but of all believers to labour to enlarge the kingdome of Iesus Christ and to be faithfull diligent laborers in the Lords Vineyard This is the Lords great designe and the very worke of this generation in a particular respect who so hinders or neglects it even of Gods owne people shall suffer for it who so faithfully acts in it shall meete with speciall manifestations of the Love of God towards them The ninetie fourth Observation in Nature THe husbandman does not much stand upon the outward forme of his Orchards and Gardens to have them all just of one fashon and shape either round or long or square or otherwise He having divers Orchards and gardens they are some of one forme and some of another as some are larger than others so some are of one cut or shape and some of another he accompts it not necessary that they be all Vniforme but so the inward forme be good so the trees have good Natures and properties bringing forth good fruits that 's it he values it s all in all This shadowes out unto us this Proposition That Externall Vniformity in the Churches of Christ Proposition shadowed is of small accompt with him in respect of Vnity and spirituall worship Severall congregations or Churches of Christ having the spirit of Christ faith love unity of doctrine and ordinances may have divers formes and waies of outward administrations and every Church is to be left to its owne liberty therein and not to be in joyned such or such Formes Methods and waies of proceedings in the worship of God or in the discipline and goverment of the particular Churches For now in the time of the New Testament the worship of God consisteth not in Externals neither are they commanded as heretofore under the old administrations of the law But our Saviour tels us John 4.23 The houre commeth and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth Many in the Apostles time had vaine and needlesse disputations about meat and drink and observation of daies and such like Rom. 14.1 3 5 10 13. c. he tels them vers 17. The Kingdome of God is not meat and drinke it consisteth not in any externall thing but it is righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost So that he leaves them to the using or not using of such outward things to their owne pleasures being of an indifferent Nature vers 5. let every man be fully perswaded in his owne mind Now so it is in respect of External Vniformity in Churches the worship of God being Now spirituall he leaves the externall part of it unto the choice and pleasure of his people to concurre in one way or Externall forme or to vary as they judg meete and convenient every particular Church among themselves in respect of time b As for one day in seven to be dedicated to God in worship that is the morall part of the fourth commandment and was changed from the seventh to the first day of the weeke by Christ himselfe and observed by his Apostles and Disciples place manner and forme and would not have his people to fall out and differ about tything Mynt Anise Cummin petty and indifferent things while they neglect the weighty and great matters of the Law unity and spirituall worship The Apostle Paul sharply reproves the Corinthians for standing so much upon Men Names Titles 1 Cor. 1.12 One saies I am of Paul another I am of Apollo another of Cephas another of Christ even as many in our daies they stick in the outside in Names and Formes Lutherans Calvinists some are for the Episcopall way some for the Presbiterian some for the Independent some for the Rebaptized way some reject all these as the b These people proceede further in censuring others then ever any did for they judge and condemne not only the Fortunes outward administrations of all Churches but also the whole sirituall state conditiō of all persons that are not of their way and that suddenly and rashly without knowledg of the persons contrary both to Scripture and Reason crying up a dimme Naturall light within and neglecting the true light of the word and spirit of Gods who not trying the spirits whether they be of God or not they in many things put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Quakers say their's is the way So that may we not say as the Apostle said 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not carnall for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnall and walke as men In as much as they differ about Names and Formes and neglect and breake love and unity they are herein carnall though there may be truth of grace in and among them yet in this thing they are weake they are carnall this is knowing and approving of men after the flesh which the Apostle Paul allowes not 2 Cor. 5.16 I suppose it may be said of this or that Forme of worship as Paul saies of Circumcision 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God and Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a New creature neither this or that forme or externall way of worship availeth any thing but faith love spirituall worship righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost an interest in Christ regeneration or becoming a new Creature unity and love with and towards one another walking with God in fellowship with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ in spirituall worship these are the things that God requires of his people Not but that God cals for the service and worship of the outward man and some Externall formes and waies in his spirituall worship as well as inward worship but he ties not his people to one way or forme as men would do and stand for and make divisions amoung the Churches about it which God no where requires in his word and as for Examples in the Apostles times they vary in every Church as occasions required ther 's no one forme only established As for that Command 1 Cor 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in Order the meaning is not that the worship of God in his Ordinances or practises in all Churches should be all in one manner way or forme but that they should observe Order among themselves in every particular Church or congregation As in Cities and Townes Corporate though their Customes differ one from another yet there is Order in and among themselves in each particular place The Apostle tels us Acts 10.34 35. That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Now in many or severall Nations there are many and severall waies and formes in and about the worship of God in the administrations of the Ordinances of Christ yet all are accepted of God when the worsh p is in spirit and in
truth Bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim. 4.8 any thing whatsoever wherein the body is exercised is of little or small accompt in respect of spirituall worship it is the acting of the spirit soule exercise that God looks after and stands upon he values but little bodily exercise any thing whatsoever that is externall in his worship Now the reason why God stands not upon externals in his worship or the same customes and orders among all the Saints is because he is a spirit and spirituall worship is sutable unto him let it be clothed with this or that forme it is accepted if it be in sincerity and truth Secondly because Christ hath set his people free from the yokes of bondage Gal. 5.1 Not only from Circumcision and legall Ceremonies and formes but also from all other Rules and precepts of men which his word hath not laid downe It is true indeede in time of the Law for 2000 yeares together the Church was under formes and set praescript Rules for the externall part of worship but when Christ came he set his people free not only from sin as before his comming in the flesh but also from all those Methods and Formes Rites and Ceremonies commanded by Moses from the mouth of God Ephe. 2.15 He abolished the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances that is the old externall administrations about the worship of God that so all his people as well Gentiles now as Jewes might worship God in spirit and in truth but no more in this or that externall forme and no other And accordingly the Church of Christ hath beene at liberty in respect of formes in the Apostles and primitive times and for many ages together afterwards untill of latter times externall Vniformitie was earnestly pressed in the Churches which Luther and other Good men opposed The Essence of the Kingdome of God is not any externall thing but righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost faith love holinesse walking with God in these things Vse 1 From what hath beene said we may conclude That to stand for Vniformity or onenesse in the externall part of the worship of God in the Ordinances or Government of Churches and for want thereof to breake off unity love and Communion with the people of God it is of the flesh and not of the spirit This hath beene and is the great sin and mistake even of many of the people of God the ground of whose differences lies in such externall things circumstances and formes as the word hath not determined or prescribed to be either so or so though men would be thought to prove their opinions in particular things as to the forme of worship and Church Government by the Scriptures The Godly of the Episcopall and Presbyterian Judgment the Independent and Rebaptized Churches and others differing from them what do they differ about Not the Essentials of Religion or worship but meerely in Ceremonies formes and Externall things which are not clearely held forth neither in the Doctrine of the Gospell nor in any constant practise of the Saints For we cannot find in all the Acts of the Apostles or primitive Christians any constant Methods and Formes in the worship of God or in Goverment of Churches but they varied in the formes and externall Acts as occasion was offered Paul preached sometimes on the Jewes Sabbath sometimes on the first day yea as occasion was every day and sometimes in the night sometimes he prayed and taught in the house sometimes in a ship sometimes by a River side sometimes in a Temple To the Iewes he became as a Jew to the Greeks as a Greeke to the strong as strong to the weake as weake he became all things to all that he might winne some he stood not upon externall formes in worship but upon the substance and Essence of it which is spirituall Our Saviour Christ sometimes he prayed long all night sometimes he was breife sometimes he stood and lift up his eyes to heaven sometimes being prostrate on the ground sometimes he taught in the Temple sometimes in a private house sometimes in a ship sometimes on the shore sometimes standing sometimes sitting The disciples of John they fasted often but Christs Disciples tooke more liberty in the use of the Creatures Christ administred the Sacrament of the supper in the evening Paul at midnight some in the Morning others at noone some Churches receive it sitting others kneeling some take the Elements from the Ministers hand others sit about the table and take the bread and wine themselves some partake of this Ordinance every weeke others every moneth some twice in a moneth others twice in the yeare or as oft as they please And as there is a liberty in the Churches to vary and no Vniformity in these Ordinances so also the Customes have beene various in respect of Baptisme some Churches Baptize with dipping others by sprinkling some Churches Baptize Infants of believing Parents others only those persons who can give an accompt of their faith and hence now ariseth the great controversie and contention amongst brethren who fall out by the way and break peace love and Communion one with another about the shadow the signe the forme though both have and hold the substance Many Members of both Churches are Baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire as Iohn 1.5 are baptized into one body by the spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 yea and have beene baptized with water also though there be not a Vniformity in their practise perhaps the difference will prove when throughly understood but a circumstantiall difference and doubtlesse no sufficient ground to breake off Communion amongst the Members of Christ Surely Jesus Christ will not take it well at their hands who refuse Communion and fellowship with those with whom he himselfe delights to have Communion and who are ashamed to call them brethren whom Christ himselfe is not ashamed to call brethren Heb 2.11 All believers are brethren not by a conformity or Vniformity in any Ceremony or externall observation but by faith in Christ All have the priviledge to be the sonnes and daughters of God who believe on his name John 1.12 all are the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus John 3.26 Now therefore for men to refuse or neglect Communion and fellowship with their fellow Members and brethren for want of Vniformity in a Ceremony in the signe though they have the substance is it not carnall do not such walke as men Vse 2 Let us maintaine unity love and fellowship with all the Godly though they differ from us in Judgment or practise in the way and manner of administrations in the worship of God or particular practises in Government for the ground of the Churches Vnity is not Vniformity in any externall things but it is their having all but one head The Apostle most earnestly beseecheth them to maintaine Vnity upon a sevenfold ground but in them all not a word of Vniformity Ephes 4.4 There is one
body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Here we see 1. All believers though multitudes of Members yet are but one body 2. That one body hath but one spirit As one soule animates and sets on worke all the Members of the Naturall body so does this one spirit in the mysticall body 3. There is also one hope All believeâ—s have an expectation of the enjoyment of God in glory for ever 4. They have all one Lord are fellow servants under one Lord Iesus Christ 5. So also have they but one faith believers in all ages of the world have but one faith in the same God and Saviour 6. They have but one Baptisme not baptisme of the signe but of the substance all believers are baptized with the baptisme of the spirit Iewes and Gentiles in all ages 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptised into one body whether we be Jewes or Greeks 7. Believers have but one God and Father they are all borne of God are brethren in the Lord sonnes and daughters alike to the Lord Almighty Heires together of one Inheritance and Kingdome So then Here are strong bonds of Vnity and love among the Saints though Vniformity in outward things be wanting here 's no mention at all of Vniformity though they differ in their opinions in waies and formes of worship and Government yet being all one body having all one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father these are sufficient grounds of their Vnion and love one with and to another These are the things that God stands upon having Vnity here in these things whereby they worship him in spirit and truth though they vary in many externall parts of worship and outward administrations they are dispensed withall as we see Rom. 14.18 he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men and vers 3. God hath received him or approved of him Let not men therefore disowne their brethren for differing from them in the forme in outward administrations of worship or Government when yet they worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth which if they doe it is from the carnall part and to be mortified The ninetie fifth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman often makes a hedg or fence about his Orchard and Garden with wild plants unfruitful trees or such as beare naughty unpleasant fruits as Crabtrees Thornes Bryers Okes Ashes Elmes or any such like which serve well for a mound or fence about his fruitfull Trees and preserve them from anoyances and hurts that else they are subject unto by Cattle and otherwise in many respects This shadowes out unto us That God many times makes use of wicked Proposition shadowed and unregenerate persons for the preservation and good of his owne Children Many Kings and Magistrates though wicked and carnall have beene set up for the defence of the Godly very many carnall persons though they have but only generall convictions a forme of Godlinesse common Gifts and graces yet they owne the true Religion and the professors of it notwithstanding they have no true nor cordiall love to either God makes such as an outward common fence against the breakings in of Tyrannicall and savage persons who might otherwise anoy the Church of God Yea many Morall persons are not only a meanes of defence to the Godly but they are also helpers many waies by their Gifts and Talents and outward good things which God hath given them The spirit of God doth convince the world of unregenerate persons upon this Accompt even for the good of his owne people giving to them some common light and graces and apprehensions of the things of God that so he may take off their fiercenesse and bitternesse that otherwise would naturally break out against the Godly and not only so but that also they may be helpfull and profitable to his owne people Pharaoh was convinced that God was with Ioseph and so became his freind yea and to all his brethren and his fathers house and preserved them and nourished them with the best things of the Land of Egypt Gen. 40. Laban entertained and preserved Iacob above 20 yeares together Gen. 29. c. Pharaohs daughter nourished Moses the whole Court was his freind many yeares King Nebuchadnezzar was convinced that God was with Daniel preserved and promoted Daniel so did Belshazzar And King Darius afterwards Dan. 6.3 Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were not only preserved but advanced in the Province of Babylon by King Nabuchadnezzer a heathen king There is abundant Experience of this truth in all ages especially in these times of the Gospell multitudes having common convictions of the things of God and entertaining the forme of Godlinesse though they want the power They generally if they have power preserve the people of God and Religion from overthrowes and destructions which otherwise Tyrants and barbarous enemies would bring upon them Yea and God makes them many waies usefull and helpfull to his people by their Gifts and Common graces in Naturall and Morall things Vse This discovers the speciall care and love of God the power wisdome goodnesse of God towards his owne people who maketh even their enemies to become freinds to them Enemies indeed in their Principles Natures but freinds through the overruling power of God The world all the creatures in it are ruled ordered for the good of the people of God All things are yours saith the Apostle 1 Co. 3.21.22 the world life death things present things to come all are yours God useth overruleth and ordereth all things for the advantage of them that feare him The ninetie sixth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman in Ordering of his fruit-trees observes the seasons some works are to be done at such a time of the yeare The spring is the season for Grafting the sommer for Inoculating Autumne and winter for Transplanting pruning and other workes he carefully observes the seasons for particular works This shadowes out unto us this Proposition Proposition shadowed That God in his infinite wisdome and goodnesse observes the fittest times in all his dispensations towards his people The great husbandman of his Vineyard and Garden enclosed as he gives discretion to men to order their works of husbandry Esay 28.26 doth with infinite more wisdome order his owne husbandry in respect of the matter manner and seasons of his worke Ier. 30.11 When he correcteth his people as he does it in measure so also in season when it is most likely to prevaile and take effect and when his spirit reproves the soule it is alwaies in season When he speakes to comfort and refresh the soule it is in season Esay 50.4 That I should know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary he gives his
them more choice nourishment by often watring them with good water that they may grow and come on the faster This is another Similitude and shadowes out unto us this Proposition That the dispensations of God towards weak Christians Proposition Shadowed are more gentle then towards such as are grown strong The mysticall Husbandman hath Plants of severall degrees and ages in his Nursery and Orchard and according to their capacities he dealeth with them there are Children Young men and Fathers in Gods Family 1 Ioh. 2.12.13 14. the Children are ordered with more tendernesse than the elder sort Esay 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs in his Armes and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young He useth them gently with great tendernesse So againe Hos 11.1 3. When Israel was a child I loved him Vers 3. I taught Ephraim also to goe taking him by the Arms I drew them with cords of a man with Bands of Love I was to them as they that take off the Yoke from the Jawes and I laid meat unto them God used them as a loving Father his children or as a tender Nurse useth her young infant He gives them Milke while they are Babes and stronger meat when they are better growne as we see 1 Cor. 3.2 I fed you with Milke and not with Meat for hitherto ye were not able to beare it Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age So also God in correcting his weake children dealeth with them according to their strength as is made out in that Similitude Esay 28.27 of the Husbandmans dealing with his Corne. The Fetches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is a Cartâ— wheele turned upon the Cummin but the Fetches are beaten out with a staffe and the Cummin with a rod. Vse 1 This is a ground of great comfort to weake and doubting soules God as a tender Father cherisheth and nourisheth the beginnings of grace in them he will not deale roughly and harshly but gently with them He will not quench the smoking flax nor breake the bruised Reede but improve and nourish weake beginnings is his children Esay 42.3 even as a Nurse cherisheth her children 1 Thes 2.7 that they may increase towards perfection Vse 2 Let us learne to imitate God in this thing to help and encourage those that are weake in all good beginnings Rom. 15.1 Such as are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of the weake And to comfort the feeble minded and to support the weake 1 Thes 5.14 The third Observation in Nature There are many wild Fruit-trees in the Woods waste grounds and hedges that beare faire and beautifull fruits to looke upon both for bulke and colour and yet are very harsh sower unpleasant fruits the husbandman takes no delight to eat of them although they are usefull for some other purposes these are but wild un-grafted trees and their fruits are accordingly This is another Similitude and shadowes forth unto us That Many Spirituall Fruit-trees bring forth faire Proposition Shadowed and specious fruits to observation which yet are unpleasant to the Husbandman There are very many men in the world being eminent in Learning Gifts and Parts who can performe many workes very exactly they can Pray Preach and compose workes c. and these things to the Observation of most very excellently gaining thereby great commendations from many and it may be admiration from some and yet these very Fruits to the taste of the Husbandman are very bitter and unpleasant though they may be some way serviceable and usefull to his Children and servants yet he himselfe is not delighted with them because they are from ungrafted trees such as are wild and Corrupt by Nature the Principle from which they proceed is Corrupt and that makes the fruits corrupt Who did workes to the observation of men more faire and specious then the Pharises and yet these their fruits were starke naught they were but painted fruits faire to a carnall eye without any good tast or relish Luk. 16.15 Lu. 11.39 Let none content themselves with outward performances in the worship of God though never so faire and unreproveable to the Vse 1 eye of men but looke to the Principles to the frame of the spirit to the spring from which any workes flow and examine whether they be streames from the Divine Nature or from common gifts and parts in the soule whether they be shoots springing from the spirit of Christ as from the Roote or from a Naturall Principle drawne out by some externall Causes and selfe ends for though they are never so plausible and beautifull in the eyes of men they may be deformed in the eyes of God and fruits altogether unpleasant to him Many things that are highly esteemed among men are abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 Vse 1 This may serve to pull downe the high conceipts which carnall and unregenerate men have of themselves because of their Gifts and Parts their great and famous actings in the world did they but see and had they hearts to understand and consider that bitter and poysonous Roote Originall corruption which staines and spoyles all their Fruits their high conceipts of themselves and their Actings would be much abated They are but apples of Sodome Splendida peccata glorious sinnes for while the Tree is corrupt the fruit is so Math. 7.18 The fourth Observation in Nature WE find by Experience That Grafts and stocks joyned together of contrary or much different Natures will not grow nor thrive together if they be joyned in Grafting either the Graft growes not at all or else very poorely and weakly and in a few yeares decayes and dies But if the kinds of Trees are joyned together according to Rules of Nature and Art then they thrive together vigorously and beare fruits plentifully This is another Similitude of the state of Spirituall Fruit-trees and shadowes out unto us this Proposition which also concurres with the word and experience Proposition Shadowed That persons joyned in any relation they have comfort or affliction together according to their Natures This is certaine in Nature Morality and Divinity That so much as things differ in their Natures one from another so great is the degree of dislike one of another And so neere as they are in their Natures and properties so great is the degree of complacency and love one of another Likenesse is both the Cause and the Bond of Love This is seene in all visible Creatures many Instances might easily be brought to shew it Likenesse in Natures Manners Customes begets Love and distance in these causeth dislike and sometimes Hatred 2 Cor. 6.14 What Fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what Communion hath light with darknesse c which Questions include Positions This should teach all who intend to enter into the state of Vse 1 Marriage to looke well to their choice that it be upon good grounds and not for
acting so the habit improves if the Acts of grace be but seldome and but weake the Habits and Principles grow but slowly And when Acts cease for a time as in some Temptations yet the habits seeds and Principles lie secret and sure in the soule and will as heat pent up and smoothered for a time breake forth afterwards more strongly and will enable the soule to trample upon all enemies The use of this may be to discover who are really in Christ Vse As there is an increase in all the Members and parts of Children if in health so in the spirituall man Ephes 4.16 according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body As it is thus of the Church so also of every particular Member of it Now this increase is not in all alike nor at all times to be perceived in any one person but differs according to Talents of grace at first received and also according to the operations of the spirit and according to the meanes and helps that Christians have and use in the course of their lives Therefore labour to discerne an increase And lest some weake soules should stumble at this and question the truth of all because they discerne not an increase of grace in themselves but rather a decay because they find not now such vehement workings of affection nor such enlargednesse of heart as sometimes heretofore Let such consider that God sometimes withdrawes that they may be sensible of the different states tempers and frames of their spirits which may be made use of as a speciall evidence of spirituall life Secondly strength of grace consisteth not in the enlargednesse of the affections in duties which is usually most in young Christians but in a solid well grounded faith knowledg experience and cleare apprehensions of the love of God in Christ these more or lesse if we are diligent in the use of meanes grow to the last though there are in some Christians some interruptions through Trials and temptations which yet God doth order for their advantage The seventy first Observation in Nature SOme fruit-trees that are but weake crooked and uncomly Trees that have little beauty in respect of shape and colour c. they are notwithstanding more profitable and bring forth more pleasant and more usefull fruits than many faire tall and beautifull trees To instance in the Vine Ficus uvae inter fructus autumnales principatum obtinent Proposition shadowed and the fig-tree what trees are so low crooked weake of so deadish coloured outsides as they which yet yeild the most refreshing pleasant nourishment Many high strong beautifull trees are farre short of them in worth and goodnesse This Observation shadowes out unto us That Many persons of a low ranke and but of despised parts do yet bring forth more profitable fruits than many others eminent in gifts and outward respects Many of the Saints in their measure and proportion are as their Lord and Saviour of whom it is said he hath no forme nor comlinesse there is no beauty that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men c. Esay 53.2.3 and yet who brought forth such fruits as he who besides that great and maine worke for which he was sent went daily about doing good did alwaies that which was pleasing to his father Joh. 8.29 As he was despised and rejected of men for the holinesse and spirituallnesse of his doctrine and life as well as for his meanesse in the world even so are many of his people at this day And so it was too in former times Were not the Apostles and disciples of Christ of a low ranke in the world taken from meane imployments whose naturall parts had little improvement by humane Learning which caused the proud Pharisees to despise and reject both them and their doctrine and yet who brought forth the best fruits they or the Pharisees That great fruit-tree mentioned Luk. 18.11 which was growen in his owne conceipt and its like in others too as high as heaven and spread large yet his fruits were not accepted as the fruits of the poore low despised shrub the Publican who came far short of the Pharases in outward respects That of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 c. is a sufficient proofe for this point The foolish things the weake things the base things the despised thing The persons and things their Gifts and endowments their Judgments and actings that the worldly and carnall wise men and some spirituall men very carnall in their Judgments and waies account foolish weake base and altogether despise and trample on these even these are of more esteeme with God and are more profitable in his Church than many persons and things eminent in the world and of highest esteeme among men Learn then to judg and esteeme of persons and things Vse of Trees and fruits as God doth judg righteous Judgment looke upon things with a spirituall eye and tast them with a spirituall Palat God expects now that his people should be more spirituall than in former times that they should come off more from Externals whereon former ages have so much stood Gospell worship and conversation is more in the spirit than many even of the godly are yet convinced of The plaine simplicity of the Gospell in the delivery and manifestation of it to others is despised Persons who preach and publish the Gospell and cannot but speake the things they have heard and seene are neglected despised and cried downe Acts 4.20 unlesse they come adorned with eminent Gifts Humane learning and other externall qualifications which the fleshly wisdome of men eyes more than the spirituall savory well tasted fruits they bring forth to the refreshing and feeding the soules of men to eternall life One of these poore low despised spirituall trees without forme or comlinesse in a carnall eye brings forth more good and profitable fruits than an hundred of some of those who come with externall Ornaments of Titles degrees tongues excellency of speech and b It s true indeede humane learning and eminent parts are excellent and of singular use in the Church of God if sanctified if in regenerate persons especially in such who have also great measures of grace to make all subservient thereunto othewise all is used and turned for selfe and sinister ends and purposes and against Christ Humane wisdome which the Apostle who had more Learning than they car'd not for in his Ministry 1 Co. 2.1 4. My speech and my preaching was not with the enticing words of mans wisdome but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power Plaine experimentall discourses of spirituall holy men but of ordinary gifts about Christ and his kingdome are for the most part more profitable amongst the vulgar sort of people than the discourses of learned men about the same thing One reason besides the speciall presence of the spirit may be because the Matter Method and expressions