and there dye and sin must be so destroyed Rom. 6.5 6 7 8 Heb. 2.14 15. Now thou must know O man this Cross of Christ to be within thy heart as wel as to know by hear-say the Cross of Christ which Christ was crucified on nigh unto Jerusalem for thou hast as many enemies in thy heart against Christ spiritually as Christ had enemies in and about Jerusalem Now as I said before we must dye upon this Cross of Christ and be buried with Christ nay we have need of this Cross of Christ every day for it is a Christians glory and joy to have this Cross of Christ for by the power of this Cross we dye to sin we live and arise more purely unto righteousness then ever we did in the first Adam and by the power of this Cross of Christ the world and sin are crucified unto a Christian dayly and a Christian is crucified unto sin and the world and himself dayly and liveth a new creature in the new Creation in Christ and with Christ spiritually and that continually Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 6.14 15. Now if we dye upon this Cross of Christ then Christ takes the soul down into his grave and there he puts off the old man and brings the soul up in a new Creation and this is called a putting off the old man which is corrupt and a being renewed in the Spirit and a putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. And this is called a translating us into the kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. And this is called a passing away of old things for all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 And this is called a being changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinth 3.18 Now this is a very glorious condition for a Christians comfort Sect. 5 to be made conformable unto the death of Christ for if we be made partakers with Christ in his death then for certain we shal be made partakers with Christ in his resurrection Rom. 6.5 8. 8.11 Phil. 3.9 10. But first we must be crucified and dye with Christ and lose our selves in Christ and be found again in him by the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of God who is the holy Spirit read 1 John 1.3 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 And now true beleeving man or woman thou that hast walked through the vale of Death and art arrived at the haven of Life which is God in Christ now this God is thy God in all his several appearances he is both thy God and thy Jesus and thy Christ And now beloved Christian God wil dwel with thee nay in thee and thou shalt reign with him Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in this first resurrection And now loving Christian seeing thou art come into this haven of rest here I wil bid you farewel for there shal be no more death to you neither sorrow nor crying neither shal there be any more pain for thy God wil wipe away all tears from thine eyes and the Spirit wil shew thee great things coming out from God and the glory of God shal be thy light which is a light most sweet and clear and there shal be no night with thee nor in thee and thou and the whole Church of God shal be but as one Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb and there shal be no more confinement neither to places nor persons and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are a Temple for thee and the whole Church of God to worship in And thou and the whole Church of God are like unto a City that hath no need of the Sun When God comes in his great appearances of glory then you have no need of the dark Moon-lights of men for the glory of God doth lighten you and you are as a City which the Lamb is the light of read Revel 20.4 5 6. Rev. 21 3 4 9 10 11 22 23. Now a Christian Sect. 6 that hath but low and fleshly appearances of God is ready to say as Martha and Mary did Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed Now such have but low comforts because they think God to be in this place and not in that place as Martha and Mary did But a Christian that knows Jesus Christ to be the only wise God knows him to be omnipresent in every place and knows all his wants and hears all his cries and groans and he can say as Christ did Father I know that thou hearest me always John 11.42 Now the Gospelized man and the Christ baptized man he knows the one God who hath made divers appearances at several times in the flesh but now in these last times his appearances in our flesh are in a spiritual way and this most men cannot disgest for it is foolishness to them 1 Cor. 2.13 14. God hath made divers appearances in the flesh as for instance those three Angels which Abraham ran to meet and they did appear to him as men Gen. 18.1 2 3 4. And these Angels do signifie the Trinity as some say and so likewise those two Angels that Lot did meet and converse withal as men Gen. 19.1 2 3 4. And so likewise that same astonishing appearance of God in the fiery furnace with the three children to make good his promise read Dan. 3.24 25 26. Isa 43.2 3. And so likewise now in these last times God who is the Father of all doth appear as a second who is a Son and a Savior of all Isai 43.3 4. And thus God was found in the fashion of a man and was made in the likeness of other men and so he became our Jesus in this office Phil. 2.6 7 8. And as he was second so he was sent of the first in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in thy flesh and to forgive thee thy sin And this is that which the Jews stumbled at for they did not see Jesus Christ as God to forgive sins therefore they crucified the body which God gave unto Jesus Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Heb. 10.5 6 7. And so likewise this is a great mystery for the only one God to manifest himself in our flesh and to become our Christ and our high Priest to offer up himself as a sacrifice without spot unto himself and that through the eternal spirit which spirit is the only blessed God 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 9.11 12 13 14. Now God comes in these latter days in his great and most excellent appearances and that is spiritually in all his ordinances What is the water to thee in Baptism if thou find him not baptizing thee with his Spirit What is the bread and wine to thee in the Sacrament if thou see not his Table spred with spiritual graces
the life of the Word Page 44. How the Jesuites Popes and Friers are Ministers of Christ P. 44. ◠7. The shepherds of these times would rule Christs sheep with an iron mace P. 45. Some named that were reproached in Mr Edwards book P. 46. Mr Edwards ten heads in his book like the ten horns Rev. Zech. P. 47 What it is that frays these horns viz. the Spirit of our Lord Jesus P. 48 49 S. 8. That Saul was a Minister upon the same account that many are at this day P. 50 51. A Minister sent out from men is a Minister of terror not of tenderness P. 51. How the false Prophets are mingled among true as heretofore so even now P. 51 52 53. The Confidence of most Preachers in these times is their library and books P. 53. Vpon what account there is much preaching to little purpose in these times P. 54. CHAP. IV. THe Scriptures insisted on set down P. 55 S. 1. None but beleevers able to prove approve of and reprove Ministers P. 57 58. S. 2. There is no cure for the world but free grace P. 59. Jesus Christ is a Saints spiritual magazine P. 60. S. 3. That in these days God begins to pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh P. 61. That upon this account beleevers speak more profitably then their teachers P. 62. That beleevers have a divine right and authority to try the doctrines of men P. 63 A Caution given beleevers not to be despoiled of their liberties in Christ P. 63 64. Many pretend falsly to a divine right in these times P. 64. S. 5. How the people have been and yet are abused by Clergy men 65 66 What divine right is and to whom it doth belong P. 66 67. The honorable Commissioners why not approved of by the Ministers P. 67 The ignorance of the people taxed in not being able to try their Ministers P. 68. Who they be that creep into houses and lead captive silly women P. 68. That discord among brethren ariseth from the Ministers of this age 69. § 6. Who they be that bind heavy burthens and lay them on mens shoulders P. 69 70. Dr Gouge his complying formerly with the Archbishop reprehended Page 70. To rule with force and violence doth ill become Ministers P. 71 72. § 7. A word to Ministers and people to unite them into one band of love by the Spirit p. 72 73. The story of Abraham and Lot of Jacob Joseph and his Brethren excellently opened and applied to these times p. 73 74 75 76 77. What men pretend that mind persecution p. 77. § 8. A sweet prayer to God for Vnity p. 80. § 9. Arguments to perswade to Vnity p. 82 83. § 10. Where and what is the power of the Church p. 84 85. Who are Evangelical Preachers and that none profit the people but they p. 87 88. § 11. That most Ministers seem to read Christs advice Mat. 6.31 backwards p. 89 90. Who are Elders according to God page 90. Three sorts of corrupt men in a parish page 91 94. That Jesus Christ is the mind of God page 94. That most of our Protestants are fit matter to make Papists p. 95. CHAP. V. THe Scriptures insisted on set down p. 100 101. § 1. A most excellent and spiritual instruction given to the Eldership in the Church of God p. 101 108. The Church is a school and Christ the alone teacher in it p. 104. The Church in the Apostles time had many young men in it that were full of the Holy Spirit p. 105. Many hungry people in the Church whom nothing can satisfie but Jesus Christ p. 106. Great use of Elders if right in the Church of God P. 106. Religion without love is Pharisaism Page 107. How the Religion of the most is Popish P. 108. That there hath been much hypocritical fasting in these times P. 109 § 2. A true fast to the Lord is a feast to men P. 110. The most content themselves with the shel but neglect the kernel of Religion P. 112 113. The holy Spirit is the love-token of Christ in the hearts of the faithful P. 115. § 3. What food the Saints live upon Page 116. § 4. Too much confidence placed now adays in Church-fellowship Page 117. A just reproof of such P. ibid. What is the Churches foundation 118 Vpon what the Christians lean 118 The commonly called Anabaptists reprehended and that justly 119 120. They justifie the parishes they seem to condemn Why the Anabaptist and Presbyterians disagree P. 121. That Anabaptists are mistaken in the foundation of Church-fellowship 122 An excellent reason against rebaptizing P. 123 124. § 5. A modest debate with a moderate Anabaptist P. 124. That the soul enjoys all things in Christ P. 125. Vpon what account the beleever is conversant in external observations P. 125. § 6. Of the baptism of infants and that they have faith and may be admitted as well as others thereto P. 126 127. A whisper in the ear of an Anabaptist and Presbyterian P. 128 The same Lord is now a Cloud to the Egyptian world but a pillar of light and fire to the spiritual Israel 129. § 7. The plea of an unbeleever 131. Of the confession of sin and how few confess sin aright P. 132 133. The beleever hath joy from the Cross of Christ in the confession of sin 134 The death of Christ most divinely opened P. 134. Several Objections answered made against confession of sin with joy p. 135 136 137. CHAP. VI. THe Scriptures insisted on set down page 138 139. § 1. What the most of our Elders and Pastors are and what they are able to do p. 140. Who seek the good of King and Kingdom p. 144. § 2. That there is no steers-man in the Church on the heart of a true Christian but Jesus Christ. p. 145. Christ the guide of a Christian in his active and passive obedience to Magistrates p. 146 147. A wise caution given to Magistrates and why page ibid. § 3. Several objections answered touching the discerning of true teachers and false by their fruits p. 147 148. That the unlearned beleever doth and knows more then the learned that beleeves not p. 149. Those that have been with Jesus and in whom Jesus is alone understand the Scriptures p. 149 Christ the Covenant of God p. 150. What learned men they be that are unfit for the ministry p. 151. Christ is the day of Gods rest p. 152. That many talk of Reformation that are ignorant of the pure Religion page ibid. § 3. What the pure Religion is 152. The most of the learned in Christendom do agree in pleasure ease and profit p. 153. Many zealous for Presbyterian Government care not for coming to the Elders and why p. 156. That one place for worship is not to be preferred before another ibid. Whether it be decent for Ministers to go all in black p. 157. Of humane learning of what use and profit it is p. 158. A word of
strive together and therefore he is bold to tell him that did the wrong Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow to which the guilty person returns an angry answer as though Moses were of his mind to kill his brother wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday every man 's afraid of his brother now thus it is in the Egypt of this world in the which the most even of professors are as yet found doing that one against another in the face of Christendom and to the shame of Christianity which the Egyptians do one against another yea that which the Egyptian did against the Hebrew And therefore as none was found so fit a man as Moses a man mightily preserved but the meekest man in all the earth to bring these dissenting brethren out of Egypt and be their Captain to lead them through the Wilderness so none will or can in any age be found and therefore not in this but one that is as Moses was a man of a meek and quiet spirit I mean Christ himself brought forth in them that beleeve none but he in the Spirit will ever be able effectually to bring the Church of God out of the Egypt it is yet in and free it from under those infinite numbers of Taskmasters that lye in wait like foxes to have dominion over it Foâ— what hath the Nation done hitherto in a manner I mean in relation to Religion but built Pithom and Raamses two treasure Cities to spiritual Pharaoh the King of spiritual Egypt the name of the one being by interpretation as they say os defectionis vel gehennae the very mouth or gate of hell the other importing a thing as evil Commotionem tineae the eating of the moth the name of the one in plain English is A Form of Godliness the labor and strife of these times accompanied with her sister or rather her daughter City scituated next unto her yea lying in her bosom The want of the power of it if called by her name Negative but her positive name is The superfluity or the overflowings of evil I have therefore prayed that God would take of this spirit of Moses I mean that meek and quiet that sweet and saving that high holy and healing Spirit that sometimes rested in our Lord in the form of a Dove and is in the same similitude in the heart word and life of his members as appears in this man and this discourse and put it upon and pour it out in great abundance upon the heads and hearts of all sorts of men especially the leaders of the people in the Land for the reconciling and uniting them to God the fountain of peace and sweetness and one to another that the voyce of the turtle rara avis a rare bird may be heard again in our land that every one may sit under his own vine and under his own figtree that the voyce of war may be heard no more amongst us This we see evidently was the drift of this author and this book The last thing is the opportuness of its coming forth for it may serve to check those proud waves that are now arising I mean calm those unruly passions that are this day found boyling up in the spirits of most men and factious to the endangering and unquieting of all How sweet and welcom at such a time as this would that prevailing mighty voyce of our Saviour be which indeed is heard in this man and in this book of them that have cars to hear I mean that Peace be still which may save the ship we are all in as it did that wherein the Apostles were with Christ in expectation and hope of which I remit all to wait on him and rest Yours in the service of the Gospel R. B. IF Verse becomes a tract so grave as this As Psalmes in Scripture shew that treat of bliss Then let 's awake and to Jehovah sing For here 's a Dove that doth the Olive bring To England and the Ark of God in it The waters sink that would have drowned it The mountains hills and stately trees appear That overwhelm'd with inundations were A resting place on earth there 's yet for God The Sea 's dried up by h's wonder-working rod. All sects and sides before him silent are He quiets all and makes an end of Warre R. B. The Authors Request Courteous reader for the better directing you in the reading of this book look into the plainness of the Table in the which many things remarkable may be found presently and let me desire this one thing of you and that is to read the Table of Contents all over which you shall find at the end of this Book R. P. A LOOKING-GLASS FOR A Proud Pharisee Who is Very Zealous and yet very Ignorant CHAP. I. The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. JOhn 8.33 Joh. 8.36 Mat. 16.6 Mat. 15.1 9. Rom. 10.2 3. Isa 63.3 Isa 59.16 2 Sam. 16.1 2 3 4. compared with cap. 19.26 27 28 29. Col. 1.18 Mat. 20.2 13 14. Rom. 9.31 32. Rom. 9.32 Luk. 16.15 Den. 9.4 Ps 101 5. Isa 65.5 Joh 9.28 29. Joh. 5.39 40. Mat. 17.5 Joh. 7.49 1 Cor. 1.27 28. Mat. 9.2 Luk. 5.29 30 31. Isa 53.2 Rev. 3.17 Eph. 1.7 8 9. Prov. 8.18 Rev. 3.17 Prov. 8.19 20. Luk. 16.14 Mat. 21.31 Heb. 11.31 1 Cor. 1.27 28. Act. 13.46 48. Mat. 6.7 Eccles 7.16 Mat. 5.17 Mat. 6.5.6 Mark 12.38 39 40. Rom. 9.32 Luk. 18.9 10 11 12. 1 Chro. 29.14 1 Cor. 15.8 9 10. Luk. 18.9 10 11 12. Isa 65.5 Dent. 8.17 CHristian Friend I have made bold to present you with some Scripture cautions they are such as our Savior gave to his Disciples and the Prophets gave to the high-conceited Jews who boasted of a freedom by Abraham which is without Joh. 8.33 and called God Father and yet knew not the Son of God whose freedom is within which is best of all Joh. 8.36 Now do ye Pharisees says Christ make clean the outside of the cup and the platter but your inward part is ful of ravening and envy and yet you think you are righteous and despise others Luk. 11.37 38 39. Luk. 18.9 The kingdom of God cometh not with observation or with outward shew Luk. 17.20 21. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly saith the Apostle And there are now which say they are Christians and are not but are Antichristians Rom. 2.28 Rev. 2.9 10. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Read these Scriptures and consider wel of them Rom. 2.29 The first Caution is Mat. 16.6 Sect. 1 Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces which is called Vers 12. the Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces Pride and hatred do proceed from those that are ignorant of Jesus Christ yet these Pharisees
have not found Iesus Christ there It is a great mistake and the most in our days are subject to this mistake They think the meer having of the letter of the Scripture is sufficient for them to have eternal life so in some sort they become Idolaters even with the Scriptures themselves What is the Scripture to thee if thou mistake it In them ye think ye have eternal life but thy darkness comprehendeth not the light that shines in them as you may read in the Gospel of John 1.4 5. For what is the body without a soul Or what is the Scriptures to thee if thou hast not the key of David to open and unfold them unto thee Rev. 3.7 Or what is the Word to thee if thou hast not the Spirit of God by which it was given to open the mystery unto thee that is in it and then that Spirit wil teach thee to profit by the Word and wil instruct the in righteousness 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. And thou canst not take liberty to sin as the great out-cry goes now in our days but so much for that Mistake me not my advice is to account it a very great mercy to have the Word of God amongst us but ten thousand times a greater mercy to have the Spirit of the Word among us our Teachers and then that Spirit would heal our divisions and shed his love abroad in our hearts and then we should not bite and devour one another as we do and this is the crown of Pauls rejoycing to be made an able Minister not of the letter but of the Spirit for the Spirit giveth life and worketh love in our hearts 2 Cor. 3.6 O Lord Sect. 5 how little of thy sweet and peaceable Spirit is abroad in the world amongst Ministers and people if we consider the bitter envying and strife in mens hearts which is brought forth in contention and reproaching one another Now I shal speak as S. James speaks My brethren these things ought not so to be James 3.10 13 14 15 16. Is this the Spirit of Iesus Christ No in no wise For the fruit of the Spirit of Christ is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness temperance Gal. 5.22 23. For these gifts the Spirit of God works in the hearts of the Saints as the Apostle speaks For God saith he hath not given us the spirit of fear and of error and heresie and division but of power of love and of a sound mind as you may read 2 Tim. 1.7 You Pharisees saith our Savior you search the Scriptures but ye wil not come to me For how can ye beleeve in me when ye receive honor one of another John 5.39 40 41 42 43 44. compared with John 12.42 43. and you shal find that not to be of the Pharisees simple judgment one shal have no place amongst them no not so much as to be the Beadle of a Ward not to be one in their way is as much as to be put out of their Synagogue as for instance in the blind man And they cast him out Iohn 9.32 33 34. And so you may instance in Lazarus But the Chief Priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death For he was a cause that the people went to meet Iesus Christ as you may read in the Gospel of John Chap. 12. Vers 10 11 18 19. Have not we many chief Priests and Pharisees now in our days as wel as there were in Christs time that sit and consult against their brethren as you may see in John Chap. 11. Vers 47 48. Instance if you wil in Mr Edwards a mighty man in the Scriptures and yet hardly knows Jesus Christ like to Nicodemus Joh. 3.1 4. He is something like to Tertullus too who disputed maliciously against Paul a notable Orator and one that had learned a leaf past grace and could talk nimbly but to little purpose as Mr Edwards doth read Acts 24.1 2 5 6. But now if Mr Edwards had an ear to hear what the Lord saith he would tremble Thou givest thy mouth to evil saith the Lord and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Mr Edwards have you not done these things doth not your conscience accuse you yet The Lord wil reprove you Mr Edwards consider whether you have not forgot God read Psa 50.19 20 21 22. Mr Edwards I shal refer you to one place more Have you heard of the doctrine of Iesus Christ Now the doctrine of Christ is First For Information Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing pleasing to God Joh. 15.5 Secondly It is for Exhortation to you Mr Edwards beware of being like to the Scribes and Pharisees Mar. 12.38 which neither loved Christ nor his followers Mistake me not I am no favorer of Sectaries yet I can with patience look upon them til God doth change their hearts In the third place I advise you not to be like an unskilful man to pluck up the wheat in stead of tares And in the fourth place Beware of being like unto the Scribes and Pharisees in loving to be chief and to have the uppermost places and to have domination and beware that you be not like the Pharisees and Lawyers that lode men with burdens grievous to be born and for a pretence make long prayers and so devour widows houses that is you oppress the weak and poor by your power and self-seeking Read if you please Mark 12.38 39 40. and Luke 11.44 45 46. Master Edwards be not angry with me for quoting these Scriptures unto you for they are the words of our Savior to the Pharisees and to the Lawyers and they were as wise men as your self Mr Edwards and as zealous read Joh. 5.16 17 18. and yet they made no conscience in seeking to kil Jesus Christ as you do not under the name of Sectaries to kil the Saints in their good name and in their reputation by your reproaches which you lay upon them and then you cal for the Magistrate to punish them and imprison them But God hath given the Parliament wisdom above such spirits as you are Mr Edwards for to restrain you or else what is it that you would not do and so the chief Priests and Pharisees likewise were very skilful in clothing Jesus Christ with a filthy garment of their reproaches and then they made the people out of love with him and then Barabbas must be let loose and Christ must go to suffer As for instance in their reproaching of Christ The first is this They thought Christ was come to destroy the Law Mat. 5.17 The second is this They said Christ was a Blasphemer Mat. 9.3 4. The third is this They said Jesus Christ was a gluttonous man a wine-bibber and did resort to ungodly men and to sinners Luk. 7.33 34. In the fourth place They said that Christ was a Conjuror This fellow say they doth cast out devils by
mistake not your self in the application of these few lines for these are perilous times for some indeed preach Christ out of envy and strife and those that preach Christ thus have it by Art and not by Grace Phil. 1.15 16. And thus a natural carnal man may preach Christ having the common gifts of the Spirit which are common to all men as the Arts and the Tongues which may be learned at Oxford and then the help of a great Library and a good pen and sit at it all the week and then a good memory and then a fluent tongue then such a man may talk of Christ an hour or two together but I suppose this is not preaching if it be we have great store of it now in our days And those men that so preach are subject to speak evil of those that preach Christ out of good wil To preach Christ out of good wil is a saving gift And such men cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard Acts 4.20 Now true preaching is to beleeve We having the same spirit of faith saith the Apostle therefore we speak 2 Cor. 4.13 though we be evil spoken of and upbraided with new doctrine and with a new light M. Edwards are not you guilty of this clamor and I fear others besides you are But I remember a caution that the Apostle gave to the Philippians Beware of evil workers saith he who boast of the letter and of the outsides of Religion and yet are enemies to Christ for they mind earthly things Phil. 3.2 18 19. as profit and preeminence M. Edwards I pray you be not like unto Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence among them receiveth us not saith the Apostle But when I come saith the Apostle I wil remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the brethren but speaketh evil of them and forbiddeth them that would receive them and casteth them out of the Church read 3. Epistle of Joh. 9 10 11. M. Edwards I shal take leave of you now I shal speak of you again only I shal present you with two cautions The first is Follow not that which is evil and take not up a reproach against your neighbor to do him harm Psa 15.3 The second is Take heed that the light which is in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 CHAP. IV. The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Rev. 2.17.2.2 Cant. 2.8 John 10.4 5 27. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Ioh. 14.10 11 Ioh. 17.21 22 23 14. Eph. 1.3 c. Lu. 7.44 c. Psa 1.2 Psa 66.16 1 Pet. 2.5 Joh. 2.20 27. Act. 2.17 18. Joel 2.28 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Joh. 3.2 3 4. Mat. 21.16 Psa 8.2 1 Thes 5.21 1 Joh. 4.1 Col. 4.17 Gal. 5.1 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Colos 2.18 19. 1 Pet. 5.2 1 Cor. 5.4 12 13. Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.13 Mark 9.35 1 Cor. 7.23 Prov. 6.16 19. Rom. 14.5.23 1 Thes 2.7 8. 2 Cor. 1.24 Act. 15.5 10. Joh. 11.47 48. Luke 22.24 25 26. Iohn 13.15 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Psal 133.1 2. Gen. 13.8 Isa 49.15 16. Ier. 32.40 41. Gen. 42.36 Acts 27.22 23 24. Eph. 5.32 Gen. 30.27 Gen. 37.19 20 21 22. Gen. 42.21 22. Gen. 45.3 4 5. Gen. 50.20 Gen. 45.27 28. Mat. 23.24 25. Luke 17.20 Mat. 23.23 Ier. 7.4 Mat. 25.8 10 11 12. Gen. 45.24 1 Thes 5.21 1 Pet. 4.10 11. 1 Cor. 6.5 6. Mat. 15.14 Isaiah 2.2 3 4 5. Matthew 10.9 10. Luke 10.4 5 6 7 8. Matthew 6.31 32 33 34. Luke 22.22 25 26. Matthew 26.47 48 49 50. Luke 11.45 46 52 53 54. Matthew 26.3 4. Ephesians 4.22 Psalm 31.11 13. Psalm 35.13 14 15 16 19 20. Acts 14.22 Luke 18.9 Iohn 8.41 42. Iohn 9.16 29. Iohn 2.3.11.47 43. Iohn 12.10 11 19. THere is great contending Sect. 1 now in our days how one should know who are the true Ministers of the Gospel Ans But they who have an ear to hear what the Spirit of God saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.17 are inabled by the spirit of Christ in some measure to try them which say they are Apostles and are not and have found them lyars Rev. 2.2 The Church of Christ only knows the voyce of Christ It is the voyce of my beloved saith the Spouse Cant. 2.8 My sheep hear my voyce saith Christ and a stranger they wil not follow for they know not the voyce of strangers and wil flee from them Iohn 10.4 5 27. Here is the report that Christ gives of his sheep which holds forth a sufficiency in them by his holy Spirit to try the messages that the messengers or ministers of the Gospel do bring unto them and that by a divine authority Now here wil arise an Objection and that is this Object Can an unlearned man try the Doctrine of a learned man Ans Sol. Yes for the doctrine of Christ is spiritual though it may be delivered literally or in the letter and so it may be as a Cabinet sealed up to him that carries it or delivers it But an unlearned man may have and hath the key of David that is the Spirit of God to teach him the mystery when the learned man may have but the history There is no man in the world though never so learned so able as the Saints are Are true Beleevers to give out the spiritual meaning of the Word of God It is true indeed learned men may take up the Truth as other men lay it down and so they may talk of it But the beleeving man Sect. 2 the new man he is the only man for he hath the Truth and he can declare the Truth for the Spirit of God doth teach him read 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16. The beleeving man is the only man for these Reasons The first is God is in Christ Joh. 14.10 11. The second is Christ and God is in every true Beleever I in them and thou in me saith Jesus Christ Joh. 17.21 22 23 24. The third is Every true beleeving man and woman were in Christ before the world was and as soon as they came into the world they went astray and then were accepted again in the beloved that is in Christ they have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of all their sins at once and not by peece-meal and this is to the glory of free grace O there is nothing in the world that can cleanse the world of taking liberty to sin but only free grace read Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8. A great sinner once made a true beleever such a man and woman is the only man and woman that can magnifie free grace Mary Magdalen a great sinner was overcome by the free grace of God in Christ and then she washed Christs feet with tears and kissed his feet and anointed them Free grace begets much love Luk. 7.44 45 46 47. And so Paul a
in the same condition now in our days Have not we them that plead for divine Right And time was that these men or the most of them were the Bishops servants in observations and now I think they wil be our Masters But let me which am the least among all the sons of men advise a little with you and let us consider wel what is Divine Right and how far it doth extend and whether it doth belong to the Clergy alone and not to the people or whether it doth belong to the people as wel as the Clergy and whether the people in particular Congregations or Parishes have not power to cal to account either Minister or Church-Officer that walks contrary to sound doctrine and depose them and put them out of their places if need so require with the advice of moderate men I mean those honorable Commissioners who could have no place among our rigid Clergy Let me I pray you once more give you advice when you truly know what Divine Right is then yeeld subjection unto it nay I know you that fear God it is your delight so to do and as for your Ministers and Church-Officers they ought to be in subjection to the Church for the Minister and the Church-Officers are not the Church but members of the Church and the Church cals them to be Officers and gives them power to officiate in their places Therefore they that cal are greater then they that are called I speak of an outward cal and this is the Churches Divine Right and no no particular mans right Apply your selves to the Church saith our Savior and if he neglect to hear the Church the Church hath power over him read Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.13 And so likewise if you have any that would be great over all let him be servant unto all saith our Savior Mark 9.35 The Church of Christ knows the voyce of Christ and the mind of Christ therefore they are able to discern the inward indowments of a Minister The multitude of this Kingdom take al upon trust and cry out O! he is a brave scholer he is a great learned man and so they swallow down all without any dislike at all Now you that are the freemen of Christ endeavor to know the freedom that Christ hath purchased even with an unvaluable price and be not the servants of men for ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 7.23 I shal now set forth three paths and those that walk in them I think they are not like unto the Ministers of Jesus Christ The first is this There is much talk now adays in publick of those that creep into houses and lead captive silly women But I think never any crept more into houses then those that would have had two shillings and nine pence in the pound and so likewise those that labor in the first place to make sure their tithes unto themselves which both City and Country complain of I ask the question Do not these creep into houses and lead captive silly men as wel as women Mistake me not it is fit that those that be Ministers of the Gospel indeed should have means to live on that they and theirs may live comfortably in this world yet the people ought to be free and not constrained The second path is this He that soweth discord among brethren his way is an abomination to the Lord Pro. 6.16 19. I ask the question Do not many of our Ministers walk in this way O it would be a sweet thing if our Ministers were men of peace and would labor to make peace among the people but I think they are unfit men because they cannot agree among themselves many of them The third path is this Those that bind heavy burthens and lay them upon mens consciences such men are hinderers of a Christians joy and faith for a man ought to be perswaded in his own heart For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.5 23. And such Ministers as compel mens consciences are not like the true Ministers of the Gospel For Paul proved himself to be a Minister of the Gospel in these words We were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth her children and ye are dear unto us as our own souls and this is the language of the true Ministers of the Gospel 1 Thes 2.7 8. And as for us saith the Apostle we have not dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand read 2 Cor. 1.24 We have an old Proverb amongst us Sect. 6 The burnt child fears the fire We are newly come out from Prelacy and from the High Commission Court of bondage which was at Lambeth house where the Bishop of Canterbury did sit and impose an Oath upon mens consciences and if they did scruple at it then he did send them unto a reverend Divine as he said who did live in London Dr Gouge Dr Gouge by name and he said he would resolve them of the lawfulness of it and if they could not be resolved by him then they were sent to prison except they would take that hellish Oath to accuse themselves But I hope it wil not be so now yet this man is one that would sit at the stern of our Reformation But I hope he and the rest of our Learned wil not strive for preeminence or domination as Diotrephes did over the Church of Christ read 3 John 9 10. I desire likewise that there may be no fierceness of spirit in our Ministry or Ministers to command by force or to compel by violence and so put a yoke upon the people of God which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear and thus the Apostle complains of a sect of Pharisees that would have commanded the Church by force in his time Acts 15.5 10. And so likewise the chief Priests and the Pharisees cryed out against Jesus Christ that there might be some speedy course and strict way considered of against him and his followers for they were Sectaries and would draw the people after them and spoil their Kingdom and then the Romans would come and take away both their place and nation Joh. 11.47 48. Now if those that profess themselves to be the Ministers of the Gospel desire to be great either over mens persons or over mens consciences let them wel consider these two or three places of Scripture The first is this Our Savior cals his Disciples and tels them The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over one another and they that are great in authority are called Benefactors And thus the Disciples though they were with Christ had foolish thoughts about greatness but saith Christ it shal not be so amongst you for ye are brethren and I have given you an example that ye should go before one another in holiness and meekness of spirit But he that wil be greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve
of God the Father and the unspeakable and sweet comforts of the holy Ghost and that in a spiritual way in all the ordinances they do not nor cannot lean upon the outside of any ordinance A true Beleever sees within the vail and sees the most holy of all Mine eyes saith old Simeon have seen thy salvation O Lord Luk. 2.29 30. A Saint sees Christ in the Spirit though he be vailed with flesh A true Beleever sits down at the table with Christ who is the King of this banquet and there is friendly discourse between Christ and a poor soul A poor soul sits down under the shadow of Christ with great delight and the graces of Christ are sweet to my tast saith the poor foul Cant. 2.3 4 5 6. Now Christ answers the poor soul again and saith Thy graces smel sweeter that I have given thee then the ointments of all spices Cant. 4.8 9 10. Now a beleeving soul is married to God and Christ and doth confess all her sufficiency is from God and from Christ While the King siteth at his table saith the poor soul my spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof that is while Christ is in the soul to act those graces that he hath given into the soul so long those graces send forth a pleasant sinel Cant. 1.12 13. Now Christ being once in the soul is for ever in the soul and with the poor soul for to help it in all its wants and loves it to the end that is for evermore Joh. 13.1 And Christ promises That he wil never leave the poor soul nor forsake it in its greatest wants Heb. 13.5 6. Now a poor soul begins to be strong in the Lord because Jesus Christ hath taught it to cal God Father Mat. 6.9 And Christ himself cals the poor soul his brother and his sister and tels them he wil pray his Father and their Father for to send his love-token into their hearts that is the sweet Spirit of God for to uphold them in the hour of temptation and to comfort them in their greatest distress and to teach them to have communion and fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ and this is the food that a true beleeving soul feeds upon in all the ordinances of God and in all the promises and providences of God in this world and this is that which a Saint leans upon even upon the very bosome of God and of Jesus Christ as that beloved Disciple did lean upon the brest of Christ at Supper Joh. 21.20 Sect. 3 Now by this means a true beleeving soul begins to be without slavish fear and without bastard-like fear because God hath said Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee yea I wil help thee O thou poor weary soul yea I wil uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Isa 41.10 Now this is that which holds up the head of a beleeving man or woman in this troublesom world for they see a way made by the blood of Jesus a new and living way and by the hand of faith they can take spiritual food out of that new and living way and feed upon that when worldly food seemeth to decay Heb. 10.19 20. And so likewise a beleeving man by the eye of faith doth see himself secure in this new and living way though the world should be turned upside down What saith the Prophet Habakkuk Although saith he the fields should yeeld no meat and the flocks were cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stals Mark the condition of a true beleeving man Yet saith he I wil rejoyce in the Lord and I wil joy in the God of my salvation Habak 3.17 18. I wil lift up mine eyes saith the beleeving man unto the hils from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth Psa 121.1 2 3. Now in the next place to lean upon Church-fellowship this wil not profit us But there is a fellowship which the Apostle speaks of which wil profit us Truly saith the Apostle we and all that do truly beleeve our fellowship saith he is with God and with Jesus Christ read 1 Joh. 1.3 4 and this fellowship is by way of union I in them and thou in me saith Christ that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 24. I shal now speak a word to those that are in external Church-fellowship Sect. 4 who hold it not fit for to have communion with one in some ordinances nay almost in all if one be not in fellowship with them but count of one as to be without or to be men of the world or almost as bad as Heathens in that condition But the Foundation or Being of the Saints is built upon the eternal good wil and good pleasure of God which he had purposed in himself before the world was and hath chosen us with an unchangeable love in him that is in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love read Eph. 1.4 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Here you may see the original of the Saints from whence they are They come forth from God and they go with Jesus Christ to God their Father again For their life is hid with Christ in God read Col. 3.3 4. Joh. 14.19 20. For at that day saith Christ to the Saints ye shal know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and because I live ye shal live also And where I am there shal you be also and you shal behold my glory saith Christ to the poor souls of men and rejoyce in that and you shal see my Fathers love in me and it shal be in you and I wil be in you read Ioh. 17.23 24 26. Here you may see from whence the Saints are and upon what fellowship they lean They lean upon the unchangable love of God and they lean upon their friend Jesus Christ and they lean upon the coming forth of the sweet Spirit from God and from Jesus Christ into their hearts and that sweet Spirit wil shew them things to come as Christ tels them and that blessed Spirit wil teach them to profit and he wil make Jesus Christ beautiful in their eyes for he shal receive from God and from Jesus Christ and shal shew it unto them as Christ himself speaks read Ioh. 16.13 14 15. Isa 33.16 17. Here you may see what heavenly provision and what a sure place of rest the holy one of Israel hath prepared for every true beleeving soul and here you may see what fellowship God and Jesus Christ have with every true beleeving man or woman And wil you that are called Anabaptists have no fellowship with those that God and Christ and the holy Spirit of God have fellowship withall except they be baptized your way You say to be baptized young availeth nothing I ask
concerning hell as it is a prison for sin and sinners and so ariseth a false fear or a slavish fear and so no true knowledg of God nor of Jesus Christ who is the Law of God and he makes sin to become exceeding sinful Romans 7. verses 12 13 14 22. None but Christ can forgive sin nor none but the Spirit of Christ can convince of sin John 16.7 8 9. Our learned make large confessions of sin and so almost all other men do or may do for to make a confession of sin by roat and in a customary way and so to think by confession of sin they have done enough to get the pardon of sin and this the Papists do but this will not profit neither them nor us And do not the most of men do this Mistake me not I speak not against confession of sin to God for a right confession of sin to God turns to the praise of his free-grace who hath forgiven our sins before we confess them and hath blotted out our sins for ever from before his face and will not bear them in his minde any more Read that remarkable story of David Psalm 103. read the whole Psalm and so Rom. 5.8 Isai 43.25 The end of my speech is against the formality that is in the confession of sin by the most of our learned and others and how few there be that make a right confession of sin as from the cross of Jesus Christ believing the blotting out of their sin and Christ taking it out of the way and nailing it to his cross Colos 2.13 14 15. The unbelieving men Ministers as well as others may make a very specious confession of sin for matter of form and yet have neither faith in God nor love to God nor joy in the holy Ghost But the believing men Ministers as well as others they are the most able men for to make confession of sin because they have faith towards God and love to God and joy in the holy Ghost As for instance Though I have lien among the pots saith the believing man yet I shall be as white as snow in Salmon I beleeve this therefore have I spoken Psalm 68.13 14. 2 Cor. 4.13 I am black saith the believing man or woman but yet comely through that comeliness which Christ hath put upon me therefore my soul is in love with Jesus Christ Cant. 1.3 5. Ezek. 16.14 So likewise the true believing Christian can make a confession of sin rejoycingly and with great joy seeing the victory and the spoiling of the powres of sin and darkness by the divine nature of Jesus Christ read 2 Peter 1.3 4. Which threw down the humane nature of Christ and bruised it nay it pleased the Lord and he put it to greif and pain and made it an offering for sin that he might see his seed by the travel of his soul and he is fully satisfied and the pleasure of the Lord is in him and upon all those which are his seed and grow up in him read Isai 53.6 10 11. And this Christ as God did and does crucifie sin and the old man every day triumphing over them is it or in himself Colos 2.15 And is not this matter of great joy to a pooâ— soul that carries about in his body every day the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 O thou poor soul thou must lose thy self and be taken up by the power of God and thou shal be found in Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10. Ephes 1.18 19 20 21. Be of gooâ— cheer O thou poor soul for if thou be dead with Christ thou shalt live in eternal glory with Christ and if thou suffer persecution either from the tongue or from the hand with Christ or for Christ thou shalt reign with Christ 2 Tim. 2.11 12. O thou poor soul if Christ hath inabled thee for to make such a confession of sin in faith thou hast cause to walk rejoycingly Now here will arise two objections The first is this Sect. 8 You will object and say Object there needs no confession of sin now by your discourse and so we shall forget that we are sinners and continue in our sins and live as we list for there is one that hath done all for us we need to do nothing I answer Sol. It is not a vain repeating of sin as the Pharisee and the Heathen do Matth. 6.7 and as most people do but it is a forsaking of sin as the man in Christ does 2 Tim. 2.19 It is not a bare confession of sin in words but it is a turning from sin to God and this is the work of Christ onely and none of thine O man Turn me O Lord saith Ephraim for I cannot turn my self Jere. 31.18 We that are dead to sin saith the Apostle and risen again with Christ we cannot live any longer therein because grace doth abound Rom. 6.1 2. Now you will ask in the next place Object what those must do that are said to make a confession of sin with great joy nay rejoycingly which is a thing that you seldom hear of in our days for we are taught to mourn and to shed tears as it were to wash away our sin that is in part Romans 9.32 I shall answer your question Sol. and tell you what those do that make a confession of sin rejoycingly they fight against sin and they fight against Antichrist which is very much amongst us and they fight against the world and I will tell you with what weapons they fight with all the first weapon is the sheild of Faith by which they are able for to quench all the fiery darts of the devil and wicked men the second weapon is the helmet of salvation which shall cover men in the day of battel the third weapon is the sword of the spirit and that is Jesus Christ the living Word of God which will subdue all things unto himself And is not this matter of great joy Read those two remarkable Scriptures Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. But you will object and say Object that I exclude all outward sorrow for sin But I say no by no means Sol. if it be godly sorrow for godly sorrow proceedeth from a right apprehension of the love of God in slaying of sin with the sword of his mouth and this sword is Jesus Christ the living Word of God Read Revel 19.13 14 15 16 20 21. Heb. 4.12 13. The goodness of God leadeth men to repentance and makes a man flie from sin How shall I saith Joseph do this sin against my good God Rom. 2.4 Gen. 39.8 9. Now this is the root that godly sorrow grows upon and is not to be repented of but fleshly and carnal sorrow causeth or worketh death but godly sorrow causeth hatred against sin and love to God and is not this a great cause for to walk rejoycingly Read that remarkable Scripture 2 Cor. 7.8 9 10 11. One word more and so conclude It is
others Read Isai 29.18 23 24. Now on the other side Those that have all Tongues and all the learning of men they may want the testimony of Jesus and become as sounding brass which gives an unpleasant sound because it cannot sound forth Christ which is love 1 Cor. 13.1 2. And so likewise the learned may both preach and speak from the Scriptures and be zealous as Saul was and yet the Scriptures may be as a sealed book to them and so some learned and some unlearned are both of them in the dark read Isai 29.11 12. Take two or three Instances for what hath been said and the first is of Paul when he was Saul Acts 22.3 4 5. Phil. 3 4 5 6. The second instance is of Nicodemus a great ruler of the Jews John 3.1 3 4. Now such men to whom the everlasting Gospel is as a book sealed they are subject for to persecute others either with the tongue or with the hand as Paul doth confess of himself And being exceedingly mad against them saith Paul I persecuted them even unto strange cities Read this place Acts 26.9 10 11 12. Friend what think you Quest. may not one instance in the third place in Master Edwards the Minister of Christ as he cals himself and some other men now in our days Acts 9.1 who breathe out threatnings and enmity against those that are not of the same opinion that they are I ask is not the Scripture to such men as Maries box of ointment full of sweetness but the Scripture which is the box it is sealed up to such men and they have not the key of love for to open it as Mary did Luke 7.37 38 47. Is there not some ground for to judg thus when one sees what vaunting there is against one another and how little forbearing one another and how little kindness there is amongst some men this is for want of love Read 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. And if there come one that hath the key of love for to open this box of ointment I mean the Scriptures which are ful of Christ who alone is the sweetness in the box which makes the Virgins for to love him read Cant. 1.2 3. Now when such men do appear that can with spiritual skil speak of the sweetness of Jesus Christ they may in some sort expect many men to be like unto Judas for to have indignation against them for opening this box of precious ointment and pouring it out amongst poor souls read Mark 14.3 4. Friend I have heard Mr Edwards many times and I shal hear him sometimes stil but I confess unto you that I hear but very poor and cold matter from him and I tel you I think that the most of his matter is taken out of other mens works for a man may run into a great Library and with the help of a pen and a good memory he may get an hours discourse and so he may speak other mens words and deliver other mens judgments and thus I have heard him for the most part of an hour deliver this fathers opinion and the other fathers judgment and in the end he hath uttered bitter and unsavory words and is this preaching of Jesus Christ Friend I wil tel you there are four or five men which he hath unchristianlike reproached from which men you may hear more sound and savory and plain words for the edifying of you in the knowledg of Jesus Christ in one hour then you shal have from him in many hours nay it may be in many years I wil name you the men The first is Captain Hobson the second is Mr Kissin the third is Mr Patience and the fourth is Mr Spencer the new start-up preacher as he cals him sometimes coachman to the Lord Brooks And thus you may find him in his Gangraena jeering I am loth to say like Ishmael I think if Paul were alive again Mr Edwards would jeer him with being a Tent-maker The fifth man is Mr Wallyn an ancient acquaintance of his I would Mr Edwards would be his scholar and learn good of him and let him alone and not put him into his book of bloting paper but Mr Edwards wil let no man alone that is not of his judgment and this is Mr Edwards and yet a preacher Wel friend to conclude my answer to you I wil deal ingenuously with you It is a very rare thing to find a Minister that preacheth Jesus Christ purely and unmixedly Q. Object I think you are an Independent for you do not speak like a Presbyterian A. Ans I am no Independent nor Antinomian nor Anabaptist nor Presbyterian but if there be any thing of Jesus Christ in any of these four that are named I shal own that and give that the right hand of fellowship And furthermore I am a constant hearer in your publick places in your Churches as you cal them and I do dayly observe which way you steer your course and my desire is that you may steer towards the Land of Canaan and not towards Rome to add burthens of grief to any man as Mr Edwards would have the Magistrate to do Q. Quest What think you of our Religion in the bulk of it as it is practised by all sorts of people in this Kingdom A. Ans I think the greatest part of the people both in Parishes and in the whole Kingdom they take up their Religion by Tradition from the Elders and practise it as the most do in a customary way Instance in the Jews in three things And I think they were as wise as we are The first thing is this The Pharisees urged the people for to observe the Traditions of the Elders and therefore they came to Christ for to know why his Disciples did not observe the Traditions of the Elders Mat. 15.1 2. The second thing is this The Pharisees did sharply reprove and curb those that did not observe the Traditions of the Elders read John 7.47 48 49. The third thing is this The Pharisees held the people in great slavery so that they durst not but observe the Traditions of the Elders though they did know to the contrary nay they durst not confess Christ for fear lest they should be put out of the Synagogue read Joh. 12.42 43. But I hope it wil not be so in our days Friend I shal conclude with my last Answer unto you in a few words we all seem to be zealous for God and the most men strive mightily for a form of Religion But may not one ask where is the power of Religion and where is the power of Love to rejoyce in Christ for he is the Truth 1 Cor. 13.6 And where is the power of a meek and a quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.4 And where is the power of Religion shewn forth in brotherly kindness and unfained love read 2 Pet. 1.7 And when these things are in us and abound then we shal learn
Heb. 2.12 13. Isai 54.13 Joh. 6.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.19 John 16.13 14 15. John 3.1 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 1.19 20. 1 Corinth 1.24 John 14.6 Rom. 3.11 12. 1 Corinth 15.46 47. Rom. 5.14 Acts 22.2 3 4 5. Phil. 3.4 5 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 10.14 15. Matth. 8.22 John 10.3 4 5. Psal 23.1 2 3. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. 1 Thes 2.7 8. 1 Pet. 2.2 3 7. Isai 66.11 12 13. Psal 45.1 Psal 66.16 17. 2 Corinth 4.5 John 10.12 Acts 20.28 29 30. Matth. 10.8 1 Thes 2.8 Ezek. 34.2 3. John 10.12 13. 2 Cor. 12.14 15. 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 3.6 Rom. 7.4 6. Rom. 7.4 Phil. 3.3 1 Cor. 12.6 7. 1 Cor. 15.45 John 6.63 A word in season to two sorts of Elders in love Sect. 1 THe Elders which are among you saith the Apostle I exhort you to feed the flock of God read 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Now the Elders that are not able for to feed the flock of God let them be of what sort of Elders you please for to call them they are like unto a bad nurse that fills the childe full of bad milk and winde together and so as men walking with the winde of a false spirit as you may read it in the margent they profit the people nothing at all Micah 2.5 6 11. Deut. 32.8 9. Now there are two sorts of Elders The first sort is such as the Pharisees were that seemeth to be much for God and for the worship of God by way of tradition Matth. 15.1 2. The second sort of Elders is directly such as the Pharisees were that sought by all means for to put Jesus Christ to death Matth. 27.1 John 11.47 53. Now such Elders that are not able for to feed the flock of God and possess and keep that place They do as much as in them lies for to sterve the flock of God now the Elders that are but onely able for to feed the flock with shadows and no more as the letter of the Scriptures so far as natural reason can reach and so litterally examine the people and ask them questions and legally admonish them but not able for to break the bread of life to the people and so they build one another up in a specious form of Religion but they remain ignorant of Christ the power of Religion 2 Tim. 3.5 I believe that there are many Elders that are naturally very wise But the natural man perceiveth not the things of God neither doth this wise man know the things of God read 1 Cor. 2.14 How then can they instruct the people of things they themselves know not here are unfit Elders indeed But he that is an Elder in Jesus Christ is the good Elder and takes care for to make out Jesus Christ spiritually to the mindes and spirits of men 2 Tim. 4.5 22. But the fleshly Elder that is the natural man he is not a fit nor a true Elder for he desires to make a fair shew in the flesh and constrain men for to submit to them that they may glory in their flesh Gal. 6.12 13. And thus they zealously affect you that you might affect them and exclude us that are true Ministers and Elders of Jesus Christ saith the Apostle but this is not well for they would draw you from the truth and put you under the bondage of the law again Gal. 4.17 21. This may fill the ear but it cannot feed the heart this may please sense but not have the benefit of faith Now those that are right Elders whether they be lay Elders or learned Elders they must be men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdom If the Deacons were such as the Apostles did approve of read Acts 6.3 5 6. much more the Elders who are for to teach the people the word and doctrine of Jesus Christ which is the ground of the peoples being ruled well for the Elders are to teach the people as well the Matter of the Gospel as to admonish them of Manners to the Gospel and so sit and ask them questions and then admit of them 1 Tim. 5.17 I do desire that the Elders had but discerning spirits First The gift of discerning their own spirits Secondly The gift to discern the spirits of the people whom they receive This gift is and is to be had 1 Cor. 12.6 10 11. I ask doth not the greatest part of people in this Kingdom and the most people in most Parishes resemble the Papists as much as face doth face in a glass The Roman Catholike must not nor will not do any thing in matters of Religion without the consent of their holy Father the Pope and then the Jesuite and the Fryer and the Mass-Priest must be their Confessor and what they spake it must be Canonical And thus the people are led along in ignorance but they please the people once a yeer with a voluntary carrying of Christ upon the Cross for the people to kiss at the high Altar and then Christ is upon the Cross in another place a dying and the people adoring his picture and then there is publike confession of sin with penance and pilgrimage and then there is private examination and confession of sin to the Priest at other times and then he absolves them and remits their sins and then they are fit for the Eucharist as they think and when Easter day is come and Christ is risen and they have received the Eucharist then they are merry and think they have done enough for all the yeer after and with a devotion they eat up that Christ which they observe days and times for for they say The bread is his very flesh and the wine is the very blood of Jesus Christ which they drink and thus they please themselves with shadows and go crossing themselves to their graves rejoycing in the shadow and yet remain ignorant of Jesus Christ the substance I ask again Sect. 2 Doth not the greatest part of our English Protestants and the greatest part of people in most Parishes resemble the Papists as face doth face in a glass for they must not nor will not do any thing in matters of Religion without a Councel or a Synod Now it is plain That a Councel or a Synod may erre Instance Now the chief Priests and Elders and all the Councel sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death And I think this was an error read Matth. 26.59 Now these men had the Scriptures of the Prophets to be their guide but they could not know Jesus by them though he was present amongst them The second instance is A whole Councel and a Synod together may erre and the Councel and the Synod met together for to command the Apostles That they should not teach in Jesus name nor speak any more of his doctrine and so when they had beaten them they let them go And I think this was an error read Acts 5.21 28 40. And so the
and the light of the Law which is in no wise grievous read Prov. 6.23 1 Ioh. 5.3 And Christ is the love-token of his Father read Rom. 5.8 And thus those that are counted loathsom Antinomians do imbrace him as the effect of his Fathers love which is the efficient cause of taking away sin from men read 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. And so they account the blood of Jesus Christ God-man to be the meritorious cause that hath and doth cleanse us from all sin past present and to come 1 Iohn 1.7 2.1 2. And so likewise Christ is the rule of a Christian and the Law of God which a Christian doth walk by And so likewise Christ is a Christian School-master for to bring him to God Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 Eph. 4.20 21. Iohn 14.6 O sweet God Sect. 7 and everlasting Father Isa 9.6 A Prayer from the Scripture to the Father Son holy Spirit opening that Mystery Thou art a sure foundation and a sure dwelling place Psa 90.1 2. O sweet Jesus thou that art built in and upon this foundation 1 Pet. 2.5 6. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. And thy sons and thy daughters being in thee thou proceedest forth and comest forth from God and bringest thy sons and thy daughters along with thee Eph. 1.3 4 5. Iohn 8.42 Isa 8.18 O sweet and holy and blessed Spirit of God which cometh from the Father Iohn 15.26 and from the Son and is sent by the Son into the hearts of his sons and daughters for to make Christ who is God-man glorious in their eyes Iohn 16.13 14 15. Isa 32.15 O sweet and blessed Spirit which art one of three and yet undividable thou art but one God blessed for evermore and not three Gods read 1 Cor. 8.5 6. But out of thy love and wisdom O sweet God thou hast made a distinction of thy self in the first Creation when thou saidst Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 And thou hast made it good again in the second Creation when thou saidst Go and make new Schollars or new Disciples Then thy power O blessed Father Son and holy Spirit goes along and makes a new Creature in Christ or for Christ Old things are past away behold all things are become new read Matth. 28.18 19. 2 Cor. 5.17 A natural Tree growing up out of the earth An excellent Si mile having his roots therein and by the mighty power of God in his Creation there goes effectual power from the earth into the roots and so up into the body of the Tree and so up into every branch and causeth leaves and Fruit for the use of man which Tree hath its Seed in its self Gen. 1.11 12 29. Heb. 1.2 3. Now our Friend Jesus Christ is the Spiritual Tree of Life which grows in the midst of the paradise of God Revel 2.7 Gen. 2.9 Now God the Father is the paradise and the onely sweet Divine Garden Revel 2.7 And Christ his Son is the only sweet Flower in the Garden and he is daily his Fathers delight and in him onely God takes his pleasure read these two Scriptures Prov. 8.22 30. Matth. 17.5 Now the fulness of the Godhead is the infinite Fountain of Divinty in which Christ is a root or rooted and so grows up in that and so Christ cometh out of God and from God Col. 2.9 Psa 68.26 Isa 11.1 10. John 14.10 11. 17.8 21. 1.18 And so Christ is Gods King upon his holy Hill of Sion and God hath given him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his Body now the true Church of God is the fulness of Christ and the true Church is most compleat in Jesus Christ Psal 2.6 Ephes 1.22 23. Colos 2.10 Psal 45.13 Now this is matter of great comfort unto a perticular poor soul for to have the blessed and infinite God anointing Jesus Christ our Head with his fulness that we might receive of his fulness even grace for grace in Christ Jesus Heb. 1.9 John 1.16 And so likewise it is an inlivening comfort to a poor fainting panting and thirsty soul for God to pour out his precious ointment upon the Head of thy Aaron that is Jesus Christ And so from him as thy Head this ointment runs down upon thy Beard nay it runs into thy heart into every corner of thy heart and it runs down to the skirts of his garments that is to every poor member of his and he fills and refreshes them with his Grace which is as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord gives a blessing even life for evermore read Psa 133.2 3. Now this is the River the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God Now the heart of a right Christian and a true believing man or woman is the City of God and the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most High and the infinite Divine Consolations of the Spirit which is God blessed for evermore runs thorow this City and maketh it glad when the world is turned upside down read Psa 46.4 5 6. Now you that stand for Fruits Sect. 8 and for Notes and Signes consider well what Tree they grow upon for a natural tree may bring forth excellent Fruit to the natural sight and if you take this natural Fruit for to be Notes and Signes spiritual you will deceive your selves as the most of the world do to this day because the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them and if he hear of them by the hearing of the ear he makes a jest of them for they are foolishness unto him 1 Cor. 2.14 But if you grow in the Tree of Life as the Branch doth in the Vine which Tree and Branch Zech. 6.12 is Jesus Christ then you shall live and receive of his life and bring forth fruit by his strength for in him and with him and by him you shal be able to do all things and without him you can do nothing to please God John 15.4 5. Phil. 4.13 Heb. 11.6 O sweet and blessed Spirit of God which workest all our works in us and for us Isa 26.12 And as a natural tree whose seed is in it self and having its roots in the earth and so receiving nourishment in at the roots without which it could not live But that nourishment which the roots do receive in runs up the body of the tree into every branch of the tree and causeth a fruitful flourishing of green leaves and fruit for the use of men and this turns to the praise of God and the good of men and all this is the work of the sweet Spirit of God through the whole course of nature But in a supernatural way of grace it is unspeakable and ful of glory Christ is the spiritual tree of life which is rooted in God Isa 11.1 10. John 1.18 John 17.23 24. Now the sweet Spirit of God which is only
one God Eph. 4.6 cometh down from heaven into Christ not by measure but in the fulness of God to dwel in the body of the tree of life which tree is Jesus Christ John 1.32 33 34. Joh. 3.34 Col. 2 9. 1.19 Now the sweet Spirit of God is the head and life of this tree and this tree is the head and life of the branches which are surely graffed into this tree Now God is the head of Christ and his life and Christ is the head of the Church and their life Col. 3. â— 4. Now Jesus Christ being man united unto God and God dwelling in this man Christ now Christ being man and so weak saith this of himself I saith he can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judg and I seek not mine own wil but the honor of the Father which hath sent me John 5.30 And thus Christ reasons with Philip that he might lead Philip through himself unto the Father that he might give God the Father the honor of his love for Christ thus Christ seeks the honor of his Father Now Christ being the spiritual tree of life and Philip a branch of this tree the spirit of life runs through this tree into all the branches and causeth the branches to bring forth the fruit of praise to God And thus Christ and his members do seek to advance the glory of the Spirit of life which is God as you may see by these words Have I been so long with you saith Christ to Philip and yet hast thou not not known me He that hath seen me hath seen the Father And how sayst thou then Shew us the Father Beleevest not thou that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self Mark this But the Father that dwelleth in me he speaketh the words and he doth the works Beleeve me Philip saith Christ that I am in the Father and the Father in me Joh. 14.8 9 10 11. And thus Christ the tree of life bears and brings forth honor to his Father and thus the branches of this tree bring forth fruit and give the honor of it wholly unto God instance in Paul The life saith he that now I live it is not I but it is God in Christ that lives in me Gal. 2.20 And thus the sweet Spirit of God cometh down into the head of the body which head is Christ and so down into the branches which are the body of Christ and the Church of Christ which Church is created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 God is a Spirit John 4.24 If I be lifted up from the earth saith Christ I wil draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 that is Christ who is God in the Spirit shal draw men with the Spirit up into Christ and they shal be all taught of God the Father who is a Spirit and learn of him spiritually to come to Christ John 6.44 45 46. And thus you may see that a Christian in deed and in truth is not in Jesus Christ or for Jesus Christ after a carnal manner or after the rudiments of the world or after the laws of mens making Col. 2.8 18 19 20. But as the Apostle Paul saith We saith he worship God in the spirit and we rejoyce with the spirit in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh or fleshly ordinances Phil. 3.3 Carnal reason and fleshly wisdom may and do handle those things which we cal the ordinances of God and it may be very learnedly and with a seeming shew of zeal and piety and yet for all this be but carnal and fleshly and like the grave where Mary stood weeping An allusion because she could not find her Lord Christ there now Christ was risen and gone and she sought the living among the dead John 20.11 12 13. Luk. 24.5 And so a poor soul stands by the ordinances that most men handle Observe weeping because it finds them dul and cold and dark And if one ask the poor soul why it weeps it answers as Mary did I weep because I cannot find my Christ here These men cannot tel me of my beloved Lord whom my soul loveth Let me advise thee a little An Advice O thou poor soul thou must go a little beyond these dark and dul watchmen I was saith the Church but a little passed from these watchmen but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go such is the love of the soul unto Jesus Christ that it cannot be satisfied without Christ read Cant. 3.3 4. Such a man is the only man for a sick soul that beleeves what he speaks A true preacher and speaks what he hath seen and learned of Christ read 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 4.21 Now the man in Christ Sect. 9 with the spirit of Christ speaks spiritually of God in Christ and the Spirit of Christ is the Saints rest or resting place for unto that the Saints flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows for shelter and for food Isa 60.8 The Spirit of God is the original good The Spirit of God and the only sweet good unto the spirits of men The Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle be with thy spirit 2 Tim. 4.22 Thus the sweet Spirit of God comes down into the tree of life which is Christ and so into the branches that grow in this tree of life Christ is the tree out of which these branches grow and come forth Iames 1.17 18. The Saints life Every true beleeving man and woman is a branch in Christ the tree of life and the sweet Spirit of God is their life that they live by and move by and act by Acts 17.28 And it pleaseth the sweet Spirit of God to give this title to the branches in Christ That they might be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord by the rivers of his sweet Spirit that he may bring forth fruit in his season read and compare Isa 61.3 9 10 11. and Psa 1.3 together And thus the sweet Spirit of God works all the Saints works in them and for them Isa 26.12 13 19 20. And thus the holy Spirit of God doth write his Law in their hearts even the Law of Faith and Love which they account of great use Secondly They live not as they list but as the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth constrain them and so in its love it doth direct them read Isa 30.21 Thirdly We are to do nothing for Christ as the most people in the world do to this day for this were to go down to Egypt the flesh for strength to get Christ but this wil be to no purpose or vain labor Now in this case Our strength is to sit stil saith the Prophet read Isa 30.7 Christ is a gift of God John 4.10 and not for us to get of God or from God We are not to work for
hath its seat or where sin is to be found and that God sees this or that sin A true beleeving man doth consist of two parts A strong man to sin and a strong man to cast out sin Matth. 12.28 29. Sin is a filthiness that doth rest both in flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Mark this you that are self-righteous Luke 18.9 For the seat of sin is in the flesh saith the Apostle Rom. 7.18 But the death of sin is upon the Cross of Christ Col. 2.14 Gal. 6.14 Christ in you the hope of your glory is the strong man in you that doth cast out sin and satan and he doth bring sin every moment to his Cross and there he is nailing it to his Cross and crucifying sin and self upon his Cross or by the power of his Cross Col. 1.27 29. Gal. 6.14 The best of men have sin in their flesh and they hate it Rom. 7.15 But in their spirit they observe no sin to obey it but serve the Law of God and love it Rom. 7.25 Now God sees sin as the great false Prophet that hath deceived the false Prophets that were and the false Teachers or the false Prophets that now are amongst us which run before they be sent of the Lord and they steal my Word every one from his neighbor saith the Lord And they say I said when I have not spoken to them and yet they prophesie saith the Lord though it be but a dream and it may be cal themselves Ministers of the Gospel Now none more likely then such men who privily shal saith the Apostle Great learned men are as ignorant of Christ as unlearned men instance in Nicodemus and Saul bring in all manner of heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And yet for all this these men may be great learned men but the God of this world that is the Devil hath blinded their minds and yet they may remain Prophets and Teachers though they do but teach the ayr of their own brain according to the Prince of the ayr who exalteth himself in the Temple of God and is like unto a Lamb in sheeps clothing beware of these saith our Saviour and so saith the Apostle Let none of these men deceive you by any means saith the Apostle though they make a fair shew in the flesh shewing themselves that they are for God and so compel you and if you oppose them you shall finde them inwardly ravening Wolves or openly like Lyons for to tear you Now to make it appear to you Sect. 11 that there have been false Prophets formerly read Jere. 23.21 to the end and so likewise read 1 King 22.11 12. And so likewise to make it appear to you that there are false Prophets and false Teachers even now amongst us read 2 Pet. 2.1 Matth. 24.24 25. Now I would not be mistaken here in what I have said concerning false Teachers for I do not mean mechanick men nor illiterate men though there may be some things amiss amongst them yet they can speak the true thetorick of the Heaven of God which is very sweet unto them for their conversation is in God and with God read Phil. 3.20 Now these mechanick men which I mean are such as are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and Christ himself is the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 21. And they are acquainted as Christ is with the mansions in God Iohn 14.2 And they see the land that is afar off read Isai 33.17 Want of humane learning is no let in revealing Christ Now I had rather hear such mechanick men one hour then some great learned men twenty four hours though they should come from Oxford or Cambridg In case they should be but only learned in the brain and so learned in the theorick that is to speak of an outside and no more Now I will give you a reason of what I have said A learned man having the School-Arts may by the help of a Globe or a Map discourse much of the Countrey of Spain or Italy or Constantinople though he himself were never there And so by the letter of the Scripture and the help of a Library he may talk much of Heaven and God and yet know but very little concerning that which they talk so much of Therefore I said I had rather hear some mechanick men because their conversation is in heaven as the Apostle speaks Phil. 3.20 Now such men can speak the truest of that place where they are most conversant though it may be not so Schollar-like yet they can and do inwardly walk with God as Enoch did and they please God Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 And they know his name and therefore they trust in his name and speak good of it Psal 9.10 Therefore it is more profitable to hear such mechanick men or such illiterate men though it may be they are jeered with the spirit and what they do say some they do it by the spirit and this is spoken by way of a jeer But I will tell you what I think That God doth see this as great a sin in England as any one sin And this is that spirit of Antichrist which denies Christ come in the flesh or in our flesh as you may read 1 Iohn 4.1 2 3. The Papists confess Christ come in the flesh but they must not confess him to be come into their flesh for to guide and to lead them and teach them but they must be taught by their great Doctors and Rabbies of their Church and they must be led which way they will and is it not even so amongst us at this day As for instance in our Clergy men of England they are divided into two parts The one part for the King and the other part for the Parliament Now I ask is Christ divided how are the people like to be taught The one party for the King strives for that easie Common Service Book or Common Prayer Book and their own Will-worship with their old ceremonies which are as a shadow or a vail before their eyes so that they cannot see the Substance of Religion but dote after the shadow And the other party which is for the Parliament they strive for a Directory after the best Reformed Churches and the neerest to the Word of God as they say but they themselves will be the Judges over other mens Consciences and what they say other men must do if they had but power in their hands And thus while these two sorts of Clergy men are striving for shadows and the most people stand amazed to see them and the people can say there is but one God one Christ and one holy Spirit And if these great learned men could but speak experimentally of God the Father who is first and Christ coming out of the Father who is second and the Holy Ghost proceeding forth from them both and is the third and yet these three are but one Now if our learned men could
side All this was done unto his body which was humane besides his troubles in the spirit when he was in an agony in the garden where his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Now never were any mans sorrows like unto the sorrows of Jesus Christ yet for all this their malice did not change the stream of love which was in Jesus Christ for when they were a thrusting him out of the world and he was going unto God his Father then this Child Jesus which was the Man Christ and anointed of God above all his yellows prayed Father saith he for give them for they know not what they do for they are ful of the seed of the serpent Yet nevertheless O righteous Father saith Jesus Christ A ful Redemption by Christ for al men if all men had but faith to beleeve I have finished a sufficient Redemption for the whole world if thou O Father wilt but give them faith to beleeve it or to give a true credit unto that report for it is finished And thus Jesus Christ bowed his head and took his leave of this cruel people and this wicked world together as you may read Luk. 23.34 John 19.30 Now these blind Jews and Lawyers Sect. 5 and zealous Pharisees together with the blind devotion of the chief Priests and the rude multitude they all looked upon an outside Christ or a fleshly Christ or Christ the Son of God vailed with flesh so that they did not see within the vail the most holy of all therefore they fel upon him and judged him to be forsaken of God and so they marred his visage and despised him and saw no comeliness or beauty in him that he should be more desired then another man Isa 52.14 Isa 53.2 2 4. Now the man in whose heart the Child Jesus is born such a man or woman sees within the vail and sees Christ spiritually sees Christ as God-man ful of divine amiableness and sweetnesses of beauty and unspeakable comeliness of the spiritualnesses in Christ when he was vailed with his flesh but much more now Christ is ascended far above all heavens to fil the souls of men ful of spiritual gifts unutterable and ful of glory Eph. 49 10. Psa 68.18 Now the soul of such a man or woman is sick of love for the delightful in-comes of a spiritual Christ now unvailed which is not to be seen visibly for he is invisible and not to be seen now but by the eye of faith for by faith Moses saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.27 Now a man in Christ is a new creature and Christ being born in a man makes him partaker of the Divine Nature as the Apostle speaks Now Christ is our life and our life is hid in God Col. 3.3 4. Now the life which a true christianized man or woman that is a true beleeving man or woman or a true beleeving man in his young age as wel as in his old age now the life which they live it is not they but Christ liveth in them and as a Father he doth translate them into the substance of the Gospel which is Christ the inheritance of the Saints in light but no new light mark this all you that mock and jeer at new light Gal. 2.20 Col. 1.12 13. Now Christ being in a Christian and a Christian in Christ Christ becomes the Christians School-master and doth Gospelize him and make him a new creature and he doth spiritualize him and make him heavenly and Christ-like that is like unto himself Now a true beleeving man or woman are the auditors or the hearers and the holy Ghost is the preacher or the speaker and the heart of a true beleeving man is the place where this sweet Spirit of grace doth preach or make known the Lord who is our salvation Eph. 4.20 21. 1 Jo. 2.27 28. Now the Lord is that Spirit that doth all in us and for us And in the glory of the Lord every true beleeving man or woman is changed into the image of Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and a true beleeving man or woman is comple at in him Now all this is done by the Spirit of the Lord who is both Lord and Christ read 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Col. 2.9 10. Now you wil object and say Object that I seem to make more Christs then one whereas I say that the child Jesus is to be born in the heart of a man or Christ the Son of God for man who is the Son of God in man he is to be formed in the hearts of men or Christ to be born in the heart of a man which is God with us or God in us Mat. 1.21 23. Luk 2.26 27. I answer Answ there is but one God and Christ one Christ who is above all and through all and in you all and when this Christ doth appear in thy heart O man or woman then thou shalt also appear with him in glory for grace is glory Eph. 4.6 Col. 3.4 11. One word more to prove that there is but one true Christ Sect. 6 by way of simile Simile There is but one natural Sun in the Firmament that doth shine upon this world and all men and creatures do live in this Sun and do partake of its light and heat or else they would dye and vanish away and this Sun doth live in men and in all creatures with his light and heat but men and creatures are distinct from this Sun and apart from it so that every man or creature is not a Sun as this natural Sun in the Firmament which I have spoken of but every man and creature doth partake of the fulness of this Suns light and heat and so they are nourished And so likewise in the last place I shal prove That every true Christian or true beleeving man or woman is not a Christ neither are they Christs as you did object and say I seemed to make more Christs then one yet a true beleever is one with Christ in union and communion light and life And first of all for union I in them and thou in me I wil saith Christ that they be with me where I am to behold my glory Joh. 17.23 24. Secondly For communion of the fulness of Christ Every true beleever receiveth grace after grace unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Joh. 1.16 Eph. 4.13 Thirdly The light of the Lord is my light saith the soul of every true beleeving man and it is my joy and delight to walk in this light and his salvation is the strength of my life of whom shal I be afraid Psa 27.1 Fourthly Christ is my life saith a true beleeving Christianized man in whom I live and move and have my being and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who is God with us or God in us and his name
thou receivest such food that thou art able to go fourty days in the strength of it to incounter with new troubles again One word more unto thee that seemest to be discontented in thy troubles when they are more then ordinary Thou oughtest to be contented and to rejoyce in them and if they seem too hard for thee so that thou begin to wrastle with them then there will appear thy God An angel from Heaven to strengthen thee and to uphold thee in the hour of thy distress Luke 22.43 Now in the second place I shall confirm what I have said by Scripture Every son of love must have his dross taken away As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Revel 3.19 Now by rebuke and chasten it is not to be understood that every trouble and affliction is so a rebuke from God God is as good as his word not to remember sin because he is satisfied that it is a punishment for sin no for this would be to remember sin again but God hath said He will remember their sins no more Heb. 8.12 Iere. 31.34 Because Christ hath paid a full price for all our sins and he hath crossed the Book and God is fully satisfied Isai 53.11 Now I tell thee O distressed man or woman God having brought a whole train of graces into thy soul he will exercise them for his own honor and for thy good and if there be any rust at any time upon thy graces Christ sits as a refiner of silver and he will purifie thy graces as gold Mal. 3.2 3. Now the end of exercising thy graces is that thou thy self mayest know that thou hast grace and that the world may know that thou hast grace Chastisements are for the exercise of Faith and Graces Now thou having grace art to exercise thy grace in glorying in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience and experience of the sufferings of Christ of which thou must be partaker that thou mayest come to a lively hope through Christ and this hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.3 4 5. Now the miseries Sect. 3 and the calamities and the afflictions that do fall upon a true beleeving man or woman it is not as punishment for sin for that were to lay iniquities afresh upon Christ our surety again Isai 53.6 Mistake me not I do not in the least give any liberty to sin for if patience have its perfect work it makes you perfect and intire wanting nothing but that which doth befal thee in this life it is for the tryal of thy faith and for the exercise of thy graces and if any thing doth befal thee which the world calls sin then comes in the tryal of thy faith and lets thee see the wiles of Satan and the sin that is in thy flesh and then thy faith calls for all thy graces and then thou goest to Jesus Christ the Captain of thy salvation who hath subdued all thy sins who doth subdue all thy sorrows who will subdue all thy griefs Heb. 2.10 11. And thus thy graces are exercised and for this God will be honored before the world because the world shall know that he doth uphold thee with his grace and is with thee in a promise And when thou passest through the waters he will be with thee and when thou goest through the rivers they shall not overflow thee because he is with thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt because he is with thee neither shall the flame kindle upon thee because he is with thee Isai 43.2 Now this man Christ Christ is as a privy Chamber for the soul to retire into to refresh it self God and man he is an hiding place for a poor distressed soul to go into from the wrath and fury of the men of the world and so he is a covering for a poor distempered spirit that is troubled with sin and Satan fears and doubts and as rivers of water in a dry place are sweet and comfortable and pleasant even so is Christ unto a thirsty soul And as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land even so is Jesus Christ unto a poor panting drouping fainting weary spirit Isai 32.2 Now thou poor soul that hast such a very present help in time of need therefore thou needest not fear read Psal 46.1 2. but count it all joy when thou fallest into divers sorts of troubles and temptations knowing this that the trying of thy faith worketh patience And this is a needful grace in this troublesom world read Jam. 1.2 3 4. Now in the third place I shall give thee O poor soul an instance and an example of what I have said I says an experienced Christian am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ and this Iohn said Revel 1.9 And so saith an exercised Christian I brought nothing into this world but sin The Lord gives tryals and takes away troubles as be pleases and that I shall leave in the grave The Lord gives tryals and the Lord takes away troubles Blessed be the name of the Lord saith Job Iob 1.21 Now a Christian that hath been in the mount with God Sect. 4 can tell how to speak good of his name when he comes into a wilderness of troubles as Moses and John did and as Christ doth so doth a true Christian Christ comes and saith The commodities of Christ are his graces and they run forth freely to sinners Buy my white raiment my righteousness to clothe thee that thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with my grace that thou mayest see And thus Christ sets forth his commodities in the market places and in the fairs amongst men and saith I beseech you come and buy my riches my honor my riches will endure for ever I intreat you to take my commodities you shall have them without money and without price and if you take my commodities your soul shall live Revel 3.18 Isai 55.1 2 3 4. Prov. 8.18 19 31. Now Most men complement and dissemble with Jesus Christ the most men and women in the world they come and complement with Christ and his commodities it may be his ordinances and they will come and hear him as Felix did Paul But they have no minde at this time to buy his commodities for they have married a wife and bought a yoke of oxen and they cannot stay now but they will come some convenient season and call for him And thus the most men and women do in a formal customary way go to Church and so come home again and make a little verbal discourse but leave Christ and his members it may be in prison and in misery out of some dislike against them and to shew some a favor as Felix was willing to shew the Iews a pleasure and left Paul bound Acts 24.24 25 27. And thus for all the fair pretences of some men for Christ yet they
Word with a humane courage but they cannot give the sense of the Pearl in this Box or Cabinet or Field They cannot expound the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ as Paul did and for want of this in many places of this Kingdom the people are like the Athenians ignorantly worshiping God or more grosly and superstitiously setting up Altars to the unknown God Acts 17.22 23. Yet these people have had the Service Book all their days and they will have it still and remain ignorant with it and so the proverb holds true Like Priest like people But mark you dark-sighted Ministers Sect. 2 over such a people My people have been lost sheep saith the Lord their shepherds have caused them to go astray Iere. 50.6 A Minister to be unskilful in the Gospel of Grace begets ignorance in a people ignorance in a people makes them unstedfast Now such a people will sooner fight against the Truth and speak against the Truth then they will entertain the Truth or speak a good word for the Truth Happy is such a people that have an able Minister of the New Testament A Minister sent from the Spirit of Christ is the most excellent Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit for such a ministry or such a Minister is the most excellent Minister for he cares for the souls of men and would be spent for them and the more he loves them the less he is loved of them 2 Cor. 3.6 12.14 15. Now the reading Minister onely of the Common-Prayer Book and the imitating preaching Minister that preaches litterally legally historically and artificially These two are both alike and they both seek themselves But it may be some will take exception at this word imitating But I shall give you two instances for it One in the Old Testament Two instances and another in the New The false Prophets of Baal did imitate to do as the true Prophet Elijah did they could chuse one Bullock for a sacrifice and cut it in peices and lay the wood together and lay the Bullock upon the Altar but they wanted fire from Heaven they had no light in them as the true Prophet had read 1 Kings 18.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 33 38. The second instance is out of the New Testament Some indeed imitate to do as the true Apostles did but they cannot so then they preach Christ out of envy and some out of strife Phil. 1.15 16. 3.2 Now these two sorts of Ministers are self-seeking men as I shall give you instances both from City and Country and from Scriptures Now these self-seeking men seek great Benefices of six or seven hundred pounds a yeer and then they will take the Charge and the Cure of twenty or thirty thousand souls as you may take an instance in Cripplegate Parish London And so likewise in divers places of the Country where there are great Benefices and their Minister takes this but the poor people have little or nothing but the Book of Common-Prayer or the reading of a Homily or the like And thus they cure themselves and take the charge of the people but the poor people are still uncured This the Lord takes notice of and complains and saith His people perish for want of knowledg they are sottish children they have no knowledg of God in Christ Is not this the condition of a great part of this Kingdom They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledg read Iere. 4.22 5.31 A ministry taken up onely from men or a Minister sent out onely from men such kind of men seek themselves and not the flock they feed themselves and not the flock they heal themselves they wound the flock they bind up themselves they break the flock they bring in to themselves they scatter the flock they seek themselves and they lose the flock they are not able to strengthen the weak but with force and with cruelty have they ruled them or do rule them and is not this the seeking of vanity and the speaking of vanity read Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Phil. 3.18 19. Sect. 3 Shal I now crave leave to speak a word in particular unto you that are Ministers only of the Common Prayer Book I tel you that you are not like Ministers of Christ nor like Christ in his Ministry For he stood up to read a place of Scripture unto the people And when he had read the verse he closed the Book and sat down to teach the people And the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him and all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth read Luk. 4.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Now it is to be feared that you which are Ministers only of the Common Prayer Book if the book should be closed up to you all the people might bear you witness that they could not hear one word of grace from you and so you would not be like unto the Ministry of Christ nor like unto the Ministers of Christ For Ezra the Priest and those that were with him caused the people to understand the Law so they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading read Nehem. 8.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Now if the people should expect as much from you that are Ministers of the Common Prayer Book as Ezra the Priest did who was a Minister of Jesus Christ how unlike the Ministers of Christ would the people find you Now I shal desire to speak a word joyntly unto you that are Ministers of the Common Prayer Book and unto you that are imitating preaching Ministers A note agreeable for our times Historical men Litteral men such a Christ wil not own for the present read Mat. 7.21 22 23. I desire likewise to joyn your hearers unto you and so to speak a word unto you all three Now the word is by way of question as the Prophet Isaiah speaks of Now the question is unto you that are Ministers only of the Common Prayer Book and no more and you that are imitating preaching Ministers and no more and you that are hearers and discern no better Are not the Scriptures that you so much read over and talk of The lively part of the Scriptures is as a book sealed to natural men though never so learned become as the words of a Book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed And this book is delivered to him that is not learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I am not learned read Isa 29.11 12. I would it were not so now in our days with the Ministers of the Common Prayer Book and with the imitating preaching Ministers which are historical men artificial men fine Theoricians to whom the Scriptures seem to
I say such a soul cannot leave such delicate spiritual food to come to Martha Such a lively Christian man or woman cannot leave Jesus Christ to come serve with Martha neither doth Jesus bid Mary go and help Martha to serve And this is worth your noting Luk. 10.40 41. Now in the second place Sect. 8 One Christian may have greater discoveries of Christ then another and yet the one and the other may at some times speak both ignorantly and carnally concerning Christ as Martha and Mary did Martha comes and saith Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed and so saith Mary too Now this is according to the customary and verbal discourse which we have of Christ now in our days we think Christ and God are far off in the time of our troubles Christ indeed with his humane body cannot be in two places together at one time and then we begin to say as Martha said Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed but thou wast not here Now this is a carnal and a fleshly knowledg of Jesus Christ as for instance One man may know another by sight but one man cannot see another mans spirit even so Martha did see and know Jesus Christ by sight and by sense as the most professors do now in our days they know Jesus Christ by hear-say and by sense natural Now the spirit of a man cannot be seen because it is not visible to natural sight but there is a sight and a light which doth see Jesus Christ spiritually A note of great concernment and more then a man it sees the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is God for God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 James 1.17 It sees the Father of spirits which is God this sight sees this one God the Father of Christ and of all The sight of Faith is the only sight to see God in the man Christ doing all the great works in Christ and by Christ as Christ himself speaks as you may read John 14.10 11. And this sight Moses had for Moses saw him who is invisible read Heb. 11.27 Now the Evangelical man the spiritual man the new man the man in Christ is taught and acted by the Father of spirits to see Christ in the Spirit which is God manifesting himself in the flesh and taking up the humane body of Christ and the Saints to be an habitation for him to dwel in with all the fulness of the God-head Col. 2.9 10. Now this God doth manifest himself in the flesh of men and as a seed lies hid in the earthiness of mens hearts but in his own time he breaks through and unlooses the pains of death and carries his beleeving ones up into glory and this is a spiritual mystery as you may read 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.9 Act. 2.24 Now he that is Alpha and Omega Sect. 9 the first and the last and the King eternal and the immortal and only wise God this God puts himself under many names and makes himself both Lord and Christ and Jesus read Acts 2.36 And this is for us to distinguish that we may see his love and his power Revel 1.11 1 Tim. 1.17 Now God as a Father speaks forth a word of power and good wil for men now this word of God was clothed with flesh or made flesh as a man Joh. 1.13 14. And this God is in man making one perfect man Christ the head and true Beleevers as members answerable to their head Christ Mat. 5.48 Colos 1.17 18. Now this word which was spoken from the heart of God Christ is the living Word of God becomes our Christ for his name is called the Word of God and the wisdom and power of God and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Rev. 19.12 13. 1 Cor. 1.24 Colos 2.3 Now God comes and brings forth himself under the name of Jesus To save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 And those that see Christ as God see him mighty and able to save them they do not say as Martha said Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed No God in Christ and both in the flâ—sh making one new man this is a great mystery read Eph. 2.15 they see God in Christ ever present to save them to the uttermost and they see Christ as God offering up himself by his own eternal Spirit as a sacrifice without fault to purge and to purchase his Church with his own blood Heb. 7.25 26. Heb. 9.14 Acts 20.28 And this is the good wil of our good God He comes down from his Throne to behold what is amiss nay he goeth into the dust of the earth to raise up the poor and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil this is the good pleasure of our God Psal 113.6 7 8. Now the design of God is to bring forth himself and his Christ to suffer both together for faln man and this in general Now you object and say Object it is impossible that God should suffer I answer Answ sin and faln man did what they could to make God suffer Instance As for instance The Sun shines upon a tree and a man stands with an ax and hews through the shining of the Sun and cuts the tree in pieces cuts Christ in pieces but the shining of the Sun is not capable of being cut God cannot be cut with an ax or thrust through with a spear but Christ was and so went into the grave But mark now for your comfort God goes along with Christ God was with Christ in the grave for thy comfort O poor soul for God and Christ are one John 10.29 30. God goes in Christ before the chief Priests and before Pontius Pilate and so to the Cross and there he was jeered and he went with Christ from the Cross into the grave and raised him out of the grave God never left Christ alone though Christ said My God forsake me not yet Christ said God heard him always read John 16.32 Iohn 11.42 Now all this was done unto Jesus Christ by the determinate counsel of God to redeem faln man and this is the good wil of our God Acts 2.22 23. 4.26 27 28. Now Christ himself doth confirm what I have said Sect. 10 in his speech to Pilate Pilate said unto Christ knowest not thou that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Jesus answered thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above And thus a true beleever in Christ and with Christ saith As God ordered and disposed of all the sufferings of Christ even so are all my troubles and crosses burthens and temptations ordered and designed from above as they were to Christ as you may read Iohn 19.10 11. And God stands by and looks upon the proud and disdainful behavior of one neighbor towards another read Psal 35.19 20. 2. Notes in particular Christ
City for they can neither give this good thing nor hinder the one thing needful nor take away this free gift of God which wil make a man free in troublesom times An Use of sweet comfort Now Christ is the good thing and the one thing needful and the free gift of God and the substance of Religion within a man and by his Spirit he wil be a Wel of living water springing up into everlasting life within the soul and spirit of a man And this wil be meat and drink spiritual which the world knows not of This wil refresh a man in the time of greatest troubles and the world cannot take this sweet food away Psal 27.4 5. Luke 10.42 John 4.10 14 32. And though men of all sorts be striving now for externals in matters of Religion meer circumstances shadows that wil flie away Yet amongst these men there are two sorts of men which may be divided into four sorts of men and these four sorts of men may be all the servants of Christ as those four beasts were which you may read of Rev. 4.6 7 8. And these four sorts of men may be divided into two parts comparatively as Presbyterians and Independents Now if you wil divide the Presbyterians into two parts you shal find them acting like unto those two first beasts which I before spake of And the first beast is like a Lion and the second beast like a Calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle Now the first part of the Presbyterians did not they begin to move Lion-like with majesty speed and roughness and did not some of them say as the chief Captain said of Paul Let him be brought into the Castle and be examined by scourging only they wanted power read Acts 22.24 25. The second part of the Presbyterians moves like a Calf that is more slowly more moderately and with less harm Now divide the Independents into two parts and the first of them moves and hath a face like a man that is more rational more temperate more condescending in the worship of God to do as he would be done by Now the second part of the Independents moves like an Eagle that is flying high even unto the third Heaven where Christ is where they see things unutterable and ful of glory and for this they depend only upon God and herein they are not Independents as some cal them But now the Lion-like and the Calf-like and he that had the face like a man begin to raise troubles and jealousies against him that is Eagle-like because say they he flies too high we cannot discern him nor agree with him But shal I now Sect. 2 as a friend give you a reason why you cannot discern him that is like an Eagle it is because you are dul of hearing and are unskilful in the word of righteousnes for ye are as babes for strong meat belongeth to them that are of ful age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil as you may read heb 5.11 12 13 14. And thus our dul-headed Prelatical Clergy for the most part were wont to cal those that were Eagle-like Puritans and now at this time they cal them Roundheads and others there are that cal them Familists and Sectaries Now here are three that are striving in the world and make a great deal of stir about circumstances and things which wil change And the first is the Presbytery and they are striving for preeminence and for a form to sit easie on Now the second is the Independents which would fain have their own way but they shal suffer for it if some had but power Now while these two are striving the third party which is the Episcopal or the Prelatical party or Priests comes in with their long black gowns coats A ministry not coming out from Christ is not Christian but Antichristian that loves not the flock for they cannot feed the flock Mar. 13.21 22 23 1 Joh. 4.1 2 3. John 21.15 16 17. skarfs and girdles with roses at them as though they were singular above all other men and they bring in their easie common Service Book and an old Homily or a Sermon preached over and over and it may be never the better a piece of art which they for the most part study and this art doth consist of Rhetorick that is to be elegant and to speak plausible words though it may be they are but little acquainted with the lively part of divine Theology but only the Theorick they are fine Theoricians that is they can speak much of that which they can practise little or nothing of and with this the most people in this Kingdom are wel pleased Take an Instance Jere. 5.30 31. 4.22 And thus these three are striving for external things meer outsides circumstances fig leaves And thus these three feed upon low mean food but some of them I hope do feed upon true food though like babes weakly But for the most part of these three which I have spoken of they feed upon low earthly food as outside forms with little or no love in them or as it were A ministry that hath Christ in possession witnesseth a good profession of Christ in Faith Verity 1 Tim. 6.11 12 13. with gilded fig leaves and the like But now the Eagle-like or the man that is like the flying Eagle he is about the throne of God and feeds upon Angels food Isai 6.1 2 3. Now such a man doth the work of Angels because he is in the Spirit as John was on the Lords day which day is Jesus Christ Rev. 1.10 13 19. 4.6 7 8. Now such a man feeds upon delicate spiritual food in the heaven of God Sect. 3 which heaven is Christ Now such a beleeving man or woman takes no delight in the box except the pearl be therein It is not the beautiful box that such a soul takes delight in but it is the pearl Christ or Christ the pearl that the soul is fixed upon as you may instance in Mary It was not the two glorious Angels sitting in white that gave Mary content but she remains weeping and enquiring for her Lord Christ and when Christ began to speak to her he so spake to her heart that her soul ecchoed again to him and she said Master O Master thou art he whom my soul loveth John 20.11 12 13 14 15 16. Now the only good thing in troublesom times and in the hour of distress and in sad temptations is to have rivers of living Water living comforting water of life which Christ gives Now this water is the Spirit the Spirit of comforts or the gracious comforting Spirit read John 7.37 38 39. Now this sweet water of life is comfortable in sickly times but especially upon the sick bed when a man comes to lie upon his dying pillow then to have this sweet Spirit
Ordination ibid. That all men in the Church of God have liberty to exercise p. 159. A word touching Order p. 160. Who are and what the true Ministers of Christ must expect of men p. 161 § 5. That the Apostles order cannot be observed in our parish Churches without offence p. 161 162. The good gift of God to men in the Church is Jesus Christ p. 162. The Scriptures as a box of ointment are full of Christ p. 164. That this Author was a hearer of Mr Edwards p. 165. A vindication of some reproached by Mr Edwards p. 166. The Author no Sectary p. 166 167. That the Religion of most is but traditional p. 167. That there is much form and little power of Religion in these days 168 The Ministers that are for persecution put to silence by an argument of their own p. 169. Many Citizens reprehended for changing their Common-Councel men p. 170 171. The corruption of the several Wards and Parishes p. 172. Doctor Bastwick reprehended p. 172. That old preachers are not always the best p. 174. § 6. That as Christ proceedeth and cometh forth from God so doth a true Christian proceed and come forth from Jesus Christ p. 175. § 7. Who the silly women be that are lead captive p. 177. Three characters by which to know the false Prophets of this age p. 178 179. CHAP. VII THe Scriptures insisted on set down page 180 181. § 1. A word in season to two sorts of Elders p. 182. Bad Elders like unto a bad Nurse p. ibid. He that is an Elder in Jesus Christ is a good Elder p. 183. The fleshly Elder fills the ear but feeds not the heart p. 184. 'T were to be wisht that the Elders had the gift of discerning spirits p. 185. Vnder what delusion the Papists are p. 186. § 2. How the Protestants resemble the Papists p. 186. That a Synod or Councel may erre p. 186 187. How far Antichrist hath crept in among us in England p. 188. How difficult it is to get right Cedars in a parish to build a Church on p. 190. The superstition of the common Protestant p. 191. From whence the ignorance of the people doth arise p. 192. Why 't is so hard a thing to get and keep a good preacher in a parish p. 193. How few men will stand when Christ appears p. 194. Why all things are out of course both in Church and State p. 194. § 3. The fountain from whence the true and the right Elders do proceed p. 195. The fountain of Israel and the welspring of learning is God himself in Christ p. 196. That many men have but grosly abuse school Arts and humane learning p. 197. The way to God few men know p. 198. Humane learning and School Arts grow in Natures gardens p. 199. § 5. Of right and good Elders 200 How the hireling and the true shepherd differ p. 201 202. What all things are without the Spirit 204. CHAP. VIII THe Scriptures insisted on set down p. 204 205. § 1. A cordial Petition for our sickly times p. 208 209. A vindication of those called by the foolish name of Independents 210 § 3. Ten Independents drawn up into a file 1. the Devil 2. Judas 3. the cheif Priest 4. the Pharisee 5. Cain 6. Pilate 7. the young man in the Gospel 8. Dives or the rich man Luke 12.9 9 Adam 10. Eve p. 211 212 213. How Christs lodged himself in Davids heart p. 214. How Christ is a crucifying in his members all Europe over p. 215. Vpon whom the Independents have their dependency p. 216. § 4. Whence 't is honest men are called Sectaries p. 216 217. Mr Nye falsly reputed a Jesuite by some p. 218. A Rhyme to reproach the Independents taxed p. 219. The ten heads under which Mr Edwards ranks the Independents or Sectaries 219 220. R. B. THE CONTENTS Of this BOOK Being the second Part Directing to the Chapters Sections and Pages where they are spoken to § 5. THe love of God and the blood of Jesus Christ are a soveraign medicine to take away sin past present and to come p. 221. What alone is able to quench the flames of hell in any mans soul 222 The fit man that undertakes with God for man p. 223. How unjustly men are charged with the name of Antinomian p. 224. The person of Dr Crisp and several other men instanc't in 224 225 226 A word of Mr Burgess at Lawrence Church p. 225. The pretended Law-defenders the greatest Law-breakers p. 228. § 6. A word of Mr Calamy p. 229. The filthy names on foot in these times the cause of much evil p. 231. That Christ is the rule of a Christian p. 232. A sweet prayer to the Father Son and holy Spirit opening that mystery p. 234. An excellent simile opening the mystery of Christ p. 235. Whence the Christians comfort doth arise even from the anointing of the Father p. 236. § 7. That the heart of a true Christian is the City of God and the consolations of the Spirit the river that runs thorough it p. 237. § 8. Christ a spiritual tree rooted in God of which the Saints are branches p. 238. How Christ led Philip and every one that beleeves through himself to the Father p. 239. That the Spirit of Christ is God 240. That a Christian is not in Christ after a carnal manner p. 241. Why a Christian weeps as Mary by the ordinances when handled after a carnal manner p. 242. An excellent advice to a troubled soul p. ibid. § 9. A true preacher what he is ib. The Spirit of Christ the Saints resting place p. 243. The Saints life what it is ibid. That the Saints cannot live as they list p. 244. That they that beleeve work from and not for life p. ibid. The Apologie they that beleeve make for themselves p. 245. What is the pardon of sin p. 246. The condition of a man in trouble about the pardon of sin p. 247. What is the refreshing of a weary soul p. ibid. Davids Prayer Psa 51. opened 248. The great business of assurance spoken to p. 249. An objection touching general Redemption and free will p. 250. Where the Church is to be found 251. What is free will in man p. 252. Who alone hath free will p. 253. CHAP. IX THe Scriptures opened set down P. 255. § 1. By what a man is encouraged first to come to God p. 256 257. Touching a particular assurance some objections opened p. 258. § 2. Christ the day in which every true Christian abides for ever 261. § 3. How Christ opens himself in the heart of a true beleever 262 263. How Christ vindicates a Christian from the slander of men p. 264. § 4. Christ hath done all for and doth all in the soul p. 265. How God sees no sin in his p. 266. What was the better part of which Christ spake p. ibid. Of the Cross of Christ in the heart of a Christian p. 267. How the soul
actions 352. The City Remonstrance the cause of much evil 353. A sweet saving word to these troubles of the Land 354. That a man may be very zealous yet have neither faith nor love 355. How men are mistaken touching Church-fellowship 355. A word to the plunderers of Christians in these times P. 355. § 8. A word to the sottish and ignorant people of these times 356. Nothing but the grace of Jesus Christ can heal the Land 356. That our Phisitians King Parliament and Army have let the Kingdom blood but none but Christ can heal it 357. What will do the King good and in him the Land ibid. That the grace of God will do more then a Covenant of our own making 358. A word to the Parliament that they as Solomon give the living child to the right mother ibid. § 9. 'T is necessary that something be done with speed for the settling of the people 359. One right Fasting day would set all right ibid. Who are the obstructers of peace and truth in the Land ib. Vpon what account the Author upbrayds the ignorant and sottish Clergie for speaking lyes 360. Who hath made merchandize of the people Page 361. § 10. As there were in times past so there are now false teachers among our chief rabbies many ibid. VVhat is the learning the most of the Prelatical many of the Presbyterian and some of the Independent men lean on 362. Of the people devoted to the Common Prayer ibid. A miserable thing to be learned in the Letter only 363 That Jesus Christ is now come in the Spirit 364. That there is no other interpreter of the Scriptures but the holy Spirit 364. CHAP. XII THe Scriptures opened set down 365. § 1. There be three sorts of Ministers VVho preach for applause 367. Of Ministers that cannot expound the Scriptures Page 368. The Scriptures are a box of precious ointment but the most want a key to open it 369. § 2. Who be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ 370. Imitating Ministers who they be 371. How the people are deceived by their pretended Ministers 372. That the most Ministers feed themselves and not the flock 373. § 3. A word to the Common Prayer-book Ministers ibid. A Note agreeable to these times 374 Who they are to whom the Book of God is sealed 375. Whence ignorance and enmity doth arise 376. § 4. Of the common sort of hearers ibid. Of the nature and mystery of prayer 377. A spiritual Ministry the people are much offended with 378. § 5. Of the Ministers that have the mystery of God manifest in them 379. What alone will be able to make the heart of the King willing to yeeld to the Parliament 380. What will do the Parliament good 381. What is the glory of the King and Parliament 382 What alone is able to settle the three Kingdoms England Ireland and Scotland 382. § 6. A word to and of the Army 383 The Christian trusts God with his liberty 384. § 7. The strife betwixt Martha and Mary well opened and applied 385 386. The carnal Christian as Martha and Mary knows Christ as after off but the spiritual sees him nigh at hand 388 389. A note of great concernment 388. § 9. How the Almighty God vails himself that he may manifest himself to and in men 390. Christ is the living Word of God ibid. How God humbleth himself to do good to men 391. Whether Christ suffered in his divine nature an excellent similitude to open it 391. How God went in Christ before the chief Priest and Pontius Pilate yea into the grave with him 392. Sect. 10. The fellowship of Christs sufferings sweetly opened 393. How Christ is crucified in man and who have a hand in it 394. CHAP. XIII THe Scriptures spoken to set down 395. Sect. 1. How many men are zealous for God and yet have Christ in contempt 397. That many think they do God service in killing those in whom Christ appears 398. Sect. 2. That Christ hath as many enemies now as he had when he dyed at Golgotha 399. When Christ is born in the heart of men there is a Councel called there against him P. 400 Who be those that sit in councel in the heart of a man against Christ 402. That every man hath a Judas in his heart to betray Christ 403. Who it is that gives sentence against Christ in the heart of man ibid. § 4. How the Cross of Christ is in the heart of man and what is crucified thereon 404 405. The spiritual and first Resurrection opened 405. The vertue and power of Christs Cross in the heart of man 406. How Christ takes the soul into the grave with him ibid. § 5. What a blessed thing it is to be conformable to Christs death 407. A word to him that is arrived at the haven of life which is God himself 408. Here the Author takes his leave of the Reader 408. § 6. That the whole Church together are a Temple for God and the Lamb to dwell in ib. The true Christian enjoys God every where 409. Of the Gospelized man ibid. Of the various appearances of God to man P. 410. Of carnal Ordinances which profit not without Christ 411. That neither the learned nor unlearned will have cause to jeer at these expressions because after this manner Antichrist is disthroned 412. How God is Father Son and holy Spirit first and last 410 412. § 7. That the Christians see Christ as the Angels do 413. How the unity of the Spirit is kept in the Church through the knowledg of God 414 S. 8. How all good is from God 415 God wil renew the heart and make it as a chast virgin to bear Christ in the Spirit as well as the virgin Mary did bear Christ in the flesh 415 God comes down into every low condition to comfort a poor soul 416 S. 9. A note of great comfort to a poor soul 417 Ecclesiastes the first and the seventh sweetly applyed 418 The Authors Testimony concerning himself P. 418. S. 10. What the names of Errour and Heresie is a vail unto 419 Whence it is that many feed on hay and stubble in stead of Manna 420 Whence Errors and false christs arise 421. That Christ and his Ministry are still found together ib. That a Minister not rooted in Christ shall be rooted up 422. CHAP. XIV THe Scriptures opened set down 423. Christ is the best thing in the worst times ib. What 't is neither King or Parliament Army Synod or City can neither give nor take away 424. The vanity of mens strivings in these times about matters external and circumstantial in Religion 425. Presbyterians and Independents like unto the four beasts Revel 4.6 7 8. ib. Two sorts of Presbyterians The first like a Lion The second like a Calf 426. Two sorts of Independents the one like a man the other like an Eagle 426. The Lion-like the Calf-like and he that had the face like a man are offended at the Eagle-like Christian ib. The strife betwixt Presbyters Independents and Prelatical men 428. How they have not all the same food 429 Who they are that feed on Angels food ib. What gives fulness of comfort when a man lies on his death-bed 431. How all relations fail but that of a man to God in Christ ib. That a flood of the grace of our Lord Jesus running into the hearts of King and Parliament wil only heal the Land 432. § 4. The blessing of a right Magistracy 433 Sect. 5. What moved the Author to undertake this work 434. Boaz field in the which the Author as Ruth gleaned 435. Sect. 6. Of what sort of readers 't is the Author looks for acceptance 436. Of the sweet refreshing the Author had in writing this book ibid. That the writing of this book cost the Author no labor or study 437. The Author gives the glory of all to God 438. How God dealt with the Author as Boaz dealt with Ruth 438. That God opens the mouth of the soul and fills it as the mother deals with her child The Conclusion of all is Christ the fulness of all ERRATA PAg. 66. read sold their pot to pay their tythes P. 138. l. 5. r. thy P. 156. l. 10. supply not P. 182. l. 12. r. margent of the Bible P. 303. l. 5. supply have P. 328. l. 20. supply put P. 329. l. 1. r. unto P. 374. l. 27. r. as Possibly some other faults and false pointings have escaped which the Reader is desired to correct as he shall find them FINIS
which is God to lift up his head that he may look into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus Christ the right hand of God opening himself to receive his poor weary soul O what a refreshing comfort is this unto a dying man to see the heavens of God in Christ opening A beleeving soul sees it self happy and compleat in God through Iesus Christ and the Son of man God-man standing with the souls of men which he hath made just and perfect and they standing as the right hand of God in Christ as a Queen in gold of Ophir All this you may have an instance of in Steven if you do but read Acts 7.55 56. And so likewise in the whole Church of Christ if you do but read Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 And thus a poor soul is received from misery unto glory even into Abrahams bosom that is into the bosom of Jesus Christ where it takes up its rest as Steven did but while the poor soul doth live in this world it shal find trouble For all that do live the life of God in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution in this world 2 Tim. 3.12 All relations under the Sun variable as the relation to a wife to a family in Church fellowship in professed friends in parents and in children in riches and in outward contentments but in Christ all these are constant and dureable For a mans enemies shal be they of his own houshold Mat. 10.36 Nay in Church fellowship which is like an houshold if they differ in judgment read 1 Pet. 4.16 to 19. If it be so in a mans houshold and in Church fellowship as there is experience between the Presbyterian and the Independent I shal conclude and say as David said It is good for me to draw neer to God and to desire him to plant my confidence and my joy in him alone for in every external condition in this world I shal find trouble But my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ and spiritually there I shal find good cheer read these Scriptures Psal 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Sect. 4 I shal speak now of a precious balsam and a sweet cordial that wil heal all our diseases in this Kingdom that is if the Lord would be pleased to raise a flood of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and cause it to run with a mighty stream into the hearts of the King and the Parliament this would enable them to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ that is to restore the poor groaning subjects in the spirit of meekness that they may rejoyce once again Gal. 6.1 2. Now he that ruleth over men must be just mark this ruling in the fear of God read 2 Sam. 23.3 Now my hope is and my desire shal be that God would be pleased through Christ his strong arm to make good that Prophesie in our days which is spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah That Kings may be nursing Fathers and Queens may be nursing mothers in these our days O that we might truly say once out of experience that we are beholding to them as nourishers or for their good nursing Isai 49.23 For this end God did set up Kings at the first as David and Solomon who were types of the spiritual King Jesus and fed their people with wholsom and sweet food that is with a peaceable life as good Magistrates and preserved them in all godliness against those that would harm them and disquiet them Psa 78.70 71 72. But of this we have had but little these many years instance in those domineering Bishops and the high Commission Court which was of long standing and persecuted godliness under the name of Puritans or some other names but I hope it will not be so now therefore let us follow the Apostles Exhortation That prayer be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for he or they that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and 2 Sam. 23.3 Courteous Reader Sect. 5 I shal speak a word or two in my own defence and so conclude Now my first word is When I first set my pen to paper it was not with any sinister respect or by-end but it was for the glory of God Neither was it for profit nor the applause of men for that to me is as a vain thing I speak the words of truth and soberness But seeing the customary and the outside Pharisaicalness which most men and women of all sorts use in matters of Religion Ministers as wel as others this I saw and was at a loss within my self but the Lord did teach me to consider of it and then I went to glean as Ruth did into the field of Boaz read Ruth 2.7 8 9. But the field that mine eyes was upon to glean in it was not the field of external Art nor the field of a great Library for that is to learn to speak other mens words which I disclaim But mine eyes were upon that only one field where I gleaned among the sheaves and that field is the Scriptures the only one Book which I had and no more and that is the Bible which is the Word of God Now courteous Reader I have gleaned and am satisfied and I commend that unto you which I have reserved and as Naomi did make use of the barley which Ruth did glean as you may read Ruth 2.18 so I desire that you may be wise to make use of what hath been said for your own good and I shal be glad Sect. 6 Now my second and last word is to the Christ-baptized man or woman for I speak unto thee O man or woman who art inwardly taught by the sweet Spirit of God hast that unction from the holy One which wil teach thee to know all things for that anointing abideth in thee anâ— teacheth thee all truths and thou shalt abide in him or it 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Therefore I speak to thee O man or woman who art baptized with the Spirit of Christ because thou art the best able to discern between wheat and chaff True Christian Reader when I first set pen to paper my heart was inabled to indite of matter concerning the Lord of Lords and I spake of things touching Christ the King and my heart was stirred within me as the water is when it bubbleth up or the water which the fire boyleth And I was made able by the sweet Spirit of God who did blow sweet gales of wind spiritually into my heart Ioh. 3.8 And I was so refreshed by them for they so comforted my heart that my tongue became as the pen of a ready writer The knowledg of the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ the Saints and the givings forth of the Spirit are not got by
labor toiling nor by industry they are not got by studying in a great Library but they are the incomes of God into the souls of men that in a moment 1 Tim. 3.16 Mat. 10.19.20 Joh. 7.38 39. 16.13 14 15. And this shal be to the praise of my good God as David doth express Psa 45.1 And I sat under the healing of Christs wings with great delight Cant. 2.3 And the North wind did blow that is the Spirit did blow in or upon my garden or heart and then the spices and the graces and the flowers did grow out and then my soul with Christ did feed upon his pleasant fruits which were very sweet to my taste Cant. 4.16 And now beloved Christian I have gathered a posie of sweet flowers out of the living Word of God for you to smel upon And yet I neither labored nor toyled for them nor wrought for them neither did I get them by my study but they were given me freely and that in a moment for they were brought into my hand or heart and droped down one by one and I was inabled and taught the same hour to gather them up with great delight Mat. 10.19 20. Now I shal conclude and give all honor glory and praise unto God my Father as my sweet Savior Christ did and that by way of union for every true Beleever is in the Father read John 17.23 and the Father is in every true Beleever and the words which they speak they speak not of themselves but the Father that dweleth in them he speaketh the words read John 14.10 Mat. 10.20 Come beloved Christian and I wil declare Beloved Christians silver and gold have I none but such as my God hath given me such I give unto you for the honor of Christ my Lord and your Lord Acts 3.6 to the glory and praise of the Lord my good God what he hath done for me and by me Psa 66.16 how bountifully he hath dealt with me even as Boaz did with Ruth Let her glean saith he even among the sheaves and reproach her not and let fal also some of the handfuls of purpose for her and leave them that she may glean them and rebuke her not Ruth 2.15 16. Even so bountifully hath the sweet Spirit of God dealt with me he hath brought me in amongst the sheaves to glean nay he hath let handfuls fal of purpose for me to take up this is the good wil of my God He doth open the mouth of the soul wide and then he doth feed it with spiritual food God like a mother doth open the mouth of the soul and then he doth feed it with his divine sweetnesses then the soul saith Bless the Lord. He doth all for the soul and he doth all in the soul and he is all unto the soul Therefore bless the Lord O my soul as David said and all that is within me bless his holy Name Psa 103.1 Rev. 5.13 14. And to this every Christ-baptized soul wil answer and say Amen So be it IF Christ thou truly know thou art not poor He that hath Christ hath all though in the worlds eye he seem to have nothing He wil suffice thee though thou hast no more If Christ be hid from thee thou art not wise All other knowledg is not truth but lyes THE CONTENTS Of this BOOK Directing to the Chapters Sections and Pages where they are spoken to CHAP. I. THe Scriptures insisted on set down Page 1 2. The difference betwixt freedom without and freedom within P. 2 3. Sect. 1. The leaven of the Pharisees ancient and modern opened and advised against Pag. 3 4. § 2. The danger of zeal without knowledg P. 4. § 3. Many deal with Christ as Ziba with his Master divide or make bargains with him P. 5. S. ib. A sweet thing to stand on Christ alone P. ib. § 4. Self-righteousness and Christs weighed together in the ballance Page 6 7. § 5. Confidence in the flesh a cloud that darkens the sun of righteousnes in men P. 7 8. S. 6. There 's a poor rich man and a rich poor man P. 9. S. ib. The speech of Christ upon his coming down from heaven P. ib. S. ib. Why the testimony of Christ is not received P. 10. S. 7. The Pharisee thrusts out Christ of his prayer and wil be heard for his own sake P. 11 12. S. ib. To be something in our selves a principle of corrupt nature but to be nothing a principle of divine grace P. 13. S. ib. A Pharisee hangs upon every thing he doth P. 14. CHAP. II. THe Scriptures insisted on set down Page 15. Sect. 1. Who represent the chief Priests and Pharisees in these times 15 16 S. ib. Christ the Law and the life of the Law P. 17. The followers of Christ suffer from the stricter sort P. 17. Where men bite and devour one another as in these times Christ is not P. 18. S. 2. All 's but a shadow where Christ is not P. 18. The different arguing with God betwixt a beleever and an unbeleever P. 19. Christ the way of God to man and of man to God P. 21. As the spider the Pharisee leans upon his own building P. 23. S. 3. Men have pulld down outward but have set up inward Idolatry in these times P. 24. CHAP. III. THe Scriptures insisted on set down P. 24 25 Sect. 1. God wil not accept of any thing besides Christ P. 26. Christ the golden censer in the which the prayers of the Saints are P. ib. What 't is to come to God with strange fire as Nadab and Abihu did P. 27 § 2. How the Pharisees cloath themselves and how God cloaths his people P. 29. The outside Christian discovered by the figtree that had leaves only P. ib. Men strive about ordinances but have Christ in contempt they are like the soldiers that put him to death but strove about his rayment P. 30. Ordinances without Christ are as clothes about dead men P. 31. An expression in the morning exercise London modestly reprehended P. 31. § 3. The Pharisee like the hen having done his duty tels all about him P. 32. § 4. The Pharisee Papist and outside Christian all alike P. 33 34 Who are enabled of the Father to worship him P. 34. How men become idolaters even with the Scriptures themselves P. 34 35. A mercy to have the Word but a greater to have the Spirit of the Word among us P. 35. § 5. That the Spirit of Christ is scarce to be found amongst us P. 36 Not to be of one faction or another is offence enough in these days Page 37. A large debate with and about Mr Edwards touching his writings P. 37 38 39 40. That the Jews said as much against Christ as M. Edwards doth against his members P. 40 41 42. § 6. The course the world take to have a fling at the truth P. 42. It s to be feared Mr Edwards had but the letter not