Christ who then shall be saved But Moses it seems must not enter Canaan nay nor * i. Jesus Joshua neither this new Jerusalem Dear Christians Let him that loves not the Lord Jesus be Anathema Maranatha How venomous is the Breath that blasts the mouth from whence it issues How ungratefull the effect that denies its Cause Can that be the ingenuous self-denying Humble Spirit of Christ that defames his Person and nullifies his Office A bad Servant surely that seeks to eclypse the glory of its Master and he that denies the Son is Antichrist O how needfull and seasonable a Caution is that for us viz. Try the spirits But that we may wipe off let us a little The Argument for this Errour examine the usuall gloss and colour which paints and sets off this Errours ugly and deformed face viz. That every new dispensation dissolves the former the spiritual dispensation must therefore put an end to the carnal or fleshly dispensation of Christ the coming of the Spirit which now is must drive away and banish the Person or the use of the Office of the Person of Christ Answ This is the aliquid nihil that would fain be something to mischief our Saviour but how vainly and idlely for 1. Though the dispensation of the means may in part be dissolved as the Figures and Types of the Law were by the coming of a better and higher dispensation of means viz. the Gospel Yet the last end is still aimed at and endeavoured by all viz. the knowledge and honour of the glorious Trinity among the sons of men Matth. 28. 19. 2. There is not any really distinct dispensation of the coming of the Son and holy Ghost into the World no more then betwixt the coming of the knowledge of the Father and Son into the World the Father was though darkly known unto his Children as appears in Malachy If Mal. 1. 6. I am your Father where is my honor Before the coming of Christ into the World But this knowledge I suppose of God as a Father in those days was only by vertue of the promise of the Son For how know we how have we God as our Father but by Adoption And how have we this viz. Adoption but through the Son So in like manner before the great and markable descention of the Spirit by our Saviours ascention there was some knowledge and faith of the Son of God which came from the more ordinary presence of the Spirit among us For flesh and blood did not reveal him to us And as we Matth. 11. 27. see not know not the Father aright but in the light and by the help of the Son None knowing the Father but the Son and him to whom the Son shall reveal him So the coming of the Spirit doth more clearly and excellently reveal them both for thus we receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Rom. 8. Iohn 16. Father which Spirit also takes off the things of Christ shewing them to us and for this very purpose That we might glorifie him as our Saviour can affirm Father I have glorified thy Name So the glory of the Son is not as the glory of Moses that must be done away by any future glory that excelleth the three Persons of the Godhead are not like the strong man and the stronger as if the Spirit at his entrance as the stronger man should binde both the Father and Son hand and foot and cast them out a doors Though indeed they come gradually into the World yet not successively when the second comes the first with-draws not and with the last they all appear that God may be all even all in all as Father Saviour Sanctifier for acceptance satisfaction and application in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost They are co-equal and co-honorable one in essence will power and in glory also not like to such Lights as eclypse and darken each other but rather as Beams of the same Sun or Lamps of an equal glory and lustre whose Lights do sweetly interweave incorporate and every one gains by other And to say no more in this case the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ are like the natural moisture and heat in man both mutual preservers of each other and both most necessary for our Salvation and the heat that eats out and consumes tht natural moisture that spirit that dries up the Blood i. mediation of Christ is false preternatural and Antichristian But to come a little closer Is Truth a Type Christ is Truth and that in distinction 3. Joh. 14. 6. with 16. 17. to the Spirit I am the Truth and I will send the Comforter my Spirit the Spirit of Truth c. Now nihil vero verius nothing is truer then Truth and as Christ therefore cannot be a Type so we may beleive the Truth The dispensation of the Son if so called must last and continue even while the last days iast Heb. 1. 1 2. And glory shall be to God by the Church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations Ephes 3. ult And God shall continue to tender salvation and happiness in Christ unto the World even after their new Jerusalem is built untill the last coming of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit himself For the Spirit and the Bride say Come Rev. 22. 17. and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely And he that testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen So come Lord Jesus Rev. 22. 17. 20. Further though Christ must give up his Ministerial Kingdom to his Father yet he shall most certainly retain the glory of a Saviour in his Mediatorship to the days of Eternity We that are Christs Sheep shall be set indeed at the right hand of God but our Fore-runner is there before us who therfore shall be still nearer to God then we and if we shal be at yet he is upon Gods right hand and to which of us yea To which of his Angels shall he say at any time Sit on my right hand c. Heb. 1. 13. Now doth not he sit betwixt us and God to the end that what we receive from God we might receive through him He is our Head and shall be our Head for ever And the glory of Heaven must first have its influence and pass first from God upon our Head and thence flow down upon us Even to the skirts of his Garments And we shall most undoubtedly continue in the presence and favour of God in Heaven untill the day we are able to pay our own Debts to the utmost farthing which will be even for ever and a day in the vertue of the Merits and Mediation of him that is the Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus For * Psal 75. 3. He that bears up the Pillars of the Earth is the Rev. 2. 10.
is none of his But this seems to infer another Argument as subordinate to the main Conclusion taken from the spirit not onely as a Cause but as a necessary effect consequent signe adjunct or companion of Christs interest in us or relation to us he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs but he that hath it then is his his Disciple his member his Brother c. Now how shall we know that we have the spirit By sanctification for if the spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies c. vers 9. 11. And how shall we know that Christ hath relation or interest in us by that inseparable consequent or adjunct of the spirit for if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Lastly and that that brings the Conclusion Argument together is an Argument drawn from the highest and choisest effect of the Fathers love and our Saviours Office the principal causes of our salvation viz. our sonship vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God Or we may interpose between the terms of this truth Christs interest in us then thus those that are led by the spirit of Christ are his and those that are Christs i. his Members Brethren are by adoption the sons of God and then it is most clear that if sons then heirs co-heirs with Christ vers 17. and are for resolution of the case propounded in a state of life These and such like are the Rules by which a mans spirit according to Gods Word examining his condition doth either acquit or condemn if this speak peace viz. that he is a childe of God and an heir of Heaven this is the testimony and answer of a mans own spirit but to make this our testimony clear and demonstrative sure and infallible the spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit c. not onely together with as two diverse Witnesses of the same truth but with i. nor yet onely with the qualification of our spirit the matter of evidence Water and Blood but lastly and especially with i. with our spirit as subordinate in the work through by so with making use of the testimony of our spirit sealing and clearing our rational evidence with the truth and light of his that we are the children of God Nothing can indeed perswade us of our sonship to God but the Spirit of Adoption yet the spirit perswadeth us as rational Creatures viz. as we have heard by inabling us to reason our relation to God by Christs relation and interest in us and that by the having of his spirit and that by its holy effects of mortification of sin and spiritual life which gives occasion to close as we began that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the spirit ye shall live therefore Examine your selves know ye 2 Cor. 13. 5. not even your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and the Lord give you the comfort of the witness in your selves with the contest of the spirit to be an infallible assurance of your adoption to God Col. 1. 9. and of the truth of this point and for this cause also godly Reader since the day you heard of me do not I beseech thee cease to pray that with respect both to one and the other I may fight a good fight and finish my course that henceforth I may be comfortably assured with holy Paul that there is laid 2 Tim. 4. 8. up for me a Crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge shall give me at that day c. CHAP. V. Of the knowledge of Christ after the Flesh or in his Mediatorship BEfore we have reconciled the Spirit and its effects our gracious qualities infused by it But this following Chapter will ingage us to atone the same spirit on its Causes behalf the Person of Christ which I may call without offence the cause of the spirit both with regard to its Person and Office First the Person of Christ is the cause of the person of the Spirit by derivation the Spirit being the joynt breath and issue both of the Father and Son Secondly the Person of Christ is the cause of the Office of the Spirit first by merit 1 Pet. 1. 2. Secondly by mission Joh. 14 15 16. cap. Therefore is the holy Ghost in the Gospel so peculiarly stiled the Spirit of Christ Yet this their spirit and the Spirit of God by them so called how ungratefully wicked doth even stab at Christ himself with these two erroneous Points namely 1. That the Person of Christ is but a form type or shadow onely or a bare representation of the Spirit at his coming as the types and shadows of the Law were before of the coming of Christ See false rests in pag. 103 104. 2. That Christ is not to be the object or Medium of Faith i. We are not to believe on Christ as our Mediator and Saviour See the fifteenth false rest The first of these the Seekers own but the last is the very dregs of Socinianisme which affirms that Christ came not among men to procure satisfaction to God but to be an Object of imitation to men No wonder we have had boisterous Times of late while such Devils such Errours as these have been conjuring up Yet how great a wonder it is that such grosness of darkness should call it self light and that to the face of the Sun it self in this our day of Gospel when knowledge abounds amongst us But I shall not so far question my salvation as to receive my Saviour into doubtfull disputings yea doubtless the mention of such Errours as these is sufficient confutation and confusion of them also in all humble ears and godly judgements Yet though there be not the least shadow of Reason that will entertain either the one or the other there is one notable Scripture that seems to some eyes to cast a very favourable glance and countenance to the first of these Errours viz. That the Person of Christ is but a type of the spirit a dispensation Errour and form that is ruined or dissolved by the coming of the spirit The Scripture Scripture countenancing it is the 1 Cor. 5. 16. Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more To make this Scripture pass for them the Abbettors of this Errour have stamped upon it this Interpretation viz. That the knowledge of Christ after the flesh was the dispensation of his Person a fleshly dispensation which Paul had formerly been under but since the dispensation of the spirit the dispensation of Christs Person it chiefly meant the Office of his Preisthood is dissolved is dissolved to Paul though I have known Christ after the flesh and
of Faith sufficient for it but I Protest unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke if any man shall add vnto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Booke Rev. 22. 18. Immediate Revelations may neither be lawfully expected by us For though it was necessary or at least most convenient for God intending to blesse the World at the length though gradually with a standing visible mean for its recovery in knowledge c. To reveale his will at the first in a more immediate manner to some yet if I mistake not we never read of any such inspirations so absolutly immediate way of Revelation as my Antagonists boast of God for the most part making use of some kinde of mean more or lesse through which he conveyed his minde to the men of God themselves He did not distill inspire and reveale it into them much lesse into the People in so secret insensible a manner as this age mentions Which we shall further cleere unto you by a few meditations upon this scripture viz. God who at sundry and in diverse manners spake of old to our Fathers by the Prophets hath in the last daies spoke unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. These words may testifie not only that but how God hath declared himselfe to the World both in the first and last dispensation But the question in hand is not about the truth but the manner of these Revelations Quest First then how did God declare himself in the time of the Law Answ This Place informeth that then in diverse manners he spake to our Fathers by the Prophets Observe God did not of old before any part of the Bible was written immediately reveale his minde to our Fathers i. the People but by the meanes of his Prophets Gods speaking to our fathers by the Prophets here must needs be meant of his speaking to the Prophets and rather in then by them to our Fathers For the Prophets for ought I have read had only one way of revealing i. by voice the Word and Will of God to the People but here this speaking must therefore be the speaking of God to the Prophets since it is as that was not only at sundry times but in diverse manners also God spake that truth unto the Prophets that they were to declare to the People in diverse manners i. not immediately but by diverse waies and meanes Somtimes by Vrim and Thummim somtimes by a voice somtimes by dreames somtimes by visions c. these are all mediums in and through which God cannot reveale himself immediately These are all carnall waies of Revelation when compared with our late inspirations the spirit of our daies not only speaking into but in them without the help of the shadow of any meanes whatsoever But Hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son Whence observe 1. The Prophet of Gods People in the daies of the Gospell is the Son of God 2. The way wherein the son of God giveth us his Fathers minde and Councell is his word voice or speaking to us 3. Untill the very last of daies shall expire we must look for the Minde and Will of God in the word of Christ his Son Hath in these last daies c. 4. That in these very last of daies the Son of God instructeth immediately by speaking unto us by his Word rather then by speaking immediately in us by his spirit Object Then what use of the spirit is not it promised to lead us into truth yea and to put into our mindes what we shall say when occasion serves c. Answ We admire and adore the promise and blessing of the spirit in all its use yet doth not the spirit or breath of Christ still come with his Word see the Office of the spirit declared expounded Joh. 14. 26. vers 25. These things saith our Saviour have I spoken unto you being at present with you but the Holy Ghost ver 26. shall come and teach you all things but how it is immediately expounded for he shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Christ by his word both writ and preached declareth to the World his Fathers Councell As writ his minde is revealed as preached his Word is revealed to the World but the spirit can only take off the vaile from our hearts and make it effectuall and thus it doth its Office and maketh the Word to be spirit See Joh. 6 36. and life and the Ministers thereof the savour of Life unto Life and the ministration 2 Cor. 2. 16. of the spirit If it be in point of truth the spirit brings the word to our mindes or understanding and thus it is said to lead us into truth the way of truth is already laid in Scripture the spirit Joh. 16. 13 only leads us into it For he shall not speake of himself but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake if in point of Grace and Comfort The spirit doth worke these in us Joh. 1. 17. 17. by and in the use of the Word thus bringing the Word of Christ to our remembrance i. to our knowledge and improvement approving himself according to the Scripture in all respects as a Rom. 14. Acts 9. 31. spirit of truth and Holiness and consolation Obj. But he is also a spirit of supplication to us and doth he not then immediatly inspire when as he speaketh our praiers in us Answ Here is to be avoided a double fallacy 1. There is a difference observable betwixt the spirit speaking in us with respect to God by Prayer and with respect unto our selves by truth the sense we are now about Besides there is a double meaning in this little particle preposition in as in these two propositions it is used His speaking in us by praier is rather a speaking by us But his speaking in us by teaching is a speaking immediately into us 2. But more plainly the spirits speaking in us by Praier or as he is a spirit of Praier in us is not happily to be taken in such an immediate sense and way as some may think of it implieth as I can conceive only 1. A teaching us 2. An helping us to pray 1. The spirit as a spirit of praier teacheth us to pray either before praier or in our praying 2. The Spirit teacheth us how to pray before we pray by preparing our hearts to praier by meanes and by degrees by bringing unto us the knowledge of our estates wants the mercy and fulnesse of God by the word the Law and Gospel and by its daily increasing this habit of praier by daily acts Quest therefore it is that we never see a perfection of ability in the performance of this Heavenly duty of praier in instanti but by degrees But secondly It teacheth us to pray in the very exercise now is not that immediately Answ I answer not totally immediately
10. And partly hereafter by leaving them utterly without excuse otherwise happily this might have been the Plea of ungodly men then How should we beleeve except we had heard But they having heard the word being in their mouths yea even and in their hearts and yet they beleeved not their mouths are stopped they being judged by the Gospell Had not I come saith our Saviour and spoke unto them they had had no sin i. in comparison but now have they no cloke for their sin John 15. 22. 2. And in order to the glory of grace on the Vessells of honour the commands of God upon them have a twofold end also one in this World for their obedience i. to give them power by the very command to obey the same it being the power of God i. having the power of the spirit of God along with it to make it successefully command us to obedience Thus the Word of Christ is spirit and life and he having the words of eternall life while he calleth upon us Awake thou that sleepest he doth awaken us and while he commandeth Lazarus come forth the dead John 11. 43. John 5. doe heare the voice of the Son of God and those that heare doe live And as one end of Gods commands to his Children here is for their obedience so the other end both here and hereafter is for a reward of their obedience Godlinesse being profitable for all things and having both the promise of this life and Matth. 25. ult also of the life that is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Thus we have largely shewed and cleered that we need not deny the commands of the Word as they look towards wicked unregenerate men for want of an end or as vaine and fruitlesse though they in themselves have not power to obey them Obj. 2. But there is one branch of this Dilemma yet above us Viz. The commands are needlesse to the regenerate they having the Law within them what need of a Law without They having the spirit what need of the letter But we shall now endeavour to match it with these Answers Answ 1. There is in the best of Gods Children that live in the World even in Paul himselfe nature as well as grace flesh as well as spirit A Law in their members warring against the Law of their mindes and leading them captive to the Law of sin And now to answer this there is need of Kom 7. a Law without to stirr up and assist the Law within against that too often prevailing party of wickednesse in them 2. As the commands were at first made use of for the beginning and begetting of grace so afterwards they serve for the preservation motion and increase thereof Read onely for each of these one Text as Heb. 3. 12 13. and Revel 2. 5. and lastly 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. 3. Outward or commands without us doe onely give occasion to manifest that grace that is within the heart to the eyes of the World of which is produced two notable effects First the Law that we obey being knowne and beleeved by others as well as our selves to be the Law of God thus our light so shineth before Mat. 5. men that they seeing our good works glorifie our Father which is in heaven Secondly and thus the World becometh reproved and condemned by us We doing all things i. that are commanded us without murmurings or reasonings that we may be blamelesse and pure and the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a wicked and crooked Nation among whom we shine as lights in the World holding forth the Word of life Philip. 2. 14 15 16. But for that we were so large upon the The affirmative proved preceding particular we shall onely by a few breife hints of things argue out to the Reader the affirmative part Viz. That it is not needlesse for God to lay outward commands upon such as are already regenerate and conclude this Chapter Then 1. Christ his Disciples heretofore had need of commands and a Law without Matth. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 17. c. and why not now also 2. They that had the spirit of Christ heretofore even that anoynting within that should teach all things had yet need of and use for commands in the letter 1 Ioh. 2. 27 28. and why not now also 3. Those that are perfect with the perfection of the Gospell have use for such commands Phil. 3. 15 16. and why not we 4. Yea Adam in innocency that with the perfection the Law it self requireth was perfect upright had need and occasion for the Law without him and what then can priviledge us Lastly and 5. Jesus Christ himself received words and commands from his Father Ioh. 17. 8. have we more of the spirit and Law within us then Christs Disciples Apostles are we more perfect and holy then they then Adam then Jesus Christ himselfe let us then claime freedome and priviledg from the commands of the Word but not otherwise for notwithstanding what is yet objected against it the Word is profitable in its commands not vaine for such as are unregenerate not needlesse or useless for the regenerate themselves CHAP. XII Of the Scriptures as usefull in their promises for comfort THat this way might sufficiently vent its spleen and enmity against the holy Scriptures it having already most desperately endeavoured to abase and falsifie the soverainty and truth of the great God by rejecting his Doctrine and denying his commands therein it sets it selfe here to deject our Comforts by weakning and sleighting the Promises of God contained there also It plainly telling us that no promises whether they be sought or cast in Errour are to be a rest unto any Heart You may read this position in p. 73. of the false rests with its explication and meaning in the foot of p. 68. where he defines the twelfth false rest to be viz a closing with and drawing comfort from the promises expressed It s meaning in the letter of the Scripture Arg. All his argument against the comfort of the Promises so far as I can gather is taken from the abuse thereof And that with respect to the principle of application and the extent thereof 1. The abuse of the promises is argued first from the Principle that usually moveth thereto viz. Necessity Because we many times are driven for comfort to a promise by the sensile want of those things that are offered therein Answ But doth our being driven to promises by necessity make the comfort we have thence weak or vain Vanity of vanities When men are pricked to the heart and out of a sense of their sin and misery cry out as we read what shall we doe why then doth the ministry of the Spirit presently tender unto such some special promise Yea and prick them to the heart in order Acts 2. Acts 16. thereunto even that a promise of salvation by beleeving in Christ through the meanes
his Earnest Is the Redemption of the Soul that is precious or that his Name his mercifull gracious Name that is exalted above all his Word so sleight or worthlesse in Divine thought Gratia semel recepta non potest am tti respectu Patris Jo. 10. 29. Filii 1 Cor. 6. 7. Spiritus Sancti Ephes 1. 13. Weams that God will or can suffer the one or the other to fail or miscarry Yea He delighteth in mercy and his mercy endureth for ever and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints see here the heights and depths c. of Divine love and tendernesse to his for our Comfort and Joy with these Obligations God hath tied his own hands he can onely give not take away his Grace given he can blesse and onely blesse and not curse us so that it is but right and equity on his behalf not to deprive us of that Grace and Holinesse he hath once given us Now certainly if God cannot lawfully he cannot at all take away Grace 1 Joh. 1. 9. if he cannot De Jure he will not De Facto who is Just and Faithfull Just with relation to our Saviours Purchase Heb. 10. 23. and Faithfull that hath Promised To conclude then Grace is no fallible Evidence upon this account it is neither changeable in it self nor yet with respect to Gods disposall But were it so that our Grace were at the owners disposall what advantage yet is gained to this way of the Spirit by such a grant Is not Gods Spirit as much Gods own as our Grace We read of our Light our Grace but seldome of any such or so clear an interest we have in the Spirit is Grace Gods right and not much rather the Spirit Is Grace in Gods Power Will Disposal and the Spirit wholly in ours cannot God suck in his own Breath as easily as to blot or put out our Life hath not God the same if not more immediate Power over the Cause as effect Yet this is the way wherein we must walke to meet and close with the Spirits comming Object But it might be further added that though Grace cannot totally yet may it Not quoad habitum yet quoad gradum surely so far perish as not to be decernable and so not evidentiall Answ Suppose we grant yet what weight will it add to the scale in hand The question is not whether there may not be some Cases experienced wherein Grace cannot evidence but whether Grace is not able and apt in it selfe to Evidence or whether it be not lawfull to reflect upon our Grace to clear our Evidence for Heaven 2. For further satisfaction let us a little weigh this case in the ballance of Experience and we shall finde that as there is a two-fold desertion namely of Grace and Comfort so these seldome or never fall in together to the same person for where we finde an Ebb of Grace we usually find a Flood of Confidence and we many times see Streams of Grace flowing from the wounded bleeding Conscience The Spirit is called Fire and it doth many times give much heat and little light when it hath denied to bring with it the Light of Gods Countenance yet it hath been as a Refiners fire to purge the Soul to burn up its lust and to take away drosse and Tinn So that very many even while they do miserably labour under such sad desertions of Comfort they are zealously affected to the glory of God the benefits of Christ the comforts of the Spirit and doe even hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse But to apply If the desertion be of Comfort as is most agreeable to the Case in hand I conclude that all sincerity and fear of God is never so farre gone even under the greatest desertion of Comfort as not to be discernable even by the Soul it self that suffers if Enlightned assisted by the Spirit the Comforter doe not all the expressions of Spirits so laboring experience so much and testifie for them to all the hearers their fear to offend their prizing of Christ c But admit the desertion be of Grace as it is sad to think how far even those that are truely in Christ may fall so is it as hard to imagine how a person while under the state of Apostacy should ever have so serious a self-reflection as to have any occasion to make use of his Evidences t is all one to him while he lies in this state whether they be clear or blur'd Object But suppose him new enlightned newly convicted then he will have need of Evidences and finde none Answ As such light brings Conviction with it so such Conviction brings light with it I mean matter of Evidence and comfort For if a man be so far humbled as to question his condition and to bring himself to Triall and so to Conviction this is undoubtedly a good visible decernable mark in the light of the Spirit even of the true enjoyment of God So that we see it nothing avails either to our Case or indeed to any purpose to Object that Grace may not be visible and so not Evidentiall But let us observe two things by the by 1. That the Change with respect to Comfort is not in our Grace but in the Spirits presence or absence 2. The Spirit it selfe we finde thus far changeable My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Then what advantage hath this way of the Spirit against Qualifications by this discourse The second Argument The second Argument against Qualifications is found in page 23. line 26. It is an abuse of the Gift Viz. Qualifications and an affront put upon the Giver Viz. God to make the Gift and Evidence of the true enjoyment of God This Argument is so absurd and senseless that I shall onely call Earth Earth Sense and Nature to beare witnesse against it Such an instinct we finde in all tameable beasts even by the Gift to acknowledge the grace and favour of the Giver Doth not Nature teach you c. That herein hath God commended his love that while yet sinners Christ died for us Must not we now observe and acknowledge his love herein If we endeavour thereby to know the Love of God that passeth knowledge is this an abuse of the Gift an affront put upon the Giver to conclude acknowledge blesse and admire his Grace and Favour for Gifts and Mercies Earthy yea Heavenly the Graces of his Spirit the Image of his Sonne the Earnest and Seal of our owne Inheritance the proper End yea and appointed End of all Gods Mercies Especiall Spirituall and to his Saints That we might be to the prais of the Glory of his Grace Ephes 1. 6. The third Argument Object The third and most frequent Argument against the Evidence of Qualification is That nothing can be a sure Evidence that may be true or false but our Qualifications may be true or false Answ The second Proposition we deny Qualifications
have most plainly made it appear out of the Scripture I suppose Christs Will and Way is to make use of his effects in giving us assurance of his favour or presence we must as well acknowledge Christ to be our Lord as challenge him to be our Husband as his way is best in it selfe so let it seem to us For who art thou that repliest against God what is this lesse then a resistance of the Spirit with Carnall reason and our vain imagination while we pretend and plead for him Yet further consider and whether of the two gives most satisfaction to the Wife or best assurance of her Husbands love the expression thereof by mouth and words or its signall Testimony by life and actions Judge ye Moreover we ought to observe that our Saviour is not so properly our Husband here while we are but espoused or betrothed to him there is a day appointed which is not yet come for the Marriage of the Lambe and if we may speak Humano more or after the manner and custome and practice of Men for a Lover to assure his Beloved of his heart affection by the Speciall motions and effects thereof is not more strange then common especially if we commend this course and practice by these three considerable ingredients 1. Our beloved is at a distance of place and absent from us Secondly there are others plead interest in him and such as are inconsistent with ours Lastly we are too apt to delude our selves and to be deluded in this Case Affection is blinde and our hearts are deceitfull and that above measure But lastly were it acknowledged by al to be the most reasonable way among creatures of one nature and language to make their love known by word of mouth whil this bears Analogy to Christ the soul there is I conceive much difference for as a man and one that knows but in part according to my measure I must thus yet humbly Judge that Christ I mean not with regard to his power as absolute but as limited by his revealed Will in condescention to our reason and shallow capacity Christ cannot acquaint himself to the soul of man in such an immediate way and manner as is now discoursed and first not in his Person by reason of distance of place Secondly not in his spirit because of distance in natures to me and yet I humbly submit to higher apprehensions yet to me this seemes defended by the hand of sound and upright reason the presence of Christ in his Spirit is of too subtil and spiritual a nature to fal under or any way to bediscerned by such gross This is largly discussed in Chap. 18. and carnall Creatures as the Sons of men but by and through a medium I mean its effects is any thing that comes under the name of Spirit immediatly or in it self decernable to us Let us bethink our selves with what Eye do we see Spirits Is it not the Eye of Reason which alwayes Judgeth of their presence by Effects Can the wisest man tell me What Man or Beast or Tree is alive hath its formall Spirit in it but by the effects or motions of it Now the Spirit of the Lord is that pure Spirit infinitely far more pure Spirit the very name of spirit being grosse and carnall with respect thereto how shall we then judge of that immediately A man need not indeed to argue his life to himselfe by its motion c. For he knoweth he is alive by the first light and instinct of nature in himself So would we conceive that the Spirit of Christ did properly inform us and was part of our Essence we might know it to be in us in a way more immediate but this is the grossest absurdity imaginable Till then let us follow the Dictate of reformed Reason and hear our Saviour speaking his love by his Actions and revealing his Presence by his Effects whose spirit is therefore compared to Winde by his Word that blowes where it listeth and no man knoweth whence it comes nor whither it goes whose presence is knowable onely by its Effects upon us even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit which is onely perceivable by us as it makes a disturbance in the Naturall Man as it breathes into us Spirituall Life as it sweetly blowes upon the Spices Graces of our Souls and moves us dayly forward towards the blessed Haven Heaven Such gracious Effects and Operations in us The Truth Confirmed But so much may serve for the weakning of the Errour now a few things may be added for the further clearing of the Contrary Truth namely that though the spirit doth onely yet doth it not alone at least ordinarily much lesse of necessitie Evidence it selfe or testifie our true enjoyment of God For there are three that beare witnesse on Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood 1 Joh. 5. 8. and these three agree in one i. e. in one end the enjoyment of God Vers 10. With our right and interest in eternall Life Vers 11. And as they agree in their end so in themselves as the means or testimony the Spirit doth witnesse to the purenesse of the Water the truth of our Sanctification and in the Water we see the efficacy of the blood for our Regeneration Generatio fit per Sanguinem per aquam ablutio Indeed the Spirit doth witnesse eminently Zanch. and efficiently but Water and Blood materially and our Spirit and Reason instrumentally So the Spirit witnesseth with our spirits through or by our graces and qualifications that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. As the spirit of God is derived into us through the sacred Ordinances so is it discovered in us by its holy effects therefore is it thus plainely sayd to witnesse with our spirits c. in this 8. of the Romans which Chapter read with impartiall and due observation it is so abundantly full for the present purpose is doubtlesse sufficient to end the controversie betwixt us The case resolved there seemes very neer the case in hand Viz. How wee shall know whether we be in a state of life or death Vers 13. The Efficient is Gods spirit the Instrument ours Vers 16. and the Medium or matter of the argument Viz. The rules layd downe for the tryall of the case such as follow if yee live after the flesh yee shall dye well but if yee through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live Vers 9 10. The second Argument in order hereunto is Our having the spirit of Christ from the effect to the cause if we doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh it is through the spirit we have the Spirit and if we have the spirit we live therefore the spirit is a spirit of life and as it makes us free from the Law of sin and consequently death v. 2. This Argument is expresly contained v. 9. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he
c. Atlas that upholds our Heaven also But I am so well perswaded of the love of all Christians both to their Saviour and themselves that I am perswaded I need not say more in the be half of this Truth or against its Enemies Will not every stone in the spiritual Temple threaten that hand that endeavours to remove the Corner-stone And every one that bears the name of a Christian abhor and detest that wicked Engine that seeks to subvert the very foundation of Christianity O let us fear and tremble to think of laying other foundation then what is laid by the wise Master Builder Jesus Christ that Rock of Ages I apply it not but should an Angel from Heaven preach another Gospel then that which consists Gal. 1. 8. with Acts 20. 21. in repentance towards God and faith towords our Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed rather then believed But let us sit down and consider a little and we shall hear the most absolutely necessary and immediate consequences and inferences of it discover and cry aloud against the wickedness and danger of this way and Errour which I tremble to mention for 1. It denies Christs Priestly Office for 2. It denieth Christs satisfaction to Divine Justice therefore 3. It denieth our Adoption 4. It denieth our imputative Righteousness 5. It thus puts the soul upon immediate communion with God 6. It confoundeth faith and holiness justification and sanctification All these are not onely immediately necessary inferences from the former principles in themselves but are all of them clearly hinted by the maintainers thereof as he that runs may reade Now as these race out every Letter of our Gospel so of our Names in the Book of Life also for how shall we pay our Debts without a Surety or appear before God without a Propitiation or have communion with him without a Mediator For can dry stubble embrace a consuming fire and Who can dwell with everlasting burning Are not those that walk in the way we are discovering even of all kinde of Professors the most miserable The Turk hath his Mahomet and the Jew beleives in his Messias to come but this strange Generation have cast off all notion of a Mediator as if their hinderance a moat in their eye accounting it their perfection to stand alone their onely full happiness to be taken up into the immediate enjoyment of God O how doth this way smell of Antichrist Popery gross Socinianisme yea it hath set one foot already upon the bank of Heathenisme and I fear it will not rest till it centre in Atheisme These men are gone beyond the Christian Turk or Jew they are about to shake hands with Socrates and Plato and it is much very much to be feared that their end will be to be drowned * The Ranters with some of their fore-runners in Aristotles sea and utterly lost in his * Ens entium universal being O my most dear Saviour who can choose but be zealously affected for him When I seriously think upon that heavenly glory that he was freely pleased to put off for us and in my sad Meditations become a Spectator to that matchless horrible and most inhumane Tragedy that naked Innocence acted or suffered rather upon the Stage of the World for our sakes and sins What contradiction of sinners for sinners he indured What cursings buffettings shames pains and death even from a combination of sin the World Hell and Heaven he received underwent and for no other end in the world but that he must be a Sacrifice Attonement Mediator Advocate and Saviour for us And with an eye of faith behold him maugre all to have spoiled Principalities and Powers and counting it his glory to make a shew of them openly triumphing over them as the Lord of Life and the Captain of our Salvation being made perfectly so by his Sufferings even the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Moreover when as I consider all this as the Result Issue Act and Decree of eternal Counsel the most markable pregnant testimony and token of the Fathers everlasting love to the World most remarkable surely that God should give his Son most pregnant also in that with him he should give us all things else as the great Promise of the Law blessed Gift of the Gospel the whole sum and substance of divine Oracles Gods whole and onely revealed will and to conclude for the Application and efficacy whereof the holy Ghost himself hath his onely business and that special Embassie and Errand from the Almighty God and the Father and Christ to the sons of men When I reade with wondering eyes this sacred Story and hear with trembling and amazed ears the Tale this Error tels us viz. That Christ is notwithstanding all this but a Type a Shadow that we must not beleive in him that there is no trusting to him depending upon him for eternal happiness that they have found out a nearer way and cut to Heaven then by him that is the Way a Truth for the Truth opposing to Christ the immediate enjoyment of God in the Spirit without him I am and I judge deservedly at a stand what to think of the Abbettors thereof For ah what a rude Affront and Contradiction is this to divine Wisdome Counsel Will and Word at once What an horrid contempt and insufferable slighting of the Fathers everlasting Grace and Love so highly commended in him Yea what an ingratefull indignity undervaluing trampling under foot the Son of God together with a most desperately wicked despite of the Spirit of Grace And to conclude by a direct refusing our own mercies thereby a most bloody and cruell destroying and ruining miraculous Grace preventing us not of our most precious and immortal Souls for ever For of how much soever punishment shall he be thought worthy that hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And to add a word more the punishment of such as it will be thus heavy and sore so sure and swift also sure and inevitable for how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. Swift and unexpected for such as shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them bring 2 Pet. 2. 1. upon themselves swift destruction But let this be my trust support and comfort together with all those that wait for his appearing that he that is the Lord Jesus Christ which shall be revealed from 2 Thess 1. 8 9 10. Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not his Gospel shall be glorified in his Saints and admired by all us that beleive appearing able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he Heb. 7. 25. ever loveth to make intercession for us Wherefore also we
need not go beyond the materiall reall Gospel of Christ for one allegorical if this be all you seek to wit a mystery What part of the Gospell of Christ is not deep and mysticall which the Prophets of old counted worthy their inquiry and diligent search and which the intelligent Angells themselves desire to looke into 1. Pet 1. 10 11 12. But in setting my self for the defence or the Gospell that is so mightily struck at by this particular I shall bring some few Arguments for the subversion of this allegoricall way of interpreting the same First Then since that the immediate end and undertaking of the Gospell is for the advancement of Christ both in his Flesh and Spirit together for both our Justification and Sanctification and comfort I desire to be informed whether this way will lead us to an allegory in the former onely or in the later also If in onely one I desire to know the reason of the others exemption But if in the Spirit and Sanctification and comfort as well as in the flesh of Christ and our Justification then my request is what may be the allegory of Sanctification and comfort what is the Spirit of the Spirit But we may be wholly drawn out of this way by the strength of those following Arguments The first is taken from the Author the first and great Preacher of the Gospell to the Sons of men Now we read Heb. 2. 3. that it was at first preached by the Lord himself Moses indeed may be the Minister of types and shadowes but when Moses Antitype the Prophets which the Lord shall raise up Acts 3. like unto Moses he shall doubtlesse bring into the World the truth and substance with him The Son himself shall whatever the servant hath done declare his Fathers minde cleerely and plainly according as our Saviour himself assureth Yee are my freinds for all things that I have heard of my Father I Jo. 15. 15. have made known unto you to which we may heare his Disciples and Freinds ecchoing back an answer Loe now speakest Jo. 16. 27. thou plainly and no parable i. no allegory for though the Law was given by Moses yet Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh 1. 17. The second Argument against this Allegoricall way of expounding the Gospell is taken from the matter thereof The mediate sense and substance of the Gospell Viz. The way and meanes of fallen mans recovery This was first revealed in the first promise as man received it in the serpents curse the seed of the Woman shall breake the serpents head So much of this as was preached before was Gospell this is the Epitomy of that Gospell that is now more fully and clearely revealed to the World which is truly the truth and not an allegory But how is Christ to break the serpents head onely in the spirit surely as the seed of the Woman also who is as distinguished from the spirit the way the truth and the life as Joh. 14. Preist Prophet and King plainly and really so He that came to seek and to save that which was lost is the onely saviour but Christ in his person as well as in his spirit came to seek and to save that which was lost therefore he is as in both the onely saviour whose spirit as it is a spirit of Life so his flesh Joh. 6. 55. is meate indeed and his Blood drinke indeed i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly and really not allegorically The last is taken from the manner of the delivering of the Gospell to us 1. by our Saviour himself the truth who cannot ly he that eats my Flesh and Joh. 6. 40. 54. drinkes my blood not he that seeks for an allegoricall but metaphoricall meaning in this he that seeth the son and beleeveth on him hath everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day And secondly by Paul c. 1 Cor. 15. at the beginning which may serve for all Brethren saith he I declare unto you the Gospell which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you are saved Well now what is this Gospell to end all controversie verse 3. I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried and rose again according to the scriptures c. Thus we preached you beleived were saved and the truth beleived is no more an allegory then the end therof salvation but all in plainness of speech not in mysteriousness in the simplicity of the truth not with double meaning and in the demonstration of the spirit notallegorically But I am jealous over you with a godly Jealousy fearing lest by any meanes as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. But Caveat Emptor for who ever deals with this opinion is miserably deceived She windes up all Religion to the airy Pinacle of towering speculation and there fairely promiseth the discovery of the glory of Heaven the new Jerusalem but in the end this is all it receives at her hand even to be cast down thence into a troublesome sea of uncertainties fallibilities absurdities and what not this spirit of theirs blowes up a specious amiable bubble but if you once but close with it it immediately desolves and vanishes into a meere and empty nothing lay but once a side the literall sense of the Word of God and let the allegorical passe for Authentical there must needs be admitted and that unavoidably as severall mindes of God as there are various Phansies and different apprehensions of men in the world every ones spirit will coin a new mystery Divinity Quot homines tot sententiae what divisions distractions confusions will follow hereupon we can hardly agree about the literall O how shall we then differ about this mysterious Allegoricall Truth and Gospell Methinks and truly I averr it with a minde unprejudiced there glides a perceivable though silent stream through every channel of this Error into the sea of Rome And especially in the case in hand It will have the Scriptures universally allegoricall so will the Papists and as the Papists descend below Scripture to unwritten traditions so this way ascends above the Scriptures into unwritten mysteries The worst of the Papists have said the Gospell was written not to rule our faith but to be ruled by it calling it a nose of wax a dumbe judge c. And doth not this way of allegorizing Scripture speake aloud all this And blush not to say that the Scripture is fitted to the time and variably understood the sense thereof being one while this and another while that according as it pleaseth the spirit to change its dictates as the Papist according as the Church is pleased to change her judgment that is all the difference and
cause by its effects judge ye Then this is the result and resolution of the case by making the word the triall of the spirits we do no more abase or abuse the Holy spirit of God then we make the cause to stoop as inferiour to the effect by cleering or proving it by the same or then a righteous man is inslaved by the Law when as he is acquitted to liberty by it But somthing it behoveth us to speak in defence of the affirmative part namely That the Word of God and holy The affirmative truth Scriptures is the only Judg and triall of spirits that is to say To end all controversies cleere the truth discover Errour and every false way Which I argue 1. From the matter thus that which contains the Will of God must needs be the judge of the triall of truth and the decider of all Controversie But the Holy Scriptures confessedly contain the Will of God Therefore the holy Scriptures must needs be the Judge of spirits the triall of truth c. The second of these must needs be granted even upon most immediate reason God that is every way truth that cannot ly and speak any thing that is not in his thought or Heart his word must needs containe his mind and will Now for the Consequence in the first proposition viz. That which containes the Will of God must needs be the judg of spirits triall of truth Decider of all Controversies you have most easily the reason of it by considering what it is that the whol world of men do so much argue for what that is that is called and honored with the name of truth by every mouth that speaketh Is it not that very thing which we call the Will and sense of God in other words what is our truth the Helen for which the whole World is at debate and varience but the way the will the virgin truth of Heaven would we know who is true and who a lyar let God be true and every man and spirit else a liar his Word is truth and the measure therefore of it Would we know whether the first in Rectum norma sui obliqui our Land be strait or not the most ready way is by an even comparing it with that that is undoubtedly so So we doubt which way and spirit is of God of truth and which of Satan a liar from the beginning take the fruits thereof the practise and opinions and look into the word for the warrant of them The doubt is whether they be according to Gods Minde his Word revealeth his Minde look there and search the Scriptures The word of God is the Revelation of his Minde whither shall we go for truth or to know what is truth the word is truth Arg. 2 We must either deny the Bible to have the minde and to be the Word of God or else subscribe to this undoubted truth That the word of scripture is the Judge and Triall of truth and spirits From the Charge and Cammand of God concerning the Scriptures the end of Gods intention in giving our use and duty in having them being to try and judge of the spirits by them Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them This Text though dis-regarded hath certainly very much in it for the defence and cleering of the truth in hand the whole drift thereof and not only the face of the words directly looking with great respect to our present purpose for here is a cleere command a strait charge we see To the Law and to the Testimony c. the Word of God may be called a Law it containing those rules according to which we must be obedient a Testimony as a standing and visible witnesse and evidence of the Minde and Will of God concerning the World about which we may observe for the better application of the same to our purpose somthing precedent in the verse immediately standing before and somthing consequent in the following words of this same verse The part of the context preceding and observeable is the occasion whereupon this charge is brought in the part of the context subsequent is the reason therof First for the occasion thereof ver 19. It should seem that the People in those daies of old had some wise men among them men wise above what is written who boasting of the spirit a spirit of divination promised an answer and undoubted resolution of all their doubts and inquiries Obj. But what saith the spirit of God as touching these when they shall say unto you inquire at them that have a spirit of Divination c. answer them thus should not a people inquire at their God But it may be demanded now how shall a people inquire at their God Answ Read on and read an answer sufficiently satisfactory To the Law and to the Testimony there and there alone you may know your Gods Minde and finde to your selves satisfaction and quietnesse which is further pressed by the reason and motive already hinted following viz. If they if any man the best Southsayer diviner of them all if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Now did not God know very well that these men were acted by a lying spirit Yes verily but this is spoken for our sakes doubtless that we might have a way to know them also and Southsayers may murmure what their hellish spirit dictates endeavoring to answer by inquiry but rest not here venter not the least weight of credit or faith thereupon untill thou have tried this their spirit by my revealed will written Word For if they speak not according not only not against but if not according to this word it is because there is no true spirit nor light in them All light proceeding from the Father of lights by the beam of his spirit through the Window of his Word both for satisfaction to thy self to the Law and to the Testimony inquire at thy God and for the triall of their spirits to the Law and to the Testimony for if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Whence we may conclude and conclude with these foure things 1 That spirit that speakes not according to the Word hath no light in it 2 The only Judge and trial of spirits is the written word 3 Upon every doubt and suspition of spirits we are commanded and charged to the Law and to the Testimony 4 So much of Gods will as hath been already revealed hath been alwaies sufficient for his People in generall In Moses his time we read that secret Deut. 29. 29. things belong to God and things revealed to us and not to us alone but to all that shall come after us and to our Children Therefore not only so in Moses time but in these daies of the Prophets to the
and those of as good authority perhaps as yours for the way you explode that will seal to the divinity and testifie to the most comfortable excellency of the use and benefit of Church fellowship answering that they were ever more fearfull to offend never more humble and self denying lesse carnall lesse censorious c. Then while they walked in the good sweet safe and sacred way of Saint-Communion But is his abuse against this way 1. Argument for affirmative Gods own Command of use is for it Let all things be done decently and in order If no Church no order in it if no visible Church no disorder in the Church there being no disorder in the Church invisible 2. Where there is no Church-Communion there can be no Admission or Excommunication what then is become of these duties what meant by 2 Cor. 5. and more the like places What is the meaning of the Keys of the Church Which signifie both a shutting some in and the turning the Key upon others as also the priviledge of the first and the losse and disgrace of the later 3. If no Church fellowship then what room use or occasion of the Sacraments 4. And lastly What is become with the men of this way of the ancient practise of primitive Christians which was wont to be held the neerest to Perfection for they ranked into a visible order continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Acts 2. 42 46 47. fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayers But the Saints joint experience hath I hope so powerfully fully convinced them of the expediency comfort necessity hereof that there need no more be said for their confirming in it Only let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering considering one another to provoke one another to love and to good Works Not forsaking the Assembly of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching not so much the lesse as we see Christ comming in his Spirit or Person to guid or to judge Heb. 10. 33 34 35. us But so much the more assembling our selves and exhorting one another as wee see the day approaching CHAP. XIIII Of Gospell Ordinances in generall BUT we passe on from the way of the ministry to that is most materiall viz. the Ordinances themselves the matter thereof The generall conclusion of these men against Ordinances is plainly this Those forms that Christ appeared in when Errour in the flesh are dissolved cease at his coming in the spirit And they for their parts have received the comming of the Spirit therefore all forms i. Ordinances cease to them The potent Scripture for this end and the ground purpose is Revela 21. 22 23. And I saw no Temple therein For the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof and the City hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it For the Glory of God did light it and the Lamb is the light thereof Hence they conclude they being in this City therefore they have no Temple of Ordinances no need of Sun or Moon the Lord c. and the Lamb lighting them But in answer hereunto I shall I hope prove these two things Eirst That this glorious City is not yet built And secondly That when this glorious day shall be it shall not probably dissolve or darken but rather inlighten and certifie Gospell Ordinances 1. First to prove this glorious City here mentioned magnified is not yet in the World Some hold that it is the state of the Church in Heaven and that upon such like grounds as follow 1. Because of its intire perfection no ver 27. uncleane thing being admitted into it and none but such as are written in the Lambs Booke 2. Because of the full and even immediate ver 23. Presence of God there 3. Because then shall be the day of ver 24. ver 4. Redemption even of compleated Salvation 4. Because the day of Judgment seemeth chap. 20. ult to precede it Now if we look upon this new Jerusalem as the perfect Estate of the Church after Judgment in Heaven As our Saviour will submit to give up his ministeriall Kingdome to his Father then so those wickedly presume that would take it out of his hand before But others and they perhaps more truly conceive this new Jerusalem to be the Church on earth made exceeding glorious by the wonderfull presence of the Spirit of Christ for we here take no notice of the presence of his person with it And this opinion hath these grounds amongst many more against the former Cap. 12. 20 1. Because the glory of this City seemeth to appeare before the last comming of Christ Vers 25. compared with Mat. 25. 10. 2. Because there is yet a proffer of Salvation and the water of Life the Gates of this City being not shut by day and there shall be no night there but the Gate of Heaven at the last day is shut upon the foolish Virgins Vers 10. 3. And cheifly because this great City and new Jerusalem discendeth out of Heaven from God But to apply to our present drift now as we cannot imagine that unlesse all tears paine sorrow death yea resurrection and Judgement are already past us Things most grosse ridiculous and senselesse that the state of the Saints is already Heaven and conceit our selves to be set free from the use and performance of duties and Ordinances upon that first account so neither can wee plead our freedome from them upon the second construction of this City namely to be that glorious appearance and presence of Christ upon and with his Church at the day there spoken of which though indeed it be nearer to the World our sins yet I suppose it is as truely absent yet from us as Heaven it selfe And first 1. Because this new Jerusalem cometh downe out of Heaven after the condemnation Vers 2 3. judgement and burning of the great Whore the utter downfall and ruine of Antichrist 2. This new Jerusalem cometh downe from God after or upon the glorious Forbes and visible conversion of the Jewes vers 24. with 27. Now neither is Antichrist yet totally ruined or the Jewish Nation and People yet visibly converted 3. Because this City shall be so illustrious as that it shall be glorious in the eyes of all It shall be generally both ver 24. 26 by Kings and Nations owned honoured and admired 4. And lastly There shall no unclean thing enter into it Now is there any way Church People yet in the world thus owned and admired by all thus pure and undefiled hath no uncleane Livers or lying hypocriticall men to be the followers of it Obj. But this erronious way we plead against will say comparatively there is none unclean or hypocriticall person that entreth into her if you compare her followers with
other Professors And the place is to be taken comparatively and not absolutely Answ We need not go about to pick holes in the Coat of the maintainers of this errour But accepting this distinction botâ— for this and the Verses or Termes viz. of Temple Sun Moon c. We now are discussing We shall indeavour and desire to end the Controversie and conclude That As it cannot easily be imagined that no unclean thing shall be admitted into this City so neither that there shall be no form or Ordinances allowed or practised there Let both these expressions be received in a sense comparative and not absolute and without much difference we may here shake hands in the receiving thereof Yet Not that we argue in the least we having sufficiently proved the contrary that this way or any other yet in earth is this new Jerusalem but only thus much we consent to that when ever God shall please to send down this holy City from himself in Heaven there shall not be so much of form in the World yea in the Church as now Observe me I dare not say there shall not be even in this City so many forms in your sense Ordinances much lesse none at all but not so much form opposed to power not so much formality opposed to Reality and Spirit in Holinesse and Worship The second thing I have promised to speak to Therefore The true meaning of the Text. 2. Could it be thought that this City is already come or coming down from Heaven I see not that the fall thereof must needs crush Ordinances Must needs take away the use but rather and only the abuse therof The full and genuine meaning of the place being thus viz. The most of this Chapter is a beautifull rare and goodly discription of the glorious Estate of the Church at the conversion of the people of the Jews therefore the Church the Lambs Wife here is called the City of the new Jerusalem Therefore also we read the whole description almost in the language of the Jews we have an Application of the promises formerly made for the restitution recovery Glory of the Jews and to conclude we therfore read here of a Temple a place of worship peculiar to the Jews and something even God and the Lamb to beare Analogy thereto And now when it is said that there shall be no Temple in the City it is not meant that the Gospell Churches of the Gentiles shall loose and leave there Gospell Ordidinances but that the Jews must not here expect a Iewish Temple a rituall Jewish worship as if it had plainly been said that the Iews may not be so far deceived as to expect the restitution of their old Legall and rituall worship Let them know that in this City the wonderfull presence of God in Christ in a purer truer worship of him shall fully supply all their heretofore externall Pedagogy that they had by their Law in their Temple then The Vaile of this errour yet lying over their hearts they being two much wedded to thâ—ir Law the Law of Moses and the rites thereof in opposition to the Gospell and the spirituall service and worship thereof the Apostle telleth them that this new Jerusalem hath no Temple but that God and the Lamb are Ezek. 48. 33. 2 Cor. 3. ult Rev. 21. 21. the Temple thereof And when their heart shall be turned to the Lord this Vaile shall be taken away and they shall then see with open face as in a Glasse the Glory of the Lord for the Glory of God shall light the City and the Lamb shall be the light thereof And the Jews of the glorious appearance and enjoyment of God and the Lamb among them forsaking their former formall way of worship shall now worship the Father in spirit and Truth for the People that are saved shall walk Joh. 4. 23. Vers 24. in the light thereof Not that all or any the Ordinances of Jesus Christ but of Moses only signified here by the Temple shall be taken away Now Arguments against 1. Cor. 15 24. The performance of them being only cleered brightned and purified in the light of this new Jerusalem holy City For 1. The ministeriall Kingdome of Christ according to his Gospell doth not terminate untill the end shall be 2. Christ must raine in his ministerial ver 25. 26. Kingdome till he hath subdued the last of his Enemies death till there be no more Rev. 21. 4 death As 1. The Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord must be done in remembrance of Christ till he come 2. The Commission of Baptisme reacheth Math. 28. ult alwaies even to the end of the World 3. For the preaching of the word even after this new Ierusalem is come from Heaven there is a tender of the Gospell Rev. 22. 17. and water of life not only the Spirit but the Bride saith come c. 4. And Prayer is exercised after it also for the hastning of the coming of Christ Rev. 22. 12. and 20. to Judgement Amen even so come Lord Iesus Thus it then appeareth that none much lesse not all of the Ordinances of the Gospell of Christ do expire at the coming down of the new Ierusalem from Heaven Much lesse are they to be dissolved or abolished before as the men of this errour would have them But In the Chapters following we shall single out the two maine standing Ordinances in the Church which we finde in these daies too too much neglected sleighted and contemned by many viz. the preaching of the Word and Prayer And indeavour at least if possible to recover their credit and practise again CHAP. XV. Of the Ministry of the Word WE are now discended to the speciall defence of these two speciall and most profitable Ordinances the ministry of the Word and Prayer Against the first of these viz. The ministry of the Word they argue thus Obj. 1 The coming of the spirit brings so much Light and Knowledge with it that we have no need of the teaching of men such low and inferiour meanes of Knowledge We shall Heb. 8. all be taught of God and we shall not need every one to teach his neighbour saying know the Lord for all shall know him from the greatest to the least Answ I wonder how this man can reconcile their Judgements and practise in this very case Preaching is dissolved and yet the World must know this by their preaching they go up into the Pulpit to pull down beat down preaching and yet at the very same time and for that very end they preach is their hand so happy that while they go about to ruine they must needs build or so unhappy that they by building it must needs destroy must all be taught of God immediately then why do they that beleeve make so much haste and darken the work of Gods own hand by being the meanes of teaching themselvs doth not this their own practice discover to
all that they themselves are suspitious that either the spirit of God doth not immediately teach and lead us into truth or that what they vent and publish is not the truth But we know that the Judgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things For thou that Rom. 2. 2. 22 3. preachest a man should not preach dost thou preach thou that abhorrest Idolls dost thou commit sacraledge thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape c. 2. Let us search the Scriptures and in the primitive times we shall finde a semblance at least of this glorious day of the Spirits coming Let us observe what an aspect that casts upon preaching there and we may thence partly judge whether it will be so malevolent or not at its fuller appearance Act. 2. We finde an abundant performance of the promise of the Spirit upon the Apostles assembled together And what did it now silence them all and forbid them to preach any more did this coming of Christ in the spirit disanull and dissolve this ordinance of preaching committed unto them by the Person of Mat. 28. ult Christ No certainly it came not to abolish but to fulfill the same Therefore it falls down upon them in no other figure and shape but of tongues and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak Act. 2. 3. 4. 11. immediately began to speak the wonderfull things of God as the spirit gave them utterance now let not any think that the spirit of the unchangeable God is fickle as themselves ever to despise that way and ministry that he hath so highly before promoted and honored 3. Paul we know was immediately called to his great Appostleship by the voice of the spirit he was a Minister of the spirit and not of the Letter Let us 2. Cor 3. make Paul Umpire then in the case But we finde Paul preacheth and preacheth this Doctrine that Faith commeth by hearing And how shall we heare without a Rom. 10. Preacher Obj. But doth not the Scripture directly tell us that we shall all be taught of God and we shall not need every one to teach his Neighbour Answ This is the strong hold whereby the teaching of the ordinary Ministery is oppugned Can we but preserve and deliver it from hence it hath undoubtedly both safely and fully escaped the snare of the Enemy Now for this end we shall attempt at least these two things 1. To take of the dint of this Argument that flourisheth it self and threatneth so much in this Scripture And secondly to shew the proper and naturall drift thereof 1. And first This Scripture cannot possibly make void the preaching of the Word if we consider this following gradation 1. That it is a branch of the Covenant of Grace 2. Christ is the Mediatour and Performer of it for us 3. Christ promised the spirit for the same purpose even to lead us into all truth 4. That the same Christ when he ascended Ephes 4. gave Ministers also for this same purpose 5. At the same time when as he ascended to give these gifts he sent his spirit upon the same errand And therefore not likely to beat his fellow Servant to jossle the Minister out of the World 2. Now for the meaning of this place In a word it is either to be taken hyperbolically or comparatively but mediately stil or with Calvin restraining the accent to these later words saying know the Lord the meaning then being no more then this As the effect of the powring forth of the spirit there shal be a general profession of the name of God abroad knowledge covering the earth as water doth the Seas in a generall sense of knowing the Lord. Therefore they shall not need every one to teach his Neighbour saying Know the Lord after this manner saying Know the Lord for all shall know me c. And therefore to conclude the Text fore-mentioned speaks not the ministry null but effectuall God will not take away meanes but make meanes more prosperous by a more especiall presence and help of his spirit God will teach us by his Son Christ will instruct us by his Spirit And the spirit shall lead us into all Universale accommodum truth by the faithfull ministry of the word And observe this Covenant was in force as well then as now Then why Note 1. should it null the preaching of the Word more now than then 2. The Ministry therefore was a Co-worker with God in that age and why not now also Obj. 2 Others say we should approve of preaching better if ministers would deal plainly with us and tell us that what they preach is their own opinion and judgment and preach unto us in their own names But they presume to bring us the word of God and that in the name of God also and this offends and troubles us Answ Alas how apt are men to stumble at a straw yea and to make Christ himself in his own Ordinance a stumbling stone and a Rock of offence to themselves we must look upon the Ministry either as of Christ or not of Christ If we receive it not as the Ministry of Christ that we have partly already and shal more fully presently when we prove the succession thereof make cleer to you if you grant it to be the ministry of Christ then are they not Stewards and what Stewards do is it not in the name of their Master again are they not Embassadors and do not Embassadors declare the word of their Master the word of Reconciliation is committed to them and they treat with man yet in the name and with the Word of God Obj. But then what means this expounding raising Doctrines giving reasons and making uses of the word is all this the word of God Answ There is a book abroad and but lately started that upon this very ground doth tax all the Churches of Christ since the daies of the Apostles with granâ— Apostasy indeavoring withall to destroy the preaching of the word and to bring us upon the other extream from living immediately upon the spirit to a bare reading of the word But let the Reader beware and consider its falacy indeed we grant that preaching expounding c. Is but the secundary not the primary truth and word of God Therefore our Sermons as they are to be deduced from so they are to be reduced to and examined by the rule the word of God Yet the word of God is either that that is expressed or implyed or that that is deducible from the holy Scriptures And that that is naturally drawn therefrom is as truly and properly the truth and minde of God as the Scripture it self Upon the very same tearmes Divines observe that though the Septuagint sometimes differs from the Text both in sense and words yet those very places are quoted by Christ himself for