it nor separated not Faith from love for so faith is dead Jam. â— Nor love from faith for then it is sinfull if not a bâ—â—â—ard love For faith must make attonement for the failings of love So nor may Moses and Aaron the morall and Ceremoniall law be confounded or separated in the Old Testament They both were delivered at the same time and in the same place As the morall law Exod. 20. So the Ceremonial Acts 7.44 Heb. 8.5 compare Exod. 25.40 Even as Moses and Aaron lived at the same time and were in joynt Commission in the same businesse instrumentally to save the people Not to be confounded by looking on the performance of the ceremoniall as wee doe on the morall viz. a matter of meer obedience as many now transforme many Gospel duties prayer hearing c. into a legall notion resting in the deed done without taking up Christ in them Nor to be separated not the ceremoniall law from the morall For then there is a dreame of faith without obedience faith without love Nor the morall from the ceremoniall for then there is obedience without faith and so not sincere but altogether sinfull Obj. The Apostle Gal. 4.24 makes the Covenant at Sinai a Covenant of bondage and puts it in opposition to Hierusalem above that is the Covenant now in the N. T. with the universall Church And so seemes to make two Covenants Answ The Apostle speaks all this in relation to the ceremoniall law which formerly was the manner of that religious worship commanded in substance in the 2d Commandement to all ages and so was then the forme and ceremonie of much of their obedience which ceremoniall law indeed was a bondage and kept men in servitude Gal. 4.1 But can not speak it of the morall law in that the Apostle himselfe doth so press it upon all believers at the end of every one of his Epistles annexing it as the doctrine of love to the doctrine of faith which he profoundly handles in the former part of his Epistles So that the Apostle doth there signifie only two severall dispensations and formes of promulgation of the same Covenant of grace of faith and love The former Ceremonious in types shadows the other plain and spirituall Theâ— called the old Covenant the other the New Covenant though but two formes of the same Covenant as the Apostle evidently explains Heb. â— 5 to the end of the chapter The 1. in regard of the shadowes was Moses vailed the 2d was Moses unvailed and spirituall God shining in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 3.13 to the end 2 Cor. 4.6 By all it appeares that we that are believers may no more divide the ten commandements from our faith then wee may divide our love from faith The 3d and last thing to which I will speak only a word is Expediency The Apostle to explain the doctrine and to direct in the practise of expediency useth four words 1. CONVENIENT to signifie that even in indifferent things we must see that all be agreeable to our persons according to all the circuÌ„stances aforenamed 2. EXPEDIENT Intimating that we should look that those our actions be such as do further and dispatch some good or else they be not good 3. PROFIT As the Apostle saith what profit is there of circumcision Hinting that we should see that such our actions be beneficiall to us or others wee either doe good or receive good 4. EDIFIE Teaching us that we should rather endeavour edification then giving offence in the use of things indifferent or circumstantiall And in that the Apostle useth so many words to direct us in the right use and acting about things indifferent that one of the four said ingredients must be in them or else all is not well For a close observe two rules which we oppose to two false principles by which meu usually goe and so oft miscarry 1. Touching matter of opinion they usually say it is a truth as they conceive therefore to be contended for at any time without distinction of expedience To which we oppose this rule All truth though indeed the very truth of God is not to be uttered at all times Mat. 7.6 chap â— 13 14 15 16 17. Job 16.3 4. Heb. 5.11 12. neigh these texts for they are strong 2. Touching practise they commonly contend that it is their Christian liberty and therefore they will use it and not be debarred from it by circumstances To which we oppose this Rule Phil. 4.8 Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest or comely whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think of these things From my Study at Mary Stainings London July 10 1648. Nathanael Homes Teacher of the Church there The Contents of the ensuing SERMONS SERMON I. The scope of the words Page 1 The parts of the Text Page 3 The meaning of the words Page 4 Doct. 1. The Saints in the New Testament not so strictly bound in point of lawfulnesse as the Saints were in the Old Page 3 This latitude is not in the Morall Law But it is Page 13 1. In freedome from ceremonies Page 14 2. In the externalls of Gods Worship Page 15 Reason 1. The Saints under the New Testament are Sonnes Page 17 Reason 2. The Saints now are men of ripe yeares Page 18 Reason 3. The Saints now have more of the Spirit Page 19 Reason 4. Gods designe in the New Testament to set up a spirituall Kingdome Page 20 Reason 5. The Gospel being to be preached to different Nations Christ ties them chiefly to the substance Page 23 SERMON II. Use 1. Encouragement for sinners to come to Christ Page 26 The wayes of Christ easie Page 29 1. Because the maine work is done already Ibid 2. Those things that are yet to be done are few and easie being compared 1. With the Jewish service of God in the Old Testament Page 32 2. With the service of Papists Page 33 3. With the service of naturall men Ibid 4. With the service of the Devill Ibid Object The service of the Devill seemes sweet Page 34 Answ 1. It will one day be soure Ibid 2. That sweetnesse is from distemper Ibid 3. It is because men tast not the sweetnesse of Christs service Ibid Object Some of Christs servants have turned back to serve the Devill Page 35 Answ 1. They are but few Ibid 2. They were not true members Ibid 3. The wayes of Christ easie because he will give his Spirit to doe what he requires Ibid Believing in Christ three things in it Page 30 1. To give credit to what he teacheth Ibid 2. To accept of life and salvation from him Page 37 3. To submit to his lawes Page 38 SERMON III. Use 2. Reproofe of two sorts of people Page 39 1. Those that erre on the left hand of three sorts 1. Those that
as hard as to wash a Blackmore white Now this people being a customed foure thousand yeares to serve God with offerings and sacrifice and Temple and Jerusalem it was not easie to breake them of that custome Therefore the Lord Christ comes and when hee would set up his worship he speaks exceeding fairly of that outward worship because they had fed so long upon it that they doted As we at this day as they would make a curious outward worship as of old they wrung and wrested the Scripture to make it faire and delicate and curious as that that God would have of them But Christs designe being to set up a spirituall kingdome he shewes that as in the old Testament unlesse there were something internall the externall did not please God My soule abhorres your sacrifices c. So in the new Testament much more the Lord doth not regard outward worship at all without the inward and the inward is almost all that God looks after Therefore consider a few places of Scripture Gal. 5.6 There was great question about ceremonies and outward things saith the Apostle Neither circumcision availeth any thing or ununcircumcision but faith that worketh by love For in Christ Jesus saith he that is in the dayes of Christ in the new Testament neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails Externals to be looked to as for as God hath let them down but faith that worketh by love Talk not of outward things stand not so much upon them not but that the servants of God must look to externals as farre as God hath set them down but talk not so much of them but faith that worketh by love see there be that So in Gal. 6.15 the same words almost For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing or uncircumcision but a new creature In the time of Christ he lookes not whether men be circumcised or uncircumcised but whether they be new creatures So in 2 Cor. 5.17 there are the same words almost The Apostle poynts out unto us how much God in the time of the new Testament regards inward worship Therefore we see in Rom. 14. where there was great controversie concerning the eating of hearbs and the keeping of dayes Paul answers not directly but saith The kingdome of God is not in these things but in righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost He would not have them strive about these things but goe to the inward worship see that there be righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost so in Heb. 13. when there was clashing about these outward things It is a good thing saith he that the heart be stablished with grace And so in Timothy bodily excercise profitteth little but godlines is profitable for all things Therfore The designe of God being to set up a spirituall kingdome the work of grace in the heart that we might worship him in spirit the lord hath given more libertie and is more sparing in laying downe of externall worship Lastly this is another reason though I could give many more that the Gospell of Iesus Christ was to be preached to all nations they being different in customes in clymates in constitution The Gospel being to bee preached to different nations Christ ties them chiefly to that substance and dispositions Christ tied them in his law for the substance so left the rest to be by the spirit of God in his people to be determined according to the best advantage for the honour of God and the good of his people As for instance it is a hard thing to make a law for all England and for all the Counties and Townes that that should be good for one Countie that is for another and for one Towne that is for another But if a man were to make a law for Spaine and France and Italie and Turkie for all the world that are nations crosse and contrary one to another in their clymate and disposition that law that were good for one Kingdome would destroy another So here when Christ made lawes in the old Testament there was but one nation and a little nation and the Gospel was not to remove from that nation Therefore he comes to particulars but the Gospel now being to be preached to all nations he hath left a latitude for his people that they may apply the Gospel to all countries and nations for the glory of God and the good of his people As for instance Baptisme saith Christ Baptize all nations that is go and use water for their washing for whatever men find in the word I speak not of now go use water for a spirituall end to purge their bodies to signifie the purging of the soule If Christ had tied men to go into Jordan as in that countrie it was so hote they might goe with a great deale of comfort but if Christ had made Baptisme such an Ordinance as that in all Climates and Countries and Regions they must go over head and eares in a River we know in some climates it would have been present death As with us in this climate at some times of the yeare to be put over head and eares in the Thames it would be death at others not Therefore Christ layes down the substance and the end and by the Word of God and sound Preaching he left the rest for the Spirit of God in his people to apply Againe to instance in the Supper of the Lord The Lords Supper The Lord tooke bread and wine and blessed and broke and gave them and the drift of all the busines is to shew the breaking of his body and the shedding of his blood Now he hath bound us that we should break bread and drink wine that may represent the thing but he hath not bound us to bread so properly called or to wine properly so called for there are some countries that have neither bread nor wine but only rootes that they called bread and they have water for their drink Now if Christ had said it must be true bread and true and reall wine that must doe the deed these people could never have the Supper of the Lord Therefore the Gospel being not to be limitted to one countrie but to be spread to many nations Christ hath left a latitude for the conveniency of all nations So you have the Doctrine and the Reasons of it I should come to the Uses but I must leave them for another day ENCOURAGEMENT for sinners to come unto Christ 1 COR. 10.23 ALL things are LAWFULL for me but ALL things are not EXPEDIENT c. HAving opened these words to you the last day I observed these three Doctrines which by the help of God I shall speak of The first was this that There are many things that are lawfull to the Saints now under the new Testament that were not to them under the Old And the second was That of those many things that are lawfull to the Saints now there are but
kind of thing than is the spirit of the new Testament an old Testament spirit is the same but onely it is a low spirit a childish spirit the difference is as between a childe in his coates a man of riper yeares it is the same man still but it was a lower spirit meaner principles and they walked accordingly so that for the generallity for them unlesse it were some choice spirits that were the Pen-men of the holy Ghost they were children under tutors so an old Testament spirit is a low mean spirit that walks as those godly people in their child-hood in the old-Testament that is my meaning therefore mistake me not Now when I say thou art lead by an old Testament spirit I mean thou hast a heart fitter to live under the law in the time of Moses when they were punies and babies and children under tutors than for the times of the Gospel Such a heart doth every thing as far as it is lawfull So many things are lawfull and he will doe them or so many are unlawfull and hee will avoid them For under the Law the Lord told them every thing what was lawfull and what was not and he made them little lawes as we doe to our children for feare of cutting their fingers or for going over a bridge c. But it is not so now remember the rule Phil. 4.8 If there be any thing that is lovely or of good report 3. A man may be damned for doing of lawfull things or hath praise or vertue doe that Thirdly and lastly I say this to such for thy comfort if thou wilt have it so that thou maiest loose thy soule forever and be damned in hell for doing of lawful things not for doing lawful things but for doing them in a way thou maiest go and strive to avoid ill and to doe good and in a way of doing lawful things thou maiest goe to hell much more in unlawfull my meaning is when men eye only lawfull things and never look what is convenient they may goe to hell in doing it Have you not heard of a Proverb licitis perimus c. Saith the heathen we perish in lawful things I have known many professors that have gone such wayes that men might clearely say yonder is an old back-sliding professor that goes directly to hell yet he will say convince me of evil It may be I cannot in point of lawfulness yet I know he walks not honourably he brings not glory to God as a Saint of the new Testament should he walks low and carnally and meanly every day more and more A man may avoid the reproofe of unlawfulnes and yet goe every day towards hell it is ordinarie and he is blinde that sees it not It is the case of some here I feare that the people of God generally conceive they are in a backsliding condition and one saith to such a one I feare you are going from the Lord and that you have another spirit than you had and another gives him admonition and he falls upon them all and saith convince me and so waves all reproofe and hee may doe so and be damned when he hath done It follows not that thou art in a happy condition because thou art able to wave and to winde off reproofe thou maiest keep off reproofe and yet be in a backsliding condition and going to the devill I have heard of a godly Minister that hath another expression a man may be damned and thrown to hell for doing of justice for seeking of his own As there is a man Mat. 18. though it be but a Parable his Lord forgives him his debt and he comes and takes another man by the throat and casts him into prison hee did him no wrong Why should he couzen me of my money But the Lord comes and throws the man into the place of torment not for doing unlawfull things properly for he asked but his own So many times a rich man that is worth tenthousand pound he takes a poore creature that is not able to pay any thing and throws him into Prison and then saith he oweth me so much doe I doe him any wrong have I it not in black and white shall I not ask for my own thou maiest doe right and seek thy due and yet be damned Is it not lawfull thou wilt say I cannot say but it is lawfull but thou walkest not as a Saint it is not lovely it is not decent it is not expedient I feare there are many such professors think of this Therefore now in the new Testament seek not what is lawfull only but what is venerable and pure and just and decent and comely for a Saint to doe That is one Use To conclude the next Use and the last that I shall make at this time The way of the Gospel a strict way is this Learne hence what a strict way the way of the Gospel is it is no way of liberty or loosnes you have bin thinking all this while that I have been making of a way of loosnes or liscentiousnes ◠see hence it is a strict way for though there be very many things lawfull more than you imagine yet there are but a few that are expedient and wheresoever the Gospel makes the way broader in point of lawfulnes it fetcheth it out againe in point of expediencie Take two professors the one of an old Testament spirit that lookes only to that which is lawfull and let him be as strict as hee can for his life in doing that which is lawfull and avoiding that which is unlawfull or else he shall be damned Take another Christian that out of love to Christ doth eye that which is expedient as well as that which is lawfull the latter shall outstrip the other a hundred degrees he shall be an Angel in comparison in strictnesse It is no such liscentious way as you conceive But you will say wherein will he be strict shall he doe works of supererogation shall he make duties as the papists doe if God have not bound and commanded him what pleasure hath God in that he doth I answere there are but a few things that God hath commanded in the new Testament but there are some things that he hath cōmanded that are absolutely required in themselves but when I say he is not bound I meane not to the thing simplie to take that way or to doe that thing but there is nothing in the world when it comes to be done when it comes to action and is covered with all circumstances but it is either expedient or not and when a thing becomes expedient and is so presented to a Saint then though he be not bound to the thing simplie yet he is bound to it when it becomes expedient According to discourse men say by the rule of nature much more by the law of the Gospel in two things that are both lawfull if one be more expedient than the other wee are bound to doe
Lord to give you sobrietie of spirit not to be wise above what is written it is pride in your hearts that makes you misse the will of God begg sobrietie and that in two things briefly First I discerne that you want this sobrietie in that people generally will bring their crotchets â— To subject our fancies to the word and fancies that they have hatched themselves to the word of God to make the word of God a cloak only a thing to prove their owne fancies whereas you must doe the contrarie raile every lesson out of the word of God Therefore as the word is in Ephes 4. the Apostle bids us not to be carryed with every slieght of men with dyce playing of men as the Greek is that is men use the Scripture as they use dice they make it speak any thing as a dice player that is cunning he will throw aimes ace or sise sinck So I have seen a man that hath alleadged the example of Noah to defend his drunkennesse c. O it is an abominable thing to make the word of God a bawd I speak with reverence to our witts and fancies as wee too often make it I have seen a man once that kept halfe a dozen men about him to goe to assizes and Courtes to sweare and he would carry any businesse only tell him what they should sweare and he had half a dozen or halfe a score that would doe it you think this was an abominable thing Beloved you doe a more cursed thing when you make the Scripture to second your own fancies you make the word of God to speake what your fancy would have it 2. To follow notions no further than they agree with the word Secondly sobrietie in this many of you raise a notion and start it from the word of God but in the pursuite of it you goe without it then you goe to metaphisicalls and so draw one conceite out of another beware of this as you raise any thing out of the word so follow it no farther than the light of the word goes before you and there lay it down Thirdly pray as for wisdome and sobrietie 3. Watchfulnesse so for a watchfull heart you must be watchfull Christians if you will walk by this rule Thereupon in the Gospel you are often called upon to be watchfull you must be fervent in spirit serving the Lord or as some will have it serving the seasons or opportunities If you will studie what is expedient you must looke to circumstances time and manner c. Or else you cannot walk by this rule Especially in this time and age wee live in and in this City that wee dwell in for I know not the man this day in the world that knows if he might have his will how to order the Church affaires in this City I know a hundred that can order all the Kingdome besides but not here Therefore you have the more need to walk warily and circumspectly to looke round about to see what may edifie and what may hinder our brethren and what hinders most you must have your eyes in your head if you will live in London as a Saint I pray the Lord to give you circumspect hearts Last of all pray to the Lord to fill you with more love above all things put on love 4. Love Col. 3. which is the bond of perfectnesse If you doe all the rest if God doe not raise your hearts to more love of God and the brethren you will not goe far enough Love doth nothing amisse it doth nothing unseemly If you have love you will find all waies and opportunities to doe things to the glory of God and the good of others So I have briefly run over that that I intended from these words I have been the more briefe in some things because I would not trouble you another time from this Scripture I leave what hath been said with you desire the Lord to blesse it to you GLAD TYDINGS from HEAVEN TO The Worst of SINNERS on Earth BY WALTER CRADOCK Late Preacher at Hallows Great in LONDON LUKE 2 10. Feare not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people LONDON Printed by Mathew Simmons 1648. To the Christian Reader READER THe nature of man is prone to be inquisitive after newes especially in these unsetled distracted times amongst us it is a great part of the imploiment of people and takes up much of their time as if London were Athens and the people thereof Athenians Act. 17.21 who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newes And yet the news wee beare is sometimes bad sometimes uncertain and many times false Divert thy thoughts awhile from earthly things and in this ensuing Treatise thou shalt heare what newes from heaven in the Gospel The Law indeed brings us tidings but it is like the message of Ehud to Eglon it brings a dagger with it that stabs mortally Judge 3.21 but the ridings of the Gospel is like that message of the young Prophet to Jehu 2. King 9.6 to make him a King There is nothing truly terrible but the Gospel brings tidings of our freedome from it if we be believers nor nothing truly amiable but it tells us of our interest in it How welcome to a poore captive is newes of deliverance from slaverie The Gospel brings us tidings of our deliverance from sin Satan death hell from wrath and damnation it tells us of riches and glory and Kingdomes and Crownes and whatsoever may satisfie the capacious soule of man God hath appointed different conditions for men and Angels the Angels that stood they are so confirmed that they cannot fall the Angels that fell they are determined under eternall wrath that they cannot rise but God from everlasting in his love and mercy had appointed that fallen man should have a way of recovery as a board after shipwracke whereby he might come safe to the shore And God in time was pleased to come out of his hidden eternity and to discover this love of his to the world and hath sent his Son to puhchase it and his Spirit to apply it and his servants to tell not this or that perticuler man but all Nations Mat 28.19 Luk. 2.10 Joh. 3.16 that whosoever believeth in Jesus Christ shall have everlasting life this blessed tidings is brought by the Gospel And let none say this newes is to good to be true for God who is truth it selfe as it were on purpose to anticipate the infidelity of man hath said it and sworne it and sealed it with the blood of his deare Son that we might have strong consolation Heb. 6.8 and hath made this fabrick of the world to be as a stage to act the redemption of his people on which being finished it shall be no more It should stir us up to love and blesse the Father and his Son Jesus
hearted sinners or mortified sinners as soone as ever temptation tells you that you are not humbled enough you will be gone againe the bone will be out of joynt againe and so you will be as a reed tossed of the winde you will never be fastened to Christ whosoever holds Christ upon any qualifications on his side must let him goe one time or other As for instance if he thinke the Gospel be directed to broken heartednes and he can weep at a sermon to morrow his heart may be hard and then hee thinks he is a devill that was but now a Saint Therefore many Christians after many yeares Profession of Religion never felt their souls knit till God rightly and truly taught them this lesson but then they were knit to Christ and their soules were never in and out they were never loose more because they were able in all temptations to retreat to this truth as a refuge For let the devil tell a man he is no Saint the soule can say I am a sinner if the devill say thou art an hypocrite I but an hypocrite is but a sinner I am a sinner still though I be not a broken hearted sinner so let the devill and hell say what they will they shall never beat him from that refuge And saith the soul being a sinner I am the proper object of grace and life and salvation in the Gospel and though I have no comfort as a Saint that I am in the Kingdome of Heaven yet at least I have comfort that I am a sinner and I may be there though I have no comfort that I am in yet I have comfort that I am neare and the doore is open though I be not a Siant I am a sinner and if I have no reall interest in Christ as a Saint yet I have interest in the promises of Christ as a sinner and though I cannot serve God chearfully as a Saint yet I will serve God as comfortably as I can as one that may be a Saint In Matth. 13. It is said of the Merchant man he found the feild wherein was the treasure he rejoiced I remember a worthy man of this countrie he saith hee rejoyced not that he had found the pearle the treasure but he rejoyced that he was come neare a good bargaine he was come to the feild where it was so though I be not assured that I am a Saint yet a sinner may rightly receive this truth with joy as a sinner because he is neare a good bargaine Many doe little for God why This is the reason that you have many Professors that mislearne the first principles of religion of which this is the greatest they will never doe any thing for God but when they are assured of their salvation if there be the least doubt that the work of grace is not right they mope and will doe nothing for God but vex and fret and tug and when their qualifications are gone that they builded on then they think they are hypocrites and damned creatures and God shall have no service from them when other people that it may be have not fully assurance they are Saints not one day of three in the whole yeare yet there is a current and streame of obedience and love and delight in God in some measure and they goe on constantly though not so strongly doing and suffering his holy will Why because they have learned the Gospel aright they obey God in the notion of sinners saith the soule I see a great deale of love in God to poore sinners and the Gospel containes nothing but glad tidings to sinners and though I have nothing in me that may make me the childe of Christ yet the way is open therefore I will goe on with the work let him doe what he will Thus the soule is knit to Christ that come what will it will never be beaten off from Christ I never knew my owne soule knit to Christ till God had taught me this but it was off and on as a bone in and out a Saint to day and an Hypocrite to morrow to call God Father to day and Enemy to morrow The Gospel is directed to a sinner quasi a sinner not as this or that sinner but as a sinner there is the object of salvation This makes a Saint I say go with constancie if I cannot goe to Christ as a Saint yet I can as a sinner so he hath something that kâ—epes him that he is not as many Professors that are ready to kill and hang and drowne themselves because they see the Gospel is made to Saints and they see they are not Saints then they are in a worse condition than sinners Learne this you that are Professors of Religion that are in and out that have spent ten or twentie or thirtie yeares and your soules are not knit to Christ begg of the Lord to teach you this lesson The next Lesson that I would teach you from the Lord is Use 2 To labour for a perfect spirit of adoption that this being so that in the administration of the New Testament or the Ministery of the Gospel there is nothing but glad tidings no object but what is amiable and good then all you that have received Jesus Christ let me exhort you to this labour to get up in you a perfect spirit of adoption my meaning is this you know there is a spirit of adoption and a spirit of bondage the spirit of adoption is a frame of heart a temper of spirit like that of a childe to his father And you know it is ordinary with the Saints that they have a little adoption they can cry Abba father a little and low and at sometimes but there is a great deale of the spirit of bondage mingled with it there are sometimes feares secret whisperings in the heart O thou art not right Christ is not in thee if he were it is impossible thou shouldest be so weak and so easily overcome and there will be some flaw in the heart and soakings in of guilt that wâ— eat out a mans peace that sometimes he shall call God father another while he will look strangely upon God and be afraid to come to God and be loath to goe upon his knees before him and be glad when he is got out of his presence there is a spirit of bondage mingled with the spirit of adoption Now in the New Testament wee should labour for a full spirit of adoption Full spirit of adoption what What is that that is that there may be nothing in my heart towards God but pure love because in his dealing to me there is not a sillable but love and grace and glad tidings to me and my heart and life should be answerable Feares horrours whence For the reason of all the horrour that you finde in your hearts and all your feares and troubles that arise there they are from this error in your mindes this opinion that is
not quite rooted out that there is in the Gospel administration some ill and bad tidings there is some love and some hatred some mercy and some wrath you think that it may be God is your father and it may be he is your enemie and that because you have sinned he will damne you to hell This is naturall and ordinary Now if you were convinced that there were nothing in the Gospel since our Lord Jesus is gone to heaven and is at the right hand of his Father there is nothing in his dispensation but love and mercy and no wrath hell and damnation and sin c. are all thrown away and if I be perfectly righteous and perfectly justified from all my sins if I have the spirit of Christ given me and am one with God for ever by an everlasting Covenant and shall have life and a Crowne of glory for ever and my sins shall not be laid to my charge O what a cleare and sweet spirit should I have in Gods service and not a muddie and dogged and froward spirit that ariseth from guilt soaking into the soule When I view this truth over and pull it by peice-meale and see that there is no gall nothing in the Gospel first or last but what is amiable and beautifull and blessed newes to sinners then there should follow this consideration why should there be any thing in my heart and spirit towards God but amiable thoughts and love c why should there be any of those coares of unbeliefe and distruct and feare and horrour Those mixtures of adoption and bondage Why should there be hellish feares or guilt in me since there is no wrath not anger at all in God Why should not the carriage of my heart be clear towards him as his is in his Sonne by the administration of the Gospel towards me Labour for a perfect spirit of adoption that you may not have any of those bublings of bondage in your spirits that now over take you and are twisted and woven with that little adoption that you have For who is there among us to this houre but when he comes before the Lord and hath a little smiling in his soule to see his favour and a little joy and delight to come at him and yet there is some feare and trembling as Peter when he was on the waves and what if God will not receive me c. Therefore studie to keep up the spirit of adoption It is a hard thing to keep up the temper of a childe in the soule especially when God lets a man fall into temptations and folly and weaknesse c. But though it be hard labour to keep up that temper at least thus much that thou never come to so low a condition which was the prayer of one that was a good man wherein thou canst not with a full mouth and with a cleare heart call God father and thee his childe though the unhappiest and unworthiest childe If thou come below this if thou call on God with feare and canst not cry abba abba that is as much as daddie daddie as our babes use to say if thou doe not come so high thou art spoiled and undone desire God to teach you this Lesson also The damnation of them that refuse the Gospel just Thirdly if this be so that the Ministery of the Gospel is all glad tidings to the worst of sinners then I appeale to you all and let every man put his hand upon his owne breast and if this be a truth as I hope it hath been cleared you shall all be your own judges how just will the damnation of that sinner be that will not receive the Gospel If there were in the Gospel ridged tidings sad newes as people are apt to fancie to themselves then it were no wonder if one persecuted it and another despised it and another neglected it and another turned it into wantoness But when it comes in such a â—reame that there is nothing but love and light and salvation and grace and all freely laid down at the feet of a sinner for his receiving nay he shall have power and grace to receive it he shall have salvation and a vessell to carry it in judge how justly thy damnation will be in the last day man or woman whosoever thou art that settest thy selfe against the Gospel and wilt not receive salvation Damnation mentioned frequently in the new-Testament why This is the reason why damnation comes out so rife in the new Testament it is scars ever mentioned in the old Testament that I know of damnation is not mentioned in the old Testament nor hell but as it is taken for the grave c. But when grace and the Gospel and life comes damnation comes at the heeles of it How can yee escape the damnation of hell Then comes the worme that never dieth and the fire that never goeth out The reason is because then damnation is proper Then when a man will not receive salvation not because he cannot no man is damned because he cannot receive Christ but because he will not receive this salvation and grace Therefore saith Christ Mat. 28. Goe preach the Gospel he that believeth shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned That is saith that godly Dr Preston go tell every wicked man this good newes that Christ hath brought salvation But it may be they will not believe what we say to them there is no more in the long and short but in a word tell them they shall be damned That is the reason in Mat. 22. where the Ministery of the Gospel is compared to a feast of dainties and one slights it and another despiseth it and another rejecteth it and when the Master of the feast came it is said he found one without a wedding garment and that the man was speechlesse he was as a man saith Beza with a halter about his neck saith hee goe Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth He was speechlesse he had nothing to say and truly I have had more experience lately than ever I had in my life I saw a man that was accounted all his life a professed Athiest and I was with him in the roome when one in the company opened the Gospel from one end to the other as I have endeavoured in my poore abilitie to doe now and all the riches and the salvation of it how free it is how there is no core nor nothing but what is amiable Saith the man when he had done judge yee will yee not think it just if yee be damned if ye will not receive and obey this Saith he it is so I deserve to be damned without mercy Consider this you will say so too you will be made to confesse how just your damnation will be for refusing it If there were any thing in all this that were harsh and cruell and rough
that make lawes to tie themselves Part. 1. Page 46 Those that make lawes to binde others Part. 1. Page 47 Danger to take away any of Gods lawes Part. 1. Page 59 Not to make lawes where God hath not Part. 1. Page 158 Mens lawes forced on people Part. 2. Page 28 Law and Gospel not to be mingled Part. 2. Page 52 see example Gospel Things lawfull now that were not of old Part. 1. Page 5 Lawfull what meant by it Part. 1. 6. Page â—2 Sin in doing lawful things Ibid Saints now their liberty in point of lawfulnesse Part. 1. Page 8 Christians troubled in the use of lawfull things Part. 1. Page 74 Men reproved that regard only lawfull things Part. 1. Page 89 see expedient rule submit heart Learning not to be disparaged Part. 2. Page 51 Errors on the left hand Part. 1. Page 40 Liberty of Saints in the new-Testament Part. 1. Page 14 Why Christ hath left that liberty Part. 1. Page 17 To understand our Christian liberty Part. 1. Page 51 Knowledge of Christian liberty safe Ibid Christian liberty not to be infringed Part. 1. Page 55 Christian liberty not to be abused Part. 1. Page 59 Christian liberty to be held fast Part. 1. Page 160 see others contention Gospel Life see salvation New light discovered Part. 2. Page 49 Expedient actions increase love Part. 1. Page 70 Love to be practised by Saints Part. 1. Page 106 Love to a mans selfe natures law Part. 1. Page 119 Love a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 179 Gods love in the Gospel to sinners Part. 2. Page 13 Things lovely what Part. 1. Page 85 M MAgistrates how far they may determine concerning Worship Part. 1. Page 107 Cautions for Magistrates in determining Part. 1. Page 109 see time place Malignants cause of the present contentions Part. 1. Page 132 Many see all Masters of families how they may determine concerning worship Part. 1. Page 109 Meanes see dutie Members of Christ who Part. 1. Page 35 Saints in the new Testament growne men Part. 1. Page 18 Excellent Christians have Christs minde Part. 1. Page 153 Ministers forced on people Part. 2. Page 28 Gospel Ministers to be imbraced Part. 2. Page 45 see stumbling-blocks Afflictions moderated to the Saints Part. 2. Page 20 Modestie a law of nature Part. 1. Page 119 Common multitude cause of the present contentions Part. 1. Page 134 N Nature THe law of nature to be looked too Part. 1. Page 118 Gods ordinary commands agree with the law of nature Part. 1. Page 119 Contrary names put upon men and things Part. 1. Page 101 Names of persons and things changed by the Devill Part. 1. Page 131 Service of naturall men hard Part. 1. Page 33 Magistrates may determine in necessary indifferent things Part. 1. Page 109 The Ministery of the Gospel nothing but good news Part. 2. Page 6 Latitude of Saints in the new Testament Part. 1. Page 12 see grace liberty O Offended see law OFfices and officers in the new Testament Part. 1. Page 17. Saints tyed more strictly of old Part. 1. Page 8 see lawfull grace Punctuall lawes in the old Testament Part. 1. Page 15. Old Testament spirit what Part. 1. Page 45 Sign of an old testament-spirit Part. 1. Page 91 How men deprive themselves of opportunities Part. 1. Page 147 Christians must walk orderly Part. 1 Page 86 Things done disorderly how Part. 1. Page 87 What hinders men from winning others Part. 1. Page 53 see law P Papists HArdnesse of Papists service Part. 1. Page 33 Men offended that their party is spoken against Part. 1. Page 163. see engagement Posseover strictly observed Part. 1. Page 16 What actiins tend to Peace Part. 1. Page 71 The way to peace Part. 1. Page 100.122 No peace to the wicked how Part. 2. Page 34. see selfe prosperity Some men thinke truth alway goes with persecution Part. 1. Page 175 Persecution of Saints a previledge Part. 2. Page 19 Decency in respect of a Christians person Part. 1. Page 78 Place of meeting to worship how to be determined Part. 1. Page 108 Pope his practise Part. 1. Page 48 Power given in the Gospel to doe what is required Part. 2. Page 23 Practise see Pope Bishops Things worthy praise what Part. 1. Page 85 Praise only to God Part. 1. Page 86 Of preaching Part. 1. Page 116 Precepts of severall sorts Part. 1. Page 56 see rule Prejudice inconvenient Part. 1. Page 172 Of Presbytery Part. 1. Page 49 False Presbytery Part. 1. Page 101 True Presbytery Part. 1. Page 102 Presbytery and Independents wherein they differ Ibid Presbyterians judgments Part. 1. Page 124 Contention from carnall Presbyterians Part. 1. Page 129 Principles and ends of carnall Presbyterians Part. 1. Page 136 see contention Principles see Presbytery Priviledge see persecution Outward prophanenesse by whome allowed Part. 1. Page 43 Decency in respect of profession Part. 1. Page 80 Profit meant by expediency Part. 1. Page 66 Profit how brought by actions expedient Part. 1. Page 68 profitable see sin Truth goes not alway with prosperity Part. 1. Page 173 Prosperity sometimes goes with truth Part. 1. Page 75 Of singing Psalmes Part. 1. Page 115 Things pure what Part. 1. Page 85 Q Christians full of Questions why Part. 1. Page 140 R THe Saints must be dealt with rationally Part. 1. Page 110 Reason of three sorts Part. 1. Page 117 Right reason what Ibid Rediculous to tie the Saints where Christ hath not Part. 1. Page 50 Religion presented by some as rediculous Part. 1. Page 146 Christ come to work redemption Part. 2. Page 14 Decency in regard of a Christians relation Part. 1. Page 79 Religion see endlesse burthen Things of good report what Part. 1. Page 85. Benefit by Gospel reproofe Part. 2. Page 31 Right hand errours Part. 1. Page 44 Rigour not to be used in determining things Part. 1. Page 111 The Law the outward and the Spirit the inward rule Part. 1. Page 13 What precepts or examples make a rule Part. 1. Page 58 To walke all by the same rule Part. 1. Page 103 Every thing in Scripture not a rule Part. 1. Page 166 see Scripture S SAlvation to be accepted of from Christ Part. 1. Page 37 Wrong wayes to salvation Part. 2. Page 12 Rules mis-drawen from Scripture Part. 1. Page 168 Heed in drawing rules from Scripture Part. 1. Page 169 see Canon Rule Decency in regard of season Part. 1. Page 82 The way to peace in a mans self Part. 1. Page 138 Self a hindrance to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 Ministers not to run before they be sent Part. 2. Page 51 The Saints under the old Testament servants Part. 1. Page 17 Decency in regard of sex Part. 1. Page 80 Engagement to sinners to come to Christ Part. 1. Page 26 Leaving of sin profitable Part. 2. Page 21 God makes no peace with sinne Part. 2. Page 35 Salvation offered to sinners as sinners Part. 2. Page 36 see lawfull singing see Psalmes Difference small between Indedependents and Presbyterians Part. 1. Page 125 Sobriety a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 Saints in the new Testament sonnes Part. 1. Page 17 Expedient actions for the good of the soul Part. 1. Page 74 The service of the devil will one day be soure Part. 1. Page 34 Saints in the new Testament have more of the Spirit Part. 1. Page 19 Christs Kingdom spiritual Part. 1. Page 20 The Spirit enables to doe what is required Part. 1. Page 35 Spirituall things to be studied Part. 1. Page 105 Spiritual Christians their carriage Part. 1. Page 141 Spirituall things by whom relished Part. 1. Page 155 Spirit by whom restrained Part. 2. Page 29 see rule Ministers to woe men as spouses for Christ Part. 1. Page 28 Strength not given to keepe lawes of our owne making Part. 1. Page 139 Men strive about unlikely things Part. 1. Page 126 Men strive about that they cannot proue Part. 1. Page 127 Doctrine not to be abused to strife Part. 1. Page 165 Gospel way a strict way Part. 1. Page 94 To be strict in point of expediency Part. 1. Page 98 Stumbling-blocks keep men from Christ Part. 1. Page 27 Stumbling-blocks removed Part. 1. Page 162 Saints now tied chiefely to the substance of things Part. 1. Page 23 see supper To submit to Christs laws Part. 1. Page 38 To look to our principles against times of suffering Part. 1. Page 176 Supper of the Lord how ordained Part. 1. Page 16 Substance of the Lords Supper set downe Part. 1. Page 24 Sweetnesse in the Devils service whence it is Part. 1. Page 34 Sweetnesse in Christs service not tasted Ibid T EVery thing in the Gospel glad tidings Part. 2. Page 11 Gospel tidings great and true Part. 2. Page 48 Gospel tidings to be spread abroad Ibid Tie see ridiculous Time of publique worship by whom to be determined Part. 1. Page 107 Comforts against troubles Part. 2. Page 51 Things true what Part. 1. Page 84 Saints of old as children under tutours Part. 1. Page 18 V Signe of unbeliefe Part. 2. Page 36 understand see liberty Unsetlednesse in Religion whence Part. 2. Page 57 W VVatchfulnesse a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 179 Weak Christians cause contentions Part. 1. Page 129 Nothing commanded by God to be weakened Part. 1. Page 165 Some make the way wider than Christ hath made it Part. 1. Page 40 Expedient actions tend to the winning of others Part. 1. Page 73 see others Carnall wisdome a hindrance Part. 1. Page 176 Spirituall wisdome a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 God wil interpret his own word Part. 1. Page 174 Fancy to be subjected to the word Part. 1. Page 178 Notions to be followed as they agree with the word The maine work of salvation done already Part. 1. Page 29 Liberty in the externalls of Gods worship Part. 1. Page 15 No liberty in the substance of Gods worship Ibid The maine work done concerning worship Part. 1. Page 104 Y Yoake of Christ what Part. 1. Page 9. READER THe number of the Pages in the latter three Sermons beginning with 1 2 3 c. For thy ease in the use of the Table I have set down what is contained in the nine former Sermons as Part 1. In the three latter as Part 2. Whereby with ease may be found any head in either T. S.
Gospel-libertie In the Extensions Limitations of it Wherein is laid down an exact way to end the present dissentions and to preserve future peace among the SAINTS VVhereunto is added good newes from HEAVEN TO The Worst of SINNERS on Earth The former in nine Sermons on 1 Cor. 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient The latter in three Sermons on LUKE 2.10 Feare not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people By WALTER CRADOCK Late Preacher at All-Hallows Great in LONDON James 2.12 So speake yee and so doe as they that shall be judged by the law of Libertie LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons 1648. AN EPISTOLAR PREFACE Touching Things indifferent The Morall Law Expediency THE Author absent intrusted the elegancy of printing with that Artist But bequeathed the Pre-epistling to a Brother-Elder let him be accountable for his Artifice I of the Subject-matter Epistolar Commendations of Authors of Bookes as it were to their faces before all the world is more common with most then commendable with candid ingenious modest men on either side The Pulpit having made the Author more famous and in a more expedient way than my pen can imitate and this his booke sufficiently speaking for its self I shall only preface as I can amidst these trouble of times and mine own businesse something sutable to the Contents of the Booke The Title tels you it is GOSPEL-LIBERTY meaning NEW-TESTAMENT LIBERTY For that the Author seemes to intend attend throughout his discourse The Contents or Table leades you to the things where hee gives you the just dimensions of his sence therein And as often as he is not pleased to be expresse and punctuall hee leaves you hints and generalls whereby to abound in your own sense But beware how ye apply lest ye mis-apply Ministers in nothing are more in danger in their whole Ministery then in their managing of the Doctrine of Christian liberty And people are most in danger in the application thereof For as the Doctrine is Case-divinity to me the most comprehensive and curious especially in the bringing of it down to the infinite of particulars so mens consciences in these most Gospel-abusing times are exceedingly complexioned to licentiousness So that wee may sadly sigh forth this strange paradox In medio consist it vitium that is In the use of middle indifferent things is committed most vice For in these things Professors also generally offend Things expresly forbidden or commanded are too grosse and ignominious for a face that is but modestated by profession But in things indifferent there appearing a character of lawfulnesse stampt upon them professors grow too resolute and peremptory in their use to deliberate what when how much c. is convenient or expedient And thus they precipitate themselves into licentiousnesse in these offence-giving and offence-taking times to the occasioning of many to spew up that rligion they had taken down For men now a dayes will not rightly understand the bounds of things indifferent they cannot beare the weight of the morall Law under its proper notion which states what things are necessary by prohibition or injunction and so do not drink in kindly the Doctrine of Expediency but are at a losse in the application of it at every turning goe out of their way A little of each of these three is all I have to say to the tractable Reader in this Epistle 1. THINGS INDIFFERENT chrysost some call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Things that partake of nether extream so as to be diffenced thereby in relation to morall good or evill but are in that respect as they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all alike neither good nor evill The meaning is That these things considered in themselves Arist Rhet. though physically they differ in their essence and kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in their naturall qualities yet morally I say still considered in themselves as in relation to good or evill manners they carry no difference upon them But if morally they be transformed into any such difference it is not as they are entia or talia that is as they are things or such things but as they are considered and used Indifferency in simple termes or things is thus distinguished God and graces as physically and essentially so morally are absolutely and positively and peremptorily good So that we cannot change their natures we cannot as such abuse them * So the great Philosopher of vertue proving thereby that happines consists in vertue On the contrary Satan as Satan and sin as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a swerving from the rule of restitude are morally all together evill So that wee I say we cannot change their natures we cannot as they are such well use them But for meat and drinke mirth or mourning recreation sleeping wakeing severall wayes of Arts tradings with infinite more they all are morally indifferent Arist c. They are morally in themselves neither good nor evill but as they are used Meat used to surfeiting or wantonnesse drinke to drunkennesse or raginst cloaths to pride Arts to deceive trading to covetousnesse c. become evill Indifferency in complex expressions or compounded actions consisting of severall acts or actings is thus distinguished Those exppessions or actions which are clearly or by evident consequence commanded or forbidden those are necessarily either good or evill morally Those which are neither so commanded or forbidden are indifferent The Apostle to keep us from failing about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things indifferent calls us to a consideration of things as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differenced Phil. 1.10 That yee approve the things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Sincerity is put in the midale as the heart in the middle of the body to minister Spirits and life to the other two As if the Apostle should say as ye wil approve your selves to be sincere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tryed at the beames of the word Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light or splendor of the Sun and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discerne or judge as young Eagles or Chap mens cemmodities at the light of the Sun and found right able to endure the divine light and not discovered of any wittingly concealed deceit so ye must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Try and discern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things or actions or expressions as they differ either from indifferency by reason of circumstances in the use or from mediocrity of goodnesse by eminent qualities as they may be improved And so saith the Apostle ye may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither stumbling nor causing to stumble ◠Compare 1 Cor. 10.32 same word neither taking nor giving offence * Under this notion of indifferency there is couched a liberty in the use of such things that beare that character A liberty either
was to be blamed for his dissembling and drawing others into the like dissimulation to wave lay by their liberty and freedome from Jewish Ceremonies by Judaizing with the Jews for a time though they were fully confirmed in their own consciences of their own liberty 3. Towards the obstinate unbelievers that are wilfully superstitious or maliciously opposite the rule is by no meanes to forbear the use of our Christian liberty before such lest we weaken it and strengthen them Mat. 15.14 In the beginning of the Chapter the Scribes and Pharisees tooke offence at Christ that his Disciples did eate with unwashen hands as intimatingly blaming him for teaching them no better our Saviour reproves them for observing humane traditions and withall gives them a better lesson viz. That not that which goeth into but that which commeth out of the mouth defileth The Disciples come and tell Christ that at that saying the Scribes and Pharisees were yet more offended Christ instead of any indulgence practised or prescribed towards such returns this answer vers 13 14. Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up LET THEM ALONE they be blinde leaders of the blind wilfully blind And if the blind lead the blind they shall both fall into the ditch The like rule some pious learned collect out of Pauls circumcising Timothie not circumcising Titus He circumciseth Timothie because of the weake believing Jewes Acts 16.3 But bee would not suffer Titus to be circumcised lest he should indulge too much unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insinuating insidiatorie false brethren Gal. 2.3 4. Observe hence by the way a golden rule for these present ☜ dissenting times Circumcision was not indifferent in the thing For not long before it was an Ordinance of God and so necessarily to be used Since that it was abrogated by Christs death and so de jure of equity in regard of the thing it selfe it could not be used The reason therefore that must justifie Paul in circumcising Timothy must be some such like as this That though Circumcision in esse in being now was not indifferent but in that regard necessarily to be laid aside yet at present in the Cognôsse the generall knowledge of it among men it had a kind of notion of indifferency upon it For as yet in the time of Acts 16. When Paul circumcised Timothy the stature for it's repeale was not come forth under the hands of the Apostles as after it was peremptorily set forth Gal. 5.2 And so it could not oblige untill a due promulgation of it And so mean while Paul might some how use it as a kinde of indifferent thing in regard of the severall opinions of believers in this intervall of time For those that were confident it was in force would not be offended And those that thought it abrogated would not be offended for the sake of those weake believers that would be offended at the omission of it or at least looke on it as a Blank But for unbelievers that clamoured for it as necessary Paul took more care to assert his liberty then to please them All which prudently weighed and skilfully applyed by Saints may be most soveraign to compose great dissentings or at least remove grievous scandals taken if not given in these peace-lesse and unkind speaking times among THEM The godly ☜ Anabaptists as they are distinguished take offence at the godly Presbyterian and Congregational men for baptizing the Infants of Believers The godly Classicall Presbyterians take offence at the Congregation way that it doth not receive the regiment of the classes nor submit to as necessary all their appeales and sentences upon appeales And the godly of the Presbyterian and Congregationall way take offence at the Anabaptists for not baptizing Believers Infants As the Anabaptists and Congregationall way take offence at the Presbyterians for their set standing classes and their peremptory sentences upon appeales enjoyned without all faile to be obeyed what ever they be or however they look in the view of Scripture and godly Consciences Now if these severall judgements each of them interchangeably in favour to his contrary did but aptly apply the Case aforesaid of circumcision ☞ so as at least to attain to this result That however these things of Baptisme Classes Appeals c. are in their BEING yet the Royall Edict for KNOWING is not yet cleer to the judgement scrupling the OFFENCE both on the one side and the other would be in a great measure ☞ if not altogether removed and till God reveale it to those that are otherwise minded Phil. 3.15 we all should sweetely agree as Saints to defend one another and the publique safety against the common enemie of unbelievers or worse Thus you have how the strong Christian or strong Believer ought to carry himselfe in the use of things indifferent 2. If any be a weake believer a weak Christian and he that is weake in his knowledge assurance of justification and faith for mortification hath little reason to be confident of his strong faith about things indifferent though it be the ill custome of weaklings to be most peremptorily censorious about these things who so bold as blind Bayard I say if any be a weak believer hee must thus carry himselfe towards him that is strong Dost thou that art weake see him that is strong use freely his Christian liberty before thee not suspecting thy weakenesse in knowledge and faith in those things Doe not thou presume rigidly to censure and condemne his knowledge and faith in that liberty Christs blood hath purchased for him For so runs the absolute rule Rom. 14.2 3 4. One believeth he may eate all things another who is weak eateth herbs Let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him Who art thou that judgest another mans servant The non-observation of this rule sets the present age on fire Men cry out for and cry up Gospel preaching professe and applaud Gospel spirits talke also apace of love sweetnesse and reciprocall condescension Thus ' t is in the theory or every man for himselfe But how is it in the practicke Thus the face lookes quite is contrary way the bels ring backward This man that will not see hardly his owne sinfull infirmity will looke keenly into anothers Christian liberty vote it a sinne and passe a condemnation upon it And by all meanes lookes that another should be humbled a long time as low as the lowest Hell for his infirmities whilst this Censurer himselfe for his own evill actions equivalent if not more prevalent and sinfully eminent will not be cast down a day so low as I may say as Purgatory before men This age hath not learned any thing to purpose of that Gal. 6.2 Beare ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the law of Christ No we adde to one anothers burthens And if we suppose another be proud passionate c. we trample upon it with a greater pride and
passion Thus of the 1. generall head Things indifferent Next of the morall Law 2. For the morall law of the ten Commandements whose injunctions and prohibitions directly determine the question what things are necessary viz. must be done or must not be done and consequentially what it leaves out it resolves us to be indifferent the licentious of this age lay aside thereby to attain a vaster liberty to make more things indifferent then ever God made and so to doe even what they please And their pretended reason is because they conclude it to be of the Covenant of works And I wish they have not learnt it from Pulpits unskilfully handling it and putting it wrongfully under that notion For the morall law of the to Commandements is cleerly an appendix or part of the Covenant of Grace For as Love answers to faith in the New Testament so did the ten Commandements answer to the Ceremoniall law in the Old Testament Will any man that is in his wits according to Scripture deny that either love in the New Testament or the Ceremoniall Law in the Old Testament were of the Covenant of Grace The text is plain Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing that is then or at any time in the outside nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love And the Lord Christ and the Apostles have this often up The law is fulfilled in this one word LOVE And saith Christ of the Ceremoniall law John 5.48 Had ye believed Moses yee would have believed me for he wrote of mee I need say no more to mind men that love in the N. T. and the Ceremoniall Law in the O. T. were of the Covenant of Grace and that love in the N. T. answers to the ten Commandements in the O. T. And is there any thing in the ten Commandements to bespeake them a place in the Covenant of workes Doth commanding Why then doth Christ so often say to believers John 14 c. If you love me keepe my Commandements It 's farre more suitable to a Gospel way and a gracious Covenanting Spirit rather to be commanded by the authority of his Saviour then to pinne all obedience upon the power of his own uncertain love Luther hints notably to this Lord saith hee thou commandest me to pray I cannot pray as I would but I will obey Though my prayer be not acceptable yet thine owne Commandement is acceptable to thee And if ever any man Luther was of a most pure high Gospel-spirit deny it who can that hath read his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians now common in English On the other side what meanes the preface to the ten Commandements viz. I am the Lord Hebr. JEHOVAH Thy God which have brought thee out of the LAND of AEGYPT out of the house of bondage Doe not these words usher in the Commandements and set them down amidst the Covenant of Grace For here God as our God upon new tearms of redemption freely offering himselfe to us not upon the old namely doe this and thou shalt live We are brought out of Aegypt in Christ Mat. 2.15 That is we are brought out of sprituall Aegypt the wicked world as John expounds it Revel 11.8 An hint of these things is enough to them that will understand And doe not severall promises annexed to severall Commandements as to the 2d 4th 5th sound of Gospel-grace to the same tune with the preface I am importuned to be short for the accommodation of the Printer therefore I can but touch things It were strange if God many hundred yeares after his Govenant of Grace which he promised and plighted with man Gen. 3. Expounded and further confirmed Gen. 17. Compare Rom. 4. Should at Sinai make a Covenant of workes Learned and pious Polanus renowned for both is bold to speak higher It were very unreasonable saith hee to imagine that God should make a Covenant of workes with man after Adams fall and so unable to doe any spirituall thing having made THAT only ONCE viz. in Paradise when man was in a CAPACITIE to enter into SUCH a Covenant Object The Apostle Paul often in his Epistles opposeth the Law to faith and seemes to understand both the Ceremoniall and morall Answ The Apostle doth not oppose the Law to faith as the Law is considered in it selfe but as it is misconceived and misemployed by the Justiciary Selfe-justifier Cleer enough the morall law is not opposite to faith Jam. 2.21 to the end of the Chapter study the place For the least thou canst make of it will be thus much that a working faith is the only living justifying faith Working must justifie faith to be true faith as faith justifies us to be true Saints But the justiciary that would justifie himselfe by working he lookes upon all law both morall and Ceremoniall yea and upon the law of FAITH too as the Apostle cals it as on works Those of the Jewes that were such justiciaries obeyed the morall law not out of faith working by love Gal. 5. but out of selfe-love to justifie themselves by selfe-wrought righteousnesse Mark 10.20 Luk. 10.29 And they sacrificed and used other things of the Ceremoniall law not as an expiation and attonement including Christ as the kernel but as on workes by them performed to their cost and labour and so rested in the deede done Jer. 7.4 And so the Prophet cals Ceremonies there then lying vanities And forbids them Isa 1. Upon this consideration the Apostle speaks acuratly and precisely to the false notion of these Jewish justiciaries Rom. 9.31 32. They attained not to righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but AS IT WERE by the workes of the Law meaning that the law morall or Ceremoniall was not in themselves of the Covenant of works but by the false notion of justiciaries they were to them tanquam WORKES they were as so to them to this Luther speaks notably to this effect Men saith he looke on the law asquint they looke on the law given by Moses as MOSES MOSISSIMUS that is MEER MOSAIGALL MOSES i. e. upon the Outward things and performances abstracted by themselves and so the Law saith he kills And not on the Law as given by Moses AARONICUS that is AARONICALL MOSES i. e. as Aaron the High Priest joyned with Moses typifying Christs Priestly office as Moses did his Propheticall and Kingly whereby attonement is signified for our persons and for the sins of our imperfect obeying the commands of either law and so our soules are saved alive So that as faith and love cannot be separated nor may they be confoūded in the New Testament Not confounded to make the law of faith a worke as the Papists and others doe whiles they adore it as a quality in us without its object Christ grasped in the hand thereof and so looke upon it as love viz. as a working thing in us or to make love as faith as if love were the forme of faith perfecting
the new Testament are sonnes under the old they were servants as it were and we under the new Testament are Sonnes You shall read Gal. 4.1 that the heire as long as he is a childe differs not from a servant What is the reason that Paul calls them Servants You shall see afterwards that they being servants were tied to such burdens and rules You expect from a sonne more care than from a servant and that a sonne should doe more for your advantage than a servant But here is the difference between a sonne and a servant you will not lay such burdens on a sonne as on a servant And you tell a servant every day how he shall doe every thing one after another and call him to account this is the condition of a servant But to a sonne you onely say Walk honorably and as becomes your selfe do some good be imployed be not idle A sonne looks to his businesse and honours his father more though he be not tied It is base to tie a son as much as a servant So we being now to be sonnes truly and really the Lord hath given us a larger liberty Another thing is this 2. The Saints then were children under tutors the Saints now as men in years that they were sonnes too though they were as servants but they were in their minority they were under Tutors and Governours till the time appointed of the Father and being so they were in bondage they were little children as it were in their coats and we are grown strong grown men to full age We are as men in ripe yeares but they in the old Testament were little children as it were you know you must make lawes for little children you say to a little childe take heed of a knife that you do not cut your fingers take heed that you doe not goe over the threshold or over a bridge or neare the fire or the water lest you fall in and you have lawes how he shall doe every thing but when this childe is grown up to twenty or foure and twenty yeares is it not a shamefull thing that a man should tie such a sonne and say goe not over the threshold unlesse you ask leave nor take a knife in your hand c. No we break those little lawes and dissolve them by degrees as the childe growes up to yeares So when we were grown to full yeares as we are under the Gospel the Lord Jesus hath broken and dissolved those little childish lawes those beggerly Rudiments those A. B. C. lawes and accidences wet for children the child is led by the sleeve and reads with a feskew the Lord hath broken these and the reason is good that these should be dissolved and the people of God should not be tied as when they were children Thirdly 3. The Saints under the new Testament have more of the Spirit another reason is this that the Saints under the new Testament were to have more of the Spirit of God to teach them within what is the will of God and what is for the glory of God therefore they have lesse need of teaching by externall things A word to the wise is enough the wiser a man is the lesse you need to beat things into his head to say you must turn at this corner and at that to a foole you say you must doe this and doe that but if it be a wise man that hath brains in his head you tell him his message and there is an end So they were children and silly and things must be beaten into their heads and they must be told every meeting and every turning But in the Gospel God hath promised to poure out his Spirit as it is Joel 2. I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh And in Hebr. 8. In the new Covenant it shall not be as in the dayes of old What is the difference Then every man did teach his neighbour but it shall not be so now but they shall be all taught of God from the least to the greatest Most of their knowledge in the old Testament by outward means The meaning is this they in the old Testament had little knowledge but what they got by outward meanes therefore they were to write the law of God upon their walles and upon their posts and to speake of it when they did sit down and when they rose up and those that had most parts and breeding and learning and most knowledge in the Scriptures they were the knowingest men but now they shall not every man teach his neighbour Not but that it is lawfull for every one to help another but the meaning is this that most of their knowledge shall not come by outward externall wayes But saith God I will poure out abundance of my Spirit and they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Therefore we see in 1 Joh. 2. that John himselfe being accounted and that deservedly the most spirituall Apostle of all Little Children saith he you have an anointing and I need not teach you John would not take upon him to teach them they had so much of the Spirit Therefore under the new Testament the Lord having appointed to poure out abundance of his Spirit upon his people he thinks it unfit to goe and make such endlesse lawes as were in the old Testament Now the Spirit of God doth not onely teach us what is the will of God and the mind of Christ in things lawfull but in things that were undetermined that were neither lawfull nor unlawfull the holy Ghost teacheth us what is expedient and what is not and thou hast as much need of the Spirit of God to shew thee that which is expedient and inexpedient as to know the will of God and the rule what is lawfull and what is unlawfull Fourthly 4. God would set up a spirituall kingdome in the new Testament if you would know why Christ hath given a larger latitude and liberty in externall things to the Saints now than to them it is because the Lords purpose and designe was under the new Testament to set up a spirituall kingdome all the old things the services and offerings in the old law were but signes and shadowes of spirituall worship The Kings daughter is all glorious within prophesying of the Saints in the new Testament that their glory should be chiefly mainly in inward graces Therefore as in the old Testament there is a great deale of externall worship laid down in every leafe but the spirituall was vailed and covered so in the new Testament in every leafe and line almost the spirituall worship is set down in the serving of God and Christ and the outward in a sort is vayled Now you know by experience how hard it is to break a custome if we be but 20 or 40 years accustomed to a thing Custeme hardly broken it is hard to break it How hard is it to break a drunkard of his custome
comes in place but when it is expedient compleatly God never dispenseth with such an action but it is a sin not to doe it As for instance suppose you have a sonne that is at age and you have an Apprentise and you bid him doe so much work you go home to your house and bid your sonne studie to doe that that may be for the honour of his father but you tie him to nothing And when you are from home the sonne meets with an opportunitie that might have inriched his fathers house for ever if he had taken it but he did it not and the servant is negligent and doth not doe his work in your absence When the father comes home and the sonne shall say I had an advantage to have advanced you and us all but I did not take it his father did not command him to lay hold of the opportunitie but judge you would you be more angrie with the sonne or with the servant that neglected only a few trifling things So you have opportunitie to make God honourable as I may with reverence speak in such a Court in such a Committee at such a time in such a thing that God hath not absolutely coÌ„manded or forbidden This is the reason if you compare Jude with 2 Pet. why there are such woes threatned against those that turn the grace of God into wantones they bring upon themselves swift damnation Why so God bestoweth grace and hath made them free and redeemed them and they turne all to wantonesse and loosnesse Therefore I will conclude only with one instance and that is thus suppose you had a servant in your house the master workman of the shop that you doe not use to tie to any thing he is a good servant and hath wisdome to do himself good and to advance the familie you have a little young Apprentise and you tie him to doe so much work against you come home and both neglect it the great man and the boy they have done nothing What will you say You will say to the man I thought you had had more wisdome I thought you would have given good example to the childe that you had been a man of wisdome and would have been trustie when I was gone from home and for you to be idle and to let goe such a market and such customers you would be a hundred fold more angrie with him than with the other Thus the Jewes were children and were tied to an ilet-hole and to the snuffe of a candle Now the Lord hath left us free for his honour and our advantage Now when we shall come to reckon before the Lord and God shall finde carnall professors that never laid hold of an opportunity to honour God what will God say I thought you would have honoured me you have another Gospel for clearnesse and glory and you have more wisdome and the offer of my Spirit and yet you were drunken and carnall professors you had so many opportunities and you let them goe and did me no honour but lived as droanes and did goe out as the snufe of a candle I will pay you for all The summe is not to neglect any known commandment but to make no more than God hath made and to make out the rest in expediencie that is the way to honour the Lord. Therefore to conclude I wish and exhort you as James saith So speak and so do as those that shall be jugded by the law of liberty O the law of liberty will be a severe law one day God hath called us to be sonnes he hath given us a great deale of liberty whereby we may serve him more to his glory and with more honour to our selves if we abuse this and walk carnally and ill-favouredly it will be a severe law to us and a severe day to such professors Stumbling Blocks REMOVEd 1 CORINTHIANS 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient WEE are come to the last Doctrine that wee observed from these words namely That a Christian in his walking should eye not only what is lawfull and what is unlawful but also what is expedient and what is inexpedient I have delivered to you almost all that I have to say to you concerning this point also Something there is to cleare or rather to fasten this upon you that so I may finish the point at this time But beloved I see the devill seeks to hinder us and to cast blocks in our way therefore before I goe forward I must speak two or three words to clear a littâ—â— of the way For wee that are Ministers are companâ— to Carpenters in our building the house of God and when a Carpenter goes home at night and leaves his work he findes rubbish in his way in the morning that must be removed Stumbling blocks removed and so it is in our Ministrie Now for the removing of this consider and understand these three things that so I may proceed First that whereas we have spent foure or five Lords dayes in opening this doctrine to you ayming at peace among the Saints for for the other the seed of the Serpent they will never be reconciled I would have you understand this that I have not all this while properly and directly spoken against any mans way whatsoever It is true I have had occasion to speak of those that you call Familists and Antinomians and Independents and Anabaptists and Presbyterians though I be wary to use any of these words because I desire peace but in all that I have said hetherto of any of these mens wayes I did not properly speak against any of their wayes but what I spake was by way of illustration The scope of the whole work only to illustrate and cleare the thing in hand what is that This that I professe my selfe an open adversarie and enemie to of any thing in the world all my drift hath been to illustrate and cleare out that Old-Testament principle that is the root of all mischeife almost What is that That principle in you whereby you will goe and make lawes in externall things under the Gospel where Christ hath not made them and in the mean while neglect or destroy love and peace and edification This principle is that that I have followed and if I have spoken of Anabaptists or Presbyterians or Independents it hath been to ferret out this principle that like leaven to my understanding hath soured us all and if the Lord direct us that we may have this out that is my designe and endeavour There are two sorts of people among you 2. Sorts of people which doe somewhat discourage and hinder us in the work The one is divers that are wonderous well pleased I will not say but some are pleased to edification 1. Some that are pleased with the doctrine for faction they are pleased because they be edified I hope so But I feare others are exceedingly taken because I
have occasion to mention all these sorts of people therefore they are pleased because every one hopes to get the other to his faction As if he be a Presbyterian it is nutts to him to heare any thing spoken against the Independents and if he be an Independent to heare the Presbyterians spoken against so I feare you are pleased because you are in faction and every one is glad to have the Preacher side with his faction This pleaseth corruption but doth the soule no good Others on the other side are offended exceedingly at what hath been said why so 2. Some offended because their party is spoken against because hearing any thing spoken of that patty they are of whatsoever it is by way of illustration to cleare and follow and hunt out this principle they take it hainously why so because religion I must tell you is all in faction among us therefore though you your selves acknowledge that there are some godly men that are Independents and some godly men that are Presbyterians yet it is so in faction that if a Preacher raile against Presbytery he is an excellent Preacher and on the other side if he be bitter against Independents he is a rare man and so you goe along in faction that no man living is able to doe your soules good I bewaile it and it will be your misery you in this City of all places in Christendome excepting none are miserable people Here is a populous place and abundance of Preachers and abundance of itching eares and greasie hearts as the Psalmist saith and you will not be tyed by the Magistrates to your Parishes and I desire not that but you will not be tied by the Ministers to suffer the word of exhortation but you make a trade of wandering from Minister to Minister to try their eares and as soone as you have heard a word that crosseth your corruption and your fancy you are gone As if a poore soldier should come with a wounded arme or a broken legg and desire a Chirurgeon to put on a plaister and when hee feeles it smart away he goes from that Chirurgeon to another and so to a third a fourth So you are miserable souls without Gods mercy like to perish for ever you have hearts as fat as brawne as fat as grease as some translate it VVhat is that Our work is upon your hearts we are Gods hammers the word is called so by Ieremiah Now take a greasie thing and put it under a hammer and it will slip on one side and on another and you can never strike it justly So you if there be any thing that crosses your humour it is a hard saying and away you goe and were it not for your own meserie it were no great losse Therefore let me tell you it is a principle that I am an enemie to wheresoever it is and it is that I have bin hunting out and let every one take his share to open it and labour to finde it out for his good I would begine with my selfe and I professe before you that there is no principle that hath mislead my soule to my greife as this principle Let me take my share and you yours and suffer not your hearts to be above the word of God and to run wild when any thing comes to do you good but suffer the word of exhortation for your good That is one thing Secondly this is another thing in all that I have said and I have spoken much concerning this I have not in all this woe to me if I should sought to innervate 2. nothing commanded by God weekned or weaken any jot or tittle of any absolute command of God concerning any good commanded or any evil forbidden Think not therefore as I said before here is a latitude Paul hath broken downe the hedge and wee may doe what we list No in all things that God hath determined I have carried it so that I would not have the good omitted that he hath commanded or the evil done that he hath forbidden For I know what the Spirit faith in the close of the booke of the Revelations He that adds to this booke God shall add to him all the plagues that are written in this booke and he that puts to any thing God shall put his name out of the booke of life and I know that he that breaks the least commandment and teacheth men so to doe shall be least in the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5. Therefore I have not in all this sought to weaken any one tittle or thing absolutely determined 3. Not to abuse this doctrine to strife Thirdly and lastly the maine aime of all was peace therefore I would admonish you all of being like the Spider to draw poyson out of the sweetest flowers If wee studie to make peace thou pickest occasion of more warre to jangle and wrangle more woe to thee for if Christ say Blessed are the peace makers than Cursed are the peace breakers Those that any way give just occasion to break the peace of Gods people And I am affraide notwithstanding all that hath been said there are some among us that I may say of them as David saith of some in his time when I speak of peace they prepare for warre So when we speak of peace and use means to reconcile the Saints they pick occasion of jangling and wrangling This is but to cleare the way So now I proceed to that that remaines which consists in two things The one is to point out breifly some hindrances in the way of the Saints that must be remooved or else wee shall never walk according to this rule Seconly to shew some few meanes as we call them externall meanes that God hath directed me to how to come to square our hearts and lives according to this rule But before I come to that there are two objections in the way which I shall answer breifly The first is this Object you will say Sir for all you say you ayme at peace and you endeavour peace yet notwithstanding me thinks you seem to innervate the word of God you seem to make a great deale of the word of God unprofitable for if we must not make an absolute rule of every thing here what doe we with it There will be a great deale void for you told us that every example no not every precept doth not make an absolute rule to binde the Saints so it seemes there will be a great deale void and what shall wee doe with it To answer that briefly I deny that there is any thing in this blessed booke that is unprofitable Answ 1 Nothing in the Scripture but is of use but I deny this also that every thing in the New-Testament is profitable to make a rule of I will shew you two places of Scripture the first is in Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning But not every thing a rule that we
Christ and the holy Spirit and to imbrace the Messengers that bring those glad tidings to account their very feet beautifull the meanest part of the body and upon the moutaines Isa 52.7 the barren places of the earth And I doubt not but many poore soules can from experience blesse God for the worthy Authour in those barren mountaines where he converseth and else where and say of him as David of Ahimaaz he is a good man and bringeth good tidings 2 Sam 18.27 Though others being hardened spit at such lights and labour to extinguish who God in just judgment will cause to stumble and fall and lie downe in eternall darknesse But I shall detaine thee no longer from the the work but commend it and thee in Gods blessing and rest Thine in the Gospel of Christ GOOD NEWES To the Worst of SINNERS MARKE 16.15 And hee said unto them goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature YOu may easily understand who spake these words and to whom they were spoken In these words our Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection when he had all power in Heaven and Earth given to him he sends forth his Apostles to Preach and he bids them Goe into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature This was their Commission they were to have now to go preach the Gospel Indeed they had a Commission before but it was only to the Jewes and it was a little but by spirts but now Christ was risen from the dead and had received all power in Heaven and Earth he sends them for good and all as it were he gives them a full and compleate Commission Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature The words opened Before I come to the Lesson that I mean to insist upon there are two things here in the words that must be opened that you may see the foundation or ground of this Lesson And that is Gospel what meant by it First what is meant by Gospel Goe and preach the Gospel Then what is meant by creature Goe preach the Gospel to every creature For the first what is meant by Gospel I will not stand upon the severall acceptations of it onely you may understand that both in the Scripture language and also among the Heathen Gospel hath been taken for Glad tidings good newes in generall any Good newes or Glad tidings have been called Gospel So the Greek word signifies so some conceive the English word Godspel being old English signifies Gospel that is good speech good newes good hearing good tidings but in a peculiar sense in Scripture it is taken for that Good tidings of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ And so in this sense we read of it in the old Testament and in the new In the old Testament you shall read in Heb. 4.3 that our Fathers they had the Gospel as well as we but Beloved you are to take notice that though our Fathers had the Gospel that is the glad tidings of life and salvation by Jesus Christ from Adam from the beginning of the world yet they had it but dimly and darkly and they had it mixed with a great deale of Law a great deale of bad tidings as I may speak they had a little good newes with a great deale of bad So Adam had a little good tidings The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head and there was bad tidings also there was the curse upon the Serpent and upon the woman the man the woman should bring forth in paine the man must eat his bread in the sweat of his browes And so in all the old Testament there was a little Gospel in the Prophecies and Gospel in the sacrifices and Gospel in the visions but abundance of law mingled with this Gospel the one spake sad tidings as well as the other did good for you know the Law spake curses and damnation to those that in every point did not observe it But in the new Testament especially after the resurrection of Jesus Christ when he went up to Heaven we read that there was perfect Gospel or only good newes and glad tidings for the bad newes was now all gone And so it is to be understood here Goe preach the Gospel As if he should say I doe not my disciples bid you goe and give them now good newes and then bad to give them a little of the Law and a line of Gospel but goe preach the Gospel emphatically that is meerly purely Gospel for now Christ is risen from the dead and now the Gospel in the purity and simplicity is erected Goe preach the Gospel Creature what meant by it To every creature What should be the meaning of that We know that in the Scripture language creature most usually signifies not men but beasts things without life as in Rom. 8. you have it twice or thrice The creature groaneth the beasts and the woods and every thing that God hath made as being a name somewhat too low for men in the ordinary Scripture expression Yet so as it comprehends men for men also are sometimes called creatures Now what should the meaning of this be that now the Gospel being to be purely and fully and compleatly set up whether the Lord Jesus would have them preach and make known glad tidings to all creatures that is that even the bruit beasts and these creatures without life that they should have glad tidings and good newes from the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ I will not averr that it is so that that is the meaning of it but surely beloved there is no creature under heaven but hath a great deale of glad tidings and good newes from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for we read Rom. 8. that the creature groanes and the creature exspects deliverance and redemption All these creatures by sinne are brought into slavery and certainly they shall partake of the libertie of the Sonnes of God there is a redemption for them out of slavery as well as for men by the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ But what that shall be or in what sort I cannot determine Now whether you will understand it so that our Lord Christ meant not men and women only but that by creature the poore creatures that are without life and bruit beasts and all might understand the precious worth of this Gospel Gentiles called creatures Or take it more restrained as generally the godly doe that by creature here is meant the Gentiles in opposition to the Jewes for they knew that they were to preach the Gospel to the Jewes which they also did before the resurrection but now saith Christ Goe preach the Gospel to every creature That is now I will have no distinction of persons I doe not now say take heed of the way of the Samaritans but goe which way you will goe to the Gentiles to Sinners to
the difference between the old Testament and the new or between the Law and the Gospel if I may so speak the Law that is the administration of the Gospel in the time of the Law where there was a little good newes but mingled with a world of bad and terrible newes Yee are not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voyce of words which they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more For they could not endure that which was commanded And if so much as a beast touch the mountaine it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart Here is nothing but what is terrible and sad newes as a mountaine that was so terrible that it might not be touched when God did give his Law upon mount Horeb or mount Sinai and that mountaine all burning with fire If we see a house burning with fire it is terrible but to see a mountaine all over burning with fire and with blacknesse and darknesse and tempest too A fire though it be terrible yet there is somewhat comfortable because there is light but that fire was full of blackness and darknesse and darknesse is a sad thing And there was tempest and lightning and thunder and a voyce of words a voyce of terrible words that bid them doe such and such things that they had no power to doe and yet they must doe them or be damned It was terrible in so much that Moses himself that used to see God face to face said I quake exceedingly and if a beast touch the hill he must be stoned to death or thrust through with a dart Here was nothing but terrible objects in the administration of the old Testament in the giving of the Law upon mount Sinai But come to the new Testament of the Gospel as it is set up since Christ went to the holy of holies after his resurrection You are come now to mount Sion and that was a pleasant place if you take it according to the letter it was the pleasantest place about Jerusalem And you are come to the City of the living God to the heavenly Jerusalem And what a beautifull thing that is you may read in Revel 20. and 21. a City with 12 gates and every gate a whole pearle And to innumerable companies of Angels Whether that be meant that now in the times of the Gospel God sends out Angels to minister to the Saints more frequently or diligently than formerly or as most men understand it Ye are now come to a myrd of Angels or to an innumerable company of Angels that is ye are come to an estate by Christ in the Gospel wherein you are at least equall with Angels And you are come to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne as if he should say you are come to a Church where all are Patriarches for the Patriarches were the first borne heretofore Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and they were honourable men Every Saint in the time of the Gospel is in as honourable and glorious a condition as any Patriarch you are not come to a Church of ordinary Saints but to the Church of the first borne whose names are written in heaven And you are come to the judge of all You will say that is a terrible thing No it is a blessed thing to see God in the light of the Gospel to be a judge Therefore in 2 Thes 1. and divers other places he comforts the Saints in their persecutions and sufferings with this that God will come to judgement God is the Judge of all it is a comfortable thing And then you are come to the spirits of just men made perfect to such an assembly of Saints and Church of the first borne where the spirits of men are made perfect that is beyond my expression and conception there is a perfection of the Saints in their love and in their graces incomparably to that it was before And yee are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling You are come to such an estate and to such a Testament where Christ is the Intercessor and his blood speaks not as the blood of Abel it doth not cry for vengance but alway for grace and mercy from his father to you You see in the administration of the New Testament or of the Gospel there is not one sillable or tittle but what is amiable and sweet and comfortable even to the worst of sinners And therefore the Spouse in the Canticles speaking of Christ as I suppose she commends Jesus Christ from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot as all beautifull and amiable and then she summes up all Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Jesus Christ in the new Testament or Ministery of the Gospel is all faire altogether amiable even to the worst of sinners there is no spot in him So you have the Lesson breifly Every particular in the Gospel glad tidings Now that which with the help of God I will further doe is to give you a weiw of the summe of the whole Gospel in particular that so you may look upon every peice of it and you shall see that there is not a jot from the beginning to the end but it brings glad tidings to the worst of sinners The Gospel shewes mans wretched condition First of all you may take notice that the Gospel doth hold forth to sinners their lost wretched condition they are in In the Gospel poore sinners come to learne what a damnable wretched condition they are in whereas men without it think they are well they doe no body hurt they give to the poore and lend and the like and yet they are going the broad way to destruction Now we see not only by Scripture but by experience the Gospel tells them they are dead in sin that they are children of wrath that they are under the curse of God going the broad way to hell But you will say is that good newes for a man to heare the Preacher say he is in a damned condition and a child of wrath c. Beloved it is sweet and good newes if the Preacher should make thee a damned creature or dead in sin it were bad newes but when the Gospel brings thee a light to see that thou art so whereas otherwise thou in thy blindnesse wouldest goe downe to hell in it it is blessed and good newes it is better to see it here than for ever in hell where there is no remidie And there is no man or woman in this place that belongs to God but they can blesse God and his Son Jesus Christ that by the Gospel the Lord hath discovered to them their wretched condition that they were naturally in That is one thing 2. The wrong wayes and meanes that men
use for salvation A second instance is this that the Gospel holds forth to sinners all the wrong wayes that they goe and all the wrong meanes that they use to save their soules this is by the light of the Gospel Man naturally is either dead in sin or asleep or if he be a little awaked he takes a thousand wayes to goe to heaven and none of them Gods way none of them the right way Every carnall man sometime or other hath some designe in his head to save his soule one man thinks to doe it by his equity and justice in his dealing and trading another by his hospitality and charity to the poore another by hearing of Sermons and performing of duties as in the time of Poperie how many yeares did they spend spent their strength and time and their money and when all came to all all was lost all their ways were the wrong way to Heaven Now the light of the Gospel discovers all these false wayes and shewes that you will come short of the glory of God and the salvation of your soules and will convince you that There is no Name under heaven by which you can be saved but only the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Consider is not this good newes that God should come first by the Ministery of the Gospel and shew thee thy wretched condition and then when thou hast spent thy time and strength in false wayes to be reconciled to God and to save thy soule the Gospel comes and discovers all these that thou maiest go seek the true way 3. It holds forth Gods love to sinners Thridly the Gospel holds forth to poore sinners that there is a love an eternall love an infinite love in Gods breast to poore sinners before ever the world was made You know in reason a man would think that God should hate such a one as I am God foresaw what a creature I would be when I was borne and how I have lived and reason would think that love should proceed from something amiable in the object that should produce love some beautie or bountie as wee say but God sees me to be wicked and sinfull and therefore reason would think God must damne me world without end Now the Gospel comes to such a sinner and tells him the case is otherwise it is not so poore sinfull man or woman and though God hate sin above all things in heaven or hell yet God loved thee knowing what thou wouldest be God knows the reason of it we doe not it is as it is said in Deutrenomie I loved thee because I loved thee God hath an infinite speciall love to thy poore soule yet hates thy fin from before the world was made and the Mountaines were brought forth So God loved the world that he gave his Son c. There was a love in God out of which he gave his Son Jesus Christ to die for us This the Gospel and the Spirit of God in it reveales to the poore soule that when I was an enemie to God hee was my friend when I hated him he loved me nay before I was God had thoughts of an infinite eternall love to me 4. Gods love fruitful Then fourthly the Gospel holds forth to a sinner that as God had an infinite love towards him so it was not a cold love that ended in nothing but out of this love God would send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners This is one maine principle of the Gospel that the Father out of his love sent his own Son that was the Image of his person the Son of his love and delight into this world to lay downe his life and to die for sinners Were it not for the Ministery of the Gospel we could never know this how could we know but by the Gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ did come to die to save sinners So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that hee that believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Fiftly 5. Christ came to work redemption breifly for I doe but give you a few touches of instances it holds out to us that as the Father out of his love seat his Son so that Jesus Christ actually and really is come into the world and took our nature upon him soule and body and the infirmities of both and sanctified our nature that he took and in that nature became our Surety a Publick person for us our Advocate a second Adam That he was conceived and born of the Virgen and that he lived here and so did the will of God and fulfilled his Law and conversed many yeares among men and that therein while he did so he gave us many blessed experiments of his love and mercy to poore sinners in healing the sick in giving sight to the blinde in raising the dead And while he conversed among men he taught and discovered in a great measure the mysteryes of his Fathers counsells to us that else we could never have known and gave us a holy patterne and example of life in humility and patience and delligence and prayer and thankfulnesse All these things are good newes and glad tidings to poore sinners every part of them Then the Gospel tells us that this Lord Jesus Christ after he had walked among men for many yeares together that then as a Publicke person 6. Christ died for us and second Adam and our Surety he did lay downe his life and die for our sins But you will say Where is the good newes from that Hence it is that poore sinners are reconciled to God they are made friends with God Hence it is that poore sinners are redeemed from all their enemies sin and death and wrath and curse and hell all these by the death of the Lord Jesus are removed Then the Gospel tells you that Jesus Christ as hee died for our sins so he rose againe for our justification he rose againe from the dead the third day 7. He roase from death whereby poor sinners are assured that they are justified and freed from all their sins and whereby they shall rise to grace here and their soules and bodies shall rise to glory hereafter with Christ and whereby they shall rise out of all afflictions also in due time For the resurrection of Christ is the ground of our resurrection out of afflictions in this world and every tittle of this is glad tidings and good newes to poore sinners Then the Gospel tells you that after his resurrection he conversed with his Disciples 8. Conversed with his discipls and not with the world and that he met with his Disciples from one mountaine to another from one Towne to another for a few dayes after and there he made many precious Prayers to his Father for them and for all that should believe in him and there he gave them instructions and directions how they should order the Churches of God
and Preach the Gospel to the end of the world And then you know the Gospel tells us that he went up into heaven 9. Ascended into heaven and from heaven as soone as he came there he sent his holy Spirit to us to unite us to Christ to be our Intelligencer to make known the heart of Christ to us to lead us into all truth to comfort us in all distresses and to make intercession in us till we come to heaven where he is And the Gospel tells us this good newes that when he went to heaven he made way for poore sinners to come there 10. Intercedes for us and that there he intercedes for us and there succours us and pities us when we are in the flesh as he was once Then the Gospel tells us that in due time he will come againe from heaven as he went 11. shall come to judgement and bring a Crowne with him and actually subdue all his peoples enemies and give them the same glory that he hath and they shall be one with God for ever as he is he will come and take poore sinners to himselfe that they shall be where he is and as he is world without end The Gospel tells you moreover that all this love 12. Gods Covenant and grace and mercy and salvation by Jesus Christ here and in Heaven it is all made sure to us by an everlasting Covenant sure perfect in every point as David saith And this Covenant is sealed with the blood of the Testator the Lord Jesus that it might be sure and he hath also sent Pastors and Teachers to make known this Gospel and he hath given the seale of the Lords Supper and Baptisme to confirme this Gospel Put all together and from the first to the last you shall not finde in the Ministery of the Gospel if it be truely and soundly opened any sillable but what is wholesome and comfortable and sweet and glad tidings to the worst sinners Only to cleare it more fully to you there are some objections that you may make for Beloved it were a happy thing if we did fully understand this Lesson and fully believe it therefore that it may sink into your hearts I will tell you all that I know can be said against it One objection is you will say Object Concerning outward things the Ministery of the Gospel is not so very good because we poore sinners doe not heare any thing in it for the body we doe not heare any thing in it of honour and wealth we see people as poor after they receive Christ as ever they were and it may be poorer and if God did mingle in the Gospel earthly things with heavenly than it were good newes worth the hearing Beloved concerning that I answer but in two words Answ All the happinesse of this world consists either in honour or wealth As for honour if you believe in God if you receive Jesus Christ the Gospel brings you tidings that whereas now you are poore people that no body cares for you shall be Kings and Queens as Christ is a King so you shall be Kings and his daughters shall be Queenes Psalme 45. Nay you shall be Princes in all Lands You know earthly Kings are but Princes in their severall Kingdomes as the King of Spaine and the King of England c. But the Saints for honour are Princes in all Lands Psal 149. They shall binde Kings in Chaines and Nobles in fetters of Iron such honour have all his Saints You must look on it beloved with a spirituall eye And if there be any reallitie in that that they call honour this is not a notion but there is more reallitie in spirituall honour than in Carnall Spirituall honour reall Take carnall men that call you honourable and worshipfull and the like you know all these are but words and a puffe of winde when they are present but they are hatefull and hate one another when they are gone as the Apostle saith But if a man receive Christ in the Ministery of the Gospel there is true honour that is such a man will be respected in the hearts of others not only in the eyes of God and godly men but in the hearts of the wicked for in their hearts they will say such a man is an honourable man such a woman is an honourable woman they will not do any thing against their consciences and disobey Christ they had rather die Beloved there is more realitie in this honour you shall be Princes and Kings and Queenes Angels waite on the Saints And then you shall have innumerable companies of Angels you shall be in as glorious a condition as they and somewhat better you shall have them to waite on you You consider not this because you settle not your selves to search spirituall priviledges you shall have an innumerable company of Angels to waite on you that is better than to be Lords and Earles that have an innumerable company of Swearers and drunkards and whoremongers for their serving men that it were a great deale more ease if they could spare them to be without them but you shall have a company of Saints and Angels to waite on you Saints right to outward things And though the Gospel tell you not of outward riches for Christ himselfe saith The foxes have holes and the foules of the aire have nests but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his head Yet the Gospel tells you that you have so much title to wordly things that Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come And that God will be a Sun and a shield to those that feare him and he will withhold from them nothing that is good Is not that tidings enough of riches and wealth when God will withhold nothing that is good God will give food and raiment they have it by promise wicked men have it by providence as the doggs and fowles have it Therefore for all that objection this truth runs cleare Object The Gospel brings persecutions But secondly another will say the Gospel indeed brings tidings of Christ and salvation but it brings tidings also of afflictions and persecutions the Gospel saith Whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution And Christ saith I come not to bring peace but a sword I come to set the father against the sonne and the son against the father the mother against the daughter and the daughter against her mother and saith the carnall heart I like not this newes I love to be at peace with God and all the world as their phrase is Concerning that Ans 1 they are priviledges though it be true that the Gospel brings afflictions yet it is true the Gospel tells you that these sufferings of yours In the first place they are priviledges the Gospel tells you it is a peice of your happinesse to have them 1 Cor. 3.
life as those under the Law for the Law is a voyce of words it bids me doe this or that or I shal be damned and if I went a little awrie I should lose all my labour no I see my salvation is safe hell and damnation are shut out of doores God is my Father and I am his childe I am in an everlasting Covenant there is nothing in Heaven or Hell shall be able to separate me from the love of God Now I am redeemed from my enemies and without feare as the Scripture saith why should I not serve him and studie to doe what he commands me Besides admit the Gospel bids thee doe many things the Gospel also gives thee power to doe them 2. The Gospel gives power to do what it requireth It is not a voice of words as that on Mount Sinai Heb. 12. that is words that had a voice but no power thou shalt doe this and not that but it gave no strength and the people were not able to beare the word for they were bid not to commit adultery not to sweare not to steale and there was no strength but a voyce But the voyce of the Gospel is a voyce of power it is called The day of Gods power the power of God to salvation The Arme of God the strength of God Therefore whatsoever the Gospel commands it gives a sweet power to the heart to doe the same and then it is no bad newes If a man bid me pay a thousand pounds for my neighbour and give me a thousand pounds in my hand it is easie to doe it The Gospel bids me deny myselfe and subdue my lusts if it did give no power it were a terrible thing but if withall the Gospel carry the Spirit of Christ into the heart and kill sin and make me able to deny my selfe then it is good newes 3. Gospel duties few and easie Besides the duties that the Gospel bids me doe they are few for number and easie for nature and for the end of them it is not for life and salvation that is safe there is no danger of that and there is a Spirit to them And also there is a sweetnesse in Gospel obedience that there is nothing on this side glory so Pleasing to the soule that hath believed as obeying of Jesus Christ Ro. 6. You have your reward in holines Godly men say that this is the meaning of it that holiness is a reward to it selfe the doing of good things is a reward to it selfe To say nothing of the reward hereafter that there is a Crowne of glory 1. Cor. 15. your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. You that work for him but the very doing of Gospel dutie with a Gospel spirit it is no other than meate and drink Our Lord Christ Job 4. when he was hungrie and thirstie when hee was wearie one would have thought he might have done many things more pleasing than to be teaching a sillie woman when they came with meate hee would not leave that that he was doing I have meate saith he that you know not off who gave it thee said they Saith he It is my meate and drink to doe the will of him that sent me So when wee have the heart and the nature and the spirit of Christ it will be sweeter than meate and drink out of love to do any thing that Jesus Christ commands us Againe Object The Gospel requires Faith it may be some man will say the Gospel for the most part brings good newes but there is one thing in the Gospel that me thinks is no good newes to poore sinners saith a poore soule the Ministers use to preach and to tell me that the Law saith doe this and live and the Minister tells me that the Gospel saith believe and live he saith that there shall be all happinesse and good to me if I believe and saith the poor soule for my part it is as possible for me to keep the ten Commandments as to believe and the Ministers say that there is no good thing in the Gospel that I can partake of except I believe I would like it well but for that one thing I would but I cannot believe To answer this if the Gospel held forth Christ Answ The Gospel breeds faith and salvation upon believing as many oft preach it were little better tidings than the Law for it is as easie for a man of himselfe to keep the ten Comandments by obeying as to believe of himself to have faith to receive Christ Therefore that is a misunderstanding of the Gospel the Gospel saith not bring faith with thee and then here is all grace salvation No for whence should I have faith Whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh and what is of me is flesh and abominable to God therefore the Gospel expects not that any sinner should bring faith for he hath it not nay it is a sin to endeavour to have it of himselfe But the Gospel as it brings salvation so it breeds faith in the heart of a sinner The same word that makes known salvation the same word breeds and begets faith in the heart to receive it That God that gives his almes to us gives a purse to carry it that God that gives Physick to a poore soule will give a hand to receive it It were strange if God should expect faith from a poore sinner whereas for ought I know and learned men hold that Adam in innocencie had not the faith that we are justified by and for ought I know the Angels in heaven have it not and whence should a poore sinner have it It is God that gives repentance to Israel and God is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. And in Philip. 1. It is given to you to believe Therefore when I heare of grace and glory and salvation by Jesus Christ I must not consider where I shall have a vessell to carry iâ— home where I shall have faith to receive it but it carries the vessel with it and I goe and take the promise and by the holy Spirit that same Gospel that brought the grace will work faith or else it were as harsh as the Law Therefore never stand off about faith for he that gives grace and salvation will work faith Againe Object Discipline and government in the Gospel it may be objected by some wee confesse that the Gospel is good newes and blessed be God it is performed also But it seemes that there is in the Gospel or annexed to it a discipline or a government whereby wee shall be ruled thus saith one thus saith another and if we receive the Gospel of Christ we must receive the Government of Christ say the Ministers and wee feare that will be no good newes to our poor soules Ans Two wrong governments since Christ As for that in few words as I am able I confesse Beloved that in or with the Gospel of
it should be mixed and mingled with the Gospel As to instance in a few many ministers undoe the soules of people I know this by experience that a Gospel-heart that is but weake in Gospel light and grace had rather lie a yeare in close prison than to be a yeare under a ministerie jumbling old and new together the Law and the Gospel for it routs and onfounds a poore soule As to preach terrour and damnation to a sinner qua a sinner properly as a sinner though we be called ministers of the Gospell yet this is a part of the ministerie of the Law for the Law brings curses for a sinner and blessings for him that doth well now when we quatinus as a sinner damme him 2. It is legall to do good or abstain from evill for fear of judgment and curse him we harden him and make him run further from God then before Secondly when men have drawen men to good or driven men from evil with judgments either spirituall or temporall this was the way of the ministery of the old testament When people shall take all the judgments of the old testament and perswade a man to do this or to take heed of that or else thou shalt have judgment fall upon thee and thou wilt bring judgment upon the Land Beloved this was the way of God certainly and the way of the ministery of the old testament but I never knew a saint a void evil or doe good for feare of such judgments Therfore looke to thy owne experience men may play at dice with the word of God that way if a mans wayes like them not they may say they will bring judgment upon the Land as Independants or as such and such men but these are but bug-beares why because in the Gospel the saints are dilivered from the hands of their enemies that they may serve God with out feare they know that in God there is no cloud God may chasten and correct them out of love but there is no danger otherwise And then againe they are delivered from men they are not the servants of men Cause of divisions I doe think for my part constantly that the mayne cause of all the divisions and stirrs and contentions among us is because there 's so much of the old testament in our ministery especially and our profession must be accordingly for our strength will be according to our meat And truly a man may be a Godly man and yet may be a minister of the old testament and if you take a man let him be a Godly man if his grace be bred in him by the ministery of the old testament and nourished in him by that and take another saint that hath grace planted and bred by the ministery of the Gospel and nourished by that the former man though he be godly must of necesity persecute the latter I pitty them when ministers rale against this man and against that and they know not why yet they may be Godly men Ishmael might be a Godly man for ought I know he was a type not of wicked men but of men under the old Covenant If ever you will have peace and comfort in the Land beg of God to remove an old testament spirit from our preachers from our prayers and our principals and to set up the new testament Jesus Christ in the Gospel and then certainly the promise shall be fulfilled we shall be all of one heart and one way and one mind but it will never be otherwise as long as some reach to the ministery of the new testament and others goe in the old as Ishmael and Isaak could not be reconciled no more will these I will conclude all only with this last word Vse 9 To receive the Gospel seeing it is cleare out of the word and so truly I hope you apprehend it through Gods grace that the whole Gospel is Good it is nothing but sweet and glad tidings to the worst of sinners much more to saints then I exhort you in the name of Jesus Christ that you receive this Gospel O there is no reason why thou shouldest be so shie of Christ when we speake faire and offer faire to your soules and beseech you earnestly and give you reasons why you should receive Christ you harken but a little and you goe away so shy there are some sinners still beloved there is no reason for it God deads plainly there is no tittle in the Gospel but it is really good and glad tidings to the worst of sinners therefore receive it What is that Indeavour to beleive it 1. To beleve it for the Lord Jesus that is the faithfull witnesse hath sayd it and children heretofore used to say it is as true as Gospel and though it be Gospel and truth yet you will not beleive it Then indeavour to imbrace it with joy 2. Embrace 〈◊〉 with joy and affection as in 1. Thess 1. see how they received the Gospel in joy with much affliction What if it bring a little affliction with it that thou be jeared receive it with joy it is joyfull and glad tidings And then resigne thy self give thy self wholy up to walk according to this blessed Gospel 3. To give up our selves to it and not to turne it into wantonnes or abuse it but that thou maiest give thy self bodie and soule as a living sacrifice to Jesus Christ that since he died for thee and hath given thee aboundant righteousnes and everlasting salvation and all blessed and glad tidings in it that thou maiest give thy self and all that thou hast and art freely to live to that Jesus Christ and to obey his blessed commands These are the uses that you and I should indeavour to make that this truth may remaine and abide with us that there is nothing in the whole ministery of the new testament but good tydings and glad newes to the worst of sinners FINIS An alphabeticall Table of the principall Heads contained in the foregoing SERMONS A ABuse see Liberty Accident Part. Page How men come to doe good by accident Part. 1. Page 148 Adoption Spirit of adoption to be laboured for Part. 2. Page 40 Full spirit of adoption wha Part. 2. Page 41 Affliction see moderated Age Decency in regard of age Part. 1. Page 82 All what meant by it Part. 1. Page 4. Angels Angels waite on the Saints Part. 2. Page 18 Ascended Christ ascended into heaven Part. 2. Page 16 B Backsliders Backsliders their course Part. 1. Page 156 Baptisme Baptisme how appointed Part. 1. Page 1◠Baptisme the substance of it only set downe Part. 1. Page 23 Baptisme the way to peace about it Part. 1. Page 100 Manner of baptisme determined by the Magistrate Part. 1. Page 108 Baptisme doubted of by some Part. 1. Page 141 Believed Believing Believing in Christ what Part. 1. Page 36 Gospel to be believed Part. 2. Page 54 Binde Not to binde others where Christ hath nor bound them
Part. 1. Page 59 Bishops Bishops their practice Part. 1. Page 48 Bondage Spirit of bondage whence Part. 1. Page 52. Brethren Expedient actions bring good to our brethren Part. 1. Page 70 Burthen Religion presented by some as a burthen Part. 1. Page 145 C Scripture not all delivered in Canons Part. 1. Page 167 Carnall see outward Freedome from Ceremonies Part. 1. Page 14. Why men run from Christ Part. 1. Page 26 See sinners Spouse minde Christian see spirituall Question excellent The Church may determine concerning Gods worship how Part. 1. Page 1â—â— Cautions for Churches in determining Ibid The ten Commandments of force in the new Testament Part. 1. Page 13 Upon what ground Saints obey the Commandements Part. 1. Ibid See weakened Coming to Christ what Part. 1. Page 36 Common see heart Paul's Compliance with men Part. 1. Page 12 Concurrence of things to expediency Part. 1. Page 67 Condition of men by nature shewed by the Gospel Part. 2. Page 11 Conscience of Saints to be warily dealt with in imposing lawes on them Part. 1. Page 111 Contention one cause of it Part. 1. Page 41 Ignorance of Christian liberty causeth Contention Part. 1. Page 54 Contentions to be avoided Part. 1. Page 71 Contentions among Saints how to end them Part. 1. Page 99 No reason of the present Contentions Part. 1. Page 125 Contentions whence they are Part. 1. Page 128 Gospel not to be Corrupted Part. 2. Page 52 Gods Covenant in the Gospel Part. 2. Page 16 Of being Covered or uncovered in heating the word Part. 1. Page 114 Creature what meant by it Part. 2. Page 3 Gentiles called creatures why Part. 2. Page 4 Credite to be given to what Christ teacheth Part. 1. Page 36 Custome hardly broken Part. 1. Page 21 Custome of Churches and Saints to be looked to Part. 1. Page 113 Custome the weakest rule in spirituall things Part. 1. Page 114 D Damned Damnation A man may be damned for doing lawfull things Part. 1. Page 93 Damnation of Gospel refusers just Part. 2. Page 43 Decency what Part. 1. Page 78 see person relation profession sex age season Those that eyenot expediency lead others to destruction Part. 1. Page 150 Things that God hath determined not to be weakened Part. 1. Page 65 Things concerning worship to be determined how Part. 1. Page 170 Service of the Devil hard Part. â— Page 33 see sweetnesse Christ died for us Part. 2. Page 15 Sweetnesse in sinne from distemper Part. 1. Page 34 Division the cause of it Part. 2. Page 53 Christ a doore how Part. 1. Page 29 Duties meanes of salvation how Part. 1. Page 31 Duties not to justle out ore another Part. 1. Page 78 Duties how required in the Gospel Part. 2. Page 22 E THE wayes of Christ easie Part. 1. Page 29 Things left for us to doe easie Part. 1. Page 32 Christs wayes easie how Ibid What use to be made of Gospel easinesse Part. 1. Page 97 Gospel duties few and easie Part. 2. Page 24 Expedient actions tend to edification Part. 1. Page 73 Disorderly actions misse their end Part. 1. Page 87 Religion presented by some as endlesse Part. 1. Page 143 Enfringe see liberty Engagement to parties inexpedient Part. 1. Page 171 Encouragement see Sinners Things simply evill inexpedient Part. 1. Page 62 Good to be ommitted when their comes a greater evil Part. 1. Page 63 Every example makes not a law Part. 1. Page 55 Example of old Saints to be looked to Part. 1. Page 112 See rule Benefit of Gospel excommunication Part. 2. Page 33 What makes an excellent Christian Part. 1. Page 152 Expediency what Part. 1.7 Page 66 Expediency to be looked to as well as lawfulnesse Part. 1. Page 11 Few things expedient Part. 1. Page 61 Meaning of the word expedient Part. 1. Page 88 Helps to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 See strict Externalls how far to be looked to Part. 1. Page 22 See Worship F Some men pleased with doctrine out of faction Part. 1. Page 163 Faith required and bred by the Gospel Part. 2. Page 25 Sinners invited to a feast Part. 1. Page 28 Vaine feares in Gods wayes to be avoided Part. 1. Page 104 Feares and horrours whence Part. 2. Page 41 Things left for us to doe few Part. 1. Page 32 Few turne from Christ to serve Satan Part. 1. Page 35 Who they be that intend good but to a few Part. 1. Page 140 Gods love fruitfull Part. 2. Page 13 Danger in making lawes for the future Part. 1. Page 110 G Gentiles the worst of sinners Part. 2. Page 5 see creature Expedient actions advance Gods glory Part. 1. Page 69 Who they be that doe little for God Part. 1. Page 143 Why men doe little for God Part. 2. Page 29 Godly men how a cause of the present distractions Part. 1. Page 133 see judgement Things simply good may be unexpedient Part. 1. Page 63 A lesse good must give way to a greater Ibid Good when to be refrained Ibid see evill easinesse To preach the Gospel what Part. 1. Page 37 Liberty in the Gospel what Part. 1. Page 95 Gospel what meant by it Part. 2. Page 2 Difference between the Law Gospel Part. 2. Page 7 Gospel to be enquired after Part. 2. Page 47 To give up our selves to the gospel Part. 2. Page 55 see strict new Ministers corruption Two wrong governments Part. 2. Page 27 Grace more in the new Testament than in the Old Part. 1. Page 10 Guilt in the Saints whence Part. 1.52 Page 138 H Haire Of wearing long haire Part. 1. Page 116 see Papists natural Devil Doing lawfull things with common hearts brings guilt Part. 1. Page 138 Excellent Christians busied about high things Part. 1. Page 154 Hinderances to expediency Part. 11. Page 171 Gospel tidings not to be hindered Part. 2. Page 49 A signe of an hypocrite to regard only lawful things Part. 1. Page 90 Hypocrisie hinders expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 Hold see Liberty Things honest what Part. 1. Page 84 Spirituall honour reall Part. 2. Page 17 I Jealousie DEvout jealousie touching truth and errour Part. 1. Page 173 The service of the Jewes in the old Testament Part. 1. Page 32 Lawfull things done inexpediently bring guilt Part. 1. Page 139 Ignorance set contentions others Independency Part. 1. Page 49 Hurtful principles of Independents Part. 1. Page 123 see Presbytery contention Indifferent things what Part. 1. Page 64 Interpret see word Christs intercession for us Part. 2. Page 16 Gospel to be imbraced with joy Part. 2 Page 54 Godly men differ in judgment Part. 1. Page 125 Christ shall come to judgment Part. 2. Page 16 Judgments how denounced Part. 2. Page 35 K Magistrates may determin in things that relate to their Kingdome Part. 1. Page 110 Knowledge see outward liberty L Christians must walk laudably Part. 1. Page 83 Why God laughs at mens destruction Part. 2. Page 45 Of those that abolesh the morrall Law Part. 1. Page 42 Those