Ministers their Due and every member of the Body its Due notwithstanding the Differences wherein every Member Differed from another by this keeping the Body perfectly joined together Paul being Spiritual tells them he planted and Apollo watered but God gave the increase and that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing but God is all he is to have the honour of all Chap. 3.6 7. He tells them also that Christ cannot be Divided he is not for those that are for Apollo more than for them that are for Paul nor for any party of them in contradiction to the rest though by this their Carnal Spirit they would Divide him into Parts and Parties He tels them further that they were to be only for him who was crucified for them and into whose Name they were Baptized This is the true import of the words Chap. 1.13 and 15. verses 5. VVALKING LIKE MEN Are ye not Carnal and walk as Men the works of the Flesh of the fleshly Man of the Men of the VVorld are Hatred Variance Emulation VVrath Strife Sedition Envy and such like Gal. 5.19 20 21. Now while we walk thus Carnally we walk like Men such Men the Men of the world not as Christians as those that are Spiritual that have the Spirit of Christ in them For they that are Christs have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts thereof if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another 24 25 26. verses 6. UNFITNESS to receive such Truths a making them not able to bear such discoveries of God and Christ and his Glory as Christ hath given him from the Father to discover unto and bestow upon his People I could not speak unto you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ I have fed you with Milk and not with Meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able for ye are yet Carnal Chap. 3.1 2 3. These Corinthians that were enriched in all utterance and all knowledge that came behind in no gift are yet Carnal which hinders them that they cannot as the Apostles did with open face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and be as they were changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 No by this Carnality of mind they become as Babes not able to bear strong meat and so not fit for strong work that VVork which to enable his people to do it s absolutely necessary that the Lord give unto them such a full and large discovery of himself as this Carnality of spirit will not admit them to receive From these things Obs 1. This Carnality of Spirit bringing forth these Fruits is such a Distemper as the Highest Christians Christians of the Richest attainments that are enriched in every thing yea waiting for the coming of the Lord are too much and too too often troubled with to the great unhappiness of their own Souls hindring the Work of the Lord that is to be done in them and by them Of this Sort were those whom the Author to the Hebrews rebukes VVhen for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of Milk and not of strong meat Heb. 5.12 Obs 2. This Carnality of Spirit opposes not Gifts but Grace All Gifts all Utterance all Knowledge may be in a Christian together with this Carnality So that Christians may think themselves fully prepared to meet the Lord be waiting for his coming and be yet Carnal But it hinders receiving of Grace it keeps them from being of and submitting to such a frame of Spirit as is absolutely necessary to enable them to grow from Glory to Glory to follow Christ whithersoever he will please to lead them Therefore saith the Apostle unto these Corinthians Chapt. 1.10 I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly Joined together in the same mind and in the same Judgement This Same thing this Sameness of mind and this Sameness of Judgement which the Apostle exhorteth and beseeches them to cannot be that nor in that which any one of these Parties strove for against the other that wherein any of them Differed from the other for he rebukes them all for their Striving for and their vain glorying in that wherein they Differed He takes not Part with any One of their Opinions nor Waies but keeps close to his own Way and his own Judgement which was indeed that which he had Planted them in and upon from the Simplicity of which they through Carnality had strayed and that was Jesus Christ the only true foundation Therefore saith he Chap. 2.2 I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified for other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ Chap. 3.11 Paul had planted them in this Foundation this is that Same thing he would have them all to speak of and towards which he would have them all joined together in the same mind and of this he would have them all of the Same Judgement It 's impossible he could mean by this Same thing this Sameness of mind and Sameness of Judgement in it any One of the Parties they were Divided into for he rebukes them all a like as well he that was for Christ who its the most probable was the best and surely was of the best side as he that was for any of the other and it 's as irrational to conclude he was for any particular Opinion of any of the Parties wherein they differed from each other and so beseeches them all to be of the Same mind and Judgement with them For as the Differences were not such as were inconsistant with the Foundation so he seems to give them all an equal Allowance as being such things as they had received from the same Fountain from God But saith he If any man build on this Foundation Gold Silver Precious Stones Wood Hay Stubble every mans work shall be made manifest for the Day the further revelation of the Lord shall declare it is because it shall be revealed by Fire and the Fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is and that which is right shall abide and that which is wrong shall be burnt therefore Judge nothing before the time vers 12 13 14 15. with the 5th verse of the 4th Chapt. Look to the Foundation whereon ye are planted Jesus Christ him that was Crucified for you him into whose name ye were Baptized speak all the Same thing be ye all in this in the Same mind and in the Same Judgement
making a fair shew in the Flesh glorying in it how far we have been glorying in the Flesh our Gifts and Parts our Differences our Opinions waies of Worship wherein we Differ from our Brethren that yet are Planted upon the same Foundation of a crucified Jesus Carnally dividing from each other upon such Differences upon such things wherein we Differ from others as yet are but received and received from the same Fountain that gives to One as well as to the other what he hath even the Lord Jesus Christ Carnally envying of Striving against and Smiting each other Proudly exalting our selves above and Despising our Brethren Thrusting and Pushing the Lambs and Lean and Sick and Broken of the Flock to the scattering them abroad In these things walking like Men the Men of the World and not like the Children of the Heavenly Father whose Conversation as Pauls was is in Heaven above these things And how far we come short of the Spiritnal mind that was in the Apostle and those who were Perfect in that Day and the Lord expects should be in us at this day the reflection of but a Dim Eye will clearly Discern Now that this Evil is a peice of that Sin for which the Lord is Judging his People will appear plainly if we seriously consider what the Lord saith Mal. 4.5 6. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the Children to their Fathers lest I come and smite the Earth with a Curse What great and dreadful Day of the Lord is this here spoken of Surely it s none other than that Day of God's coming to his People the Day of the Lords Executing his Judgements and pouring out his Vengeance upon the wicked World wherein the wicked shall be burnt up leaving them neither root nor branch wherein this People shall tread down the wicked and they shall be as Ashes under the solas of their Feet 1 and 3. verses Before this Day come before the Lord will bring his People from under the †Mal. 3.1 2. Isai 10.5.12 and 27.7 Cant. 6.4.13 Isai 4.5 6. Zach. 9.14.15 Refiners fire and Fullers Sope Take the Assyrians Rod the Rod of his Anger from off their back deliver them from under the present smitings and slayings of their Enemies make them terrible as an Army with Banners as the Company of two Armies and create a defence upon them from the Heat Storm and Rain all the rage and malice of their Enemies that they may goe on with Might and irresistable Power as the Lightning in the work of the Lord devouring and subduing treading down the wicked as Ashes under their Feet slaying their enemies with a greater slaughter than ever they were able to slay them with so that neither Root nor Branch shall be left them Before this day of God comes the Lord Will send Elijah the Prophet Either by his Messengers or by his Providences or by both co-working together beget such a frame and temper of Spirit in his People as shall lead them to Horeb to the Mount of the Lord where God himself at first revealed his Will to his Chosen led them into that State and Condition wherein the Lord met with them and was with them and manisested himself unto them at the first in the Day of their Espousals that Day of Love in the glory of which the Lord so much delights that he remembers it and forgets it not Isaiah also strongly hints this whilst he tells us The remnant shall return even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God Chapt. 10.21 as they shall no more crouch and bend the knee to their Smiters for their favour so they shall no more run Carnally after Apollo nor Paul not Caephas after this or that Opinion or Way or Party or Man but they shall return from these things from being led Captive by the Pessions and Lusts such courses hurry them into to the Lord the Mightâ—y God alone to Jesus Christ the true Foundaton they shall come into such a Spiritual Christ-like frame of Spirit as shall Turn the Heart of the Fathers to the Children and the Heart of the Children to their Fathers Who are these Fathers and who are these Children that being at a distance need a Reconciler Surely these Fathers and Children are not only of the True Seed of Jacob but of that part of the True Seed too who shall be used in the Work of the great Day of God spoken of before the Stress the absolnte Necessity the Lord laies upon their reconciling and uniting strongly implies so much The Apostle John tells us there are little Children Fathers and young men in Christ 1 John 2.12 13 14. I write unto you little Children because your sins are forgiven you for his Name-sake I write unto you Fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one These are the strong and the weak Christians Christians of several measures of several Degrees of a several Pitch in Grace and Knowledge these through weakness and imperfection having strayed from the Simplicity that is in Christ run into Variance and Strife and Envyings and Divisions biting and devouring one another Walk like the Men of the World and not as the Children of one Father the Father of Mercies the Heavenly Father Now this unchild-like temper must be taken away by a Reconciliation wrought between these Fathers and Children turning the Hearts of these several sorts of Christians towards each other that they may walk as becomes the Children of one Father of such a Father as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is Turn the Heart of the Fathers to the Children c. They shall be of one Heart serve the Lord with one consent there shall be such a Heart-love begotten in them towards each other as that all Variance all Division all Distance shall be swallowed up there shall be no Thrusting nor Pushing nor Trampling upon nor despising one another being by a reconciling spiritual frame of Spirit brought to see themselves the Children of one Father they shall sit at one Table eat in one Pasture drink of the same Water together because the Lord provided the same for all his Children then we shall not hear them quarrelling with and judging of one another but then this shall be the voice Come all ye that love the Lord Jesus Christ Come feed in his good Pastures Come drink of his deep Waters that he hath provided for you all ye Children of our Heavenly Father who bear his Image upon you And this must be saith the Lord Lest I come and smite the Earth with a Curse There is such an absolute Necessity that this Reconciliation be wrought in and among the
State that all that see it will praise and bless it as the Daughters the Queens and the Concubines did Cant. 6.9 such a Light will shine round about it and such a Glory will arise upon it that there shall be such a Confluence unto it of those who being in Love with its Glory are converted into it that we shall cry out with Isaiah Who are these that flee as the Clouds and as the Doves to their Windowes Isa 60.1 5 6 7 and 8. verses I shall conclude this part of this Discourse with the words of the 133. Psalm Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in this pure unity It 's like the precious Ointment upon the Head this Ointment was made of the most sweet and Odoriferous Spices Exod. 30.23 24. so that when it was poured out it made a most fragrant savour in the Nostrils of all those that were near unto it that run down upon the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the skirts of his garments it 's the very Image of the holiness of God stampt upon the Royal Priesthood of the Lord his Holy Nation and Peculiar People that must shew forth the praises of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his marvellous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 And that wrought by the mighty working and Annointing of his Holy Spirit It is as the Dew of Herman and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Sion which made them both pleasant and fruitful for there the Lord commanded the Blessing even Life for evermore This is the State and Condition of his People which the Lord will Blesse with an Everlasting Blessing LIFE FOR EVERMORE which State shall suffer no alteration nor Change so long as the Son and Moon indure till the time of the Fabrick of this World ceases to be For upon the dwelling places of Sion and upon her Assemblies come into this State and frame of Spirit will the Lord create a Cloud and Smoke by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night he will work as wonderfully as ever he did of Old to defend this Glory And there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from Storme and from Rain even from ALL that their Enemies can by the help of the Powers of Darkness be able to do against them We come now to consider the END of the Lord in Correcting and Afflicting his People which is 1. To take this Sin away This is fully expressed By this therefore shall the INIQUITY of Jacob be PURGED and this is all the Fruit to take away his Sin This Verse gathers up the preceding verses into it By this by what By the means fore-mentioned by the Smitings and the Slayings of the Enemy By this therefore wherefore Why will God make use of those means to purge Jacob First because the Lord will measure out the Affliction that it shall continue no longer then this effect is wrought in Jacob. Secondly because he hath in a readiness wherewithal to stop the Current and Stream of this Affliction to stay this rough-wind as soon as ever it hath wrought its effect If the Lord did not take care of this these means would not do the work to which the Lord appoints them instead of purging only they would destroy Jacob instead of taking away his Sin only they would take away his Being in this World By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be Purged and this is all the fruit to take away his Sin The End of God in this Affliction is to Cleanse and Purifie Jacob from his Sin yea from those sins already hinted at From hence we may lay down this Position It 's not SINNING-DEFILED Jacob God will DELIVER but it 's CLEANSED and PURIFIED Jacob whose iniquity is Purged and whose sin is taken away the Lord will bestow his salvation upon Therefore it is that the Lord will wait to be gracious he is waiting upon Jacob till the means he hath appointed the Affliction hath wrought its effect Washed and Cleansed Jacob from his Sin and the Daughtets of Sion from their Filth and Jerusalem from her Blood that he may Deliver and Save him that he may blesse Jacob that he may Take root and Israel may blossome and Bud and fill the Face of the World with Fruit. The Lord will put a Glory upon Sion and then create a defence upon all that Glory but first he will Wash and Purge her from her Filth and from her Blood Esa 4. and that by the great and terrible work mentioned in the second and third Chapters Christ will make his Spouse Terrible as an Army with Banners yea as the company of two Armies But first he will make her sick of Love exercising her under sore Afflictions the Smitings and Woundings of the Watchmen and the Robery of the Keepers of the Wall till she become undefiled looking forth as the morning fair as the Moon and clear as the Son Cant. 5. and 6. Chapters God will enable his People to tread down the wicked like Ashes under the Soles of their Feet But first he will sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver Purifying them and Purging them as Gold and Silver is Purged in the Fire Purging away their dross and taking away all their Tin Mal. 3. and 4. Chapters compared with Isa 1.15 The Lord Christ hath a great and glorious work to lead forth his people to do in the World but first he writes his Fathers Name in their Fore-head he redeems them from the Earth from among men makes them Pure Virgins having no Guile at all in them without fault before the Throne of God and then they follow the Lamb whithersoever he leads them into what Path or whatsoever work he pleases Rev. 14. Yea Christ hath Vials full of wrath to pour out upon the Earth But he will pour them out by Angels cloathed in pure and White linen having their Breasts girded about with Golden Girdles Rev. 16. The Lord will destroy Babylon but he will do it by his Sanctified ones such as rejoice in his Highness Esa 13.3 Christ hath a People that shall Reign with him but they must first suffer with him 2 Tim. 2.12 If Christs Witnesses will ascend up to Heaven as Christ did they must first be conformable to his Death Rev. 11. If it were necessary that Christ himself though he were a Son should learn obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5.8 much more will it appear necessary that we should through suffering learn to obey those commands which God in these last daies hath laid upon his people as his will they should do which are so contrary to flesh and blood and hard for it to bear And if it Became the Captain of our Salvation to be made Perfect through Suffering Heb. 2.10 how much more Becoming is it that his Followers his