thou be filled with all the fulnesse of God verse 19. My thinks I see many of the Saints even breaking forth in the language of Mary Luke 46 47.48 My soule doth magnifie the Lord my Spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour and then gives occasion of this Joy for he hath regarded the low estate of his hand-maid The tongue of the dumbe doth begin to sing the eyes of the blind to be opened and the eares of the deafe to heare Reade the 35. of Isaiah that whole chapter briefly and plainly layes downe by way of prophesie that he our tender father is bringing downe the mighty from their seat and exalting them of low legree yea he rebuketh Kings for your sakes your God is no respecter of persons If Kings and Princes rebell against him and his chosen ones hee will bring downe their heads as low as the block and if these great ones endeavour to seperate God and his people God will seperate their heads from their bodies you see these dayes of ours doe witnesse to this in a word He is pulling downe the Kingdomes of men and setting up the Kingdome of his deare Sonne And how doth the brutish Malignant rage and the poor blind Presbyterian murmure at the going on of Gods worke let mee say to both as Prov. 1.22 How long you simple ones will you love simplicity What doe you not know that God hath an attribute of justice that he will magnifie as well as that of his mercy If he afflict his own dear children whom he so loves will he not execute vengeance on his adversaries Be silent then all flesh before him for the Lord will bring to passe his work yea his strange work True Justice hath no respect of persons wherefore turn your murmuring and repining into rejoycing and thanksgiving for the just judgements of God upon the enemies of his truth O you most noble overcomming Saints servants of the most high God you shall judge Angels as well as earthly Kings Your Father loves you and therefore he will honour you nay he doth honour thee already Thâ—sâ— that honour me I will honour saith the Lord. First 1. He cals thee his servant and that is a great honour to be a servant to so heavenly a Prince but as if that were too little 2. He cals you his chosen ones his friends Joh 15.15 3. He cals you his brethren and sisters Heb. 2.11 4. He cals you his sonnes and daughters a more near relation yet as if that were a stile too low to expresse his tender love unto you 5. He cals you his chosen Spouse and Wife Rev. 21.9 6. He cals you members of his own body 1 Cor. 12.12 7. Hee tels you yee are coheires with himself Rom. 8.17 8. He tels you that the glory that the Father gave to him he hath given to you that you may be one as the Father and he are one 9. He tels you that you are not onely one in the body but one in the spirit also 1 Cor. 6.17 10. And lastly He tels you that this is but a short taste of what you shall be 1 Joh. 3.1.2 How will the consideration of these near relations cause you to break forth with the holy Ghost 1 Joh. 4.17 As he is so are we in this present world Or as in Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one again Hence it is that the Lord saith He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of mine eye In a word the Lord takes all the wrongs done to any of his as done to himself Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee I was an hungred and yee gave me no meat I was thirsty and you gave me no drink I was a stranger and you took me not in naked and yee cloathed me not Sick and in Prison and you visited me not In asmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these you did it not to mee Again consider As thy most wise God turns all things to his own glory so likewise he turns them to thy good To instance in a few things as first The very fall of Adam wherein the Devill thought to have wrought thy ruine God in his wisdome hath turned it to thy greatest good And in the same thing wherein the Devill thought to cast thee thy God appointed to recover thee Adam fell through unbelief thou rifest again by Faith and the state in which thou standest in the second Adam is a more firme and glorious state than that of the first Adam So that thou hast gotten many priviledges by his fall For instance 1. Adam though made without sin yet might sin Now it is impossible for thee as thou art made a new creature by Christ to sin 1 Ioh. 3.6 9 2. The first Adam was made inferiour to Angels but the second Adam hath made thee equall with if not above the Angels Luk. 22.36 Matth. 22 30. 3. The first Adam had power over visible creatures of the earth but thou being restored by the second Adam hast power over principalities and spirituall wickednesses in high places Ephes 6.12 2 Cor. 10.4 4. Adam was made righteous and that was a glorious state but the second Adam hath made thee the righteousnes of God in him 2 Corin. 5. vers 21. 5. The first Adam in his best estate was subject to fall by the temptation of evil Angels But nothing can make a separation between thee and thy God Rom. 8.35 6. Adam had but a temporall paradise at the best but the sonnes of Sion by virtue of their second Adam have a spirituall Paradise Heb. 12.22 23. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledgeoff God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Well doth John say Ioh. 3.36 Hee that believeth on the soune hath everlasting life mark he doth not say he shall have everlasting life but he hath it already And particularly he hath it thus 1. He hath everlasting life in the promise Feare not little flock it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome 2. He hath it in the first fruits for what is heaven but a more full enjoyment hereafter of what is begun here 3. He hath it even now in possession by Christ his head for Christ his head is entred in already Oh then you servants of God! If you be entred into heaven if you have received a kingdome that cannot be moved Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear So having spoken a word in generall to all the sons of Zion give me leave to speak a word in particular to each of them under their severall forms and herein I shall somwhat differ from the practice of most men I shall first take notice of those things that are commendable in the Saints to whom I write to cherish and commend that And Secondly Reprove them sharpely but yet in the Spirit of love and meeknes for the evill among them So
joy upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladnes and sorrows and sighing shall flie away Doest thou believe the Lord will heal all our backslidings all our distractions and compose all our differences and give all his people one heart and one way Jer. 32.39 Read understandingly that 11. Isa 6.7 8 9 The Woolfe also shaell dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the fatling together and the Cow and the Beare shall feed their young and lie down together And the Lion shall eate straw like the Oxe and the sucking childe shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned childe shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all mine holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Light is sown for the righteous and gladnes for the upright in heart Isa 79 11.12 Therefore rejoyce in the Lord yee righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holines These and many scriptures more which for brevity I omit doe shew thee ô most noble overcomming Saint that glorious times are comming wherefore gird up the loins of thy minde be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 And when he is revealed amongst many mercies which thou shalt receive I will onely mention two First he shall appear without sin and thou shalt appear so in him Hebr. 9 the last Secondly Thou shalt be like him for thou shalt see him as he is 1 John 3.2 c. Then when thy soule apprehends this it will even break forth into praises and songs of deliverance as once David God let in a light whereby he saw his sins pardoned Psal 103. 1 2 3 4. Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases Who redeemeth thy life from death who crowneth thee with loving kindnes and tender mercies If thou ask why I doe ciâ—e so many scriptures and not explain them I answer Remember to whom I speak that is to the chosen generation to the Saints enlightened and they have the sum of them opened to them already or at reast they have the spirit of God in them which is the truest Key to unfold or unlock the mysterie of them unto them Object 2. But I suppose that many of these forementioned promises were made unto particular Saints as to the Jews or the like And so have been fulfilled to them And if so Then what matter of comfort can they administer unto me Answer Suppose it were so That they bee fulfilled already which I know most doe say yet in some measure through Gods goodnes I doe know the contrary they are wholly or for the greatest part yet to be fulfilled as I could prove by scripture but I forbear because I would not be tedious But suppose they were made to some particular Saints and fulfilled to them yet they are in whole or in part appliable to thee as to instance in one scripture for all Josh 1.5 The Lord promised Joshua that he would never leave him nor forsake him And the Apostle in Heb. 13.5 presseth the Saints to make use of and to lay hold on that promise as made to them though it was made to Joshua many hundred yeares before Object 3. If they be yet to bee fulfilled it is a great question whether I shall live to see any of them fulfilled and then what comfort doe they hold forth to mee Answ If thou doest not live to see them fulfilled with thy bodily eyes yet with the eye of Faith which is the evidence of things not seen with naturall eyes Heb. 11.1 Thou mayest see them fulfilled to thee as the Saints Hebr. 11.13 They all dyed in the Faith not having received the promises but having seen them a farre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them that is They lived in the enjoyment of them in the Spirit Again 1 Thess 4.16.17 There are promises made one That the dead in Christ shall rise first and another That we shall ever be with the Lord. And in the 18. vers He commands the Saints that they should comfort one another with these words Then in one word this is the summe to be learned from hence that we should not onely rejoyce in the present enjoyments but live in a full expectation of and comfort in what wee shall shortly enjoy and comfort one another with these words Is not that time drawing neare which is prophesied of Rev. 11.15 And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voyces in Heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Sonne Christ and hee shall reigne for evermore Wherefore most noble over-comming Saints Servants of the most high and mighty God looke for great alterations and mighty changes See what desolations God will make in the earth when he hath accomplished his worke upon mount Sion then hee will Judge the Mountaine of Esau that is when God hath fully brought up his people to enjoy nothing but himselfe then he will declare himselfe to be a God taking vengeance on his and our enemies Wherefore rejoyce O you Saints for the time of your singing is come The day of our redemption is appearing Howle oh Babylon Mourne oh thou proud opposer of Christ thy pride is falling thy end is comming Who will mourne for thee Then shall all thy lovers stand a farre off for feare of thy torments they stand farre off they will not come neare to comfort thee Bee silent then oh all flesh for the Lord is risen out of his holy habitation Then wilt thou break forth as in Isa 25.9 And it shall be said in that day This is our God wee have waited for him This is our Lord wee have waited for him we will bee glad and rejoyce in his salvation Then by this glorious appearing hee will destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all nations and hee will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away teares from off all faces and the rebuke of his people shall be taken away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it Isa 25.7 8. Oh Saints lift up your heads your redemption draws nigh and now will our God make good to us that which is written Zephe 3.9 I will turne to the people of pure Language and they shall serve me with one consent This pure Language is the Language of the Spirit Is appointed by God to put an end to these divisions not till then shall the envy of Ephraim depart and the enemies of Judah be cut off Ephraim not
Good Tydings for SINNERS Great Ioy for SAINTS OR A Word to the World and two to those that are chosen out of the WORLD Wherein is held forth First the sweet tenders of grace from the Father through the Son to all dejected Sinners he Invites them he Woes them he Intreats them nay he beseecheth them to accept of mercy IN The second part of this Book called Two words to those chosen out of the World is spoken to the Saints under their severall Forms taking notice first of the things commendable in them and in the second place reproving them for things amisse among them With a short Prophesie of the downfall of Presbyterie Independencie Anabaptismie Vaine Notions Free-Will With a brief description of a true Church-state against which the gates of Hell shall not prevaile it being founded upon a rock it will stand against all Waves and Storms that either Men or Devils can raise against it I will give you all one heart and one way Then the Lord shall be one and his name one Robert Purnell Printed at London for Giles Calvers and are to bee sold at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1649. To the Reader COurteous Reader I shall in few words give thee a just accompt why I have written this little Book In these latter daies many books are published some good and wholesome but few to ends not carnal for with every man is imperfection more or lesse I must own it also Yet I faithfully professe that had my own credit or advantage been my inducement hereunto these thoughts had been buried in the wombe because I know I could reap no such fruit or if I did it were but vanitie He that gave me my being hath given me a command to learn of him not onely to love his people but also to love his enemies Matth. 5.44 God having kindled in me a love to you both Saints and Sinners I have here written a word to the one and two words to the other Rom. 1.14 I am debtor to the Greek and to the Barbarian both to the wise and to the unwise And to thee fellow sinner is the first word because I see many of those that undertake to teach thee shutting the door of the kingdom against thee and instead of the Gospel of Christ they preach to thee Moses at least Elias and that in the letter The things I lay before thee and commend unto thee are such and onely such as I my self have past through and found aboundance of comfort in And looking upon that place 2 Corinth 1.4 I finde it my duty to endeavour to comfort others with the same comfort wherewith I my selfe have been comforted of God Expect not heare a pleasing methode sugard words nor scholasticall expressions for that savours more of the wisdome of man than of God Though it be not scholastick yet if thou findest it authentick let it have acceptance with thee First read and then judge of what I have said and the Lord that hath power give thee understanding in all things In the first part of this â—oâ—k called A Word to the World is held forth in few words the sweet tenders of grace from the Father through the sonne to the poore dejected Sinners wherein God 〈…〉 woes and entreates them to be reconciled to himselfe He â—â—swers all the Objections that lye in the way he useth very strong and powerfull arguments He not onely saith but swears he delights not in the death of a sinner Ezek. 33.11 In the second part of this Book called Two Words to those chosen out of the World I my self having had communion with the Sainâ—s in each of those forms more or lesse their principles and practises I have in some measure weighed examined and tryed with an unbyassed affection And I finde among all these except those in this book excepted many excellent sweet and sound truths both in Doctrine and Discipline Principle and Practise worthy not onely of commendation but also of our imitation But notwithstanding there are many things that savour more of the flesh than of the spirit among all these Assemblies which are rather of mans invention than of Gods institution as their knowing Christ and Saints after the flesh crying Lo here lo there is Christ and most in a sence building upon the Sand. Wherefore I have here Prophesied of their fall in which I mean not that they shall be without Church-order but they shall have Pastors and Teachers Elders and Deacons Helps and Governments But the ground of this communion shall be spirituall union and when this day is dawned and this day-star risen in our hearts Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim Presbyterians shall not so bitterly cry out against Independents nor Independents have such hard thoughts of the Presbyterians Yea they will be ashamed to own one another by these fleshly titles but look upon and love one another as Christians members of the same body heires of the same Promise children of the same father having all the same spirit all clothed with the same robe inclined to the same work ruled by the same Word and Spirit And so their love to each other shall arise from the Vnion in the Spirit And against this Church-State the gates of hell shall not prevaile A WORD TO THE VVORLD THat Sin had its first entrance into the World by Adam we all know What sin is in it own nature most of us doe know But that sin is clearly taken away by the second Adam Christ Jesus that very few doe know Poore sinner why dost thou lye groaning come along with me and hear Christ thy Lord speaking to thee Quest What is that that doth so trouble thee Answ Oh! my sins my sin Quest What is sin Answ The breach of a command or the transgression of a law Chr. Though thou hast broken this law yet consider that there is one to be found that hath kept it first in thy nature secondly for thee and imputes the keeping of it to thee as really as if thou hadst fulfilled it thy selfe Art thou a sinner Christ saith He came to call sinners and why not thee Sinner Oh but I am one of the greatest of sinners Chr. Yet consider what the Lord saith in these Scriptures Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World 3. Joh. 16. God so loved the World that he sent his onely begotten Son to take away the sins of the world 1 Tim. 1.15 He came into the world to sinners of whom I am chief Object Oh but though he came to save sinners it is a question whether he died for all sinners and therefore I question whether he came to call me or to take away my sins I see no ground why I should believe nay I cannot believe Faith is too high a thing for me to attain unto Answ But consider God is the alone worker of it Heb. 12.2 And when thou lookest upon Faith
and seest it too hard a thing for thee yet consider that nothing is too hard for God who hath undertaken to work it Ob. It I could see a promise wherein God had promised to work it that were something Quest What art thou A Jew or a Gentile Scythian or Barbarian Ans I am a Gentile a sinner Chr. Thou these are promises for thee see Matt. 12.21 Rom. 15.12 In him shall the Gentiles trust in him shall the Gentiles trust Sin But all Gentiles doe not neither shall they believe therefore if I could see my name written in Scripture and a promise made to me in reference to that name then there were hope indeed Chr. Thou art just like Thomas Joh. 20.25 Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Well saith Christ thou shalt see the print of the nailes reach hither thine hand c. Wilt thou see thy name inscripture indeed Sin Yea with all my heart But I fear it is not there Chr. Why dost thou doubt all things are possible to him that believes wilt thou see thy name Then what is thy state How is it with thee Sin My state is miserable I am full of blindenes and ignorance and can understand nothing in a spirituall way Chr. Here is thy name then recorded Isa 50.10 Who so walketh in darknes and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon God Sin But I am dead almost my heart and my flesh do faile me Chr. Why canst thou read the beginning of the verse with David and not the latter end of it and God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 7◠26 Sin But I am weak faith another poore soule where is my name Chr. The weak shall be as David there is thy name Sin But saith another distressed soule I am quite dead where is my name Chr. Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light There is thy name Sin But I have not ears to hear Christ voice nor strength to arise if I could hear Chr. But Christ can give strength with his voice as to Lazarus come forth and he came forth Sin Here is comfort for these indeed But oh that you could shew me my name in scripture and God speaking to me by name Then I should believe and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Chr. Well What is thy name Sin Rebell That is my name for I have rebelled against the Lord ever since I was born I have lived in a continuall breach of every command Chr. Yet behold thy name Psal 68.18 Christ hath received gifts for men yea for the rebellious that the Lord God might dwell among them Read thy name in every promise endeavour to see thy name enrolled in the book of Life where all the Devils in Hell and all the wicked men in the world can never blot it out Sin Oh! saith another poore distressed soule I have no minde nor heart to seek after God Where is my name Chr. Isa 65.1 I am found of them that sought me not There is thy name though thou wilt not seek for him yet he will seek and finde thee Sin But I cannot believe Where is my name saith another Chr. 2 Tim. 2 13. If we believe not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himself Sin But I have called and cryed for mercy and that often yet God would not answer me Where is my name 2. Saith another others have prayed for me and the Lord gave them an answer he was not sent to save me Where is my name 3. A third poore soul steps in and saith I spake with the Lord as it were and he told me I was a Dog and that Dogs have nothing to doe with Childrens bread oh where is my name Chr. Will you see all your three names together Sin Oh that it might be so faith the troubled soule Chr. Then read and well consider that 15. Matt. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David But he answered her not a word There was the first step of his deniall Secondly His Disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she cryeth after us But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house Israel There is the second branch of his deniall Thirdly Then came shee and worshipped him saying Lord help me But he answered and said it is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs There is the third branch of his deniall And she said truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their Masters table Then Jesus answered and said unto her ô woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Oh the unsearchable love of a tender father to a prodigall Son To summe up all in a word Search diligently in what state thou standest examine well thy present condition what it is and when thou hast found out the true temper of thy soul that thou canst truly say thus and thus it is with me Then search the Scriptures for they were written for thy learning and thou shalt finde upon serious consideration that some one or other of the Saints gone before the hath been in the same condition and yet hath found mercy Then thou wilt break forth with Paul and say There is no tentation hath befaln me but such as is common to all men and the Lord will deliver mee 1 Cor. 10 13. c. Are thy sins so many that thou canst not look up so it was with that pretious saint David Psal 40.12 Psal 38.4 Deare friend who ever thou art that readest these words let me tell thee I speak by experience I have been in so sad a condition even as it were in despaire And when I have read or heard these words that such and such of the Lords own children were in the same condition my heart hath begun to revive and say well The Lord hath dealt no otherwise with me than he hath with such a Saint left upon record now I see I am not alone in this heavines I cannot now say Was ever sorrow like unto my sorrow Lam. 1.12 But I can now say with Ieremiah Lam. 3 32. Though he cause griefe yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies I remember that sweet place of Scripture 2 Cor. 1 3 4. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulations that saith he we may be able to comfort them that be in trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selves are comforted of God Here by the way wee may take notice that it is
a duty well becoming the Saints to endeavour as instruments in Gods hands to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith the Lord hath comforted them Come saith David I will tell thee what the Lord hath done for my soule Againe Oh thou drooping sinner listen a little unto the voyce of Christ and thou shalt heare him calling to thee and saying Come come unto mee all yee that bee weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Hee cals thee hee invites thee hee entreates thee hee beseecheth thee to come in and to bee reconciled unto the Lord thy God See and consider well that Scripture 2. Cor. 5 20. Now then wee are ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christ stead bee you reconciled unto God you see hee is willing to have sinners reconciled to him and that hee doth manifest by many demonstrations or evidences First His patience towards thee all this while he is long suffering not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3 9. Rom. 2.4 The goodnesse of God or the patience of God doth or should lead thee to repentance Secondly Hee doth manifest his willingnesse in that hee hath made this the master-piece of all his works to provide a Saviour for us in sending his Son and making him a curse for us in this great worke the Lord doth proclaime to all the world Oh all you people of the world if I had not beene willing to bee reconciled to you or rather to have you reconciled to mee as I have for ever beene I would never have sent my dearest Sonne from the bosome of my love to die for you So that this is the greatest worke all my other workes are subordinate to this In this was the love of God manifested to us that he sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we should live through him 1 Joh. 4.9 Thirdly The Lord doth professe this to the people That there is no one thing wherein hee doth more glory than to shew mercy to poore sinners yea to his enemies Micah 7.18 Hee delighteh in mercy Exod. 34. The Lords glory passed by and what was that The Lord the Lord most mercifull and gratious long suffering c. Pardoning iniquity transgressions and sinne Here is my glory Hence it is exprest Isa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord waite that hee may bee gratious and therefore will hee bee exalted that hee may have mercy upon you So then the Lord doth accompt himselfe an exalted God when hee hath brought in a sinner to accept of mercy Fourthly The Lord doth expresse his willingnesse even with a sigh as it were which doth much denote his willingnesse Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would feare my Name and keepe my Commands and that for one good too for so the words follow that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Now these people had said before whatsoever the Lord hath spoken wee will doe Oh that there were such an heart in them saith the Lord. Fifthly The Lord doth expresse his willingnesse with an oath too and that the greatest that ever hee tooke That sinners shall not dye Ezek. 33.10 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live Turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will you die oh house of Israell c. Sixthly God doth manifest his willingnesse in this that above all other workes this worke of beleeving on him is most pleasing to him and our not beleeving is the greatest offence that wee can give to God Joh. 6.29 This is the worke of God that you beleeve on him whom he hath sent as if the Lord had said This doth please mee better than any other worke Let a poore soule come in and rowle himselfe upon the love of God in Christ for reconciliation This is a more glorious worke than the conquering of a whole world If you give all your goods to the poore and your bodies to be burnt all is nothing if this be wanting Joh. 3.19 This is condemnation that light is come unto the world and men love darknesse more then light In a word binde all your sinnes together in a bundle except this sin of unbeliefe and put them in a ballance together And put this sin of unbeliefe in the other ballance you shall finde that unbeliefe will weigh downe all the rest and from this unbeliefe as the roote springs all other evils as the branches Seventhly Consider further God doth seeke to sinners first Therefore it is said The Lord Christ came to seeke and to save them that were lost Isa 45.22 Looke unto me and be you saved all yee ends of the earth the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that is a thirst come and take of the waters of life freely Eightly Consider the Lord sends forth his grace to allure thee and to entice thee a sinner to come to him Hee doth with cords of love draw the heart to come Hee sends forth his mercy to stand before the soule and tender its service as it were to the sinfull soule Hosea 2.14 Therefore will I allure them saith the Lord. There was a great breach betweene this people and God as you may see at large in this chapter And yet saith the Lord I will allure them Hosea 11.4 I will draw them with the cords of men with the bands of love Ninthly The Lord is so yeelding unto his creatures thâ—t to keepe his owne honour and glory he cannot yeeld further At first wee are all going astray the Lord cals us backe 2. Wee were going to prison The Lord steps in saying I will provide a surety The Covenant of workes requires satisfaction saith the Lord I am contented to take this in a surety Wee are like a Beggar begging an almes of one that passeth by to whom it is answered I will give thee oh Beggar that which thou desirest but thou must come and fetch it I cannot come saith the Beggar I want legs I will give thee legs saith the giver that thou mayest come But saith the Beggar when I am come I have no hands to receive that which you will give me I will give thee hands also Oh! But I want wisedome to make use of that gift I will give thee wisedome saith the Lord. Oh that ever so glorious a God should so farre stoope and yeeld to his poore creatures as to answer all questions cleare all doubts and take away all scruples Tenthly He yet comes nearer to a sinner as it were and doth professe that the greatest sins that ever they have committed against him shall not hinder them from comming to him nor him from pardoning them Isa 1.18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord. though your sins be as Scarlet they shal be as white as Snow Oh here the Lord
proclaimes that all thy sinnes past shall bee done away Thy continuance in sinne will be thy undoing if any thing Eleventhly Againe Consider The Lord doth in his Word use very powerfull arguments to draw the heart to bee reconciled to him Hee doth not onely offer mercy and set it before the soule but he doth labour with strong reasons and arguments and motives to draw the soule to himselfe and doth use these arguments that will take the heart most Sometimes hee doth draw arguments from his equity Ezekiel 18. â—5 Are not my wayes equall saith the Lord. Sometimes from our necâ—ssity Joh. 3.36 Hee that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Sometimes from the benefit and profit we shall have if we do come in Prov. 1.23 Turn yee at my reproof and behold I will powre out my Spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you Oh blessed promise one would think this should break the heart of Devils as if the Lord had said well though thou hast been a great sinner and though thou hast rebelled against me ever since thou wast born yet if thou wilt but turn at my reproof or say to thy God Turn us and we shal be turned for I must doe it I will powre out my Spirit upon thee I will give grace and â—â—ory a House a City a Kingdome Light Life and all things The Lord doth seem to out-bid all other comforts that we have in sin therefore he doth tell us of honey milk raiment such things as do most take with our hearts that so he might gain us to come in and be at one with him Now I shall appeal to your consciences that have felt this in some measure Doth not the Devill come with strong arguments The World with the like And wicked men with strong perswasions The corruptions within you with strong motives And yet doth not the Lord out-bid them all and so win the Soule to himself Twelfth Consider further The Lord comes and answers all objections that lye in the hearts of sinners Ob. 1. Saith one I am unworthy I have nothing in me that good is Ans The Lord saith Isa 55. Come and buy milk and wine without money and without price three times it is spoken in one or two verses So that God doth set forth his kingdome by milke wine and bread things usefull for the body sometimes by a marriage sometimes by a supper wherein are all kindes of dainties sometime he doth invite them to the supper and to the marriage of his Sonne and sometimes doth compell them to come in Then the Devil working with our corrupt nature doth what he can to make the Soule slight the Gospel and to look upon the blood of the Covenant as a mean thing When the soul doth begin indeed to apprehend the greatnes and sweetnes of the Gospel of glad tidings then steps in Sathan What such a one as thou have such mercy Fellow sinners mark the policy of the subtle Devil he doth at first labor to set at naught the Gospel accounting it as a mean thing But when the Lord doth shine through that mist and shew the soul the excellency of his son and the glory of the Gospel Then comes the devil the other way saying with thee these be great things indeed But thou art vile and base both in thy principles practice and canst thou think that God ever intended these things to thee What to such a one as thou art Then the Lord answereth for thee Come without money and without price as if he had said though thou hast no ability to doe any thing yet come I will make thee rich enough thou hast no money that is no self righteousnes let not that hinder Revel 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that bears come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Ob. It may be saith the Soule though the Lord doth require nothing before hand yet when I am come he will require hard things of me I must live so strictly and abandon all my pleasures what shall I leave all those pleasant wayes and have nothing but according to the word and according to conscience Then farewell all the comfort and joy of all our life if we come to this once Ans I appeale to you whether your hearts have not been kept of by such things as these But now ó fellow sinners mark how Christ doth take off these objections Matth. 11. Come unto me and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and mark what follows my yoke is easie and my burthen light As if Christ should say I will lay no yoak upon you but what is easie nor any burthen but what is light And this I affirme though this may seem to be hard to you at first you will finde the wayes of God more easie than ever you found the wayes of sin Do but ask them that have any experience of the love of God to them and they will tell thee that they have found more sweetnesse in one day in following of God than they found in the wayes of sin many years Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peaceable paths Now if you will believe the spirit of God you see there is more peace more joy more sweetnesse more comfort than ever you had before 13. Again consider The Lord doth not onely use strong arguments and answer all objections But he is importunate too as first He doth cry out after sinners Prov. 1. Wisdome cryeth in the streets and so Prov. 9. and Isa 55. He doth make Proclamation Ho every one that thirsteth come He doth importune and bid come over and over again and again Come come come three times together So that God doth seek more earnestly to sinners than they doe to him It may be thou wilt seek to God once for a mercy thou wantest and give over But behold God cals to thee again and again come come come 14. If all this will not prevaile with sinners to come in yet the Lord leaves them not but appeals to the very Consciences of sinners deals with them that way If you were in great distresse concerning your estate or life and you go to a man that hath both wisdom and power to help you and open the case to him but cannot prevaile then you bring strong arguments and they do not move then you take away all objections but yet prevaile not then you importune him and urge your arguments againe and again and all this doth not prevaile then you appeale to his own conscience whether you have not spoken right to him saying I will even leave this to your own conscience to judge of it and this many times doth prevaile when noâ—hing else will even thus of all the world doth God deal with sinners and appeals to their own consciences Isa 43.26 Put me in
that will not serve the Lords turn if a sinner will but go towards the Lord mercy will not go a foot-pace but runs to meet him yea mercy draws him and puts him upon comming at first-step The sonnes pace is he arose and came he came walking towards his father this is the fathers pace he ran the sonne most needed to have run his belly was pinched with hunger yet hee onely walkes but his father runs bowels full of mercy out-pace bowels pinched with hunger 5. I see him falling upon his necke that is he hugg'd and embraced him How fall on his necke Who would not have beene loath to have touched him yea to come neare him Is he not in his loathsome stinking rags Smels he not of the Swine hee kept Could a man come neare him without stopping his Nose Would not a man bee ready to cast up his Stomach upon such an embracement Mercy is not nice and dainty will God thus embrace a Prodigall in his loathsome rags Oh sinner be encouraged to draw neare to God for the worst of all wickednesse and basenesse in the world cannot make him rejct thee Ezekiel 16.4 5 6. 6. But yet behold a greater wonder than all the rest I see him kissing his Sorne who could have brooked to have imbraced a person in so futhy a pickle Much lesse would any one kisse such a one what kisse those lips that had beene so lately lapping in the Hogs-Trough Those lips that had so often kiss'd those base and beggerly Harlots Kisse him A man would rather have thought he would have kick'd him and yet his Father kisseth him There is a passage somewhat like this Gen. 33.4 And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his Neck and kissed him A strang and wonderfull thing that hee that had threatned to kill him and came now upon that errand to kill him and all his That his heart should bee so strangely altered by God that killing should bee turned into kissing It was very strange that Esau should kisse Jacoh but it is more strange here that this Father should kisse this Prodigall Read and consider well these Scriptures Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the World Luke 2.10.11 Behold I bring you good tydings of great joy that shall bee to all people That is That unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son to this end that all that beleeve in him should not perish but have life everlasting John 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a true saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chiefe Heb. 13.12 Jesus that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the Gate 1 John 2.1 2. If any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also the sinnes of the whole world Rev. 5.8 Thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God out of every kindred tongue and people Psalm 145.19 Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Zach. 13.1 The Lord hath opened a Fountaine for sinne and for uncleannesse He every one that thirsteth come then Isaiah 55.1 Blessed are they that bunger and thirst for they shall be filled Math. 5.6 If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke John 7. ver 37 38. And hee that commeth to me I will in no wise cast off oh marke I will in no wise cast him off John 6.37 that is there is no corruption in thee nor all thy enemies without thee that shall so farre prevaile with mee as that I shall forsake thee Oh then come unto mee come unto mee all you that are heavy laden and I will undoubtedly give you rest 1. Consider Hee that hath made these promises is able to make them good 2. Hee is not onely able to doe it but hee is willing to doe it hee delights in it 3. Hee is not only able and willing but he is faithfull too in keeping promise In so much that not one title shall faile of all that he hath promised He never saith Seeke yee me in vaine 1. Take notice the Lord keepes open house Rev. 22.17 Let him that will come and take of the water of life freely 2. Because of our backwardnesse to come he invites Isa 55.1 He every one that thirsteth come 3. Hee answereth objections and taketh away all excuses in these words come without money and without price though thou hast not righteousnesse to commend thee to mee yet come without money and without price 4. He assures thee thou shalt be welcome John 6.37 Him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast off 5. Hee tels thee that if thou come thou shalt not loose thy labour He will give thee rest Mat. 11.28 Hee will give thee rest from thine owne righteousnesse that thou shalt see thy acceptance in the righteousnesse of another and so cease from thine owne Hee will give thee rest that is hee will still those troubles that arise in thine heart and take off those veiles from thine eyes and the bondage that lay upon thy heart and shew thee that he hath set the free from hell death law sinne past present and to come and so gives thee faith which is the evidence of things not seene which will evidence this to thy soule Thy soule no sooner apprehends this but presently it wil be ready to break forth in these words of Mary Luke 1.46 47 48. My Soule doth magnifie the Lord my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaid c. And now to draw to a conclusion for as I said in the beginning I have but a Word to the World 1 He gives free liberty to come 2. Hee invites thee 3. He will bid thee welcome 4. He will case thee of all thy troubles Object But thou wilt say Heare are indeed sweet rules and blessed promises amongst these things that you have layd downe But I have no abillity to walke in the one nor heart to embrace or beleeve the other and I finde it written Jer. 10.23 The way of man is not in himselfe It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Answ But consider hee requires nothing of thee but what he hath promised hee will inable thee to doe For instance Isa 1.16 He requires thee and saith wash thee and make thee cleane put away the evill of thy doings cease to doe evill Learne to doe well Here is his precept and thy duty Now turne from this precept to that promise Jer. 3â— 8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against mee Now
it shall melt with fervent heat then if the rocks and mountains might fall on thee thou wouldest think it a favour to hide thee from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall abide it Rev. 6.16 17 c. Then shalt thou hear that dreadfull sentence passe on thee Matth. 25.41 Depart from me yee Cursed into Everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Consider a little this dolefull sentence 1. Thou must depart from the presence of the Lord. 2. Thou departest not blessed but a cursed wretch Depart from me yee cursed 3. Not onely into fire but into everlasting fire no hope of returning 4. The companions that thou shalt have there are the Devill and his Angels Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels And this dreadfull day will come as a thiefe in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 In which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat and the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up c. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse Oh! then take heed Watch and pray for you know not how near the time is Mark 13.33 The day of the Lord commeth as a thiefe in the night 1 Thess 5.2 Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2. Pet. 3.14 Thirdly consider if it should be a few moneths or years before this great and terrible day come yet it may not for ought that thou knowest be many dayes no not so much as many houres or minutes before thy particular end come in which thou shalt be gasping for life and breathing out thy last breath If then thou look up God will appear as an angry Judge if thou look down the bottomlesse Pit will strike terrour into thee on thy right hand thy sins stand accusing thee on thy left hand the Devill is ready to execute Gods eternall sentence upon thee within thee thy conscience gnawing without thee thy friends bewailing So that look which way thou wilt above thee beneath thee within thee without thee every object will adde to thy miserie Therefore Oh remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth before these evill daies come Eccles 12.1 Intreat the Lord as David did Psal 39.4 Lord make mee to know mine end and the measure of my daies what it is That I may know how fraile I am And wilt thou know how fraile thou art oh vaine man then consider One scripture saith of thy dayes it is as water spilt upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14 Another scripture saith Our dayes are like a shaddow Psal 102.11 And as if that were too long Job saith Job 7.7 My life is but a winde Psal 102.3 Our daies consume like smoak Wee all doe fade as a leafe Isa 64 6. All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of the grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away 1 Pet. 1.24 And as if all these resemblances signified too much length to hold forth the shortnes of our life the holy Ghost doth contract it shorter Psal 39 5. Thou hast made my dayes as an hand breadth And as if that resemblance also were too long he saith in the same verse Mine age is as nothing Well then doth the scripture in many places say We are like a buble of the brooke a tale that is told or a dream Oh how should the serious consideration hereof teach thee so to number thy dayes that thou mightest apply thine heart to true and perfect wisdome Or as the wise man saith Eccles 12.6 Remember thy creator before the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowle be broken for as death leaves thee so Judgement will finde thee c. In a word it is a point of high wisdome to be often thinking and meditating of out latter end for the Lord himself faith Deut. 32.29 That they were wise that they understood this to consider their latter end So he that made thee teach and perfect thee Two Words to those chosen out of the World NOw I shall come to speak two words to those that are chosen out of the World First Generally to all the Saints Secondly More particularly to the Saints under those titles or forms by which they are most commonly known 1 The word in generall To all that are truly godly for now to you I speak even to you my fellow members and brethren in Christ Awake awake Put on tâ—y strength O Sion put on thy beautifull garments O Ierusalem thou holy City Isa 52.1 Arise my beloved and come away 2 Can. 10.13 For the day is dawning and the day-star arising in your hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 Oh Saints Consider a little upon what ground you stand upon what foundation you are built doest thou believe there was such a Christ as the scriptures mention Doest thou believe that this Christ took thy nature and also thy sins Doest thou believe that in this thy nature he fulfilled the law took it away nailed it to the Crosse and so is become the end of the law to all that believe also freed thee from sin past present and to come and so from death the wages thereof doest thou conceive that God will make good his gracious promises in particular these Isa 25.7 8 c. He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all nations He will swallow up death in victory And the Lord God will wipe away tears from of all faces And the rebuke of his people shall bee taken away from off all the earth Doest thou believe that the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters the Sea and that We shall all know him from the greatest to the least Jer. 31.34 Doest thou believe those words which the Lord spake to Daniel chap. 7.27 And the kingdome and the dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome under the whole heavens mark this word under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints for their kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey them Doest thou believe those words Isa 30.26 Moreover the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold Doest thou believe that the Lord will wipe away all tears from off all faces and that there shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain Revel 21.4 Doest thou believe what the Lord saith in Isa 35.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with songs and everlasting
did Paul with the Church of Corinth 1 Corin. 1.4 and so to the 15. verse So dealt Christ with the Church of Ephesus Rev 2. from the first veâ—se to the end of the fift And in the same manner he spake to the Church of Pergamus Revel 2. from the 12. verse to the end of the 16. And so when he wrote to the Church of Thyatira Revel 2.18 19. I know thy works and charitie and service and faith and thy patience and how thou growest for thy last works be more than thy first So having taken notice of the things commendable and praised them for that verse 20. in the next place not the first he reproves their evill saying Neverthelesse I have a few things against thee c. In this order or method I shall at present speak not in opposition to or deniall of any way now in practice amongst the godly and warranted by the Scriptures A Word to those that have taken to themselves the name of PRESBYTERIANS My Brethren MY hearts desire and prayer to God is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto each of you the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of him That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height depth to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the fulnesse of God I thank my God on your behalf for the grace of God that is in some measure given to many of you already by Jesus Christ God hath made some of you instrumentall for the conversion of souls by the preaching of his Word And I my self must acknowledge to the glory of God and to your praise that I have had many sweet and heavenly refreshments by your teachings and solid discourses both in publique and private In some things God hath enlightened me by you and in some other things I have been convinced by you and in some other things I have been confirmed by you These things I speak by experience and besides I have heard from some others that they have also received the like benefits from the Lord by you Again Many of you are men of tender consciences In so much that when you see but the very appearance of evill you will abstain from it And the Charitie of many of you to the Poore is very large as appears by the relation of many poore Souls whose bowels you have refreshed and appears also by your stirring up others to the performance of that duty By my Brethren there are faults amongst you therefore I have a few things against you 1. Why do you so frequently complain against this present Parliament and Army saying they be pulling down Magistracy and Ministry are they pulling down any such Magistracy or Ministry as Christ hath set up Or else such as Anti-christ hath set up and acted his designs by Let him that is spirituall judge if you examine our present Magistracy and Ministry by the word of Truth you shall easily see that they are not according to Christ but to Anti-christ First Touching the Magistrate I appeal to your Consciences Hath he been the Magistrate of God for good to thee in countenancing them that do well and punishing of evill doers or rather Hath he not continually for a long time punished those that doe well and countenanced those that do ill Herein I will appeal to the sons of Sion to judge Have they not banished imprisoned reproached persecuted despised and contemned and that to the highest pitch of their power all those in whom the fruits of the Spirit of Christ have appeared in any measure And is this a lawfull authority which we ought to obey Then let us never accompt it blasphemy to say that the most wicked of actions are lawfull and just For is any thing lesse from the will of God or more contrary to his commands than this Is not one unrighteousnes as absolute a transgression as another It is worth you pains to examin what lawfull authority is and let us consider It is said Rom. 13.1 The powers that bee are ordained of God There is no power that is lawfull but it is of God for this is most true that the most high God is to reigne in the kingdome of men and whosoever are his instruments in governing they must derive their power from him and act purely the command of God and no more nor no lesse but even so as it is recorded of the children of Israel Exod. 39.42 43. They had done the worke of the Tabernacle as the Lord had commanded even so they had done it And therefore it follows Moses blessed them Wherefore were they blessed Sure you see not for their own inventions but for their obedience so purely and exactly after the command of God And Paul saith Be not the servants of men that is doe not you observe the things that men doe command unlesse God hath commanded them But you will ask How may we know the true power from the false Oh that you were so teachable Then The Scripture will tell you that the lawfull powers are of God both of his Commandements and bearing his image holy as he is holy being a terrour not to good works but to evill And whosoever doth resist this power onely this he resisteth the Ordiâ—ance of God and shall receive judgement to himself But the Parliament and Army do not resist this power spoken of by Paul to be obeyed But they doe resist and I admire that you the Seers doe not see it that they do resist that power spoken of by Micha Mic. 3.11 The heads thereof that doe judge for reward and that establish iniquity by a law the Priests thereof that teach for hire and the Prophets thereof that divine for money and yet lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord amongst us No evill can come upon us That the powers of this nation that have been resisted have been and are such their late actions are proofes than which nothing can be more full or plaine to men of reason 2. For the Ministry that are said to be pulling down what are they Apostles from Christ or from our Universities who hath taught them God or man How are they constituted Ministers By God or man a power internall or externall By the hand and power of Gods Spirit upon their souls and in them or the hands of flesh upon their heads of flesh without them They fast and pray for them but is it therefore certain that God doth hear and grant that particular thing What is their principle The Spirit and living power of God Of the naturall and carnall Spirits of men What is their knowledge Of Faith or of reason meerly humane Is it of the Type or Truth Letter or Spirit Forme or Power have they received it by Revelation or Tradition And what is the end of most of them Is it not
intreat you to take a word of advice from me for I assure you I have taken advise from you and I hope shall againe though you looke upon me as onely worthy to be your servant or scholler and not your teacher yet I pray you minde what Job saith He will not despise the counsell of his Servant And if you will indeed heare with your eares treasure up in your hearts and practise in your lives these ensuing things you shall soone grow in favour both with God and man Then there be foure things that you must lay aside and forsake and there be five things that you must immediately doe First Lay aside or leave of charging your hearers for breach of the Scotch Covenant untill you have repented of your owne breach of that Covenant for how can you preach thou shalt not steale and steale your selves How can you boldly reprove another for sin when you your selves are guilty of the same How can you pull out thâ— moat that is in your brothers eye untill you have pulled out thâ— beam that is in your own eye I will appeal to your very Conscience then whether you be not breakers of covenant in the highest nature For saith the Covenant You must bring to condigne punishment all delinquents and you have often declared in the faces of your Congregations besides in your private discourses that the King was a delinquent in the highest nature and yet almost all of you were against the bringing him to condigne punishment Shall not many of the Army which never took the Covenant and yet had their hands in bringing malignants to punishment rise up in judgement against you which took a covenant to doe it and yet above all men were against it If this be not breach of Covenant I do not know what is a breach Again you covenanted to endeavour in your places the reformation of Religion according to the scriptures but if you examine your Church-discipline by those rules there held forth and you shall see you have broken the Covenant in this also And more I could shew you but a word to the wise is enough O my dear friends doe not you be like the Tribe of Levi in the dayes of Isaiah Isa 28 7. They erre in vision they stumble in judgement I say do not you be like them in their sin least the Lord make you like them in their punishment and so speak to his people as Isa 28.11 With a stammering lip and another tongue will he speak to his people and you that a little before were cryed up of many as the onely Ministers of the Gospel now are made like to those prophesied of Micah 6 7. Therefore night shall be unto you that yee shall not have a vision and it shall be dark unto you that yee shall not divine and the Sun shall go over the Prophets and the day shall be dark over them Then shall the Seers be ashamed and the Diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their faces for there is no answer of God 2. Lay a side or leave off that cold lukewarm letter-preaching which seems to be onely in the notion received from tradition having a form but not the power Remember how it was with Paul he compared spirituall things with spirituall and most of you for I speak not of all compare letter with letter and so come up with a voice of words so cold that some of your hearers begin to sleep and others to withdraw from your Congregations Those that doe indeed attend to what you speak are profitted very little by it O come then in the fulnesse of the Gospel of Christ and as you have received the gift not studied so administer the same See what Paul saith Rom. 15. v. 8. I will not dare to speak of those things which Christ hath not wrought in mee to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Again 2 Cor. 10.15 16. Wee will not saith the Apostle boast of things without our measure that is of other mens labours Wee will preach the Gospel and not boast in another mans line of things made ready to our hands Let me then appeal to your consciences whether this be your practice Again Why do you tye your selves to preach onely so long and not sometimes longer or shorter did ever the Prophets or Apostles doe so Why do you tye your selves to speak onely from one text in one Sermon did ever the Prophets and Apostles tie themselves constantly as you do your selves to this But think not that I write against preaching an houre or speaking from or to a particular text for I am not against it but onely this your making ties where God doth not tie you and cry up forms more then the power of godlinesse 3. Leave off the Idolizing of humane learning and use it onely in its place then you will look upon it as convenient but not of absolute necessitie it will inable you with expressions but not with spirituall interpretations Never think that you know more of the minde of Christ than others because you know more of of the tongues than they Alas take all the learning arts parts in the whole world and give them together into one man yet this man by all his parts wit and arts in Logick tongues and phylosophie is unable to give a true spiritual sence of one of the easiest and plainest scriptures The spirituall mysterie is so high he cannot reach it so deep that he cannot fathom it so long he cannot measure it and so broad that he cannot comprehend it Hence it is that many in our daies are great schollers in humanitie and meer ignorants is divinitie Was not Paul a great scholler as he testifieth of himself and yet ignorant of Christ knowing nothing of the spirituall sence of scriptures O you schollers have you been so long at Oxford and Cambridge the two eyes of our land and can you not see without Spectacles have you been at the fountain and must the streams teach you Doe you not know that there is a spirituall learning as well as a humane If you do know it why do you give a false interpretation of most scriptures taking them in the litterall when they are to be understood in the spirituall sence To instance in one for all 2 Pet. 3.16 There are somethings hard to be understood which they that are unlearned wrest as they doe also other scriptures to their own destruction Now the question is of those things in Pauls Epistles which Peter here speaks of as hard to be understood and which the ignorant did wrest the question is What is meant here by unlearned Doth hee mean unlearned in humane or unlearned in spirituall things Answ Mee thinks the Apostle in the same verse resolves the scruple 1. For first it is said Paul wrote these things according to the wisdome given unto him which is not meant wisdome of the world for God doth accompt that but foolishnesse saith the scripture
take you aside and teach you the way of God more perfectly c. A Word to those that hold Free-Will and General-Redemption MY Friends some things I have observed from you by my being among you which I desire to learn of you and for which I commend you I have seen you bearing one anothers burthens relieving one anothers necessities according to your abilities often visiting one another with many outward expressions of that inward love which you bear one to another these things ought to be done and there are other things which you ought not to leave undone as also to love those that are not under your form These Principles also do you hold First That Jesus Christ gave himself a ransome for all and you prove it by Scriptures 1 Tim. 2. v. 6. 1 John 29. 1 John 2. v. 2. 2 Cor. 1.15 Secondly That remission of Sins ought to be preached to every creature which proves the first that Christ gave himself a ransom for all and therefore remission of sins must be preacht to all and that you prove by these and the like Scriptures Luke 24.47 Mark 16.15 Luke 10.5 Isa 45.22 Thirdly That every one is to believe the forgivenesse of his sins for if Christ died for all and the Gospel ought to believe and that all are called upon to believe you bring these and the like Scriptures John 1.7 John 17.21 Now if your principles drawn from these or the like Scriptures be according to the spirituall sence of them you doe well So much for the things worthy of commendation in you But my friends there are many faults among you for which I have at present a few things against you The first is your abuse of Scriptures first in taking them in a literall sence secondly looking into and speaking of onely those scriptures that seemingly in the letter doe confirm your principles Whereas if you rightly understood them you would finde the sence of one scripture to stand with the sence of another As to instance a little in the forenamed things First you say That Jesus Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all and remission of sins is to be preached to all Now compare those scriptures with Rom. 8.30 where he speakes of particular not of generall predestination So when he speakes of election to the Ephesians he points at a particular not at a generall election And when Christ prayes John 17. hee prayes not for the world but onely for those whom the Lord had given him out of the world And Joh. 6.44 There can none come to him but whom the father draweth Read and well consider that one Scripture which all of you are not able to answer Acts 13.48 And as many as were ordayned to eternall life believed I know what false glosse you put upon this text through your ignorance you say the originall saith thus As many as believed were ordayned to eternall life And with this false sence you deceived me for a few dayes but when I searched the originall I found you lyars for that word is truly translated and I have spoken with many poore soules that you have deluded with these and the like things You say election depends upon qualifications and bring these or the like Scriptures The Lord chooseth to himselfe the man that is righteous never minding that other text which saith there is none righteous no not one So then if he chooseth none but the righteous and there are no righteous not one then he chooseth none Oh you simple ones how long will you love simplicity Scorners delight in scorning and Fooles hate knowledge If this text doth speak to any such in England this day It speaks to and concerns you chiefly Did you never reade with understanding that text which saith that wee and all the Nations of the World are in the hands or God as clay in the hands of the potter who maketh one vessell to honour another to dishonour as he pleaseth And if there bee any man so impudent to say as I have heard some of you say that then God is partiall See how Paul checks such Rom. 9.19.20 Oh man who are thou that replyest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus If thou wilt know a reason why the Lord doth elect some to life and to passe by others he is pleased to give thee no other accompt than this Exod. 33.19 I will be gratious to whom I will be gratious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy and whom he will he hardeneth If thou wilt also know a reason why he will cast some into the pit of destruction and give to others life everlasting I answer God hath no rule to act by but his owne will so that for him to doe what he willeth is just and it is just for no other reason nor upon any other ground but this viz. because it is his will to doe it and this is the justnes of mans actions to doe what God hath commanded or declared that he will have man to doe Now I say this is the reason why he will cast some to destruction viz. to magnifie his justice or perform his will determined upon such as doe transgresse the law given them and for this cause is such destruction just because it is that which the eternall will or decree hath appointed to follow upon transgression And after the very same sort doth he exalt the attribute of his mercy in the salvation of others Reade the 9. of the Romans and thou wilt finde most of that chapter spent in disputing this very thing Another grosse error that you hold contrary to the scripture is this That the soule is mortall as well as the body Againe you hold and teach That if God commanded the Gospel to be preached to all and Christ dyed onely for some then God commands a lye to be preached to the most part of men and that is blasphemy to say that God commands a lye to be preached Againe You ground your owne particular faith upon that generall redemption and if your ground be false your faith must needes be so for no good fruit proceeds from a corrupt tree and wherein doth such faith exceede that of the Devils that beleive and tremble You say there is a power in every man to doe whatsoever is commanded a power to choose and a power to refuse you cite that of Joshuah and the like scriptures Behold I have set before you this day life and death choose you whether c. Ergo say you the people have power to choose and to refuse You say also that upon your doing or not doing depends your eternall blessing or everlasting cursing and yet unlesse it be in some few things which I have fore-spoken in your commendation you are the most unfruitfull people that ever I came amongst except our new upstart wantons or new Notionists to whom I shall speake next You spend the most of your
formes neither Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Free-willers nor those up-start men of vanitie and emptie notions last mentioned I say They walk not nor keep company with any of these but a distance And these are of two sorts The first is a precious sweet moderate sort of men and women looking after and enquiring into the power and glory of truth and godlinesse more than the forme They clearly see all those to whom I have spoken before to be in extreams either towards the right hand or towards the left and for the most part knowing Christ after the flesh yet this sort not under forms look on those that are under forms for many of them to be as indeed they are members of the same bodie whereof Christ is the head These men desire to know no man after the flesh they love not any man because he is a Presbyterian neither do they hate another because he is an Independent They desire to have their moderation known unto all men seeing the Lord is at hand As these mens hearts are tender to all so their Purses are open to all They desire to be good more than to be thought of others to be so and esteem the power of godlinesse more than the form But secondly there are another company and these are the greatest part that are under none of the aforesaid forms who look upon all the rest and count it strange that they run not with them to the same excesse of ryot speaking evill of them all The greatest piece of these mens Religon is to watch for the haltings of the rest These men and women spend their time for the most part in gaming drinking back-biting railing at all others that will not doe as they doe These will not joyn themselves with the Presbyterians because they will not love them They will not come among the Independents because there they shall meet with reproof they esteem their liberty more than their Religion therefore they keep company with those where they may have their liberty A few Words by way of Prophesie of the downfall of Presbyterie Independence Anabaptisme Antinominisme Free-Willers Vain-Notionists and all other Sects now extant in England A word in generall to all the Saints who are under any of the aforesaid Forms OH all you servants of the most high and mighty God heires of Promise and Sons of Sion look for great alterations and mighty changes see what desolations God will make in the earth and looke for nothing but the Lord to be revealed from Heaven which will be mighty in his dispensation and exceeding glorious in revelation strong and powerfull in operation He will bring to passe his determination that is he will destroy in this Mountaine the face of this covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations Isa 25.7 If you aske what this vaile is that shall be taken away I answer There are many vailes whereof this is one thy knowing of Christ and Christians after the flesh As soone as ever the Lord tooke this vaile of our deare brother Pauls eyes see what a change it wrought immediately upon him 2 Cor. 5.16 Henceforth know Ino man after the flesh yea though I have knowne Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more Our looking upon men and loving them because they are under this or that forme is a knowing them after the flesh Presbyterians looke upon others of the same judgement worshiping God in the same forme and therefore love them But let these speake never so little against their forme and presently they cast them out of their affections and also the Independents they know men after the flesh much after the same manner And likewise the Anabaptists and Free-willers they are vailed with the same vaile And therefore what I say to one Sect I say to you all you shall speedily receive a totall rout You have gathered your selves together but you shall be seattered yea you shall be broken in peices Lo here is Christ the Presbyterian saith in the publique ordinances therefore highly esteeme the publique preaching and frequent the publique assemblies Then comes in the Independent and taking a strict view of the Presbyteriall Way sees many disorders amongst them and so seperates himselfe from them and joynes himselfe to those oâ— his owne judgement and so meet in private saying in effect Lo here is Christ Lo here is Christ Then stands up the Anabaptist in opposition to both and saith Christ is not with you in publique nor with the Independent in private But Christ is with us in the baptisme of John Lo lo here is Christ Then comes in he that holds generall redemption and free-will and saith Christ is among none of you all for you doe eclipse his free-grace and limit his unlimited mercie for he dyed for all but you say it was but for some 2. The Gospel is to be preached to all but yon say though he preached it to all yet he intended it only to some 3. Whereas we hold that all should beleeve the remission of their sins you say none can beleeve but a few that are elected But we hold that as in the first Adam all dyed so in the second Adam all are made alive So that if any perish let him thanke himselfe for upon his obedience or disobedience depends his weale or woe and so God doth neither elect one nor reprobate another before he hath done good or evill Lo here is Christ here is Christ say the Free-willers And so all other Sects Lo here is Christ saith one Lo there is Christ saith another wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the Desart Goe not forth Behold he is in the secret Chambers Beleeve it not You all have built your outward house of externall discipline upon the sand and it must fall because it is not grounded upon the rock Christ you have made your communion the ground of your union and that must fall because it is not the Lords but mans building Quest But how doe you know that Presbytery must downe and Independency Anabaptisme and the rest of the Sects must downe Answ I answer Christ told the Jewes John 8.56 that Abraham saw his day and was glade Now if Abraham by faith did see the day of Christ comming in the flesh many yeares before he came why may not I and others see the day of christ comming in the Spirit to destroy all fleshly formes some few yeares before it be finished But if thou askest How shall I know that thou prophesiest true concerning the downfall of all these I answer thee in this case as the Lord himselfe answered his people in another case Deut. 18.21.22 If thou shalt say in thine heart How shall we know the word that the Lord hath spoken from the word that he hath not spoken The Lord there answereth When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing come to passe it is
sandy foundations I shall then shut up all with one word of advice to all Oh ye sons of Sion Behold your union with God consider also that yee are one not with some onely but with all the Saints under whatsoever forme they be Wherefore love them all pitty them all doe good to them all and as you are united in one spirit so let the the word and spirit be your rule When you have gathered your selves together according to the order of the Gospell choose to your selves Pastors and Teachers Elders and Deacons make use of all Gods ordinances but rest upon none looke upon them all but as Pipes and Organs through which he conveyes himselfe to the soule c. Quest But me thinkes I heare some say What religion or at least opinion is he himselfe off that hath written this Treatise He can be no Presbyterian for he writes against them He is no Independent for he reproves them No Anabaptist for he dislikes them No Free-willer for he writes directly against them What then is he Answ I answer I am a Christian You will say So are all the people of England Christians But that I deny For though there are many Christians of mans making yet there are few yea very few of Gods making But you will say What are they then if not Christians I answer There are many Heathens and Turkes Jews and Infidels many Canaanites and Amorites Perrizzites c. But I am a Christian This name was given first to the disciples in Antioch I beleeve in one God Father of all and in one Lord Jesus Christ redeemer of all and in one sanctifying Spirit of Grace I beleeve that it is the office of the Father to elect the office of the Sonne to redeeme and the office of the Holy Ghost to Sanctifie those and onely those whom the Father hath elected and the Sonne redeemed And I doe beleeve my owne interest in all these without which the knowledge of it is nothing the Father loves me freely the Son manifests that love to me and the Spirit doth evidence it in me The Father loveth me as redeemed by his Sonne The Son lookes upon me and loves me as being given by the Father for him too redeeme And the Holy Ghost seeing the love of the Father in choosing me and the love of the Sonne in redeeming me he also sets his love upon me and manifests this unto me which is the earnest of my inheritance I beleeve that God hath his being in himselfe and gives being to all other creatures and the cause why he made mee was for his owne glory and the end why he elected me in Christ was that I should bring forth fruit to him I know I am not my own I am bought with a price wherfore I desire to glorifie God with my body and my soule which are the Lords I endeavour as to love God so also to love his people not some but all and to love my enemies desiring to become all things to all that I might in my place gaine 〈◊〉 I doe belâ—â—ve that I 〈◊〉 to give no just offence to the Jew nor the Gentile 〈◊〉 the Church of Christ wherfore as much as in me lieth I endeavour to keepe a conscience voide of offence both towards God and towards man I love all and yet I desire to withdraw my selfe from every brother that walketh disorderly I doe beleive that I am a Servant of Christ I doe beleeve I am a Friend of Christ John 15.15 I doe beleeve that I am a Brother of the Lord Christ Heb 2.11 I doe beleeve that I am in as neare relation to Christ as the wife is to the husband Rev. 1.9 I doe beleeve that I am a Member of his owne body 1 Cor. 12. verse 12. I do beleeve that I am a Joynt-heire with Christ Rom. 8.17 I doe beleeve that I am joyned to the Lord and so one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 I doe beleeve that the Lord takes all the evill done to me as done to himself Zac. 2.8 Mat. 25.45 I doe beleeve that I have everlasting life already according to that John 3.36 1. In the promise feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome 2. In the first fruites for what is heaven hereafter but a more full enjoyment of what is begun here 3. I have everlasting life already in possession by my head Christ I doe beleeve that all this is but a taste of what I shall be according to that 1 John 3.1 2. Now are yee the sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what you shall be But when he shall appeare yee shall be like him The serious consideration of which I doubt not will draw up my conversation more and more to be in heaven even whil'st I remaine here on earth I doe beelve that my sinnes by Christ are taken out of the sight of God I doe beleeve that the designe of Christ was to take it away out of my Conscience that there might be no more conscience of sinne Heb. 9.14 I doe beleeve that as Christ hath taken away sinne out of the sight of God and out of my owne Conscience so in due time he will take away sin out of my conversation according to that scripture 1 Pet. 1.15 and Luke 1.75 In a word I doe beleeve my sinnes past present and to come are all laid upon and done away by Christ Isa 53.6 I doe beleve that as there was no good fore-seene in me that did cause the Lord to set his love upon me so there is no evill that can be done by me that can cause him to hate me A Word to the Parliament the Representative body of the Kingdome I Cannot put a period to this little Volume without one word to you who are Members of the High Court of Parliament Honoured Worthies you have begun well go on that we may finde in England that that was so earnestly sought for in Jerusalem Jer 5.1 Men executing judgement and speaking the truth And then why may we not expect to be partakers of the mercy there promised a pardoning of the sin and a healing of the Land Eye the Lord Jesus in all your actings and advance his Kingdome as much as in you lyeth honour him and hee will honour you and endeavour with David to deliver his Lambs out of the Lyons mouths for they are tender in your Fathers eyes let them be so in yours Your undaunted courage in not fearing the faces of men and your executing of justice upon all offenders without respect of Persons or partiality as it is very acceptable in the sight of God so the sound of it is very sweet in the ears of his People And as the Saints in England have put up many Petitions at the Throne of Grace that God would give you undaunted Spirits and having by experience found God answering their request by your late actings as touching the King and Lords they are now