is in the Scripture and that the Power goeth along with the Letter which is Death Burroughs Trumpet p. 20. You say Christ commands it when the Letter doth but declare it and say in such a Verse of such a Chapter such a command is not having received the command by the same Spirit You are in Witchcraft who observe commands without from the Letter thereby drawing from the teachings within by the Spirit They that obeyed Christ were led by the Spirit and not by the Letter for they were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit Return to Priests about Beverly p. 10. You put the Books Matthew Mark Luke John for the Gospel which are the carnal Letter G. K. Help p. 27. The finest truest words out of a bad mans mouth can never reach the seed of God either to the raising it up or refreshing it but kills and burdens it as said the Apostle of the false Apostles who had the Letter and were Ministers of it out of the Spirit and Power The Letter Kills I begin to believe that some of you understand by the Letter and the Scriptures the very Characters and the Books forasmuch as it is usual with them to call them Ink and Paper But others of you are more skilful calling them also words spoken By which yet I hope they do not mean the sounds only which are made by the mouth which if they do they mend not the matter at all the sounds being to the Ear no other than what the characters are to the Eye but I would believe they mean as they ought to do the sense and doctrine for Scripture is all one whether it be expressed by the Pen or spoken by the Mouth or only conceived in the mind that is to say the doctrine is Now we are to consider whether the Doctrine of the Scriptures be dead and liveless carnal and killing Here you differ again some saying it is so in it self alone without the Spirit or as it is Preached from the Scriptures without immediate revelation to the Preacher though that Preacher be neither wicked nor a seducer others saying it is so as Ministred by such vile persons We are again to consider of what Scriptures or Doctrine the Apostle speaks when he saith We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit And 1 can you in good conscience say the doctrine of the Gospel is a dead and carnal word Or which is all one that those Scriptures are which express that Doctrine and that after the most lively manner even according to the mind of God himself who so delivered them by his own Spirit Thus we read there and thus it is spoken to us from thence by our Preachers Sinners you must forsake your evil ways and become new creatures not only outwardly reform but be inwardly holy and changed in your natures must cleanse your selves from all filthiness not only of the flesh but of the Spirit also you must walk in the fear of God and observe diligently all his Commandments love them and delight in them or else you cannot be saved but must burn as God hath pronounced in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and suffer his wrath and indignation for ever His love is exceeding great to us who is not willing that any should perish but that all should have everlasting life and to that end hath given his only-begotten Son to die an ignominious and painful death and to bear our sins on his own body on the Tree and to make atonement for us and hath set him upon the Throne with himself to rule over all things for our good and hath sent forth his mighty and gracious Spirit to enlighten convert strengthen and comfort us Courage poor Soul and look up Glory is provided for thee who hast offended greater than the most magnificent Prince on earth enjoys Harken to the holy Guide in thy Soul cease thy Rebellion and thou shalt inherit Heaven dwell with God in that supernal Palace beholding his Face in Peace and have fulness of joy all perfection and life for evermore Blessed art thou O man who hast subdued thy Lusts overcome the World and hast put on Jesus Christ for unto thee belongeth this blessedness Kingdom and Glory Though we Die we shall be made alive again and stand before the Judge which knoweth what we have done and what hath been in our hearts and who will accept no mans person but will render to all according to their deserts so that our portion in the end will be either that bliss or that misery and this is not our word but the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now call you this a carnal Letter a dead insipid spiritless thing Hath it no more power in it to move the Soul than characters of Ink drawn upon a Paper It pierces the Sinner like a Sword and comforts the humble Soul more than Wine The very contrivance of the Scriptures spits shame in the face of your bold assertion they being adorned with all perspicuity that we may understand the truth and with the strongest arguments to perswade us to our duty as the love of God the Death of his Son the assistance of his Spirit the filthiness and incommodities of Vice the purity and beauty and benefits of Vertue the Resurrection and the Judgment the Glory of Heaven and the Torments of Hell And so long as men have understanding fear hope and love of themselves this word can not be as a mere block and stone to them And you may hence discern that there is a force in the very things themselves in that the same person works more upon the auditors when he Preaches clearly pertinently and the weightiest matters than when he speaks of more extrinsick Points and Doctrines of the least moment and makes Childish descants and involves all he says in obscurity I demand if the Scriptures be such a dead letter and killing thing death it self why the Apostle wrot or why do you Did he contradict his Tongue with his own hand at the same moment Did he believe that he sent the Corinthians a word as dead as his Ink and a letter that Killeth or will you say it was not so with him because he had the Spirit and that went along with it from him to them If so you must tell us why the Spirit may not as well accompany the same to us which we likewise have received But know you however it was that life came into the dead thing they acknowledged that his Letters were mighty and powerful 2 Cor. 10.10 And it seems some of you perceived that this Doctrine and these good works which the Scriptures contein are not altogether so weak and dead as others would make them for that they have added that out of a wicked mans mouth they can do no good and yet further that the Apostle speaks this of false Apostles The Letter kills Well then our Ministers may still Preach them with comfort if
up thither and so is every regenerate man at present So that it is no strange or peculiar thing which our Saviour said of himself viz. that he was then in Heaven whilst he discoursed with Nicodemus Joh. 3.13 5 And I would then know how he passed through two Heavens or thought he did so for whether this were real or a vision is all one the vision signifying as much as the real motion And if you please I would understand also from your inspiration not conjecture what these two Heavens are which he passed to come to the third For alass I only take the one to be that of the Clouds and the other that of the Stars it being of old said The Clouds of Heaven And the Stars of Heaven But perhaps you can inform me of two other as well as a third hard by us somewhat alike comfortable 6 Being curious I would yet know how St. Paul's Body was or might be caught up Vnto this third Heaven a spiritual substance just before his Face For methinks it should then rather have been said his Body was caught or drawn into it Be truly serious and tell me whether Christ ascended up above the Clouds I mean ten or twenty Miles distant from Earth upward And since we read that at his Death he said to the Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise whether their Spirits ascended upward as the Spirits of Men do especially since this Paradise is the third Heaven vers 4. In the mean time I go on with your words Ibid. p. 7. And out of these Heavens doth the Seed of God come who soweth it in the heart of Man and formeth it by his own immediate power and watereth it with influences from Heaven which have of the vertue and breath of his own eternal Life and Spirit in them whereby this Seed groweth up into a perfect substantial birth of one Heavenly and incorruptible nature which is Christ formed within the Body of Christ his Flesh and Blood which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto that Soul or Life of Man which eateth it and feedeth upon it and it is called the Body and Flesh and Blood of Christ because his eternal Life and Spirit dwelleth in it immediately and communicateth unto man the knowledg of the glory and beauty of himself only in and through this Seed and Birth G. F. Catechism p. 142. They tell me of Christs human Flesh and human Body Doth Scripture speak of such things is not his Flesh from above and doth not Christ say his Flesh comes from above which was the Bread Ans. It was the first Adam who was earthly but the second is Heavenly The Text which proves as you suppose that Christ hath another Body besides that which was visible Flesh and Blood of a spiritual substance besides the material which he took of the Virgin which giveth Life unto the Soul which feedeth on it by the Spirit which dwelleth in it communicating of the knowledg of the glory of himself through the Seed of God is Joh. 6.50 51. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven that a Man may eat thereof and not Die I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven If any man eat of this Bread he shall Live for ever And the Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World From whence I suppose you would argue thus The Flesh here spoken of came down from Heaven The visible flesh came not down from Heaven Therefore the visible Flesh is not here spoken of I deny the Major and for this reason because the Text says not the Flesh came down from Heaven Which therefore you must prove by consequence thus The Bread came down from Heaven The Flesh is the Bread Therefore the Flesh came down from Heaven I Answer The Bread in the Major signifies whole Christ. As it is said I am the Living Bread and vers 48. I am the Bread of Life And though he speak of himself as then he was both the Word and Man that he came down from Heaven I came down from Heaven yes and said that he the Son of Man came from thence vers 62. What and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before Chap. 3.13 No Man hath Ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven the Son of Man which is in Heaven Yet as the Son of Man he came not from thence but as the Word But Flesh in the Minor is not the Bread as that signifies whole Christ but only part of Christ. Now that may be affirmed of whole Christ or of his Person which cannot be affirmed of every part of him As your selves will grant that he came from Heaven and yet deny that his visible Flesh which is part of him did Wherefore though the Bread came down from Heaven and the Flesh is Bread it will not follow from hence that the Flesh came from Heaven unless either all the Bread which is Christ came from thence or the Flesh is all the Bread that is to say all Christ. Form the Syllogism as it ought thus and you may the easier discern your error All the Bread of Life came down from Heaven The Flesh is some of the Bread of Life Therefore the Flesh came down from Heaven Or thus all the Bread of Life came down from Heaven Some Flesh is the Bread of Life Therefore some Flesh came down from Heaven For the Major is false which affirms all the Bread of Life to come down from Heaven For all the Bread of Life is all Christ and all Christ came not down from Heaven For his visible Flesh did not and yet his visible Flesh is some of the Bread of Life I will use the like Arguments for Proof of the descent of Christ's visible Flesh and leave you to answer them because in so doing you will answer your selves The Bread here spoken of came down from Heaven The visible Flesh is the Bread here spoken of Therefore the visible Flesh came down from Heaven The Minor I prove That which Christ gave for the Life of the World is the Bread here spoken of as the Text affirms The Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World The visible Flesh Christ gave for the Life of the World Therefore the visible Flesh is the Bread here spoken of Again the Son of Man came down from Heaven The Son of Man is visible Flesh Therefore visible Flesh came down from Heaven Again all the Bread of Life came down from Heaven The visible Flesh is some of the Bread of Life Therefore the visible Flesh came down from Heaven Perhaps an Instance may be more clear to you and therefore say I thus Redemption came from Jerusalem The Mony is the Redemption Therefore the Mony came from Jerusalem Which yet will not necessarily follow because it might be taken up
3.6 Mar. 16.16 And of Christ's speedy coming to Judge or his being ready to execute punishment upon the Wicked which is the importance of The Judge standeth before the Door as also to deliver comfort and reward the Righteous you read in many places of Scripture As Rev. 22.12 I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be Heb. 9.36.37 Ye have need of Patience that after you have done the will of God ye might receive the promise For yet a little while and he that cometh shall come and will not tarry Luk. 21.26 Watch and Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Men. Vers. 20. When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies then know that the Desolation thereof is nigh Vers. 25 c. Vpon the Earth shall be distress of Nations with perplexity Mens Hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud in Power and in great Glory And when these things begin to come to pass then lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh I. Parots Wren p. 5. Christ shall come the second time without Sin unto Salvation Thus unto you he is come in whom his coming is compleatly perfected Forster's Guide p. 39. His second appearance is in Spirit which no Fleshly Eye can behold and Live and Blessed are all they who wait for his second coming to wit without Sin unto Salvation For his second coming is to put an end to Sin P. 50. Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye here gazing The same Jesus which hath been taken up from you into Heaven shall in like manner come again to wit in a Cloud for so he went up This is a mystery to the Wise of this World that the Light of the World and Life of Men should come in a Cloud But so it is to the Children of Light it is revealed by the Spirit They can tell you that as Christ's first appearance was in the Flesh and the Fleshly Eye saw him so his second appearance is in Spirit and no Fleshly Eye can behold him he being now a Spirit W. Nature of Christianity P. 29. Is his appearing the second time without Sin unto Salvation in this Life or hereafter Thou sayst after the Bodily Death you shall be raised out of the Grave and made partakers of that Salvation P. 24. Thou puttest Salvation at a great Distance As for the Text Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many and unto them which look for him shall he appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation You falsely Interpret these latter words of Christ's appearing in the Heart to destroy Sin and free from its power For 1 Whereas to appear without Sin is as the opposite doth shew without being offered to bear Sin or as it is vers 26. without putting away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself can any one imagine that the Apostle would go about to inform us of that which could not be and which none could ever Imagine viz. that Christ shall not Die again and make atonement by way of Sacrifice for Sin in his appearance in our Hearts And that this is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Sin as you have seen the opposite doth manifest so you may the rather be convinced when you have observed that Sin doth sometimes in Scripture signifie the offering for Sin and that as applied to Christ in his first appearance Chap. 10.6 In burnt offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for Sin i. e. in Sacrifice for Sin thou hast had no Pleasure So vers 8. And Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for Sin i e a Sacrifice for Sin Or if you read and for Sin Condemned it is the same i. e. by a sacrifice for Sin condemned Condemned Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.21 He made him Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Isa. 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an Offering for Sin he shall see his seed And thus the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it signifies Sin so is used in the Old Testament for the sacrifice and offering for Sin Lev. 4.25.29 Psal. 40.7 Ezek. 44.27.29 and 45.19 Our Text then lieth plainly thus Christ came into the World to Die for Sin and whereas he is gone out of the World vers 24. he shall come again into it but not to Die but to give that Salvation which by his Death he Purchased for us He who was made Sin for us shall appear the second time without being made Sin He was once offered here he shall appear again here but shall not then be offered again 2 The Apostle had said just before that Christ entred into Heaven the true Holy of Holies vers 24. He speaking then of a second appearance must needs mean his Coming out of this place and that after the same manner that he went in viz. by local motion he Ascended and he shall so Descend Just as the High-Priest entred into the Holy of Holies of the earthly Tabernacle and came out again only with this difference that whereas the High-priest entred into that Earthly Holiest and came out of it once every year so often sacrificing and making atonement for Sin Christ entred into Heaven and cometh out thence but once and that in the end of the World and not then to offer another Sacrifice and make a new atonement for that he did sufficione for all viz. at his entrance there but to judge the World and to give Salvation to them that diligently wait for him Thus the Apostle here writes Vers 12. By his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Vers. 24. c He is entred into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others But he was once offered to bear the Sins of many and to them that look for him he shall appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation Chap. 10.11.12.13 Every Priest standeth daily Ministring and Offering oftentimes the same Sacrifices which can never take away Sins But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right hand of God from
Spirit doth signifie as to some men Heathens namely and the darkest and wickedest the least measure of light and the smallest spiritual operation and motion in the Heart you understanding that it is given to every man And this so ill agreeing with the Apostles discourse it was necessary that you should take away the emphasis as you have done saying a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man But what reason and authority you have for so doing I know not the Greek having its Article which commonly enough is emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially there being the greatest emphasis in the thing it self the manifestation of the Spirit the Apostle expressing it by many eminent Gifts such as Tongues Miracles c. and not saying one ordinary thing of it such namely as is the light in every man Heathens as well as Christians G. K. Help p. 2. Eating and drinking Damnation spoken of 1 Cor. 11. is where this discerning of the Lord's Body is not rightly made the Dead and Crucified Body from the Living Body the living Soul as it is first from the quickning Spirit which follows after Surely men may say any thing when they assume the liberty of proving nothing The Text is this He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's Body Not discerning it in what I demand In eating and drinking you must say if you will speak according to the Apostle I demand further in eating and drinking what This Bread and Wine you must answer which the Lord ordeined in remembrance of his Death if you will again speak as the Apostle doth Friend Dost thou eat and drink this I neither do nor will must thou reply according to thy opinion and practice I tell thee then that thou discernest not the Lord's Body according to the mind of the Apostle in this place And it is no wonder that thou hast invented a strange interpretation hereof so long as thou wilt have nothing to do with the Institution Do this in remembrance of me But since the Apostle speaks of the Lord's Supper shew that he means here that another body is to be discerned than that which is to be remembred as Crucified whereof the Bread and Wine are Symbols Shew a syllable here that intimates a spiritual body I will shew thee and I wish thou would'st learn thy duty what it is according to the Apostles mind to discern the Lords Body viz. to come to the Supper of the Lord not as to a common Feast but with heavenly affection and all due preparation of Soul minding his Death the death of so great an one as the Son of God the Lord of Glory and not of an ordinary man and that ignominious and painful the death of the Cross his Love herein and the Love of his Father and our inestimable benefit eternal Redemption so as to be sutably wrought upon by all Thus much you might have learned from the Apostle if you had observed his words who tells us that as for eating and drinking that is after the common manner we have houses to do that in but this bread is Christ's Body broken for us and this Cup is the New Testament in his Blood and we are to examin our selves and to receive these in remembrance of him shewing forth his Death herein And I pray you what is here unworthy of a Christian and unfit for you to do what that is mean and elementary and not divine enough for the best But as for your discerning of the Lord's Body his dead Body from his living Body the living Soul from the quickning Spirit as you intend it not of his Supper so hath it nothing to do with the Text. J. N. Love to the Lost p. 54. c. This was Instituted by Christ as they sate at Meat and did eat and so often as they did eat and drink thereof they were to do it in remembrance of him shewing his Death till he came And this was that the Apostles received of the Lord and was practised in the purity of the Church which breaking Bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart And this was to be done at all seasons when they eat and drank in their eating and drinking they were to do it to the Lord and herein to have communion with his Body and Blood Yea when they were to have communion with the Gentiles they were to partake of the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10. Many excess having overtaken them for want of eating always in his fear and in remembrance of his coming have put his coming afar off into another world and are become reprobate in the Faith as to his appearance and to avoid this it was that the Lord Jesus commanded his Disciples in eating and drinking to shew forth his death till he came It must needs be that they return into the pleasures of the flesh that discern not his Body in their eatings who is the Body of all creatures And this is known from the Lord in the Eternal to be the true end of the Supper of the Lord instituted and appointed that in remembrance of his death they might be kept from all excess It is easie to say This is from the Lord but nothing is more dreadful than to lay Errour upon the Holy Ghost notwithstanding the people out of reverence to that holy one believe it and reverence the Assertor Shew a syllable that intimates that our Lord instituted his Supper for a remembrance of his Death in our ordinary daily eating and drinking or that the reason he took Bread and Wine when he did eat the Passeover with his Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood This do in remembrance of me was to shew us that whenever we take our common meals we should feed our selves in his fear as the remembrance of his Death requires Nothing is more clear than that he meaneth a peculiar eating and drinking For says he This is my Body This is my Blood Is all Bread and Wine his Body and Blood or do they so signify Nay though there be on our Tables neither of these creatures but only Butter and Cheese and Eggs Beer and Water and Milk Again the Apostle doth not say as oft as ye eat and drink but as oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup you shew the Lord's death 1 Cor. 11. manifestly distinguishing this Bread and Wine from Cabbage and Ale and whatsoever else is our common food And again 1 Cor. 10. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ Is every Cup this And chap. 11. Let a man examine himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. I pray you must we examine and fit our selves whenever we eat and unless we do so forbear all
Jews but Simon in his place so that we are not to believe in him that was Crucified lest we believe in Simon Chap. 49. Valentinus the Heretick says that Christ was not in the substance of our Flesh but brought I know not what kind of Spiritual Body from Heaven and passed through the Virgin as Water through a Pipe taking nothing thence Chap. 51. Cerdon affirms him to have been only a Phantasm not to have truly suffered but as it were to have suffered not to be Born of a Virgin nor to be Born at all After these comes Apelles and he says Christ was neither in the appearance nor in the substance of a true Body but for asmuch as he descended from the superior Places in his descent he wove for himself a Flesh of the substance of the Stars and Air and in his ascent restored to each Element what he had borrowed and the parts of his Body being thus dispersed only his Spirit went to Heaven See the same Author De Carne Christi per totum Thus you have seen Antichrist hath denied Christ to have come in his Flesh And I hope therefore you will correct your assertion that he doth not denie this nor will lest you should be thought to judge this monstrous error not foul enough to be called Antichristianism And thus your foundation viz. Antichrist confesses Christ to be come in his Flesh and Bodily appearance at Jerusalem being thrown down that which you have built upon it falls with it viz. That therefore Antichrist denying Christ to be come in Flesh must be understood of his coming in the Flesh of his Servants his revealing himself in the Heart I add as for Christ's coming in Flesh as this signifies his own Flesh his incarnation or his mean condition we every where read of it in Scripture As The Word was made Flesh. God sent his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh. God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law He was made like unto us in all things He took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men. But in what places of Scripture his coming in Flesh signifies his appearance in our Hearts I require you to shew and withal what Hereticks have denied this coming as I have shewed many that have denied the former But there is another rendring of St. John's words which perhaps may give you a better understanding both of the confessing of Christ and also of his coming in Flesh viz. every Spirit 1 Joh. 4.2 3. which confesseth Jesus Christ who came in Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of God Every Spirit which confesseth not Jesus Christ who came in Flesh is not of God And then the Sense is plainly this He is the true Prophet which confesses Christ though he was in the mean condition of a Man made Man and made a Servant And he is the false Prophet which denies him and doth so upon this account Which confession is the acknowledgment of his Person viz. That he is the Christ and the Son of God and the acknowledgment of his whole Doctrine And which denial is likewise the denial of both According to this Sense we read throughout the Epistle Vers. 14.15 We have seen and do Testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Chap. 2.18.22.23.26 Even now are there many Antichrist's Who is a Liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father These things have I written to you concerning them that Seduce you Chap. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God Vers. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God Vers. 20. We know that the Son of God is come Thus also in his 2 Epist. Vers. 7. Many deceivers are entred into the World who confess not Jesus Christ coming or who did come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Flesh. Vers. 9. Whosoever abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God If any bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House In his Gospel we have the same Chap. 20.31 These signs are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ. This was the principal thing to be Preached and Believed Act. 9.20.22 and 2.36 Rom. 10.9 And hereby True and False Prophets were known 1 Cor. 12.3 No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed anathema vile Mar. 9.39 and no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost This is the same with our Text. The importance then of the whole is this The true Prophets confess that Christ the Son of God is come and that Jesus who came in Flesh is he The false Prophets deny both So that according to this rendring of the words which is so much strengthened by what is so oft repeated in this Epistle and is a chief design of it your mystical interpretation can not likewise stand Christ's coming in Flesh here also plainly signifying his bodily appearance in the World in the condition of a Man and not his spiritual appearance in the Hearts of his Servants as he is a Spirit and the Word G. K. Woman Preacher p. 6. Outwardly Christ told her only concerning her Husbands that were Dead and how the man she had was not her Husband Joh. 4.28.29.30 And certainly in so short a time they had together perhaps but an Hour words could not tell her half nor the hundredth part of all that ever she did Christ therefore in her Heart told her all these things as he well could even in a moment bring all things before her and tell her all things in her Life And many an honest man says as she did who never means as you do who understand this Woman's words in the strictest Sense that Christ told her not only half but even all that she ever did in her whole Life not an ace abated and that not only belonging to her Sins but all of what nature so ever Such universals not only in our common speech but in the sacred writings have their limitation Joh. 3.32 No man receiveth his Testimony Yet Vers. 33. He that hath received his Testimony c. And Chap. 1.11 As many as received him to them gave he power c. Mat. 23.3 All whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees bid you observe observe and do Yet vers 16. They were Blind Guides and said to Swear by the Temple was nothing and taught men to break the Commandment of God and taught for Doctrine the Commandments of men Chap. 15. Again Chap. 10.22 Ye shall be hated of all men Yet vers 40. He that receiveth you Again Chap. 3.5.6 All Jerusalem and Judea went out and were Baptised of John Yet Luk.
they be righteous out of such mouths they may do good reach the seed of God raise it up and refresh it and there is virtue in them if they be not Ministred by false Teachers who yet you should observe Minister not them but another thing the figments of their own brains in their place false Doctrine as they are false Teachers whereas I thought you had understood by the Letter the Scriptures without their corruption and so you do however you thus speak But I like not these words The truest words out of a bad mans mouth kill and burden the seed of God in others It might be more innocently said his sinfulness doth this or is the occasion of it than to lay the blame upon the pure and incorrupted Doctrine of God or to charge it with so dreadful and dismal an effect I hope such a conceit as this lies not at the bottom viz. that the sin in the man infects the Doctrine and so it becomes noxious to others that hear it like as breath receives contagion from a contagious Body and conveighs the same to them into whose Lungs it enters Nor do I like this saying The truest words out of a bad mans mouth cannot reach the seed of God raise it up or refresh it For that hereby you spoil the word of Christ of all power and render the Doctrine of the Gospel as impotent in it self as is silence and a dead Mouth or as it is our hand to work any good upon the Soul which yet is of such a nature as I have shewed as that it must needs have a force in it and is called the power of God and even herein excels the Law in that it is more vivid and quickening And hereby you make all the efficacy and the effect to depend upon the goodness of the Preacher as if his Soul rightly moving affects the Holy Ghost with whom she is conjoined and that great Spirit which fills all places transfers the motions unto the Souls of others like as some say impresses being made upon the Spirit of nature are carried by the same from Body to Body just as a stroke given at one end of a line runs unto the other so that no good can be done let the Doctrine be never so right and excellent unless such a motion can be made and no such motion can be made but by a Pious Soul If this be the mystery I leave it to them that love it Only let me say The Wind bloweth where it lifteth and thou hearest the sound of it but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit Joh. 3.8 As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all Eccl. 11.5 So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast Seed into the Ground and should sleep and should rise night and day and the Seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how For the Earth bringeth forth Fruit of it self first the Blade then the Ear after that the full Corn in the Ear. The Seed is good cast it into the Ground and as for the success leave that to God who we may be sure hath a blessing for his own word of truth and as his blessing accompanies the goodness of the Man so it doth the goodness of the Doctrine and his Spirit which waters and quickens and brings forth Fruit proceeds not from man nor depends upon his sanctity as to others reception of it but proceeds from himself and he sends it forth whither he pleases and it is willing to work in us all Paul Plants and Apollo Waters but God gives the increase So then neither is he that Planteth any thing nor he that Watereth but God that giveth the Increase 1 Cor. 3. That we may know whether the Spirit in one can act upon another let the Spiritual man keep silence and let a particular Doctrine or some particular Sins be proposed to him privatly and let us see whether he can instruct the minds of others in that Doctrine or convince them of those Sins St. Paul makes me despair of any effect in that he says the Spiritual man that speaks in an unknown Tongue and that is as much as he kept silence effects nothing 1 Cor. 14. 2 Because you condemn our Preaching from the Scriptures without immediate Revelation calling us for that cause alone Ministers of the Letter let me tell you that whilst our hearts are honest and we entirely desire and labour after the Conversion and Salvation of Souls and God hath blessed us with the knowledge of his Will and with zeal for his Glory and with the sanctification of our natures and with good success of our labours we will not be ashamed of this Ministry though it please him to give us no more than ordinary assistance of his Spirit which he that hath not is none of his and we receive not his word as the Apostles and Prophets did by extraordinary inspiration and by inspiration alone but meditate and study and so Preach as we have learned the truth from the Scriptures through the help of God which we have had in our diligence according to the good sense of divine things upon our hearts For whereas St. Paul received not the Gospel of man nor was taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.12 you read otherwise of Timothy and Titus and other Preachers 2 Tim. 1.3 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast learned of me Chap. 3.14 Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God Timothy or any other such Preacher 1 Tim. 6.11 may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 1 Tim. 4.11 These things command and teach Vers. 13.15 Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Chap. 3.14 15. These things write I unto thee that thou mayest know how to behave thy self in the house of God 2 Tim. 2.2 The things which thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses the same commit thou to Faithful men who shall be able to Teach others also Vide etiam Tit. 1.9 and 2.15 Here then are Ministers of the Doctrine which they had learned and had been taught of men and of things committed to them by others and studying Ministers If they had received the word by Revelation like St. Paul what need he teach and direct them Did he