is 〈◊〉 Ishmael that persecuted Isaac Object But ought wee not to punish open â—â—etiques and blasphemers for if wee doe 〈◊〉 punish them they may seduce abundance â—eople and bring them into their blaspeâ—us wayes Answ All the way that ought to be used is the preaching of the Word which is the sword of God For the word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is 〈◊〉 discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 And in Revel 1.16 speaking there of Christ it saith Out of his mouth wenâ— a sharpe two-edged sword which is the Gospel And it is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1â— 16 And I saw another Angel flie in the middeâ— of heaven having the everlasting Gospel to preacâ— to them that dwell on the Earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Sayinâ— with a loud voyce fear God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come and worshiâ— him that made heaven and earth and the Sea anâ— the fountaines of waters And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is faller that great Citie because shee made all Nation drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 14.6 7 8. Ye may see how powerfull the preaching 〈◊〉 the Gospel is to the destroying of errours Thâ—â— is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word God Ephes 6.17 which is powerfull to the beâ—ting downe of all strong holds of Satan And it sharper than any two-edged sword and will destroy this great City Anti-christ and 〈◊〉 it downe to the ground for this will â—nt â—â—nder all the joynts whereby it is joyned toâ—â—ther and the very soule and spirit and â—â—arrow of it whereby it doth live even the â—â—y life of it shall be destroyed by the preaâ—ing of the Gospel for this doth find out the â—â—undation of the building of Anti-christ and â—â—ll it downe and the building will fall of it â—â—fe and we are commanded to use this way â—â—d the Apostles did use this way and no oâ—â—er and they found it very beneficiall for by they were brought out of their errors and â—â—re was daily abundance added to the â—â—urch such as should be saved False doctrine â—â—th not so much power to build up errours 〈◊〉 the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath power to â—â—roy them if it be rightly preached and if 〈◊〉 goe any other way to worke in beating â—â—ne errours it will not doe it though you â—â—â—secute them to the death it will make it â—â—ead the more and make them that you perâ—â—â—te the more zealous for it I beseech you beloved take heed of these two â—â—â—gs of closing to all that we hear and builâ—â—â—g upon it before God makes it truth to us â—his Spirit and of hating and persecuting 〈◊〉 which is not truth to you for it may be â—â—â—th though God hath not made it knowne to you therefore hate it not nor persecutâ— it lest you are found to persecute God Judgâ— not before the time but leave all to God foâ— to him we stand or fall for that which is noâ— of God shall fall at the last But whatsoevâ—â— you heare desire the Lord to teach you by hâ—â— Spirit whether it be truth or no and waiâ—â— upon God using the meanes as hearing aâ—â— reading and the like but not depend upon 〈◊〉 but see God above it while hee doth please reveale himselfe to you and shew you what truth and whensoever he doth any time maâ—â— knowne any thing to you to be truth by suâ—â—â—cient grounds according to the word thouâ—â—â— it be never so sudaine that embrace and â—â—tertaine and rejoyce at any manifestation the love of God to you Despise not the day small things and though you see others soâ—â— higher in the enjoyments of God and in 〈◊〉 wayes of God than you yet be not troubâ—â— at it nor doe not envy their condition 〈◊〉 he is the same to you as he is to them thouâ—â— you see it not for the Lord saith he will faâ—â— Christ as a naile in a sure place and he shall be a glorious throne to his fathers house And shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers hâ—â— the off-spring and the issue all vessells of â—â—quantity from the vessels of cups even to all vessels of flagons Isa 22.23 24. They all 〈◊〉 upon Christ even the small cups which are â—e lowest Saints as well as the flagons which â—e high On all the vessels in the house of the â—ord is a glorious one for it is Christ that â—akes them so and bee not troubled because â—ou seest many several opinions in the world â—or God is not limited to any one of them â—â—r God hath and will reveal his whole mind â—o his Church but every particular one knows â—ut in part and opinions are but the shels â—t us not strive for them for wee cannot live â—pon them if wee have the kirnell it is sufficiâ—â—t which is Christ for he is the substance â—nd all things else are but shels to him and let 〈◊〉 be willing for him to lead us by his Spirit â—nd he will lead us in the right way and they â—hat are grown high Saints and have abunâ—ance of enjoyment let them not despise nor â—â—dervalue those that are low There is all â—anner of growth of Saints among us and I â—peak to al sorts of you do not uÌ„dervalue those â—hat are not as you are for we are all brethren 〈◊〉 Christ and so wee are to esteeme one anoâ—her if there by any appearance of godlinesse â—â—â—r my dove my undefiled is but one Cant. 6.9 Give no just occasion to any to scandall reâ—igion become low to those that are low yet speaking the truth but in such a way as they may plainly understand you doe not speake of high mysticall things to those that are very low except ye speak them forth in a very clear manner for being they cannot understand it they conclude it is heresie so by it religion comes to be scandaliz'd but this meate is too strong for babes they must be fed with milke as Paul did 1 Cor. 3.2 I have fed you with milk and not with meate for hitherto ye were not able to beare it Heb. 5.13 14. For every one that useth milke is unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse for he is a babe But strong meate belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their sences exercised to discern both good and evill .. So by degrees feede them as they are able to beare it and do not dishearten any though they are never so low for consider that once ye were low your selves therefore bear with their weakenesse and infirmities And beloved let not us make a rent or schisme in this body the Church of Christ let not the Presbytery despise those that they call
idolize it but the excellence of man is but flesh even the best of it as all outward gifts without the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and have not charity I am become as sounding brasse or a tinckling cymbal And though I had the gift of prophesie and knew all secrets and all knowledge yea and if I had all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love I were nothing And though I feed the poore with all my goods and though I give my bodye that I be burned and hoâ—â— not love it profiteth me nothing All this without love which is the Spirit For God and thâ— Spirit is one 1 John 5.7 God is love 1 Joh â— 8 All these excellent things without the Spiriâ— profieth me nothing Why because our happinesse consists alone in God and not in excellent cutward gifts without him Paul haâ— a great many before his conversion yet hâ— looked upon them as the workes of the flesh for he had not then the Spirit of God Foâ— we are the Circumcision which worship Goâ— in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus anâ— have no confidence in the flesh Though I alâ— might have confidence in the flesh If any maâ— thinketh that hee hath whereof he might tâ—â— in the flesh much more I Circumcised thâ— eighth day of the kindred of Israel of the trâ—â— of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews by thâ— Law a Pharisee Concerning zeal I perseâ—ted the Church touching the righteousnâ—â—â— which is in the Law I was unrebukeable Bâ— things that were vantage to me the samâ— counted losse for Christs sake Yea doubtleâ— I think all but losse for the excellent knowledâ— sake of Christ Jesus my Lord. For whâ—â— I have counted all things losse and dee 〈◊〉 them to be dung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him that is not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ even the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3.3 to the 9. All flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flowr of grasse The grasse withereth and the flowre falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet 1.24 25. This glory of the flesh which is compared to the flower of the grasse is the righteousnesse of man the most excellent of man without the Spirit of God as Paul had Yet this must all fall away it cannot stand before the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ but the word of God endureth for ever This word is Christ and he and his righteousnesse endureth for ever and when he and his righteousness appeareth in us and to us It will appeare so glorious and shine with such a burning heat that it will wither the flowre of our righteousnesse and cause it to fall away and be brought to nothing It will appeare so odious and filthy in our fight that we shall be ashamed of it as Paul was and count it as dung and drosse the filchiest things as is and so we shall be desirous to have this righteousnesse of ours destroyed by the glorious comming of Jesus Christ by g DESC = missing EXTENT = 1 span Spirit into us So none of the best of the excellencies of man can bring us to know any thiâ— of God in the mystery it is alone the work 〈◊〉 the Spirit of God without any thing of us Tâ—â— things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit 〈◊〉 God 1 Cor. 2.11 And this Spirit searcheth 〈◊〉 things yea the deepe things of God vers 10. 1. It is the Spirit alone that sees the thing of God 2. It is the Spirit that heares the things 〈◊〉 God 3. It is the Spirit alone that understandâ— the things of God 4. It is the Spirit alone that can doe thâ— works of God 5. It is the Spirit alone that makes us accepted with God For the first It is the Spirit of God aloâ—â— that seeth the things of God Mat. 6.22 Thâ— light of the body is the eye If therefore thine eye 〈◊〉 single thy whole body shal be ful of light Lu. 11 3â—â— This single eye is the Spirit of God and it seâ—â— the things of God for it cannot be the eye 〈◊〉 man Matth. 6.23 But if thy eye be evill thâ— whole body shall be full of darknesse If therefoâ—â— the light that is in thee be darkenesse how great 〈◊〉 that darknesse The eye is that whereby we see the eye 〈◊〉 man cannot see any thing but that which iâ—â— man and all the things of man even the best of them are but evill and the eye of man that seeth the things of man is one and the same with man And therefore it must needs follow that the eye of man is evill for it sees nothing done but that which is evill And if thy eye be evill thy whole bodie shall be full of darkenesse What is darkenesse but want of light and the light is Jesus Christ This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkenesse rather than light John 3.19 And the light shined in darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not John 1.5 And that was the true light which lighteth every man that commeth into the world Hee was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not John 1.9 10. So as wee are men wee cannot know God nor any thing of God For if that light that is in us be darkenesse how great is that darknesse If those most excellent performances of man as man without the Spirit of God as Paul did performe before his conversion which is most likest light be darknesse how great is that darkenesse that man is in Man as man cannot comprehend the light of Jesus Christ none can doe it but that which is one and the same with him which is the Spirit of God and he â—s that single eye that sees all the things of God and Christ for they are one and Christ 〈◊〉 promised to send his Spirit unto us But Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the they will send in my Name he shall teach yâ—â— things and bring all things to your remember whatsoever I have said unto you John 14. â— When the Comforter is come whom I will send 〈◊〉 you from the father even the spirit of truth oâ— proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie oâ— Joh 15.26 The spirit of truth whom the world 〈◊〉 not receive because is seeth him not neither knoâ—â— him but ye know him for he dwelleth with and shall be in you and he shall abide with for ever John 14.16 17. These words Christ spake to his Disciâ—â— when he was present with them in the shaâ— man when he was to depart from theâ— that bodily shape they were unwilling 〈◊〉 he should goe away but he tels them that expedient that he should goe away For if 〈◊〉
not away the Comforter will not come but depart I will send him unto you John 16. â— So when hee departed from them in the â—â—dy hee did send his Spirit to them and only to them but to all his children to and of the world He shall abide with you â—â—ver I will not leave you comfortlesse I will to you John 14.18 So he departed from them in flesh and 〈◊〉 â—nto them in Spirit and remaineth with his Church for ever and is a greater Comforter â—o his Church in Spirit than hee was to his Disciples in his flesh when he was with them â—o Christ hath given us his spirit freely that we â—ay see the things that are freely given to us â—f God So in thy light saith David we see light Though wee as wee are men cannot see the â—hings of God but as we are Saints and have â—he Spirit of God so we come to see the things of God for the Spirit of God in us seeth the â—hings of God and so far as hee revealeth the â—hings of God to us so far wee see them with his s pirituall eye of himselfe The Lord is my â—ight Psalm 27.1 So in this light we see God who is light For ye were sometime darkenesse â—ut now are yee light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 For thou art my lamp O Lord and the Lord will â—ighten my darknesse 2 Sam. 22.29 So farre as God hath revealed himselfe to â—n so farre we have seen him with the light of himselfe And so farre as we have not seene him with the light of himselfe so farre we are â—n darknesse still and so farre as hee hath revealed himselfe to us hee teacheth us all things and brings all things to our remembrance For therefore hee was sent unto us to teach us to know what Christ hath done for us and to know the things that are freely given to us of God and to be our Comforter There is 〈◊〉 Comforter like this for he is alwayes in 〈◊〉 and knows our trouble there is not any thiâ— hid from him for we have not an high Prâ—â—â— which cannot be touched with the failing 〈◊〉 our infirmities but was in all points tempâ—â— like as we and yet without sin Heb. 4 1â— For in that he himselfe hath suffered being templâ— he is able to succour them that are tempted Hâ—â— 2.18 Christ hath suffered in all manner of afflicâ—â—â—ons both spirituall and temporall thereforâ— his Spirit is a sufficient Comforter to comfoâ—â— us in all our troubles with the love of himselâ— and in upholding us in it and to bring us 〈◊〉 of them when he sees it is for his glory and 〈◊〉 good Thus the Spirit seeth the things 〈◊〉 God For the 2d. It is the Spirit alone that hearâ— the things of God He that hath an eare to heaâ— let him beare Mat. 13.9 Mâ—r. 4.9 He that haâ—â— an ear let him beare what the Spirit saith unto tâ—â— Churches Rev. 2.7 It must be such an eare as can heare what thâ— Spirit faith It is only the Spirit that can heâ—â— the Spirit speak that knows the languageâ— the Spirit and none else man may or can hâ—â— what man speaketh and of the minde of Goâ— as it is writ in Scripture and to heare it in thâ— letter as it is in the letter but to hear it so as to understand know what it is in the truth of it as the truth is in Jesus none knowes it but the Spirit of God for it is spirituall The word that I spake unto you is Spirit and life and this word is Christ And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory 〈◊〉 of the only begotten of the Father ful of grace truth Joh. 1.14 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John 1.1 So this word is spirituall for God is a Spirit John 4.24 And none can hear this word but that which is one and the same with it and therefore it is onely the Spirit of God which is one and the same with God which hath that hearing eare to hear what the Spirit saith and this Spirit of God heares all the mind of God yea all the secrets of God He doth heare what things they are that God hath prepared for them that love him and those things the eare of man as man cannot heare what they be for they are spirituall and heavenly glorious things and man is carnall and cannot heare them so as to understand it It is a strange language to him hee doth not know the meaning of it therefore he hath declared all things to his Spirit and hath given us his Spirit and so this Spirit of God in us doth heare the Spirit speake it speakes nothing but peace and love and mercy and goâ—â— will to us and what he hath done for us 〈◊〉 what he is in us and to us and what we are 〈◊〉 him and to him as we are Saints and 〈◊〉 Spirit will declare it to us by degrees that 〈◊〉 we are Saints wee shall know them for theâ—â—fore the Spirit was sent to us that throâ—â— him we may hear what God hath done for 〈◊〉 Thus have I shewed you in some measâ—â— that it is alone the Spirit of God that hearâ—â— the things of God for us For the 3d. It is the Spirit of God aloâ—â— that understands the things of God for mâ—â—â— as man cannot understand the things of Goâ— because they are spiritually discerned 1 Gâ—â— 2.24 And man is altogether earnall Mat. 1â— 13 They seeing see not and hearing bear nâ—â— neither doe they understand Isa 6.9 Mark 4 1â— John 12.40 Acts 28.26 How can they uâ—â—derstand that which they can neither see nâ—â— heare When Christ told his Apostles that he mâ—â— goe to Jerusalem and all things that are writâ— by the Prophets concerning the Sonne of Mâ—n fâ—â— be accomplished For he shall be delivered unto 〈◊〉 Gentiles and shall be mocked and spightfully 〈◊〉 treated and spit on And they shall scourge 〈◊〉 and put him to death and the third day hee shâ—â— rise againe And they understood none of thing and this saying was hid from them neither â—new they these things that were spoken Luke 18. â—1 32 33 34. They were the Apostles of Jesus Christ and â—â—e chose them among his Disciples to goe and â—â—reach the Gospel to all the world yet they 〈◊〉 they were men they understood not those â—â—ings in the mysterie what should be brought 〈◊〉 passe by those things They could not chuse 〈◊〉 know what those things meant outwardâ—y when he told them so plainly what things â—e must suffer for they could do no other but â—now those things outwardly but those sayâ—â—gs spirituall were kept from them that they â—â—derstood them not For man as man canâ—ot understand any thing but that which is of â—â—n For the things of God knowes no man Hee â—ay hear much with the eare and speak much 〈◊〉 that which hee
â—â—bideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 Except a man borne of water and of the spirit hee cannot eâ—â— into the kingdome of God John 3.5 Before we be thus called we differ nothinâ— from those that are but servants but when 〈◊〉 are called by this new worke wrought inâ—â— which is the time appointed of the Father then he will make known to us what hee haâ—â— prepared for us before the world began 〈◊〉 were heirs to it when we were dead in sins aâ— trespasses but did not then make it known 〈◊〉 us and to all these hee will give eternall liâ—â— I give unto them eternall life and they shall neâ—â— perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand John 10.28 29. Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Thou hast given him power over them that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him And this is life eternall that they might know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.23 And it is hee alone that doth bring us to the knowledge of himselfe Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me John 14.6 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee the way that thou shouldst goe Isa 48.17 And thine eare shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way walk in it Isa 30.21 And these that are his children he will overpower them with his Spirit and make them come unto him Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Wee are unwilling by nature to come to God but when hee commeth with his power he will make us willing to doe what he would have us Mat. 22. Goe yee therefore out into the high wayes and as many as ye find compell them to come to the marriage This was a spirituall compulsion for noâ— hath the power to make them willing but tâ—â— Spirit The Magistrate doth compell to aâ—â— outward conformitie but that cannot maâ—â— them willing it is only the worke of the spirit and hee will compell all his children 〈◊〉 come to this marriage and make them williâ—â— to come CHAP. IX It is the Spirit alone in us that doth 〈◊〉 in all PAul saith I desire not to know any thing â—mong you save Jesus Christ and him craâ—â—â—ed 1 Cor. 1.2 For by him he being crucifiâ—â— for us he hath obtained al things for us aâ—â— we cannot know that Christ was crucified 〈◊〉 us nor any thing what he hath done for 〈◊〉 but by the Spirit of God we may believe maâ—â— things to be truth because it is writ in thâ— Scripture and because many say it is truâ—â— but this is but the hearing of the eare noâ— knows it to be truth by the hearing of the eaâ—â— as the truth is in Jesus but by the Spiritâ— God alone For what man knoweth the things a man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 This spirit of man must be one with man or else it cannot understand the things of man as the thoughts and mind and will and desires of man which is one and the same with man so the Spirit of God is one and the same with God or else it could not know the things of God But this spirit knows all things of God For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 1.10 And this Spirit God hath given unto us Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God And vers 12. of this Chap. God hath revealed â—hem to us by his Spirit And vers 10. So Christ hath done all things for us and hath obtained all things for us and wee cannot know â—his without his Spirit and therefore he hath and will give us his Spirit that we may know â—t and have the enjoyment of it Man as man â—s not able to understand the things of God because man is carnall and the things of God â—re spiritual and a carnall apprehension cannot apprehend spirituall things The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 As wee are naturall we cannot know the things of the Spirit wee are not able to discerne them The eye of man hath not seen nor thâ— eare of man heard neither hath it entered into thâ— heart of man the things which God hath preparâ—â— for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 All the excellencies of man cannot bring us to know anâ— thing of the mysterie of God for every man iâ— beast by his owne knowledge Jer. 10.14 Jer. 51 17. I understood as a beast saith David How 〈◊〉 that according to a carnall apprehension anâ— a carnall imagination for the highest moâ—â— excellent thoughts that wee as we are men 〈◊〉 have of God is but according to our carnal imagination All the wisdome of man is bâ—â— foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 2.20 Therefoâ—â— his wisedome cannot bring him to know thâ— things of God nor humane learning cannâ—â— doe it for then the Scribes and Pharisees anâ— the high Priests and Elders would have knowâ— Christ but they said Which of us hath beâ—â—ved him at any time And Paul had a great dâ—â— of humane learning yet that did not briâ—â— him to know God for hee was a persecuter 〈◊〉 the Church of God Gal. 1.13 Yet none 〈◊〉 the Apostles had so much humane learning 〈◊〉 he yet he did not come to know the minde 〈◊〉 God the things of God by the teachings of man Now I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me was not after man For neither received I it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ Gal. 1.11 12. So it was by the Spirit of God revealed in him that brought him to know the things of God For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty things And vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. God strips us of all the excellence of the flesh lest wee should thinke by any thing that is of us brings us to the knowledge of God and so wee