shall never fail Therefore this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Love here spoken of shall remain for ever even to all Eternity when all Objects of Charity shall cease and not be found This Love here spoken of is greater than Faith or Hope for Faith and Hope cease when the things believed and hoped for the enjoyed but Love shall never cease And therefore I say this Love here spoken of is a higher and more continuing thing than that which is commonly called Charity And so therefore I say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place ought to be Translated Love I would not have any one to think that I speak against Charity because I speak against that Interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place I wish Charity were more abounding than it is among all Persons And that there were more tenderness in the Hearts of People towards the Poor and towards them that are in Distress than usually they meet withal For they that are open-hearted and open-handed towards such they will not lose their Reward if in singleness of Heart they supply their Necessities I shall only set down two or three places of Scripture to encourage People thereunto and so proceed Mat. 6.1 2 3 4. 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Heb. 6.10 11. which places of Scripture those that have a mind may see at their leisure But to return to the Subject I was speaking of which was pure Love it is of that power that it produces unity and so makes one As we commonly say of Persons that entirely love one another They are all one And so our Lord Jesus Christ prayed to his Father for those that believe on him That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us John 17.21 And again Ver. 22. he saith And the Glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one And again still further Ver. 23. he goes on in his Prayer for those that believe on him saying thus I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sâ—nt me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Thus we may see how Love bends or inclines towards Unity and brings into Unity And so herein it is greater than Charity and muchabove Charity For there may be Charity to a Person or for a Person with whom we cannot have Unity Charity doth not make one as Love doth And therefore the word Charity doth not so fully agree with the Expressions here used by Christ Jesus as Love doth neither doth it so fully agree with the Expressions used by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. as Love doth Now this true and pure Spiritual Love springs from hence even from God's Love in some measure shed abroad in the Heart as hath been shewed before or which comes all to one from being made Partakers of the same Spirit of God And so thereby we are taught of God to Love one another 1 Thes 4.9 and not only so but to Love all Men yea even our very Enemies Oh! what an excellent Spirit and Temper doth the Spirit of God form in the Hearts of those who are brought down into Subjection to him as we may observe to have been in the Apostles of Christ Jesus after they were brought fully under Subjection to the Holy Spirit Now where this Foundation of the true Spirit is laid many sweet and precious Fruits thereof will follow besides Love as namely the comfortable sweet Dictates of the Spirit with many Openings of Truth and Enlightenings and Enlivenings of the Spirits of his Servants that walk with him in Faithfulness so as to make their Lives comfortable tho' they meet with outward Distresses and Troubles as we may see in the Apostle Paul's Example who though he met with great Troubles yet was born up in them all and above them And therefore this ought to have a deep impression upon our Spirits to beget a carefulness in us to walk faithfully and humbly with the Lord who is able to carry through all Difficulties with Comfort After the Lord hath Convinced the Heart of Man of Sin and turned it against it in Truth which indeed is true Repentance there is a fear and a care begotten in the Heart not to offend the Lord again together with a Sorrow for their former negligent and offensive Life And this fear of offending the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Prov. 9.10 And this fear of the Lord is to hate Evil Chap. 8.13 And so it keeps the Heart of Man abiding with the Lord as it 's said Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their Hearts and they shall not depart from me Now this true fear of the Lord mortifies and deads the Heart to Sin and awakens it to Righteousness and till then Men are said to be dead in Sins and Trespasses even while they live and are as Strangers to God altho' they can talk of him and of the Holy Scriptures But they that come really and effectually into Obedience the Fruits of the Spirit Love Joy Peace and such like will spring up in their Hearts by degrees as the Lord sees good to nourish them up therein And thus the Kingdom of God which is within us begins in little beginnings many times but it is of a growing Nature it 's like a Grain of Mustard-seed at first but it grows to a great Tree Mat. 13.31 And thus by degrees usually we come to enjoy the comfortable presence of the Lord with us or which is all one the sweet presence of the true Comforter in our Hearts that is the Spirit of God For true Comfort springs up from the Spirit in Obedience to him And this is that which makes the Lives of the true Servants of the Lord Comfortable whatsoever Adversity or Contradiction they meet withal from the World For our Happiness and Consolation doth not depend upon an Opinion but upon our Union and Fellowship with the Lord which is enjoyed in Obedience and Faith which the Spirit of God works in the Hearts of the truly humble And this is agreeable to that which the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.13 that we are chosen to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth which in effect is the same with Obedience and Faith For the Holy Spirit sanctifies in Obedience not in Disobedience and Faith and Belief of the Truth or true Belief is one above such Belief as the Devils have who tho' they believe and tremble yet still unsanctified but such Faith as works by Love and hath Love springing up in it Such Faith with Obedience is that which accompanies or is a ground of our Justification Sanctification and Salvation POSTSCRIPT SInce this was writ I have seen in the Hands of a Neighbour a Bible Printed in the Year 1â—87 wherein the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is altogether Translated Love in this 1 Cor. 13. as I have rendred iâ— Therefore I hope my rendring it so will not be look'd upon as a Novel Conceit And let this be noted that I do not impute any blame to the Translators who have in our Bibles rendred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word Charity For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends Charity and it may be they might see that at that time there was need to reade it so to stir People up to so good a Work But that word Charity doth not fully reach to all the Expressions or Significations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in this Chapter as Love doth for Charity reâ—ches but to Man but Love râ—aches â—o God as well as to Man 1 John 4.19 Charity ceaseth when the Objects of Charity câ—ase but Love shaâ—l never cease or fail 1 Cor. 13.8 For so it may truly bâ— read Love never faileth or ceaseth William Tomlinson FINIS
Prophets among them to raise their Minds and Hearts a little higher after a more Spiritual Walking with him Then after that he sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for greater things which were to follow For the Kingdom of Heaven was then at hand And thus way was made gradually for the coming of Christ Jesus that Men might believe on him when he came Thus the Lord carried on his publick Work gradually and thus also he frequently carries on his Work in particular Persons from step to step And it is well for them that follow him in his Leadings and Drawings and take not up their Rest or stop in the Way but hold on to follow the Lord. For he doth not usually communicate all at once to his People altho' he may give much Comfort sometimes at the first turning of Man's Heart faithfully to him But he communicates by degrees to them that truly follow him and as they are capable to receive and able to bear To his Disciples Christ said I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now John 16.12 so he communicated to them as they could bear And so he did to Paul Acts 26.16 he did not make him a Minister and a Witness of all at once but appeared to him to make him a Minister and a Witness of those things which he had seen and of those things in the which he would afterwards appear to him Thus the Lord doth condescend to take us by the Hand as it were to lead us on from one degree to another where there is a willing Heart to follow him And there may be still a going forward and growing up in the Lord while we are in this Life Paul that Eminent Servant of the Lord after all his Visions and great Attainments and Perfections still saith I press forward Phil. 3.14 15. And thus the Ministry of Christ was and is to lead us forward by degrees Not only to bring us on thorough the Ministration of the Law or of the Letter as it 's called but to bring us under the Ministration of the Spirit so as to be led thereby and to grow up therein and so to establish us in the Sonship or Adoption Thus under the Ministration of the Gospel the Work is cut short in Righteousness namely in subjecting the Heart of Man to the Spirit of God which works all Righteousness in us gradually if we be faithful thereunto And it will admit of no Iniquity if we faithfully follow the guidance thereof For God hath comprehended all Righteousness in the Spirit and in the Fruits thereof It is the Spirit that leads into all Truth This is the great Dispensation of the Lord under the Gospel This Satan knows and therefore was he and yet is so busie to suggest other Spirits whereby to divert Men and turn them aside from the true Spirit by appearances of other Spirits and with some resemblance of the true This he did very early in the Apostles Days as we may observe by the Writings or Epistles of the Apostle Paul in which we may see how he was constrained to vindicate himself and his Ministry against those false Teachers who desired occasion against him 2 Cor. 11.12 False Apostles may despise and vilifie them that are in the Truth and may transform themselves as the Apostles of Christ Satan himself can transform himself into an Angel of Light therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers also be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11.12 13 14 15. I do not speak this to vilifie any faithful Ministers but to shew the great subtilty of Satan And for this end that we may be all careful to keep close to our true Guide the Spirit of God which leads into all Righteousness and out of all false Appearances and gives the comfortable Testimony of his presence in the Hearts of those that faithfully obey him and walk humbly with him But some perhaps may say How shall we know these deceitful Workers these false Spirits I Answer I write not this so much to discover any such but that every one may be careful to examine themselves and be stirred up to beware of Satan's Wiles It is a hard matter to know deceitful Workers by their good Words or fair Speeches or Ministerial Gifts and Parts which they once had given them It 's said That Gifts shall be given also even to the Rebellious Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led Captivity Captive thou hast received Gifts for Men yea for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them And some will so rest upon their Ministerial Gifts and not upon the Giver that they will make them a plea for themselves when the Lord comes to judge as hath been shewed before from Mat. 7.22 But the Excellency of Ministerial Gifts will not shelter Workers of Iniquity altho ' such Gifts be very serviceable and worthy to be desired And it is the Apostle's Exhortation 1 Cor. 12.31 to covet earnestly the best Gifts But yet saith he I shew unto you a more excellent way and that more excellent way he expresses at large in the whole Chapter following that is in Chap. 13. where he saith thus Though I speak with the Tongue of Men and of Angels and have not love for so it may and ought to be Translated from the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have not Love I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal That that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be Translated Love in this Chapter I shall shew by and by with Reasons for it If any insist still upon that Query before mentioned and say How shall we know these false Spirits these deceitful Workers that have been spoken of We would fain know them I Answer still Where it may be a hard matter for us to distinguish aright of others Our best course is to approve our own Hearts to the Lord and to walk so that we may have the Testimony of a good Conscience in our selves that we are approved of the Lord Then shall we have rejoicing in our own Bosoms from the comfortable Witness of the Spirit of God For the Spirit will witness with our Spirits if we walk in Obedience that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 As for others it will be a hard matter to distinguish aright between Tares and Wheat They may take Tares for good Wheat or good Wheat for Tares if they keep not to the Holy Spirit True it is that some Mens Sins are open beforehand and go before unto Judgment and some Mens they follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 Some are so openly and manifestly wicked that they are judged of all Men but others they follow after I come now to shew that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned before ought to be Translated thus in my Judgment viz. And have not love And in the first place I shall shew that the word
A Short WORK But of Greatest CONCERN By William Tomlinson Rom. IX 28. For he will finish the Work and cut it short in Righteousness because a short Work will the Lord make upon the Earth London Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-Street 1696. A Short Work but of Greatest Concern The Lord will cut his Work short in Righteousness TIme hath been wherein there have been many Precepts Precept upon Precept Line upon Line under the Ministration of the Law Isa 28.13 But under the Gospel the Lord doth contract them and bring them under one Head and that is the Spirit of God to be led and guided thereby And he shall lead into all Righteousness and Truth John 16.13 and out of the Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5.16 This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh And this Guide and Leader is promised to abide with the true Servants of God for ever John 14.16 17. So that if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 The time cometh and draws near at hand wherein People shall not be look'd upon as the People of God because they are of such or such an Opinion or because they are in such or such a Society or belong to such a sort of People and walk with them let it be under whatsoever Name is extant whether Papist or Protestant or any other Name Nor shall Eminent Gifts and Parts shelter any Man Many will say Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name And in thy Name have cast out Devils And in thy Name done many wonderful works But what 's the Answer to them that can plead thus from the Ability of Gifts and live not Righteously The Answer is this I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Iniquity dashes all Excellent Abilities and puts one out of God's Acknowledgment of their Persons Whereby we may observe That it is not Eminent Gifts and Parts that states a Man in a happy Condition although these are good and to be prized Query Some may say then perhaps What is it then that makes us happy if such Eminent Gifts and Parts do not Answer I answer It is humble walking with the Lord as a Child in his holy Spirit Mat. 18.3 Verily I say unto you Except ye be Converted and become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This is also plainly exprest in other words before-named where the Apostle saith expresly If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 But on the contraty As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God So then it 's plain That our Sonship is established in the Spirit If we be led by the Spirit of God we are in the Sonship but if we be not in some measure led by that we are not in the Sonship but remain Strangers to God in our Spirits But if we be led by the Spirit of God the Spirit it self will bear witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 And here now is the Work cut short in Righteousness And hereby it is plainly manifest That our Happiness lyes herein namely in being led by the Spirit of God and walking humbly with him therein And this is the chief tendency and the very substance of the New Covenant and of the New Testament which testifies of it to bring us to this and build us up in this namely to bring us into subjection to the Spirit of God and to build us up therein that so we may come to walk in Fellowship with our God 1 Joh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye may have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ are very agreeable hereunto John 14.23 where he saith If a Man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him O happy State and Condition to have Fellowship with our God! This makes happy both here and hereafter And this the true Sons of God enjoy who walk humbly with him in Spirit And in this short work now in walking with him in the Spirit and having Fellowship with him in the Spirit all Iniquity is cut off and all Righteousness is comprehended and established for he leads into all Truth I say all Iniquity is cut off So that he that walks in the Spirit gives no real occasion of stumbling Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5.16 And so hereby that which gives real offence is cut off It 's possible some may take offence where none is given as the Jews did against Christ So some may do now in these Days who are wedded to Tradition They may take offence at the Truth when their Traditions in which they are rooted and grounded are discovered reproved or contradicted thereby But this is not Truth that gives the offence but their Errour that take offence where none is really given as the Jews did take offence against Christ without just cause And as walking in the Spirit of Truth cuts off all Iniquity and all corrupt Lusts of the Flesh so it establishes the Obedient in all Righteousness For the Spirit leads into all Righteousness where he is faithfully followed and obeyed He will guide you or lead you into all Truth John 16.13 That is by degrees as he is obeyed There be many false Spirits gone forth into the World but the Spirit of Truth will discover them and by their Fruits they shall be discovered For saith Christ Jesus By their Fruits ye shall know them Mat. 7.16 to Ver. 20. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit therefore their Fruits shall discover them for God hath so appointed it Now then what are the Fruits of the true Spirit that thereby in some measure we may be able to discover false Spirits and may discern a difference For Christ Jesus tells us By their Fruits ye shall know them I answer with the Apostle's words Gal. 5.22 The Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such saith he there is no Law The Affections and Lusts of the Flesh they are hereby cut off as the next Verse expresses viz. Ver. 24. in these words And they that are Christ's have Crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts This is the happy state of the true Children of God who walk humbly with him in his Holy Spirit and grow up therein to the stature of a perfect Man in Christ Jesus They are led by the Spirit of God in these true Fruits of the Spirit And they have