the Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing with their Spirits that they are his And here now is the Kingdom of God set up God ruling by his holy Spirit in our Hearts and Man obeying and walking humbly with him in Obedience and so enjoying his Comfortable Presence and Witness of his Holy Spirit as it was promised 2 Cor. 6.16 That he would dwellin his holy People and walk in them And thus the Kingdom of God is set up in his People For saith Christ Jesus The Kingdom of God is within you Luke 17.21 Now the way to this Kingdom is to be minded and entred into if Men would come into it For strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leads to it and so to Life and few find it saith Christ Jesus And on the other hand Broad is the Way and wide is the Gate that leadeth to Destruction and many there be which go in thereat And here many fall short of the Kingdom because they take the broad and easie way and forsake the strait and narrow way that leads to Life Mat. 7.13 14. But they that do humble themselves before the Lord and seek with their whole Heart to enter into the Kingdom of God to them God will open a way for them to find what their Souls long for For saith Christ Jesus Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Mat. 7.7 There be many that mind not their future Condition what will become of them They mind not another World to come and therefore they run on as it were hoodwinkt and mind not the way that leads to Eternal Happiness and so remain Strangers to God in their Spirits not considering the true state of Christianity now under the Gospel which is this namely To know the Lord and to walk in Fellowship with him in Spirit Heb. 8.11 and 1 John 1.3 6. But they think if they keep on in their Form all shall be well with them not condering that a Form of Godliness without the Life and Power of Godliness which consists in Living in the Spirit and Fruits thereof will not be sufficient For some had a Form of Godliness in the Apostles Days but yet without the Spirit and Power of Godliness from such saith he turn away 2 Tim. 3.5 Now lest any tender Spirits should be discouraged and think with themselves that they are far from this happy state of being the Children of God because they find themselves loaden and burthened with Corruption and with many Frailties and Infirmities which they are often overtaken with let them consider how low the Lord hath condescended to Mankind in order to bring us to Happiness He hath not spared his Beloved Son but hath freely given him up to become a Sacrifice for us that we might have boldness through him to draw near unto God And so far doth the Lord condescend to Mankind that he despises not the least faithful Drawings of Man's Heart towards him He will not quench the smoaking Flax nor break the bruised Reed The least true motions that are in the Heart of Man towards him he doth not despise but nourishes them and cherishes them that Men may grow up in his Holy Spirit which begets those holy Motions and Inclinations in them and Breathings after the Lord. Therefore let none think the Lord a hard Master to serve For he hath said and affirmed that he delights not in the Death of a Sinner but that he should turn from his Iniquities and live But the great difficulty lies here Men are so glewed to their sinful Courses that they will not be separated from them and so put the Lord from them afar off For he will have no Fellowship with Iniquity For what Communion can Light have with Darkness Or Righteousness with Vnrighteousness But he will draw near to them that draw near to him Jam. 4.8 And he will acquaint them with the true Paths and Teachings and Leadings of his Holy Spirit and will give them a Discerning to see a difference between the true Spirit and false Spirits And without all doubt this was one reason of giving forth the several parts of the New Testament that false and Erroneous Doctrines and Spirits might thereby with the Spirit of Christ opening them be detected and made known And therefore they that judge aright of Doctrines and Practices they judge according to the Holy Scriptures and not by Tradition or common Practice as too many do I may safely say That the Holy Spirit is the Standard of the Gospel and new Covenant and to that we must repair if we would come under the protection of the New Covenant For therein namely in the Spirit of Christ is the Sonship or Adoption established as is manifest from Rom. 8.9 14 15. For further Confirmation of this that our Happiness lyes in having Fellowship with God in our Spirits and in being led by his Spirit let these Scriptures following be well minded Rom. 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit This Chapter ought carefully to be minded especially the former part of it which speaks of being led by the Spirit of God unto Ver. 18. to which you may add Ver. 26 27. whereby you may see that the truly happy state of a Christian lies in being led by the Spirit of God and in having Fellowship with God therein Another Scripture to this purpose is this 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any Man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are Add to this the 19th and 20th Verses of the sixth Chapter where the words are these What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit which is in you which ye have of God And ye are not your own For ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's Again 2 Cor. 1.22 and Chap. 5. Ver. 5. It 's there expressed that the Spirit is the Seal and the Earnest of our Inheritance that is of our Heavenly Inheritance Now an Earnest is the ensuring of a thing to one and so is a Seal And Men are very careful to keep their Seal entire and safe tho' it be but for an Earthly Inheritance how much more ought we to be very careful to keep abiding in the Spirit which is our Seal and Earnest for an Eternal Inheritance Again let these words be well minded Gal. 4.6 And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And again Gal. 6.8 it 's there said He that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap
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
Life Everlasting So then our Everlasting Life must spring from the Spirit how careful then ought we to be to be acquainted with the Spirit of God and to walk humbly with him in the Holy Spirit And therefore Eph. 4.30 the Apostle admonisheth us saying Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of Redemption And in 1 Thes 5.19 we are admonished not to quench the Spirit And therefore again I say how careful ought we to be that we do not grieve or quench the Spirit of God which is the Seal of our Heavenly Inheritance Lastly I shall add to these but one Scripture more which is 1 John 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him that is in God and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Thus you may see that the Spirit of God is the great thing that we are to labour for and submit unto and to seek of the Lord to be endowed therewith that we may be led thereby now under the Gospel which if any Man have not he is none of Christ's saith the Apostle plainly Rom. 8.9 But Christ Jesus hath promised for them that love him and keep his Commands That he will pray the Father for them and saith he He will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you John 14.15 16 17. Here he makes a clear distinction between the World and his People who love him and keep his Commands The World seeth not neither knoweth the Spirit of Truth but ye know him saith he for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Here 's a comfortable Promise to the true Servants of Christ And happy is that Person that submits to such a Companion which will be a continual Guide to him and which will check him when he turns to the Right Hand or to the Left out of the way Thus we are in those times wherein the Spirit of God is made the Guide and Leader of his People who know him And therefore so many false Spirits are come forth to divert Man from following the true Spirit For Satan hath bestirred himself to withstand Man's Happiness I say we are in the times of the Ministration of the Spirit which gives Life to them that obey him as you may read plainly expressed in the third Chapter of the second Book to the Corinthians The whole Chapter is worthy to be minded for it speaks manifestly of the change of the Ministration or Covenant And there the first Covenant is called the Ministration of Death written and engraven in Stones Ver. 7. And the New Covenant which we are or ought to be under is called the Ministration of the Spirit Ver. 8. And again the first Covenant that is the Law is called the Ministration of Condemnation and the New Covenant that is the Spirit is called the Ministration of Righteousness Ver. 9. of that Chapter in these words For if the Ministration of Condemnation be glorious much more doth the Ministration of Righteousness exceed in Glory And Ver. 11. it said thus concerning these two Ministrations For if that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious Thus you may see it very plain that there is a change of the Covenant and that we are under the times of the New Covenant which is the Spirit And further That none are actually in the Sonship or Adoption and reputed the Sons or Children of God under the New Covenant but those who are led by the Spirit of God or hungring and thirsting after Righteousness which the Spirit is the Author and Nourisher of And this is the true state of Christianity in the which God hath a number who walk with him therein tho' little discerned by the World He hath also others who are pressing forward striving to overcome and them he carries as Lambs in his Arms Isa 40.11 And these are as little Children whose Sins are forgiven 1 John 2.12 And others there are who did run well but faint and flag before they come to their Journeys end And some turn back with the Dog to his Vomit and with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire 2 Pet. 2.22 And some content themselves with a Form of Godliness without the Life and Power thereof The Law had many Precepts but the Gospel hath contracted all good Precepts under one Head and that is as hath been shewed under the guidance of the Spirit of God And this was their Rule they were guided by and led by in the Primitive Time as it is plainly expressed Gal. 6.15 16 Verses in these words For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature or New Creation as the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do properly bear Mark 10.6 And as many as walk according to this Rule viz. this of the New Creation Peace be on them and Mercy or Peace is upon them and Mercy for so the words do as well bear and they do enjoy Peace and Mercy who walk according to that New Creation of the Spirit of God in the Heart and they are now the true Israel of God Rom. 2.28 29. I say this was their Rule they were guided by in the Primitive Time For the Scriptures of the New Testament were not fully writ until a many Years after Christ's Ascension but the Spirit was their Guide and Leader and then from that Holy Spirit they gave forth the Writings of the New Testament not to divert Men from following the Spirit but to guide Men in Obedience to the true Spirit and to avoid those false Spirits that were then come forth into the World For that 's the chief tendency of the New Testament to direct and guide us in our Obedience to the true Spirit of God and to avoid all false Spirits In the time of the Law they were under the Letter but when Christ the Minister of the New Covenant came he brought them on by degrees to the Ministration of the Spirit giving forth first of all Precepts suitable to the Spirit while he was here in Person upon Earth And then after his Ascension he ministred to them by the Spirit as he had promised while he was with them John 14.15 16 17 18. and Chap. 16.13 14. and Chap. 15.26 This is the great condescention of the Lord to Mankind to lead gradually those that love him as they are able to bear For as there is a gradual going forward of his publick Dispensations so also in his leading of particular Persons from step to step When he had chosen a People out from the rest of Mankind namely the Israelites the Seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob he gave them Carnal Ordinances suitable to their Condition Heb. 9.10 and after that he raised up