Jer. 6. 21. For answer unto which let me acquaint the reader that I have had a little experience of these blocks in the way of a sinner to its Saviour The first stumbling block that lyeth in the way is this saith one I am sometimes unsatisfied and remain staggering and doubting whether the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament be the Word God yea or no. Answ If the Scriptures be not the Word of God then there is no rule to walk by but that every man may walk according to his own heart and as it seems good in his own eyes and this is a most pleasing bait whereby our Rantors and new upstart wantons are insnared and become the tribe of disobedience begotten by the seed of the Serpent and travelling towards the land of confusion and they will shortly arrive at the anger of God and be cast into the pit of his eternall displeasure But that the Scriptures are the Word of God it will clearly appear if we consider 1. By the powerfull effects that the Word hath and doth work upon the consciences of men as to avoid the evill and to chuse the good besides many wonderfull effects that have been wrought thereby in all ages 2. It doth appear that the Bible is the Word of God because it holds out holinesse more then any book in the world and they hold forth a self-denying spirit more then any book besides in the world by all which it doth appear that it is the Word of God 3. It doth further appear to be the Word of God because we finde many of the same things written in our hearts by the Finger of God his Spirit bearing witnesse with ours that we are his and both bearing witnesse that this is his Word 4. In respect of the matter of the Scripture it doth appear to be the Word of God for there cannot be more glorious matter for the creature to be centred upon so also for the sweet dependency of the creatures one upon another beasts nourish men and grasse them 5. The Scripture doth appear to be the Word of God because those things that have been promised the rein have in the appointed time come to passe in all ages so that things have fallen out in every age according to their severall prophesies and all this being so doth make it plainly appear to be the Word of God Now when a poor sinner converted hath gotten over this stumbling block and is in some measure satisfied that this is the Word of God so that the subtle Devill and his own deceitfull heart cannot cheat him here then he casts in a second stumbling block II. It is true it cannot be denyed but this is the Word of God and were it truly translated as it was left by the Prophets and Apostles in Hebrew and in Greek it were something but alas the Scripture is corrupted by a spirit of ignorance or a spirit of self-ends in our translations Answ It is possible here and there a word is not so clearly translated but what is that to thee seeing thou art not to build thy faith and adventure thy soul upon God as held forth in any single text but according to the harmony of Scriptures or generall scope and so they be truly translated as to instance in the Scriptures of the Old Testament Christ exhorted them to read the Scriptures and it cannot appear that the Bible should be corrupted since for besides the Apostles there were many thousands of learned Jewes that came to professe the Gospell Act. 21. 20. Jam. 1. 1. And the truth being so gloriously planted it doth appear it could not be corrupted the generality of Scriptures are truly clearly and faithfully translated so that whosoever readeth and understandeth affecteth beleeveth and applyeth and practiseth what is there held forth it is able to make him wise throughly furnished unto every good work c. and so we come to the third stumbling block III. I cannot but grant saith the doubting sinner but that the Scriptures are the Word of God as hath been proved and that they are not so much corrupted by the Translators but in the main and generall bulk are pure and clear but what is all this to me saith the poor soul If God had spoken particularly to me by his Prophets and Apostles as he did to the Jewes and Gentiles then it it were something but alas these promises were made to the people then as being and what is that to me unlesse God had spoken to me as he did to them Answ The promises do belong unto us now in being as well as unto them as doth clearly appear by these and the like Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever was written afore-time was written for our learning Joh. 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve in me through their word 1 Cor. 9. 10. Saith he it altogether for their sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written Rom. 4. 23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone but for us also 1 Cor. 10. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples unto us and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Peter tels us from the Lord 2 Pet. 1. 20. that we must not make the Scripture speak in a private sense that is wee must not analyse or interpret them so as if the Prophesies thereof did relate only to the particular times places and persons in by and to whom they were at first uttered c. IV. After the sinner is got over the three former stumbling blocks he begins to run the waies of Gods Commandements and in his way he meets with a fourth block It is true saith he the Scriptures are the Word of God and in the main truly translated and they speak to me upon whom the ends of the world is come as well as unto the people in former ages But how shall I know what they mean The Scripture is to be understood in a spirituall sense the Book is sealed to me I cannot open the seal I want the Key of the Bible the Spirit of the Lord Isa 29. 11. Answ It is true the word is a spirituall word for holy men of old spake as the Spirit gave them utterance and the Apostles spake as the Spirit gave them utterance Act. 2. 4. So that neither the learned man nor the unlearned man can understand this Book till the Spirit of God doth open this unto them see Isa 29. 11 12. And the Apostles themselves although they had been a long time with Christ and heard his woâ—ds and seen his miracles yet Christ after his resurrection must come and open their understandings before they could understand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 45. Again the Scriptures are sometimes to be understood in a literall sense sometimes in a spirituall sense and sometimes in both sometimes as they are exprest sometimes as included sometimes as
power but of God 2. In a sense warily understood there is a power in every creature 1. There is no power but of God essentially originally or habitually 2. There is a power in every creature distributively and virtually by way of participation Now there is no power in any beneath God himself essentially and originally in this sense all creatures are powerlesse and strengthlesse but then in the second place as God in whom all power is hath impowered man so farre man hath a power and although this talent or talents was given him by the Lord and was the Lords yet it being given man it becomes his and is called mans and God at the last commends or condemns the party for improving or not improving this power bestowed on him to speak after the manner of men let us then consider the most inconsiderable creatures as the Swallow the Pismire the Crane and the Sparrow all these have received a power from God and hath God given no power to man whom he hath made Lord of all these creatures Man hath a great power over the beasts for man is a superiour but the beasts themselves have a great deal of power over the grasse and hearbs for the beast is the superiour In a word if the Scriptures shall be our rule and the Spirit our guide and the glory of God our aime then the Scripture holds forth a twofold power that is distributed or given forth to the creature the first is common to all the second is proper only to some The first is naturall the second is spirituall The naturall power is given forth universally to every mothers sonne and daughter of us as one talent which we ought not to hide in a napkin so Pilat had received power as Christ tels him Joh. 19. 10 11. Again have any of us done so much good or refrained so much evill as we might have done See Heb. 5. 12. see Jer. 35. 6. 18 19. Yea the worst of all created creatures the Devill himself hath a power First he hath the power of conquest for in Adams fall Satan conquered the whole world all mankinde they were the Devils conquest upon the fall so that when a man is converted then he is said to come out of the Kingdome of Satan but since this head doth begin to be bruised he cannot doe all things without leave There was a speciall temptation upon the countrey in his running their heard of swine into the sea and he had leave for that before he did it there was a speciall temptation upon Ahab in the lying spirit of the Prophets and he had a speciall leave and permission from God there was a speciall temptation coming down upon the Disciples and he would have had leave for that Simon Simon Satan hath desired you he was fain to aske leave before he can execute his power he is called in Scripture The Prince of the power of the aire the same words that are given unto God for good in Scripture are given also unto Satan for evill the Holy Ghost is said to enlighten a man Satan is said for to blinde him The god of this world hath blinded their eyes saith the Apostle the Spirit is said to rule in us Satan is said to rule in the children of disobedience the Holy Ghost is said to work in us mightily the same word is used for him also the Holy Ghost is said to fill the hearts of beleevers they were filled with the Holy Ghost so are mens hearts said to be filled with Satan Sayes Peter to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart Now doth God impower Fowls and Fishes and Beasts of the earth and every one to act in his kinde and is man left powerlesse Nay hath the Devill himself a power and man none this is the errour of men not the language of the Scripture for the Lord is so just and his waies so equall that he never requires impossible things of his creatures Only take notice of this by the way although I doe affirme that all men have a naturall power yet I doe not say that every man naturally hath it in the same measure neither doe I say or affirme that naturall power can act in supernaturall things no more then a bird can live in the sea or a fish in the air See Rom. 1. 19 20. 2. There is a spirituall power and this is not given forth to all universally as the other is but only to those that are new born by this power according to the measure of the gift of Christ they can pray in the Spirit rejoyce in the Spirit and worship God in the Spirit by this power they pull down strong houses and cast down imaginations by this power they can keep down their corruptible body as Paul 2 Cor. 9. 27. Now if any body should say that a new creature hath no spirituall power I will aske him to what end is there so many precepts exhortations and perswasions to these people If no power in these men cease to teach man as good goe teach the Sunne Moon and Stars which way they shall goe the winde to blow or the sea to ebbe and flow goe teach the fish to swim the bird to flie for they have power but by their opinion man hath none and indeed if man spiritually should have no power to act goe and rase out these and the like ensuing Scriptures as requiring that of man which he hath no power to doe Luk. 13. 24. Rom. 15. 30. Heb. 12. 4. Heb. 12. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Phil. 2. 12. Jer. 4. 14. Mat. 11. 28. Jer. 3. 13. Let no man therefore say that he hath no power in any sense lest he make God the author of all his omissions which should be charged upon the creature not upon the Creator for he gives to every man some talent or talents as to some worldly and naturall talents as wisdome wealth and art c. and to others spirituall talents or gifts as to prophesie interpret work miracles c. Questionlesse there is no man that improves his talent so well as he ought and might improve it and God may upon the non-improvement of what we have deny us more and where he finds us faithlesse in a little it 's but meet that he should deny us much also God may very justly damn men for not improving what he gives them and call them to an account as a Lord doth his faithlesse and unprofitable servant and steward therefore the very Heathens that had but the very light of nature will be inexcusable at the day of Judgement for not walking and acting according to that light and instinct in them though they never heard Scripture Law nor Gospell So that to sinne against the law of nature onely is enough to damn men if the improving of the law of nature is not sufficient to save men for there is a knowledge of Christ faith in him obedience to him
keep the Gospel from being preached if he cannot do that he will labour to poyson the doctrine if he cannot do that he will endeavour to keep the people from hearing if he cannot prevaile in that he will endeavour to have them hear negligently if he cannot do that he will endevour to hinder them in receiving those things that doe most concern them if he cannot do that then he will do what he can to hinder them in the practise of what they have heard learned received and treasured up and if so no mervail that there is so much preaching and hearing and so little good done that we might even say the converting power of the Ordinances are gone we see not God in them it is even dark and professors themselves walk in the dark and are so beset with temptations that they have much adoe to hold up Surely there is a way if we could light on it there is a spirituall skill if we could attain it if we could find it we should take a Bible and read and understand what we read and effect it believe it and apply it and enjoy it O Lord poure out thy spirit and open those Seals wherewith our Bible is sealed the Key of Logick cannot open the Seales the Key of Rhetorick and Phylosophy cannot open it it is that golden Key the spirit of the Lord that can do it that spirit will shew us how much of the Scripture is already fulfilled what is now fulfilling and what is yet to be fulfilled yea this is the way to know what Scriptures are to be understood litterally and what spiritually this will help us how to know when Christ speaks Mysterially and when he speaks Regally when he speaks to us as a Priest or as a Pprophet c. Now is not this blessed Key of the Bible the Spirit of the Lord worth an asking Luke 11. 13. If ye then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Oh let us ask then that we may receive that our joy may be full it is no â—esse then the mighty work of God to give us understanding in his Word Luke 24. 25. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures by his holy spirit giving them understanding it is true the Word of God shineth as a true light yet as the cloudy pillar was darkness to the Egyptians so are the Scripures to carnall and corrupt mindes because it is spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. untill the Holy Ghost open the understanding it cannot apprehend there is no worse cloud to obscure the light of the spirit then confidence in our own wisdome 2 Cor. 2. 3 4. Psal 119. 18. 1 Cor. 3. 7. So that where God who hath the key of David opens not there the Gospel though never so powerfully preached is hid and nothing affecteth the stupid the drowsie hearer See 2 Cor. 2. 4. Therefore let every Christian have a recourse to those promises in Scripture wherein he hath promised to open our blinde eyes and soften our hard hearts and fill us with the knowledge of his will and write his Law in our hearts and manifest himself to our soules our heavenly Father hath made his will and given us great wealth rich possessions and large legacies so that all his children are great heires wherefore we ought to come to him with an unshaken expectation and a frequent suing for all that is promised and not to suffer our heavenly Father to purse or keepe one penny that is due to us by promise but he shall be sure to heare of it and if he do not presently give in according to his covenant then let us draw a Petition and prefer it in the Court of Heaven where we have an Advocate pregared Jesus Christ the righteous to plead our case without a fee 1 Joh. 2. 1. Now this spirituall skill before spoken of which here I do endeavor to point at doth lye much in these three things 1. Consider whose Word it is and by whom it was spoken 2. Consider what he is that hath thus spoken to us by the Prophets 3. Consider what are the particular things or promises in it 1. Consider whose and by whom it was spoken and how it hath relation to us of these things or at least of some of them I have spoken somthing to in another Treatise but for two reasons I do write them here First because they are suitable and will fall in in order to what I have been writing in this Book Secondly because the Lord hath enlarged them upon my own heart well to return to the businesle in hand whose Word it is My friends that book which we call the Bible is the Word of God as we have proved at large in removing the first stumbling block the Prophets and Apostles were the mouth of God to the people as doth appeare in and by these Scriptures which I shall onely quote and leave the Reader to consider them Acts 3. 21. Heb. 1. 1. Acts 2. 4. Luke 10. 16. Mat. 10. 20. Now if these be the sayings of God they shall be undoubtedly made good so that every tittle of them shall be fulfilled Mat. 5. 18. Luke 16. 17. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 10. 23. Obj. I grant this that it is the saying of God but what is that to me saith a misgiving heart Alas these precious promises that you lay before me are not mine they were made to the people then in being Answ They do belong to us as well as unto them and were written for our learning as well as theirs as doth appeare by these John 17. 20. Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 10. Rom. 4. 23 24. 1 Cor. 10. 11. By all which it doth fully appear that the promises and threatnings doe reach and relate to us as well as the people then in being to whom it was spoken 2 Pet. 1. 20. for no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation that is we must not analise or interpret them so as if the Prophesies thereof did relate only to the particular Times Places and Persons in by and to whom they were at first uttered c. 2. Let us consider what he is that hath thus spoken to us in the Old and New Testament by the Prophets and Apostles for it is of exceeding great advantage to us to know him They that know thee will put their trust in thee And the reason wherefore we have so little faith in him is because we have so little knowledge of him c. 1. He is one that waiteth to shew mercy and doth not afflict willingly Mch. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity because thou dost delight in mercy therefore verse 19. he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquity and cast all our sinnes in the deepe of the Sea 2. He is one that hath
in us working the same in the opening and Declaration of his name unto uâ— Psalme 9. 10. this is a Faith that springeth from and worketh by love But such a Faith none can have till the love of God is discovered to them and so they see and believe his goodnesse towards them The serious consideration of this would put a check upon that preposterous mistake about mens teaching the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation unto the world and limitting the Gospell and death of Christ unto a few only which is not in the Commission of Christ given to the Apostles but rather to preach the Gospell to every creature and to invite them to that feast prepared by Christ and all things ready for their entertainment and that God is willing to receive them and so invite all and call upon all to goe to the wedding to believe and submit unto him and when this Gospell hath taken its effect upon some that they are perswaded to let goe all for him to receive him to believe in him and cleave to him then to minde them of the Doctrine of Election as the Apostles did apply it to believers minding them it was Gods goodnesse and free grace to elect them in Christ before the foundation of the world so that now they are begotten to the Faith they are to give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure but many men endeavour to hold forth to the world those decrees of Election and Reprobation which they rightly understand not making them dangerous and unprofitable Doctrines which otherwise in due place and manner propounded are very safe and wholsome for herein they goe besides the rule preaching an uncertaine sound which the world can make no good use of for when they heare it what use can they have of it but to perplex or harden them for what other consequence can they naturally draw from thence then this Either I am Elected or not If I be then I am well enough no sinne can or shall hurt me no matter whether I heare pray read or not If otherwise I shall but here torment my self with a melancholy and religious life in vaine what profits it for me to pray unto him no duties will profit me therefore I will take my pleasure no actions of mine can either help or hinder c. whereas he should be wrastling with God as Jacob and give him no rest till he had obtained the blessing What I have endeavoured to present before you in this ensuing Treatise as in a Map doe you consider more particularly viewing and weighing well the stumbling-blocks cast in youo way and the corruption of your owne understanding memory conscience will and affections with thoughts words actions omissions commissions we cannot likely goe too far in these things nor wrong your nature yea take a man that thinketh worst of himselfe he is far worse then he thinketh himselfe to be In a word our well-being doth much depend upon our removing these stumbling-blocks and removed they cannot be without Faith and Faith is the work of the Spirit of God in us out of the free love of God to us not for any good done by us or foreseen in us but being by nature all in misery we were objects of mercy Ezek. 16. 6. and so after in mercy he had clensed us we were beautifull through the comlinesse that he had put upon us ver 14. Election is the Election of grace Vocation is according to grace Regeneration was of Gods owne will Faith is the gift of God Justification is freely by grace Forgivenesse of our sinnes is according to the riches of his grace Eternall life is the gift of God all the Portion that God expecteth of us is Poverty Oh! the consideration of this free love of God held forth in the Gospel will engage the soule to a constant spirituall combat by faith and hope and other graces of the spirit against the flesh and so by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh daily crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts this love as an inward principle worketh out pollution and corruption as being repugnant thereunto it putteth the soule upon true endeavours to purifie both soul and body person and conversation from all corruption universally both in kinde and degrees This word of grace hath a purifying faculty in it Ye are clean through the word I have spoken to you saith Christ John 15. 3. Againe the Word is as an Antidote against sinne Psal 119. 11. and as a lamp discovering the spot Rom. 7. 7. and as a Starre conducting to Christ the Fountain of purifying 1 John 2. 1 2. Zach 13. 1. and as a rule according to which we are heedfully to order our conversation Psal 119. 9. and the chiefest motive unto selfe-purifying 2 Cor. 7. 1. The appearing of this stirreth up fervent desires and prayers for thorough purity Psal 19. 9. Clense thou me from secret faults purge me with Hysop and I shall be cleane Psal 51. 7. Wash me and I shall be whiter then snow c. Avoid Satan How can I do this evill and sin against God I must love him because he loved me first his free grace hath appeared unto me I must runne after him he hath set my feet at liberty I must run the wayes of his Commandements he doth let my soule live therefore I must prayse him he hath made the Tree good therefore the Fruit must be good Robert Purnell The way to Heaven discovered and the stumbling blocks cast therein by the World Flesh and Devill removed ALL Men Women and Children under the Sun are either in the state of Nature or in the state of Grace in Christ or out of Christ only here is their misery many that are in the state of nature doe think they be in the state of grace and many that are in the state of grace doe think they be in the state of nature Now although there be but these two states yet there be severall degrees in each of these states viz. Those that are in the state of Grace are in one of these four fourmes either babes children young men or old men 1. Babes 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2. Children little children 1 Joh. 2. 12. 3. Young men 1 Joh. 2. 13. 4. There is Old men or Fathers 1 Joh. 2. 14. So also for those in the state of Nature there be some nearer some further from the kingdome of God Isai 46. 12. Hearken unto me ye stout hearted that are farre from righteousnesse all stout hearted obstinate self-conceited Ranters and Ordinance-forsakers and vice-advancers Scripture-rejectors and hypocriticall dissemblers c. These are farre from the kingdome of God But then there is another sort of those in the naturall state spoken of by our Lord Jesus Christ Mar. 12. 34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God c. Thou art more moderate more teachable more tractable thou
hast in thee many good things thou wantest but that one thing needfull and thou shalt be perfect make Christ thy portion and sell thy own portion and follow him Mat. 19. 21. Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. Object But what shall we that are in the state of nature do that so we might if not get immediately out of that state into a state of grace yet that we might be continually waiting upon God in the use of those means appointed by him to change us c Answ The way with the wise man in Mat. 7. 24. to build our house upon the Rock is as followeth 1. Be throughly convinced that thou hast hitherto built upon the sand which will easily appear if thou consider 1. What thou art by nature 2. What thou art by practise 1. What thou art by nature not only born in sin but left in a condition unable to recover thy self Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 25. 4. How can he be clean that is born of a woman Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Mic. 7. 2. There is none upright amongst men Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so that death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 3. 9 10. Both Jew and Gentile they be all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. 12. They be all and altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 3. We are all gone out of the way we are all become unprofitable and filthy none righteous not one Now if all this be too little to compleat our condemnation wo go astray as soon as ever we are born Ps 58. 3. Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts was only evill and that continually Yea all the Saints themselves before conviction conversion and regeneration were guilty of originall and actuall transgression Ephes 2. 3. and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie hatefull and hating one another 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer and a persecutor Eccles 7. 20. So that there is not a just man upon earth according to creation and practise that doth good and sinneth not and thus man which at the beginning was created happy is become of all creatures most miserable viz. a slave to the Devill a childe of wrath and an enemy to good and an heir to eternall damnation Eph. 2. 3. Now we cannot come out of this miserable estate untill we come to him who is the fountain of life and brought to him we can never be but by faith Heb. 11. 6. For as God is the life of the soul and the soul is the life of the body so faith is the life of our enjoyments and the promises are the life of faith now when a man or woman comes to be throughly and powerfully and effectually convinced that he or she was born in sin and have ever since lived in sin and that all the plagues and judgements threatned in the whole Bible are due to them for their sins as appears by these Scriptures Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death Rev. 14. 10. These shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred forth without mixture in the cup of his indignation Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all they that forget God Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile see Deut. 27. 26. Deut. 28. 16 17 18 19 20. But besides all this the sinfulnesse of man by nature will further appear if we examine every faculty of the soul viz. the understanding is full of vanity see Psal 94. 11. nay it is full of blindnesse 1 Cor. 2. 24. unteachablenesse and incredulity 2 Cor. 4. 4. So the will of man is wholly depraved 1. It is contrary to God his word and Spirit in all things 2. It will not depend nor wait on God 3. it is unconstant in good resolutions 4. it disobeyes the will of God as we may see in Adams eating the fruit and Sauls sparing the Amalekites King and Cattle Then for the memory that also is full of corruption 1. That will forget the things that it is commanded to remember 2. It will remember the things that we are commanded to forget it will hold trifles and let go matters of moment So the conscience that is wholly corrupted 1. it is without feeling it is neither clear to see things that are amisse nor sensible of sins committed 2. Whereas it should excuse or accuse it doth abuse and pervert the light it hath by making great sins small c. Then for our affections they are also corrupt they come as a tempest and carry us away either to make us over-love over-grieve over-joy c. we hate our brother which we should love love our lusts whom we should hate by all which we may see that our nature is full of unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse 2. If thou and I consider what we are by practise we may quickly finde our sins to be more then the hairs of our heads or sands on the sea shore Examine first thy actuall sins of thought word and deed in our thoughts there is much corruption they being idle vain wicked and so foolish as Dr. Preston saith If a man should write his thoughts of one day and read them at night he would think he was half out of his wits now thoughts are the first born and blossome of the soul and are the first plotters and contrivers of good or evill with them we entertain good in the temple of our hearts Then for our words the tongue being very slippery we offend easily St. James compares the tongue to a bit which keeps in the wildest horse and to a rudder which turnes the greatest ship and to a fire which inflames the whole course of nature Jam. 3. 3 4 5. Yet most men think it nothing to let their tongues walk up and down at randome from morning till night from week to week from moneth to moneth from year to year Then see it again by most mens actions their sins of commission their number greatnesse frequency and thou wilt soon say as in the Psal 19. 12. Who can
dust of their feet against them Acts 18. 6 7. 4. That we might apply our selves unto God in the use of those meanes that he hath appointed for the working of faith in us Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth unto everlasting life Isa 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me hear and your soule shall live 5. That we might wholly deny our selves and search and by searching finde in the Covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to beleeve whatsoever is required to be beleeved Rom. 10. 17. Joh. 5. 39. Psal 119. 9 98 99 104 105. Rom. 4. 6. The soul being brought thus far on his journey toward heaven as 1. To be powerfully convinced by the Spirit of God as in Joh. 16. 8. this Spirit doth convince us of our own naturall misery and of Christs supernaturall al-sufficiency to remove it In the next place the soul begins to enquire after a remedy and finds that there is no other name given under heaven whereby it can be saved but by Christ alone so the soul begins to hear what Christ saith in his Word to poor sinners Mat. 11. 28. Come to me saith Christ I will give thee rest Isa 55. 7. I will abundantly pardon thee Isa 55. 1. Come come come to me saith Christ Revel 22. 17. Take the water of life freely If thou doest confesse and forsake thy sin thou shalt finde mercy Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Nay if thou canst not forsake them if thou dost but truly confesse them he will pardon thee Jer. 3. 13. Mica 7. 18. 19. But if thou finde not the conditions of the promise wrought in thee then apply those absolute promises that are made without condition viz. They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. And I will blot out all thy sins for my own Name sake Isa 43. 25. Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more I will sprinckle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ezek. 36. 25. and again I will give you a new heart and take away the stony heart Ezek. 36. 26. Isa 48. 9. 28. 11. Dan. 9. 17. 1 Joh. 1. 1 2. He the Lord Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins Heb. 8. 12. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sins will I remember no more Rom. 5. 20. Where sinne abounded grate did much more abaund Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly 2. Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Isa 5. 3. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own selfe bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto him should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed Now all this is written that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us as in Heb. 6. 18. and so sit down quiet in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. In a word Our heavenly Father hath made his Will and given us poor undone sinners great wealth rich possessions and large legacies so that all his children are great heires Rom. 8. 17. Wherefore we ought to have an unshaken expectation and a frequent seeking for all that is promised and not to suffer the heavenly Father to purse or keep a penny that is due but he shall be sure to hear of his promise made to us in his Will and Covenant and if he do not presently give in according to Covenant let us draw a petition and preserre it in the Court of heaven where we have an Advocate prepared Jesus Christ the righteous to plead thy cause without a see 1 Joh. 2. 1. Isa 43. 25. Now when a soul begins to clear up and to beleeve and apply these and the like pretious promises the Devill comes in as a roaring Lyon like a Jaylor that hath lost a prisoner the World comes and holds forth her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure to a lure the soul to returne to its first state of security and so both the World and the Dâ—vill lay siege against our owne misgiving hearts and so all three bending their forces together to cheat the soule or at last to ingage the whole man to put a stop to this blessed worke they begin againe to cheat the soule under more specious pretences covering all the grosse sins flowing from the deceitfull heart with the mantle of Religion and so promise the soule peace and bring it into trouble promise it honour and bring it to disgrace promise it liberty and bring it into bondage promise the soule life and bring it to death and so hide pride under the name of decencie and bring in Covetousnesse under the name of good husbandry clothe Drunkennesse under the name of good fellowship and hide Frowardnesse under the name of Zeale so that sin sings to us and sinks us it kisseth us and betrays us Who would imagine that whiles a man cries out against Pride Covetousnesse Cruelty Treason Heresie Blasphemy c. that he himselfe should be the spring from whence these issue In a word a man may as well tell the starres and number the sands of the sea as reckon up all the deceits in ones own heart At length the poore soule is awakened again and begins to see it is cheated on every side and so breaks forth in these or the like words thoughts or both Well saith the poor soule you have convinced me of sinne or rather the Spirit of God in the of reading the forementioned Scriptures and you have also laid before me the remedy but unlesse you can as an instrument in Gods hand take away all the stumbling blocks that are in my way to heaven I see I shall do nothing but fall for the Devill is ever and anone casting a stumbling block in my way and so doeth the World and so doth my owne deceitfull desperate wicked heart my worst enemy of all that I no sooner have gotten over one stumbling block but another is laid in my way and I walk in the dark and see little or no light and so am ready to fall over every block and my falling so often doth make me so weak that I fear I shall fall so long that I shall never be able to rise again see in Psal 140. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 8.
implyed but for removing this stumbling blocke take notice that the same God that commanded us to read hath promised to open our understandings that we may be able to understand and apply his Word the Word of God it self shineth as a clear light but as the pillar of fire was darknesse to the Egyptians so is the Scriptures to carnall corrupted mindes for it is spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 10. Untill the Spirit open the understanding the understanding cannot apprehend and when it is opened it doth understand but according to the measure of that light set up in the soul c. Obj. But for the full removing of this fourth stumbling block I desire satisfaction in these ensuing things 1. Whether many of the promises are not made to Christ and if so what they are 2. Whether many of them are not made to the Jewes and what those promises are 3. Whether there be not many promises made to the Gentiles and if so what those are These and many other things must be cleared unto me and in me and all mountains and stumbling blocks that lye in my way removed or else I shall not nay I cannot beleeve nor apply the promises Answ In answer to the first Quaere what promises are made unto and do belong to Jesus Christ 1. It was promised that he should be conceived of the Highest and born of a Virgin Luk. 31. 35. 2. That he should be a Saviour and Redeemer Act. 5. 31. Hos 1. 7. Zach 9. 16. Mat. 1. 21. 3. That he should be given for a Covenant to the people to perform all for them and to work all in them and to perfect all concerning them Isai 42. 6. 49. 7. 4. That he should build his Church Isai 59. 20. Zech. 6. 12 13. 5. That he should have the heathen for his inheritance and judge among the nations Isai 2. 4. Psa 2. 8 9. 110. 1. 6. That he should be exalted above all and his throne established for ever and ever Luk. 1. 32 33. 2. Quaere is Whether many of the promises are not made to the Jewes and what those promises are that are yet to be fulfilled to them Answ 1. That the Lord will gather them and restore them out of and from amongst all nations where they be scattered Isa 27. 12. Ezek. 24. 13. 36. 24. 37. 21. 2. That they shall repent of their sins Zach. 12. 10 11 12. 3. That they shall be fruitfull Ezek. 24. 26 27. Jer. 31. 12. 4. That the great ones of the earth as Princes and Nobles shall serve them Isa 49. 23. 60. 10. 5. That their state shall be so glorious that it shall be called a new heaven and a new earth Rev. 21. 1. 6. That the Gentiles shall come in to them Zach. 8. 23. Isa 60. 3 5 7. 3. Quaere is Whether there be not many promises made to the Gentiles and if so then what those promises were and are Answ I suppose that all or at least many of the spirituall promises made to the Jewes do belong and may be applyed to the Gentiles but there are promises that doe more peculiarly belong to them Hos 1. 10. And it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them Ye are not my people there shall it be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God Hos 2. 23. And I will have mercy upon her that did not obtain mercy and I will say to them which are not my people Ye are my people and they shall say Thou art our God see Act. 15. 17 Mal. 1 11. Isai 2. 3 4. 11. 10. 56. 8. Jer. 16. 19. Ezek 17. 23. Luk. 13. 29. Mat. 12. 21. 21. 23. Rom 15. 12. V. Object But saith the poor staggering soul you have removed four stumbling blocks that lay in my way as so many iron gates barr'd against me but behold a fift block I know not how to apply the promises therefore shew me how I may apply them and make a spirituall use of them Answ You are to apply them understandingly and that you may so doe consider in what condition or state you are in if a sinner then you must apply those promises that are made to sinners viz. 1. As that Christ dyed for the ungodly and for sinners and that he came into the world to save sinners 2. The promises are to be applyed orderly that is according to the intent of the promiser seek and beg pardon and forgivenesse before you beg assurance apply the promise of grace before the promise of glory 3. Apply the promises particularly He loved me saith Paul and gave himself for me and again My Lord and my God see Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and my deliverance my God my strength in whom I trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower c. 4. Apply the promises strongly for a man can never be established unlesse he beleeve confidently Isai 7. 9. Againe Christ doth often check his Disciples for doubting and staggering And that we may beleeve strongly consider 1. His power that hath made these promises he can and will perform them Heb. 11. 19. Rom. 4 21. 2. Consider his faithfulnesse that he will perform them Heb. 10. 23. 11. 11. 3. Consider he is ever mindfull of his promise Psal 111. 5. Isai 49. 15. 4. Consider his goodnesse he will make good his words in every part 2 Tim. 2. 13. Mic. 7 20. Object But for the full removing of this fift stumbling block I desire satisfaction saith a poor staggering sinner in this many or most of the promises are made conditionally and I finde not the conditions in me how then shall I apply them nay how dare I to apply them Answ It is true many of the promises are made conditionally 1. If thou doest confesse and forsake sin thou shalt finde mercy Prov. 28. 13. 2. If thou doest forgive all those that doe trespasse against thee 3. If thou art weary and heavy laden with sin thou shalt finde mercy if thou doest come to Christ Mat 11. 28. 4. Christ doth call all those that are a thirst to come to him as in Isai 55. 12. Rev. 22. 17. These and many more are made conditionally but consider 1. That the Lord hath promised to work those conditions in thee that he doth require of thee 2. When we read the conditions of the promises in the Gospell they be not like the promises of the Law made to the perfect fulfillers of them these promises are Evangelically made to those that endevour to keep them 3. Consider whatsoever promises are made in generall to all those that hunger and thirst c. every one may particularly apply it to themselves as to instance the Messiah Gen. 3. 14. is promised to all which every one ought to apply to themselves particularly
inabled to live I answer the soul yet I have not three but one soul in me whereby I live and act But as the image of any thing cannot attain the perfection of that thing whereof it is an image so neither this Image of God in man cannot attain the excellency of the Highest who in every thing is infinite only and the cause of all things and although man was by him made of the dust yet notwithstanding this almighty Being preferred him above all other creatures viz. 1. By putting in mans soul an Image of himselfe 2. By setting him in the most glorous place of the earth called Eden or Paradise 3. By giving him dominion over all other his Creatures 4. By revealing his minde to man what he would have him to doe that thereby he might professe subjection to his Creator Now this great incomprehensible and everlasting God is every way so glorious that if thou didst but see him thou wouldest admire him and account all things lighter then vanity in comparison of him if thou didst but know him thou wouldst be so ravished with the love of him that many waters could not quench it if thou didst but taste him thou wouldst hunger and thirst after him more then the hart doth after the water brooks In a word it is life to know him Joh. 17. 3. It is heaven to behold him it is melody to hear him it is endlesse happinesse to injoy him he is all thy tongue can aske thy heart can wish thy minde conceive he is light in darkenesse joy in sorrow rest in trouble health in sicknesse food in famine life in death heaven in hell Isa 40. 22 23. It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are as grass-hoppers this is he that stretcheth out the heavens as a Curtaine and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in this is he that bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity it is he that dwelleth in everlastingnesse whose throne is inestimable whose glory may not be comprehended before whom the host of Angels stand with trembling Job 11. 7. Who by searching can finde out God can any mortall man finde out the Almighty to perfection We may know something of God and of his will but not perfectly for that is too great a task for any of us or any creature to doe it goes beyond all created understanding mans eyes cannot see nor his understanding comprehend take the most knowing men in the world and they are not able to comprehend the highest heavens nor the lowest hell nor the length of the earth nor breadth of the sea much lesse the perfection of the Almighty which is higher then heaven deeper then hell longer then the earth broader then the sea Job 11. 8 9. We cannot give an account of the causes of things in heaven as of the motion of the Sun Moon and Starres what can poor mortall man say to it deep things are hard to be found out and sometimes impossible Job 9. 11. Job saith that the Lord goeth by him and yet he could not see him not that the Lord moveth from place to place as men do but he being spirituall is as invisible and incomprehensible to the eye and minde of man as a man that passeth by unseen and unthought of In a word he is such a one that is present in all places The Lord was in this place and I knew it not said Jacob Gen. 28. 16. and David in Psal 139. 7 8 9 10. Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend up into heaven thou art there if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall uphold me what shall I say all things had their being from him and all things doe centre in him all things lead us to him wherefore let us forsake all things for him and follow hard after him and cleave close to him that we may know that we have a relation to him and an interest in him all other relations and interests which vain man is apt to rest upon and centre in will prove a sandy foundation If thou doest expect comfort from friends as near to thee as Jobs friends they will prove but sorrowfull comforters as his friends did to him if thou doest expect comfort from the Magistrate or Minister they are mutable sometimes smiling upon thee sometimes frowning if thou doest expect comfort from thy children they may bring abundance of sorrow upon thy heart as Jobs sonnes and daughters and the sonnes of Eli or as in the Proverbs A foolsh sonne causeth shame to his father if thou doest expect comfort from thy neighbours they will speak thee fair to thy face and make thee their table-talk behinde thy back if thou doest expect comfort from thy servants the one will be apt to runne away and the other to answer thee again or else to serve thee with eye-service if thou doest expect comfort from the King or Prince alas he is turned tyrant for which he must lose his life or be banished and so is unable to comfort himself if thou doest expect comfort from he or shee that doth lie in thy bosome bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh which was made to be a help one to another this bosome friend is either given to idlenesse or pride and wastfulnesse or both or if free from that then full of frothy talking to the grief of thy heart or else froward and touchy to thy self and servants that as Solomon saith you were as good be in house with a roaring Lion and a raging Beare and so thy bosome friend from whom thou didst expect some comfort when all other creatures comfort faild why this frined above all the rest proves the greatest enemy and brings more sadnesse upon thy heart and sorrow upon thy spirit then all the losses crosses scandals and reproaches that ever thou mett'st with before from all the world besides so that now thou art fain to keep thy self from him or her that lyeth in thy bosome and the one must not reprove for fear the other will flie in the face the fairest face is sometimes matched with the foulest heart and the smiling looks with hellish thoughts Prov. 6. 26. 9. Prov. 13. 21. 19. Prov. 27. 15. Eccles 7. â—8 Again if thou doest expect any comfort from thy estate one Scripture saith that riches make themselves wings and flie away another Scripture saith that moth and rust doth corrupt and theeves will break through and steal another Scripture namely the second of Ecclesiastes saith that all is Vanity and vexation of spirit vanity on the door posts into which we enter on the tables where we sit on the dishes out of which we eat on the
13. 1. 2. A good Conscience purged from dead workes to serve the living God 3. Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now faith may be said to be unfained when it hath the true nature of faith of assenting to the truth revealed and applying particularly those truthes assented to 3. For forme and manner do things required in such sort as God requires them not only doing good things but doing them well 1. Spiritually and heartily with heart and spirit not with body only this God requires Proverb 23. 26. My sonne give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes Joh. 4. 24. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 1. 9. God abhorres all other services Matth. 12. 7 8. Ezek. 33. 31 32. 2. Sincerely and uprightly as in the sight of God Gen. 17. 1. God said to Abraham Walke before me and be perfit 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 3. Constantly perseverance in well doing crownes well doing Psal 1. 2. In his law doth he meditate day and night Psal 92. 14. They shall still bring forth fruite Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patience continuing in well-doing 4. Obediently because God commands it therefore in conscience and love to the command obedience is performed as in Noah Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being warned of God prepared an Arke Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went So we might instance in David Psal 40. 8. and Paul Rom. 7. 22. 5. Vniversally without reservations and exceptions Hypocrites may doe many things as Jehu 2 Kings 10. 30 31. Herod Marke 6. 20. But an upright heart hath respect to all things required as we may see and read in David Psal 119. 6. Caleb Num. 14. 24. Zachariah and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. Now O Christian dost thou practise or performe the things required spiritually sincerely obediently universally and constantly If so then thy righteousnesse in the practicall part doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees 4. And Lastly dost thou do the thing commanded for right ends viz. Gods glory primarily 2 Cor. 10. 41. Thine owne and others spirituall or eternall good Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 2 3 4. Low and base ends spoyle the highest undertakings as we may see in Jehu 2 Kings 10. and the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 6. 15 16. and Saul 1 Sam. 15. 30. Now then lay these foure things together upon thy heart and state the question to thy owne soule Soule I charge thee in the presence of the Allmighty God as thou shalt answer at the last dreadfull day of Judgement dost thou looke to the principle from which thou dost act and to the matter and to the manner and to the ends and art thou pure in all this in some measure then let me tell thee thy righteousnesse doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees both in the doctrinall part and in the practicall part for they act from a corrupt principle and for base ends to be seen of men and so the righteousnesse of the Scribes cannot justifie a poore soule because it doth crosse the ends of the Lord in giving the Law the Lord gave the law to shew people their sinne and the judgements thereunto due Again it cannot justifie a sinner because then it would frustrate the death of Christ then Christ dyed in vaine XIX The nineteenth stumbling block Oh! but for all this I feare I have but a forme of Godlinesse and so shall not be saved for I find my selfe apt to look more upon gifts then upon grace upon law then upon Gospell upon a forme more then upon the power of Godlinesse Oh! I shall bâ—tray Christ with Judas or embrace the present world with Demas I have but only tasted of the Heavenly gift Heb. 6. 4. Note it is not said to have eaten or drunken but only tasted that is I have had some kinde of relish or small sense by a temporary faith of the excellency of Christ I have but onely tasted of the good word of God as those cast-awayes did Heb. 6. 5. And so again I have tasted of the powers of the World to come but alas I see I have only a name to live though in truth I am dead I live in a forme but I want the power of Godlinesse I have deceived my selfe and others have been deceived by me and the Lord alone knowes what will become of me Answ The Devill hath many wayes to keep poor soules in a sad doubting and questioning condition sometimes by suggesting that their graces are not true but counterfeit sometimes by tempting men to cast off all formes as things too low for strong Saints at least to make use of and sometimes by making men to rest or satisfie themselves in a forme without the power and by this Dragons taile a third part of men and women are deceived see Revel 12. 4. All men that would walke with God and worship him in spirit take heed of formality in all holy duties take pains with your hearts in them labour for the power of Godlinesse strive to get up to God in them it were well if when we did performe holy duties we did but keep close to the duty it selfe few goe so farre but it is one thing to keepe close to the duty and another thing to keep close to God in the duty to finde God in all duties that we wait upon him in and in the use of all ordinances to take paines to finde God there and not to satisfie and quiet our hearts except we finde God in the duties that we performe We have a full Scripture for this Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee that is where ever there is any Ordinance or any holy duty to be performed there is a recording of Gods name and saith he I will come unto thee and there I will blesse thee if you would finde God you must goe where God is promised to be manifested and that is in the way of his ordinances when men come to rest in a forme as most do they never honour their profession they have little comfort to their own souls they goe on in a dead heartlesse condition they know not what it is to have communion with God It may be thou hast prayed preached conferred meditated but have you been in heaven that while what converse with God have you had there Oh take heed of formality it will drown men in perdition even when they expect salvation but now a Christian that can but chatter to God and speake a few broken words and halfe sentences yet if he doth not rest in formality he may have much converse with God whereas others that have excellent parts yet resting in the worke done never knowe what the meaning is of having communion and fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and Saints in the spirit they are just such a people spoken to in
Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost 1 John 5. 5 6 7 8 9. 18 19 21. Mat. 28. 19. Ephes 4. 4 5 6. and 1 John 2. 22 23. and 2 John 9. 10. and 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. and 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1 John 2. 22. Acts 4. 10. 12. and 1 Cor. 3. 10 11. Isaiah 45. 21 22 23. 4. A true Church may be known by this also I say a true Church that is perfectly joyned together for of such a Church I am now speaking 1 Cor. 1. 10. I say that this Church doth hold that Jesus Christ is very God and very Man of the very Substance of the Virgin Mary begotten by the spirit of God 1 Joh. 4. 23. 2 Joh. 7. and 1 John 4. 3. That Jesus Christ is God and Man doth further appeare in these Scriptures Mat. 16. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Isaiah 53. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 24 25. 1 Corinth 15. 2 3. 2 Timoth. 2. 4 5 6. 5. That the same Lord Jesus Christ dyed for the sinnes of the people being crucified at Jerusalem and rose againe and ascended into Heaven whereby there is a way opened for all sinners whom God shall draw and make willing freely to come to God and their duty so to doe and whosoever doth come and none else he doth wash away their sinnes in his owne bloud and present them to his Father pure in his owne purity John 8. 24. Acts 4. 10 11 12. Acts 10. 38 39 40 41 42 43. and 1 Cor. 15. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Act. 22. 8. Acts 2. 36 37 38. Rev. 22. 17. Isa 55. 1 2. Col. 1. 22. 28. Ephes 5. 27. 2 Peter 3. 14. Colos 2. 10. 6. A true Church sound in the Faith and holy in Conversation doth hold that this same Jesus Christ being the onely God and Man in one person remaines for ever a distinct Being from the Saints and Angels notwithstanding their Vnion and Communion with him Col. 2. 8 9. 19. and 1 Tim. 3. 16. 7. A true Church doth hold that precious faith or comming to God is a spirituall and peculiar gift of God and that there is no freenesse or willingnesse in any naturall man to that which is spiritually good but an absolute enmity thereto so that no naturall man can by any thing that he can doe bring himselfe into a state of grace or holinesse or sit himselfe thereto 8. A true Church sound in the Faith doth hold that we are justified and saved by grace and saith in Christ and not by workes Rom. 1. 16 17. 31. Rom. 8. 13. Rom. 9. 31 32 33. and 10. 3 4. Act. 15. 24. Gal. 1. 6 7 8 9. Gal. 5. 2. 4 5. Ephes 2. 8 9 10. and 1 John 1. 6. 8. 1 John 3. 3 4 5 6 7 8. and 2 Pet. 2. 19 20. 9. A true Church doth hold that God meerly of his good pleasure without the fore-sight of any good in the creature elected a certaine number by name unto eternall salvation and hath decreed also to effect all the wayes for them and in them to bring them thereto Ephes 1. 4. Mat. 24. 22. 24. 31. Rom. 8. 33. and 9. 11. and 1 Tim. 5. 21. and 2. 2. 10. and 1 Pet. 1. 2. and 2 Pet. 1. 10. and 2 Thes 2. 13. 10. A true Church holds that no person that is so elected and regenerated shall fall away out of that state and be damned but shall be undoubtedly kept by the power of God in that state of regeneration unto salvation 2 Tim. 2. 19. Titus 1. 2. and Mat. 24. 24. Phil. 1. 6. 1 Per. 1. 5. Rom. 8. 1. and 6. 22. and 8. 30. Ephes 4. 30. and 5. 27. Heb. 12. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Prov. 24. 1◠1 John 3. 9. Jude 24. Mat. 7. 24 25. Besides the Lord hath engaged by way of promise that none of his shall fall finally John 10. 27 28 29. and 4. 14. and 3. 36. and 5. 24. and 6. 40. 47. 54. and 14. 16. and 1 Cor. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 6. and 2. 1. 10. 1 Sam. 12. 22. Psal 94. 14. Prov. 10. 30. A true Church doth hold that God is to be worshipped according to his owne will but those that slight his Ordinances and despise the duties of his worship doe manifestly declare that they are none of those that shall be saved Jer. 10. 15. Psal 14. 4. Jude 18 19 20 21. 12. That Church that is perfectly joyned one to another in one spirit doth hold that the dead shall rise and that there is a day of Judgement Acts 17. 30 31. 1 Cor. 15. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Heb. 9. 27. 1 Pet. 4. 17. Jude 6. Rev. 20. 12 13. Rom. 2. 16. In a word to say no more a true Communion of Saints according to a Gospel-institution is a Communion of Saints arising from a clear apprehension of their Union with Saints 1 Cor. 12. 13 14. for by one spirit we are all baptised into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free 〈◊〉 have been all made to drink into one spirit for the body is not one member but many ver 20. for now are they many members but one body Now when a Saint comes to see that every one in whom the Lord Jesus appeareth is a member together with him in the same body whereof Christ is the head then his heart longeth to joyne himselfe in fellowship with such who have fellowship with the Father and the Son 1 John 1. 3. Obj. But I am a little unsatisfied in this saith some soule I heare that those Churches that walk nearest to those Rules before laid downe doe suffer some to speake and teach amongst them that are not Ministers but private Members pray Sir how is that exercise proved Answ Their exercising their gifts may be proved by these four demonstrations 1. By examples in the Jewish Church where men though in no Office either in Temple or Synagogue had liberty publiquely to use their gifts as doth clearly appeare by these Scriptures Luke 2. 42. 46 47. Luke 4. 16 17 18. Acts 8. 4. and 11. 19 20 21. and Chapt. 13 14 15 16. chap. 18. 24 25 26. 2. By the Commandement of Christ and his Apostles Luke 9 10. chap. 10. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 5. 30 31. 3. It will appeare plainly by the prohibiting of women to teach in the Church hereby liberty being given unto men their husbands or others 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. 4. This will yet more fully appeare by those most excellent ends which by this meanes are to be obtained As 1. The glory of God in the manifestation of his manifold graces See 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. 2. That the gifts of the Spirit in men be not quenched 1 Thes 5. 19 20. Quench not the Spirit despise not prophesying that is Stop not the motion of the Spirit in your selves nor restraine the gift thereof in others Despise not prophesying that is Contemne not the Word
how meane soever the speakers gifts seeme unto thee Set not lightly by the declarations and applications of the Scriptures either by such as have the extraordinary gifts of prophesying see 1 Cor. 14. 15. or by the ordinary gifts 3. For the fitting and tryall of men for the Ministery 4. For the preserving pure the doctrine of the Church which is more indangered if some one or two alone may onely be heard and speak Act. 2. 42. 5. For the debating and satisfying of doubts if any doe arise Act. 13. 15. 6. For the edifying of the Church and conversion of others alwayes provided that he have the gift of the Spirit to speak unto edification exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14. 3. Now to say no more in order to the removing of this last stumbling block let me exhort thee in the name and fear of the Lord to inquire and make diligent search amongst all sorts of Assemblyes prophesying and pretending to Christ for such a Congregation that of lively stones have built up a spirituall house and set down therewith many at the feet of Christ hear his words and endeavour to be serviceable to his Lambs thy fellow Members so shalt thou dwell in his house and behold his glory and inquire in his Temple Psal 27. 4. and thou being thus planted in his house shall flourish in his Courts Psal 29. And this is all I shall lay before thee or commend unto thee as touching the removing those stumbling-blocks that lye in a Christians way to Heaven and the maine end next to the glory of God that put me upon removing these stumbling blocks is that we might keep up faith in our soules which will be of singular use unto us viz. 1. It will purifie the heart Acts 15. 9. 2. It will enable us to heare the word with profit Heb. 4. 2. 3. It will inable us to overcome the world 1 John 5. 4. 4. It will inable us to overcome the Devill Ephes 6. 16. 5. It will make mercies present that are absent Heb. 11. 1. 13. 6. It will fill the Soule with joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. 7. It will multiply peace in the Soule Rom. 5. 1 2. 8. It will assure a Soule that God will answer his prayers James 1. 5 6. 9. It will inable us to be fruitfull in well-doing even to shew forth our faith by our workes James 2. 18. it will inable us not only to do the thing commanded but as it is commanded Rom. 14. 23. 10. It will not only give us the title of honour of being called the children of Abraham but it will furnish us with a heart and principle to walke in the steps of our Father Abraham to come forth of our own Countrey as he did if God call us and to trust upon God although he had but a bare word for it and to give God as he did his own time to make God his owne promise and to part with the nearest and dearest thing for God at first word and to look through all difficulties and impossibilities unto the fulnesse of God and so to believe in hope against hope and so to wait upon God as not to neglect the meanes Faith Prayer Hope c. for the accomplishment of the mercy promised yea this faith will help the soule to act in Spirituall duties from Spirituall ends as from the sence of Divine love that doth as it were constraine the soule to waite upon God and to waite upon God and to act for God in love to God the choice and pretious discoveries that the soul hath formerly had of the beauty and glory of God whilst it hath been in the service of God the blessed love-letters the glorious kisses and the sweet imbraces that a believing soul hath had from Christ in his service this doth provoke and move the soule to wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances but an unbeliever doth put himselfe upon religious duties only from externall motives as the Eare of the creature the Eye of the creature the reward of the creature and the keeping up of a name amongst the creatures and a thousand such lâ—ke considerations and as we may see in Jehu Saul Judas Demas and the Scribes and Pharisees c. It would much heighten our Faith if we did seriously consider the sweet condescentions of our tender Lord God to all staggering misgiving weak Christians viz. Luke 9. 56. but The Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them 1 Tim. 2. 5. I am saith Christ willing that all should be saved and come to knowledge of the truth Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to repentance Heb. 2. 15. I am saith Christ to deliver those that were all their life time subject to bondage Jer. 3. 12. Heb. 8. 12. I am very mercifull and will be mercifull and will pardon thy Sins Isa 43. 25. Though thou deservest nothing of me yet I will pardon thy Sins for my owne name sake and though it doth seeme impossible to thee that I should be so mercifull Mark 9. 23. Consider all things are possible to him that believeth Obj. O but I am the child of wicked Parents and the Lord hath said he will visit the sinnes of the Fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation Answ If a wicked Father and Mother beget a Son that seeth all his Parents sinnes and considereth and doth not such like that Sonne shall not bear the iniquity of his Father Ezek. 18. 14. 20. Ezek. 16. 3. to the 13. besides we finde in Scripture that wicked Parents had good Children 2 Kings 16. 20. wicked Ahab had good Hezekiah Idolatrous Ammon zealous Josiah 2 Kings 22. 2. see 2 Kings 21. 21 22. and ungodly Saul had a godly Jonathan nay if thou be a Bastard the child of a Whore that doth not hinder thee neither to be saved for Gods servant Jeptha was a Bastard so was his servant Phares who is reckoned in Christs owne Genealogie compare Judges 11. 1. with Heb. 11. 32. compare Gen. 38. 18. and 29. and Ruth 4. 12. with Mat. 1. 3. in a word he that is borne a Bastard if he be borne againe of the Spirit he is reckoned among the Sonns of God Obj. But I am an old Sinner and have one foot already in the grave saith another trembling Soule Answ Christ doth call some at the ninth houre yea some at the eleventh houre and saith Jer. 3. 5. returne unto me and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee I will multiply pardons for thee Isa 55. 7. Nay if thou hast been an Idolater an Adulterer a Thief a Drunkard yet we finde in Scripture such were many of the Lords deare ones that are now in Heaven 1 Cor. 9. 6. 9 10 11. Tit. 3. 3 4 5 6 7. What shall we say Christ left his own glory and came into the world to save Sinners Joh. 17. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 15. though he
Or of his sincerity to intend me really what he speaketh 4. Or of his constant memory of taking the opportunity of doing the thing promised or intended 5. Or of his stableness to be still of the same mind Now if there be no want of any of these in him whose promise we speak of there is then certainly no ground of doubting or staggering or misgiving but rather a firm ground of confidence and assurance The serious consideration of this will skrew up a Christian to a holy boldnesse and spirituall confidence where is that boldness as there was in David I will not said he fear though ten thousand should hem me in if warre should rise against me in this will I be confident Psal 27. 1 2 3. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid ver 2. When the wicked even mine enemies and foes come upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell c. Where is such boldnesse and strength as was in Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel and prevailed with God to put him in mind of his promise made to him Where is such a spirit of prevailing with God as there was in Moses when the Lord said Let me alone Moses c. Where is such joy in suffrings as there was in Paul and the rest of the Saints Rom. 5. 3. We rejoice in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope Where are those noble overcomming Saints that would not be afraid of a man that should dye What have we the same Father and so unlike our Brethren do we not disparage our Fathers house by looking so like Pharaoh's lean Kine and in stead of holy boldnesse and spirituall confidence one is whining another piping some sighing and all doubting and complaining Surely this fearfulnesse and timerousnesse doth arise from weakness and feebleness and weakness and feebleness doth arise from imbecillity or incredulity In a word it springeth from our ignorance of the riches freeness fulness and everlastingness of Gods love and from our ignorance of the power glory sufficiency and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ and from our ignorance of the worth glory fulness largeness and compleatness of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and from our ignorance of that reall close spirituall glorious and inseparable union that there is between Christ and our pretious soules here lyeth the defect and how shall this be removed and the soule revived and the heart cheared and the whole man quickned but by the spirit of God in the applying of these promises Oh then oh then consider there are many promises and they do belong to us and he that made them is the mighty God he is able to make them good he is faithfull and willing to accomplish them he is unchangeable in his love to us and alwayes mindfull of us and waiting to be gracious unto us Oh! How earnestly doth he knock how powerfully doth he strive how long doth he wait upon us to make known himself unto us Our Fathers trusted in him and were saved Surely the Lord is never worse but many times better then his promise He promised the children of Israel only the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two other Kingdomes which he never promised and to Zacharias he promised to give him his Speech at the Birth of the Child but besides that he gave him the gift of prophesie And hence it is that the Apostle in Ephes 3. 20. saith That God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can either aske or thinke In the Name of the Lord then let us arise and take the Bible and read and understand and effect and believe and apply that so the word of God may dwell plentifully in us so shall the Word be our rule the Spirit our guide and the Glory of God our ayme so shall an entrance be administred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the Rock of Ages the light of the World and King of Saints to whom be Glory for ever Amen But now if after all these earnest knocking 's long waitings and powerfull strivings if after all these invitations removing stumbling-blocks answering objections callings waitings beseechings and intreatings after this day of grace is over then to those souls that come not in Christ doth change his voyce doth protest that none of those souls thus invited shall ever tast of his Supper Luk. 14. 24. Nay he saith Though they call he will not answer Prov. 1. 28. And if they seek him they shall not finde him ver 26. He will laugh at their calamity and mock when their feare commeth Mat. 23. 37. I would have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not 38. Behold your house is left unto you desolate And then if ye would he will not c. Jer. 7. 16. Pray not for this people for I will not heare saith the Lord Isa 65. 12. Therefore will I number you to the sword and ye shall bow downe to the slaughter because when I called yee did not answer when I spake ye would not hear but yee did chuse that wherein I delighted not Isa 66. 4. Therefore will I chuse out their delusions and I will bring their feare upon them because I called and none would answer I spake and they would not heare Jer. 7. 13 14 15 16. Now therefore because ye have done all these evill things saith the Lord and I rose up early and spake unto you but yee would not hear me neither when I called would ye answer Therefore c. I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your brethren Therefore pray not for this people I will not answer c. Obj. But if any may then say Why Lord wilt thou not heare us thou hast manifested thy selfe that thou art mercifull Answ I will not heare you the Lord may then justly say because the day of Grace for you is past the Sun is set your Glass is runne out the Golden Scepter is taken in and Repentance is a work that must be timely done or whoever men or women that have been called and neglected their time be utterly undone Ye did not obey my voyce spoken to you by my Servant Isaiah in Isa 55. 6. Ye did not seek me while I was to be found ye did not call upon me while I was near whereas every one whose heart was upright with me did come to me in a time when I was to be found Psal 32. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto him in a tinse when he is to be found But ye did not come to me will the Lord justly say c. 1. Untill the terme of time allotted for repentance was past See Heb.
3. 15. and 13. compared together 2. Neither did ye enquire after me till the Decree came forth Zeph. 2. 1 2 3. Now my fierce anger is comming upon you c. 3. It shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah then for you Mat. 10. 15. and Mat. 11. 24. Good had it been for you if ye had never been born or at least if ye had not been invited or waited upon by me 4. Ye sought not unto me untill ye had abused my patience so as to weary me so as that I could bear no longer Jer. 15. 6. Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord and gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee for I am weary with repenting Jer. 44. 22. So that the Lord could no longer beare because of the evill of their doings 5. They did never heartily seek to me untill I had said none of those which were bidden should tast of my Supper Luke 14. 24. and sworn surely they shall not enter into my rest Psal 95. 11. and therefore Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Do ye think ô ye rebellious souls that I would have cast the Angels out of Heaven for one sin and spare you who are guilty of so many millions of sins did not one sin make Saul lose his Kingdome and Esau his Birth-right And how can ye escape seeing ye have judging your selves unworthy of eternall life in neglecting so great salvation I am sure I have waited upon some of you ten twenty thirty fourty fifty years or upwards ô ye stout-hearted sinners that are far from righteousness O ye damned souls I will set your sins in order before your sight with the number nature aggravations and circumstances that ye may be your own Judges and so despaire with Cain and hang your selves with your Cousin Judas Are ye come now it is too late to my Supper without a Wedding Garment Go mine Angels binde them in chains and cast them into utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 12. 17. For they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have digged themselves pits even broken pits that can hold no water Jer. 2. 13. If ye would then if ye could give all the world to recall one day againe that ye have mispent ye cannot have it your sins against mercy will bring the greatest misery ye have spun fair threads in going on from folly to folly untill ye are ripe for eternall misery from which there is no redemption for sin and punishment are linked together Ye have been wicked and ye must be tormented Oh condemned souls Did ye never read that in all ages I have severely punished sin in mine own people in Covenant with me and as dear to me as the apple of mine eye and yet think ye that I would spare you did ye never read Mat. 12. 36. That For every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of Judgement And do ye think to be freed who are guilty of the breach of every command 1. Consider to your torment That whereas I have promised to pardon the sins of my people so I have pronounced that your sinnes shall not be pardoned Isaiah 22. 14. Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye dye saith the Lord God of Hosts Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee See Heb. 10. 29. and Numb 15. 31. 2. Whereas the Lord is able to bring in the mercy promised to his people as we have held forth at large so he is able to bring all the plagues threatned upon all unbelievers Mat. 10. 28. to destroy soule and body 3. And whereas the Lord is mindfull of the mercies promised to his people so he is as mindfull of the judgements threatned against his enemyes See Eccles 8. 12 13. 4. Whereas he is faithfull to do all that he hath said for his people so he is as just in pouring out the vialls of his wrath upon obstinate stout-hearted sinners 1 Sam. 3. 14. 5. Whereas the Lord hath covenanted to and with his people to assure them that he will not faile them so also hath he entred into Covenant with all unrighteous people that he will ease himselfe of them his adversaries and avenge himselfe on his enemyes Isaiah 1. 24. and bring upon them all the curses of the Covenant as in Deut. 29. 21. 6. Whereas the Almighty God hath sworn that he will make good all things to his people in Covenant with him and withhold no good thing from them So he hath sworne that the iniquity of those wilfull opposers and neglecters of him shall never be purged with Sacrifice nor Offerings for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Yea The Lord hath sworne in his wrath that they shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. 11. Behold here is the portion of all filthy dreamers Jude ver 8. Loe here is the reward of all Raging waves of the Sea foming out their owne shame wandring Starrs to whom is reserved the mist of darknesse for ever Jude 12 13. Loe these are those naturall bruite-beasts made to be taken and destroyed Speaking evill of the things that they understand not and so shall utterly perish in their own corruptions These are those wells without water clouds that are carryed with every tempest to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2. 12. 17. c. Ye Serpents saith Christ how can ye escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23. 33. The Lord in Scripture giveth a man a name suitable to his nature The Scripture calleth them Lyons for their fiercenesse and Bears for their cruelty and Dragons for their hideousnesse and Doggs for their filthinesse and Wolves for their subtilenesse In a word the Spirit of God styleth them Scorpions Vipers Thornes Bryars Thistles Brambles Stubble Dust Chaffe Dirt Drosse Smoak Scumme Loe here are your titles of honour O ye great ones that stand so much upon your gentility and look so big to jet up and down the Streets Isa 23. 9. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed to stayne the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Oh ye that fare deliciously every day ye must goe to Hell with your Brother Dives Oh ye that adorne a stinking carcase with the best aray and Lord it over your brethren ye are most of you the poorest men in the world for all that ye thinke your selves rich A wicked man though a Gentleman is the poorest needyest man in the world for he wanteth trust in God Christ the Spirit the Promises the Covenant of grace he wanteth peace of Conscience and peace with God he wanteth acceptation and reconciliation with God he wanteth righteousnesse justification adoption
rich and miserable with Dives Oh! I see I see that one storm at Sea one coale of Fire one false Friend one unadvised word one false Witness may make a rich man a Beggar and a Prisoner altogether Surely if this had been considered some things had been reformed that were not Did you never read Psal 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighs of the poore I will up saith the Lord and will set at liberty c. And in Psalm 146. 9. The Lord keepeth the Stranger he relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widow c. Did you not know that the oppression of the poor which was so great in the midst of us would pull down the judgement of God upon the heads of those that had power to relieve them and would not May not many of you hereafter say as Philip the third of Spain whose life was free from gross evils being in the Agony of death fear struck into him and these words burst from him Oh would to God I had never reigned Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God and not opprest the people What doth all my honour profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my death My day of account is very neere and all men shall know and feel that the sleeping of vengeance causeth the overflowing of sin and the overflowing of oppression causeth the overflowing of vengeance Abused oportunity will most certainly turn into fury for Gods long forbearance is no acquittance the day is at hand when he will pay negligent men and women for mispending precious time and for the abuse of new and old mercies in the day of account Mens actions are all in print and they shall be read aloud in the eares of all the world that all the righteous Nation that shall enter in may say Amen to that righteous Sentence that Christ shall pass upon all those that had a prize put into their hands to mind his glory and to unload his people of their heavy burthens that the oppressed might go free but they had no heart to it as in the Proverbs But instead thereof sought great things for themselves as in Jer. 45. 5. Nay though Moses and Aaron two choice Christians and Champions did lead and govern Israel for a long time notwithstanding many dangers and difficulties yet they were at last shut out of Canaan because they did not sanctifie the Lord God at the water of Meribah Deut. 32. 15. and Numb 27. 14 15. For ye were disobedient unto my Word in the strife of the Assembly c. A word of Advice to the present Supream Authority of ENGLAND c. Most noble and honoured Sirs WHom God even the God of the spirits of all flesh hath at present intrusted with the highest places not only in the Field but also in the seat of Justice My prayers to God for you are that the Lord would make you rather gracious and inwardly holy then outwardly happy and give you a spirit of divine wisdome and valour suitable to the work that lyeth before you that ye may improve the present oportunity that is put into your hands for the glory of God that gave it you Consider the presence of the Lord is in the midst of you the prayers of his Saints and Servants are continually poured out for you the eyes of the people are upon you all expecting some great things to be done by you yea and the other parts of the world look upon you if ye go on in a way of righteousness they will follow you It will be a glory for the English Nation to give a blessed example to all the people of the earth to free themselves from tyranny and slavery If a worm might be thought worthy to advise you then give me leave to tell you there is but one thing in the main that God and his people doe expect from you viz. That ye would eye the Lord Jesus in all your actings and advance his Kingdome as much as in you lyeth and if this be uppermost in your hearts first in your thoughts and most constant in your purposes so that ye do in your judgements prefer and in your wills deliberately mind the glory of God the advancement of the Kingdome of his dear Son by the assistance of his holy Spirit then shall the work of the Lord prosper in your hands and the day shall be light before you and his footsteps that are not yet known shall be discovered to you and ye shall see your work before you Christ was once humbled that we might be exalted let him now be exalted that we might willingly be humbled by him although he be willing to give you grace yet his glory he will not give to any other Let it be a comfort for you that he hath exalted you in the hearts of his people although you are a table-talk and a by-word and a scorn in the hearts and by the tongues of his enemies Well would you stand your selves now others are fallen and not only keep but also add to the honour which God hath given you Then make it your business to exalt the Kingdome of Christ not only in your selves but also in this and the neighbouring Nations and remember that the rock of ages pulleth down some to the end that others might not exalt themselves when they are in power for the Lord hath decreed to stain the pride of all earthly honour and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth that so all flesh might be humbled and the Lord alone exalted therefore seek not ye great things for your selves as many of those that went before you lest ye be laid aside and no eye pitty you Provide nothing more for your selves then ye have I beseech you but to seek for the honour of Christ and the freedome of the Saints and these Nations wherein your owne freedomes and safeties are involved Consider that the Lord hath hitherto made some of you friends to his people and a terrour to their and his enemies and our prayer to the Lord is that he would teach you as once he did good Nehemiah to do many years hard service freely because the payments were heavy upon their fellow creatures as you may see in Neh. 5. 14. 18. That ye may say as that servant of Christ did to the glory of God and the shame of the former self-seeking powers ver 15. But the former Governours that had been before me were chargable unto the people and had taken of them their Bread and Wine besides fourty shekels of Silver but so did not I said this good man because of the feare of the Lord. I have but a few things more to begg of you as upon my bended knees and with weeping eyes which if ye will but hear and grant it may make much for the glory of God the honour of the three Nations and the Comfort of your owne Souls The first thing is that
ye would set some time and persons apart to heare and receive the private petitions and grievances of the poor Widows and Fatherless so much neglected by the former power for they have poured out their complaints in the midst of their wants and their cry came up before the Lord before the dissolving of the late Parliament Consider I request you That the earth and all thereen is the Lords not our Store-house and ye are at present his Stewards wherefore as in Prov. 3. 7. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it So in the end ye shall be able to say with Job That ye have not withheld the poore from their desire nor caused the eyes of the Widow and Fatherless to faile nor seen any perish for want of cloathing nor seen any poore in the streets without covering I could almost say to you as once Abraham did to the Lord Gen. 18. 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak which am but dust and ashes I would begg leave to present a few things more to your serious consideration The next thing is That when ye make inquisition for ravening wolves prophesied of by Christ and his Apostles Mat. 7. 15. compared with Acts 20. 29. that come to us in Sheeps cloathing that ye would not do as the late Parliament did stop the Wolf's mouth in one Town and let him go and devour or at least deceive the Sheep in another if he be adjudged unfit to bite or devour in one place let him be held as unfit in another lest ye should do as if in effect they did put out the fire in Canne and send it to Marlborough or endeavour to stop the plague in Bristoll by sending the infected persons to London The next thing that I would begg of you for this poor nation is That whereas the last Power did promise much and perform little be ye more like God I both humbly and earnestly request you by promising less then ye intend to perform that ye may appeare to us in very deed to be like him He promised the Children of Israel only the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two other Kingdomes which he never did promise to give them And to Zacharias Luke 1. 20. He promised to give him his Speech again at the Birth of the Child but beside that he gave him the gift of prophesie so that as Paul saith He can give and do abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think And yet that say ye abide in him ought so to walk as ye have him for an example See Eph. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 2. 6. The next thing I would beseech of you most noble and honoured Senators is this That ye would endeavour to unite all the Saints sound in the Faith to an union in the spirit of Love Though England be but as a garden to the whole world all the people in it but a handfull and scarce one of twenty of this handfull godly men yet were these few Saints united by the blessed Spirit so as their hearts might agree together as touching any thing they ought to ask and were so well affected to lift up one voice and one heart according to the will of God they would have the things they ask so as nothing should be too hard for them to do all the world could not stand before them nor undermine them for they would be wise in the Lords wisdome and strong in him and in the power of his might Shall Herod and Pilate agree Turks and Pagans agree Beares and Lyons agree Tygers and Wolves agree and shall not Saints agree If the Saints were but once united Antichrist would soone be destroyed Oh let not our Supream Power under God be angry and I will speak but this once Oh let me then say to you as once Mordecai did to Hester Hest 4. 14. If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall their enlargement come and deliverance arise from another place or power but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time as this And under correction let me tell you the work is the Lords and if ye will not carry it on he will lay you aside with shame and raise up those that he will own and bless And whereas most of the Godly people in England are crying mightily to God for you to purge out self-seeking and to plant a spirit of Government in you and to furnish you with naturall and spirituall abilities suitable to the work that lyeth before you but if ye begin to flag as the former power did and so let the work stick in the Birth and every one minding his owne things not the things of Jesus Christ then let me tell you that all the Lords people in England and the other Nations will be praying to him and wrestling with him and give him no rest night nor day till the Lord turne you also out of doores and bring in those that he will own and bless FINIS A Table shewing the principall things in this TREATISE OF the state of Nature 1 Of the state of Grace ibid. The severall degrees in each of these states ibid. How a soul yet in the state of Nature may be brought to Christ 2 Which is first in the soul Faith or Repentance fully discovered 12 A great question answered why doth the righteous God promise life to him that doth believe and threaten eternall death to them that do not believe seeing that it is not in the power of the Creature to believe And there are five reasons for it 17 Conviction goeth alwayes with Conversion 18 Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins go together ibid. Many sweet promises made to a soul convinced of sinne 19 20 One and twenty stumbling-blocks cast in a Christians way to Heaven by the World Flesh and Devil 21 What those blocks are and how to remove them 22 The first stumbling-block cast in the way is to cause a soule to question whether the Scriptures be the Word of God 23 Proved by five Arguments that they are the Word of God 24 The second stumbling-block is that the Scriptures are corrupted by a spirit of ignorance and self-ends in the Translators 25 Proved that the generality of Scriptures are truly clearely faithfully translated ibid. The third stumbling-block cast in the way is that the promises were made to the Jews and Gentiles heretofore in being What hath any man to do to apply them now 26 Proved by severall Testimonies in holy writ that the people now in being may and ought to apply the promises as well as they 27 The fourth stumbling-block cast in the way is that I know not what the Scriptures mean they are to be understood in a spiritual sence the Book is sealed 28 Proved that the same God that hath commanded us to read