attain them He hath promised tâ— give his Angels charge over me and they shaâ—… keep me that I get no harm therefore I wiâ—… not be tyed up any longer to such and such means to use them though God afford them let other cry I am of Paul and I am of Apollo I wiâ—… neither regard one nor the other I will onâ—… immediately betake my self to Christ Scriptures exhortations prayer ordinances are fit for novices and such as have not so greâ—… attainments as I have I have no need of theâ— nor of any Brethren in such wayes I wiâ—… hear whom I please let them be what they wiâ—… and say what they will they cannot harm me for â—o I am a child of God and God is ingageâ— to preserved me thus this subtile serpent buzzâ—… into the members as well as he did into thâ— head hurtfull conceptions which many drinâ— down the more fearlesly because they sâ—em to bâ— the workings of faith and confidence in them and think fear too low a thing for them noâ— considering what the Holy Ghost hath said thaâ— the wise man feareth and departeth from evil bâ—… the fool is confident and rageth Prov. 14.16 〈◊〉 passeth on those that think themselves to stanâ— and to be of the stronger part and to have reached to high attainments are oftentimes here snared And what 's the issue of these but neglecting yea contemning Gods appointed way of preservation some venture upon evil Companies and fall into horrid wickedness and scandalous courses some sleight the Scriptures despise their brethren follow their fancies for having turned the back upon Gods way Satan as an Angel of Light meets with them and perswades them he is the Angel of God sent to bear them up from falling and having gotten the credit of a good Teacher leads many of them to think the Gospel of Christ an empty low Doctrine Christ a fleshly Christ the Doctrine of the Resurrection and of his personal appearance meet deceits yea rushes them into all the heighth and strength of delusion that whereas they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved they might be overwhelmed in unrighteous delusions till they be damned 2 Thes 2.10.11 being cheated with tempting God in stead of trusting him and separating the Promises of God from the way of God being herein also strengthened through some mistakes of some men that preach the absoluteness of Gods Covenant and the inâ—allibility of salvation and mind not rightly to whom such doctrines appertain viz. to those that with honest hearts believe and have the Word of God so mixed with faith in them that they are thereby kept from such presumption in 〈◊〉 awful fear of trusting themselves or departing from Gods way thence also the subtile dâ—vil lef out that word in all thy wayes the wâ—… that he suggested being none of the wayes thâ—… God prescribed to him Saints whoever you are take heed of this deceit separate not Gods Promises from his wayeâ— and prescriptions The Jews had a promise 〈◊〉 entring into Canaan but they understood nâ—… Gods Language but erred in their hearts anâ— therefore they not walking in his way of faith they entred not into his rest Believe not ever spirit no though it come with pretence 〈◊〉 Scripture and lead to confidence and bold feaâ— lesness and to a certain floating joy as assureâ— of your happiness if it lead to neglect Godâ— wayes and draw from his Commandment know there is something of Satan in it thougâ— the thing held forth may happily be true yâ—… then there is as so used a perverting Truth to 〈◊〉 wrong end Marke that of David Psal 37.34 Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land Separate not thoâ— two in the way of the Lord is strength and in hâ—… fear is sure confidence but though God shoulâ— say unto thee thou shalt surely live yet if thoâ— beest drawn to trust in thine own righteousnesâ— and commit iniquity all thy righteousness shall not be remembred but in the iniquity that thoâ— committest thou shalt die for the mouth of thâ— Lord hath spoken it Ezeck 33.13 He only is in a sure standing that hath the Word of God so abiding in him that it keeps him from presuming to depart from him Take heed of Satan in this temptation As the common people use to say He may alwayes be discerned when he appears in a humane shape by his cloven foot so it s true in this matter in the foot the issue and tendency of his temptation he may ever be discerned if thou hast the Word and Spirit of Wisdom to guide thee in it he ever comes to divide from God even while he tempts to lean upon him his temptation tends to separation from him to leave his way and yet expect his Promise made to those that walk in his way so he prevailed with the ancient Jews Mica 3.10.11 When they built up Sion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity yet they would lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come upon us Take heed yet again I say of this spiritual wickedness in heavenly things If a Spirit should come with a great deal of light and force whisper to thee that thou must cease from man and in this perswade thee not only not to build thy faith upon the parts wisdom holiness of this or that or any man but also not to attend to the Gospel ministred by men because they that minister it are men but neglecting such Ministration to waite only upon Christ immediatly or to put no difference between men preaching the Truth or Error much more to take thee off thy confidence from the man Christ who is appointed to be the hiding place for men know its a delusion the Word oâ— God in the mouth of Satan because in these endâ— and intimations its contrary to the Word oâ— God for God hath both appointed the Maâ— Christ Jesus to be our Mediator and to be ouâ— way unto the Father and men also to be instruments of proclaiming his Truth and as member of Christ and partakers of his spiritual riches tâ— help forward the growth of one another anâ— so they are to be owned and acknowledged iâ— love as helpers of our joy though not as masteâ— of our faith and God is to be attended upon iâ— the ministration of their gifts And so if thâ—… come to thee Ye need not that any teach you 〈◊〉 as that Vnction teacheth you with this intimaâ—…on in the foot of it that ye need not any furthâ—… exhortation or watching over by any brethreâ— or you need no information out of the Scriptures because that Unction ye have receiveâ— shall teach you all things without those mediumâ— and so that come to divide you from Brethrâ—… and Fellowship in the Gospel and its Ordinancâ— in which ye have met with him Know its stâ—… the tempter bidding thee throw thy self dowâ—
hath been the same is now and what shall be now hath been and God will require that which is driven away Their mistake and abuse of which is easily discerned if we hold fast to the testimony of the holy Ghost in other places which contradict their inferences from it and if we also minde the scope of the Preacher whereabout he speaketh viz. that his speech is about the vanity and vexation of spirit that is in accrues to men from worldly natural things and actions things sub sole under the Sun or under the Government of it and then his meaning is plain that there is a constant tenor in the nature of natural things at all times the same species and properties in those species not the same individuals except they will affirm that they themselves have been men and women born nursed up and lived in the world in times past even in Solomons time or in the beginning of the world as well as now and if so I would they would call to mind what they saw done then and help to perfect the History of the world but that 's evidently false David and Solomon are not now living under the Sun but the same kinds of things there are men now as then and sin and vanity in them now as then trees and plants c. and the same common affections of creatures now as then the same weakness vanity wickedness and vexatiousness now as before and in that regard there is nothing new no alteration of the nature of things under the Sun in their natural actions and conditions But this is horribly besides the business of Solomons discourse to say the earth upon which the trees and plants now grow is as well void and without form now as it was in the first day of its creation and yet more to say Christ hath come no otherwise in the flesh then he did in Solomons time nor suffered otherwise then there he had done or that there shall be no other rising from the dead then was then or visible coming of Christ in Glory and to Judgement and indeed these are things super solem above the ordering of the Sun Beside neither says he there shall be no new thing but he speaks in the present time in which he lived there is no new thing The Prophet Jeremy that lived after him says The Lord will create a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man Jer. 31.22 and sure that was in its time a new thing that a Virgin conceived and brought forth without knowledge of any man yea God hath said that He will make all things new and therefore its evident that their enlarging of the Scripture beyond its scope and expression is very false and gross yea that they are of the number of those men that Peter speaks of The mockers that should say Where is the promise of his coming that is in effect He shall never come again for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue in like state Yea yet further we may retort this Scripture upon themselves as to their denial of the glorious coming of Christ and his raising up the dead bodies of men departed that being rather here affirmed for if that that is shall be and God requires that that is past or driven away then that body of theirs that is shall be and that Christ that was on the earth shall be again and though their bodies that are dead and are as it were driven away yet God will require them again and judge them for what is past and what men have violently thrust or driven away But this is a safe Rule for thee to go by that no Scripture is rightly interpreted when it s interpreted point blank contradictory to the sayings of other Scriptures about those things whereunto they are interpreted Like to their abuses of these and other places is that that they quote Col. 2.20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ to the rudiments of the world why then as living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances to shew that they are above the Ordinances of God and need not regard them whereas the Apostle after explains himself to speak of the Ordinances or Documents of the world for he adds according to the Commandments and Documents of men and that they have a shew of wisdom in wil-worship and not of the Ordinances of God which who so is not subject to is not subject unto God by whom and whose authority they are appointed yea the Apostle himself commends that very people for their Order as well as for their stedfastness in faith ver 5. and exhorts them to admonish one another and that in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs and to continue in prayer and thanksgiving Chap. 3.16 and 4.2 c. which are Ordinances of God and therefore sure he cannot rightly be understood in the other place to tax them for being subject to them nay if that was a fault in them then should they not be subject to the Apostles teaching and admonition they being also Ordinances of Gods appointing 1 Tim. 2.7 And to give but one instance more They in like manner some of them abuse that saying in Col. 1.28 Christ in you the hope of glory the meaning whereof is this that Christ as he was made of a woman and made under the Law and as he died rose ascended is glorified and appears in the presence of God for us eyed minded believed on and understood is that that springs up in the believing soul hope of future glory whereas other men either have no hope of glory or have their hope in other things the believers hope is in and from Christ as he hath done such great things for him and is made of God such a Saviour to him that I say as it s known believed and minded begets and maintains that hope in him In which regard also viz. as he is in his Knowledge Faith Love c. he is said to be in him as also in regard of his Spirit or Divine Vertue and Power in and through that knowledge and faith working in him But this I say some abuse to this end to perswade men that Christ is no otherwise existent but in the hearts of men hath no real spiritual glorified body in the heavens which is a meer strained and erroneous collection for if that were so he should be rather the fruition of glory in them then the hope of it onely for the fruition of glory is in the believers having Christ really and personally existent with him 1 Thes 4.17 And surely when Christ shall descend from heaven and take up the dead Saints being first raised to be ever with him he shall not descend or come out of his peoples hearts and leave them in regard of his nhabitation of them nor needed Stephen so stedfastly to have looked up into heaven to have seen him in his heart Acts 7.55 nor would there have been any such
though they have despised the simplicity of Gods Wayes appointed for their salvation But ye beloved beware of such conceits as such are led with and keep ye close to God in making known your requests dayly and as the Apostle exhorts in every season watching thereunto that ye may find the leadings of the Spirit and Grace of God with you therein and know what to ask of him and that ye may hear what answers God will again return to you not giving over your requests because ye are not presently supplied or helped in the things ye ask but herein exercise Faith and Patience and be strong and persevere till God hath blessed you Remember Jacob who wrestled with God weeping and making supplications unto him and prevailed Remember also that Christ our Lord hath left us many instructions to importunity in prayer with many incouragements thereunto that we might not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18.1 be out-evilled made to faint by his seeming delays and denials of us though he may try us yet calling upon him in his way according to his Will he will not deceive us Indeed if we regard iniquity in our hearts if we set up an Idol in his Temple and pollute his Name he will not hear our prayers he will have us lift up â— uâ—e hands and clean single true hearts and then he will be found of us It s true in many things we sin all and he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and we are in our selves too unworthy to have audience by him and too unable to do any thing fit to be presented to him but in that he hath also provided incouragement too for us we have an Advocate and a high Priest with him who hath prevented us with his Love in offering up himself for us an offering of a sweet smelling savour unto God and it s his work to intercede to God for us for us I say in special that come to God by him to take away our sins and perfume our prayers with the odours of his Sacrifice and so make them acceptable unto God yea he mediateth the New Covenant for the called Ones that the holy Spirit may be given to them to work their works in them and that they may receive the inheritance promised them Having then such invitations faithful promises and every way great incouragements let us not put off this business to some pretended illuminate Elders but let us go with boldness true hearts and full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled with the blond of Jesus from an evil conscience and bodies or whole conversations washed with pure water the pure water of his Word and the grace held forth to us therein and call upon God in and by Christ for our selves and one another that he may help and save us Had we an al sufficiency in our selves we should not need to go for help to God but we are not God nor hath God put the disposal of himself and fulness into our hand but reserves it with himself in Christ ready to give it forth to us in submission and supplication to him for it so that we have need also as well as incouragement to call upon him Pray then for help for your selves and pray for one another and for all the Saints and in special that they may be enabled to stand and for me also the meanest of all Saints that I may so declare and walk on in the Mysteries of the Gospel as I ought God will not onely hear you for your selves but for one another and without his hearing and helping the other parts of his spiritual Armor will be too heavy for you you will be as unable to buckle them all on and go forth in them as David was to go forth in Sauls armor but call upon him and he will help you yea and be armor of proof to you Sect. 8. Of Brotherly Communion YEa yet further my brethren that we might yet be better enabled to resist Satan and his temptations and to go on with patience and chearfulness in the race set before us let us go on together in love and unity not forsaking the assembling of our selves as the manner of some yea of too many is God hath called us together unto Christ as to a head and in him hath compacted us together as a body giving us a common interest in the priviledges of Christ and useful gifts differing according to his goodness that we might both have need of and be useful one to another each supplying to other out of that measure given to it from the Head in the faithful loving exercise of themselves in which God giveth forth his blessing even as the body natural thrives while the members compacted together do minister to each other nourishment and spirits without stop or interruption but when the blood and spirits have not free access and recess to the several parts and members it decays grows diseased and ill-affected and often falleth into sickness and death so is it here while the unity of the Spirit is held fast in the bond of peace and brotherly love abides and each in love seeks the love and profit of other all grow up together to a perfect man yea and all together become as a City compacted and at unity within it self and so more strong and able for offence and defence against all that would annoy but being disunited either through Factions and Divisions or through a willing careless neglect of each other and the administrations of the Lord to all by every each one they become weak and feeble and Satan gets great advantage against them to infect them one by one and to devour them for in loose sitting one from another â—or divisions each member contents it self with that measure given to it self or to a few and deprives it self of that strength life nourishment and spirits that might be administred by many Now though God be al sufficient to preserve and strengthen one alone where he by his Providence necessitates it to be so or in a hidden day such as that of Elias when the Saints appear not to or know not one another yet where he hath given opportunities of communion and mutual edification and that through pride negligence envy or arrogance is despised and slighted there souls receive not that measure of his fulness and sufficiency that otherwise they might for he that so sleights and despises sleights and despises the way that God hath appointed and ordained for us to waite upon him in and he that despiseth his Way despiseth him that appointed it and out of his way in a mans own way will he will not meete with blessing nay out of Gods way and in their own seem it never so right to men in their own eyes they may and usually do meet with delusion it being a just judgement of God upon the pride and folly of men that seeing they refuse the simplicity of his they should
therefore of this and of that other branch of insobriety that usually accompanies it viz. curiosity in our searchings and inquisitions after knowledge an over-reaching of our selves to see into secrets a peeping into the Ark a prying into things not seen being vainly puft up with a fleshly mind Col. 2.18 a thing that hath ever proved very dangerous and hurtful to them that have been addicted thereto what caught Eve at the first but a desire to be as God knowing good and evil and what makes men more to turn out from Christ then a not being content with his simplicity but affecting vain Philosophy or a desire to know and by reason to dive into things that are above our comprehensions whence else proceed those questions about the secret purposes thoughts and hidden counsels of God the curious inquisitions into his Essence and about heaven hell the state of souls departed and many other curiosities beyond what the VVord declareth of them questions which we may comprehend under those that the Apostle says tend not to profit but to pervert men and undo them he that walketh humbly as knowing nothing but infirmity and evil in himself and contents himself with things revealed receiving such Truths so as to walk in them and keep close unto them avoiding nice and hidden speculations he walks surely and shall be preserved from falling when others that climb aloft tumble down again Take we therefore the counsel of the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant for your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking daily Whom to devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Keep close to the Faith and so to the Word of God the proper object of mans Faith but take heed of an insober prying into things besides it Be not drunk as not with pleasures cares fears sorrows from things below so neither with conceits of our selves desires of God-likeness beyond what is held forth in the faith nor with desires to know things that God hath reserved to himself neither yet be secure and careless through conceit of thine own strength and standing nor rash in closing with every hint doctrine or spirit that is presented to thee but be sober and vigilant sober in not out-running Gods VVord and Spirit vigilant in watching and examining every doctrine and spirit by comparing it with the holy Spirit and his Testimony and Law in his written VVord and the holy Unction already through the Gospel of Christ received lest Satan over-reach thee and finding thee out of the bounds of Gods way in which he hath ingaged his protection devour thee Verily in these last times its sad to see how men stagger to and fro and reel up and down wavering between this and that opinion like drunken men their hearts being surfeited and their heads made giddy with conceits of their own excellencies and abilities so that they think themselves able to swallow up all the most secret knowledge of God himself into their fancies but alas with the Dog in the Fable while they catch at shadows under desire of having all knowledge in stead of attaining their desires they let go and lose all that hath substance in it not comprehending things they deny them not comprehending heaven and hell the glory of Christs Humanity c. they grow into Antichristianism and Atheism and lose themselves in vanity Of these things therefore be thou warned to avoid them that they snare thee not and thou perish in them Take heed also of slothfulness in seeking after and unto God formality in contenting thy self with speculations of Truth without the power of it renewing the heart and so of presumpcion earthly-mindedness and the rest of the evils hinted at before that lay men open to temptations cleave thou close to God and to the VVord and Spirit of Grace and fight the good fight of Faith quitting thy self with courage in all encounters and thou shalt prove it a good fight indeed both for that its lawful honest and warranted by God and also for that thou shalt therein finde help from God to inable thee to it and carry thee through it yea and lastly thou shalt in striving lawfully be crowned after thou hast overcome thou shalt receive a large reward even a Crown of Righteousness concerning which promised reward and Gods faithfulness to give it in his season I shall nextly hint something to thee for thy further encouragement Chap. 5. Of the Reward of the Saints overcoming Sect. 1. That there is a Reward promised AS the faith of the Saints leans upon the VVord of God in general and so upon God himself as the original of that VVord and the things declared therein so their hope leans on and hath for its object the promises of God which hold forth the marrow and fatness of the feast of good things made in Christ and the consideration of them is very requisite for their patient encountering with temptations and enduring to the issue they being partly the things fought for and partly helps in fighting for they are of two sorts things to be given to and enjoyed by us in the combate and things to be met with in the issue of it according to that Fear not Abraham I will be thy shield to protect and defend thee in the way and thy exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 when thou hast overcome Under the first head are comprehended the promises of this life in the outward man and for the life of the Spirit in the inner man the promises of provision and maintenance such as this Fear the Lord ye Saints or holy ones for they that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 34.9 And that Seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added to you Mat. 6.33 Whence that Let your conversation be without covetousness Heb. 13,5,6 Be not reaching in your desires after the world either in provision for sustenance or safety as if you were left to shift for your selves therein or as if your happiness consisted partly in having much thereof or as if God would not provide for necessaries or conveniences herein for your warfare here but be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may be bold and say the Lord is on my side I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Heb. 13.5,6 And for protection from enemies so as that they shall not harm or devour us such as that All the hairs of your head are numbred and the Lord will save them from the wicked and he will help them because they trust in him Matth. 10. Psal 37.41 the promises for their helpfulness in Spirit are such as these That he will sanctifie and cleanse them 1 Thes 5.23,24 VVrite his Laws and put his fear in them Ezek. 36.25,26 Fer. 31.32 c. that he will send the Spirit of Truth and put it into them as a Comforter
expectation much more of salvation and glory So that the knowledge and mindfulness of Jesus Christ as made flesh and therein dying for us rising and mediating as in the letter of the Scripture is declared is not the knowledge of him after the flesh in which the Apostle Paul says they knew him no more they that say it is are of the number of them that understand not the Apostle there and in that particular fulfil the truth of Peters saying that in Pauls Writings as some read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things are hard to be understood which some pervert to their own destruction 2. Again the Apostle in that passage doth no more deny that he believed that there was such a Christ and that he had real flesh or that he hath now a humane body of flesh glorified then in the phrase before where he says that he knew no man henceforth after the flesh he denies that he belives any man to have a body of flesh or to be naturally a man nor doth he there more deny that we are to consider Christ in his abasement for our sins and his glory in the humane nature then in the said former expression he denies that we are to consider or know any of our brethren in their poverty sickness oppression c. to pitty and help them because those things happen to them in and after the flesh and not in or from the Spirit the phrase being the same for knowing other men as about knowing Christ But what then doth the Apostle mean I answer to understand his meaning we must minde the drift and scope he aims at in the place which is this To shew their uprightness and faithfulness in their ministration which was traduced by the false Apostles who by accusing theirs insinuated their own more strongly into the Corinthians affections to this purpose he had before told them that they preached the Gospel as in the sight of God without mixing or maring it as the false Apostles did Chap. 2.17 who made a hotch potch of Law and Gospel together preaching neither rightly while they thought to mix both he had shewed them the difference between the Law and Gospel old Testament and new rather Chap. 3. and their ministrations the excellencie of the New above the old whence he says they used great plainness and boldness of speech not putting a vail over their faces as Moses did Chap. 3.12,13 which things could not be truly said if they had indeed talked as its evident they did speak of a Christ in the flesh dead raised c. but aimed at and meant some other thing typified out by it which we deny they did He had told them that for the manner of preaching Chap. 4.2 they did it simply and plainly without craft and dishonesty wit or eloquence of mans wisdoms framing and that by their plain preaching they exposed themselves to sufferings not onely from the world but the false Apostles too who gloried in appearance in seeming zeal and diligence in and for the Law and in fleshly carnal circumcision vers 17 18. that they respected the recompence of reward and so preached and walked as those that aimed at the receit of it knowing the account they were to give to Christ and the terror of the Lord in that day Chap. 1.5 9.10,11 thence neither did they preach as the false Apostles to please the Jews by appropriating the Gospel to them or by pressing upon the Gentiles a necessity of Circumcision either to make them fit subjects for the Gospel preaching or after the Gospel preaching to â—elp on the vertue of Christs Sacrifice and mediation for their eternal salvation Now here he shews the further ground of this their more upright preaching vers 13 14. c. â—iz the love of Christ constraining them and that â—pon this ground because they judged that Christ died for All Jews and Gentiles one and another without exception whence they infer'd that 〈◊〉 Jew and Gentile circumcised or uncircumcised were dead in themselves and no priviledge they had in the flesh made them acceptable unto God Or as we may read the words rather that â—ll dyed that is in him the representative that dyed for All and so that the power spirit and â—erpetuity of the first judgement and Death â—eing over and past and the inevitableness of â—he destruction therein removed there is good News for All Gentile and Jew prophane and â— ealous there is life in Christ for them All and â—way opened in and by him through which any of them all might be made partakers of it yea in that judgement he further judged that the mind of Christ in dying for them All was that they that live should no longer live to themselves â—ut to him that dyed for them and rose again and therefore it behoved him and all that were intrusted by Christ in that Embassage to endeavor to let all one another know the obligation that lies upon them and that they might see that love of God that should quicken and enliven them in which respect it is that he says wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh c. We must take him in the same matter he is speaking about or else we shall grosly err He means not that in their civil converse with and demeanor towards men they knew or considered not one to be a Magistrate another a Subject because men are not these in or after the Spirit but in and according to the flesh nor would he teach other men in that respect to cast off their knowledge of one another according to their differences in the flesh as if they should put no difference between male and female their own wives and others the Magistrates and otheâ— men as pertaining to their civil converse with oâ— towards them as that believing servants should not look upon any man as their Master according to the flesh especially not upon believing Masters so but as their brethren according to the Spirit and so refuse to own themselves aâ— their servants or bound to serve them 1 Tim. 6 1,2 for this would be an evil doctrine and iâ— quite contrary to the Apostles own teaching desâ—ructive to all humane Society honesty and good government But in regard of their applying the Gospel and Gospel-priviledges to there he means that he knew no man after the flesh that is he minded not or judged any more or less under the Gospel-right by their riches or poverty wisdom or folly in respect of natural parts or education nobility or ignobleness bleness sexe country nation c. or which will come to the same he knew or minded them not in that respect as the wisdom of the flesh would have led him but according as the Spirit of God in the Doctrine of the Gospel represented them viz as sinners and dead in themselves all alike one and other and all as under the free grace of God that had given Christ to dye for them and
A CAVEAT TO All True Christians Against the spreadings of the Spirit of Antichrist and his subtile endeavours to draw men from JESUS CHRIST Propounded to them by J. Horn one of the unworthiest of Christs servants in his Gospel a Preacher thereof in South Lin Norfolk Together with some brief Directions for their orderly waâ—…ings Prov. 19.27 Cease my son to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge Prov 7.25,26,27 Let not thine heart decline to her ways go not astray in her paths For she hath cast down many wounded yea many strong men have been slain by her Her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death 1 John 2.24,25 Let that therefore which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you if that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you ye shall continue in the Father and in the Son And this is the promise which he promised us even eternal life London Printed by R.W. for T. Brewster and G. Moule and are to be sold at the three Bibles at the West-end of Pauls 1651. TO The Vertuous and Religious Gentlewomen M rs Jane Desborow wife to the Honorable Major General John Desborow M rs Alice Toll wife to the Right Worshipful Mr. Thomas Toll Esquire and M rs Judith Cook wife to the Right Worshipful Col. Thomas Cook of Bebmarsh in Essex Esquire Grace Mercy and Peace in Jesus Christ Much beloved in the Lord IT is the Councel of the Apostle John not to believe every spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God And sure there is now as much need of this counsel as ever because there are diversity of Spirits and Prophets gone out into the world and all pretend to God but all confess not that is magnifie not or lead not to exalt Jesus Christ come in the flesh but divers of them deny or undervalue that by which it is manifest that they are not of God to those that duly try them but that they are of that spirit of Antichrist of which we have heard that it should come into the world And truly though it be an heavy judgement of God to order such a spirit of error to enter into and amongst men and men to be possessed and acted by him yet if the matter be well and duly considered it will appear a just and righteous judgement and may afford us much matter of warning For wherein hath or could God have testified or commended his love more to the world then in giving forth his only begotten Son to be believed on and to that end to be delivered to death for our offences and become the propitiation for our sins and being raised again and glorified to hold forth in and through him unto us an immeasurable fulness of glory and salvation And what might God look for and challenge at our hands for so great goodness less then all possible thankfulness and most chearful ready receit of and submission to him but alas how contrary are the returns that he findeth from men What is there that is so little regarded and so much neglected as this his Son what so little received and fed upon by men Is not the preaching of the Cross of Christ become foolishness again not onely to the rude and prophane or to the Pharasaical that establish to themselves a righteousness of their own but which iâ— the most to be lamented to such as have tasted of his goodness and had him livelily set â—orth to them even many such have crucified â—im to themselves afresh and have not obeyed the truth so far as to cleave with stedfast purpose of heart unto him Many that have received the â—tdings of Christs Death and Resurrection for them as sometimes the Israelites the Manna with joy and admiration have with them also after a while grown weary thereof as if it was a light bread and their souls have loathed him and lusted after some other thing to feed upon that might more puff them up in themselves and give more sensual satisfaction And alas how few are there who are not more or less tainted with this infection as if there was not an enoughness in Christ his Death Sacrifice and Mediation for them to feed upon Now what more just with God then that his so great love being so abrogated and so nothing set by should turn to jealousie and that he revenge the injury done unto his Son and to himself with the heat of indignation by sending to them as to the Israelites for their offence fiery Serpents Numb 21. spirits of error and of delusion that because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved but had pleasure in their unrighteousness in disesteeming so great a witness of love and not in the truth therefore the efficacie of error should infatuate them and carry them headlong into destruction the abuse and contempt of greatest love deserving to be revenged with the severest condemnation But alas where the spirit of Error hath gotten rooting how many are there so strongly giddified therewith that they make but a mock of these things and think there is no other hell but what here befals them throwing up the whole Christian Faith by the very foundation A piteous and much to be bewailed mischief which cals for not onely our best endeavours by Prayers and Supplications and faithful Instruction to prevent its spreading but might also challenge in many the Magistrates inspection that as of late they have worthily made an Act to prevent and punish Blasphemy against God so they might endeavour to stop the over-free spreading of Blasphemy against Christ by the like provision But for that it s our business to pray God rightly to direct them and that none of them that should discountenance such evil be either tainted therewith themselves or so far destitute of that spiritual Eye-salve as not to have thereof a right discerning As for your parts Worthy Friends I hope you have received so much of that holy Unction as hath helped you to understand the wiles of Satan so that I may say to you as the Apostle in 1 Joh. 2.21 I write not to you because ye know not the Truth but because ye know it and that no lie is of the Truth both blessing God that he doth keep you in so evil a day and praying for you that yet ye may be filled with the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and so more abundantly anointed with that spiritual Eye-salve that ye may be further able to discern things that differ and so be kept for even And indeed I know no better thing that I can wish for you then that for where that is not I know not what else can preserve men For Satan coming not in his own colours but disguised as an Angel of Light not as an enemy but as of old the Serpent as a friend that will shew the way to a more happy and glorious
profess them Rom. 1.18 2 Cor. 6.1 Some hold the truth in unrighteousness and receive good doctrines in vain because not deep enough into the heart or because not singly so as to be acted by them Not every one that saith unto Christ Lord Lord shall inherit the Kingdom c. Matth. 7.21 of the same judgement or opinion many times some may be Saints in light others devils and walk in darkness Joh. 6.70 Christ hath Chaff and Wheate in the same floore of profession a Judas that was a Professor and Teacher of the same Doctrine with the other Apostles 4. They are not the sons of Hagar born of the bond woman Gal. 4.22,23,24 c. not every one that hath a zeal of God for some have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 are zealously affected in a wrong way and think themselves to be knowing people too as the Pharisees that took it in great scorn that they should be accounted blind and unknowing Joh. 9.40 It s not every one then in whom much knowledge in their own and others apprehensions with much zeal and strictness for Ordinances Worship Religions Actions and Practises meet together that is a Saint of God The old Pharisees had all this according to the Church State then openly owned and judged true and right and yet not Saints but Hypocrites whited walls and painted Sepulchres There are that have been trained up in religious duties from their youth or that having been prophane and loose and meeting with the Doctrine of the Law consisting of Precepts Promises Prohibitions and Threatnings have been convinced of their wayes that they were sinful and tended to destruction and so for fear of hell and out of a desire to be saved have reformed their courses and conversations let go evil company and practises and set upon zealous and religious performances yea and perhaps espying some defects in the way of worship they have walked in have left society in such a way and put themselves into a purer as they have perceived and attaining to something in these ways do from their betterness of way walking from others judge themselves alive to God and call themselves the Saints and holy ones apply to themselves all the promises in Christ who yet are deceived herein the bottom of all this being not Grace or Love from God apprehended by them and springing up life in them but their own convictions sorrows changes reformations and alterations from the Law of God or the Precepts and promises of the Gospel in a Law way understood and minded is the ground of their hope though yet they will as also did the Pharisee Luke 18.10,11 put all these their convictions and conversion upon the grace of God and thank God for it Now these in as much as their Conversion and Religion is the product of a Doctrine of Works the Covenant given in Sinai answering to the bond maid Hagar and inasmuch as from their changes so wrought their hope is sprung up and their conclusion of Saintship is made they must indure the sentence that the Scripture gave upon the son of the Bondwoman Cast out the Bond-woman and her son for the son of the Bond-woman shall not inherit with the Free-woman and her son Gal. 4.30 As Hagar was to have been a servant to Abraham and Sarah but not for the generation of children so also did God appoint the Law for convincement of sin till the Seed came but not to beget sons to God or such Changes and Reformations as should be the ground for their judging themselves Saints and confident expectation of the Kingdom They then that are of the works of the Law Gal. 3.10 that hold by the title and lay claim upon that ground to Saintship be their knowledge never so much their zeal never great their profession never so accurate according to the Rule as pertaining to the appearance of their works yea be they of what name or profession so ever they are all under the curse and are to be separated from this Saintship and those to whom it is to be applied Saints they may perhaps judge themselves and be judged by others but none of Gods Saints they are according to the prime sense of the Word nor shall they be owned by him for such but judged theeves and robbers that have climbed over the wall and stokâ— the priviledges and pasture of Christs sheep unto themselves which shall therefore be taken from them Joh. 10. To all such of what society or profession soever is that to be applied to that was spoken to Nicodemus Joh. 3.3.5 They must be boâ—… of water and Spirit or else they cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God but have their portion with unbelievers 5. It s not every one that hath been in Trance or seen Visions and Apparitions of Glory and excellent things though from God himself for such was Balaam and yet no Saint 〈◊〉 God but a false Prophet Numb 24.4 Or thâ—… hath power to work some miracles or cast oâ— a devil Matth. 10.1.4 for so had Judas anâ— those in Matth. 7.22 Some such also may henâ— be discharged and yet it s to be feared that many of those that in these times call themselves Saints have no better foundation then one or other or at most all of these last forementioned false grounds in whom is fulfilled what in former times the true Churches of Christ met with they are such as say they are Jews men interested in the Covenant of God and of Christ but are not but do lye and are many of them of the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2. Take heed my friends that none of you that read these things lean upon so weak foundations as that you are of such or such an opinion either really or in your apprehension right that you are are zealous reformed of such a Church or Congregation having all Christs Ordinances purely have had such visions of glorious things concerning Gods Church and people c. thence concluding your selves to be Saints But I shall come to the Discription of a Saint affirmatively Sect. 2. Who are Saints A Saint hath his name from Sanctification Now to sanctifie is to separate or set apart from common and prophane to holy use from being a mans own and for himself to be Gods and for God which in reall Saints is done by God and according to his Will Heb. 10.10 And God doth it by his Spirit and in the Name of his Son who hath fore-offered up himself to God for men 1 Cor. 6.9.11 The Spirit of God in the Word or Name of Christ preached or unfoulded to them discovering the Grace or good will of God towards men in the Gift Death and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and thereby killing and crucifying them to the flesh all fleshly birth parts wisdom righteousness goodness affections and lusts of their own and in drawing them to Christ to believe in him and his bloud and so to communicate with
his Sacrifice sanctifieth men and makes them Saints or holy unto God it being the anointed one Christ himself that is their sanctification by being in him they become separared from the world and are made Gods lot part and portion a people holy to him Saints then are a people created in Christ Jesus or begotten and born to God in the Knowledge and faith of his Son by the power of the Spirit a people born of the Promise of God or word of Promise that is the Gospel concerning Christ raised from the dead and the salvation that is in him Gal. 4.24,25 Acts 13.32.33.1 Pet. 1.3 and 3.31 The manifestation of God his Mind Love Grace and Goodness therein being that water in the Word flowing from beside the Altar of God of which it behooves that men be born through the power of the Spirit working therein or else they cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Ezeck 4.7 That 's the Free-woman the Jerusalem that is above the mother of us all by this a man drawn to Christ quickened up and devoted to God in him is made a Saint of God So that in this Saintship there are these two things to be minded 1. That God in the word of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ and his Death Resurrection and Mediation hath shined in his love to the soul and thereby hath begot and in some measure quickned up a man to a lively hope a hope in God and that founded upon nothing of his own nor any fruit of the Law in him whether sorrow humiliation reformation legall conversion work indeavour frame or vertue found in him but only the grace and love of God as manifested in Christ Christ dead for him and risen for him and glorified of God for and to him received into his heart by faith is there become the hope of glory to him the sight or belief of Christ crucified for him drew him in to beleeve not his conceited act or fruits of beleeving made him judge Christ crucified for him 2. That the love and grace in Christ thus apprehended by him and giving him hope changes him into the likeness of Christ principles him God-ward puts a law of love into his heart and carries him after God and so devotes him unto God to Christ to be his and for his praise So that in a Saint of God there is neither a hope bottomed upon his changing and endeavors nor yet a dead hope without a change but a change and renovation springing from his hope and that hope from grace discovered in God by Jesus Christ in the power of the spirit he hath his life in love and lives to the God of Love And every such soul as from the grace of God in Christ is quickened up to hope in God and in that hope given up to be God's Christ's whatever difference may be found otherwise in the flesh or in some opinions not essentiall to the faith is a Saint of God whether for the Scripture makes this difference 1. Children weak and as it were but embrio's Christ not yet formed in them Gal. 4.19 their apprehensions of Gods love in his Son but weak and small and so their hope and faith but little and weak wavering staggering not as yet setled and confirmed and made strong in Christ who therefore are to be tendred and more warily walked toward and as it were nursed up with wholesome words like milk and not roughly dealt with lest they be broken and lest by any abuse of our liberties or any other way they be scandalized and offended or 2. Young men such as are strong and have overcome the wicked one have endured temptations and have the word of God somewhat setled and abiding in them and therefore ablet to bear and not so soon stumbled nor in so great danger of miscarrying or 3. Farhers men well grown and long experienced and so more usefull for begetting and training up others in the knowledge of Christ 1 Joh. 2.14.15 And to all such as thus by the word of the Gospel and the grace or love of God therein discovered to them in the Death and resurrection of Christ have been emptied of themselves and their filthy confidences and rejoycings and are begot to hope in God and framed to the love and likeness of God in some beginnings or in further growth do I bend my following words with the severall counsels and instructions therein given CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of the estate of the Saints ANd first of all I desire you to minde the state in which you are which admits of diverse distinct considerations For a Saint is in a measure proportioned to Christ and there is a great deal of likenes between them though also mixed with much unlikeness Christ had a twofold nature and discent each of which had its distinct properties of God and of man the Son of God and the Son of man according to the flesh and according to the Spirit according to the flesh of the seed of David according to the Spirit the Son of God and so declared to be with power in the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.2.3 According to the flesh the Jews knew whence he was and stumbled at him according to the Spirit they knew him not whence he was nor did acknowledge him according to the flesh he was put to Death and died according to the Spirit or in the power thereof he was raised again He was a man a man anointed of God with the holy Ghost and power So is every reall Saint or Christian he is to be considered as a man and as a Saint as of Adam as in Christ of God according to the humane nature that he hath by generation in the flesh and according to the divine nature which he partakes of in the Spirit He is neither all flesh nor all Spirit but hath something of both though yet neither in the same way had Christ his flesh as he hath neither hath he the Spirit in the same immeasurable fulness as Christ had so that in that regard there is also disproportion between them the very flesh or body of Christ was so of God that it was not by immeditate humane generation and he was so the Son of God in the Spirit that he also was and is God and all the fulness of gifts and grace was and is in him not so the Saint he hath his flesh by humane generation as other men and he hath a measure of the gift of Christ in one way or other but no one hath all nor can communicate to others as Christ can The man Jesus Christ was the Son of God by union with the word so are the Saints but not in the same manner there the word was made flesh and the person so made is yet called the word here the word is united to the soul by faith yet so as it s not made to be flesh or man nor the person in whom it is is made the word there he was the
that they not being the objects of sense are the less feared or discerned and can the more easily mingle themselves with or insinuate themselves into our spirits which are somewhat of like nature with them that such essences were created by Christ is affirmed in Col. 1.16 Things visible and invisible c and that some of these leaving their first habitation or principality fell from God and are reserved in chains of darkness unto the Judgement of the great Day which they also tremble at the thoughts of is affirmed by the Apostle Jude 6. Nor need I go about to prove to you that there are such for I speak to you that are Saints and therefore I hope not easily gulled into the error of the Sadduces to deny that there are Angels or Spirits or any thing that cannot be seen or discerned with bodily senses you cannot be Saints if ye believe no more then your senses perceive for then neither can ye believe that there is a God forasmuch as with mortal eyes you cannot see him and Saints they are not that believe not in him much less that believe him not to be because they cannot see him The Scriptures everywhere plentifully testifie to this that there are both Angels and Spirits good and evil and such as I speak to are born of that Word of Faith that is held forth in the Scriptures else have they nothing to do to conceive that they have any interest in the glorious priviledges there spoken of I shall leave others to believe what there is said or to take theâ—… course till they experiment the truth thereof iâ— their own smart There is an evil spirit I saâ— whereof the Saints have experience with many emissaries or Angels unclean and evil spiriâ— too that worketh in the children of disobedâ—ence bewitching the minds of men with false iâ—lusions and stirring up that corruption thaâ— is in them to their own and others perjudiâ—… He blows and stirs men up to opposition agaiâ— God and his Truth and kindleth up anger aâ—… wrath against the Saints because of the truth deceiving the world and suggesting to them thâ—… the Saints are an evil people not fit to be peâ—mitted amongst men suiting himself to meâ— several dispositions ways and principles Tâ—… the prophane and men bent upon their lusts aâ—… pleasures he insinuates that the Truth of Goâ— and the Saints that profess it are opposite 〈◊〉 them and seek to cross them of their enterpâ—ses and therefore that it cannot go well witâ— them while they are permitted To those thâ—… are potent and powerful in the world he suâ—gests that these people are refractory to theâ— and under pretence of worshipping God 〈◊〉 Christ deny subjection to them and therefoâ—… not to be tolerated To them that are world wise he presenteth their way as foolish anâ— therefore to be despised To them that are falâ—…ly and ignorantly zealous he representeth theâ—… as Sectaries and perillous to their way of Religion and so fitting his suggestions to their several tempers stirreth them all up to war against them Sometimes also he worketh in some of more seeming ingenuous tempers to flatter and intice them with worldly proffers from their way of Piety and Religion Yea he can insinuate into the Saints themselves and suggest such things to their hearts as tend to supplant them and set one to play the adversary to another either by flattering speeches to perswade one another to turn aside from the way of Christ to avoide the Cross and persecution or else by raising up emulations divisions or the like to weaken them He Proteus like can transform himself into any shape and put into the world and into the flesh an addition of his own power and policy to make them more dangerous enemies unto the Saints to harm them The Beast the worldly power setting it self in the House of God and the false Prophet the pretended spiritual but really corrupt power worldlified into a way of secular pride and pomp are both strengthened by him the great red Dragon to persecute the woman clothed with the Sun and the Offâ—spring that she brings forth in the earth and happy is he that is not overcome by one wile or other of him Great need deer fellow-Travellers to look about us and to take to our selves Armor of Proof and to stand upon our Watch that none of these potent enemies do circumvent us and turn back from the possession of the eternal inherâ—tance to prevent which before I come to sheâ—… you the way to escape their force I shall say little about the Temptations that God orders 〈◊〉 his people by them chiefly some of the moâ—… dangerous of them CHAP. III. Of Temptations Sect. 1. That God suffereth his Saints to be tempted and why YOur estate being such as I haâ—… described you may see that yoâ— have ground to expect tempâ—…tions and cause neither to bâ— secure considering your imperfections nor yet diffident coâ—sidering what perfection you have in Christ Jâ—sus Your ground to expect them may be fuâ—ther seen in this that God pleases to order theâ—… to his people permitting them to be tempted 〈◊〉 Satan who of his own nature is most read thereto as may be seen in the head of the Saint even the Lord Christ Jesus We read thâ—… when He was Baptized and the heavens openâ—… upon him and God had declared him to be his well-beloved Son and the Spirit was poured out upon him designing him to be the Minister and servant of God to the world in the revelation of the knowledge of God to them Matth. 4.1 though God had testified his welpleasedness in him yet even him Satan set upon and thrust sorely at that he might try his strength and God also by his Spirit led him into this way into the Wilderness to be tempted of Satan sure to let us see what we are to expect and look for viz a portion too in temptation as of old he led his Israel also into the Wilderness and suffered a day of temptation to fall upon them before he led them into Canaan And that 's Gods trying men in this way that he leads them into such occasions and into such a way as wherefrom Satan take advantages to tempt them And though Satan do herein evilly like himself yet God doth it for good as to the Israelites of old because as there so here much mixt people comes out of Egypt with the Saints Many come out of the worldly Societies and Fellowships wayes and professions upon the heare-say of the Gospel and through the light truth that they see therein who yet are not so principled as the Saints not of their spirit and disposition though amongst them drawn by the hope of the inheritance but not so moulded into holy confidence and that those might be made manifest and either healed or turned quite out therefore God doth order temptations to them and then many such depart from amongst the Saints because they were not of them of
the snare and ready to be devoured by him yea perhaps he so lulls them asleep that they scarce see or feel it then under pretence of doing more good he inveigles many mens minds to love and seek after more goods and under pretence of crediting the Gospel he leads many to seek to credit themselves in the world and advance their own honor and set their hearts upon earthly dignities and preferments yea and sometimes under pretence of spirituall union and better helpfulness he provokes some men to lust and wantonness oh the subtilty of this wicked one But yet in these things though somewhat sublimated he appears but as a Ruler of the darkness of this world and as the God thereof seeking to glorifie it and snare the Saints by it which also too usually he doth But he is yet more admirably subtle in transforming himself into another guise coming full fraught with spirituall wickednesses in heavenly things He as a subtle Spirit can insinuate pollutions into our Spirits in the things of heaven and where he sees souls taken with such things can meet them in a disguise in the things they are taken with changing his shape and clothing himself with an appearance of light and present himself as a messenger bringer or Angel of light and in this way even at this time also my Brethren he is most busie and doth most hurt unto the Churches and Saints of God when Satan comes to divert Saints from spirituall things he is somewhat more discernable though so sleightfull juggler is he that even there oftentimes he geâ—… beyond them but when he comes and wraps himself in these things and pretends to help them forward in them then he gets the easier attention and entertainment Here then that counsell of the Apostle John is needfull to be taken by us Beloved beleeve not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God I Joh. 4.1 Minde this that Sathan is a Spirit and can be a lying Spirit in the mouth of false prophets yea hath many Spirits as his Angels to send out and do mischief and he can flie up and aspire to heavenly things to be a Teacher and revealer pretendedly of them also so that here the path of the Saints is made very intricate and they have great need of the Spirit of wisdom and understanding to discern their way that they be not cheated Sect. 3. Some observations upon Sathans tempting Christ Mat. 4. LEt us view the members by the head and see what Satan will do to the Saints in this matter by his setting upon Christ the Lord of the Saints Mat. 4. 1. When he saw him an hungry and were there was no bread he tempts him to impatiency of it and to an unusual way to put an end to his hunger by turning stones into bread as if God that led him to a condition wherein he denyed him the ordinary means of refreshing was not able to or would not preserve him by his word without those means or as if he could not be content as well to live upon Gods word without the means when not afforded as upon the means extraordinarily procured And surely Satan is often busie with the Saints to make them impatient in their wilderness of waiting upon God and carries many inordinately after those and those means where they cannot in an ordinary way injoy them as if their life consisted in them and not chiefly in the word of God believed by them and united to them many a Saint he draweth down to a discontentedness for want of visible means in outward things or because he injoys not such an ordinance or means in the time while he is the wilderness as he thirsts or hungers for but God in his providentiall way affordeth not yea by that means sometimes he stirs them up to many irregularities and combustions yea and often when they have though irregularly gotten what their souls thirsted for by assuming power as the Sons of God to make what they have not they take up their rest too much in such enjoyments as if they lived by them and not by the word of God that proceedeth from him But yet behold a more subtle temptation in which is discovered more spirituall wickedness For Christ no sooner had resisted that temptation being stedfast in faith and in the word of God as having it written in his heart but then 2. He sets upon him in another way in which he playes the Angel of light indeed and fight against him with his own weapons tempts him to confidence in God and brings the promise to him which he knew must needs appertain to him he being the Son of God to animate him to step out of the way of God He takes him and carries him upon the top of an high pinacâ—… of the Temple and bids him thence to cast down himself for he being the Son of God nothing could harm him and it is written that God had given his Angels charge over him to keep him and to bear him up by their power that he should not dash his foot against a stone Oh subtle temptation whom would not this deceive but him that holds fast the word and hath it dwelling in him in all wisdom teaching and admonishing him how many souls lifted up on high have been precipated with this suggestion When the Devil turns a preacher and presents Gods promises to further his inticements whom will not his subtilty overthrow from Gods Temple this is a temptation fitted to persons that minde spirituall things persons that look for promises to be given in to them may be easily thus snared How many when they have met in some measure with a baptism unto Christ and some spirituall communication from Christ in which they have tasted of his heavenly gift and the power of the world to come and have rejoyced and made their boast of him and looked upon themselves as called by him and made sons in him and have thought the promises belonged to them yet by such a temptation to confidence with the promises set before them have been perverted from the right way to salvation a temptation taking with high minded pesons filling them with a careless fearlesness of their condition how many doth Satan teach to reason after this manner am not I acquainted with the goodness of God have not I met with such light and knowledge of God am not Jâ—a child of God did not God at such a time and in such a way make me feel and taste of such heavenly vertue eat his spirituall Manna drink his comforts taste of the heavenly gift are not all the promises of God my portion there can I ever fall away or misse of my portion what if I neglect such ordinances and assemblings of our selves together I am above them all and my not waiting on God in them can do me no harm at all all his promises for keeping guiding preservation and everlasting glory are mine and am sure to
them and bought them and that he willingly condescended to out of his love to them but now these crucifie him again to themselves and put him to more grief as it were by their wicked and wilful departings from him and so in the most hainous sort ill requite and deny him Nay they are said to trample him under foot and count the pretious bloud of the Covenant by which they Were sanctified a common thing and to do despite to the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.2.9 That bloud that was the bloud of God pretious bloud not to be reckoned amongst corruptible things as silver and gold Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18,19 that they account as prophane or common ordinary blood nothing better then the bloud and sufferings of an ordinary man and whatever the Spirit speaks therethrough they despightfully and reproachfully blaspheam so great is their sin and he tells us their punishment is like to equalize it for they in so sinning put themselves besides the benefit of Christs sacrifice there remains no longer any sacrifice for them that can make in their behalf any expiation Heb. 10.26 thy have neither Father nor Son to be their protection or to afford any safety to them 2 Joh 9. Whatever they may dream of taking Satan for their glorious God and King and his delusions for lighâ— and consolation and however they may boaâ—… of God yet God they have not he is no way ingaged by any Covenant or Promise now tâ— them they having trod Christ under foot anâ— wickedly departed from his bloud and from hiâ— Doctrine they bring upon themselves swift distraction 2 Pet. 2.1 and the very blackness of darkness is reserved for them for ever Jude 12. though now they talk of greater light and Satan make them as Wandring Comets Jude 13. having 〈◊〉 fixed abiding station in the Son of God nor filled with the divine beams of his Light yet they must go out in darkness yea into the blackness of it the most horrid darkness the worst and depth of misery must be their portion this is the end and will be the issue of their delusion thither tend the steps of this whorish woman or spirit of error her house inclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead Pro. 2.20 Yea the dead are there and her guests are in the depth of hell Pre. 9.18 I will not here run into any curious search oâ— discourse about hell what it is it is sufficient to know that it is and will be a state of unspeakable horror torment misery and confusion in which men shall partake with the wicked one and his Angels in the weight heaviness and everlastingness of their destruction in the depth of which the Spirit of God â—ells us are the guests of the foolish woman the spirit of Error opposed to the Spirit of Truth called Wisdom I will not say nor do I think that all have been â—…ibling at these baits of Satan and parlying with him in these temptations nor that all that have through weakness been overtaken and catched in some degree of them are irrecoverably gone into this condition no some such may be pulled either by compassion or by fear and dread as brands out of the sire Jude 22,23 and God may be merciful unto them because they did it in weakness and through violence of temptation but all that willingly yield up themselves hereunto and persist therein till they be one with Satan and his Instruments are like to partake with them in the blackness of their portion and to have their latter end Worse then their beginning 2 Pet. 2.20,21 Sect. 8. Who are in danger to be snared herewith and by What steps THere are divers sorts of people in more speciall danger to be snared with these deceits and they that are snared are carried to the heigth of it by divers steps worthy our noting It s good indeed for every one to be cautelous and not secure yet there are some in greater danger then others and that are more usually taken in it In general all such as have not thâ— Word of God abiding in them or so rooted and deeply entred with understanding intâ— them as to dwell in and keep them through temptations as is noted Matth 13.19 such 〈◊〉 the Word had not root in fall away in a time 〈◊〉 temptation for indeed it s the power of Goâ— that keeps men and that keeps us by Faith aâ—… Faith is not but of the Word of God so thâ—… letting go the VVord is the departing frâ—… Faith and the departing from that is the beiâ—… loosed from that saving Power of the Spirit 〈◊〉 God Now all they in whose hearts the VVorâ— hath but a little superficial place their hearts being stony so as they give not through and intiâ—… credit to it are soon loosed from it and so 〈◊〉 great danger of falling and this Peter implieâ— 2 Pet. 3.16 when he saith They that are unlearned and unstable unlearned he means not 〈◊〉 Arts Sciences and Languages which suffice noâ— to this business but that are but smatterers dâ—… of hearing not of understanding in the Mysteriâ—… of God or in the Word of his Truth and whoâ—… hearts are unstable and unsetled not throughâ— perswaded but halting between two opinionâ— easily blown away and removed these wâ—… the Scriptures to their own destruction and fiâ— away into the error of the wicked and so inâ—… perdition More particularly 1. Such as are slothful in the VVord of Goâ— that cry not for wisdom that give not diligent â— eed to understanding that follow not after God with earnestness but neglect that great â—alvation set before them and of which they have â—ad some views and nigh drawings to them such â—s take not up well pleasedness in Jesus Christ â—hat way of Gods appointing nor have pleasure 〈◊〉 the Truth Knowledge is not sweet unto â—hem and so not heartily cleaved to by them â—or fruitful in them they receive the Grace of God in vain in that regard rest in the form â—nd in some illuminations and tasts but give not â—iligence to atrain the power of it they add â—ot in their Faith Vertue force or efficacy and 〈◊〉 that Knowledge or a further growing up into â—he Knowledge of Christ and his Truth and to â—hat Temperance and sobriety c. but abiding â—arren and unfruitful in that Knowledge and â—rofession of Christ that they have in a time of â—emptation they fall off and wither are lopt off from the Vine and men gather them into their â—ocieties and perverse wayes and doctrines strong delusions take with them that they might be damned that had pleasure in unrighteousness and not in the Truth the righteous Truth of God that they might be saved 2. Such as believe not upon the VVord and its faithfulness but upon their sensible feelings and visits whose faith is built upon sense more then upon the Authority and Power of Gods Word thus the Israelites of old who had maâ—… sensible experiences of Gods
the Truth so much as it will defend us His Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler Psal 91.3 c. 2. Put on also the Breast-plate of Righteousness to guard your hearts that Satans temptations pierce them not Let the comfort consolation and strength that righteousness affords be in your hearts and consciences O how chearful will that make us how useful will that be to us in the worst trials and bickerings when our consciences guarded with the Breast-plate Faith and Love 1 Thes 5.8 give a good answer to God and do not reprove us VVhen the Son of God made to us of God Righteousness imboldens us toward God and stands between us and all Law-charges when the beholding him as dead for our sins and risen again for our justification and mediating the new Covenant for us as the truth declares to us gives us good hope and makes us triumph over all accusations that would affright us By him we have access to God with confidence and are preserved that the sight of our own evils doth not overwhelm us especially while we walk in his Spirit and are led by his grace to do the thing that is well pleasing in his sight and whereof our hearts shall not reproach us for if our hearts condemn us not then have we boldness 1 Joh. 3.21 And that inward boldness is an undauntedness of Spirit by which we are carried to overlook and rejoyce against all those things by which our adversaries either outward or inward would discourage us A good heart or conscience made such by Christs blood washing it and Christ himself made of God righteousness unto it and leading it in paths of righteousness is a continuall feast and will bear a man up under all other infirmities Let this therefore be put on by us that it may cloth and fence us as also 3. Shod we our feet with the readiness or preparation of the Gospel of peace that so we may not be offended in our walkings the hardships we meet with may not make us go on lamely the scratching thorns of cares and griefs may not rent and tear us the Gospel of peace having effected peace within us and prepared and fitted us to bear with patience all adversities and tryals from without us Let the operations of it in you by which it prepareth and fitteth you for God and for his way making you ready for his work and service and steeling you with patience fortitude and courage against all oppositions and sufferings be as shoes to your feet in all your goings with that Gospel also be ye prepared and furnished yea and made stedfast and setled for the spirituall conflict count it not an empty thing but in the firmness and preparedness it hath in it and that it being minded effecteth let your steps be strengthened that you slide not and your wayes both in judgement and practice be directed that you erre not in the knowledge and minding of this your feet shall be guided through all assaults and temptations unto peace and quietness Let the firmness brought thereby keep you from unsetledness It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1.16 That beleeveth I say for without faith we cannot receive the benefit thereof and therefore 4. In all or above all take to your selves the shield of faith by which ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one whether ye understand this shield for faith it self or for God in Christ as the shield that faith useth they both come to one for faith is not the faith except it beleeve God rest in on him as declared in Christ so that its God in Christ closed with and rested on that makes faith as a shield thence the works of Christ are often attributed to faith because Christ doth them in and by this faith which hath God in Christ inclosed in it Now this faith is in all things usefull yea in all the other pieces of the spiritual armour it s that by which they are taken and put on by us for neither can truth be as a girdle to us not our consciences be made good nor Christ be as a brest-plate thereupon or the Gospel of peace firm strengthen and prepare us without faith receive them and thereby close us with God in Christ Jesus nor can we put on the helmet of salvation wield the sword of the Spirit or make an acceptable prayer except faith be in us so that in all these things we are to put on or exercise faith Beleeve the truth and Gospel of God and give glory to him and therein let the heart stay and rest on him minding viewing and considering what a one God is yea is become to us iâ— Christ what strength power mercy goodness and faithfulness and truth are in him how he is love and hath shewed forth his power and wisdom towards us and for us in acts of love and mercy to us and all this in his Christ his salvation his anointed who hath born our sinâ— for us and offered up himself a spotless sacrifice unto God and is become the propitiation for our sins the Mediator between God and men the high priest over his house full of mercy and grace ability and faithfulness for saving to the utmost those that come to God by him one that mediates the new Testament for his called ones that they may receive the promise of the eternall inheritance in him it is that God is a shield to us and shineth forth his grace and glory upon us Let not Christ and God in Christ then be heedlesly disregarded by you but consider him and hold fast to him beleeve in God and beleeve in Jesus Christ take to you the shield of faith Joh. 14.1 What good will a shield do a man if he throw it on the ground and use it not but if he take it to him it will profit him it will defend him therefore take to you the shield of faith for thereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of temptation that come from Satan whether more immediately by his own suggestions or more mediately by his messengers though their words be filled with never so much spirituall force and fiery burning ready to overturn men into delusions hold fast God in Christ as revealed and named to us in the truth by faith cleaved to will put them all to flight and certainly safeguard us Resist Satan with this and stand stedfast here in the use and exercise of faith as weapons are made for use in a day of battell and not to lie and rust by us and though he be never so diligent vigilant malicious subtile yet he will be foiled Resist the Devil and he will flie from you 5. Have upon your head also the helmet of salvation or as in 1 Thes 5.8 for an helmet thâ— hope of Salvation that your mindes be not corrupted from the faith nor you struck down from your resolution
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
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
he then conversing with them and instructing them and as he was so doing he was taken up out of their sight into heaven and they stood gazing up after him Luke 24.51 Acts 1.9 which things are not applicable to Christ within them Again it s said He shall come not in but with his Saints Jude 14. accompanied with them and they shall be all caught up to meet him together in the air 1 Thes 4.16,17 But in the spiritual coming of Christ in the Saints there is no such being caught up into the air there to meet him besides that thought denieth and destroyeth the Humanity of Christ and all its unspeakable glory upon its â—nexpressible sufferings for it springeth from such a conceit that there is no spiritual glorified body of Christ for him to come in but onely the mystical his people and it leadeth to the denial of all that glory that the Saints shall have in their bodies by and after the resurrection of them yea then we destroy the faith which witnesseth that even that that is gone up to heaven from the earth and is no longer in the world with his Disciples but is contained in heaven shall at the time of the Restitution of all things descend from thence and come again even Christ in that his sometime dead but now raised and glorified body to judge the world in righteousness and that then they that have here suffered and been put to death for righteousness sake and for their testimony to Christ shall be raised up again out of all their death and be by his glorious and divine power presented alive set free from all their mortality and corruption that now cleaveth to them and receive the great and full reward of all that patient waiting upon God and warring against the Beast the World Satan and Sin which untill then is laid up and reserved in heaven for them Acts 3.13,14,21 Then shall it be that they shall have no more pain sorrow crying or death but shall be compleatly like him even to Christ whom they have honored and whom then they shall see as he is and not onely have glory but appear in glory to all with him but not till then as some wrongfully understand or apply the things so spoken Thence need of Patience and Faith throughout all the dayes of warfare and therein to follow the steps of the Fathers who all died in Faith not having received the Promises for indeed God hath so ordered for the full performance harvest and full possession of these great Promises that one Saint of Christ shall not prevent another Abraham and Isaac shall not be perfect without us nor we without them the then living shall not prevent or be before them that long since are faln asleep and as to their bodies are dead Heb. 11.40 1 Thes 4.15 Therefore also they are grosly erroneous and to be avoided as destroyers of the faith who say that the Resurrection is now made or is already past and the day of the Lord even of that his discent from and coming in the clouds of heaven so much spoken of in the Scriptures is already come to them 2 Tim. 2.17 and they are in glory and have already as much fulness of it as is ever to be had by any These are the mockers fore-spoken of that contradict the tenour of the Apostles Doctrine These are of them that say they are Apostles but are not but are found to be lyars Revel 2.2 And therefore thou who ever thou art that art called to and believâ—st in Christ fly thou from them and gird up the loyns of thy mind to waite with long-suffering and patience for the great Harvest the salvation to be revealed at the great appearance of the Lord Jesus and the resurrection of the just knowing that those that deny these things are of the same strain with the ancient Hereticks long since condemned by the Apostles and given over by them to Satan for blaspheming but mind thou the faithful and true sayings of God and wait for them offering up thy very body also a sacrifice to God holy and acceptable by Jesus Christ to do and suffer his Will knowing that thy labour shall not be vain in the Lord thou shalt receive it in a far better state then thou layst it down in for him and therein also the reward of all those things here wrought and suffered for his Name Sect. 4. Of the Resurrection BUt because it hath been the old trick of Satan and a master-piece of his subtilties to stagger and subvert men as much as he is able about the Resurrection And because it is so fundamental a point and so properly Christian that the denial thereof overthrows the whole Christian Faith and Relâ—…ion and makes it worth nothing therefore I shall yet add something further for thy help against the cunning sleights of those instruments of the wicked One which are now as busie as ever to pervert thee herein That the dead shall rise the Scriptures are so full and plain and particularly the confutation of the Sadduces by our Saviour himself and the Apostle Pauls discourse about it to the Corinthians that there seems to be no possibility of denying it by any that pretend credit to the Scriptures and yet some such do it by eluding and perverting those Scriptures to other senses or other Scriptures that they conceive make against it as others do it upon grounds of Reason as they conceive against the Scripture I shall say something to either of them The Scriptures they pervert are such as that of Solomon The body goes to the dust and the spirit to God that gave it Eccles 12.7 which is nothing it all so much as in appearance or shew against the Resurrection of the body all those that plead for and believe the Resurrection of the body manimously affirming that the body must go to the dust the spirit or breath be gathered up again to God which is all that the Text says but we believe too that they that sleep in the dust of the earth even the dead bodies shall arise again out of the dust and both bodies and spirits united be presented before the Judgement Seat of Christ to receive the things done in the body whether good or evil Joh. 5.29 Isai 26.19 2 Cor. 5.10 which that Scripture hath no shew of a denial of nor that that one thing befalleth a man and a beast as the one dyeth so dyeth the other c. Eccless 3.19 for besides that Solomon there doth but tell us what he said in his heart not what God said to him we deny not that as to the bodily death men and beasts are both subject thereto but we say that they are not alike as to Resurrection nor doth Solomon either speak of or deny the Resurrection in that saying he onely speaking of what befalls men in the flesh here not of what their state shall be for ever hereafter That which they most insist on is
according to some other more mystical way that the Scriptures had not declared if the testimony of Paul be valid as they seem to make it in the other place which they wrest to their harm then listen to him explaining himself in that place and the rather because he tels us in holding those things fast not according to some more spiritual understanding as is pretended but according to his preaching and declaration of them we shall be saved to wit from running into erroneous conceptions such as that of the denial of the Resurrection there by him faulted and by consequence from loose and evil practises and which is the issue of both from eternally perishing for indeed it is an undeniable truth that according to the judgement men make of Christ so is their judgement of other things they that believe not the first fruits of our nature really to have died and to be raised again and glorified in the person of Christ they deny the resurrection of the rest of the lump or body of Christ and of mankind in general and they that deny that must needs deny the judgement with its rewards and punishments following then what will hinder that piece of Epicurism Let us eat and â—rink for to morrow we shall die for take away the Resurrection and the judgement as we have said before and you take away the life of all Religion If then thou shouldest ever be so far corrupted as under pretence of not knowing Christ after the flesh to make nothing of and to be waved from the Doctrine of Christ as in the flesh dying for us and by the power of the Spirit raised again in that his body from the dead thou art in the way to fall from all Christian Religion and into all profaneness and Atheism there being so great a connexion between the foundation Doctrines as those concerning the person of Christ and the things suffered by and done to him of God are and the superstructures as the things that are to be done to and in us are and so great a dependency of these latter upon the former that if the former the fundamental be shaken the latter will soon fall but if the former stand firm the latter will be upheld by them or we rather in the faith and practise of them his Death being the foundation of all our hope his Resurrection a certain pledge of ours and an argument of the judgement in which all shall be judged by him and his glory the forerunner and pledge of that that shall be manifested on all that love and waite for his appearing Acts 17.31 Chap. 6. Concluding with exhortation for the Saints walking worthy of their calling Sect. 1. That exhortations are usefull and needfull to Believers TO all this that 's before said I shall add onely some exhortations and directions to you to walk as becometh Saints that you may glorifie God who hat hitherto called you preserve your selves in his Love and be useful unto others which I beseech you to suffer and think not that in exhorting you hereunto I put a burthen upon you that you are not fit to bear or that I put you under the Law Christianity consists not onely in Speculation but also and that rather too in divine vertue and action wherein God deals not with his Saints with Herbs and Plants that have no sense nor â—ason as they are intelligent reasonable creaâ—res so he governs them by his Word and Spiâ—…t and puts them upon an exercise of those faâ—…lties given them that they might not appear to â—eidle and to no purpose in them He doth not â—… take all upon himself to do in them that they â—re thereby left without all action nor doth he â—act them by force and violence transporting â—…em beyond themselves that they need no adâ—ce counsel or exhortation It s true they are â—ot under the Law of Moses either the types â—ad shadows to be instructed to wait for Christ 〈◊〉 come nor under the precepts and injunctiâ—ns as ministred by Moses to be shut up under 〈◊〉 and curse much less to be left to seek to obâ—…in righteousness by endeavouring after them â—ot yet neither are they without Law to God â—…ey have a royal thoughtâ— not a rigid Law a Law â—f Liberty and Freedom of spirit to serve God â—hough not a Law of bondage under sin and death 〈◊〉 law of grace they have in them and the soveâ—…gnty and government of God over them they have the Spirit to guide them and the Law of the Spirit which is to be obeyed by them that which the Grace of God received by them requires again of them and leads them to both towards God and man Grace and Love from God as well teaching and obliging to duty as Mosaical precepts and indeed the believer hath no other Law but such as springs from Grace and leads to answer Grace The Law of Christ which is a Law of Love even of Gods Love in him and that 's a Royal Law indeed for it giveth first what it requires again of us It gives power and spirit for acting as well as puts an obligation and ingagement upon us so and so to act The Spirit writes it and prompts to walk as we receive to work out as he works in us and to yield up our members and powers to him that he may write in us and act forth by us his whole pleasure and confirm us to his minde and yet we are not to put a fancy upon his writing the Law in us as some do that strain their wits to shew how God writes all the Bible over in man the Books of Genesis Exodus Leviticus and so on the Creation of the world of heaven earth light firmament herbs plants fishes fowls beasts and man himself and so of the Paradise woman tempter c. which yet they cannot strain cleaverly to their purpose in all matters but are fain to catch at here there a picce as their wits serve them and let the rest alone This is to turn the Truth of God into a fancy and secretly to withdraw the heart from giving glory to God in the belief of the Truth of the sacred story But this writing the Law in man is his framing the heart unto his own Heart and Will putting into it heavenly principles and dispositions of love and holiness and whatsoever the Law requireth That denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we may live godly soberly and righteously in this present world Tit. 2.11,12 nor yet because God writes thus in man do they put too much upon man that exhort to these things for we may the better exhort to them because men have principles to act them no man would exhort a dead man to walk because he wants a principle to inable him but to living men such an exhortation is agrecable though it be God that makes themwalk or that hath printipled or inabled them thereunto no man would blow upon wood without fire put to
it thinking by his blowing to make it burn because there wants a principle but when fire is put to it the blast of the Bellows is and may be profitable so is it here As the Apostle John in giving instructions says to the Churches I write not these things to you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it and that no lye is of the Truth 1 Joh. 2.21 So I may say I give the following with the foregoing exhortations to you not because ye have no ability to discern of them or principles to lead you to them but because ye have because the Spirit of God hath begun to write his Law within you Object But what need for man to exhort when God himself works and writes hiâ— mind Answ I answer man therefore exhorts because God works for he works in one to exhort another and he writes by Exhortations oâ— Declarations made by men to one another foâ— God is in his people of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 Epheâ— 4.6 In all the Saints and through all thâ— Saints In every of them working inlightning supporting gifting them and through them all speaking and acting through his gifts given tâ—… one to and in another so as that the body make an increase to it self in love through the Spirit divine power and working of God that dwell therein though the Saints are Christs Epistlâ— written by the Spirit or Finger of God yet that Spirit is ministred by the Saints that is in the exercise of their divive gifts to one another Ministred by us written by God 2 Cor 3.2.3 Wâ— are as the Pens with which God writes upon the heart though the Spirit of God is the hand that guides us and his Word and divine gifts the inke that fills us and makes us capable of leaving Characters and Impressions upon one another in our Ministrations we can indeed minister thiâ— writing no further then that hand of the Spirit uses and impowers us and that divine Ink fills us but so far we may therefore let no man despisâ— Prophecying 1 Thes 5.20 or slight Exhortation presuming that God immediately without the ministrations of his gifts in and by others will do all in him God hath not dispenced all his fulness to any one member except the Head but to all together in union with the Head that through each he might supply other Therefore let no one member swell against and despise other much less God in his brother nor let him that is to administer as particularly that exhorteth be negligent therein as if his administration or exhortation could add nothing to his brother or as if his brother had no need thereof Rom. 12.8 for God is in and with his divine gifts and administrations and as God in me may make his operations through me profitable to my brother so doth my brother need that addition of helpfulness from God that be tendreth him by me both because he is not full of himself without me and therefore cannot say He hath no need of me 1 Cor. 12.21 and also because he hath a principle in him that resisteth and fighteth against that of God that worketh in himself and that principle so strong and subtile and he so apt to yield to it that he needs anaddition of watchfulness and helpfulness from God through others as though the fire be apt and fit to set the wood put to it on a flame yet if there be much moisture in the wood to damp the fire the fire will need help from the blast of the Bellows to strengthen and excite it against that moisture or an increase of fire to be put to it that the strength of it multiplied may operate more strongly Saints are not all Spirit though in a degree they be spiritual they have a law in their members as well as in their minds a law of sin opposing grace as well a law of grace opposing sin Now the law of sin is more natural to them and is much excited and stirred up by many outward occasions sollicitations provocations examples threats c. from without so that ostentimes the Saints listen to it rather then to the Law of Grace in them therefore also an addition of spiritual Grace by and through the communication of the gifts and measure of grace given to other Saints is needful that spirit in its forces uniting it self together in the Saints as well as the flesh unites its forces together that it may be able to resist and overcome it the charmings of the flesh backed with its outward objects motives and provocations are often ready to lull the soul asleep and make it deaf to the teachings of Grace and then the operations in and through a waking Brother may be of use by way of Doctrine Admonition Exhortation and Councel to awaken it and make it give better attention to the whisperings of Grace within it self though the Apostle told the Philippians that God wrought in them to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 yet he neither ceased to exhort them nor intimates that its needless for them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling but indeed upon that ground exhorts them thereunto It s God that works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure O stand in aw then fear to smother those â—nward operations of grace within you fear to grieve and resist him yield you up your members â—n that strength of his that worketh in you to â—ffect finish or work out what he there workâ—th you to nor is it for any to say God is Almighty and if he works in us we will take no are we cannot fail to work out his workings â—re Almighty and cannot be resisted and frustrated for though in himself he be Almighty and can and often doth work so almightily that â—one can or shall resist him yet his way of working in the soul in the excitings and moveings of his Grace are neither always nor ordinaâ—ly in that Almighty way He is Almighty that works but he works not always so Almightily as that his workings may not be resisted He is Almighty in all his works it s his Almighty power that effecteth them the very growing of the corn or grass is the Product of his Almighty power but yet he doth not work so almightily therein but that man by substracting or removing some secondary cause or instrumental medium through which that power is put forth may usually hinder the growing of this or that particular grass or corn as by drying up and hindring the moisture from it or inclosing it from the Air and heat of the Sun c. and yet man is not therefore stronger then God for God could maugre all that man can do make it grow but he dispenses his Power usually according to the capacity of the medium through which and subject unto which he conveys it and he doth not usually alter the course of his ordinary way to shew
as well writ earnestly against them as they have exhorted us to contend earnestly with them Jude 3 11,12,13 And yet thou that callest thy self a Saint dost rather bless them and walk with them as brethren But thou wilt say But are we as infallible as the Apostles can we be so sure what is error as they To this I answer That its true we have not so full a dispensation of Spirit from Christ to us as they had that were to lay the foundation they had greater work to do and their talents were proportioned to their work but yet through their infallible doctrine and by the good Spirit of God given us Rom. 8.9 or else we are not Saints or Christs peculiar people we may certainly and infallibly know the foundamental and essential Truths and Principles of Christian Religion which none can be ignorant of and yet be good Christians The infallibility and certainty in Christ and his Apostles which thou pleadest is an argument against unity with all that thou pleadest for for they having been infallibly guided that that is cross to their infallible doctrine is thereby detected to be false and fallible and thou canst not be one with them and yet not dislike and shun that that is contrary to them Sure if we know and love God we shall have some discerning and derestation of such doctrines as blaspheme or dishonor God and beware of those that bring them If we be Christs sheep we have some discerning of his voice from the voice of strangers John 10.5 so much as may render their voice a strange voice to us and such as is not to be approved of us If a man shall come and tell us there was never any such man as Jesus Christ or that if there was he was onely a type and figure of the true Christ in us and not the very Saviour that he rose not nor ascended nor shall come again in glory that he is not the Mediator between God and us that our dead bodies shall not arise that the Scriptures are not to be heeded in their sayings and yet we cannot tell whether these men say truth or not we are plainly blinded and are not sheep of Christ if we cannot discern these voices to be the voices of a stranger Those infallible Writings of the Prophets and Apostles as they tell us that there are and shall be false Prophets and Antichrists VVolves in sheeps clothing deniers of the Lord that bought them and such as bring in heresies of destruction And 2. That such persons and their Doctrines ought not to be heeded and listened to but avoided by us not received to house or bid God speed but held as execrable and accursed 2 Joh. 10,11 Gal. 8.9 Yea 3. That such we are to contend against with earnestness Jude 3. reprove them stop their mouths give warning of them to others that they may not be snared by them Tit. 1.9.11 So they tell us further 4. That real believers have received an holy Unction by which to discern them 1 Joh. 2.20,27 and so have ability of discerning them and indeed that 's intimated too in their precepts and counsels given us to try and avoid them which otherwise were in vain if they were beyond our discerning Nay 5. They have also notably fore described them foretelling us that they would say they are Christ and deceive many Matth. 24.5 that they deny Jesus to be the Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 make a cipher of him call him execrable 1 Cor. 12. deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 confess him not come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4.3 Will mock at the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3.4 pretending that there neither is nor shall be any alteration no other coming but that that is and alwayes hath been to all the Prophets and Patriarks in all times deny the resurrection of the body 1 Cor. 15. and say that the resurrection is now made or is already past 2 Tim. 2.18 hear not the Apostles in their doctrines and sayings 1 Joh. 4.6 Speak high swelling words of vanitie promising men liberty while themselves are servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2.18.19 exalt themselves above all that is called God or that is worâ—…ipped 2 Thes 2.4 above Magistrates and Governors if not suitable to their humors yea against Jesus Christ and above him and God in him unthroning him and despising his Ordinances as light and foolish things lawless men that worship not God pray not to him nor call upon him yea in a word by their fruits we may know them Matth. 7.16 for they lead from Jesus Christ the onely begotten of God in whom onely we may meet with salvation either to rest in their own works joyned with or preferred before Christ or else to looseness in principles and practises to walk after their own ungodly lusts self-lovers covetous boasters of their abilities knowledge attainments proud so as to lift up themselves as is aforesaid blasphemers that is speakers evil of Gods Wayes Temple Ordinances and them that worship therein disobedient to parents either natural or spiritual in Christ unthankful to God especially for his love in Christ and for his appointments for their good unholy not living to God and Christ not calling upon him giving thanks to him c. without natural affection to their own relations truce-breakers that keep not Covenants or ingagements to God or men false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good 2 Tim. 3.1.2,3,4 c. A marvellous thing it is that a man should be a Saint and yet not know the essentials of that Word that sanctifies him should be begotten by the Gospel and yet know not that Gospel by which God hath begot him so as to discern it from other doctrines that God hath writ to us by his servants so plainly of these things and we have the benefit and help of those gifts given by Christ to them that we might be seâ—led and not tossed to and fro like children and yet we know not who say right and who say wrong sure we know nothing then and so know not what charity is or what love we should walk in and toward whom if we know not the Gospel in its first and bottom doctrines cannot discern whether men preach with or besides that doctrine taught or recorded by the Apostles when we hear them speak they never so fully for or against it we have lost our eyes sure and understanding Obj. But must we not do to them as we would they should do to us though we do discern them must we not still love them Answ I answer yes them that are not given over to destraction them that we see not to have sinned to death and to have trampled under foot the Son of God counting the blond of the Covenant after it hath been sanctifying them an unholy or common thing and have done despire to the Spirit of Grace which things as they may be discerned by us so are we
God made to rule day is but one and its the Sun and yet that light is after one manner in the body of the Sun and after another in the glorious ray and beam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or shining forth of the Sun in another manner yet in the air illuminated by the beam from the body of the Sun and yet all these but one light not three lights yet that one light hath a threefold manner of subsisting the Sun is not one light and the ray or beam of the Sun another and the clearness or bright shining in the air illuminated through the beam a third but one day light or light of the Sun The Sun is the fountain and generateth or begetteth its â—ray or beam and worketh by it whatever it doth by way of illumination heating quickning c. yet is not the body of the Sun its ray or beam Again the ray is begotten and generated in a sort by the Sun and yet its cotemporary with it It evidences the Sun lives by its dependence on the Sun is in the Sun and the Sun in it after a sort so as that it doth nothing of it self without the Sun nor the Sun without it which comes down from the Sun and is not the body of the Sun nor subsists of it self without the Sun Again the clearness or light difâ—used into the air proceeds from the Sun the fountain of light by with in and through the ray or beam yet is it neither the body of the Sun nor its ray for it is and may be where the ray is not but is intercepted as to the proper substance of it as in a cloudy day or in a room where the Sun beam comes not and yet these cannot be divided one from the other for this clearness cannot be but from and by vertue of the ray and of the Sun So that if either of them were taken away and removed from the Horizon the luster or illumination in the air ceaseth and they cannot be but this is and follows too Here is an unity of light in a threefold way of subsistence by which we may darkly see into the glorious mysterie of Trinity in Unity which no similitude can fully illuminate the Father is as the fountain of the Deity and to the Son or Word as the body of the Sun to its beam not to be seperated from each other or divided so as the one can be without the other though the Father is first in order of nature he of whom are all things and doth all by and nothing without the Son or Word as the Sun doth nothing without its beam The Word or Son in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 The brightness or offâ— shining of the Fathers glory Lumen de lumine light shining for discovering and leading up to the fountain of light always with the Father and yet came down from the Father and doth all from him and yet is not the Father but the Son yea and forther as the beam of the Sun may be contracted and as it were so incorporated in a burning glass or the like so as the glass by vertue of the beam and the beam by the glass worketh otherwise then either glass or beam by themselves could have done and yet neither the light nor the body of the Sun is to be so contracted but only the beam so was it with the Son or Word he was imbodied or incarnate in the nature of man and the man Christ Jesus by vertue of the Word so contracted as it were or incorporated in him did such glorious things and got such a glorious conquest over sin death and hell as man of himself â—ould never otherwise have done or gotten nor was the Word in and by it self perfected for and yet neither the Father nor the holy Spirit was so incarnate or made man and yet further the Son had all his vertue in himself from the Father and in the Spirit without which he â—ould do nothing as the ray contracted derives all its vertue that it shews forth in and through the glass from the body of the Sun without which it could neither be nor do any thing The holy Spirit is the power vigor and divine verâ—…e proceeding from the Father that fountain of divine glory from and through the Word by which we have and enjoy the benefit of the Sun and its beam when both of them are otherwise interpreted and clouded out of our sight I mean the Father and the Son even in a day of temptation and spiritual hiding of himself in his more glorious shinings But these things I bring onely to shew that there may be such a thing evidenced even to reason and sense as a three-fold way of subsistence of the same created being that so we might not stumble at that which the Scripture hints to us so abundantly about the Trinity in the Unity of the divine Being Concerning which I needed not to have multiplyed so many words were it not that the old Serpent not abiding in the truth is so prevalent in blinding men and corrupting them from the unerring Oracles of Divine truth to listen rather to the shallowness of their own purblind reason For the Saints are not without experience in themselves did they well mind it of this distinction in the glorious workings and operations of God in and upon themselves in their believing they prove the Father calling them to himself by the Son in the power of his Spirit they have believed the love of the Father in sending forth his Son and in the word of his Gospel they have felt his power and Spirit drawing and inabling them to believe in Christ and to approach by and through him unto the Father according to that Eph. 2.18 We both that is Jew and Gentile have access through him to wit Christ by one Spirit unto the Father namely to call upon him trust in him and have fellowship with him Indeed they that depart from the Son they both lose the operations of his divine Spirit and fall from the right worship of the Father into Heathenism or such philosophical speculations of God and of his Being as were found with the ancient Heathens that had not the light of the Gospel to instruct them and no marvel then if they fall from or deny the mysterie of the Trinity as in the Apostolical doctrine is held forth with those divine operations that should evidence the truth thereof unto them But now to return again to the matter whereto I was exhorting viz. the doctrine of the Gospel to be held forth to men as it supposes the Being of God and he but one though thus distinguished so is it not only the bare affirming him to be but one or in that Unity so as before to be distinguished that 's to be delared but his Name according to that Unity and distinction the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost viz. how God
hath manifested himself and is to be believed in in each of these as that this one God by his Word and Spirit having made and created all things for man and man in his own Image deserved and required to be obeyed and honoured by man but man sinning and therefore falling under his displeasure and making himself thereby unable to please him and unfit for fellowship with him by reason of that unspeakable pollution that hath overspread him God was yet pleased in the greatness of his mercy and freeness of his love to find out a way to recover us again and a way by which we might return back again unto him So as that both his justice and displeasure against sin might clearly be demonstrated and yet his goodness and love too toward sinful mankind be magnified which was by appointing and sending forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law so being found in shape as a man a reall man to bear in his body the punishment of our sin the sin of the world and so to give himself a ransome for all That this his Son the Word made flesh as was long before even from the beginning of the world fore-prophecied of him is now come already and hath taken upon him in the body that was prepared for him the burthen and cause of man and as a publike man given himself a ransome for All induring the Death and undergoing that sentence of curse and condemnation that by the offence of one came upon All men and that for All and hath in grapling with that death and sin overcome them so that God hath raised and justified him in the behalf of all so as he may also see the justificatian of all that do and shall believe on him To which purpose also viz. that men might in believing on him have him for their justification the Father hath glorified him in the nature and behalf of mankind making him Lord of all and his salvation to the end of the earth giving him all fulness of Authority and Power and filling him with all the fulness of the Godhead bodily even the fulness of Divine Spirit Power and Vertue yea also appointing and ordaining him as Mediator to stand in the Vertue of his Death and Sacrifice between God and men as the propitiation for them even for our sins that believe and not ours onely but also of the whole world 1 John 2.1,2 So as that with respect to him and what he hath done and suffered for sin he is good and patient and bountiful to the whole world not withstanding they sin yea and hath sent out his Gospel to be published to them all without limitation or restriction viz. that though this his Son there is forgiveness for them and he would have them saved and to that purpose come to the acknowledgement of the truth yea He to wit Christ is He in whom all the world or any of them may find favor and come into favor with God again so as to be at one with him namely by acknowledging his Truth and believing on him who also is appointed by his teaching them as a Prophet by his ruling them in righteousness and writing his Law in them and subduing their enemies as a King and Lawgiver and Judge over them and by mediating the new Covenant or Advocating and making intercession as the great High-Priest to the utmost to save all them of the sons of men that see and believe on him and so judge his and their enemies that that hate his Light and reject his â—endred mercy to condemnation to which end he shall at the time appointed of the Father come again and raise and judge both the one and the other as they have here behaved themselves towards him That as the Father hath put his Spirit upon Christ so they are to submit unto Christ in his Word and Ordinances and look unto and wait therein for this his Spirit upon him as he that is Power of God that is to bring down or effect in man that salvation that is in Christ Jesus set forth to them the Renewer Sanctifier Teacher Comforter and therefore to be heard sought after received and obeyed by men in the power of which they are to worship the Father through the Son and in the receit and indwelling of whom they shall finde and experiment the streams of that Fountain of Life that flows from the Father or rather that the Father is in and through the Son yea God himself by his Spirit to dwell in them and to set up his Kingdom in them in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost to the full possession and revelation of which in and upon them this Divine Spirit in such their listning to following after and obeying him will not fail to bring them Sect. 7. A Caveat against some mens preposterous mistakes about the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation THis then is the brief summ of the Doctrine to be held forth to the world in which we may hopefully expect and look for the assistance and operation of the Spirit to convince them of the good will of God toward them and therein of their sin for not believing on him Joh. 6.11 that hath done so much for them and is so appointed and fitted of God for saving them And of Righteousness both that all the righteousness they have of their own is empty and will not avail them otherwise no need for Christ to have died for them and also that in him is everlasting righteousness worthy to be looked after and certain in that their looking to him for it to be met with by them And of Judgement that their own self-justifications will not serve them nor their own self-condemnations so valid as remedilesly to cast them but to his doom they must stand by whom the Prince of the world is judged and they must receive their final sentence from him who is able in case of their believing on him to absolve them from all self-condemnings and in case of their disobedience against him and the Will of his Father to destroy them however their own thoughts and other men have hitherto justified them Yea in this Doctrine we may hopefully expect the holy Spirit to draw in and allure the convinced to hope in him and believe on him and therefore this hold ye forth to them and to the furtherance of this let all your conversations and walkings be directed as becoms the children of such a Father the members of such a Head as the Lord Jesus and as the Temples of the holy Ghost that they that are apt to slight the Word may yet be woon to glorifie it by the goodness of your conversation And beware I pray of that preposterous way that some run into who through mistake or unbelief of the Gospel delivered to us by the holy Apostles according to the commandment of the everlasting God and through the exercise of their own reason with the mistaking of some
turn preachers of the Law to them in stead of the Gospel to bring them to some such fruits as legal repentance sorrow reformation and upon such things found in them as what else but fruits of Law and a legal conscience can be produced by them before the grace and love of God be held forth to them as testified in Christ toward them they are bold to apply the Gospel to them as if they were the undoubted signs of Election for so much is intimately implyed by comparing this their practise with their other Assertions of the Grace of God and Death of Christ limited to the Election from which practise of their legal preaching it comes to pass that some working and striving for this and that frame and attaining to some legal qualifications or workings with the Pharisee presume that they are righteous and have part in Christ and bless God as if his Grace had wrought those frames in them when as his Grace that is his love and goodwill in Christ they never apprehended or believed nor was that the ground and rise of those frames and changes in them but onely is inferred and concluded to themselves upon those frames by them Others spend their dayes in sadness and in labouring as the Israelies under their Egyptian Task-masters to get to themselves those frames which onely the belief of Gods Grace would kindly effect in them falling short of what they seek in themselves to build their title to the Gospel Doctrine of the Death of Christ upon they pine away in a servile slavery and are alwayes neer unto desperation unless mercy otherwise breaking forth unto them seasonably relieve them Take heed therefore of this preposterous preaching of Election and Reprobation to the world and limiting the Gospel and death of Christ to the Election which no Scripture doth and declare that to the world that Christ hath instructed us that his servants are to declare to them viz. tell them of the feast prepared in Christ forgiveness with him his death for them all things ready for their entertainment God willing that they be saved and Christ perfected for their saving and thereupon invite all and call upon them to go to the wedding to believe and submit unto him And where it pleases God to work so powerfully as to prevaile with some so as that they are perswaded to let go all for him to receive him believe in him and cleave unto him we may comfortably mind them of the doctrine of Election as the Apostles have used to apply it to believers minding them it was Gods goodness and free mercy and grace to them that they are preserved or plucked out from the same unbelief wickedness that is found with others or not given over for their follies against him when as many others perhaps as little or less rebellious have been more severely dealt with by him and that in Christ in whom they believe they are made compleat being by Gods order from before the foundation of the world chosen in him to be holy that is a peculiar devoted portion for God and blameless in love before him and when we see men neglect and slight the goodness of God propounded we may tell them how God rejected such and such for their folly against him and warn them lest for the like follies the same should befall them as Jer. 6 30. and 7.4,5 yea when we see men resting in their birth works priviledges c. we may well mind men that God hath not chosen the flesh and seed thereof as such to inherit with him not Adam and his seed as such nor Abraham and his seed as in the flesh nor the Law and its seed but Christ and his seed or members to inherit glory with him the rest otherwise then as they may be born again and become the seed of God in Christ are rejected from part and portion in his kingdom not from Gods good will toward them and the death of Christ for them for that was for sinners ungodly enemies yea as considered in such an evil condition but from fellowship with God c inheriting with Christ which none shall partake of that abide but in that state of nature yea though advantaged by more honourable birth or more zealous frame in which Christ extended his pitty to them in dying for them that so they may be pressed to let all go for Christ in whom there is both sure and certain ground for their repenting and believing and out of whom there is nothing to be found but perishing Now if ye do thus walking answerably thereto not measuring the outward court Rev. 11.1,2 given to the Gentiles as if we appropriated it to our selves onely but worshiping God in his Temple in fellowship with Christ and his people that are in union with him and at his Altar or in the sacrifice and meditation of Christ labouring both by word and conversation to bring up the Gentiles from their Gentilism and resting in the outward Court of external profession to the circumcision of the Spirit and worship of God in the same in the inward man and in his Temple and Altar as before Then shall ye find his blessing upon you making you a blessing to them and filling you with his own spiritual blessings in grace and peace till he bring you safely to the full injoyment of the glorious promises Even so Amen FINIS Postscript ONe word more I would commend to you viz. That of our Saviour Iohn 6.56,57 He that eats my flesh drinks my bloud abides in me and I in him c. a most excellent and choice direction for our preservation from the errors here in the Treatise mentioned and from all other that may indanger our miscarrying Would we abide in Christ that is in his faith Spirit lowe Iohn 15.10 and so in the experiment and injoyment of the fruits and vertues of his mediation for us and would we have him abide in us as surely he will if we abide in him that is have his love Spirit and divine power abide in our spirits making us fruitful and filling us with divine and eternal life and by consequence would we be preserved from the errour of the wicked and from drawing unto perdition This is the choice and most sure and excellent way to eat the flesh of Christ the flesh given by him for the life of the world ver 51. and drink his bloud the bloud of the covenant shed for the remission of our sins that is to mind view diligently look upon consider meditate on and keep in believing remembrance the abasement of the Son of God for us his obedience and sufferings in the flesh to the death the death of the Cross for us the satisfaction given by him for our sins the victory obtained over death the pretiousness of the bloud and sacrifice of Christ the peace thereby made redemption obtained the prevalency of it with God for us the covenant and promises thereby sealed the performance whereof he mediates in the vertue of it to his called c. and verily we shall be preserved we shall prove it the power of God to save us Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 15.1,2,3 1 Iohn 2.24,25 Heb. 3.1.6.14 Gal. 2.20 Search these Scriptures and see how they fitly explicate the business live we then by the faith of Jesus and forget we not the stripes by which he heals us But alas as many taste not the sweetness of this heavenly Manna but abide ignorant of the Cross of Christ feeding and living upon their actings sorrows good desires confusions performances changes zeal self-acted and conceited believing as indeed I know not how many should do otherwise because the Testimony of God holding forth the Death of Christ for all which should let them see good and undeniable ground for minding it and feeding upon it forsaking all other things for it is by the guids generally denied and condemned as an error so as they durst not believe it and therefore they having no divine evidence in the Word of God that Christ died for them they are put upon it to reason it out by their acts and changes fore-mentioned and to make them the evidences to themselves of it so as they must needs be the bottom matter of their feeding and consolation so many do but taste it abide not there to eat of it Heb. 6.4,5 but after they have found some sweetness in it fall a lusting after evil things counting this heavenly food but a dry bread and so they either feed upon their past acts of believing their rejoycing the operations of it in them which are often soon dried up for want of supply from this Fountain Christ crucified or else they reach after some more seemingly glorious matter of their feeding as is before spoken to Chap. 3. Sect 4. and so forget that they were purged from their old sins or the means rather of their purging the true bread that should have nourished them and either turn to the world and their corruptions again or are carried away with some strong delusion to their ruine from which the eating or feeding upon the flesh and bloud of Christ those despised low things in the eyes of proud men would have preserved them Note also that when in some passages I fault men for hearing any whom they will my meaning is not that I would have men tied up to this or that man as if it were unlawful to go from any to another or to hear any for trial-sake or the like but my meaning is that men are faulty in having an itching ear that when they have found Truth yet they will be out of curiosity or self-confidence diving into and trying what good they can get in some other doctrines Such an hearing of them as our Saviour says his sheep will not afford to strangers from him Iohn 10. FINIS