freeing not onely the spirits of the Saints from thraldome in a first fruits but their bodies also from death and corruption which is called the redemption of our bodies Rom 8.23 When every eye shall see him c. Rev. 1.7 When all that are in their graves shall come forth some to the resurrection of life others to the resurrection of condemnation c. Joh. 5.29 When all the Saints together shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and be for ever with him 1 Thes 4.16,17 Now as these men deny this his glorious personal coming turning all so well as their wits will serve them and their Father help them into an Allegory so in these two things they grossly err 1. In thinking that persons to whom Christ hath come by his Spirit and whom he hath raised and quickned up to a lively hope as in the first sense are thereby above Ordinances and not bound to attend them for indeed then are they fittest to use them and will be most profitable or profited in attending on God in them Besides we finde the Apostles and other Primitive Believers of another way and judgement when the Spirit was poured upon Cornelins and his houshold that exempted them not from the outward Baptism Acts 10.48 nor were the Apostles themselves exempted from solemn prayers and fasting breaking of bread Preaching the VVord c. even after the holy Ghost was poured upon them and Christ by his Spirit dwelt with them as is plain in Acts 4.24,31 and 6.4,6 and 13.1,3 and 14.23 yea Wo to me saith Paul even after the holy Ghost was shed abundantly upon him Tit. 3 6. if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 and the Bread saith he that we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ and the Cup that we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 yea in 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptized saith he by or in one spirit into one body and have been made to drink into one Spirit and Chap. 6.11 they were washed justified sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God but what were they all above Ordinances therefore no matter for observing them No such matter but they are yet ordered about their eating the Lords Supper yea and such as whose election in the sanctification of the Spirit is affirmed are exhorted by the Apostles to Prayer to attend on Prophesying to stand fast hold the traditionâ— such as the Supper of the Lord is called 1 Cor. 11.25 received from them either by word or writing 2 Thes 2.13,14,15 Many other like passages thou mayst finde in the Apostles Writings which they writ to preserve the Churches from sin and error which may discover the falseness of that conception Yet 2. They err much worse in that confounding the coming of Christ in Spirit to the spirits 〈◊〉 men in particular with the great Day of the Lord when he shall come to the destruction of ungodly men and the utmost salvation of all that have believed on him the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men in this Day of which Christ spake to the Pharisees Luke 17.20,21 that it comes not with observation and that it is in men yea in the Pharisees working and tendring it self to their hearts though rejected by them but filling those that receive it with righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost with the glorious Kingdom of Christ which he â—s gone to receive and which shall be set up or made manifest in the world at his great coming when he shall judge the quick and dead 2 Tim. â— 1 of which he spake to his Disciples Luke 17.21,22,23 they apply to themselves as already â—…ne in and upon them those things that are proper to that great Day of his destroying the â—…eat hope and expectation of the Saints which 〈◊〉 that great and glorious appearing Tit. 2.13 denying and mocking at that his visible and glorious coming yea and where their principle 〈◊〉 somewhat throughly improved denying the Resurrection or Redemption of the body and â—…ying the Resurrection all thats to be hoped â—or or met with is here accomplished which we â—…all speak more fully to in the proper place and â—…casion Onely now I would have thee minde that they are strongly deluded herein and that they are of those that our Saviour there doth warn us of that say Lo here lo there see here in us and to us Christ is come and the day of the Lord is revealed with us or with such and such persons the Judgement is over the mystery is fulfilled the world is at an end and we are iâ— possession of our glory though others yet are not Believe them not saith our Saviour neither go after them for that coming of the Soâ— of man shall be as visible and evident in a moment as the lightning that shines from one enâ— of the heavens unto the other end thereof iâ— shall be open and manifest to all Luke 17.22 23. Every eye shall see him even those that havâ— pierced him and all the families of the eartâ— shall wail over him Rev. 1.7 As the bringing in and alteration of former dispensations or administrations of his Kingdom have been witnessed and evidenced by notorious Demonstrations oâ— Gods Authority and presence so shal this last alâ— teration be more visible and notorious then thâ— rest When God gave the Law of Moses he did iâ— in a solemn manner with the voyces of thunderings and lightnings the shaking of the earth c. by which he owned and confirmed it as of him and when he took away that administration and brought in his onely Son and the Ordinance of the Kingdom in its present external administration he owned and attested his altering the former and bringing this in by the gift of tongues and by many wonders and signs and divers powerful works and distributions of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2.3 And when the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken of by the mouth of his Prophets shall come and when he shall send his Son Jesus Christ again Acts 7.21,22 whom the heavens till then must contain to take an account of all men how they have submitted to him in the former administrations of his Truth and Grace amongst them and to render to every man according to his works shall that be hidden and done now to this man and then to that no man sees how without any poblike evidence to the world No no that shall be most powerfully and to the world with greatest solemnity declared so as none shall be thereof ignorant but all flesh shall see his salvation unto is people together and those that have rebelled shall be with wondrous terror delivered over to their eternal destruction The heavens shall be on a flame or the elements melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.7,10,12 even these heavens and elements and the host of them that
Son Jesus Christ Acts 14.15 as the fountain of and the proper way to that life and salvation See the sum of it in 1 Tim. 2.5,6 That there is one God and one mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus Who hath given himself a ransome for All as an evidence of Gods good will to All that he would have all men to be saved and to come to know the truth This ye are to hold forth unto men that there is a God to be adored worshipped submitted tâ— trusted in and served the author of our life and breath and all things the fountain of bliss and happiness and that this God is one in Essence mind purpose faithfulness and so that All other powers that the Heathens have fancied and adored are Idols vanities and confusion all things empty and too weak to save or satisfie besides him that eternal life and happiness consists in the true knowledge and enjoyment of him And yet this unity of the Godhead is so to be held forth that the Trinity therein also may be acknowledged otherwise men shall not rightly apprehend or worship him according to the Christian Faith and Doctrine Concerning which let me a little declare my mind to you though it may seem a Digression because mens errour hereabout I find to be often an inlet to many other evil false conceptions I know some make that Trinity or threefoldness in the Divine being but only a threefold denomination of the same personal subsistence and that there is no other distinction between Father Word and Spirit but only in that diversity of denomination which appears to be an evident falshood in this that by the same rule that God the Father Word and Spirit is called three because they are three denominations He might be called seven or ten or more there being many other denominations in the Scripture given to him as Jehovah Lord of Hosts Jah Elohim Ehjeh Eloah Adonaâ— the Almighty and divers others but yet he is not said to be so many as he hath denominations given him in any part of Scripture Besides different denominations of the same person or personal subsistence may be convertibly predicated of one another as where the same man is Father and Son Husband and Master and Magistrate in divers respects there it may be said the Master is the Father and the Father is Governour c. but so it cannot be said of these three the Father the Son and the holy Ghost The Scripture never says the Father is the Son or the Father is the holy Ghost or the holy Ghost is the Father or the Word or Son is the Father though God is a Spirit and Christ an everlasting Father in regard of us yet not the Father of the only begotten Son nor is the Father the Spirit sent by the Father and yet these three are but one and the same God A great mysterie it is I confess and such as passes expression fully to declare and open yet a truth it is that the Scriptures many ways attest both in the Prophetical and Apostolical writings Moses hints it in speaking of God plurally and yet joyning that plural word with a singular verb as when he says Elohim Bara the Gods or the Mighties he created Heaven and Earth c. And again Nahashu let us make man in our Image plurally and yet by and by he changes the phrase and speaks in the singular number God or the Mighties made man in his Image with which agrees divers other phrases as that in Psal 149.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Israel rejoyce in his makers and that in Eccles 12.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember thy Creators in the days of thy youth and the like in Job 35.10 and yet more fully in 2 Sam. 7.23 what one people in the earth is like to thy people Israel whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbatim The Gods went to redeem to himself The words that we translate God and went being both of the plural number and yet the prâ—noun relative that is added is singular to himself not to themselves The two former words plainly intimating the plurality in way of subsistence and the singular pronoun the unity in Essence which also is held forth in Gods appearing unto Abraham in which he appeared as three men and Abraham sometimes speaks to him as one and sometime in the plural number as to more Gen. 18. Whence some Hebrew Doctors have also written thus upon the word Elohim which is usually translated God See Ainsw in Gen. 1. Come and see the mysterie of the word Elohim there are three degrees and every degree by it self alone and yet notwithstanding they are all one and joyned together in one and are not divided one from another These places with divers others as to instance one more that in Deut. 6.5 Hear O Israel the Lord thy Almighties is one Lord intimate a plurality in unity but other places express that plurality to be a Trinity or threefoldness in unity as that in Psalm 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host thereof by the breath of his mouth or by the Spirit of his mouth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both So that there we have mentioned the Lord Jehovah his Word and Spirit as the like we may see also in Isa 42.1,2 Behold my servant whom I uphold which is spoken of the word made Flesh Jesus Christ Mat. 12. who though he was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with him yet emptyed himself and came in the form of a servant Phil. 2.6,7 c. Mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have pat my spirit upon him c. there is the Father held forth under that word I my he whose servant Christ became and whose elected and delightful Son he is and there 's the Son as before was noted and the Spirit of the Father put upon him The like expressions of the Trinity sce again Isa 11.1,2 and 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me there is the Lord Jehovah the Father and Me that is the Word as incarnate and made flesh and the Spirit or holy Ghost put upon Christ which things are yet more clearly opened in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles as is to be seen in Mat. 3.17 where we have this Trinity distinctly named Christ baptized the holy Ghost descending upon him visibly in the appearance of a Dove and the Father speaking out of heaven and owning him for his beloved Son Here was more then a threefold denomination of one personal subsistence the Father and Son here are plainly distinguished for he says not of himself I am the beloved Son but of Christ this is my beloved Son c. In 2 John 3. he is distinguished plainly from him Grace and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father c. See the like in Col.
up his sanctified ones unto perfection but that however he and the Doctrine of him are meet to bring in souls to God at the first yet after men are once brought in they must look after some other more excellent thing even as the Israelites dusted in the Wilderness for flesh to bring them to perfection Thence the spirit of Anti-Christ which is the very spirit and inspiration of Satan is Charactarized and described by his denying Jesus to be the Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 and 4.2,3 makeing but a Type or Figure or Fancy of him or not by confessing him come in the flesh that is he magnifieth not or commendeth not to men but as much as in him lieth suppresseth slighteth speaks overly and makes nothing of the Abasement Humiliation Death Sufferings and Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and so the whole business of his coming in the flesh either more directly and openly or else more closely and by consequence whereas God and his Spirit takes the things of Christ and shews them to men leading them there to have their constant and continual feeeding incouragement to Hope and matter of Consolation And indeed did not Satan some way or other prevail with men either to keep them from Christ or to withdraw them when they have begun to look towards him he should nothing avail in all his attempts against them seeing life is so intailed upon him and put into him that he cannot miss it possibly that misses not of him But alas his design is accomplished in too many men though all are not in the same way deceived by him Some he so hoodwinks and keeps in darkness that they not seeing Christ the Righteousness of God freely given to them go about to establish to themselves a righteousness of their own and submit not to him trust not in his Grace but in their own works thinking that for the goodness thereof or as it were thereby Christ will save them Others he perswads to rest in a Notion and profession of the truths of Christ though they discern not nor imbrace not Christ himself and his Sacrifice in their hearts nor the love of God commended therein to them Others he more subtly snares with a conceit of faith the rise and spring whereof is not Jesus Christ and his Sacrifice and the love of God therein manifested to them while sinners ungodly and nothing better then others but some disposition frame work or some Word or Promise applyed to them by their own reasonings or brought to their minds in which yet the Lord Jesus was not discovered to or set before them But yet more subtly and speciously he plays the Serpent indeed when by pretending to bring them to a better condition then what they have by the faith of Jesus he secretly undermines them and draws them from him of which I desire we may especially beware because he often comes with great artifice and cunning He can suck poyson out of Hony and usher in some way of darkness with words of light as we have already seen wrest some Scripture-saying to turn the eye and heart from Jesus whom they all speak on He will come and tell men that the Death and Resurrection of Christ and so his Sacrifice and Mediation are things without men and what good will they do to the soul if lived and fed on Men must have Christ in them the hope of glory and so doth some times subtly draw men from what he propounds from the Scripture to them For that Christ must be in men the hope of glory is a very pretious truth the thing that above all other I would prefer thee to and wish thee to take heed of being beguiled of but Satan means not so less when he brings that saying For whereas Christ is indeed in the Believer that is in his heart knowledge confidence consideration affection c. for after that manner objects are said to be in the hearts of men as he was made flesh * See the truth of this in Rom. 8.32,33,34 and 1 Pet. 1.3 and offered up himself in Sacrifice for us and is in the vertues thereof at the right hand of God mediating in our behalf and authorized to save us c. the hope not the present possession or enjoymeâ—… of glory as this view consideration knowledâ—… and judgement of him is spirituous powerfâ—… beget and nourish in the soul a lively hope 〈◊〉 expectation of the glory possessed by him for and in him set before us Satan in his tempâ—…ons sometimes takes hold of that and such 〈◊〉 sayings to another purpose for makeing use mens unlearnedness or want of stability in tâ—… Apostles Doctrine he uncloths Christ of 〈◊〉 those considerations of his Death and Sacrifâ—… c. yea makes it his business to withdraw tâ—… soul from him as such a one and so indeed froâ— the true Christ to look for another thing a lighâ— frame power or operation in them not of Chriâ—… as crucified for them and fed on by them though as so considered and fed on he is in thâ— Believer the hope of glory according to thâ— Apostles aim and intention as is said before anâ— not as divested and unclothed of that consideration Nay which is worse Satan sometime prevails so far with men that having stolen thâ— true form of Christ from men and having perswaded them to let go him and their confidence in him as a fleshly Christ and fleshly confidence which they must sacrifice as once Abraham did his Isaac though not with his success for they scarce ever receive him again they part so fully from him and perswading them that Christ is nothing but a certain force power light or operation in the heart he himself cloths himself with the Name of Christ transforms himself into â—n Angel of light and insinuates himself with all the strength and efficacie of delusion into their hearts as the true Christ and his strong deceits and operations as the very inspirations and operations of God and Christ of far more excellency then what the Gospel holds forth as recorded in the Scriptures and so leads them on headlong to their ruine for then no marvel if they run into strange and monstrous conceptions and practises deny the Scriptures make themselves God or a part of him say they have no sin in them that there is no such thing as sin or devil or heaven or hell at least more then is now in men cast off all religious exercises and live like Heathens perswading others to the same things also with them If Satan once have got such credit with men as to be intertained for their Teacher in stead of Christ his Spirit into what principles or practises may not he lead them though it stand not with his policy to lead all that entertain him into such gross ways but to act some as if they were Angels or Messengers of Christ that so others might be the better drawn away after them and so thâ—y be but
Apostle further adds as useful for our direction herein in that sixth of the Ephesians viz. 6. Take unto you also the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God To the Law and to the Testament that that speaks not according to that word hath no morning light in it Isai 8.20 there 's no divine Truth in it That will discover and drive back all assailants The VVord of God that 's the immortal seed that the Believer is born of and this is he still to covet after that he may grow by it This David his in his heart that he might not sin against God and indeed that 's the best preservative from sin and direction in Righteousness when it s so hidden This is the Truth and discovers the true Righteousness of God is preached in and declares the Gospel is the Mother and Nurse of right Faith the word of Faith and of Salvation yea this is a Lanthorn to our feet and a light unto our paths In this the Spirit worketh and in the belief thereof preserveth the soul unto eternal life yea this is Spirit and Life as its full of divine and living operations unto Faith But what is this VVord of God I Answer in one sense Christ himself is the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word or Reason that was in the beginning with God and by which all things were made of God the essential Word or Word of power and Wisdom of God which also was made flesh and dwelt amongst us And it s no doubt but with this Word the Spirit fights as he doth glorifie and lift him up but that 's not done but by the Word in another sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the Word there in Ephes 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word spoken the declaration of the Mind and Truth of God that which God hath uttered by the mouth of Christ and of All his holy Prophets and Apostles this Word as it was originally from and by the Spirit so is that the Sword that he leads his to make use of and by which he driveth back the subtile and violent adversaries of our souls and defends us that believe and believingly make use of it in the Spirit Take to you selves then this Word of God this Sword of the Spirit believe it mind it meditate on it cleave to it bring all Motions Doctrines and Practises to the Light of it let it dwell richly in you in all wisdom it will teach and admonish you it will shew you the right way and how to behave your selves in every condition it will admonish you of the danger that is in by-wayes and in temptations so that it be I say hid in your hearts and dwell there so as that you know love believe understand and mind it in what it speaketh as it was in the heart of the Lord Jesus being so kept it will keep you instruct teach and guide you aright for his words do good to the upright-hearted Mic. 2.7 that believe and obey them in sincerity And indeed this as Cha. 3. Sect. 6. was before hinted is worthy to be minded that that 's the acceptable and right believing which purely and singly closeth with God and Christ not for or according to our sensible experiments and feelings so much as for and according to the Soveraign authority of God and his infallible and most pure sayings that believes the Word though it see not any probability as to Sense or Reason of the things there declared That Faith that 's built upon Sense as we have shewed alters and varies often according to the alterations in sense as we shewed in the Israelites who so long as some great work was in their eye and some satisfaction apprehended in their sense believed the VVord and sang his Praise but when those great things were withdrawn and danger and death surrounded them they distrusted murmured and rebelled the Word of God was of no account or force with them because it was not the bottom of their faith nor abode in them So fares it now also with many souls that receive the Word as the stony ground doth the Seed with joy for a time so long as there is no trial but all seems to go along with and demonstrate the thing that is spoken to and believed by them but when such sensible feelings or satisfactions to Reason fail and trials come then in a day of temptation they fall away they wither in a year of drought as it were not having moisture enough from the Word within to cause them to abide in a patient waiting upon God for his gratious returns to them the Gospel of Peace hath not prepared them for a long travel or trial because not heartily and throughly received and cleaved to by them in the love of it nor well digested in them therefore they have no patience but fall to murmuring repining and inordinate lusting after sensible feelings of comfort and God deferring them they either run back to the world again resolving to have its consolations rather then none or else if any Doctrine or Spirit under pretence of Gods come unto them and promise them feedom from such sad conditions and long waitings though it be from Satan and lead them quite from the faith of Jesus to some strong delusion they embrace and run after it to their own destruction preferring sensible feelings and flashes of joy and comfort and raptures c. though from false and failing delusions of Satan withdrawing them from the VVord before a patient hoping in a dark exercised condition in the VVord for its unspeakable and eternal consolations Surely from this sometimes souls are misled and given over to believe or rejoyce in a lye as if they were now at prefect freedom and as fully possessed of heaven as ever any shall be had attained the Resurrection already as much as any shall or can attain to yea were Godhead with God and made parts of his indivisible Essence Satan mounting them up aloft and causing them to speak great swelling words of vanity and shine as Comets to the admiration of others he transforming himself into an Angel of light and perswading them it is the true Light that they see and glory in though in the issue they go out in darkness and have the blackness of it reserved for them whereas on the other side where the Word of God is in the heart and the meditation thereon day and night and the hope in the Lord Jehovah there-through and according thereto it will preserve and perfect that man to the inheritance being the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes Acts 20.32 a pure infallible and sure Word that will not fail or deceive any Happy is he that though he see not or prove little or nothing in his own sense yet believeth according to what is said in that that will give comfort strength greenness growth fruitfulness and preserve the
soul in patience to everlasting happiness and the fruits that spring up in the soul from that are very good and acceptable Thus Abraham believed and saw not and his faith grounded on the Word was stedfast the sensible deadness of his own body and decay of natural strength nor the known and proved barrenness of Sarahs womb caused him not to stagger but the Word wrought effectually in him to keep him in a patient waiting upon God for the accomplishment of the thing that was spoken and accordingly when he had patiently waited he received the Promise Heb 6.15 the first fruits or some particulars in it for he died in Faith not having received much of it Heb. 11.13 in a better way then Sarahs hasty counsel of turning in to Hagar could have brought about The Word of God the Gospel of the Kingdom being received in a good single honest heart brings forth fruit with patience perswades the heart to waite upon God in his way keeps it from carefulness in a year of drought when sense is not satisfied by more flowing feelings of consolation from the pourings out of Spirit but as faith comforteth in looking to the Word and yet it leads the heart to long and thirst after those flowing consolations promised in the Word in the way of the VVord the desires after which and rejoycing in the injoyments of which I would not be mistook as if I dasht against them or at all faulted It were better for me that my right hand should be withered then write a word to take the heart off from pressing after them in the way of believing but onely from the botoming our faith upon the sensible feelings of them and not upon the VVord that leads to wait for them in Gods way and firms the soul against hast-making and against the ready listening to other doctrines promising greater liberty and freedom or otherwise then the VVord of God declares to us or can there be found for our instruction Take you therefore heed beloved to the VVord of God to believe what he hath said by the mouth of all his holy Apostles and Prophets meditate ye in his Law night and day and try the doctrines yea and the Spirits too that come unto you by their consonancy with those divine sayings and count accursed what swerveth or leadeth you therefrom from or besides the Gospel Gal. 1.8.9 I mean as declared therein so shall you be able to quit your selves as men defending your selves against and driving back from you Satan and his instruments in their Temptations Sect. 4. Of the Scriptures I Know some will grant all this and yet undermine all again by this saying Ay but what is this VVord of God and where to be found Is not Christ the VVord and what he says in and by his and so he being in us speakes to us and what we say he says by us and it s his Word and to be heeded by men And thus even those that come to deceive will put that title upon their own conceptions and sayings and so catch and cheat men For avoiding which snare we are to Know further That as Christ is the VVord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so of him properly and as in his own person merely considered the Apostle here speaks not but of that that declares and unfolds him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is indeed that that God hath spoken by the mouth of his Servants which that none might cheat us he hath ordered and caused to be also written and recorded so much as his wisdom hath seen meet and sufficient for our helpfulness in the holy Scriptures which ceaseth not to be his VVord because written down but becomes of greater usefulness to us for whose sakes they were so written though the letters and syllables as written are but humane instruments of makeing over what was by God spoken yet those divine verities the Oracles of God by and in those mediums made over and recorded are in themselves spiritual and full of divine operations abstractedly taken from the visible Characters or outward sound which are only mediums of conveying them unto men By these then heeded and minded shall you see what is Truth viz. that that agreeth with and is contained in these divine Revelations as also what is the righteousness to be put on and walked in what the Gospel of Peace and its preparation for that Gospel is there recorded as in 1 Cor. 15.3 That Christ died for our sins was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and the publishing of repentance and remission of sins in his Name amongst all Nations c. Luke 24.47 that also is the right and lasting faith that is grounded upon Christ and God in him according to the Scripture declaration of him to that the Promise is made as in Joh. 7.37,38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters as also therein witness is born to the salvation to be hoped for By this VVord of God so written and recorded did Jesus Christ himself in the days of his flesh and of his temptations beat back Satan saying It is written thus and thus shewing us that while we cleave in faith and obedience to that that 's written in the Scriptures of Truth we shall not be overcome of Satan Beware ye then of those that impugn the authority of them and by crafty jugling insinuations indeavour to draw you to a slight esteem of them and to take you off from giving heed to them and so to God and his VVord in them Know that they are the Scriptures of Truth a sure VVord yea more sure and safe for you to look to then any dreams visions or sights be they what they will that any shall suggest to you The Apostle Peter preferred them before his own Vision of the glory of Christ and his hearing of the lively Voyce that came from God to Christ for others faith in him 2 Pet. 1.16,19 And our Saviour instructs us that God would have us mind them and not wander in our desires after other things to bottom our faith on as miracles c. and tells us that they that will not believe them will not believe though one should arise from the dead and declare Doctrines to them Luke 16.31 They are the inspirations of God into his servants the Prophets Apostles whom for this cause Christ being ascended gave unto his Church with Evangelists Pastors and Teachers that we might not be as children tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine Ephes 4.11,12,13 but taking heed to their words the words of the Prophets and commandements of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3.2 we might be preserved from Satan and his Instruments that shall mock at the coming of Christ and other sound doctrines according to godliness and that we might grow up in the unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son
which do but manifest that while men have copied out these sacred writings they have sometimes either through heedlesness or through difficulty of right discerning or reading some word overslipt or altered some particles or words sometimes setting down some other of a like or neer signification agreeable to the sense and scope of the Text and sometimes perhaps something being noted in the margin by way of conference of like places in the several Evangelists some word or saying hath thence been afterward looked upon as pertaining to the Text and hath been by others inserted thereinto for so sometimes some word or sentence in some copies inserted in some History in Matthew or Mark more then other copies have is found in the same History in Luke or John by consent of all copies And this is clear that there is nothing of faith about which there are diversities of readings but what other places in which all copies agree will guide us to discern what is consonant to truth of them and which of them is corrupted and doth disagree nor any passage of weight in our received copies out of which our Bibles are translated which other places in which all copies agree will not confirm as in that most weighty place about which there are divers readings 1 Joh. 5.7 there are three that bear record in Heaven c. which some copies have not but most have the Scripture else where attests it to be according to truth for we have the same there in Joh. 1.1.33 clearly spoken of and all agreeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one as some read it and again in Mat. 29.19 with divers other places which there is no difference or variety of reading in Nay we find the Holy Ghost sometimes varying a word in the Scripture and while the same truth is held forth though with some variety of expression it s still divine truth and not for that variety in expression to be rejected as where Moses said Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and shalt serve him our Saviour repeats it against Satan thus thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve which being both the sense of that place and the scope of divers other Scriptures it was no untruth to say it was so written this objection then is only a frivolous rub put in the way not to be regarded these varieties of readings being found either in matters not essentiall to the faith or if in such yet then they are either so small that they no way alter the truth propounded or are in other places cleared and the right reading attested I know some object against the translating of them that we have them not in their proper language and there is great difference in translations and one Minister corrects one place and another another c. A sorry objection too for 1. we have them in their Originall languages though all understand them not there 2. That languages or words are signarerum the expressions of things and not the things themselves expressed and that the alteration of the sound or name of a thing in severall languages alters not the thing so differently named is clear and that interpretation is needfull in languages not understood to make them understandible is as evident and that there are certain Idioms and properties of speech in every language which are scarce so fully to be expressed in other languages as in their own is confest too by all that understand languages besides that there is variety of signification of some words in most especially the Hebrew and Greek languages which sometimes render sentences somewhat dubious as well in the Original as to the translators and sometime one translator takes a word in one signification sometimes in another which are not cases often obvious but that the scope of the place matter evidence what the use of the word there is though sometimes it doth not so clearly but that there may be diversity of conceptions about it yet this being usually in things less essential to the faith no divine truth essentiall to our beleeving in God and walking aright with him is thereby left uncertain only some instruction or relation of things for our learning and further helpfulness or consolation in the things otherwhere many times more clearly and without all doubt asserted is not so fully made out in some translations as in others which doth but shew an usefulness in giving diligence to understand and make out the properties of the Originall languages by men of learning not at all that we are to slight the divine truths made out to us by the good hand of God upon those who have done their endeavours herein by translating them for us especially seeing we have almost generally left to us in the margin of some editions the diversity of the significations in which such dubious places may be taken that we might consider them both and take either of them as God shall present instructions to us from them and yet the rather too seeing the great mysteries of God and Jesus Christ are in clear and undoubted expressions in all translations amongst us so unanimously represented as that nothing but sloth or unbelief or wickedness can be the hinderance of our attaining to so much of them as may lead us to and preserve us in the way of salvation But yet neither is this all there is yet another wile of Satan that prevails much with many viz. that the Scriptures have another meaning then what the words import a spirituall mystical or Allegorical sense which is the true sense and therefore they are not indeed to be rejected but studied yet not to stick to the literal expression but to find out the spiritual that is the allegorical sense and this comes most up to the old Serpent who did not at the first say God never said ye shall not eat but hath God indeed said or in saying said ye shall not eat c. as if he should say though them words ye heard yet do you think that was the meaning of them there was some other thing in that saying then you think of and not that which the words seem to import this is a very specious temptation and takes with many and the other forementioned are often made of use to usher in this In answering which this I shall say that 1. All Scripture in one sense hath a spirituall sense as by spirituall sense we mean the sense of the Spirit or that the Spirit holds forth but then that is most usually no other but what the words hold forth and express as there is one god one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all the sense of the Spirit in that is as is exprest in th◠words and so usually in other places 2. Many Scriptures are indeed parabolically and figuratively exprest and there the Spirit had a further aime then at what the letter of
the parable speaketh but usually in such places too the holy Ghost discovers himself to speak by way of parable or similitude as when it s said the Kingdom of heaven is like leaven and like mustard seed c. in which kinde of expressions the Letter tels us that the sayings are parabolicall spirituall things are spoken of and set forth under earthly similitudes of which sort also are the descriptions of God oftentimes under bodily notions as of hands feet wings c. and of Christ under the Metaphoricall terms of a door a vine a Shepherd c. which say in effect that what those things are in their several relations to the earthy things they pertain to that is Christ to his people and these also are easie enough to any easie understanding to be figurative and parabolicall yea 3. I deny not but there may often be an allusive use made of many Scriptures to illustrate other things by then what they properly and directly speak to which is indeed an Allegorical use as Paul make use of the History of Abrahams having two sons to represent the severall conditions of two sorts of people that claim acquaintance with God and that by those two Doctrines of Law and Gospel are begot to worship him and so many things that befell the people in the wilderness may be alluded to as resemblances and representations of what doth often befall men in their passage from the darkness of this world and Satan to the enjoyment of the eternall inheritance as Gods leading them with a cloud may instruct us into Gods guiding his people that follow him in the faith of Christ and his so protecting them by that faith that no spiritual temptation or outward persecution shal scorch or harm them and his leading them by a pillar of fire we may allude to in setting forth his giving light and hope unto his people in times of their darknesse and afflictions so we may allude to the story of Orpahs being perswaded to leave her mother in law Naomi Ruth 1. in setting forth the slightly cleaving of hypocrites unto Christ and to Ruths stedfast cleaving to her in setting forth the affection of sincere and honest-hearted beleevers unto Christ many such apt allusions there may be to things done and said in former times and recorded in the Scriptures even as Christ sets forth the way and usefulness of his exaltation by comparing it to the lifting up of the brazen Serpent in the wilderness and is set forth as our spiritual passeover with allusion to the typical of the Israelites but yet in these cases we are to minde that neither the Histories that we so allude to are fables and things composed only to that very purpose to set forth some such other spirituall things without any reality or truth in themselves as Historical narrations for that would be all one as to say there is no such creature as the sun nor other use of it but to be a representation of the Sun of righteousness in the things written and spoken of it because he in Scripture is set forth by it or such a weapon as a shield but only something is spoken of under such a name to set forth God and Christ unto us which would be evident falshoods Nor much less is that another fable shadow or feined figure that is illustrated and set forth by way of allusion to them as if the Passeover was a type of a type a figure of Christ which is nothing according to the History penned of him but a pretty devised representation of another thing sure that that hath a shadow hath in it self some substance that is pointed to and represented in that shadow It s one thing to set forth one by another in way of similitude or allusion in which also sobriety and understanding are to be used least we make similitudes where there is none or strain similitudes made by the Holy Ghost beyond what he maketh use of them or intendeth in them and the taking away the being of the things to which we allude and allowing them no other being but by way of representation as too many that so allude to the Creation of the world in the new creation that they evacuate the truth delivered concerning the first Creation and strain the similitude fondly playing in the curiosity and pride of their wits to the detriment and obscuring of the faith such wantonness we are to beware of but much more I say when not onely the shadow but the substance too is annihilated for 4. The Scripture in the Doctrine of Christ Jesus and all things needfull to be beleeved to salvation doth not only use similitudes to represent and set them forth but also is plain full and more evident so as that in some places or other the mysteries are declared in the very Scripture sayings as about the person and natures of Christ his incarnation growing up teaching working miracles dying rising ascending the end of all this the obligation that lies upon us to God thereby with the whole way of salvation what we are to do that we may live and what that life is that we shall have in so doing so far as can be made out to our apprehensions by word and Doctrine or is needfull so to be to make the expressions about which also to be but shadowes of other things when as the Scripture tels us they are the things that were foreshadowed out is horrible mistake and very dangerous what Christ spake in the dark he hath commanded the Apostles to speak in the light and to proclaim more openly to the world the mysteries and secrets that he more hiddenly propounded to them which they also did revealing the mystery of God and not yet hiding it in parabolical and shadowy words as is plain by what the Apostle Peter says 2 Peter 1.16 We have not followed cunningly devised fables when wee made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Now what is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fable but properly a hidden mystical kinde of speaking such as the heathen used in their mysteries and to represent some secret Doctrines yea sometimes the servants of God have used such speakings too as Jotham when he reproved the men of Shechem for chusing Abimelech King and Abimelech for his usurpation and Tyranny by telling them of the trees going to chuse a King Judg. 9. in which its evident that he meant not that ever there was such a thing as trees chusing a King or that the olive and vine could make such answers but in that parabolical and mysterious way of speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisely invented and devised he plainly taxed the folly of the people and Abimelechs wickedness and ambition and that was the only truth that he aimed at in his so speaking to them so Aesop a subtile deviser of parabolical speakings or fables when he would insinuate good counsels or reprove bad mens folly he tels many pretty
shadow and type of some spiritual thing in us which is the true Saviour indeed of us Nay he upon this ground teaches men peremptorily to deny that there was ever such a one as that Jesus and that he is to be believed in and though men believe not in him yet shall they not be damned whatever the Scripture seems to say to the contrary And so for the Resurrection of the body it leads to turn that into an Allegory and to say however the Scripture seems to speak of such a thing yet it but seems so for it s to be understood only of a resurrection of the Spirit out of a sad and dark condition into a state of light and gladness Nay the very Being of God and our walking towards him the instructions reproofs and precepts of Grace must at length be so looked upon too as but figurative for I have met with such as have not sticked rashly to affirm that no line in Scripture but hath its spiritual meaning distinct from what the letter speaks which is the way to deny the true God and his Worship yea to make nothing of corporal adultery fornication theft drunkenness and whatever evil the letter of Scripture reproveth so that this will lead a man to be like a wild horse in a fenceless Pasture to run whither Satan shall delude his fancy and stir up his lust to lead him Therefore beware my Brethren of this temptation and of those that shall intice you to fall thereinto by sleighting the open sense of Scriptures themselves and indeavoring to draw you from it too Take the Apostles directions Remember the words of the Prophets the Commandments of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3.2 so look for the Spirits opening the mind of God as to hold to the words which he hath declared himself in and think not that he will declare himself to thee in any such new form as to evacuate and make a fable of what he hath fore-declared God raised up and gave to his Church Prophets and Apostles as was noted above to declare his minde and leave his Doctrine so to the Church as that we might not be tossed too and fro with every winde of doctrine But how should their Dispensations of their Knowledge of Christ as left to us by them be usefull to keep us from such tossings if they have given an uncertain found and left their Writings like a Weather-Cock to be turned this way or that with every winde if they have given us hâ—dden expressions and left them at liberty to be interpreted by whatever other spirit can declare to us another mystery then what they seem therein to have delivered Dear souls let us take heed to what is written for our instruction If the touchstone given us be made uncertain what are we better in trying mettals if the Compass given us to say by fail or be uncertain how shall we steer aright by it to our desired Haven Suffer not we our selves then to be baffled out and spoiled by Satan and his instruments in this matter remember it was the written Word and in the sense that the words seem to hold forth withour wresting straining or allegorizing with which Christ opposed Satan in his temptations learn we to do so also if we will go on safely and not be cheated of the inheritance As for that objection of some as of T. C. that the Scriptures have come through the hands of Papists and therefore probably they may be corrupted it s a very weak one as concerning the Original Languages in which they were first written for neither have they only had the keeping of them but those of the Prophets and old Testament the Jews have also and both them and those of the New Testament the Witnesses against them and their evils have had in all Ages as also the Greek Churches not all subject to the Pope and his Faction and yet those Copies they have in nothing of weight if at all differ from the Copies in the Latine Churches nor is there any probability that the Roman Church hath corrupted them not only because they could not do it but others of other Churches yea so many as were faithful Witnesses against its errors within it self must needs detect her falshood and cry shame of her but also because then they would have corrupted them in those places which reprove and detect her own errors Verily if they ever dared to corrupt them they were very fools to leave untouched the places that make against their own errors yea and yet more if they would corrupt them to speak against their errors if ever they spake otherwise more conformably to them for there as they keep them in their original languages we find testimony born against all their errors as against the Lordly dominion assumed by the Pope against their adoration of Images Invocation of Saints and Angels Purgatory Justification by Works and what not so that the preservation of the Scriptures to witness against their corruptions is a notable argument of Gods care of them and that they are not corrupted by them for if they had corrupted them they would undoubtedly have done it in those things in which they make against them But no more to that Let none of those vain assaults of Satan prevail with you to let go the Sword of the Spirit the Record of God in the Scriptures with which ye should oppose him but the more he indeavours it the more fast hold it and the more closely cleave unto them mind we that of David Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Psal 119.140 and that ver 126 127. It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Commandments above gold yea above fine gold the more men slight the Scriptures the more mind we them and cleave we to them there can be no greater folly then for a man to throw away his weapon because his enemy desires to have it wrested away that he might the better harm him Sect. 6. A Caveat against their abuses of Scriptures by wresting them beside their meanings I Know its an ordinary objection against heeding the Scriptures that all Hereticks too will alledge Scriptures to maintain their Heresies which as its true in it self so is it rather an iâ—…gagement to mind the Scriptures more diligently and stick to them more closely then therefore to neglect them it being certain that no Scripture contains in it any error but men do err in their collections from it and that is certainly an error that contradicts the sayings of the Scripture So we find that when Satan himself the father of Heresies set upon Christ with Scripture It is written He shall give his Angels charge c. Christ did not thereupon betake him to some other weapons and let go the Scripture but by cleaving to it repell'd his temptation from the abuse of Scripture indeed here it becomes
us to have our senses more exercised that we may descry their deceits and discover their pervertings of the Scriptures of which thing also I desire you to be careful that they may not seem to beat you with your own weapons for even they that make no account of the Scriptures will catch at here and there a saying and wrest it against the truth delivered in Scripture so I have met with some to give thee some instances hereof and indeavour thy help herein who against that in 1 Tim. 2.6 that Christ gave himself a ransome for All have alledged that in Isai 51.10.11 That the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Sion with singing and thence argued that Christ gave not himself a ransome for All because all shall not do so insinuating a conclusion directly contradictory to the Apostles Doctrine now in such cases thou art to hold fast the Divine Testimony for truth and though thou art not able to detect the way of their sophistical arguing no more then the way of a Serpent upon a rock Prov. 30 19 yet thou art certainly to hold fast that its a fallacious way of reasoning that men use in such conclusions drawing as in which they set Scriptures together by the ears that are not cross to each other in their plain sayings as its evident there is no more opposition between those two Scriptures before mentioned then between these two God is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 and that The Nations of the saved shall walk in the light of the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.24 Or that Happy â—…t thou O Israel a people saved by the Lord or then is between these two All that are in their graves shall come forth some to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of condemnation Joh. 5.29 and that Luke 20.35 They that are accounted worthy to obtain the Resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they die any more but are equal to the Angels and are the children of God c. And such places are to be cleared to be both true by distinguishing betwixt the things spoken of in them for they speak not ad idem or to the same thing though they use the same kinde of word in either of them as for example That phrase The Redeemed of the Lord in Isai 51.11 is not so general as that in 1 Tim. 2 6. nor doth it reach to all that at any time or in any way are redeemed by him for he redeemed Israel out of Egypt and yet all thence redeemed or ransomed went not to Sion nor shall have everlasting joy and gladness for many of them were unbelievers The ransomed of the Lord in Isai 51. are the stock of Abraham and Sarah ver 2. that are gone into great bondage and shall be brought out again by the hand of the Lord awakned and putting forth its strength and power as in the dayes of old when he brought them out of Egypt it speaks of a redeeming by power and strong hand and a setting free from the yoke of oppression that lay upon them from men and it may be applied further to those that by the like putting forth of glorious power and spirit are brought out from under thraldom to corruption and Satan and from Antichristian slavery as in Rev. 14.1.4 That are redeemed from the earth freed by the efficacy of the Blood and Spirit of Christ in their consciences from earthly affections and from men that is from their tyrannizing over them or they being tied and bound up to men for something in them as men to admire serve and take up their faith and worship by the wills of them such shall go to Sion and sing the song of the Lamb too but that in 1 Tim. 2.6 where it s said Christ gave himself a ransom for all is spoken of as a thing done in Christ and not upon or in men a thing to be declared to men even to the Declaration of which to all Nations to the utmost of his power Paul was ordained that in hearing and believing the goodness of God in Christ so declared to them they might submit to God and Christ and receive that further opening of his Love and Truth to them in and by which he might set them free and in that fore mentioned way of power redeem them This speaks of a ransoming by price and bringing them into such a freedom from the sentence of condemnation fore-past upon all in Adam that Christ that notwithstanding may shew what favor he sees good to them afford his bounty patience and Gospel to them as he pleaseth to lead them to repentance and upon their turning further love them In like manner others deal with the precedent verse of 1 Tim. 2. viz. There is one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus for endeavouring to disprove that we are to look to God by Christ as a Mediator or that the Man Christ is Mediator of God and men they produce and oppose to it that in Gal. 3.20 That a Mediator is not of one but God is one therefore say they Christ is not a Mediator of God as is affirmed 1 Tim. 2.5 and if not of God then not of God and man as is there affirmed also But in the same manner as before art thou to defend thy self against this arguing also viz. hold fast the Divine testimony though thou knowest not how to answer them and know that they deal fallaciously with thee though thou canst not perhaps so plainly tell wherein the fallacy lies with which he would ensnare thee that they oppose as contradictory those things that are not so but very consistent for whereas the Apostle in the Galathians saith That a Mediator is not of one but God is one that is of one mind in both administrations of Law and Gospel and needs none to reconcile himself to himself in his giving of them That of the same Apostle in Timothy rather confirms it then denies it for there is a mediation propounded not of one alone as is the force of the Word One in Gal. 3. but of two distinct parties not as yet fully and compleatly reconciled to each other God and man in which the Man Christ Jesus is affirmed to be imployed as Meditor of them so that these two are both true in their very express sayings and neither of them contradicent to other Again Others to prove that Christ was never otherwise born crucified dead or raised then he is now dayly in the hearts of men and as he was ever from the beginning as also that there shall be no other Resurrection or coming of Christ then is now in and to men in their spirits and always hath been they bring that of Solomon Eccles 1.9 That which hath been that also shall be and what hath been done that shall be done and there is not any new thing under the Sun And that in Chap. 3. What
glorious appearance of him unto Paul as caused a bright shining visible to the standers by if he had had no other being or existence then in the hearts of men Acts 9.7 and 22.9 Such inferences then are meer abuses of Scripture not asserted in but contradictory to the Scriptures by keeping close to which as was before noted thou maist descry them to be vain as Christ holding close to the Scriptures detected Satans abuse of Scripture to him Beware I say then of their false Collections and strained inferences against the stream of the Scriptures and contrary to their plain sayings and their errings from the faith once delivered to the Saints as they are by the Scriptures made evident to be errings therefrom contend against but yet this their practise notwithstanding or their allegation of Hereticks in general abusing and diversly wresting them do not thou slight them but the more to minde them they being as the Apostle tells us sufficient to make the man of God perfect even fully able also to detect and reprove such abusive perversions of them yea and in and through faith in Christ to guide and keep thee and make thee useful to others also for salvation Sect. 7. Of Prayer ANd yet because they are the Sword of the Spirit a sword that cannot be weilded by every arm or to purpose by any but by and in the hand of the Spirit thou wilt need skill and strength from God rightly to use and weild them for though they are the glorious things of God and Christ uttered by the mouth of his servants the Apostles and Prophets that are contained therein yet as they are written so that writing is but a medium to make over those divine revelations by and the writing it self is not the thing that hath life in it but the things witnessed to and spoken of in them which things are not the object of the natural eye that looks upon the outward writing nor is the glory and certainty of those things discernable to the natural understanding unless the Understanding be opened though Truth in true expressions be presented to it yet it will not see them in the lustre beauty certainty glory heavenliness of them nor will it minde the love grace wisdom and glory of God therein shining and so the heart will not be rightly affected to them nor able to hold them fast so as nothing separate or withdraw it from them nor can or shal we so make use of them as not to be over-reached by Satan or have them in readiness when we should have most use of them uness they be put into us by the finger of God ingraven in our hearts and dwell in us being understood believed loved delighted in by us though the word therein declared be a spiritual Sword fit to fight the Lords battel with yet we have need of God to teach our hands to war and our fingers to fight with and to make it powerful and effectual against our spiritual enemies against whom we draw it Now the Lord hath promised to send his Spirit to the end to bring his Words to our remembrance to teach us lead us into all truth help our infimities c. And he is a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding a Spirit of Might and Power and of the fear of the Lord a spirit of Truth and Consolation in whose might and wisdom and not in our own if we encounter Satan and his messengers we shall overcome them but as he is in the hand of the Lord to send forth yea is his hand so hath he told us that he would be sought to by us to perform for us the things that he promiseth us and so for this his Spirit to give wisdom and understanding to us Thence we are to look to him also in prayer and supplications with thansgivings for what he gives us according to that Phil. 4.6,7 In nothing be careful or thoughtful as to say and reason with our selves how shall we finde out truth how shall we escape the wiles of Satan but in all things or cases make known your requests unto God by supplications and prayers with thanks givings and then the peace of God that passeth understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in safe custody 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the knowledge of Christ as if he should say if you thanking him for what he hath done for you call upon him for further grace and mercy then shall he give down or so mind you of the knowledge of his Son as shall safeguard the heart in peace and quietness and this too agrees with that in Prov. 2.3 If thou callest for wisdom and liftest up thy voyce for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God for the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth proceeds knowledge and understanding which ver 10 11. if it enter into the heart and become pleasant to the soul will preserve thee from the evil man that speaks perverse things and from the woman or spirit of error that flatters with her lips Seeing this so pretious wisdom comes from God it is but meet and requisite that we go for it to God that we desire and pray to him for it and that without ceasing our desire and suit till he do give it to us yea and hath brought us by it to the haven of rest and set us past all further difficulties trials and temptations in which we cannot but need wisdom to direct and guide us which saith the Apostle James also Chap. 1.5 if any man want let him ask it of God who giveth liberally to all and upbraideth not that 's far the better course then to lean to our own understanding and take the thoughts and dictates of our own hearts for sure guides in which Satan oftentimes may come in and deceive us It is true that God doth often prevent us with his goodness and is found of them that seek him not yea that also is necessary to our seeking him for if he did not first give to us a knowledge of our wants and of his goodness how should we call upon him but it s as true that he having so prevented us and freely made known himself to us he expects this fruit again from us that we be thankful to him and follow on to know him seeking for further help and mercy of him So he could have given us blessing spirit knowledge c. immediatly into our selves but having found us unfaithful in Adam and to have plaid the Prodigals he hath in his wisdom chosen rather to depositate them in Jesus Christ willing us to repair to him to God by him for them to be given us out according to our needs which he also hath promised we shall receive so coming to him but if we turn our backs upon him and shall stoutly and proudly lift up our selves and
say Tush we are Lords we will come no more at thee Jer. 2.31 we need not call upon God for any thing for all things are ours and what profit is it if we pray to him as wicked men are noted to say Job 21.15 seeing God is engaged to us by his Promise or we shall have what is appointed for us If I say we shall thus reason however we may as others guilty of the like pride before us Mal. 3.16 be called happy by others yet surely God will resist us and we are in danger to be given up to Satan and to our own hearts till they have brought us to confusion The Apostle James plainly tels some that they received not because they asked not or because they asked amiss to consume it on their own lusts James 4.3 And our Saviour hath as plainly on the other side bid us ask that we may receive and our joy shall be full Joh. 15. Restrain not your prayers therefore my brethren but pour out your hearts before the Lord not listning to vain Philosophy and Speculations about Gods Will and Way nor prying into his Essence and things not seen so as to contemn and slight his Counsels and then think to defend your selves by saying our prayers cannot alter his Will and Decrees we shall neither have the more for praying nor the less if we pray not for he cannot be wrought upon by any thing in us for this is contrary to all piety and godliness The Prophet Isaiah hath otherwise instructed us that God hath not said to the house of Jacob seek my face in vain Isai 45.19 Do not thou justifie the counsel of the wicked but pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit in every season or opportunity and watch thereunto in all perseverance or strength or fervency and pray for all Saints and for me c. as the Apostle exhorts Ephes 6.18,19 Pray with all prayer and supplication for every favor and against every evil acknowledging your follies beseeching for forgiveness intreating for help in all prayer in private and in publike by your selves and with others praying in the Spirit not with the lips onely but with the heart and spirit also according to that I will pray in the Spirit and I will pray with understanding also 1 Cor. 14. It s not saying a prayer that will suffice or is regarded but the heart and spirit exercised in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving and that in Gods Spirit too or in the holy Ghost as in Jude 20. in his leadings power wisdom teaching as he shews you your wants or the wants of others and the goodness of God for supply fills you with faith confidence boldness earnestness for prayer 〈◊〉 indeed essentially an exercise of the heart 〈◊〉 and by the Grace and Spirit of God breathing after God and desiring and craving help or favour of him and this may be either with vocal words or without and yet with words usually either in the heart onely the heart speaking to God when no sound is heard as Hannah did 1 Sam. 1. or with the mouth also as David and Christ and the Saints of God in their several ages used most commonly to do It s true that God looks at the heart more then at the words in prayer but yet he regards those petitions that are poured out in the Spirit and in the name of Christ in a single heart that are vocally exprest and they are not to be heard or regarded that contemn praying with words and make a tush thereof though in the mean time they pretend that they pray alwayes in that they are content with what God doth to them or now and then wish this or that to be done to themselves or others I fear such under pretence of praying alwayes pray not at all or very seldom and are rather of those despisers of Ordinances in Mal. 3.14 that say It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances c. surely Christ taught his Disciples to utter words though he told them too that he would not have them vain in thinking to be heard for their much speaking yea verily not onely David Solomon Moses Samuel Daniel and all the antient Worthies uttered words solemnly in prayer unto God but the Lord Jesus Christ also at several seasons surely he needed not to have separated himself into a solitary place apart to pray Matth. 14.23 if to pray had been no other business then many make of it or if he had thought it needless to pray When he was to leave his Disciples he prayed with his voyce too and uttered many sweet and pretious words which are recorded Joh. 17. And so the Disciples after the Ascension of Christ continued together in an upper Chamber in prayer Acts 1. And after the Holy Ghost was poured upon them they were not of this Opinion of these proud spirits that think they need pray no more they have all already but they continued in prayer still and uttered words too therein Acts 2.42 and 4.24 and 6.4 We will give our selves say they continually to prayer c. So when Peter was in prison they were met to pray Acts 12. they could not pass away their time so jovially as some that pretend to know Christ as well or better in laughing and sporting carding and gaming c. but they spent their time when they met in prayer and God heard them too Yea Peter himself one of the prime pillars amongst them when he wa◠at the house of Simon the Tanner went up int◠an upper Chamber to pray and Paul when b◠was to part with the Church of Ephesus kneeled down and prayed with them Acts 20.36 to which also sometimes they added Fasting Surely then they that despise this Ordinance or that think they do it sufficiently by now and then perhaps an ejaculation of a desire despising to pray together solemnly as occasion is offered are scarcely led by the same spirit that led the Apostles and ancient Saints of God and they neglect one part of the spiritual armor provided for them and in that plat lay themselves open to Satans temptations yea sure they that are above Ordinances are also above this spiritual armor at least in some parts of it and when Satan hath got them thither he hath advantage enough against them for now he finds them naked and can as he lists captivate and wound them To be sure they pray not with all prayer and supplication but by the Prophets verdict of such they are proud and high-conceited speaking great swelling words of vanity and because they are sensual they judge of Gods Word and Ordinances according to sense counting Gods Ordinances low and foolish things preferring their own wisdom and ways before them Mal. 3.15 I wish there be not too great an increase of this proud and sensual generation and that it were not too common for people to count such happy
perish in the smoothness of their own Psal 81.10,11,12 2 Thes 2.10,11 The Serpent deceived Eve parling with him alone she listning to him and eating of the Tree before any mention made of advising with Adam and being her self deceived she became an instrument under pretence of her experience or knowledge of its goodness to lead Adam also into the transgression and verily the Apostle intimates that the forsaking the Assemblies of each other is the leading way to that wilful sinning that excludes from all further benefit of Christs Sacrifice and mediation and layes open to devouring judgement And Jude exhorting earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints against ungodly men that deny the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus after many Badges and Characters of them he gives this as the last vers 19. these are they that separate themselves sensual not having the Spirit these are withdrawers of themselves from the Gospel and its Ordinances and the Assemblies of faithful men and are sensual that is judge of Gods Wayes by sense and not by faith the spirit of which they want and so give not God the glory of his Wisdom and Truth they see no form or beauty in the Gospel in prayer in breaking bread in mutual helping and provoking one another what is in these things say they we have used them so and so long and we feel no good in them like those in Mal. 3.15 What profit is it that we have observed his Ordinances and walked mourfully before the Lord So stout are their words against the Lord though they will not see it but run from the simplicity of Gods appointments and so deprive themselves both of that preservation and growth in the faith that in patience continuance and holding fast their profession and confidence they should meet with and also of that future reward that God gives to those that fear his Name whose often speakings to one another he hearkens to and hears and sets down in his book of Remembrance according to that of Solomon Eccles 4 9. Two are better then one because they have a good reward for their labour and if they fall the one will lift up his fellow but wo to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to lift him Such a one is both more easily overturned and thrown down and being gone is the less recoverable Again If two lie together they may have heat but how can one be warm alone In Christian Communion and abiding together in the fellowship of the Gospel there is spiritual heat and fervor one whets up and provoketh another to love and good works of which the forsakeing of the Assembly depriveth a man yea if one prevail against him two shall withstand him One may watch over another in Christian Communion yea and a threefold cord is not easily broken where two or three are gathered together in the Name of Christ there he comes in and twists them faster in his Spirit so that unless by untwining them they are not easily broken Take we heed then to watch over one another and frequent Gods Ordinances together And indeed God hath appointed such Ordinances as will put us upon mutual walking together as exhorting one another joint prayers in the Name of Christ breaking of bread c. so that we must despise and kick against Gods Authority if we will not walk in the faith together yea he hath so measured out his Gifts and Grace amongst his Saints that none might say to other I have no need of thee and that we may not attain to comprehend the depth length heighth and breadth and know the love of God that passeth knowledge but in unity with all Saints Ephes 3.17,18 Despise not Prophesying then nor forsake not the assemblies of your selves but build up your selves in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost walking in and provoking one another to love and good works firmly believing his Promise of blessing who hath said In every place where I record my Name I will come to thee and I will bless thee Exod. 20.24 And again Blessed is he that heareth my words and watcheth daily at the posts of my gates for he that findeth me findeth life c. Prov. 8.33 And where brethren dwell together in unity there God commandeth his blessing even life for evermore Psal 133.1.4 Sect. 9. That the Ordinances of Christ are yet in force and none ought to slight or exempt themselves from subjection to them BUT forasmuch as here thou art in danger to be incountred with many specious words tending to withdraw thee from the fellowship of the Gospel and with brethren in the Ordinances of Christ needful it is that something more be spoken thereabout to warn thee of some dangerous principles that do great service herein to Satan for thou mayst meet with them that will not onely deride at the simplicity and seeming weakness of the Ordinances of Christ not considering that it is the usual way of God to make choice and use of the weak things of the world to be the mediums of glorifying his power and of confounding the things that be mighty that so the power might be known to be of God and not of the medium or outward ordinance and so consequently that they that contemn the Ordinances of God for their weakness and sorriness do therein despise and condemn the wisdom of God and deprive themselves of the blessing that he holds forth by and â—nd in them But also will tell thee that they for their parts are got into a higher Form or to be under a more glorious dispensation above all Forms or Ordinances so as that they are of nouse or profit to them so that God is throwing them down or hath cast them by and it s a far happier and higher state to be and live above them then under them so intising thee from attendance to God in them to aspire Eve-like to that better and higher condition but therein they play the Serpent with thee and therefore beware of them Indeed there are Ordinances that believers are not under viz. the ordinances of mans invention in the worship of God for otherwise we are to be subject to the civil Ordinances of man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 such as Touch not tast not handle not c. according to the traditions commandements of men Col. 2.22 as also the Ordinances of the Law of Moses and Jewish observations Christ hath freed us from but of these is not the question but of the Ordinances of the Lord even of the Lord Jesus such as Preaching Hearing Prayer Baptism the Supper of the Lord c. Concerning which also that 's not to be denied that they are not the matter we are to live upon the meat we are to feed on The Lord Jesus himself as he is the great Witness of the love of God to us and the Revealer of his minde is the true Lord of
now are and the earth shall be burnt up with the works thereon even the earth that now is and that answers to the earth drowned with the flood in the days of Noah the graves shall give up their dead and they that sleep in Christ in bodily death shall be together with such as live to that day caught up into the air to meet him and be ever with him whom now in this body they are though Saints absent from 1 Thes 4.15,16 with 2 Cor. 5.6 and one shall not prevent another in possessing that Kingdom or the Kingdom in that administration Abraham Isaac and Jacob are not made perfect without us nor shall any then living prevent those that have died in the faith long since and received not the promises at their dying Heb. 11.13,39,40 They are lyers and Antichrists then that tell thee they have those things already when as many of the Saints or such as shall be so are yet dead in their spirits yea dead in sin It s true at that great appearing of the Lord Gifts shall cease and Tongues and Prophesying nor shall any man need in that Kingdom to say to one another know the Lord for all the subjects of it shall then know him when we are all come together in the unity of the faith and in the acknowledgement of the Son of God unto a perfect man but till that time as we have clay tabernacles bodies of flesh for our spirits to inhabit in so shall we need outward mediums for our helpfulness suited to our condition and Christ being ascended hath also given gifts unto men and appointed the ministration of his holy Apostles and Prophets with the Evangelists Pastors and Teachers to teach his Saints by for the work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the body of Christ and to preserve us from being blown away from Christ by every Winde and blast of Doctrine even untill that time that we all come together as is said before unto a perfect man Hold thou these things fast then and be not shaken in minde by any mans words or writing or by spirit as if that Day of the Lord was always to some or other come come in the Apostles time to them or in this time to these as it must be if there were any morning light in these mens doctrine It s to be feared rather that these are introducing a more notable Apostacy from Christ that must precede or go before that his coming See I pray thee 2 Thes 2.1,2,3,4 c. I might insist upon that saying here That the worlds at an end in and with them for such like expressions drop from some but I hope that 's so evidently false to any in their right minds in that they yet live in the world eat and drink marry and are given in marriage as other men yea follow the fashions of the world too in trimming up themselves and seeking the riches pleasures and fulness of the world so as that Religion rather seems at an end with some of them that little credit will be given them therein Sect. 10. Of Sobermindedness and Humility TAke heed also my Brethren of those evils before spoken of that lay open the soul to the power of Satan and especially of spiritual pride highmindedness and curiosity think not of your selves because of your parts strength wisdom visits attainments above that is meet nor lift up your selves by those things that are given you There is an insobriety and spiritual pride that many times men of parts yea believers are prone to fall into to over-wean their own abilities Did not Peter err that wayes when he was confident that though all denied Christ yet he would not and we see what became of that thought it made him presume to put himself into the temptation more then the rest and when he was tried he proved as weak or weaker then the rest A haughty minde often goes before a fall Pro. 16.18 Men proud of their abilities and puft up as if they were some body in their attainments are nigh to falling for he that lifteth up himself shall be abased but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Luke 14.11 God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.5 And yet how prone men of parts or such as attain to much favour with God are to be puft up we may note in this that when God had rapt up Paul into the third heavens he presently after sent him a prick in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him that he might not swell in a fleshly doting upon himself for the abundance of visions and revelations given him 2 Cor. 12.7 Flesh hath an inclination in it to swell even by occasion of those things that God priviledges a man in by his Spirit therefore it needs to be sometime taken down Paul was not without some feeling of it and therefore could the better warn others of it Not to be highminded but to fear Rom. 11.20 especially seeing our standing is by faith and faith receives all from and lives upon another and not upon astock in a mans self It s a vertue carrying the soul to lean wholly upon God in Christ his Wisdom Strength Mercy Truth Faithfulness and not upon its own sufficiency parts attainments in it self c. Now as he that lives upon God must needs live surely so he that lives upon his own fulness though he think it is God in himself he lives upon must needs live dangerously because upon an empty broken Cistern there are no persons in greater danger to fall into the temptations of Satan then such for they that live on high in themselves are like the drunkard on the top of a mast being drunken with a conceit of their own sufficiency they reel and stagger too and fro and fall down into the gulf of error and wickedness for by how much the more the heart exalteth and prides it self in its fulness so much the less it mattereth to lean upon Gods Word and mind his Directions and the less it mindeth Gods Word the more empty it is of the Strength and Wisdom of the Spirit that therein worketh and so the more apt it is to close with delusions especially with such swelling words of vanity and deceit as best suit with and nourish such conceits of self-fulness pride and high thoughts of self putting men upon bold presumptuous adventures as if they could fly up into the heavens and as if they had now no further need of Churches or Gods spiritual weapons no further need of Praying Hearing Scriptures Conference any thing they are ready to dare the devil to tempt them and sit loose from Christ as able to go on alone without his mediation but alas this is their folly for leaving him they are soon over-reacht by Satan who can easily hold them fast especially when he hath perswaded them there is no such thing as a Devil or Satan Take heed
that in 1 Cor. 15.50 That flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption which they indeavour to wrest and abuse to the denial and overthrowing the whole business of his discourse in that Chapter professedly to prove the Resurrection of the body not considering that 1. The Apostle says not thus Neither flesh nor blood shall inherit the Kingdom of God but flesh and blood copulatively together now flesh and blood is used in Scripture to signifie a natural man in his corruptible unrenewed estate and sometimes a body subjected to weakness and infirmity Heb. 2.14 whose natural life is in the blood and so nourished by a constant supply of blood from food received from without and indeed men shall not be such in the Resurrection to have their life in their blood as now and so corruptible and weak But this we expresly finde that the Body of Christ after the Resurrection by his own affirmation was flesh bones though spiritualized Luke 24.39 his blood was before shed for remission of our sins as the blood of expiation and surely to a raised body and immortalized blood is no more essential then our hairs are of the essence of a body mortal I would say rather that as the corruptible body in this state of corruption may be and subsist without hair or the like excrements so is it very conceivable that a spiritualized body shall subsist without blood its life not being then therein nor to be maintained by a continual supply and course thereof but immediately by the divine Spirit and Power of God Therefore it s a very inconsequent Argument to say because flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God therefore the body of Christ had no flesh in it upon its Resurrection directly contrary to his own assertion Luke 24.39 or that his body in which was flesh and bones was not assumed up into heaven or that mens bodies which now are flesh and blood shall not be raised and in their raised state be glorified or thus A natural body while such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God therefore this natural body shall not be raised and in its rising made spiritual and so be a subject of his Kingdom That speech then doth but point to the condition of the body when raised that it shall not be such as now it is a body of infirmity flesh and blood but it denies not that the body shall rise even as the foregoing similitude of the grain of Corn doth demonstrate that he meant for there he says Thou sowest not that body that shall be and yet we know its the same in another form or rather that that springs up namely the blade and ear and corn in it springs from that very body or bare grain that was sown or that bare grain that is sown by dying revives again in another and better form so also is the Resurrection the same dead body that was sown rises yet not the same in regard of its form and manner of being It s sown in corruption it s raised in incorruption the same it that was sown rises again though in a better manner more glorious powerful spiritual then when it was sown 2. The Apostle plainly expounds himself ver 51 52 53. when he says we shall not all sleep that is rest or lye in death but we shall be all changed Now there is a great difference between a being changed in our bodies and having them annihilated or for ever lost for that the change shall be in the body is plain in Phil. 3.31 He shall change our vile body and make it like to his own most glorious body and that this change shall not be the creating a new body that is totally distinct another from this in which we now live and die is also plain in this that if the Resurrection was the living again of the Spirit in another body then this body that dies should or might yet lye in the grave notwithstanding that resurrection in another body and so the body of Christ in which he died should have been sound in the grave still when the Disciples went to the sepulchre to imbalm him but the Scripture plainly tells us that they found it not there and of that the Angels said He is risen he it not here Matth 28.6 He might have been risen and his body there too if what was put off â—nd laid down in the grave was never reassumed 〈◊〉 raised again out of it but some other body given in stead thereof Nay indeed that conception is inconsistent with the tearm of Resurrection for Resurrection is not a creation of a â—ew or another body but the rising again of â—…at that was dead or faln as all know that understand the force of the word Resurrection Yea that also would be point-blank cross to what the Apostle yet adds further the dead shall â—e raised incorruptible and this mortal shall prit 〈◊〉 immortality and this corruptible must put on incorruption he said not that the spirit that lives and goes to God shall appear again in a new body that never was in being before an incorruptible body made of nothing or of some other materials but the dead shall rise incorruptible yea this mortal this that now is subject to death this very body shall put on immortality and this corruptible not another that never was corruptible or corrupted but this body that 's now corruptible that now hath its life in its blood and dyes corrupts shall put on immortality and so shall triumph over the grave O grave where is thy victory which they could never have ground for if the conquest of the grave should be perpetual and never restore the dead bodies that it had swallowed So that its clear by the Apostles own words and by what we read of Christ raised to which ours are to be conformed that this Scripture also is abused As for the liftings up of their understandings otherwise they are partly conceptions of impossibilities of such a thing as if the bodies were so torn and corrupted and the ashes or reliques of them dispersed that its impossible it should be raised which is an impious conception for it chargeth God with weakness and impotency as if any word was impossible to him well therefore did our Lord tax the Sadduces with erring upon these principles that they knew not the Scripture nor the power of God Vain Earth-worms who are we that we will undertake to measure and put bounds to his omnipotency and make that an impossibility with him that we cannot fathom in our narrow apprehensions Of the like nature is that foolish conception that the world will not afford room enough for so many millions of men that should be raised up as if he that made all things by his Power when as there was yet nothing could not either reduce all the dispersed parcels of his dead creatures into one body again or finde room
him O hope we then in him at all times and in this hope pour out our hearts before him for he is a refuge for us and will not fail us He that hath made us Saints will not be wanting to give us a Saints portion But lean we not to our understandings for he that trusts his heart is a fool Prov. 28.26 for it s so deceitful and desperately wicked that it will deceive him Jer. 17.9 His Word is sure and worthy to be taken but our own wisdom with the conceptions thereof are foolishness and tend to ruine and who so trusts in any thing else below God a curse will befall him Jer. 17 5,6 4. In this love of him and trusting in him yield up thy self also unto him to be his to do his work mind his Name and Glory that he may be known loved and his Kingdom inlarged give up thy heart to him to be the habitation of his Holiness by his Spirit not the habitation of sin lust pride vanity Satan c. but the temple of the holy Ghost that he may dwell there and subdue and mortifie thy lusts and corruptions in and for thee and quicken thee up to God to â—alk before him holily and yield up all thy members also to be instruments of working righteousness unto his glory Whatsoever thou â—ost in word or in deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus with an eye to him and as thereto warranted by him and to the praise of the grace of God in him This is love that we keep â—is Commandments and his Commandments are â—ot grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 I might inlarge unto many particulars which for brevities sake I shall â—…ss over and leave thee for further direction to the word of Gods Grace and to the Apostles writings Sect. 3. The Saints worthy walking towards each other 2. IN regard of one another I have no other Commandment but that that ye have received viz. That ye love one another that ye love as brethren sons of the same Father even God and of the same Mother the new Jerusalem and Covenant of Grace and that he let brotherly love be exercised and in its exercise continue that ye love one another as members of the same body not every man minding his own things and aiming at his own particular good onely but each minding the good of other in that that may be for profit and edification communicating of the grace given and abilities afforded to each other in the Lord as may make for the edification add good of all watching over instructing exhorting reproving helping and comforting one another as need is and opportunity is afforded receiving owning and delighting in the fellowships and helpfulness of the mutual exercises of your graces and gifts in the Lord as receiving owning and delighting in the Lord who is in all his holy Ones and Saints and this without hypocrisie and simulation without partiality or faction not preferring one before another for outward worldly respects of riches honors places learning parts c. nor despising one another for poverty reproaches infamy in the world weakness in faith and spiritual gifts or for difference in judgement about doubtful questions Rom. 14.1 but each receiving other for the foundation sake held fast and for the grace discerned and professed cheerfully serving one another in love Indeed its meet that Saints put difference between themselver as such and such as have erred and departed from the foundation of Faith and deny the Lord that bought them as we shall see by and by but where men are all believers through grace and have the love of God in the gift of Christ and his mediation for their bottom and foundation their lesser difference in other things should not make them unsaint one another and fight against one another but such ought to own one another and with sobriety and singleness not for love of victory or factiously to upâ—old a party to discuss things in which they differ and so far as they can to agree and if in any â—hing any be otherwise minded then the rest there with patience to wait and forbear one another and yet in communion and communication of graces to own and walk as brethren one with another not judging and despising one another for what they differ in those things they â—…ffer in not being of that nature and weight as â—o disunite from fellowship with the same Lord. And this is further to be noted that the brotherly love that is to be exercised stands not in an â—…differency and neutrality to let every man be â—f what way he will and do what he will withâ—… reproving or shewing them the evil thereof no more then natural love amongst brethren 〈◊〉 the flesh consists in letting ones brethren sink 〈◊〉 swim be sick or well wounded or whole â—odigals or thrifty without looking after them 〈◊〉 taking any care of remedies reproofs or any â—ay of help for them that 's by God himself â—counted hatred to see our brethren sin not â—prove them Levit 9.17 it argues little love 〈◊〉 the souls of one another so to do It was not â—…om love in Cain to say Am I my brothers â—…per Gen. 4.9 Love leads to watchfulness oâ—… one another or in case of straying or of danger to stray to warn another which yet is to be done with wisdom so as it may best tend to prevent evil or withdraw therefrom for we are to put difference between those that sin of weakness and through temptation whom we are to handle gently and tenderly forbearing and waiting for them yea bearing their burthens and those that are more wilful and resolute in their strayings and evil walkings whom we are to save with fear and rebuke more sharply and openly yea in all things we ought so to order our selves as we see may best conduce to their good with whom we have to do having a special care of and regard to those that are weak in faith helping and furthering them and no wise if possible offending them so as to turn them aside through their weakness from the way of the Lord but indeavouring that they may be preserved in the faith and grow up therein till they with the rest of the body attain the inheritance promised in Christ Jesus Were this love more practised and walked out in and the exercise thereof accepted it would prove very advantageous to the Saints and Satan would not so much prevail upon them to weaken and divide them yea this waking together in love and wherein we have attained walking by the same rule and speaking the same thing would much conduce to the glorifying of God and we should therein meet with much blessing We are brethren why should we fall out by the way to our heavenly Canaan quarrelling and contending about place preheminence and diffeâ—ences in doubtful Disputations not clearly deâ—ermined in Scriptures is a good consideration for all agreeing in the same foundation And O that we all