of the legal forms of Worship Sacrifice and Oblations which were by Gods appointment yet because their Hearts were defiled and polluted with Sin and Iniquity and that they presented not their Offerings and Sacrifices in a right frame of Spirit nor under that disposition of Soul that was required therefore they incurred the wrath and displeasure of God against themselves and with great aggravation he declared against them and terribly renounced their Worship as appears in Isa 1. and 66.3 Amos 5.21 22 23. If it was so then that the Jews under that Dispensation displeased the Lord in appearing before him with Offerings and Sacrifices whilst their Hearts were polluted and unprepared as aforesaid it may be a caution unto all those that make profession of the pure and undefiled Religion of our Lord Jesus Christ and of that Worship which was instituted by him that they be not found attempting the performance thereof in a spiriritual unpreparedness and whilst their Hearts and Souls are polluted with Sin and Iniquity lest it be said unto them as it was unto the Jews Who hath required this at your Hands to tread my Courts Isa 1.12 Again if the Jewish Sacrifices in the time of the Law were Sprinkled before they were offered and the People were Consecrated that offered them before they presented themselves before the Lord and that the touching of a dead or nuclear Beas then made People unfit for the Temple or Sacrifice yea society with the Clean until they were first Sprinkled and Sanctified as the Scriptures hold out Numb 8. and chap. 19 2 Chron. 29.36 and 30. 16 17. How car any think so meanly of the worship instituted by Christ in Gospel times as that it should admit of unprepared and unsanctified Offerings or allow that those who are spiritually defiled with Sin and Iniquity and in Words or Deeds do daily touch that which is unclean can in that state well and acceptably worship the pure God until their Consciences be sprinkled from dead works by the blood of Jesus and that they be inwardly prepared and consecrated by his divine Spirit and Power in order to serve him It is also observable that when the Temple at Jerusalem was built before the glory of the Lord descended to fill the same it was purified and cleansed and all polluted stuff removed out of it yea and the place for the Tabernacle was overlaid with Gold the most pretious clean and purest of Mettals 1 Kings 6 7 8 chapters So also before God be truly worshipped in the inward Temple of the Heart it must also be purged of the filth and pollutions that are therein that so it may be fit to receive the Spirit of God so as to be acted by it And yet further let it be considered how it can be available to the High and Lofty in Mind and Spirit the Rich and Full in the Pomp and Grandure of the World the Proud Covetous and Self-conceited and such as go on in a road of Unrighteousness Ungodliness and Vanity to utter a multitude of unseasoned Words before the Almighty God or to cry Lord Lord whilst they have neither received nor are subject unto that Blessed Spirit which has right to call him so 1 Cor. 12.3 Or how any can rationally suppose that he who is clothed with divine Honour and Majesty who covers himself with Light as with a Garment who stretches forth the Heavens like a Curtain and walks upon the Wings of the Wind who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of Fire and is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity can be truly and acceptably Served and Worshipped by such as do not only resist and rebel against that which brings into acceptance with God but also remain and delight in that which is an abomination unto him Section III. Concerning the necessity of receiving the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ in order to quicken and renew to God and so to prepare and qualifie People for his Worship and Service SInce then it appears that the Worship instituted by Christ is spiritual and that no man in his natural and unconverted state is capable of performing the same acceptably we may conclude and that upon sure grounds that the preparation of the holy Spirit is that which is absolutely necessary for men to know in the first place before they go about to perform their Devotions before the Lord Such as desire to worship God acceptably must believe in him whom God hath sent to redeem lost man unto him self viz. the Lord Jesus Christ who by his Light Grace and Spirit doth manifest Sir and Evil in the Hearts and Souls of People and reproveth for the same and also lead them that truly own and receive him unto Repentance and converteth them unto God he by his Power revealed in man doth Crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts he cleanses from Sin and Iniquity and quickens the Soul unto God raising up the same unto newness of Life so that those who in their natural and unconverted state have been Aliens unto God and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise through Faith in Christ and the work of his Grace and Spirit in their Hearts such come to be delivered from the Power of Darkness and translated into the Kingdom of Gods dear and wel-beloved Son to be made Heirs of Glory Fellow-Citizens with the Saints of the Houshold of God Col. 1.13 Ephes 2.19 and so are rendered capable of Worshipping and Serving God acceptably according to divine institution Being born again as the Apostle said not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1.23 As to the quickening and renewing Vertue of this divine Spirit and Light of Christ the Saints and Children of God have not only a living and blessed Experience thereof in this our day but also the Scriptures do afford us divers Testimonies concerning the same Jesus saith As the Father raiseth up the Dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will John 5.21 Again It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing John 6.63 And also the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ he in you the Body is Dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you therefore Brethren we are Debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh for if ye live after the Flesh ye shall Dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall Live for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Rom. 8.9 10 11 12 13 14. And again the same Apostle in his Epistle
to the Ephesians says And you hath he quickened who were dead in Trespasses and Sins yea God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace are ye saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.1 4 5 6. From whence it is very clear and plain that it is the Spirit of Christ that quickeneth the Souls of those who have been dead in Trespasses and Sins and that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if he be none of Christs he is none of the true Church and consequently no true Worshipper Again he says That as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and if Sons then Heirs and Members of the true Church who worship God in the Spirit Moreover as the Lord Jesus Christ by his divine Spirit and Power doth thus work upon the Hearts and Souls of those that receive him in order to cleanse from Sin and Iniquity and to raise up into newness of Life so also it is he only by his holy Light and Spirit that truly prepared and disposes the Hearts of People for the service of God and opens the Mysteries of Truth unto the Sons and Daughters of Men He it is that hath the Key of David that opens and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Rev. 3.9 And without him the vision of divine things are as a Book that is Sealed and hid from the wisdom of man in the Fall and no man is worthy to open the Seals thereof for which cause it seems John Wept as we read in the Revelation And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the Throne a Book written within and on the back-side sealed with seven Seals and I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the Book and to loose the Seales thereof and no man in Heaven nor in Earth neither under the Earth was able to open the Book neither to look thereon and I wept much because none was found worthy to open the Book neither to look thereon and one of the Elders said unto me Weep not behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Root of David hath prevailed to open the Book and to loose the seven Seals thereof Rev. 5.1 2 3 4 5. By the Lion of the tribe of Juda is to be understood the Lord Jesus Christ who prevailed with the Father to open the Book of Truth and to loose the Seals thereof without whom no man is able to open the same be he never so Wise in worldly Wisdom and never so Learned in natural Arts and Sciences as may hereafter in its due and proper place more fully and at large appear Section IV. Concerning the Gospel Church and Evangelical Temple AS it is the Light Spirit and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ that truely quickens and renews People unto God and renders them capable of performing that Spiritual Worship which is acceptable unto him so also it is by the vertue and influence of the same Spirit and Power that the Lords People have been and are stated in a joynt Fellowship and Communion and are drawn into an outward and visible Society and so come under the name of a Church yet for a better understanding of the word Church or what is meant thereby it may be considered in a two fold respect First As it comprehends all whatsoever of every Nation Kindred Tongue and People whom the Lord God by his universal Spirit and Power revealed and made manifest in and through our Lord Jesus Christ doth truly call and gather out of the Life and Spirit of the World and the Pollutions and Defilements thereof into that Pure Holy and Righteous State of Faith and Life wherein they are cccepted of God and owned by him as his Children and People which make up that one true Universal or Catholic Church out of which indeed there is no Salvation Secondly The word Chuch may be taken for a certain number of Persons who being Members of this Universal Church are gathered into an outward and visible Society and do Meet and Assemble themselves together really to wait upon and Worship the Living God and to bear a Testimony for the Truth against Error The Church in the first sence in Scripture terms is called The New Holy and Heavenly Jerusalem the general Assembly and Church of the First-Born the Lambs Bride and the City of the Living God Heb. 12.22 23. Rev. 19.7 and 21.2 9 10. The Church in the latter sence we have it often mentioned in the Scriptures as appears Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 1.2 Gal. 1.2 1 Thes 1.1 also Rev. 1.4 John writteth to the seven Churches in Asia Thus it is not the outward House Frabrick or Building of Wood or Stone that is or can be truly term'd the Church or House of God in this Gospel day as some vainly do conceive and therefore do ascribe some imaginary Sanctity or Holiness thereunto but it is the Assembly of Believers in this sence gather'd together as aforesaid who are the Evangelical Temple Gospel Church and House of God the Ornaments whereof are not the Embroideries and Furnitures of wordly Art and Wealth but the Gifts and Graces of the holy Spirit Love Meekness Faith Patience Long-suffering Humility Self-denial and Charity with other Christian Vertues 'T is true the Jews under the old Covenant and Dispensation of the Law had an outward Temple where they were to Worship as in 1 Kings 9. and 2 Chron. 7. and because the Lord was pleased to Hollow it for his Name and honour it with his Presence as also to cause an outward Glory and Majesty to appear there by causing Fire from Heaven to consume their Sacrifices c. therefore it was called the House of God as is manifest in the writings of the old Testament And also the Lord Jesus before he was offered up gives it that Name Mat. 21.13 Joh. 2.16 But then after Christ was offered up and the pure spiritual Worship and Service came to be Exalted and born Testimony unto by the Apostles and Servants of Christ that outward Temple being left desolate of the Glory and Presence of God it came to Ruin according to the saying of the Lord Jesus and the true Ministers of the Gospel plainly testified That the most high dwelt not in Teinples made with Hands Acts 7.48 and 17.24 25. Neither was he Worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all Life and Breath and all things but he is Worshipped in Spirit John 4.24 His Tabernacle is with men he will dwell with them and they shall be his People Rev. 21.3 Therefore the Apostle thus writes to the Church at Corinth Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit
Law which was delivered unto the Children of Israel by the Ministry of Moses it pleased him according to his determinate Will and everlasting Counsel to send his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea of whom Moses and the Prophets did write and whom John testified of to be the Lamb of God who taketh away the Sins of the World John 1.29 He perfectly fulfilled the Law and the Righteousness thereof and gave witness unto the Dispensation of the Gospel drawing Religion into the secret of the Heart he made it to consist in a higher state of Righteousness then that of the Law called Evangelical he also approved himself and the excellency of his Doctrine by many great and wonderful Signes and Miracles and sealed it with his Blood for that after he had preach't that heavenly Doctrine and wrought many Miracles among the Jews he was apprehended and by wicked hands was Crucified and Slain yet God raised him up again so that he triumphed over Death of which it was impossible for him to be held and after he was so raised up from the Dead he appeared to his Disciples and Followers who had believed in him comforting them with the hope and assurance of the pouring forth attendance of his Spirit by which he was to be with them unto the end of the World and by which they and all such as afterwards should come to believe in his holy Name might be rendered capable of bearing and holding forth a true certain and faithful Testimony for him whom God hath appointed for Salvation unto the ends of the Earth and also of performing that Worship and Service which was instituted by him which Worship is Spiritual and cannot be truly performed by the Art Strength Wisdom and Policy of men in their natural and unconverted state but only by those who are spiritually quickened and renewed unto God in some measure and whose Hearts and Souls are fitted and prepared by the Light Grace Spirit Power of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ That the Worship instituted by Christ is Spiritual is very plain from his own Words unto the Woman of Samaria John 4.21 22 23 24. Jesus said unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews but the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth This is the chiefest and most ample Testimony that Christ gives of the Christian worship as different and contradistinguished from that under the Law he tyeth not his People to the Temple at Jerusalem nor unto any other place but plainly holds out that the season is now come wherein the worship must be in Spirit and in Truth he also gives the reason for it and excellently argues from the anology that ought to be betwixt the Object and the Worship directed thereunto viz. God is a Spirit therefore he must be worshipped in Spirit This Testimony of our Lord is so clear in the case that I need not enlarge much further upon it but only add the saying of the Apostle Paul to the Church at Philippi We are the Circumcision that worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus having no confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3.3 By which it appears that the Saints and People of God in those dayes were in the practice of that worship which was instituted by our Lord as aforesaid Section II. Concerning Mans incapacity of Worshipping and Serving God acceptably in his natural and unconverted State. THat Men in their natural and unconverted state are uncapable of performing this spiritual Worship is certainly true for that whilst they remain in that state they cannot do any thing that is really good and acceptable unto God being subject unto that depraved and ungodly Spirit which leads People into Iniquity and rules in all the Children of Disobedience it comes to pass that not only their Words and Deeds but also the Imaginations of their Hearts are evil continually their Thoughts Notions and Conceptions concerning Divine and Spiritual matters are unprofitable both to themselves and others which thing doth yet further appear from divers Testimonies in the Scriptures of Truth Moses said That God saw the Wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually and that it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him at his Heart Gen. 6.5 6. David saith The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God and says They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14.2 3. And again But unto the Wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy Mouth Psal 50.16 Jeremiah saith The Heart is deceitful and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 Our Lord saith An evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Matth. 12.35 Also the Apostle Paul alluding to the saying of David says Thero is none Righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.10 11 12. Thus it is to be observed that what is thus spoken relates to men in their natural and unconverted State wherein their Souls are dead unto God and the things of his Kingdom and cannot live unto him nor do any such lively act as to serve him until they receive the Lord Jesus Christ and know the vertue and power of his Grace Spirit inwardly to quicken them unto God That so they may serve him in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 For alas it is not the bare performance of such things as are supposed to be religious duties that brings into acceptance with God unless the Heart Soul and Spirit of man be renewed fitted prepared and qualified by that which is holy and pure it s the rise of the performance that God looks at more then the outward act he that searches the Heart and tryes the Reins of men before whom all things are naked and bare looks not so much upon the external Fabrick as the internal frame of the Soul Vnto this man will I look saith the Lord even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my Word Isa 66.2 We read that although the Jews were in the practice
and Service of God doth not thus only appear to be agreeable to Scripture Testimony but also is answerable even to Reason natural Experience in other things for he that would learn of a Master any Art or Science ought not to fall on speaking or acting immediately of his own Mind and Will so continue unquiet but rather should be silent for a season to hear his Master instruct him what and how he shall door say and then proceed So also he that undertakes to serve a Master should not run hastily on to do things in his own Time and Will nor yet to deaffen his Master with Discourse though it were in Praises of him but he ought rather to wait to hear his Master speak and inform him what and how to do and then proceed to act according to his Directions Even so those that desire to be taught of God and instructed by him in Righteousness ought not to keep themselves continually busied with their own Imaginations and Inventions but patiently to wait upon God that so he by his Grace and Spirit may Teach and Instruct them and also those that desire to serve God in this Gospel day ought not to run hastily about the same in their own corrupt forward and unrenewed Wills and Minds but diligently to attend upon God to feel the Strength and Counsel of his Spirit in such undertakings Section VI. Concerning the Preparation Call and Ordination of Gospel Ministers AS it is the duty of every Christian to wait upon God for the help and strength of his holy Spirit in order to sit prepare qualifie them for the Worship Service of God so it is by the Power and Vertue of the Divine Spirit that every true Evangelist and Gospel Minister is ordained prepared and supplied in the work of the Ministry otherwise he cannot be truly said to be a Minster of the Spirit for as none could be Ministers of the Letter who had thence no ground of their Call nor directions therefrom how when nor after what manner they should Minister neither can any be reall Ministers of the Spirit who are not called ordained fitted and prepared by it nor are acquainted with the motions and directions thereof in order to draw move act influence assist and go before them in the Work and Service of the Gospel As for the Service of the Jews under the Dispensation of the Law there was a certain Tribe allotted for the Ministry which was the Tribe of Levi so that then People needed not to question who should be Priests and Ministers of holy things for that the Lord God by his Servant Moses did set apart divers of the aforesaid Tribe for the Priestood and other Offices as also he did direct how and after what manner their Worship and Service was to be performed as may be seen at large in the writings of Moses And besides that it pleased God at divers times under that Dispensation by the immediate Testimony of his holy Spirit to raise up several Persons to Teach Instruct and Reprove the People as Samuel Nathan Elias Elisha Jeremiah Amos and others of the Prophets but now under the new Covenant and Dispensation of the Gospel there is no such Tribe of People allotted set a part particularly for the Ministry as was under the Law neither is the Worship and Service of Christians Celebrated after the manner of the Jews in divers respects nor is it attended with those outward Ceremonies and shadowing Performances as was that of the Jews for the Christian Worship Service is performed in Spirit in Truth as hath been before and still yet may be further observed and therein it greatly Excelleth and far Transcended that under the Law being under the administration of Life and Glory wherein the Lord Jesus Christ is alone exalted as high Priest and Prophet of his People who being the Lord of true Divinity doth spiritually Call Ordain Constitute and Qualifie the Ministers of the new Testament and Instruct them in the Spiritual Law which is the delight of Gods People That the Apostles and Servants of Christ in the Primitive times were called and qualified by the Divine Spirit to and for the Work of the Ministry is so plain and clear that none need question it unless it be such who at this day would assume and arrogate unto themselves the name and title of Gospel Ministers by Virtue of some outward Ordination without the call help and influence of the holy Spirit unto such I say it greatly behoves them to consider how and when the Lord Jesus Christ did transfer that power unto man which is only peculiar unto himself I know that those who despise the motion and diclares of the Grace of God in themselves and yet would be esteemed Ministers are apt to deny that the Power and Influence of the holy Spirit is of absolute necessity for the Call and Qualification of a Gospel Minister and therefore do wholly betake themselves to an outward Ordination for a refuge otherwise such would have nothing to stand upon in that respect for what they pretend to 'T is certain and always granted that those whom God is pleased to Call and Qualifie by his Grace and Spirit to and for the Work and Service of the Gospel are to be owned and approved of by his Church and People but then it does not therefore follow that any who have only attained unto some degree of humane Learning Knowledg in Arts Sciences can be thereby fitted for the Gospel Ministry or that such Person under those Circumstances can be rightly qualified for that Work Service by the Power of man without the call help influence and assistance of the blessed and holy Spirit and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ wherein the true power of Ordination stands and not in men as men but in the Spirit of Christ which ought to have the supream Government in the hearts of men and those who are truly called ordained and qualified by the divine Spirit for the Work and Service of the Gospel are accepted of God and approved of by his Church and People as the Apostle said He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men Rom. 14.18 Also we read that the Apostle Paul when he took his leave of the Elders of the Church of Ephesus he thus expressed himself Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Acts 20.28 And again the holy Ghost said unto the Prophets Teachers which were in the Church at Antioch Seperate me Barnabas and Saul for the Work whereunto I have called them and when they had Fasted and Prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away so it s said they being sent forth by the holy Ghost departed unto Soleucia and from thence they sailed to Cyprus and
deep things of God for what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God further adding That the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Moreover if the Lord had intended human Learning and Arts and Sciences to have been absolutely necessary for the Qualification of a Gospel Minister its probable he would not only have recommended the same the necessity thereof in those respects by some of his Servants but also would have chosen more of the Learned Doctors Rabbies of the times to have been publishers of his Mind Will unto the People in times past but on the contrary we find very few of those great Doctors that went upon that Errand neither under the Prophetical nor Evangelical Dispensation but rather the Lord was pleased to make use of Honest Plain often times Illiterate People upon these accompts to call several from their Vocations and Callings as the Scriptures bear witness to bear Testimony for him his Name and Truth unto the Sons and Daughters of Men that so the Glory of God and the excellency of his Wisdom and Power might more appear in and through such weak Instruments Object Now if any shall object That although several of the Apostles were unlearned when Jesus called them yet the Lord made them Learned by a Miracle before they went abroad to teach all Nations and from thence would argue That Illiterate People are not fit to preach the Gospel nor any but such who by the help of human Learning can understand divers Tongues and Languages Answ In answer thereunto I say That forasmuch as the Apostles were commanded to go and Teach all Nations the gift of Tongues was requisit at that time and upon that occasion to enable them to express themselves in every Nations proper Dialect that so those People to whom they spake might the better understand what was spoken to them yet it does not follow that because the gift of Tongues was expedient for them at that time in order to render them capable of speaking to the understanding of other Nations that therefore they must be Learned in other Tongues who speak only to People of their own Language Yet nevertheless it is not denied but that human Learning and Art and Sciences are very useful good and servicable in their places as a right use is made thereof for that People are thereby made more capable of managing temporal Affairs both in respect of Merchandize Trading and other matters as also it may so fall out that human Learning and the knowledg of Tongues and Languages may be useful upon some accounts unto such as are or may be called unto the Work and Service of the Gospel but then it is in a blessed Subordination and Conformity to the Teachings of the Divine Spirit which is that Golden-Key that opens the Mysteries of Truth and inspires the Soul with a right understanding of Spiritual matters and those People whose understandings are not opened thereby be they never so Learned or Wise in the Learning or Wisdom of the World yet by reason of the blindness of their Hearts Luk. 8.10 Ephes 4.18 Seeing they see not and Hearing they understand not the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom Yet so it is that when many People have by natural Education and Study acquired unto some knowledg in human Learning Arts and Sciences they grow puft up in Mind wise in their own Conceit and impatient of Contradiction and so are not willing that the use of natural Arts and Sciences should be so kept within their proper Sphere as to be limitted unto natural things and held in a subserviency to the holy Spirit but such will needs fall a meddling in things of a higher nature and by the help of human Learning and wordly Wisdom without the Revelation and Influence of the Divine Spirit they will put their meanings upon the Scriptures and give Expositions and Constructions upon Divine and Spiritual matters and which is yet worse they will oftentimes attempt the imposing of their Notions upon others and when the Lord is pleased to raise up any to oppose them then they fall into Passion Wrath Cruelty and Persecution the fruits of the Spirit of Error and upon this occasion it is that so many Contests Disagreements Jarrs and Controversies have risen among the Professors of the Christian Religion even because Poople have over-valued worldly Wisdom which is servicable in its place and under-valued sleighted opposed and disregarded the Teaching Direction Counsel Evidence and Revelation of the Light Grace and Spirit of Christ in themselves which alone can truly open and discover the meaning of that which hath proceeded from the same Spirit in others Luke 24.45 and so instead of the gracious Influence of the Divine Spirit they betake themselves unto human Literature Arts and Sciences and by their Dark Suggestions Quaint Distinctions and Logical Terms do render things more Obscure Intricate and Mysterious then of themselves they are so that the World is even burdened with the Voluminous Tractates long tedious and uncertain Discourses about Religious matters therefore hath it pleased God in his infinite Wisdom and Counsel in a great measure to lay aside the Wise and Prudent in the Wisdom of this World and by his Eternal Spirit to fit and qualifie many weak mean and contemptible Instruments in the Eyes of men and make use of them for the publishing of his pure and naked Truth that so it might be freed of those Mists and Foggs wherewith those Linguists have clouded it and that People might be directed to wait for that universal Spirit which as it is received doth opperate in the Hearts and Souls of People in order to work out Sin and Iniquity raise up into newness of Life and to give People an understanding in Divine and Spiritual matters that so they may be thereby fitted prepared and qualified for performing that Pure and Spiritual Worship which is acceptable unto God in this Gospel day And further such hath been the good pleasure of our God in times past as also in this our day not only in a great measure to lay aside the Wise and Prudent of the World upon these accounts but also to set aside as unnecessary for the Gospel Ministry those long tedious Books Discourses and Comments which have been and are the product of worldly Wisdom and the fruit of mans natural and unrenewed Mind and Spirit and the Lord by his own Wisdom Spirit and Power doth aid furnish assist and supply every true Gospel Minister in the performance of his Duty and Service both as to matter what the time when and the Persons to whom thus doth he in his heavenly Counsel order and dispose the Spirits of his People suitable for every Occasion and