setled the aime which ought to be had in seeking a Publique good let us consider the meanes that leade thereunto Of the Second The meanes to attaine unto the life of God is none other but Christ for in him alone is the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily and it is the Fathers pleasure that in him all fulnesse should dwell Therefore the Father will bee scene no where and cannot bee scene anywhere but in his Sonne who is the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse Image of his person now hee hath revealed in the Scriptures the manner how hee is to be knowne in his Sonne and how by that knowledge his life is conveyed unto us and this we will indeavour to lay open First then the manner how the Father is knowne in the Sonne is expressed 2 Cor. 4. 6. thus God commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse doth shine in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ where wee must observe that the Apostle doth speake of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles to declare the manner how God did make himselfe knowne unto them And as he made himselfe knowne to them so he is this day to be knowne to every one For God is but one and the manifestations of his life is the same in all to whom it is made manifest although it may be differenced according to the severall degrees of height by which it is perceived But here we have the substance of this manifestation in these particulars First That God is the authour of it by the power which hee hath to command light to shine out of darkenesse whereby is intimated that we are nothing but darkenesse till it please God to command light to shine in us Secondly That the light whereby God is made manifest unto us is the brightnesse of God himself for he saith that God doth shine whereby is also intimated that it is of the meere free Grace of God imparting himselfe unto us that we come to know him and not of any free willing choyse or rationall parts in us that we should bee able to chose out the objects of true knowledge or when they are proposed unto us by others that wee should be able to dive into Gods nature thereby or to make better use of the meanes whereby God is knowne then others doe But all this is Gods free grace to us Thirdly That the place where God doth shine is a mans heart that is the prime Center and Seate of this living soule where the spirits maintaining his life are begotten For as there be materiall spirits rising out of the blood in the materiall heart So there are incorporeall spirits arising out of the mindings of the soule in the heart of our spirits which is conscience for in the conscience God hath his Seate in all men and there he doth appeare to all converts at first where he also doth ever continue more or lesse shining unto them according as they deserve to see his bright or his cloudy countenance Therefore if any man will fit himselfe to see God he must purifie his conscience For blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Fourthly That the effect for which God doth shine in our heart is to give a light to us God is nothing but light and in him is no darknesse at all but he is in himselfe a light which is inaccessible which no man hath seene nor can see except God give him eyes to see it For Christ saith Math. 11. 17. No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveale him Therefore although God doth shine both in himselfe and towards us yet he may be unperceptible and unperceived even by those that are his own except he be pleased to give the the light of perception For it is said that not only the light shineth in darknesse and that darknesse comprehended it not but also that this true light came into the world and was not known by the world and that it came unto his own and was not received by them but to such as received it the priviledge of being the Sons of God was given by it Now then the ability of receiving or perceiving the light when it shineth is also the gift of God for he must open our eyes to perceive his light and except this effect follow upon his shining in our hearts I say except this reflexive Act of perceiving this light be granted by God and freely given to us we cannot apprehend his life and being in us although he should shine otherwise never so brightly Whence again we see that it is not of him that runneth or willeth but of God that doth shew mercy And that it is not one Act of grace that will serve our turne as to have once begining and then to be left unto our selves but there must be a continued Act of Grace for Grace that is of one Grace fitted to embrace and make use of another Grace namely of a latter Grace to make use of the former for as we cannot will nor know any thing of the life and light of God at first so we cannot performe any thing answerable to that life and light except God also give the performance according to his owne good pleasure Fiftly That this light is the light of knowledge now to know is the Act of a mans understanding and the understanding is the same faculty in the soule which the eye is in the body As the eye then when it is not blinde doth perceive the visible appearance of a thing that is it receiveth the image of the shape there of within it selfe as within a looking-glasse and keepeth every image which it receiveth distinctly seperate from each other So is it not with the understanding when it is not darke and muddy it also receiveth with in it selfe as in a spirituall looking glasse and keepeth distinctly seperate the intellectuall appearances of the images and shapes of spirituall things For although spirituall things cannot be said properly to have images and shapes yet became our understanding in conceiving of the same doth receive intellectuall notions and Ideas wherein spirituall matters do appeare to it and in respect that these notions or mindings have something in them like unto the representation of an image therefore we must speak thus And so much the rather because the Scripture doth continually expresse the Acts of the understanding by the Analogie of the eye as Ephes. 1. 17 18. the Apostle prayeth That God nould give the spirit of wisedome and revelation in the knowledge of Christ the eyes of our understanding being enlightned that we may know c. Thus then to be able to know that is to receive and distinctly to perceive things represented unto us we must make use of the faculty of our understanding in
spirituall things as men do of their eyes in bodily matters And what matters do essentially concurre towards the apprehension of things in their bodily shape within the eye such like matters are intellectually also concurrent towards the Act of knowledge in the understanding Sixthly That the object of this knowledge is the glory of God The glory of God is the manifested excellencie and the evident appearance of his goodnesse and of his nature So when Moses Exod. 33. 18. desireth that God would shew him his glory God answereth verse 19. and saith I will make all my goodnesse passe before thee and I will preclaime the Name of the Lord before thee By which we see that the apparition of his goodnesse and the apprehension and knowledge of his name that is of his nature for the nature of every thing is knowne by the name thereof is the manifestation of his Glory Seventhly That this glory of God is to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ The face of Christ is the expresse appearance of his being and life by which he is distinguished from all other men for men are to be discerned by their faces one from another now Christ is to be difcerned from all other men in this that he is a spirituall man and did live in the flesh a spirituall life for the Apostle saith that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe And of his own knowledge of Christ he speaketh thus Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore if any man be in Christ let him be a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new The new Creature is the spirituall Creature for he that is in Christ is one spirit with him Because Christ is different from the old Adam in this that the old Adam was made to be a living Soule but the new was made a quickning Spirit Hence then we learn that the face of Christ which is the appearance of his life and being in the spirituall state wherein he walked in the flesh as God for he lived the life of God in the flesh 1 Ioh. 1. 2 3. is the proper Subject wherin all the goodnesse and the nature of God doth appeare So that if we can see and know the fare of Christ then we shall evidently also perceive the life of God in his glory because he that seeth Christ seeth the Father And Christ himselfe desireth us to beleeve him that he is in the Father and the Father in him nor will the Father be seene in any but in him in whom only he is well pleased and whom we should hear on his behalfe Matth. 17. and because he alone is the expresse image of his person and the brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1. 3. Therefore also he cannot be feene in any but in him for all which causes he is the only means to attaine unto the life of God for he only can give the light of life to such as come to him and follow him Ioh. 8. 12. and Ephes. 5. 14. And thus we have understood the manner how the life of the Father is to be known in the Son Now followeth the way how by that knowledge the life of the Father is conveyed through the Son unto us This is expressed 2 Cor. 3. 18. thus But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord Where we must observe that the Apostle doth not speak here of himselfe alone but of all Christians to show the way and the maner how they become parrakors of the life of God in Christ which in all Christians is but one and the same although there be differences of degrees in the participation thereof But here the substance of the matter is declared in these particulars First That all Christians are participant of this life for he saith we all meaning himselfe as a Christian and all other beleevers for seeing there is but one faith and one hope and one spirit therefore the beleevers are said to have obtained like precious Faith with the Apostles and to be baptized with the same Spirit for he saith that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body Secondly That all beleevers have their faces uncovered for he saith that with an open face we behold That is to say that the face of our Soule which is our minde is not now covered with a vaile as the face of Moses and of the Iewes was least they should behold the end of that which was to be abolished for to this day the minds of the Iems are blinded and the vaile remaineth untaken away in the reading of the old Testament which vaile is done away in Christ For the Lord is the Spirit which causeth the vaile to vanish for where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty That is to say there is free accesse unto God to take notice of his whole life for the spirit searcheth even the deepe things of God and we have received the Spirit of God that we should know the things which are freely given to us of God For now is the Prophesie fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet I saiah chap. 25. 6 7. That God shall make in his holy mountaine which is his Church a feast of fat things unto all people a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined And that he would destroy in his mountaine the face of the covering cafl over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations This Prophesie I say is now fulfilled for in the Church of the Gospell the feast of all wisdome of all knowledge and understanding and of all promises and comforts unto the wearied soules is largely set before us in the writing of the Evangelists and Apostles and that we should be able to make use of this feast God hath also taken away the face of the covering and the vaile that was spread over all Nations which kept them in blindnesse so that now our faces are opened and uncovered before the Lord because he is well pleased with us in Christ whose Spirit he hath sent forth in our hearts to give us the liberty of Children that we should come to him and call upon him Abba Father Thirdly All that have their faces thus uncovered behold the glory of Lord as in a glasse The end wherefore God doth uncover the faces of Beleevers and giveth them his free Spirit is that they should know the things which God hath freely given to them as the Apostle faith now those things cannot be known but in the fountain and receptacle where they are which is Christ for in him is all fulnesse and the Father hath made him unto us Wisedom Righteousnesse Sanctification
more gladnesse in my heart then when their Corne and Wine increased Now we know the cheerfulnesse of a mans life by the brightnesse of his countenance and his good or ill will to us by the cleer or cloudy appearance thereof toward sus So then the lightsome countenance of God is the evident appearance of his favourable life and good purpose towards us and if this be lift up upon us that is if we finde this shining over our heads and round about us or going before us to direct us in our wayes then we know that his life is in us for none can perceive the countenance of God to be lift up over him but by the life of God which is in him and when we finde this life to be in us then and never till then are we truly happie because we enjoy a true and permanent good which is the life of Gods presence wherein is fulnesse of joy Psal. 16. 11. This then is that good which every one should seeke to obtaine for himselfe and study to procure through the communion of Saints unto others And he that can serve his generation by the procurement and furtherance of this unto it he doth truly advance the Publique Good but whatsoever else any doth seeke to advance towards his generation if it be not directly subordinate hereunto it is not worth his labour for all what is done besides this end is but labour for the fire and a wearying of themselves for very vanity as the Prophet termeth it who also giveth this reason hereof because the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea intimating that when the knowledge of Gods glory which begetteth in us the powers of his life shall be so abundant in the earth as the waters are abundant in the Sea then all humane works and buildings not agreeing with this life of God appearing in the knowledge of his glory shall be over-flown and drowned and swept away as with a floud ofspirituall waters or rather consumed burnt up with fire and destroyed as meer vanity Therefore we should take heed how we spend our time and employ our selves and bestow the precious talents which God doth give us to profit withall lest we weary our selves in the whole course of our life for a thing of nothing and bestow cost and labour for that which will be lost and do at all no profit either to our selves or unto Posterity For if that which we do undertake be not lasting and permanently leading unto this life which the knowledge of Gods glory doth afford it will not be at all profitable because it will not endure the firy tryall and judgement which God in his wrath will kindle in these latter daies before he raiseth up his owne Kingdome wherein nothing shall be of use but that which shall be built upon the true foundation of life everlasting which is Christ Jesus and that which shall be such for substance and matter which will endure and escape the tryall of the fire See 1 Cor. 3. 12 13 14 15. From all which by way of Recapitulation I will gather these conclusions towards the purpose in hand 1 That a Publique good is nothing else but the universall private good of every one in the life of God for that which serveth the turne of some only although they may be many and even the greater part is not to be counted truly Publique but that is properly Publique which is common and reacheth alike unto all and that reacheth truly to all wherein every one hath alike neere interst and whereof every one may be alike sensible which is the life of God in men for God is the same to all and is but one life in all and all may and should challenge alike interest in him 2 That none can procure this good to others farre lesse to all that doth not seeke it for himselfe and in some measure purchase it at least by attaining to the true love of it and by a willingnesse to do any thing that lyeth in his power for the advancement of it as well towards others as towards himselfe For as it is an universall good none can engrosse it for himselfe alone but every one must seeke to partake of it with another Hence it is that there is no truer way to get it for our selves then by endeavouring that others also may participate of that which we either haue obtained or may hopefully obtaine For Gods meaning is not to be possessed as a peculiar to one because he doth intend to shew himselfe the God of all and he that seeketh God in all and for all shell at last find him for himselfe but he that thinketh as the custome of some is who despise others as impure and unworthy of their society to have him only for himselfe shall loose him in all and himselfe also 3. From whence followeth that all selfe seeking and the affection of some particular thing and way whereby men desire to bee taken notice off amongst other men for procuring a Publique Good which they imagine to be good that I say all such purposes are nothing but carnall Hypocrisie which is inconsistent with the life of God so that except there be a single purpose to seeke this Good absolutely for it self that it may become common to al to seeke nothing with it besides it self least it be not entire but mixed with aimes of another nature to seeke all other things for it least some other thing be valued more then it and it become in our minde subordinate unto matters of a base nature except I say all this bee the indeavour will never reach the end for which it must be undertaken nor receive a blessing from God to come to any perfection because it is impossible that God or Gods worke should be made to serve any mins ends or that he should suffer himselfe and his worke to be abused by men for private ends without discovering the deceit of their practises by some manifest judgement or other And this is the cause why God doth bring the fire triall upon the world namely to make void and without effect all by-ends and worldly imaginations in his worke in his great worke which he is about to performe for we are taught Esa. 2. concerning the Kingdome of God when it shall be raised that the lofty lookes of men shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day that all height and high things shall stoope and all Idolls amongst which our selfe imaginations are to be reckoned shall be abolished at the presence of the glory of his Majesty when he shall arise to shake terriblely the earth Therefore in aiming at this good we must cease from all selfe and cease from all men whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted in the worke of God Thus having
and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. Therefore the Spirit by which our faces are uncovered doth lead us unto him for to know the things of God he must be known and that he may be known he must be seen and lookt upon for in him all the treasures of life are to be seen and no where but in him Therefore the Prophet when he proposeth the greatest of blessings saith that our eyes shall see the King in his beauty intimating that in the sight of him and his beauty was our happinesse And verily those that once have had a true sight of him cannot but continually seeke to behold him We may see it in David how he stood affected towards him One thing saith he I desired and will feeks after to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple and Psal. 42 1. 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soule after thee O God Oh when shall I come and appeare before God but chiefly Psal. 63. 1 2 8. early will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seene thee in the Sanctnary Because thy loving kindnesse is better than life If he had never seene him in the Sanctuary of the Spirit he could not have â—â—â—â— carnestly desired him But having once seene him and tasted of his goodnesse he could not but long for the continuance and renewing of this sight and and taste This also may be gathered from the Apostle Peter who exhorteth us to desire the â—inâ—â—re milke of the Word if so be we have tasted that the Lord is gracious The tasting of Gods graciousnesse will not be soone lost out of the sanctified minde but will leave a desire after it to looke after him Now this glory of the Lord is beheld as in a looking-glasse his outward actions which are regished in the Gospel are the looking-glasse wherein all the divine properties of his goodnesse and loving kindnesse do appeare to the full when they are spiritually considered Fourthly Those that behold this glory are changed into the same image This glory is so excellent in goodnesse and lovely to all that behold it that it subdues the soule and drawes it by a sympathy to become comfortable unto it selfe as it is said 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us to what to be conformable unto his death For when the soule seeth his great love to us it cannot possibly but it must needs love him again and where love is there is a Symbolizing of affections which is the change here mentioned for through love the thing beloved doth receive a being in him that loveth it and thus our Souls are transformed into the same image which we perceive to be in Christ See concerning this these places Phil. 3. 21. Ephes. 5. 1 2. and 1 Iohn 3. 2 3. and 4. 10 11. Fiftly This change is from glory to glory that is from one step or degree of glory to another For Christ is the ladder which Iacob saw Gen. 28. 12 13. wherein were steps reaching from earth unto heaven that is to say from the lowest estate of a temporall to the highest of an eternall being And upon these steps the Angels ascended and descended these Angels are our spirituall messengers sent up to God and his gracious answers sent down upon us The steps and degrees are in the life which we live in Christ Jesus the motions of spirituall growth wherby in the dayes of his flesh he was daily mortified in respect of the outward man and quickned by the Spirit in the inward to which mortification and quickning we become conformable by proceeding from one state of glory to another because he also in the dayes of his flesh went by the same progresse alwayes from earth to heaven till he came againe to his Father from whence he came forth Sixthly This change is wrought by the Spirit of the Lord in the soule that beholdeth Christ The Spirit of Christ is the Author of the change which is wrought in us for when we see and behold Christs glory the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given to us Rom. 5. 5. So the holy Ghost proceeding from Christ by the knowledge and faith which we have of him and of his life Ephes. â— 5. worketh love in us to him by which we Sympathiâ—e with him and are changed into the same state of life wherein he did live after the inward man for the spirit which commeth from him taking hold of our spirits draweth the same with it selfe up unto Christ to whom it goeth back again by the manifestation of the life of Christ in us For when it prevaileth over the powers of our soule to bring the same unto the obedience of Gods will then it bringeth us backe to Christ for this was the life of Christ not to do his own will but the will of his Father who who sent him into the world Iohn 6. 38. Thus then when our will is brought to yeeld it selfe by the spirit wholly unto the will of God in all things as Christ did then we are changed and by the Spirit led from one step of glorious conformity to another Then the soule being betrothed unto Christ through love doth desire to be drawn that she may run after him and then the mistery of the song of Solomon is begun in us that it may also in due time be fulfilled through all the degrees of love therein expressed which mistery is not to be understood by any but by such as proceed in the degrees of this change from glory to glory Thus then we see how the life of God is both made known and conveyed to us by the means of Christ from all which by way of Recapitulation we will gather these conclusions First that as the life of God is the only good to be sought for and procured unto all so Christ as he is a Spirituall man is the only meanes to purchase that life Secondly That that life is purchased in Christ by none other way but by the free gift of God through the illumination of our soules with knowledge Thirdly That this knowledge doth reflect immediately upon the glory of God as upon his proper object which is to be manifested in the heart of man Fourthly That to make this glory manifest in our heart the face of Jesuc Christ must be seen by us Fiftly That to behold the face of Christ we must have an open face free from the vaile and then we must looke upon the glorious excellencies of his spirituall life in the glasse of his outward conversation amongst men Sixthly That by this contemplation and apprehension of the life of Christ a new life is begotten in us conformable unto that which is in him by which we are changed into the same image of glory and are led from one degree thereof unto another
Seventhly That this change is brought to passe by the Spirit of the Lord which worketh upon our spirits the manifestation of the life of God which is the only good thing and happinesse to be sought after and propagated unto posterity Thus having discovered the true aime of a publique good and the means by which we must attain thereunto let us proceed to the endeavours which may be used towards the propagating of this unto the men of this generation that by them it may be advanced unto posterity Of the third If we have tasted how gracious the Lord is and are truly come unto him as lively stones to be built up a spirituall house and a holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ then we shall be fit to propagate this life unto others and not else for the means by which it is propagated unto others is none other but to labour that the light which is made manifest unto our soules whereby we are become partakers of the life of God may shine also unto others that they by the grace of God may partake in like manner of the same This endeavour hath three chiefe parts The first is the care of avoyding offences The second of giving good example by going before others in godlinesse The third of making the Rule and doctrine by which we walke to avoyd the evill and do the good known to every one These three parts of this endeavour are expressed Phil. 2. 15 16. thus Be blamelesse and harmles as the Sons os God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation amongst whom shine ye as lights in the world holding forth the Word of life Except we study to be in all things without scandall and offence as it becometh the Sons of God amongst the Sons of men the good which we do shall be evill spoken of and become unprofitable See Rom. 14. 13 14 15 16. And if we give no good example by our life in the profession of the Gospell all our Doctrine shall be blasted and we justly suspected and not worthy to be heard or taken notice of for teachers of Truth See Math. 7. 16. 21. Iohn 10. 3 4 5. Thus then the endeavour to be without offence is a preparative to make way for the good which is to be intended towards others in our practise and the good which is to bee intended towards others by our practise is a preparative towards the proposall of the Doctrine of Truth by which the knowledge of Christ is advanced unto the World that so many as God shall be pleased to enlighten and call out of the world by that knowledge may be joyned to him and made participant of his life These three endeavours comprehend all the objects which in the profession and preaching of the Gospel are to be studied by our selves and insisted upon towards others For in a word it is by the means of the Gospel that Christ is to be made known unto the world For the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1. 16. And seeing that in the wisedome of God the world by wisedome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. Now in the Gospel there be two things First there is the doing of the Truth for ourselves and then the publishing of the same for others The doing of the Truth is the profession of the Gospel and the publishing of it unto others is the preaching of the Doctrine by which the profession is regulated As for the profession we see it hath two parts The first is a care to be blamelesse and harmlesse without offence and rebuke towards all men The second is the practise of Piety to do good to all and goe before others to lead them on towards the life of God Whence we must gather that all manner of endeavours and undertakings which tend directly to advance and perfect any of these three objects should be counted truly good endeavours and fit to be supported in this Age and transmitted to Posterity And the more neere any endeavour or undertaking doth come to reach any of these ends the more compleat and perfect it is to be esteemed in goodnesse as comming neerest unto the life of God Here then the endeavours tending to the advancement of the Gospel should be sought out and ranked according to the subordination and relation which these matters have one towards another and all towards the manifestation of the life of God in us by the knowledge of Jesus Christ in the Gospell Unto the matter of harmlesnesse and blamelesse conversation belongeth the endeavour of peaceablenesse and of becoming all things unto all men in that which is lawfull as the Apostle telleth us he did 1 Cor. 9. 19. 24. The endeavour of Peaceablenesse is a study whereby we are directed how to avoyd the occasions of strife in respect of our selves and to bring others who are at variance unto a peaceable and harmlesse disposition These endeavours are proper Characters of the Sons of God for in the place forementioned the Apostle maketh the in-offensivenesse of our conversation to be the property of the Sons of God And Christ saith that the Peacemakers are blessed because they shall be called the Sons of God Math. 5. 9. Thus then we must conclude that the endeavours tending to take away offences and scandalls from amongst Christians and tending to cause them avoyd strife and debates and tending to make peace amongst them and to bring them to the unity of the Spirit by a reconcilement of differences in the Truth are undertakings and endeavours immediately conducing to the furtherance of the Gospel and consequently to the setling forward of the life of God amongst men For God is the God of peace and hath no fellowship with evill but is harmlesse and good unto all for even unto those that are unworthy of his goodnesse he causeth his Sun to shine Therefore Christ exhorteth all his Disciples to be like his and their heavenly Father in this That they should be peaceable innocent and do good unto all even unto their enemies and persecutors Math 5. 38. till the end Unto the second part of the profession which is the practise of Piety belongeth the zeal of advancing the Kingdom of God and setting forth the image of Christ unto the world in Righteousnesse and holinesse This is somewhat more then to be unblameable by avoyding scandalls and strife for it doth imply moreover a care tending to the edification of many by way of example to lead others to perfection in the duties belonging to our christian calling for we are bound to shew others the life of the Spirit by our walking so that they may be able to discerne in us the powers of another life then that is whereby this world is upheld for this world being led by lust and selfe-conceited greatnesse and
wholy ignorant of the life of God must be convicted by the life of the Spirit that there is a better state more perfect happinesse which the Saints of God enjoye in the beauties of holinesse and in their communion with the Father and with the Sonne then that State wherein worldings take pleasure when therefore we know and earnestly study to walke so as it becommeth the Citisens of Heaven in our private and publike conversation doing all things as in the presence of God by vertue of the Covenant made betwixt him and us in Jesus Christ then we fulfill the second part of our profession of the Gospel and whatsoever undertakings may directly tend to advance the knowledge and the practise of this kind of life amongst men is most answerable unto the ayme of a publike good and ought by all meanes to be set forward towards posterity The third thing belonging to the advancement of the Gospel of Christ is the setting forth of the Doctrine of Truth wherein all the grounds of the holy profession are to be laid open unto the world That they may be taught what the ground of our hope is for which wee walke and what the rule is by which we walke in faith love to avoide offences to do good Hereunto belongeth fundamentally the Pastoral charge over a flock by Preaching of the word in season out of season by way of instruction and correction by exhortation and reproofe and by comfort and threatning and more particularly The Doctrinall charge which tendeth to confirme enlarge and maintaine the knowledge of Divine Truth revealed in the Scriptures the object of which charge should not be so much as now adayes it is almost wholy the Refutation ofsome errours and the handling of certaine common places but it should rather tend towards the setting forth of the hidden wisedome of God which is revealed in the written word not as it is the ministery of the letter which many doe onely attend and insist upon but as it is the ministery of the Spirit in the new Covenant wherein spirituall things are with spirituall words explained and being compared with the things of their owne nature and property they unfold the hidden mistery which God hath prepared for our glory before the world beganne In the opening of this mistery according to the Scriptures the Doctrinall charge should chiefely be employed and not in agitating with voluminous disputations after a Scholasticall way particular controversies for if this wisedome whereof the Apostle doth speake 1 Cor. 2. and the Ministery of the spirit whereof hee speaketh 2 Cor. 3. were really attended and made knowne all petty controversies wherein men spend their whole life Scholastically in Philosophicall notions without any profit to the Gospel would vanish away and be decided at an instant because the fundamentall Truth of the Covenant in the Spirituall and perfect wisedome of God which is hidden in the Mystery of Godlinesse is as a Sunne in comparison of a darke Lanthorne whereunto the particular straines and notions of learning followed now adayes are to be resembled Whatsoever undertaking therefore may tend directly towards the advancement of this kind of spirituall learning and the manifestation of the hidden wisedome of God in a mystery according to the testimony of the Scriptures that must be esteemed a reall furtherance of the Gospel and consequently a publicke good through the manifestation of the glory of God in the life of Jesus Christ From whence finally this conclusion is to be inferred That to partake for our selves and to impart the life of Christ to others the profession and preaching of the Gospel must bee maintained and advanced unto this generation and to posterity by the endeavors which tend first to avoyd and take away offences by composing of scandalous differences in Religlon Secondly to doe good workes in an examplary way that others may bee drawne on to walke after the spirit Thirdly to make knowne by the true discharge of the pastorall and Doctorall duties the Ruies and grounds of our spirituall life and conversation both for avoyding of evill and doing of good and what is not directly subordinate to some of these ends or to all of them is no true good nor a thing to be lookt after because it helpeth us not unto any part of our happinesse which is to partake of the life of God in the knowledge of Christ Having thus opened the grounds of that which I am to propose now I will make the motion which I suppose will commend it selfe as tending directly unto this most eminent publique good of this age and of posterity First then if wee beleeve what hath beene said and know that a man is first naturall and then spirituall I thinke it fit to move that assistance may be given as well by way of councell as by outward support unto those that labour for the rectifying of mens naturall parts by reforming and facilitating all the meanes of humane learning for the schooles aswell of old as young Schollers For the great defects and errors in the manner of teaching in the matters which are taught which are inferior and superior Schooles breede evill habits and make the Soules of men unfit for the apprehension of the mistery of Godlinesse in the profession of the Gospel Therefore to helpe the removeall of these and to frame aright course for the education of children and for the perfection of humane Learning is a most laudable publique good worke aswell for this age as for posterity Secondly I thinke it fit to move that assistance may be given towards the endeavors of Ecclesiasticall Pacification and taking away of scandales and differences amongst Protestants first and then also if it bee possible amongst all other Christians that the first part of our Evangelicall profession may be set forward to some perfection And the assistance to be given to this endeavour may bee besides the Spirituall Councell which by men of Spirituall parts should be suggested to the Agents and unblameable and peaceable conversation towards all men which every one is bound to intend for himselfe though different in judgement from each other a supply of meanes to maintaine the correspondency and the Printing of treatises and letters without which the negotiation of this matter towards Divines will bee wholly lame and imperfect Thirdly I move for the erecting of a professorship of Practicall Divinity in every University and one in London at Sion or Gresham Colledge That this Professor might intend besides the reading of Practicall matters The compiling of a compleate body of Practicall Divinity taken out of all the Practicall writers of this latter age which is a thing much desired by forraigne Divines as may appeare by their requests to that effect subscribed with many hands and sent to the learned Divines and the Patrons of Godlinesse and learning in England By which meanes the second part of our Evangelicall profession will bee much advanced towards some perfection