his utter Enemies And this also was foretold by Simeon Luke 2. Where he saith that by the coming of Christ in his word the thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed and then that unbelief and enmity against Christ that before lay hid is discovered and brought forth by the Preaching of the Word as we have seen heretofore and still see by daily experience And for this cause also they are offended 5. They are offended at the true Word because everywhere so 5. Because so few entertain it few entertain it and embrace it As when Christ himself preached there were very few in all Iudea and Ierusalem that entertained his Doctrine and though sometimes many thronged to hear him yet at another time they were so offended at his Doctrine that they all forsook him so that Christ said to the twelve Iohn 6. Will ye also go away Now this makes many to be offended at the true Word that when it comes to any town or people the far greater part should reject it and speak evil of it and they for the most part the greatest wisest and learnedst men and that only a few poor and contemptible people should receive it this also exceedingly offends 6. And lastly They are offended because the true Word of Christ 6. Because it occasions troubles where it comes in any evidence and demonstration of the Spirit brings Troubles Tumults Stirs and Vproars in the VVorld ac to that of Christ Mat. 10. 34. I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law For the true word of Christ is such a sword as cuts in sunder all Natural and Civil relations and takes away the peace of any place where it comes in power Christ saith also Luke 12. 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it be already kindled This fire that Christ sends is the word in the ministration of the spirit of which the Lord saith by the Prophet is not my word as fire and this word comes to burn up all the corrupt Manners Fashions Customes Yea all the lusts and sins of the world and all the Antichristian Doctrine and formes of worship in the outward Church And when this fire begins to burn anywhere presently all the people are in an uproar and lay all their heads and use all their hands together to quench it So that where-ever the true word comes the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing the Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take councel together against it and say Let us break these bonds in sunder and cast away these cords from us which no flâ—sh and blood especially the Rich Wise Learned Honourable would endure to be bound in Now this exceedingly offends For say they before this kind of word came in all things were better and more quiet Under Episcopacy The world say before the Gospel came all things were quiet all things were wel and in good order But since this new Doctrine came in all things are full of trouble mischief wars and death and therefore they reckon this word the cause of all the evils we have and do endure But yet the cause of all these tumults are not truly in the word The word is not properly the cause of these Tumults but by accident but in the world and in the Devil Christ he will have his Christians to publish his word and thereby to gather together his elect unto him now the World and the Devil the Prince of it will not suffer this to be done quietly and hence arise all tumults The Devil who hath the first possession of the world would have all things quiet that he might keep his possession but Christ will not suffer it to be so but he will have all those whom his Father hath given him out of the Devils possession by the might and efficacy of his word but the Devil will not endure that this should be done quietly but stirs us all the World against the word And so where ever the word comes in truth there are alwayes troubles and uproares but where the word is preached and the world is quiet that for certain is not the true word of God Wherefore the dull and drousie Divinity of Synods and Schools The ordinary Divinity of the Schools is none of Christs Word cannot be the true word of Christ for that meets with no opposition and contradiction at all from the World or worldly Church it meets with no enemies and avengers amongst them but it is rather praised and embraced and honoured with degrees and Scarlet and the Professors and Publishers of it are in credit with men and worldly Powers and receive from them riches honour and quiet life whereas the true Doctrine of Christ can never be published without the offence of the world And thus much for their offence at the true word of Christ 3. They are offended at his true Worship 3. At his true Worship For Christ under the New-Testament hath instituted a New-Worship and this the World and worldly Church are also greatly offended at Because this Worship is wholly spiritual and hath nothing carnal Because it is Spiritual De instituendo cultu notanda est haec regula Sine Spiritu Sancto non est suscipienda ulla ratio aut modus colendi Dei Luther in c. 35. Gen. Cultus Dei principaliter vere consistit non in externis operibus sed in fide spe dilectione Dei. Luth. in cap. 25. Gen. in it but consists altogether of Grace and truth according to that of Christ Ioh. 4. 23. The hour cometh saith He and now is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth and there is no worship in truth but that which is in Spirit And Paul saith of true believers Phil. 3. 2. we are the Circumcision who worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh Now this spiritual VVorship stands in Faith Hope and Love whereby our old nature is mortified and we bring forth spiritual fruit unto God and to our brother And this Worship of the New-Testament being wholly spiritual is free from Time Place and Person as all spiritual things are and so at all times and in all places alike this worship may be performed by all persons alike who are true believers And so accordingly do all true believers at all times and in all places alike believe in God and trust in him and fear him and love him and delight in him and speak good of his name and also do good to their brother in Instructing Teaching Exhorting Comforting him and Helping him as freely as Christ hath
Oxford a man of such excellent Mr. Owen Learning and Judgement But truly such Doctrine deserved such a License that something at least might make it considerable Whereas the true Doctrine of Christ the Word of Faith the Word of the Kingdom hath a standing License from Jesus Christ and comes upon the World as the Rain and Dew without asking Prodiit ex adipe iniquitas eorum transierunt in affectum cordis leave of Man or the Son of Man But great Places are greatly dangerous to those whose Faith is not stronger then their form And so I leave this also to the Wisdom and Judgement of our Lord Jesus Christ into whose hands God hath given all things Christian acquaint thy self much with the Word of God and be much in the prayer of Faith for some of the Angels are preparing to sound the Last Trumpets and to pour out the Last Vials on the very Seat and Throne of the Beast and we hope ere long to hear that shout of Triumph in the Spiritual Church Babylon is faln is faln is faln and is now become the Habitation of Devils and unclean Spirits which before was the Habitation of Hypocrites and false Christians yet covered over with all the most glorious shews of Religion and Holiness that the Deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness could put upon them And now if thou please read on and let the Spiritual man judge who judgeth all things William Dell. The stumbling Stone Math. 11. ver 6. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me THese words are the conclusion of Christs Answer to that Question which John the Baptist Iohns Question propounded to him by two of his Disciples himself being in prison the Question was this Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Now it is much disputed whether John Some say Iohn did not ask it for his own sake himself did at this time doubt of Christ or no and several men give in several Opinions which I shall not now stand to recite but all almost both Antient and Modern do conclude that John propounded this Question to Christ not that he himself did now doubt whether Christ were the true Messias or no seeing He had before given so clear a Testimony to Christ that he was the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world and had also Baptized him with water and had seen at that time the Heavens opening and the Spirit of God as a Dove descending and resting on Christ and had heard the Fathers own voice saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Wherefore they say that John himself could not possibly after all this doubt of Christ and therefore that he did not propound this Question to him by his Disciples But for his Disciples for his own sake but for Theirs that they who before had envied Christ for their Masters sake and would rather have had John to have been the Messias then him might now be assured and fully instructed touching Christ from Christ Himself Thus they But for my part I do conceive that Iohn did propound this The Authors judgement Question to Christ for his own sake rather then for his Disciples For though when he lived in peace and freedom he had a clear Revelation from the Father touching the Son by the Spirit and had accordingly cleerly spoken of Christ to others yet now being in Prison and Bonds and neer unto death he is brought by great Tribulation and Temptation to doubt of all that Truth which before he had been taught of God and even to question whether Christ were the true Christ or no For thought he If he be the true Christ why doth he not send Redemption to me who suffer for his sake but suffer me thus to perish whilst he might help me if he be the Christ and if he work Miracles for others as I hear he doth why doth he wholly neglect me who have given such an honourable Testimony to the world of him And truly brethren we know not vvhat place or power the Tribulation our trial Gospel of God our Saviour hath in us till Tribulation come and so much of the true knowledge of Christ and of true faith in Christ we have indeed as we have strength in such hours That truth which we confess freely in Prosperity we are fain to begin to learn it again in Tribulation and Tribulation makes us learn the Truth over again the second time it makes us to learn that in Experience which before we had learned only in Doctrine And how hard a matter it is to hold fast in Trouble that Truth Hard to hold fast truth in Trouble which we well know and freely profess in Prosperity we may see not only in John the Baptist who being in Prison doubted whether Christ were the true Christ after he had been so clearly taught him by God and his Spirit and had so plainly confessed him but also in the Disciples of Christ who though they had heard all his Doctrine and seen all his works and had confessed him to be Christ the Son of the living God yet when the High-Priests were inraged and the People in an uproar and when they beheld the Swords and the Staves and Christ was apprehended and themselves in danger they were all offended at him and fled Yea we may see it in Christ himself who though the Father had testified touching him three times from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son c. Yet when his suffering drew near he exceedingly feared and was amazed and astonished and on the Cross cried out aloud my God my God why hast thou forsaken me ☜ My brethren no man knows the grievousness and efficacy of Tribulation and the weakness and frailty of Humane Nature but they who have had experience of both but this is the comfort of the faithfull that that knowledge of Christ and the Gospel which God hath taught us and we have heard and learned from him will certainly endure and hold out throughout all the greatest and longest storms of Tribulation and Temptation though with much striving and difficulty but they who have had much knowledge of the Truth and have made a glorious profession of it before men and yet have wanted the true Teaching of God and true faith through that teaching such when Tribulations and Difficulties have risen up have quite departed from the Truth and have often renounced it We know not brethren I say again what we do believe aright touching Christ and his Gospel touching the Love of God to us and the Remission of our sin c. till distress and Tribulation and death come and what we are then we are that indeed Yea at such times we are to be judged according to our faith and not according to our sense and feeling Luther was wont to say that in Temptation he could hardly make Luther use at all of that
helped them And this is the chief and indeed the only true VVorship of the New-Testament For the Gospel hath taught us that Christ is the trueTemple wherein the Church of the New-Testament which is a Kingdom of Priests are all alike to Worship God without any difference or distinction of persons And also that Christ is our Rest aswell as our Righteousness and it is as great a sin to make another Rest then Christ as it is to make another Righteousness then Christ For in him alone we are compleat and furnished to all things that appertain to the Kingdom of God And stand in need of nothing out of him Wherefore it is said Heb. 4. 3. He which hath believed is entred into the rest that is into Christ and his Righteousness and so hath ceased from his own works as God did from his Now the World and worldly Church are greatly offended at this And because this Spiritual worship makes no great shew Spiritual Worship And that first because it makes no great shew nor presents no glorious outside to the World to win their favour and applause and so they despise it as a Notional or Melancholick thing And secondly because this is wholly out of the reach and Power of the Natural man and no man by his free will or Natural abilities And also is out of the reach of the Natural man can attain thereunto VVherefore they are offended at this kind of VVorship and would have a Worship in the dayes of the Gospel after the manner of the VVorship of the Law a Worship standing in outward works and Duties and Ceremonies and in Observation of Dayes Times Places Persons And are much scandalized at that Worship which stands only in Faith and Love and makes void all other things 4. They are offended at the true Church of Christ 4. At the true Church of Christ Because Christ under the New Testament hath set upon a New-Church which is not outward and visible as the Church of the Old Testament was Neither carries in it any worldly Pompe Power and Glory as the Church of Antichrist doth but it is wholly spiritual and invisible and as utterly unknown to the World as Christ himself The true Church under the New-Law is the Congregation of spiritual men gathered together not in one outward place but in What the true Church is one Faith Hope and Love in one Spirit in one Christ in one God It is the company of the faithful and elect which have Christ for their Head And this Church is not known by any outward Orders or Forms It is known only by the Word of faith or Ceremonies or manner of life but only by the Word of Faith seeing this true spiritual Church is conceived and formed is brought forth and brought up is fed and clothed is strengthned and adorned is protected and perfected by this word of faith alone Yea the whole Nature and life and being and action of this Church is in the word of faith 2. They are offended at this Church because it is the habitation of God and his very Kingdom wherein he himself is present is manifested 2. Because this Church is the Habitation of God speaks works reignes is glorified and is all in all in it And so it will not receive unto it self any thing of the Power Wisdom and Righteousness of Man They are much offended to hear that this Church is the Temple of the living God and that God hath said it himself that he will dwell in them and walk in them And that God is in them of a Truth and not by fancied habits of created grace And that they are filled with all the fulness of God And that they are living Stones in that Building wherein Christ himself is the chief corner Stone and that they are all built together by the Spirit to be the Habitation of God This doth so exceedingly offend them that is causeth them to Blasphem in crying out against this Doctrine of the Spirit of God as Blasphemy 3. They are offended at this New Church of the New Testament 3. Because it wil be the true Church alone because it will be the Church of God alone and will not acknowledge any to be of it but such as are born of God and have obtained like pretious faith with them And so will have no constant communion with any how skilful soever in the letter of the word and how eminent so ever in outward formes of Religion but only with such who have true fellowship with the Father and the Son in the Spirit 4. They are offended at this Church because usually God calls unto it not the Great and Honourable and Wise and Learned but 4. Because it consists of mean people mean plain and simple people according to that of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 26. You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen Yea things that are not to bring to nought things that are So that this true Church consists of a smal company of Poor Mean Simple Base and despised men in the eyes of the World and worldly Church Yea of such who in their judgement deserve to have no place nor being in the World And who now out of their own choice would willingly joyn themselves to such a Congregation 5. The great and worldly wise people are much offended at this 5. Because of its outward afflicted condition Church because of its outward afflicted condition in the World it having fellowship with Christ in all his sufferings And so is alwayes Reproached Despised Slandered Torn Spâ—t on Buffeted Crucified and Mocked And from all most or some of these sufferings the spiritual Church is never priviledged in the World And by reason of these things the visage of the true Church seems foul deformed and offensive in the eys of men whilst the national and carnal Church is highly favoured esteemed and preferred it self and hath its chief Teachers honoured with Scarlet and Furrs So that if Christ were on the earth again in his mean and plain condition He would be ashamed to own Them and They would be as much 5. At the true Government of the Church 1. Because Christ will force none but perswade all ashamed to own Him And thus much for their offence at the true Church 5. They are offended at the true Government of this Church Because Christ under the New Testament as he hath set up a New Church so also he hath set up a New Government of this Church and this also offends in many regards 1. In that Christ will have none brought to his Church by outward * In toto Novo
there is no Town or City under the whole Kingdom of Antichrist which hath not such Doctors and Masters as are Created in the Vniversities For the whole world saith he is of this Opinion that the Vniversities are the fountains whence they should flow who ought to teach the People Now this saith he is a most horrible and abominable error so that nothing hath proceeded in all the world out of any thing so much to be opposed as out of Vniversities wherefore saith he Peter saith that all these are false Masters and false Doctors Thus Luther Now if any say This Doctrine being commonly taught and received will throw down the Vniversities I answer If thâ— Vniversities will stand upon an Humane and Answer Civil account as Schools of good Learning for the instructing and educating Youth in the knowledge of the Tongues and of the liberal Arts and and Sciences thereby to make them usefull and serviceable to the Commonwealth if they will stand upon this account which is the surest and safest Account they can stand on and will be content to shake hands with their Ecclesiastical and Antichristian Interest then let them stand during the good Pleasure of God but if they will still exalt themselves above themselves and place themselves on Christs very Throne as if they had ascended up on high to lead captivity captive and to give gifts to men for the work of the Ministry and so will presume to darken the Glory of Jesus Christ and his true Ministry which He sends forth as his Father sent Him then let them in the Name of Christ descend into that darkness out of which they first sprang that the Glory of Christ may fill the World And thus have I declared how the World and worldly Church are offended at Christ and his Word and Worship and Church and Government and Ministry and so consequently at all his things And now I proceed to the third General I propounded to wit to shew 3. Point How great an evil it is to be thus offended at Christ and his Things The third General To be offended at Christ 1. It s a sign men are ignorant of Christ And this appears in many particulars 1. One Evil is That to be offended at Christ and his Things is a certain Evidence that men are wholly Ignorant of Christ and of God though they be called Christians and have the Name of God alwayes in their mouths For if men knew Christ aright and God in Christ it were impossible they should be offended at Him and inasmuch as they are offended it is certain they do not know Him by any revelation from the Father Wherefore Christ tells his Disciples Joh. 16. 3. that the chief ground of that offence which the World and worldly Church should take against them who are his true Members and have received the same Word and Spirit with him through true faith is because they have not known the Father nor Him For he that knows Christ in Christians is not offended at them and he that knows God in Christ is not offended at Him But they that are offended at Christians know not Christ and they that are offended at Christ know not God 2. When men are offended at Christ and his things it is a sign 2. That they are Unbelievers they are real Vnbelievers what ever forms of Godliness they may live under and though it may be they have been old Professors for Peter saith Christ is precious to them that believe wherefore they that are offended are destitute of Faith 3. They that are offended at Christ lose all that spiritual and eternal advantage that comes by Christ to true believers and so 3. They loose all advantage by Christ fall short of the Love of God in Christ of Reconciliation with God in Christ of the Righteousness Wisdom and Power and of all the fulness of God in Christ of eternal Redemption from the Law Sin Death and Hell by Christ and of all that great Salvation that is in and by Him And Jesus Christ is wholly in vain to them 4. When men are fully and irreconcileably offended at Christ 4. Are manifest Reprobates and his things it is a Sign they are of the wicked one of the seed of the Serpent and very Reprobates as Christ told such offended Iews Ye are of your Father the Devil and my sheep hear my voice but you hear it not but are offended and therefore you are none of my sheep that is none of the Elect And again saith Christ all that my Father giveth me shall come to me Wherefore they that come not to Christ but are offended at him are not given to him of God and consequently are Reprobates 5. They that are offended at Christ are utterly ruined through 5. Are utterly ruined such offence Wherefore Christ is called a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to them that are disobedient and stumble at the Word And he is said to be set for the fall and ruine of many in Israel and Mat. 21. 44. Christ saith Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken but on whosoever it shall fall it shall grinde him to pouder For whoever stumbles or dashes against this Stone dashes against God himself in the nature of Man He dashes against the Councel and Decree of God against the Wisdom and Vnderstanding of God against the Love Mercy Righteousness Truth and Power of God against the eternal Word and Spirit of God and no man perishes like that man For he incurrs all that Wrath Vengeance Destruction Damnation which the Lord God himself in all his infinite VVisdom Knowledge Righteousness Justice and Power can inflict on him to all eternity and so he is indeed ground to pouder Yea farther that man that stumbles against Christ is not only Ruined without remedy ruined by such offence but ruined without all means or hope of Recovery They that are broken against Him and by Him are broken in pieces like a potters vessel which can never be made up again They that fall against Him never rise again they that are ruined by him are never repaired again If a man were dashed in pieces by Moses he might be repaired again by Christ but he that is destroyed by the Saviour by whom shall he be saved He that was condemned by the Justice of God for Sin might recover again by the Love and Mercy of God in Christ But he that is destroyed by the Love and Mercy of God is past all Hope and Remedy Wherefore I intreat you to consider this thing with all your hearts For nothing makes such ruines in the world as this Sin Mens being offended against Christ and his Gospel This is the sin that ruined Ierusalem of old and Germany of late and if any thing undo this Commonwealth this will undo it the offence that is taken by mean men and by men in Place and Authority against Christ and his Gospel And this is the
this they are blessed 4. They who have received the Revelation of the Father and 4. Through this establishment are free from perishing through this Revelation true Faith and through this true Faith firm Establishment are farther Blessed in that all such are past perishing For he that cleaves so inseparably to Christ that nothing can offend him and is so firmly built on Christ that nothing can remove him It is impossible for him to perish by any thing Wherefore it is said behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone Elect and precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded And Mat. 16. saith Christ On this rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail 5. And last of all They that have escaped the Offence of Christ are sure of Salvation For such do truly partake of all that infinite 5. Are sure of Salvation and everlasting advantage that is by Christ they partake of his own Righteousness and Wisdom and Truth and Power and Nature and Life and Word and Spirit and of all his fulness and thus they have true possession of the beginnings of eternal life as John saith These things have I written to you that believe that you may know ye have eternal life abiding in you 1 Joh. 5. 13. and Christ saith I give unto my sheep eternal life that very life which was in the Father and was communicated to Christ and manifested in his humane Nature And in all these Regards are they blessed that are not offended at Christ as Christ affirms blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me And so now I proceed to some Uses 5. General The Vses 5. The Vses 1. To warn all of all men sorts that they take special care that they 1. To admonish men to take heed that themselves be not offended at Christ be not offended at Christ and the things of Christ You have heard that the World and the wisest and greatest of the world and that the worldly Church and the holiest and most religious in that are offended at Christ And you have heard also how great an evil it is to be offended and how great a blessedness it is not to be offended Wherefore I do advise you from the Word to take care that you be not found amongst them who are offended at Christ Objection But you will be ready to say We hope we are not offended at Christ but we do love honor and embrace both Christ and the things of Christ Answer To this I answer That many do usually say they are not offended Many are offended at Christ who say they are not offended 1. They that are offended at the Word are offended at Christ at Christ and it may be some may think so too who yet indeed and before the Lord are grievously offended at Him as may thus appears For. 1. First He that is offended at the true Word of Christ is offended at Christ himself For Christ is the Word the Gospel Word the Word that was with God and was God and came into the flesh and that spake and did and suffered and overcame all in that flesh and Christ said it was expedient for the Church that he should withdraw his flesh or bodily presence and only continue that presence of his with them which is by the living Word of God through the Gospel And this is that Jesus Christ who is present with believers to the end of the World And so he that is offended at the true spiritual Word held forth by the confession of Faith is offended at Christ himself who is present in that Word Wherefore saith Peter 1 Pet. 2. 8. He is a stone of stumbling and rock of offence to them that Stumble 〈◊〉 the Word The most people adore the outward name of Christ but yet cannot endure the true Word of Christ Now all that are offended at the true spiritual Word of Christ and right Doctrine of the Gospel are offended at Christ himself and stumble at that stumbling Stone And thus multitudes are offended at Christ who do think themselves very free from this sin 2. They that are offended at true Believers are offended at Christ 2. And they who are offended at true Believers himself For they are in the World as He was and Walk as He did Walk And they are one flesh and Spirit with him They are his Members They are Himself And whosoever is offended at Them is offended at Him For Christ is the self same both in Himself the Head and in Believers his Members And These are the Children of God together with Him the first born and These are comprehended in the same Love chosen with the same Choice called with the same Calling Sanctified with the same Holiness Kept by the same Power and Glorified with the same Glory These partake of the same Divine Nature and have the same Word and Spirit dwelling in them in the same Righteousness Wisdom Grace and Truth and there is no difference between Christ and them but what is between the Head and the Members the first-born and his Brethren And so they that are offended at These would as certainly and necessarily be offended at Christ himself if He had lived in their time or if They had lived in his time It is manifest then that They who are offended at the Word of Christ and at the Works of Christ at the Nature and Life of Christ in Believers would have been offended at them in Christ Himself Yea they who are offended at Christ in Believers would much more have been offended at Christ in Himself because what is in a Christian but in part was fully in Christ And what is in a Christian in a small measure was in Christ without measure and there was in Christ a far more glorious presence and manifestation of God then in any Christian and proportionably would they have been offended at Him in Himself who are truly offended at Him in his Members 3. They who are offended at the Sufferings which come on 3. And they who are offended at the sufferings of Christians Christians for Christs sake are offended at Christ Himself because they suffer not on their own account but on Christs and the Cross they take up and bear is His and not their own If They would live as other men in the common Religion of the Nation and make use of the form of Godliness without the Power and comply with that Doctrine and Discipline which the Clergy shall allow for Orthodox and the Magistrate accordingly approve and confirm then might they live as quietly and prosperously as other men but because they cleave only to Christ and take Him for their only Master in the things of God and do receive his Word in Faith and then hold it forth to others therefore the World hates them as Christ said I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them because they are not