for he dwels there all things else only ease the flesh 2. All other things prosper according to his presence and not according to the power of the Creature 3. All other things are but miserable comforters but only a putting off for a time and forgetting it but it comes again with more violence like a sore ill healed 1. And yet how do we in any strait run to any thing rather than this For first The World saith Come to me and I will relieve thy want Be diligent apply thy mind to me seek and get me by violence or any way and I will ease thee and we run to it with love and confidence and yet never a whit eased or satisfied 2. The Flesh saith Come to me I will rejoyce thee and ligâ—ten thy heart and put away all thy sorrow I season all sadnesse with mirth and delight we follow 〈◊〉 and yet in the midst thereof the heart is sorrowful 3. Reason saith Come to me and I will guide thee â—nd let thee see Comfort Look at thy righteousnesse â—olinesse thy diligence and knowledge of the Word â—hou art so good and so good above others thou hast â—o reason to be heavy and yet man is never the better These are all the Promises of the god of this World 4. Nay saith Christ But turn thine eyes from them all come to me believe and wait and I will refresh thy heart pardon thy sin preserve thee in trouble and keep â—hee in death and this never deceives 2. And the reason why we come not after so many â—alls is because we are not weary or think to find ease else-where and so long we never come viz. till the Word have revealed such a misery to man of which he is now sensible that all things cannot remove For while man 's fleshlie hope remains he doth not respect Christ Christ hath nothing to do with any but sinful miserable man Therefore we come not because we are not burdened or but so as we think either the World shall help us or we shall be able to help our selves Mans burden may be reduced to four Heads 1. Temptations of Satan 2. Guilt of our own Hearts and Want of the Fathers Love 3. Rebellion of the Flesh Corruption of Nature 4. Want and Miserie and Affliction in the World Minde and we shall see that one of these is alwayes the burden under which we groan The three first properlie to Believers either entring the door of Faith or straying from the Faith received 1. Satans Temptations are a grievous burden and snare when he crosseth by Reason the Truth of God for so he possessed many in Christs time and now prevails with many also Sometimes with strong black Arguments vexing with fear doubting and distraction calling the Truth a lye 2. Guiltinesse of Sin by the Law lyes heavy urged also by Satan filling the Heart with fear and disruâ—â— the conscience unquiet and the heart not estabilished in Faith but still hath an eye to his own unrighteousness and thinks if he were more holy and righteous all should be well But the remedy is to accuse thy self still confesse the Lavv meet the curse and bear Indignation yet turniâ—g from these Arguments of Reason Tell the Devil thou never sinned against him but obeyed him but against Christ and that he hath taken to himself that all thy sins are now his and his righteousnesse thine Then begins a spark oâ— Faith to arise saying O that I could b lieve these groans are helped by the Spirit and then comes the feeling of joy and gladnesse 3. Rebellion of the flesh is a burden to Believers when he would do good Evil is present drawing unawares to vile courses still pricking him forvvard to tickling Lusts dravving still to look to the world and so darkning the light of Christ in him But see that it be a burden and whether it be not the strength of thy fleshly wiâ—l not yet subdued that it is a burden rather because thou canst not have thy own will than becâ—use thou canst not have thy will subdued Like a frovvard vvife vvhich saith She will be content and let her husband do what he vvill but withall frets and repines because the husband will not yield vvhich he must do or else she vvill never be quiet Here not the frowardnesse but the crossiâ—g of her vvill is her burden She is not a burden to her self but her husbands vvill is a burden to her and she unto him so with God But if it be a burden indeed no remedie but Christ Thâ—t thou let him see and knovv that it is thy greatest burdens and not trusting thy care diligence or watching nor fighting with fleshly vveapons but lay down all and wait on him vvho hath power and by vvhom only sin and lust is crucified 4. Want trouble and misery in the World lyes heavy on all For flesh vvould live in fulnesse and see somewhat a fore-hand and it may be thou art in want and persecution even for Christ no remedie but Christ and â—â—e Word of Truth For here thou seest the promise to any burden whatsoever Therefore doth sin in thy â—â—lf or want of comfort doth outward Crosses as a worldly husband froward wife bitter enemies sickâ—esse and provertie oppresse thee Sit still and say with â—onfidence and bind Christ to his Word Thou said â—ord thou vvould take away sin crucifie the flesh â—ind Satan bear all my weakness stand by and be acâ—used for me before Counsels Here I am thou knowest â—â—y burden that these ly heavie on me I am vveary â—o bear them I believe thy Word and vvait for thy â—elp 3. So that it is not because we are troubled thereâ—ore to think that he vvill ease us but by trouble being â—riven to him with cryes and faith for the trulie burâ—ened heart is a praying and believing Heart and so a â—ender and broken Heart that all the World cannot â—ure But these are hard But vve are at ease in Sion not â—roubled not weary and therefore have so little fellowship with Christ because we have so much fellowâ—hip with the flesh Take my yoke upon you To live with Christ then it â—s not to believe and live in pleasure case and wantonâ—esse of the Flesh but to bear his burden and yoke heaâ—ier than that of Rehoboams whose little finger was heaâ—ier than his Fathers hand For this is affliction of Spiâ—it killing of the Flesh losing of the World Life and â—ll and yet the believing heart stayed on God in hope â—nd Faith in his promise patiently suffering his will â—hall find rest therein to his Soul though he be pinched â—nd killed in the Flesh. So that Simple believing in Christ and vvalking vvith him â—n the patient willing bearing of his cross and quiet â—ubjection to his will in love is the only way of peace â—nd rest to mans restless heart Jer. 1. This is my burden â—nd I will bear it Lam. 3. It 's
wisdom in Christ from the wise of the World and it is to be found in him not in us 2. Christ prayes to the Father to reveal this to them That they may know that thou hast sent me 3 And this was promised of Christ that after his deâ—th he would send a Comforter that should lead them into all truth 1. What a world of conceits have we of Christ and yet know him not because we think we know 1. Some know the Historie of Christ and moved with natural passions by the consideration of his passion 2. Some strive to know the Mysterie of Christ after the flesh 2. We see that all knowledge comes by faith and is revealed from heaven as a man that promiseth to free me being a captive I believe him but I know not that he will till he reveal his will to me 3. Where then is the power of man in the use of this general gift of knowledge to come to know Christ None knows the Son but the Father nor the Father but the Son 4. Wouldest thou know the wonderful Mysterie of Christ Sit in thy own ignorance mourning in blindnesse and wait in the word of Truth till the light shine and thou shalt understand though not the mind of God yet the mind of Christ And they were sore afraid The glory astonished them the message brought fear to humble them so in all so that The proper and kindly operation of the whole Word and Message of the Gospel in the mouth of Christ is to bring man down and the foundation of Christs Kingdom is laid in fear to lay man low that he may be exalted in Christ To deny our selves to become fools and lost as Paul I was alive but when the Law came I was dead all our Righteousnesse as filthy rags the weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down all the whole Scripture to man as he is man speaks negatively and basely onlie exalts Jesus Christ as the Law-giver in thunder to shake the heart of man the Gospel and the Promise made without any respect of any righteousnesse in man and the povver whereby this becomes effectual is from another and not from our selves Thus was Paul brought to his knees 1. For it ever brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring faith and preserves fear that he may still rest on Christ for when any Land hath been conquered First they weaken them and bring them into fear and then they yield so doth Christ 2. For the Word opening to man the Book of his own heart as Acts 2. discovers such a miserie guilt and weaknesse that he cryes What should I do And as often as it opens mans mind it discovers such a dungeon so thâ—t hereby he is driven from himself and all boasting is taken away But man stores himself with better qualities and better conceits and starts from himself but if Adams eyes be opened he shall see nothing but nakednesse and the Grosse shall weare out all these fig leaves 3. Everie man is grown proud and wise and high in knowledge against Christ and hath gotten either the Wâ—rld or knovvledge or righteousnesse or something that bears him up therefore it must be a mighty word that must make all these nothing to man perswade him that the world hath no good in it nor no wisdom nor in all creatures no life but in another 1. But vve all pervert this vvord to our destruction when we vvill needs comprehend it but are not comprehended by it vve judge it and are not judged by it and so vve keep off fear for vve are made vvise and righteous according to the form thereof and becomes men of high thoughts but not men of low minds and thereby rejects the simplicity of the Gospel The word known after the flesh and not believed lifts up and hardens more than any thing but the Word believed brings down and layes low in weaknesse and preserves fear makes man nothing that Christ may be exalted but we believe not the thousand part of that we know 2. So that the Word of Truth is a mighty Word it layes all low before it none is able to stand before it but Christ not the holiest Pharisee for this shall judge the World and cast out all the fictions of man and all the pride and glory of the World and shall be a terrible Word to all that believe not when everie tittle thereof shal be verified on man O that we were all stricken with fear and sensible of our weaknesse for as we fear so we believe But man hath gotten so many coverings that he runs from one to another to hide himself from his own heart Some by the Worlds fulnesse but that shall vanish Some by knowledge and righteousness after the Law and bardened therein but these shall not stand no nothing shall remain indeed but Christ and the Gospel Be not afraid So that Christ and the Gospel only belongs to fearful and weak men that first see death and danger and no help in themselves to escape and sigh and cry and pray and see no deliverance Then in time the Angel from God bringing the message of the Gospel frees them that the gates of hell shal not prevail It is not possible that the heart of man should be preferved from fear but by Christ only 1. All the World is not able to free a worldly heart from fear 2. All knowledge leaves the heart fearfull though secure for a time 3. All holinesse and qualities and sacrifice not able to purge the conscience but only the blood of Christ and man fixed thereon And this only shall turn fear unto Faith c. 1. So that the Gospel I fear belongs but to few of us for fear is banished weaknesse is grown strong and gotten up again Sorrow is turned into lightnesse sighing and praying into vaunting and boasting so that we need not say we be afraid But O man look into that dead and rotten heart of thine observe that crooked faithlesse and worldly path and be astonished for the kingdom of Christ was come near thee But seing thou despisest it lo we turn to the Gentiles for fearless and careless estate is fallen upon all and under the cover of Religion without Religion Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy viz. The accomplishment of the Promise in the birth of Christ therefore seek no shifts to escape turn hither and behold great joy and freedom against all sorrows So that The only ground of all joy freedom to a troubled heart is only Christ made known unto man in the truth of the Gospel Paul rejoyced only in the Crosse of Christ and counted all things else but dung and had no confidence in the Flesh by our rejoycing that I have in Christ Jesus I die daily all other things died unto him and being justified by Christ we rejoyce in tribulation How was the mourning of Mary turned into peace and joy by Christ Isa
time love delight c. Yet God is shut out of all yea after experience of Gods love how freely do we return to the World again Religion then is an absolute yeelding our selves to God and his grace without reservation of thoughts â—hat Agag that great Captain of michief even Infideâ—itie and fleshly Confidence wherein Amalekite â—rusted yea the Infant and Suckling in broad Lusts â—pen these outward objects must be slain and that by 〈◊〉 pure believing and loving obedience to the Fathers â—ill here we see that all coverings will not serve the turn For when Samuel comes all is destroyed well-worth him that is open-hearted to confesse and live by mercie See the difference of mens double hearts that are still building up and excusing and alwayes on their own side to build up man But Faith sets a man against himself and alwayes on Gods side pulls him down and all things in man For often greatest noughtinesse is covered and hatched under pretence of Religion as that of Jezabel to Naboth See in the World what covering of lust and oppression what greedinesse when man thinks that for Religion he should be respected but Faith and Love teacheth no such thing Then Samuel said to Saul Hath the Lord as great delight So Samuel pursued him still by the Word of the Lord out of all holds and yet by the Word of the Lord opposeth his good seeming intent layed down by a question that Saul might make answer and be convinced in himself 1. He casts out all conceits of a Sacrifice to please God while the heart is not subject 2. He illustrats it by way of comparison of these two that is Obedience is better than Sacrifice 3. He amplifies it by the contraries for Rebellion is as the sin of Witch craft 4. He denounceth Gods righteous judgements against Saul wherein the cause is in Saul to declare the qualitie thereof The judgement it self hath rejected thee c. First note how Samuel pursues him till he make him yeeld at last to the judgement So that This the proper effect of the Gospel viz. The proper and kindly working of Gods Truth in man is still to bring man down and all things in him to lay him low in himself that he may be exalted through mercie iâ— Christ Let man denie himself and become a Fool saying In me dwells no good thing I am not able to think anâ— good thought all our Righteousnesse is as a filthy clout Phil. 3. All these are but drosse Thus the Word brings all Sacrifice to nought the Law given in Thunder to shake mans heart the Promise made freely without any respect of mans Righteousnesse that man may purely believe Nay and the power whereby all is accomplished is in God not in man that man liâ—e a begger daily may wait there Thus it brought Paul to his knees First brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring him to Faith and it keeps him in fear that he may rest in God For man is grown proud and wise against God else he had never stood need of his Word for it should have been a living Word in his heart for ever as Paul The weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down strong holds But see the very truth is perverted by man for though Samuel come to beat Saul of his hold yet he still finds other shifts l ke a wilie Fox So men grow wise and cunning and are listed up thereby yea most yeeld fleshly obedience to this spiritual truth and thereby becomes holie in conceit Others conceiving gloriously of Christ and thence grow high minded for knowledge puffs up and so becomes a man of high thoughts but that man in whom the Word lives and man by it keeps the eye inward towards himself and keeps down all high thoughts in a quiet sense of their own Weaknesse and Vanitie to attend with a crying and praying heart for mercie which is sweetly enjoy'd and not lifted up but man freed and not hardened thereby but out of feeling of himself is pitiful towards all judgeth none but himself This shews the wonderful power of Gods truth that it will make Saul to bow so of any man even Pharisees for the present though afterward they get up again Now it is not Sacrifice that he looks for but a believing loving heart So that All Service and Sacrifice that men seem to offer to God not flowing from a loving heart are nothing with him These are like the cutting off a dogs neck Isa 1. Who required these things at thy hand Psal 50 I reprove thee not because of thy Sacrifice wherewith shall I appear c. For he stands not need of thee neither can he be moved by them unlesse we think as Balaam with his seven Bollocks and Rams These are born of the flesh Children of the bond Woman and not of God nor by promise Righteousnesse is nothing when we make it away to Faith but when it is an expression of a believing heart then it is sweet Now it is not Sacrifice that he condemns but the cursed opinion that goes with it Like that in the Law a daily singing a daily sacrifice so with us when we do it with an evil intent and not out of a simple mind But we have one sacrifice that is Christ only who hath sacrificed life and all and that is it that pleaseth God Thus it is with us also our obedience is but to sacrifice to our God at Gilgall that is to purge sin and to please God that we may get an opinion that God is well pleased for that but this opinion maâ—s all it is not our obedience that is any thing to God in the Work but our yeelding heart For most have looking to that which they have done some looking at it as Pharaoh This crosseth the free sacrifice of love it is a great point of simplicitie in the hight of our obedience still to be more vile and this is the power of Faith for it shews from whence we had it not by our own power Nay when even in our own selves we are opposit to God he hath vouchsafed his grace The only sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart sacrifice thy self and it is in stead of all thy lusts desires case peace life and all and when thou hast done that thou shall have as Christ had victory over all a Resurrection a Freedom and a Glory and so shall sit at Christs right hand by Faith till all be subdued to thee and then man offers sacrifice of praise confessing his name not to purge sin but in expression of Gods love and manifestation and that in love and mercie and not in sacrifice Obedience is better than Sacrifice So that That which is accepted is an obedient heart subject to the Fathers will in love is the Life of all Religion and better then a thousand Sacrifices Isa 50. God opened mine ear and I was not disobedient and Samuel said Speak Lord
Spirit 3. For Till man have nothing in himsâ—lf Christ hath nothing for him 4. Then is grace and God magnified his Word believed but while man hath any possibility in himself or hope in any creature mercie is little set by 1. Away then with all those s ilts of man to put off the evil day as 1. One with the full World he will drown all misery in the Earth but when the Earth shall be taken away where then is his portion 2. Another with moral honesty thinks it will do something 3. The more devote offers fat sacrifices of Righteousnesse to purge sin 4. Another thinks the time was when he had nothing but now he hath somewhat viz. Faith Knowledge Righteousness c. And these he thinks will go far but Repentance is hid from his eyes and Faith Mercie shut up 5. Another takes time promiseth to pay hereafter 6. Another payes old and takes new as new fashions in Religion Thus man loath to live in weaknesse and have hold of nothing but feeds securitie with some hope or other and looking at himself hopes that all that is something and commits not to free mercie This is the hardest of all 2. But when man lives in his own miserie indeed and sees no way to get out it brings him to wait for mercie onely Like the debtor brought on his knees commits himself to the mercy of the creditor So that indeed mans weaknesse is his strength the Crosse his Freedom Suffering his victorie Death his Life 3. Where then is the power of man that we so much talk off Is it in man a talent given to man to pay his own debt Nay to manifest his grace and it shews how mercy in God is the dayly life of man and not in himself and our help in another Yea and it magnifies his mercie that takes a Wife of fornication that hath no good qualitie as this Woman and to such vile and weak Rebels shews favour that the glory may be his alone He forgave them both Here is the Gospel and free Grace of God unto miserable man that had no way to turn him but falls down confesseth the debt for he exacts nothing at them nor enters into judgement Which of them will love him most Here he propones the question to convince him in himself So that Till man be convinced in himself truely to see his own vilenesse wretchednesse all truth is but as a shadow without substance While the Pharisees stood justified in themselves the Gospel was in vain Christ came to reprove the World and so to make way for the Gospel The Word is profitable to convince and reprove 1 For the first thing it works it brings man into himself as it did this Woman 2. The Gospel is given to none but to miserable men For though others conceive talk and dispute of it only these do believe it 3. Then man cloaths himself with it and hides under it but is not brought under the power of it to yeild and lay his hand on his mouth For he is wise above the Word 1. And hence it is that the Word is so lightly passed over every man is wise to keep off the blow though it enters his head yet he keeps out of his heart will not be guilty unlesse for fashion And so for an lowly lost mind we have a thousand wise and secure hearts hardned through knowledge For we have gotten a foreknowing of all Truth and keeps off repentance that when ever the wound of sin is discovered we have readie a plaister by fore knowing before the wound be made and so Religion is made a meer matter of Complement For they see a remedie before the sore 2. And hence see that if mans heart believingly answer the Word of Truth it will put all men to silence none is able to stand before it or to argue against it It leaves all men guilty and none righteous But when man gets upperhand of the Word and gets it under his witt it makes all righteous in conceit none sinners as 1 by Christ 1. Who cares for the sparrows and lillies doth not the heavenly Father Why then do you care saying what shall we eat c. Here all men are guilty none able to say his heart is clean 2. Is Christ the Son of God and hath Christ done that which never man did and no man spake like this man Why then do we not believe but he believes every lye of Satan So that out of our own mouth and heart he will judge us 3 So that one word believed with a simple heart prevails more than the whole Bible only known of a hard and fleshly wise mind Which will love him most Or he to whom he forgave most So that Look what Christ is to man even the same is man to Christ to others and nothing else We love him because he loved us First the love of Christ constraineth us For Christ lives in me So that he only gives life in all things 1. For if Christ dwell but in mans fancie then he hath only a fancie and an opinion of Love Righteousnesse c. For what ever rules in the mind all the whole powers run thither 2. For what a man is or doth of himself he is and doth for himself and it is meer nothing though he gave his body to be burned 3. Thus Christ shews his Power in man mortifies man to the World c. And man as an instrument to do his will as in everie Officer of the Kingdom commands by the King 1. Where then is that power and that wisdom to order mans heart to rule his passions to frame his mind to the will of God to mortifie Lust Is it in mans good husbandrie no It is in mans lying dead in himself wearie of himself waiting for help and finding help in another is losed at the bottome and loves Christ and all men not out of any good qualitie in nature or mortified mind through his diligence but that unknown power of the love of God ruling in man which separates man from himself and his own glorie 2. But this discovers a main want of lively Religion harty Love when in every thing a man meddles with he still hath an eye to himself his own ends makes him forward his own power wisdom guides him his own good he looks at Nay when Christ hath freed the mind how soon returns man to himself and begins the good thereby to himself 3. And this shews that Christ lives in few when we see that cankered malice covetousnesse pride envy and whole brood of lusts fighting in man See He that loves Father or Mother more than me c. 4. Yea All mens hearts without Christ are like to this mans a cold complemental courtesie esteeming well of Christ but better of himself a reserved affection without life for neither do they stand in need of him nor feel any goodnesse by him
Man is faâ—len into an evil estate of heart which all creatures are not able to help and he put to his shifts to keep it off as long as he can For the fear of Hell and Death is a little bell These three evils pursue men fiâ—st 1. Guilt and Fear of Hell lâ—ke a worm gnaws daily and but for these man would live merrily in the world Thus he makes a covenant with either by forgetting or by flattering the Law and stablishing a Righteousnesse of his own or presuming of mercy a far off 2. The evil of Death presseth upon us and threatens to make an end of all Joy Pleasure Riches leaves no Hope to man thus we put off many dayes think we shal yet live long when men of our age are gone forgotten but it hasteth upon us daily 3. The evil of Adversity pincheth daily now this Crosse that Losse this Sicknesse that Want and Trouble this we hope to prevent and recover bow down in fear and basenesse and husband all so well hereafter that we shal enjoy better dayes when it is impossible to order all things according to mans mind So that all these are but vain shifts and falshood But the only way is with Christ to take the evil day â—nd crosse upon us 1. For guilt to see it and bear the indignation of the Lord and with the Prodigal cry out dayly We have sinned c. And wait on Him that hath overcome Hell and Darknesse and now saith O Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory 2. And for Death no Covenant to be made with it but seeing the vanity of the World to meet it joyfully and say Thou canst do me no hurt but take the World and the Life which I esteem not and open a door to that life which I shal enjoy 3. And for the Crosse no way to escape it But Patience and subjection to the Fathers will who knows what is best to tame our proud hearts and to crosse us in that wherein we dote And herein appears his love that he will suffer us to enjoy nothing that will hurt us but even this shall turn to our good Thus we all strive to put evil far off to shufle over the fearful dayes We now think lightly of them and play with wasters but when we come to graple with death we shal find it no play game Look for it for an evil day is coming and happy he that is prepared for that dâ—y Take heed lest at any time our hearts be oppressed with cares of this life or luke warmenesse Thus saith the Lord Behold I lay in Sion Here He first layes the fouâ—dation of rest in the Church that though it fare ill with his enemies yet is his Church built upon the foundation of free mercy in Christ and his truth revealed by him shall stand against all storms So that God hath laid in his Church conveyed to his People a foundation of rest in Jesus Christ which shall preserve them against all crosse of Death and Hell and nâ— storm shall be able to overthrow it Psal 125. They thâ— trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion Mat 7. They that build upon the Rock shall abide the Tempest David calls him a Rock of Stone and Peter the Corner-stone For this is prophesied of him Isa 9. His Name shall 〈◊〉 called Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God the Prinâ— of Peace c. Other Foundation can no man lay 1. Thence it is said Heb. 11. That faith is the grouâ— of things hoped for because Christ whom faith otâ—â—ests on is unchangeable to his 2. And the promise in him is Yea Amen Though in us oftentimes it is Nay 3. This is that whereby Adam was restored and first laid in him whereby Abraham was preserved and Paul delivered in greatest extremity This foundation is Jesus Christ the Son of God Lord of the Covenant the ingraved form of his Image given of the Father for the Restauration of man to whom he hath given all power in Heaven and in Earth and hath hid in him the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and the heart of man built on this foundation by saith thereon cannot fail But the Church of Rome hath translated this foundation from Christ to the Church from head to members from that Mat. 18. Super hanc Petram and so they have the determination of all truth it to be received and believed because of their testimony And so that Christ is to be believed because of the Church and not contra And thus they pervert one Article of the Creed to bring all mens heads under their girdle and that they may sit in the Consciences of men and do what they list without controle They say We are not only to believe the Church to be but to give credit to it To understand the difference note Austins distinction of Faith in regard of the object 1. Credere in aliquid to believe and put confidence in one 2. Credere alicui to believe or give credit to one 3. Credere aliquem to believe that one is or after this manner To believe in one hath reference to God only because the object thereof must be both verum bonum To believe or give credit to one hath relation to his object as to objectuÌ„ formale a principle for whose sake To believe one to be hath relation as ad objectum materiale The first we agree in And as for the second we say The testimony of to Church is of all humane the greatest and can never err in the whole nor fundamentally They say Crede Ecclesiae as to the formal cause for whose sake we are to believe all Truth and some of them that was inserted tanquam meum cum omnia alia credendi And so they make it a foundation of faith upon whose credit they wholly depend And this is the difference and this we deny 1. Because the Grammatical Constructions will not bear it Credere being taken to give credit is put with a Dative Case and an Accusative Case as in the Creed 2. Because there is no such certainty in their Church for man to depend on but that which must be the foundation of Faith must be a thing certainly known and determined what it is not the word but the thing For saith is not verbal but real But according to their own assertions the Church is a thing to them not certainly known or determined what it is Their Doctors divide the Church into the Church Essential The Convocation of all that believe in Christ Representative The Bi hops in a General Council Or Council of Cardinals Vertual the Pope only And of these we agree not which is the Church on which we must depend Some will have the Essential as Tride Catech Gloss upon Gratians Decrees which are Popes own law 2 Chap. 24 4.1 Some others seeing this could not be because it could not be known conclude it to
the power of darknesse and death and subdue thine enemies under thy feet and then shall death the last enemie be destroyed that God may be all in all 4. Only in this time take heed of hardning in securitie â—nd blind presumption SERMON XIII Heb. 2 24. Forasmuch as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he also took part with them that he might through death destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil IN the former Chapter he had declared the great and divine power of Christ who was far above all Angels and Power In this he shews that now Christ â—â—eing made the Prophet and High Priest of mans Salvation it became him to be a man like us both to teach and suffer for us which he proves by divers testimonies of the Prophets as I will declare thy name unto my Brethren and Isa 8.18 Behold I and the Children which God hath given me So that he was made even ouâ— brother In these verses he concludes and explaitâ— what he hath said before as if he should say Forasmuch as those Children which thou hast given me were but Fleâ—â— and Blood and not able to free themselves but through the same Flesh and Blood were under the Power of thâ— Devil and by him kept in bondage under the feard death He took flesh and blood on him also becamâ— a weak man that thus he might by death free his Children from that bondage these words declare two thing 1. What man is in himself viz. Weak under the poweâ— of the devil thereby kept in bondage fear of deatâ— 2. What Christ hath done for weak man viz. Takâ— part with us by his death destroyed Satan freed 〈◊〉 Forasmuch as the Children viz. of Adam or rather oâ— the Elect Were partakers of flesh and blood Weaknesse want miserie and death for through the flesh we aâ— subject to all those so that this is our portion the lâ—â— of Spirit is gone our Spirit dead foâ— want of thâ— life of God so also for life and salvation able to do nothing but depend on another So that All men even the Elect of God and faithful have nothing properly their own but flesh and blood viz Weaknesse Want and Miserie till they are supplied bâ— Christ and his fulnesse Gen. 6. His thoughts and imagâ—nations are evil Psal 8. What is man He is a thing 〈◊〉 nought lesse than nothing and lighter than vanitie lowâ— than the Angels and yet he found no stedfasteneâ—â— in them Paul though full of the gifts of God 〈◊〉 the least of all Saints in me dwells no good thing not abâ— to think one good thought Do our holy high thoughteâ— men judge so of themselves Egypt but a Reed anâ— the strength of Pharaoh but a broken staffe and what 〈◊〉 our Riches but as grasse our Wisdom foolishnesse 〈◊〉 Powers not able to make white or black our Righteousnâ— as a filthy Rag our Sacrifice as the cutting off a Dogâ— neck nay all but grasse and as the flower of the field 1. This is plain in experience Doth not the weak heart of man flie any whither for succour though it finds none bowes to the World creaves help of the arm of flesh flie any whither for to hide himself would do any thing for to free himself from the fear of his own heart danted with everie noise dead with any losse can do no good not suffer any evil and yet this silly creature sits in his own conceit as a God a Lucifer Queen that shall see no evil 2. Whence then are all those high thoughts of judging others and justifying our selves seeking honour each of other but because we see not our own weaknesse and bondage Nay if our eye were returned inward we should have no boasting if we saw but the spring of Lust and Pride and how unable we are to resist the least temptation or stand in the least affliction how good soever God be to us yet in our selves but flesh and blood his gifts shews his goodnesse and they are in him not in man enjoyed from him not from our own fountain All high thoughts then are from the devil for all is but flesh and blood Thy high Turrets and great Babels and fair inheritance must come to nought when thy Soul shall be taken and it may be thou shalt see it This great portion gathered and daily increased wherein thou boastest thy self must all be scattered and â—hou not know what shall become of it thy deep wisdom shall fail thee it is but fleshly not able to see into the way of life to prevent or deliver thee from death Thy counsels must perish thy righteousnesse is but a â—ag shall vanish nothing continue Nay what ever thou doest thou mars it if Christ be not there If thou pray or â—alk all is nothing but fleshly only to stablish a fleshly kingdom peace to thy self Nay bring out thy best qualitie it is but fleshly such as the Heathens have as well as thou if Christ be not there else we needed no Christ but our Spirits being lost he came to breath a new life therein to by his power Object But God giveth gifts to men Answ True but if he be not with those gifts man marrs them Where then is the power of good motions or free-will c. To know believe love repent c. Not in us but in Christ And yet this makes not man secure Doth the beggers poverty make him cease begging or the lame man to lye still and not cry for help Nay the feeling of this keeps repentance and prayer a foot in the Church and so had we need of mercie everie day and to pray night and day That when this grasse withers c. Yet that the Word of God may abide in our hearts for ever Magnifie Gods mercie that unto us so poor and weak that can do nothing vouchsafes his help and grace 3. So that all Religion is not any thing we can do to God we are not fitted no What can we add to him but to receive still from him both Faith and Righteousnesse and all for having none he is made all these to us that so we may daily cry Lord increase our Faith help our unbelief 4. But Religion never throve since flesh and blood even mans fleshly wisdom and conceited power and righteousnesse of man got pearckt up in Christs room in the heart of man nor will it thrive in any till this be laid in the dust again and that we begin at the verie earth to abhore our selves in dust and ashes He took part with them That is was made man partaker of all wants and infirmities of man and yeâ— himself conquered being tempted and helps all that are tempted So that Jesus Christ that living Saviour of man is partaker and fellow-seeler of all mans weaknesse infirmities that he suffers and lovingly helps and frees man where all help fails Isa 50.11 Isa 63. In all
anon strucken dead Children cries wives lament husbands slain none left to comfort them but cruel enemies to make an end of them which shewes the cursed strength of flesh never well but under the rod. This made some â—un into Monasteries We are not careful That is we seek no shifts but trust â—n our own God and fear not the fire nor afraid but God will deliver us So that Faith only staying the heart only Christ makes man â—old again from death and miserie and purgeth the heart from fear This was promised by Christ Be not afraid so the Midewives of Egypt feared not the King seeing him â—hat is Invisible Thus the Martyrs not afraid to answer â—heir Adversaries 1 For it overcomes the World gives joy in tribulaâ—ion after patience experience Isa 58. A Smith lifâ—â—â—ot up a hammer but by me 2. Man fears only so far as he trusts himself or the â—reature 3. Faith keeps the heart safe whatever becomes of â—e flesh 1. Now there is a fear natural from Constitution 2. A fear wordly because we trust and love it 3. A fear spiritual either of wrath or judgement or â—f fear in regard of himself and his own weaknesse and â—bellionâ— but fear makes man-believe 1. Why doth man fear but because he believes not â—ence our shrinking hearts that when trouble approacheth he deviseth and invents how to answer escape and recover For affliction indeed shakes all frothy faith but purifieth the rest as gold 2. But woe to the hardened hearts that fear nothing because the World is strong in our hearts but like blind byard run into a pit 3. See the safetie of believers who have a friend at back that when flesh pleads with Saul to David thou art not able and Jonathans man they are manie judgeth nor after outward appearance but believes and waits for deliverance Be not afraid only believe 4. And this is the Fountain of all the careful life of an unbelieving man alwayes caring to encrease theirs to be delivered because they trust not in him that 's able Our God is able here opposeth their God to the cumber wrath of the King we seek not thy favour nor life nor ease but our God whom we serve is our only â—tay So that The believing heart so fâ—r as he believes in Christ and Christ in him in all extremities cries from a believing mind None but Christ Thus Solomon when he had tried all vanities Psal 73. I have none in heaven save only thee Eliah against Baal The Lord he is God And the Prodigal Father I have sinned against thee therefore I am no more worthy to be called thy Son Phil. For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 1. For there is he that giveth life in death 2. They are one by faith as the husband the wife 3. This is the Law accomplished by the Gospel against the world who worship one God and trust in another nay all have any but thee Faith is a simple thing separate from all Christ only lives in mâ—n and answers Satan with this Our God is able to deliver us If he see it best He can to which will we are subject and believe his power yet if he see it not good we believe his power He is able to uphold us in suffering we are pleased with his will whatsoever So that So that simple believing of Gods power free subjection to his will in all things is the only stay hearts â—ase of man in trouble and misery As in Abraham he believed that he was able to raise him up from the death though he know not that he would in that he submitted to his will Rom. 11. Concerning Israel God is able to graft them in again David When he was driven by Absolom God can bring me again to the Citie and Tabernacle if not here I am let him do what seemeth him good So saith the Leper If thou wilt thou canst make me clean and God can save by few as by many For he that comes to God must first believe that God is that is to say there is Power and Truth Wisdom in him who by his Power commands the Heavens and they were made who causeth light to shine in darknesse Thus he argues in Isaiah and Jeremiah It s I that measure the Sea in my hand He that made the Heavens and the Earth that doth lead through the Fire and Water and brings down to Hell and Death And this he hath promised that he will not leave man in distresse but all shall turn to good So that to denie all creatures and strength of man believe his power to denie our selves and be subject to his will is our only ease For Christ so knew his Father was able to save him from that hour yet was subject to his will not my will but thâ—ne be done But Man hath a Will of his own which God doth not alwayes answer according to his fleshly appearance which man seeks to accomplish by his own or because man sees not allwayes a sign or way of deliverance in himself he fears and thinks all is lost when God in Wisdom hides all from him and takes away all stayes in the flesh that he may despaire in himself and trust in another and denie his will that he may be made subject Thus we all denie the Power of God think there can be no comfortable living in the World without fulnesse of the World nor that Wife and Children cannot live when we are gone unlesse we leave them full portions but who fed Elias and the Widdow of Sarepta who fed the Ravens and clothed the Lillies Nay we do not see that all the care and power of man cannot make him prosper when Gods hand is against him and do we not see how many he raiseth out of the dust and setteth them with Princes and yet this we trust more than him If we have friends and riches we believe if not we fear as though his power was limited to this 1. Nay thus in the way of Religion we denie his power and will needs help God as that he cannot save us without our help Works Wisdom Rigteousnesse and these must be set up to look at and we behold Christ through these and Circumcision so we stand not as Beggers to receive of his fulnesse but as Traders in Religion to bring something unto him as a thousand Rams 2. But what safety to the Citie if God watch not or what ease by rising earlie if God blesse not so that none believes the power of God but he that knows his own weaknesse and of all creatures For still God manifests his Power Wisdom and Mercie in the Weaknesse Foolishnesse and Unworthinesse of Man and this believing Gods Power never more seen than in trouble For while we are full we believe because of our fulnesse but when all fails
live in the misery of our own spirits we live then in pleasure or hopes of the flesh But we are all as unclean things He confesseth what man is without God viz. That man separated from God and not guided by Him is but vilenesse and vanitie a lump of filthinesse and good for nothing till he be restored by meer mercy and made subject to God and live in Christ Psal 6 What is man that thou art mindful of him In us dwells no good thing man is a thing of nought Rom. 3. Their throat is an open sepulchre c. no stedfastnesse in the Angels and who can say My heart is clean So David Psal 5. Daniel 9. confesse what man is 1. For God is the life soul and beeing of all creatures and none lives but by Him none but men and devils but are subject to him and obey his will only man hath a will of his own which he would have to reign as God 2. This is the common eye of the world what malice danchour not the like amongst brute creatures even minds to devour one another wrong murder covetousnesse pride lusts and all evil is committed amongst men but all flowing out of this pit 3. Nay the experience of every heart understanding it self sees it dost thou not find in thy self a heart stuffed with pride vain glory lust filthy desires that if the world did but know them thou wart ashamed for ever 4. And that which makes him worst of all this beggar will needs fit on horse-back and boast proclaim himself to be some body 1. But if mans eye were turned homeward we should have no boasting where thou may see in thy self the sins of all men in the world Pharaohs hardnesse Cains murder Sauls doubling Judas treason the fooles worlding for we do the will and lust of the devil 2. So that all thy good thoughts of thy self are from the devil the father of lies nay when ever thou medles with any thing that is good if it be not God that workes in thee thou mâ—rrs it Thou talks of Religion from a proud heart and makes Religion to stink thou prayes out of a rotten heart out of self-love for ease and it is abominable c. 3. O that man saw the filthinesse of his own heart VVhat a hase thing he is It would both bring dowâ— his high thoughts of himself and make him charitable to others 1. Whence then is all this exalting of our selves above others as thinking we have some excellent gifts above others is it not because we know not our selves 2. Whence is this seeking of glory one of another but because we know not our vilenesse we are lothe to see any ill in our selves and thence so many excuses 3. Whence is this judging and censuring of others but because we think well of our selves Object But God hath given excellent gifts to men as Knowledge Wit Joy Comfort Faith and Love c. Answ This declares the goodnesse of God not of man this rests in God not in man this makes not man better in himself but shewes that God is better to him for when man chokes himself with conceits of Gods gifts as his own he becomes proud True it is God restraine and orders man for good of others but if he take good to himself he is deceived 4. Where then are all these good qualities that man brags of True it is for matters pollitical God hath given gifts and fitnesse to man but for the Kingdom of Christ there is no power no fitnesse all power is in Him both in heaven and earth For as in a Kingdom there is no power no will but in the King so in this so that we greatly err in our conceits We think Faith is a vertue and qualitie and power in man but it is indeed the weakness of man trusting in another when the weak dead and beggerly heart of man flies to and lives in another so that there is no goodnesse in man but sight of vilenesse c. 5. O! how much need we then to stand in need oâ— mercie who are vile filthy and rebellious 6. And magnifie we Gods mercie and love that on us so vile and wretched hath shewed mercie and still keeps and preserves us And all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags 1. Here he shews what man is naturally in the general nature of man and here he shews what he is in his better reformed qualities of Righteousnesse and Holinesse wherein he labours to bring down the high conceits of the Jews Who accounted themselves the onlie Holie and Religious People and that therefore God would carrie them into Captivitie But he tells them that even all their righteousnesse that they boast off in respect of God is nothing but filthinesse and vanitie and so the Righteousnesse and Holinesse of the most perfect man whereby he labours to root out of man two things 1. The conceits of all Righteousnesse in himself and so pride and boasting that man may know himself 2. All Righteousness before God but 1. For first he doth not draw man from Righteousnesse but from the opinion of Righteousnesse 2. He speaks not of Righteousnesse towards man but towards God So that Mans best Righteousnesse and perfection of Holinesse with God and before him as also all mans conceits of Gods love and blessing in respect thereof is nothing but filthinesse and iniquitie not able to uphold â—is heart or preserve his peace in fyrie tryals No ' stedfastnesse in Angels Paul counted all losse drosse Psal 16. My goodnesse extends not unto thee when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants Isa 66. Their righteousnesse is like the cutting off a dogs neck where there was not a humble and contrite Spirit 1. For the whole depraved nature of man is a like lust in all and the restoring of Righteousnesse is as man is and abides in Christ not as he is partaker of new qualities in himself for Christ is the bringer in of everlasting Righteousnesse and the King of Righteousnesse 1. For the whole depraved nature of man is a like lust in all and the restoring of Righteousnesse is as man is and abides in Christ not as he is partaker of new qualities in himself for Christ is the bringer in of everlasting Righteousnesse and the King of Righteousnesse 2. This doctrine stablisheth and preserveth Faith in the Church and heart of man but mans righteousnesse destroyeth Faith but Faith establisheth the Righteousnesse of God and it is called the Righteousnesse of God and infinite Righteousnesse which swallows up all sin in a moment so that Righteousnesse is preserved by Faith 3. Faith by Righteousnesse a Christian is not righteous formaliter according to his substance or quality but cretum praediuntum ad aliquam In respect of the divine grace and free remission of sin Psal 32. Blessâ—d is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven and not who is made habitually righteous 4. Mans righteousnesse is
Religion almost is but the fruit of maâ— witt and brain and not of a troubled heart but for aâ— end of mans self Gods mercy is simple and his work simple also but all Religion that hath an end in man heart towards man is not of God simple So man is busie in seeking and working to make himself rich searching knowing to become wise glorious Nay man labours to mortifie the flesh to get life thereby but mortification to dayly dying is life but to get life thereby is death for where man kills the flesh to quicken Life he loseth both for all mortification so much urged by Christ Paul is only that care diligence according to that Wisdom given to us that thereby the flesh and daily lust may be kept under that the heart harden not by fleshlie ease fulnesse and so grow wanton but not to give Life to the Soul and so are all wayes of mortification It is good to restrain appetite to keep out the World to walk temperatlie and soberlie and diligentlie in our calling These are good and honest wayes to be chosen to keep under the rebellious Flesh But to do these with an opinion of Life thereby is most base and double dealing for while we pretend to be humble 〈◊〉 inwardlie proud while we seem to mourn we laugh in our selves he that deals with Christ must deal with a single mind and shut all out at doors but Christ and thou and Christ argue the case What thou can plead for thy self and thou shalt see all reason dumb and nothing in thee but a poor prisoner praying daily for pardon and in nothing the freenesse of his grace more appear then in calling the Gentiles This is it which Christ saith They shall come from the east west c. And the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out So they are not happie whom man accounts but whom God accounts so What he did to those that knew nothing but gropping after goodnesse even sought it in man and so thought that the Souls of those excellent men ascended some into the Sun Moon and Stars became Gods persecuted Christ evermore even to those blind men he sent his speciallest messenger that even was to open their eyes and turn them from darknesse to light So that Whom God intends to make happie he sooner or latter calls and brings his heart by the Word of truth out of the World and himself and all to rest simply on him and believe as Matth 22. Psal 45. Hearken O daughter Sion thou must leave thy Fathers house and Abraham Gen. 12. c. For man is gone out into the World and himself else should we never have stood in need of this Word but it should have lived in us for ever but being gone from God he sends out his message saying Go carrie my will and promise to lost man and bid him behold me For this is the execution of his purpose this calling is outward inward Outward in the outward dispensation of the Gospel he layes before man his Will and Promise and so man understanding and fixing thereon sees a kind of good in it and approves of it Inward when through the inward power of the Truth he finds out mans heart and brings it to it self separating it from the World and its own devices in sorrow and misery and to attend on his Promise though man see nothing but death and misery S◠〈◊〉 this calling is not as most think a mending of this or that Action but a destruction of all and calling man from it not to make him wise to fulfill his own will but to lose it The Word is Evocare viz. Call out as out of Egypt have I called thee Woe then to them that are dayly sought and called and have not an ear to hear Like these Guests Matth. 22. Their minds are shut up they see not their own wants nor the beauty of the Brid-groom set before them God calls man to partake of his love but man saith I have another and so the righteous Wrath oâ— God lights on him For though some expound that 〈◊〉 Matth. 12. Calling those that were bidden That this bidding is the universal grace given to all and that callinâ— is a further grace added to the free-will Yet I take thaâ— addingâ— to be the Covenant made with the Jews tâ— whom he offers the light of the Gospel as Acts the 18 This calling abides still in the use of the Gospel as Firsâ— To dâ—lly Repentance 2. To believing 3. To do his Will in obedience of Love 4. To suffer in Patience To a Rebellious People Though they pretended Holinesse and the service of God yet they were grown Rebellious against his Will and Word So that There is in all men a Rebellious Will and Lust yea even in believers which it ever leads man from God into misery and bondage as in Adam and David And Paul complains of it Rom. 7. Gal. 5. This fights against the Spirit though the will and desire of man be natural qualities yet when they are set upon vain objects and come to rule and draw they ever bring into bondage For hereby is God more denied than by any for though they know him to be true they trust him not and as for a stranger to denie and distrust a man is nothing but for a Child it is Rebellion and Rebellion is as the sin of Witch-craft it denyes God and makes a Covenant with the Devil and workes through envie ever to destruction Thus unblief ever Rebells against God yea raiseth up arms against him When he would be a King no say they This man shal not rule over us but would reign as King themselves But believers most of all who dwell in the Kings House and professe alledgeance and service and yet underneath practise and labour that they may be King and wear the Crown and so are still drawn from God by Lust and fleshlie Wisdom And this may he say to our Land he hath stretched out his hand long over us but we still Rebel witnesse 1. That common trade of iniquitie as common as breathing 2. That hardnesse of heart under the Vail of the Gospel 3. That heartlesse dealing betwixt Religion and the World 4. That casting off the Word we professe believe not that to be true which we know c. This makes man an enemie to God this is it which makes thee cast the Son out of doors we walk in a way that is not good after our own thoughts So the Lord may say They have forsaken my Covenant They follow their own which leads into an ill way of Life So that When man forsakes the simple Word of God and cleaves to the devices and inventions of his own thoughts and follows them he forsakes the way of Life chuseth the way of Death which never prosper It was the Curse that lay on the Gentiles That he suffered everie one to walk in his
when he sits crying ouâ— of himself O wretch that I am that hath thus abused my good father cast away my self and know not what to do but dy and perish Then he appears and â—owns on him a while but after his heart be brust with sorrow the faâ—her can no longer refrain but smiles and comforts him as Joseph to his brethren For He came to seek and save that which was lâ—st He came to redeem the captive spirit of man that was locked up in fleshly bands and his own guilt Not to ease the captive flesh of man for many great afflictions ly on many whom He never easeâ—h because man cannot have his own Will and Lust and World and Ease and Glory but these he pities not But when the spirit mourns after God and cannot be comforted by all the world but sits in ashes and cryes in the night the Sun then breaks out and joy comes in the morning But nothing is a burthen to the spirit of man but sin and guilt and weakâ—esse for other afflictions are burthens to the flesh and they are helped But in the afflicted spirit there is such a depth of miserie that nothing can help but His Love Spirit that He hath promised As nothing can ease the heart of a rebellious child but reconciliation with the Father all â—hat man can do to help can but strengthen â—â—â—â—â—m His Love only stays the heart by Faith all things dâ— but only put off and that by stâ—â—â—gthening conceit buâ— it returns again with greater violence like â— wound ill healed But this shews that we have little of Christs comâ—any save only His name among us we talk of Him dispute and follow Him up and down to the Temple and seem to sat by His side but wâ—â—h proud hardened hearts Nay I judge whether thou art as well with Him as without Him for any good thou hast by Him save only a heartless helpless hope if thou may have the World thou seeks no more If thou have no more joy than thou hast with him it will prove but small Nay we are not for His presence like an adulterous Wife that cares not for her Husbands presence but if ever that heart be turned by Repentance and possest of its own guilt then none but He. Others thinks to procure His presence by trimming and garnishing a fair out-side profession of Christ and think if they were more holy and righteous then He would surely come but we thus make a Christ to our selves But woe to that Righteousnesse that hides Repentance and hardens the heart Woe be to that Presumption that is lifted up above Mercie Woe be to that Conceit of believing that joyns hands with the World and shuts man up in self-love and woe to that Hardnesse of heartâ— that despiseth long suffering and heaps up Wrath against the day of Wrath. And hence we see that where Repentance is hid from man Gods love and pity are far from him whatever we have it matters not how Wise Righteous Holy Rich or Youthful we are if any Hardnesse of heart goes with all But we are full and sit as Queens and want nothing Yet the day is coming when we shal seek Him and shal not find Him when all shall fail us and we afraid to hear of His presence when He shall sit as Judge to judge the World then shall we cry O where is he now that we despised and set so lighâ— by And then weep with Esau and say Father hast thâ— not one blessing left Bless me even me also Then shal he answer nay These are blessed and shall be blesseâ— thou hast had the fulnesse of the earth for thy portion bâ— my love and mercy thou regarded not In his pity and love he redeemed and bare them Heâ— is the continuance of his love notwithstanding theiâ— dayly falling off yet he guided and bare them as 〈◊〉 nurse in his arms all the ancient dayes as he choosâ— them in love and pity and remains faithful to Abrâ—ham and his seed So that As Gods love and pity without any thing in man is the first fountain of life to man and only cause of his happiness so is the same Love Goodnesse and Power the dayly preservation and guide of man in the way of happiness through Faith As Paul by the grace of God I am that I am not I but the grace of God in me therefore doth the Lord so often remember Israel of his deliverance out of Egypt the promise to Abraham that they might look at that Law and depend on that Promise How came Israel out of all these straits but that God still pityed and forgave them as David how he prayed to be guided and preserved and relieved dayly from God And this the Apostle strove for that nothing might stand in the heart of man after grace received but the same grace still and further beats down all things else but this For is not man as weak in himself and Satan and the Flesh as strong as ever Is not man as sinful and His grace and help as needful as ever For Paul of himself could not live but Christ lived in him and he waited therein He hath delivered and will deliver me Christ did not worke properly for himself for man to guide himself by his own power for this is not in man but in Christ who is his Safetie Peace Righteousnesse and Holinesse and all for Israel was not able to stand before any enemie when they forsook the Covenant for what shall uphold man under the cross but his love and pity when all fails As the Martyrs was it their wit or power or strength of heart that preserved them No but the Power and Truth of Christ through Faith For as the child hath nothing of his own but lives at the fathers appointment and providence so we See then it is not as wise unbelieving men imagine that after the mysterie of the Gospel be revealed and apprehended in flesh turns back with Israel and become wise and righteous and strong in themselves so it is with many that were sinners but God received them to mercy and now they worke it out beginning in the spirit but ending in the flesh and then think to recompence God Is God more beholden to thee than before or rather is not thy sinful lust and pride and worldly heart and hypocrisie as hateful to God now when thou hast the knowledge of his will as thou thinkest But these are commonly the greatest backsliders For though they stick unto Religion yet they fall from Christ in Religion and conceit and clothe themselves with his gifts The World is in their hearts Repentance gone Prayer dead Faith only in name So that to those he shal have just complaint one is rich in the World and cares not for his blessing but he will turn it to a curse another is wise to guide himself but will prove a fool and wander another is Righteous and rich in
are established and made He is the Light Life of Man So that When the ministry of the Word is formed to the Image of Christ and that Word lives in man then enjoyes he all that good and freedom promised in that Word For look what Christ was and did actually and bodily in the World that he is and dâ—th spiritually in the heart of man He came by the will and promise of the Father he was born not of the will of the flesh He wrought miracles to the believing man so in us gives sight to the blind He taught and made known the Will Love and Purpose of the Father to the World So in us He was subject to live in love so in us â—he suffered freely so us he enables makes conquerors So it is plain that the birth of Christ is the beginning and Fountain of mans happinesse and freedâ—m the Life of Christ with the Father the life of happinesse and the Death of Christ the accomplishment of mans blessednesse and victorie See then how all the whole truth of God begins ends in one That which was promised to Adam and Abraham is Prophesied of Here is born in time and sent to everie believer thereâ—ore all our running about conceits buildings and thoughts and imaginaâ—ions and inventions are but vain blasts for here is all â—hat is substantial But who hath believed our report may Christ say for First We hear of Christ born baptized persecuted and â—rucified c. But not to us ray we know this Christ after the â—â—esh we think well of him and love the thoughts of â—im but not born to us Nay we frame a Christ and seem to worship him but not given to us nay we have a conceit that he hath done all for us but not born in us we defend him and plead for him we dispute of him we talk of him we read of him but not born to us This teacheth that Christ was promised of God and sent in fulnesse of time and then his spirit sent into the hearts of men So there is a waiting for the promise under the Law but in the fulnesse of time he shal be born and given For he came when man was out of hope for there was nothing but vexation under the Maccabees and the Romans and then came a deliverer and so to all men When Sarah was past age and without hope then Isaac is born So when thou art past hope and sees no Reasâ—n then shall Christ be born to thee for that is the fulnesse of time and till then the fulnesse of time is not come And we see that Christ is nothing to man till he be born in man that the living Word of the Father live rule in him beyond all Reason and Imagination of Flesh For no Reason can be given of Christ to be born of a Virgin nor that man should believe life in death or a guilty man to be delivered A Son is born Here is the promise of a Messiah this already accomplished both visibly to the World and spiritually to believers So that No power of the adversary or Flesh is able to makâ— void the Word of Truth and Promise nor shake thâ— heart of man stayed thereon by Faith As Abraham believed the Word against plain reasâ— So the Promise of Caanan Pharaoh on the one side and enemies in the way and fourtie Kings in Canaaâ— resisted yet thither they must Heaven and Earth muâ—â— passe away but not that Word of Truth 1. For this puritie of Faith under the Crosse whâ—â— all sights against it yet it stands 2. By this God is magnified and man hath assuranâ—â— of rest therein as when man believes Gods trutâ— though never so unlike God preserves that man For can any man stay a showre of Rain take heed of fighting against God 3 Be subject and stay here though thou see no likely-hood not striving what thou would have but waiting what and when God will do his Will 4. Here is the stay of believers though they see no rest yet they wait on God and know that in fulnesse of time the Child shall be born 5. But though we have a sure word we are lothe to stay the fulnesse of time but now man would be comforted and then eased but thou must be more weak thy Wisdom and Righteousnesse must be troden down that nothing but God and his Truth may live in thee A Son born Some will have this meant of Hezekiah or Isaiah but it agrees not with the Text but only of Christ the Word of the Father which took our nature that he might redeem us and let us see the subjection and losse of all to way of freedom These two natures joyned in Christ by an Hypostatical Union made a perfect Christ as flesh and spirit makes in Moria a Christian these not by confounding their natures but by right ordering of both yet remain distinct the power of the God-head shining through the Manhood Ordering and Ruling and Guiding in subjection to the Fathers Will So in us Religion or Christ born in man is not the confounding of nature in man as with most beginning in the Spirit but ending in the Flesh as First In our glorious notions not rising from Christ stirring up our present passions onlie flesh Mans freedom is not helped by Flesh at all but subjection onlie Manie Sons born to man but Ishmaels or Esaus few have Christ formed or born in them The government is upon his shoulders That is the whole Rule whereby his Kingdom is ordered is in him onlie Jâ—h 5. The Father hath given all government to the Son So that The whole power of governing and guiding man â—ests in Jesus Christ and is enjoyed by Faith in him All power is given to me both in Heaven and Earthâ— to him belongs dominion power and glorie 1. For why he is King and Head of the Church 2. By him only the power of Satan is subdued 3. He is the corner-stone of all buildings Now his power is not of the Flesh for that was kept weak in him and at last so dyeth in us His Kingdom is not of this World but Righteousnesse Peace Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. By righteousnesse of Faith and righteousnesse of Love as peace in the heart with subjection under the Crosse joy in assurance of the love and joy in tribulation But most are not governed by Christ but by their own Witt Will World and Flesh. Where then is the power of man whereby he thinks to obtain Life It remains in Christ onlie enjoyed by Faith from day to day else how doth Christ rule But most will have the government upon their own shoulders He rules all by the Word of Truth Psal 45. His Scepter is a right Scepter his Word returns not in vain he bears up all by his mighty Word He shall be called wonderful Here is his title and of admiration and to be referred to all his Wonders in his
and then shall the end come But let God be wise and all men fools and lyers for this is not to be known but waited on in all straits and wants 1. He wil come it may be in the first or second watch or at the dawning 2. At death not as thou lustest for we would all have him to stay till the dawning But attend and he will come O! What a day will that be when thou looks for Life and Wealth c. And Death comes and will not stay Lest ye be found sleeping None so great danger to man as a sleepie securitie and mindlessenesse of his own frailtie and the judgements of God Thus Sodom and the Old World And so shall the coming of the Son of man be Wealth and Riches make secure as Luk. 12. Pleasures of the flesh makes secure as Sodom yea the freedom of the Gospel makes secure being turned into the flesh nothing keeps man waking but the Crosse and thus the World is fallen a sleep only dreams of these things But a waking day will come when the sound of the Trumpet of the Word sounds in thy heart or if not the sound of the last Trump and then happie he whom the Master shall find waking FINIS The Preface of Mr. BRIERLY I Wot not what quaint humour now of late To write these numbers set my Pen agate But whil'st my drooping Muse in sundry fashions Was drawing Portracts of some private passions There was presented to my troubled thought This Worlds wide Sea which fiercely rag'd wrought Thereon Christ's Ship fore toste with gast did blow By Satan rais'd the same to overthrow I much much longing e're the Slâ—â— should split To finde the Jonah that did trouble it First here at home did set my self to see And ask my Conscience if I were not He Which though it shew'd me cause enough and more Yet not for any message that I bore What hurt if others to themselves would try And each one in his heart say Is it I That all might joyn their best endeavours more Peace to pursue then they have heretofore My flesh presented me with many wrongs Of lots cast on me by some adverse tongues Who prest me much to tell what Countrey ground My breeder was and whither I was bound To whom I say that I from Canaan came Of which both coast and language too I am And would posterity to understand I serve the Great GOD both of Sea and Land Or at the least I do desire to doe And by his Servants to be held so too Though I must say In me there 's much out-straying And in the unregenerate part gain-saying My Message is for Peace and unitie For fear God's Church should much in danger'd be These are the special not the only end Why on this subject I some speeches spend For my intent is too to keep this glass To view my mind hereafter what it was That this against my face may witness bear If I gain-say what I have written here If any say wâ—ile fools do undertake it A parable seem worse for him that spoke it I say I have been train'd in Christ his School So long I trust I am no wilful fool But such a fool I much desire to be As Gods true Wisdom may remain in me If he grant that let men speak on and spare not For I at all for other wisdom care not But to conclude leâ—â—â—ome may think it wrong I numbers use not liberty of tongue And hold that measures limit one to sore I say if free I had said little more Only expect not here such frame and order As in Gâ—y Gardens fram'd in bed and border Which through fair Allyes answering to the eye In well proportin'd uniformity But some wild Forrest work or ill fenct fields Where grow at tandom such as Nature yields A Cowslop Daffadil perhaps a rush Sometimes arose but ne're a Bramble bush In sine a speech where things at next are sets As memorie objects and occasions met Irregular my Muse hath trac'd the bent Of such occasions as still give it vent A course by some but now of late begun Where those that method want may row and run Professedly and finde a shelter fit To cover wants and suit a running Wit An ess-bee or some such little thing Which honey bears and yet without a sting The thing as yet requires to shadow out My silly kâ—owledge could not bring about But what I thought was needful to be told As I am able I do this unfold Of True CHRISTIAN Liberty I Was sometime as theâ— a stricter man By some good fellows tearm'd a Puritan How I deserv'd that name though I 'le not say Since best men now must bear that brand away But lately ay me Grace hath waxed cool Flesh playing truant out of Moses School Not through the Liberty that Faith doth give But for because much Adam yet doth live Which ever and anon or more or lesse Is turning Gods grace into wantonness And now men say I 'm deeply drown'd in Schism Retyr'd from Gods grace unto Grindletonism So that I now a Liberty do hold Which neither Grace nor Godly Wisdom would I grant how far the Liberty I have Is not in God were better be a Slave And further thus what works of grace I do If any are but weak and slender too What wicked ones may think or censure me Is I confesse a thing doth little move me But that Gods Children hardly should conceit me Whose precious balmes I rather wish should beeâ— me Thou God forbid or that my latter age Should be secluded from thy heritage I mean the fellowship of Saints below Which if I want I whither shall I go In some friends lately I have Strangeness seen I once thought could not possibly have been If O my God this rent from thee arise Then smell the savour of a sacrifice But if some other Sone of man have done it Curst be that sin which at the first begun it But what are these which in Gods Church I hear These strange contentions stird up every where Manasses now with Ephraim contending And Ephraim back again his counter forces bending ' Gainst little Judah both of them partaking Ruben's divisions great heart sorrow making O let not thus Christs seamless Coat be torn Or Sion travel and no Child be born By that foul sin which shares with bloody Sword This live Childs limbs accurst before the Lord And that hard mother Step-dam judg'd to be That can not grieve her son thus mangled see But lest I too much from my self should wander J freely grant this is at all â—o slander That once when time was I did thus muâ—h see Which now is almost out of memory To witt a wonderous beautiful condition On that which now is termed new Religion By name deliverance free Justification True Liberty glad tydings of Salvation Which may be call'd new too in some respects Of objects times and different effects As which the