note here 1 They were given to Christ to the end that hee might redeeme them and save them John 6.39 And secondly those whom Christ hath redeemed he will not leave them till hee bring them into his presence to behold and to be made partakers of his glory THE EXALTATION OF
that which would knit the hearts of christians one to another It was the Apostles desire and care for the Colossians that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love Col. 2.2 This knitting together of the Saints is that which makes them meet to watch over each other to build up each other it is as the joynts and sinews of the body naturall knitting each member together and so nourishing the whole body Col. 2.9 Being knit together increaseth with the increase of God this is the excellent property of love it knitts up the souls of the Saints together where it is in truth there cannot be an easie dissolving of this knot of love this was the love of David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 18.1 The soule of Ionathan was knit with the soule of David and Ionathan loved him as his own soule this is the true property of love it knits the soul to the partie beloved it is not possible if there were true love that there should be such divisions amongst the Saints if it be but a difference in opinion presently the love the fellowship is broken A second excellencie of true love is It coven a multitude of infirmities it is not easily moved it is not easily provoked it is naturally easie to be intreated it will not suddainly believe evill reports it will not suddainly have bitter envyings and evill surmisings this is the excellencie of the grace of love it will bear much and long it will not censure without wonderfull just cause 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. Love suffereth long it is not easily provoked it will not starte at shadows love envyeth not anothers prosperity but rather rejoyceth in it as one member of the body rejoyceth in the prosperity of another it vaunteth not itselfe it is not puffed up love is an humble grace it maketh those in whom it is to serve each other in love to prefer each other before itselfe it seeketh not its own it seeketh not its selfe but the good of another it is not easily provoked it thinketh noill it rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth it beareth all things it believeth all things all things that it hath any ground or warrant to believe it hopeth althings that is the best of all things where there is any ground or probability of hope it endureth all things that is all things that God himself inflicts or suffers man to inflict upon him here is the excellencie of love O who would be without this grace of love nay but who can ever attain it but those whom God sheds abroad his love in their hearts by his holy Spirit how is this grace of love wanting among the Saints whence is it that there are such discords such bitter enyings such secret whisperings in a word such rents and breaches of communion and fellowship amongst Saints for slight things but the want of this grace of love truly were the love of God shed abroad in the hearts of his people more abundantly it would not be thus love is of absolute necessity for the peace and communion of Saints 3 Excellencie of love It is on everlasting grace it shall be made perfect in another world other graces fail but love never faileth 1 Cor. 13.8 Prophesies they fail and faith that shall cease but love shall abide for euer it shall be so far from ceasing that it shall after the ceasing of faith and other graces be made perfect and the Saints that love God indeed here and from that fountain of love love each other they shall then for ever live in the bosome of love their souls being satisfied in the enjoyment of him the fountain they shall be then perfectly knit together in one being filled with the enjoyment of God made perfect in love through that abundance of love it enjoyes in him The third particular propounded is the manifestation of this love how the Saints manifest this their love each to other 1 In a faithfull diligent watching over each other in love Phil. 2.4 look not every one to his own things but every one to the things one of another there should not be such a spirit amongst Christians as was in Cain who said Am I my brothers keeper no no you are keepers of each other and it is love that will make you faithfull to each others soule in this particular The second manifestation of love is in building up one the other in the most holy faith edifying one the other in love helping forward each other in the way of holinesse being compacted together in the order fellowship of the Gospel maketh increase of the body to the edifying it self in love Eph. 4.16 3 In bearing with the weaknesses of each other Col. 3.12 13. Put on as the elect of God bewels of mercie kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering for bearing one another and for giving one another even as God for Christs sake forgave you Here is the manifestation of love when you are able to beare with and forbeare one another from this principle because God hath borne with you God hath forgiven you Rom. 14.1 him that is weak in the faith receive unto you 4 In restoring a falne brother with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 If any brother be falne through weaknesse yee that are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of weeknesse much tendernesse is to bee used towards a brother in this case the ground is we our selves the strongest of us are subject to and may fall by the like temptation if the Lord prevent it not 5 In speaking kindly to each other good words and comfortable this is the manifestation of love and truly where there is love in the heart it will appear in the countenance in the words a cheerfull and loving countenance loving words here will be words both for the Saints and to the Saints First for the Saints to go to God in prayer Ephes 1.16 for them in their vindication when any scandall is unjustly laid upon them so Ionathan for David 1 Sam. 19.4 Ionathan spake good of David and good for David 2 In speaking kindly one to another so the Apostle Paul he ever gives the Saints the title of Brethren wherefore holy Brethren pertakers of the heavenly calling and Solomon sayth That a soft answer turneth away strife 6 And lastly love is manifested incondoling each with other in afflictions the Saints are all of them members of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 and the members of the naturall body are sensible of the sufferings of each other if one member suffer all suffer with it if one member rejoyce all rejoyce with it so it is or should be in the body spirituall we should beare part of one anothers afflictions be truly sensible of the affliction of each other and so beare part with each other bee truly sensible of the comsorts of each other and so rejoice together this is the property of true love where it is I
to take the shield of faith a sheeld is for defence so this faith both defends and resists the Devill Quest But how doth faith overcome Ans It ever hath an eye to the foundation Christ it knows the foundation standeth sure and so it turns over the devill the false conclusion that the devill and the heart is ready to make together to Christ and now the soule sayth it is true Satan or it is true heart I am base I have a vile cursed nature I cannot pray nor performe any duty as I should sin is in my best action I confesse I am in my selfe as bad as man or devill can make not a worse heart in the world more subject to evill farther then God restrains it more unable to doe good farther then God inables and what of all this Satan I know there is enough to condemne me for ever were I to answer in mine own person for my selfe but Christ hath been condemned for me Satan he hath borne all my sins and so my condemnation and he hath made himselfe over to me so that now thou must first have something against Christ before thou canst shake my hold and thus by faith flying to Christ the soule overcomes the enemy but if the soule cannot thus have recourse to the Lord Jesus he is gone when the tempter comes he is not able to resist Then sayth the beleeving soule it is true Satan I have a proud self seeking heart ready ever to take that honour to it selfe that is due to God but it is as true that I may thank thee for it who hast thus metamorphozed my nature and made it like thine own and not onely so but commest in and ever stirrost up the heart to pride and selfe-seeking knowing well by experience that it is a sin that much provokes God but this is my mercie God lets me see into this depth of wickednesse and it is my burthen but Christ hath freed me from the power of it and from the iniquity of it hee is ever subduing it in me and one day I shall for ever be freed both from it and thee thus by faith the soule overcomes the devill this is the first particular wherein the Christian comes to liue by faith in the exercising of it according to the manyfold occasions it meets withall 2 To live by faith is a living upon Christ in the want of all things and that both externall and internall 1 Externall in the want of outward things when the creature is tripped naked and bare brought even to a morsell of bread then to live in beleeving the Lord will care for you when that you are brought to Christs condition that you have neither house nor home nor any thing in the world besides a Christ besides a God to live upon then when thou canst get a promise as that Heb. 13.5 He hath sayd I will not fail thee nor for sake thee and stick close to the Lord Jesus in such a promise this is a living by faith when the creature fails Hab. 3.17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no therd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation This is to live by faith when all creatures fail then to live upon God then to rejoyce in the Lord believing that God is able and will help the Lord will sustain The want of this faith was Israels sin Psal 78.18 19. they spake against God and sayd Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse how is the deceitfull heart of man ready to distrust God in such a condition as those Jews can God prepare a table when all is gone but faith in such a condition believes and lives by blieving and the Lord will care for moe sayth the soule and the Lord hath sayd it The lions shall luck and suffer hunger but they that wait upon the Lord shall want nothing that is good This is a hard thing it is easily sayd but not so easily done you thinke it is easie perhaps to live by faith while you have a house a calling that brings you in money perhaps every day or every week or money by you or land c. you can live comfortably upon Christ and your calling upon Christ and your house or land but let all be taken from thee see then how then canst live this may be your condition and then you will be put to the tryall 2 Spiritually when the soule hath nothing of its own to rest upon when duties and performances and all is gone then to believe and live by believing this is to live by faith indeed upon this ground the soule believes Rom. 4.4.5 He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousnesse he that worketh not he that cannot performe one acceptable duty in way of righteousnesse but sees all is nothing yet believes in Christ and so lives by believing this is the constant stay of a believer he eversees his own emptinesse the untighteousnesse of his best actions I say to believe in and to live upon Christ in all such conditions it is to live by faith above duties and performances but how doe many a professing man and woman comfort themselves in the performing of duties in their inlargement in duty and the like but when they fail in this then they call all in question again this faith was not right for they thinke they believe because they can pray and meditate c. when indeed the soul that rightly believes doth believe because he cannot pray nor act or doe any thing that is acceptable and therefore he cannot live by faith but when that power he has to performe duty fails his faith and all fails this is not to live by faith yet this hath been the life of most professours in this Nation 3 A living by faith it is to live by beleeving of what the soule shall one day enjoy and this mightily bears up the spirits of the Saints And this we may take notice of under a threefold consideration 1 That which the gracious soule longs most after is the full enjoyment of God nothing lesse can satisfie the believing soule the soule that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is O sayth the Soule when shall I come to the full enjoyment of my God and so the seule groanes as the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.2 earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with the house from heaven and the reason is ver 7. for while we are here we walke that is live by faith and not by sense while we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord that is absent comparatively with relation to what it shall be for the soule has but a glimpse of glory but a
a God able to save after this manner 2 It appears to be a mighty work exceeding the work of the creation or any of the rest of the works of God if we consider the severall circumstances or concomitants thereunto appertaining Beloved the Lord made the world with his word he spake the word and it was done but it was not a word that could save man being falne no no beloved there is more to be done first God must take upon him the nature of man that is the seed of David Rom. 1.3 of Abraham Heb. 2.16 he must bear the sins of sinners 1 Pet. 2.24 and their curse being made a curse for them Gal. 3.13 and their condemnation Rom. 8.3 And to effect this great work of mans salvation He that was in the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God was found in the forme of a servant became obedient to the death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.6 7. here is a great work before mans salvation is accomplished was there ever the like work wrought by God greater then the creation there a word doth it here must be bloud not of an ordinary man but of the Son of God greater then the destroying or building of Nations or Kingdoms here a word doth it Jer. 18.7 8. here must be bloud Heb. 9.22 Thus you see beloved the admirable power of God manifested in this work of reconciliation 2 Use If Christ be the alone High-Priest the alone reconciler and peace-maker betwixt God and man as you have heard he is 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Then here is a word of information to informe us of the vanity and folly of those that create to themselves other grounds of peace and comfort besides Christ Note first that there are many that doe thus create to themselves other grounds of comfort other Saviours besides Christ notwithstanding the Lord hath sayd there is no other name given under heaven whereby you may be saved yet believe it many there are that rest upon duties and performances and make that the ground of their consolation Jer. 2.12 13. They have forsaken me the fountain of living water and have digged unto themselves cisterns broken cisterns that will hold no water my people that is not onely mine by creation but by profession yet they forsake me and digg'd cisterns to themselves how doe men love to draw water out of their own cisterns to create comforts to themselves to kindle sparks of their own fire untill the Lord bring them off from it Mat. 25.1 there were five wise virgins five foolish the foolish have lamps a profession and in that they rest without oyle that is Christ his grace and mercie and note Christ sayth the Kingdome of heaven is like ten virgins and it may be the state of the Church for all that I know men shall content themselves that they are members and boast themselves and comfort themselves in it with a name of Christians a name that they are alive and yet are dead therefore it neerly concerns you beloved to look to it it is not enough that you hear profess pray or be members of Churches unlesse Christ bee yours there is nothing else can make peace but the bloud of the Covenant and many there are that shall deceive themselves 2 See the sin the evill of trusting upon any thing beneath Christ 1 It is a vaine and foolish thing therefore the five Virgins Mat. 25. are called foolish Virgins and well might they be called foolish they content themselves with Lamps without oile how long is that Lampe likely to burn that wants oile think you so that professour that wants Christ It is a foolish thing for a man to be content with the shell without the kernell the shadow without the substance Beloved all things without Christ is but a shadow it will prove nothing hee is the substance of all Ordinances and professions farther then you have Christ in them they are dead O how foolish would you count that man that woman that should strive to catch the shadow leaving the substance It is a vain thing without profit the vanity of it is this they deceive themselves they thinke they have something when they have nothing Revel 3.19 Because thou sayest thou art rich and increased with goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miser able and poor and blinde and naked this is thy folly this is thy vanity thou thinkest that thou hast much to say for thy self because thon hast gotten a forme of godlinesse when the truth is that all without Christ is nothing nay lesse then nothing vanity they cannot helpe thee certainly Christ died in vaine if any thing beneath himselfe can save thee Galath 2.21 But secondly to create comforts to thy selfe beneath Christ is an evill and a bitter thing certainly beloved it will prove very evill and bitter one day eyther here when discovered to thy soul or else hereafter when too late See Jer. 2.19 Know therefore and see that it is an evill thing and a bitter that thouhast forsaken the Lord thy God An evill end bitter thing to forsake the Lord Jesus the fountain and to rest upon any other thing beneath himselfe Object What is the evill of it perhaps you will say Ans The best end of it is sorrow certainly sorrow must needs follow it Esay 50.11 Behold all you that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that yee have kindled this shall yee have of mine hand yee shall ly down in sorrow Question What is the reason poor souls walk so sadly and so sorrowfully Answer Is it not because they forsake the Lord the fountain and dig eisternes to themselves kindle a fire of their own and then sit down and thinke to comfort themselves and hence it comes to passe that so many poor souls ly down in sorrow it is not thy case poor soule thou settest up this duty and that duty this prayer and that ordinance and expectest comfort in them and thou wouldest fain compasse thy selfe about with those sparks of prayers and duties c. and this makes thee ly down in sorrow and all because thy soule is not carryed through these to Christ who is the substanee of all Ordinances 3 It is a shamefull thing to rest upon any thing beneath Christ certainly beloved it will make you ashamed one day either here or hereafter see Rom. 6.21 What fruit had you then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed the end of those things is death What were those things deeds of darknesse and certainly to rest upon any thing beneath CHRIST is a deed of darknesse and will cause shame see Ier. 17.13 O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed And they that depart from me shall be written in
doe not Object Christ hath promised to write his laws in the hearts of his people and that they shall be all taught of God and that hee would send his spirit which should teach them all things Ergo for those thus taught of God it is to legall for them to walke by Scripture Answer First those that deny some Scripture must by the same ground deny all and if one Scripture be not a truth to mee and to be received in any practice how can I judge of the truth of another and the truth is that those that will believe but on that Scripture which they have a minde to believe rejecting the rest do not rightly believe any there is the same ground to believe all as to the believe one 2 Pet. 1.20 21. 2 I answer If you doe indeed believe these Scriptures to be a truth I make no question but you will anon believe the truth of the whole Scripture these being opened in comparing them with other Scriptures First Christ promising to find his spirit c. I answer that it was a particular promise made to the Apostles most principally and in some measure to all the Saints Two things here mentioned in this Scripture are most principally to the Apostles 1 That is mentioned is the first Hee shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Note the Disciples of Christ were with him saw his miracles heard his word but now when Christ is gone to heaven he will send his spirit which shall bring all things that Christ spake or did necessary to be be remembred for our information and consolation to their remembrance that they might leave it upon record to future generations and this promise of the spirit properly belongs to the Disciples of Christ who were both eye and eare witnesses of all he did or spakes and this may confirme us admirably in the truth of the Gospell it was you see written by the immediate inspiration of that Spirit of promise bringing it to the remembrance of those that wrote it and by no meanes serves to destroy the rest of the Scriptures The second thing promised is That it shall teach them all things note here also an admirable word Christ tels his Disciples that that spirit he would send them should teach them all things that is all things that God intended to make knowne to man for their rule and direction in this life and this without question Christ who is truth it self made good to his Disciples Therefore I hope this doth not serve to destroy Scripture but to confirme it abundantly for if Christ did as without question it is blasphemy to say hee did not teach his Disciples all things then are the rules prescribed by the Apostles in their Epistles true and perfect rules and you and I are bound in duty as wee will approve our selves Christians to submit unto them to receive them as the holy promised truths of God Object But Christ makes this promise not only to the Disciples but to all the Saints also for all Scriptures is written for our learning c. Ans True but in the first place it is to the Disciples that they might leave us a perfect patern from himself and in this there is much comfort for the Saints that wee have in the Scripture truth and all truth needfull for a Christian to know and secondly this promise is made good to all the Saints in its measure God gives them his spirit to understand the Scriptures and therefore it is that the Apostle sayth 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works Note it is the Scriptures that thorowly furnishes or perfects the man of God to every good worke and wee are said to be built upon the Apostles and Prophets that is the doctrine the truth layd down by the Apostles and Prophets Christ himself being the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 And for the second Scripture that God hath promised to write his laws in the hearts of his people and they shall be all taught of God c. It is true God makes this promise good hee writes his law in the heart where hee once corres in a way of grace that is he puts his spirit in them makes them freely willing to walke according to the rule of Scripture for the spirit and the word do answer each other If any man will say he hath received the spirit of Christ and refuses to walk according to the rules of Christ hee is alyar 1 Iohn 2.4 5 6. and the truth is not in him It is true also God teaches all his people they are all taught of God but how God doth teach and leade into all truth by the rule of Scripture therefore Christ sayth in his prayer 1 Iohn 17.17 sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth see then what a sweet harmony is held forth in all the Scriptures the spirits teaching and leading it is still according to the Scriptures The spirit of Christ where it is leads into truth and that truth is contained in Scripture Now for any man to say hee hath the spirit of Christ and yet cast away Scripture or for every man to say hee hath the spirit of Christ and yet cast away Scripture I must give him leave to say it but he must give me leave not to believe him and also to tell him that it is a diabolicall lying spirit that casts away Scripture if any man speaks not according to this rule it is because there is no truth in him Esay 8.20 A second sort of people that are here to be reproved are those that pretend to be all for the Scripture and yet walk not up according to the rules of Scripture without question those whom Christ teacheth hee teacheth to walk according to the rules that he prescribes them Of these there are two sorts 1 those that do not rightly divide between Law and Gospel between Legall rules and Gospell rules 2 those that instead of following the rules of Christ follow the rules and inventions of men that wait for what men will prescribe resolving to make that their rule First those that doe not rightly divide between Law and Gospell And of these there are both Ministers and people not rightly dividing the word of truth as the Apostle exhorts Timothy 1 Tim. 2.15 And this is ignorance which remayns to this day upon the hearts of many whom I question not for their godlinesse and honesty yet God hath not taught them to this day that cleere difference betweene Law and Gospell and the ignorance of these men consists principally under these five heads 1 In not understanding the difference betweene Gospell Churches and the Church of the Jews 2 Gospell Ordinances and the Ordinances of the Jews 3 Gospel priviledges