of is Mr Bacon a man of worth if some amongst us had ears to hear and eyes to see But there are some nay many both in London and in the Country to whom he is approved both in their hearts and consciences to be an able Minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and one that is Evangelical and spiritual and one that is made able by the Spirit of Christ to give a good Exposition of the holy Word of God which is a strengthening of the feeble knees and the hands that hang down and this is his glory and joy as Paul said of the Church of the Thessalonians read 1 Thes 2.19 20. And this is his crown let him go where he wil. But there are some that are like the blind man as you may read in Mark 8.24 that are half-sighted men and they encountred him and cal him babler and a setter forth of strange doctrine or new doctrine that they do not know and it is strange unto them and this was Pauls condition read Acts 17.18 19 20. And so it was with Christ Ioh. 18.19 c. But when Christ doth touch these half-sighted men the second time then they shal see doctrine clearly Mark 8.25 But some do object and say that he is slow of speech and of a slow tongue and so was Moses Lord saith he I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue Exod. 4.10 But if Moses his Lord be with his mouth and the Lords Christ teach him what he shal say for the Lords Aaron can speak well and will be glad in his people and he will be there spokesman I mean God in Christ is and will be with those of a slow tongue when he hath made them like unto Moses and then he will teach them and they shall teach others Exod. 4.12 14 15 16 7.1 2. I desire that I may not be accused of seeking the applause of these men that I have spoken of for the praise of men to me is as a feather upon my sleeve which the wind will blow away but I have had thoughts of their worth and not of theirs onely and so I rest Now you that make your boast of the Law and seem for to be a light and a guide of the blinde and instructers of the foolish and teachers of babes and yet dishonor you the Lord and break the Law of God which you would seem to uphold Rom. 2.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. If ye fulfil the royal Law according to the Scripture then you would love your neighbor as your self James 2.8 But how little of this Law of Faith and Love do you practice among your neighbors if they be not of the same minde which you are Do not you turn away from them with pride and disdain 1 John 3.23 and so begin to speak evil of them James 4.11 under some notion as Antinomian that will have no Law of God to be their rule nor ask for the pardon of sin and live as they list And so you begin to call them Sectaries and say there must be some course taken with them for they are infectious But if you had the Law of Christ in your hearts that would be kinde and suffer long and not envy nor vaunt it self nor be puffed up as some are nor seek her own nor easily be provoked as the most are love thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13.4 5. And if in any thing ye be contrary minded one to another God must reveal even this unto you and love will suffer long for it Phil. 3.15 But on the contrary side Sect. 6 I my self have heard Master Calamy to the grief of my heart in an open and publike Congregation make these people loathsom by his expressions meaning nay naming these Antinomians or Law-destroyers saying That these people are worse then the Papists for they would but take away the second Commandment and that they are worse then the Prelats for they would but take away the fourth Commandment and that they are worse then the bloody Cavallers that burned Towns and dashed out the brains of men But saith he These men do labor for to dash out the brains of all the Commandments at once or to this effect Now the Caution given with the accusation which is false in reference unto those that lye under this odious name of Antinomian But his Caution was That they should be as wary of them and shun them as they would shun a man that hath the plague and have nothing to do with them And this caused such postures and such jestures and such sighing in many of the hearers that it caused a second grief of heart in me to see it and when they came forth from hearing they fell into scorning and disdaining of the innocent and contemning of the upright But you will object and say Object That I would not have errors nor Sectaries spoken against I answer Sol. I would not have Wheat called Tares nor Tares called Wheat as many men do that judg of Spiritual Truths with carnal reason and so they call truth error and error truth Neither would I have the hearts of the righteous mad sad whom God hath made glad neither would I have the hand of the wicked strengthened Eze. 13.22 Neither would I have the Lambs of Christ to want their food read Joh. 21.15 and then put into a Beats skin and worried with the tongue and bitter words Psal 64.3 Now this is the fruit and the effect of those filthy devil-like names as Antinomian Independent The devil would have no law of God neither would he depend upon God therfore clothe men and women with these names and then they shall be odious but let some take heed lest they be like the accuser of the Brethren which is cast down Revel 12.10 I am perswaded there are many that shall live in Heaven together that do not live in love and peace upon the earth together And this is the issue and the sad effect that those filthy names do produce which are frequent abroad and it is an abomination to the Lord for to sow discord among Brethren Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. If there be any errors abroad or any thing amiss throw your foolish and filthy names aside and preach the Gospel of peace if you can tell how for that onely will bring health and cure and amendment and reveal the truth and bring abundance of peace and truth read Jere. 23.6 7 8. Which will be as the Fathers Commandment and as a loadstone to draw thee up into Christ out of whom thou shalt proceed and be born read Ephes 1.4 5. Gal. 4.19 Isa 66.12 13. 49.22 Christ and a Christian together 23. And Christ who is the Law of God shall be with thee when thou goest and shall lead thee and when thou sleepest he shall keep thee and when thou awakest he shall talk with thee read and consider these Scriptures Psa 32.8 Prov. 6.22 For Christ is a lamp
Ministers do fall in with these two and make up their conclusion with the Jews in the ninth of the Romans But as it were by the works of the Law Together with thy help O Christ we look for a blessing and for heaven and for what we have Rom. 9.30 31 32. Now for want of Preaching of Free-grace Sect. 5 A Simile we know not where the strength of Sampsâ—n lyes I mean Christ and so we begin to set up our selves as it were to be partners with Christ and thus the people are at a loss Now on the other side Free-grace teaches a man for to deny himself and to give God in Christ the preeminence alone and to say it is no more I but the Lord is my light and my life and my strength and in this will I be confident and this Free-grace causeth to grow Psal 27.1 3 5. Now he that hath tasted of the sweetness of Free-grace cannot but speak of it because it is the onely means for to break a hard heart and the onely cordial for to comfort a sick soul 1 Pet. 2.3 7. Psal 45.1 2. 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Psal 27.13 14. Now on the other side he that hath not tasted of Free-grace but speaks of it by hear-say though he be never so learned a man yet he will be but a fumbler in speaking of Free-grace or a bungler as we use for to speak And to deal plainly I conceive that the most of our Ministers want both will and skill for to speak of the Free-grace of God in and through Christ for they speak but little of it and that is the reason that the most people are so ignorant of it and live so much in sin read Tit. 2.11 12. When grace doth appear sin vanishes away O the glorious truths of grace that lye under that black cloud of Antinomianism That reproachful name which causeth the people for to sin in speaking evil of that which they know not Now I shall reflect back Sect. 6 and speak a word of the souls being taken by Christ into the banqueting house where Christ doth acquaint the soul what the pardon of sin is and that its sins are done away both past present and to come of this I spake before Now Jesus Christ doth acquaint the soul that it shall have the evidences of his Spirit for to comfort it in time of distress when temptation doth come upon it and when the world doth trouble it and when worldly men do oppose it and if it doth begin to sink or to droup then it shall call but not for the pardon of sin for that is sure in God for it but it shall say with Peter help Lord send the evidences of thy Spirit to acquaint me of the sure mercies of David and thus the soul doth acquaint Christ with its wants and then the soul doth find the left hand of Christ to be under its head when it is in communion with Christ in the banqueting house which house is Christ himself and there the right hand of Christ doth imbrance me saith the soul Now these embraces that Christ gives the soul they are the sweet gayls of the Spirit which put all things out of doubt in the soul Cant. 2.4 5 6. Now it pleaseth Jesus Christ Christ like a mother draws a curtain sometimes to draw a curtain between himself and the soul as a mother doth sometimes in love to her child and then the child cries after her and thus the poor soul cries after the Spirit of Christ in all occasions to come and comfort it Make hast my beloved saith the soul to Christ and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Flee away make haste do not stay by the way saith the soul that longs after Christ No comfort like unto thine O my Love No love like unto thine O my Joy Cause me to hear thy voyce quickly that I faint not O my dear I hearken to thy voyce O sweet Spirit of Christ let me hear it and it sufficeth me though I dye and come to thee which is best of all For in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Cant. 8.13 14. Psa 16.11 And thus he whose Name is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 doth descend and come down into the hearts of his people to manifest himself unto them and in them 1 John 4.8 9 10. John 17.6 And thus the blessed God doth manifest himself and make known things unspeakable and ful of glory and doth let into the soul high manifestations of his love which is the original of the pardon of sin Now if there come a black cloud at any time between the soul and the Sun of righteousness who is God blessed for ever yet the soul in this case can say as Peter said I am sure that my sun is in the living God and he wil speak words of eternal life unto me Iohn 6.68 69. For the Spirit of the Lord put his Word in my mouth saith David and hath made with me an everlasting Covenant which is sure I know and though my sun doth not always shine yet in him wil I be confident read 2 Sam. 23.2 4 5. Psa 27.1 3. Now here comes in the work of the Sect. 7 third Person in the blessed Trinity which is according to the promise of Christ Iohn 15.26 Now here follows the souls desires that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is first That it may dwel in the house of the Lord which house is Christ and there to behold the beauty of the Lord and to have it made out in his holy Temple which Temple is Jesus Christ Psa 27.4 5. And here to have the light of his fatherly countenance and the sweet smiles of his holy Spirit constantly upon its soul and to have the high manifestations of the love of God in Christ as the Apostle prays for Eph. 3.16 17 18 19. and to have the evidences kept close unto its soul Now Christ answers the soul Answ my Spirit shal come into thee and shal keep thee guide thee and shew thee things to come concerning me and he shal make me beautiful in thine eyes and he shal shed his love into thy soul which wil cause thee to love me Rom. 5.5 And thou shalt have all thy treasure in me saith Christ to the soul for all things that the Father hath are mine and I and my Father are one and thou shalt be one with us in my union and with me shalt thou have communion Iohn 16 13 14 15. 17.21 to 26. Answ Now here is the souls answer unto Christ O blessed God the fountain of Israel O my God thou hast turned all my prayers that I made for the pardon of my sin into praises or praising of thee O my God who hast forgiven all my sins Bless the Lord O my soul saith David and forget not to praise him for all
Word with a humane courage but they cannot give the sense of the Pearl in this Box or Cabinet or Field They cannot expound the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ as Paul did and for want of this in many places of this Kingdom the people are like the Athenians ignorantly worshiping God or more grosly and superstitiously setting up Altars to the unknown God Acts 17.22 23. Yet these people have had the Service Book all their days and they will have it still and remain ignorant with it and so the proverb holds true Like Priest like people But mark you dark-sighted Ministers Sect. 2 over such a people My people have been lost sheep saith the Lord their shepherds have caused them to go astray Iere. 50.6 A Minister to be unskilful in the Gospel of Grace begets ignorance in a people ignorance in a people makes them unstedfast Now such a people will sooner fight against the Truth and speak against the Truth then they will entertain the Truth or speak a good word for the Truth Happy is such a people that have an able Minister of the New Testament A Minister sent from the Spirit of Christ is the most excellent Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit for such a ministry or such a Minister is the most excellent Minister for he cares for the souls of men and would be spent for them and the more he loves them the less he is loved of them 2 Cor. 3.6 12.14 15. Now the reading Minister onely of the Common-Prayer Book and the imitating preaching Minister that preaches litterally legally historically and artificially These two are both alike and they both seek themselves But it may be some will take exception at this word imitating But I shall give you two instances for it One in the Old Testament Two instances and another in the New The false Prophets of Baal did imitate to do as the true Prophet Elijah did they could chuse one Bullock for a sacrifice and cut it in peices and lay the wood together and lay the Bullock upon the Altar but they wanted fire from Heaven they had no light in them as the true Prophet had read 1 Kings 18.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 33 38. The second instance is out of the New Testament Some indeed imitate to do as the true Apostles did but they cannot so then they preach Christ out of envy and some out of strife Phil. 1.15 16. 3.2 Now these two sorts of Ministers are self-seeking men as I shall give you instances both from City and Country and from Scriptures Now these self-seeking men seek great Benefices of six or seven hundred pounds a yeer and then they will take the Charge and the Cure of twenty or thirty thousand souls as you may take an instance in Cripplegate Parish London And so likewise in divers places of the Country where there are great Benefices and their Minister takes this but the poor people have little or nothing but the Book of Common-Prayer or the reading of a Homily or the like And thus they cure themselves and take the charge of the people but the poor people are still uncured This the Lord takes notice of and complains and saith His people perish for want of knowledg they are sottish children they have no knowledg of God in Christ Is not this the condition of a great part of this Kingdom They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledg read Iere. 4.22 5.31 A ministry taken up onely from men or a Minister sent out onely from men such kind of men seek themselves and not the flock they feed themselves and not the flock they heal themselves they wound the flock they bind up themselves they break the flock they bring in to themselves they scatter the flock they seek themselves and they lose the flock they are not able to strengthen the weak but with force and with cruelty have they ruled them or do rule them and is not this the seeking of vanity and the speaking of vanity read Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Phil. 3.18 19. Sect. 3 Shal I now crave leave to speak a word in particular unto you that are Ministers only of the Common Prayer Book I tel you that you are not like Ministers of Christ nor like Christ in his Ministry For he stood up to read a place of Scripture unto the people And when he had read the verse he closed the Book and sat down to teach the people And the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him and all bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth read Luk. 4.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. Now it is to be feared that you which are Ministers only of the Common Prayer Book if the book should be closed up to you all the people might bear you witness that they could not hear one word of grace from you and so you would not be like unto the Ministry of Christ nor like unto the Ministers of Christ For Ezra the Priest and those that were with him caused the people to understand the Law so they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading read Nehem. 8.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Now if the people should expect as much from you that are Ministers of the Common Prayer Book as Ezra the Priest did who was a Minister of Jesus Christ how unlike the Ministers of Christ would the people find you Now I shal desire to speak a word joyntly unto you that are Ministers of the Common Prayer Book and unto you that are imitating preaching Ministers A note agreeable for our times Historical men Litteral men such a Christ wil not own for the present read Mat. 7.21 22 23. I desire likewise to joyn your hearers unto you and so to speak a word unto you all three Now the word is by way of question as the Prophet Isaiah speaks of Now the question is unto you that are Ministers only of the Common Prayer Book and no more and you that are imitating preaching Ministers and no more and you that are hearers and discern no better Are not the Scriptures that you so much read over and talk of The lively part of the Scriptures is as a book sealed to natural men though never so learned become as the words of a Book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed And this book is delivered to him that is not learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I am not learned read Isa 29.11 12. I would it were not so now in our days with the Ministers of the Common Prayer Book and with the imitating preaching Ministers which are historical men artificial men fine Theoricians to whom the Scriptures seem to
the burden Now when this grace and wisdom doth come from above it wil teach and move the Parliament to make haste without delays to take off the unsupportable burdens from this Kingdom which they groan so much under and this grace of God in Christ wil move them with speed though they lose something of their own to let the oppressed go free and to ease those that bear the heavy yoke and to loose the bands of wickedness in taking away the finger of oppression which makes men hang down their heads and bring the poor into their possessions again and give unto Caesar his due for why are the King and the Parliament faln from their glory It is the glory of a King and a State to have their subjects to flourish in peace and wealth Now when the Spirit of God doth enter into the King and Parliament The Spirit of God is the only curer both of King Parliament people as he did into Ezekiel then he wil set them both upon their feet and then they shal hear God speaking peace and rest unto his people and if they deliver the poor and needy and do justice to the afflicted and needy then they shal be most like unto God for God standeth in the Congregation and he judgeth and he seeth the King and he seeth the Parliament that both their foundations are out of course he seeth the foundations of this poor Kingdom of England and Ireland and Scotland out of course but now if the Lord would be pleased to help you both to do justice to the poor afflicted and needy and to rid them out of the hand of the wicked then both you and our King would flourish like a green bay tree then our Land would flourish with the goodness of God and yeeld her increase read these Scriptures and consider wel of them Ezek. 2.1 2. Psal 82.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Jere. 31.23 24 25 26. Psa 85.1 2 3 4 8 9 10.11 12 13. Now when Christ comes into the heart of the King and Parliament and people he wil set us all in the way of his steps in mercy and in truth in justice and peace read Psa 85.13 Prov. 8.14 15 16. And this is the fruit that grows from above It is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated ful of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie James 3.17 Now I shal speak a word unto the Soldiery or Army Sect. 6 which God hath made victorious and valiant your enemies being judges and those that seemed to be for you in the time of their need now would have you to be removed both from the King and Parliament and others there be that speak evilly of you and some speak enviously against you and can shew no reason for it I know many of you are godly religious men and for that you shal fare the worse in suffering reproaches A word in season to the despised Army and jeers and slanders being branded with the name of Sectaries and factious persons by some of our proud ignorant Clergy such as Mr Edwards was and by some simple people likewise who wil say as they say Suffer a word of advice now I pray you Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body But if you suffer and be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 15 16 19. And if you suffer the loss of your Freedoms and priviledges of free subjects after you have purchased them at so dear a rate yet suffer all this with the spirit of meekness and commit your selves and your losses unto the Lord and he wil repay you And to conclude remember what St. John Baptist said unto the Soldiers Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages when you have it Luk. 3.14 Now let me advise you to trust God with the Liberty of your Consciences and your wrongs The grace of God through Christ is as falt and it wil season every condition and your reputations and you that are worthy God wil vindicate you in his own time And let it appear from you that the grace of God in Christ is the sweet and golden rule for a Christian to walk by to make peace because Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 And those that are his subjects are sons of peace Luk. 10.6 Now I shal return to the second use which I drew from the 11. Chapter of Iohn and I shal conclude with that of Martha and Mary Now though Martha had received Christ into her house nay Christ had entered himself into her heart as you may see by her confession Iohn 11.27 yet for all this Martha was cumbred and troubled and distracted about many things which were below Jesus Christ this is the condition of many a poor soul to be like unto Martha in being angry with Mary for sitting at Jesus feet and she heard his Word for Christ had allured her to chuse the good part or the most excellent way as the Apostle saith that is the most excellent way not to hear the voyce of the world but the voyce of Jesus Christ as Mary did Luke 10.38 39 40 41 42. Sect. 7 Now we have many Christians in these our days that are like Martha and if it were possible they would command Jesus Christ to send away those that sit at his feet and hear him who is the living Word of life and like unto Martha they would have Christ to send away those that are like unto Mary to serve with them in their low acquaintances with God as some of our learned are and others as wel as they that have but little and low knowledg of Christ and very little acquaintance with God and that is the reason why they cannot understand those that sit at the feet of Jesus nay in the bosom of Christ and do taste of his sweet graces Now those that are weak in Christianity like Martha do not understand why Mary sat at the feet of Jesus but they are ready to think much and foolishly to say they are looking after new light they have got some notion into their brain they are possessed with some whimsey or other some new doctrine hath taken hold on them now such poor silly men and women are cumbred and troubled about many things which are below Christ and are ready to say as Martha did unto Jesus send them away bid them come to us and serve as we do and be as we are Now mark for this is worth the noting The spiritual Evangelical Christian that is like unto Mary and sits close unto Jesus Christ even at his feet with his head in the bosom of Christ like unto his beloved Disciple and he doth taste of the spiritual sweetnesses which are in Christ who is God
the false doctrines of the men of the world And now I wil cal thee a ful soul in the close of all that I shal say unto thee God hath fitted thee with a fulness of himself so that thou art a compleat body The fulness of him that filleth all in all Now this is a wonder and a great mystery to the world That the Church should be the fulness of God in Christ That a poor soul should be the fulness of Christ which filleth all in all All the rivers run into the sea yet the sea it self is not ful Eccles 1.7 All the rivers of grace and glory come from God who is the fountain and the great sea into which these rivers run again and yet God who is the fountain is not capable of being filled the fuller The Church which is the Body of Christ which is filled with all the fulness of God and is the fulness of him which filleth all in all Eph. 3.17 18 19. 1.22 23. Now this is a great mystery but I have spoken concerning Christ and his Church read Eph. 5.32 I have in much weakness received a little strength and I have in much dimness received a little sight to see faln man the old man the corrupt man brought to the Cross of Christ and there to dye and then from the Cross into the grave and there to lie and put off the old man the corrupt grave clothes of the soul and then to rise the third day which is the Lords day which day is Christ But first we must suffer and be crucified with Christ and then we shal rise with Christ and be glorified together with Christ read Rom. 8.17 And then we shal know the power of the resurrection of Iesus Christ read Phil. 3.10 11. And this is a Christians glory to be made a new creature in Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 15. Now to conclude Sect. 10 I have taken notice of many things which by some are called Error and Heresie Antinomianism Familism and then Sectaries But under these reproachful names there may and do lie hid many glorious truths And I have observed that there are many which wil charge a man with Error and Heresie when he speaks the Truth and so make a man an offender for a word and say he is in an Error Isa 29.20 21. As it was said of that eminent and truly religious man Dr Crisp by name and many others besides him But after the way which some cal Heresie so saith the Apostle worship a the God of my fathers beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Acts 24.13 14. We have an old Proverb amongst us That the blind eat flies Now if the blind feed the blind they are both likely to eat hay stubble and chaff in steaâ— of manna By manna I mean Christ and by hay stubble and chaff I mean a natural gravity in years and an artificial form of holiness before the eyes of men and a feeding upon mans own actings workings good meanings and good endevors This is an Error and much in use And this is an earthly Christ which most men lean upon It is not the being old in years that makes a Minister of Christ though never so learned but to be grave in grace and in the knowledg of Christ Now those that know not Christ wil take up any to be their guide or Minister and say they understand them Now I wonder that the ministry of Christ is so little understood amongst most men but the Spirit of God wil shew the reason Read these Scriptures Matthew 23.24 and Chap. 15.14 The first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 3. Vers 12. Revel 3.17 Matthew 19.20 21. Jeremiah 5.31 The first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 2. Verses 6 7. NOw the occasion of all Errors amongst us is because most men know not the true Christ and if men know not the true Christ then they wil make unto themselves many falâ—e Christs such as their good medning is and their prayers and fastings and their alms-deeds and their own good endevors to please God as the Pharisee did Luke 18.11 12. And if men know not the true Christ then they cannot know the true Ministry of Christ for the Ministry of Christ is an able spiritual Ministry of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 Now for the proof of this Ministry The ministry of Christ proved Christ his ministry always together Christ and this Ministry are always together and that in your hearts always teaching you saith the Apostle except you have not as yet heard of Christ nor as yet known Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13.3 4 5. Now if men know not the Ministry of Jesus Christ then they are subject to take the wisdom of men for their Ministry and to take humane learning for their Ministry 1 Cor. 2.4 5. And thus Antichrist is crept into the world But it is not every learned man that comes up into a Pulpit and saith Lord Lord that makes a Minister of Christ yet such a man may prophecy and preach of Christ and do many things in his name and yet for all this not know Christ False Christs are within a man as wel as without a man 1 Tim. 6 9 10. Luk. 12 20 21. Mat. 24.24 nor have any acquaintance with him neither doth Christ approve of him and if Christ approve not of him God will root him up as you may read Matth. 7.21 22 23. 15.13 14. For such a man is but a blind leader of the people though the people think that he sees Luke 6.39 40. CHAP. XIV The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Psal 27.4 5. Luke 10.42 John 4.10 14 32. Rev. 4.6 7 8. Acts 22.24 25. Heb. 5.11 12 13 14. Jerem. 5.30 31. 4.22 Isai 6.1 2 3. Rev. 1.10 13 19. 4.6 7 8. John 20.11 12 13 14 15 16. Iohn 7.37 38 39. Acts 7.55 56. Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 2 Tim. 3.12 Mat. 10.36 1 Pet. 4.16 17 18 19. Psa 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Gal. 6.1 2. 2 Sam. 23.3 Isai 49.23 Psal 78.70 71 72. 1 Tim. 2.1 2. 2 Sam. 23.3 Ruth 2.7 8 9. Ruth 2.18 1 Iohn 2.20 21. Iohn 3.8 Psal 45.1 Cant. 2.3 4.16 Matth. 10.19 20. Joh. 17.23 Joh. 14.10 Mat. 10.20 Act. 3.6 Psal 66.16 Ruth 2.15 16. Psalm 103.1 Rev. 5.13 14. Christ is the best thing in the worst times No man can give him and no man can take him away Christ is the only good thing he wil make a man wise and rich and ful of all good things in time of need which no man can take away Christ is the free gift of God and not for men to get as some men teach NOw the best thing in troublesom times is to have one good thing nay the only good thing which heaven and earth can afford for which one needs not to be beholding to either King Parliament Army Synod or
is the Lord our God he alone shall be exalted singly in that day and then we shall cease from man Isa 2.17 22. Psa 131.1 2 3. Now you that stand so much upon your scholarship and rest upon that consider what I have said and the Lord teach you to know the plainness of Truth in singlenes of heart and to own the Truth for its own sake and own naked Christ which is the joy of the Lord and your strength though he be not dressed with humane Eloquence Nehem. 8.10 Yours in the Lord RO. PRIER A WORD Touching the Author and Nature Of this TREATISE I Shall not add much to the bulk of this book though there 's occasion administred unto me so to do only three or four things by way of preface I judg meet thou shouldst be put in mind of whoever thou art that seekest after God in reading it viz. the Author Nature End and opportuness of it coming forth As touching the Author a thousand to one if thou knewest his person thou wouldst have him in very great contempt not for the evilness of his conversation for were his adversaries his judges they would not be able scarce to charge him with those infirmities that are common to man such is his known innocency sweetness meekness faith sincerity love God having very plentifully showred down of his grace upon him But that which would be a stumbling block unto thee is the meaness lowness obscureness of his Condition in respect of writing books according as man judgeth who being neither a Prophet nor a Prophets son as 't is said of Amos should thus boldly and groundedly stand up to the reproof of the Prophets and Seers of this Age and Nation making it to appear that the most of them speak out of the vision of their own hearts and say the Lord the Lord when they have seen nothing Will they not say he takes too much upon him But their predecessors said so of Christ and have charged the same offence upon his in all ages especially if they have as he publikely appeared to discover the blindness of the leaders and teachers of the people 2. As concerning the Nature of this book I find three things excelling in it plainness homeness and the heavenly favor of it First the plainness of it is such that I may say to the readers of all sorts that he of them that runs may read it the vision of God in it is made so evident and written as the Lord bid the Prophet Isaiah stilo humano with a mans pen so that in it as some say of the Scriptures for the lowness of it the Lamb may wade and for its depth and glory the Elephant may swim or to make use of the Scripture simile there 's found in it milk for babes and stronger meat for them of riper age in Christ In the second place the homeness of it is no less to be observed for we shall find scarce any man of any opinion whatsoever in these times that is not touched to the quick I mean justly judged and taxed in it for one miscarriage or another tending to the scandal and reproach of pure Christianity which is scarce thought on in these times So that in it as in a glass a clear and cristal one the Christians whether Popish or Prelatical Presbyterian or Independent as we now speak may at once see their deformities together with the way and means as it were Bethesdas pool stirred to their hands by the descent of that high and holy Angel the Angel of the Covenant Jesus our Lord that they yea even King and Parliament and those of either party might step therein and be made every whit whole and in joynt again Lastly the savor of it is so sweet and heavenly That methinks I find it altogether such savory meat as the Author speaks of in the body of his book which Rebeccah the Churches type cook't and Jacob brought in Esaus a The man that makes so great ado in hunting up down to no purpose in all Ages absence to his father Isaac when he was old and not able to walk abroad which he relisht well for he tasted God in it by this Jacob a plain man without art and fraud got the blessing as this man will certainly do from his elder and churlish brother Esau a forward man that came forth first In one word it is of a most comforting quickning nature Aqua vitae to the drooping fainting soul not letters and sillables only or as the Apostle speaks a voyce of words and no more but as our Savior says Spirit and Life to them that have their senses exercised through the communication of the same spirit of truth to discern betwixt good and evil As for unspiritual men and women they are so vitiated by a customariness in feeding upon other things the cucumbers onyons and garlick the flesh-pots of Egypt I mean the traditions of men that are as themselves are Carnal that 't is no marvel they so distaste this Manna as the Israelites did the like upon the same account that they cry out in Town and Country O si O that they would give us flesh to eat for our soul is dryed up for there is nothing Numb 11. besides this Manna that which we know not what to make of before our eyes Yet let me tell thee Reader for therein I shall undertake to divine and prophesie wait but a while and there will be nothing left for to refresh the Nation but that which their soul abhors this Manna of which they say what is it though they have had flesh in such abundance as the Israelites had quails a bird of the earth that it comes out at their nostrils their shame and folly is even now so manifest unto all The third thing I propounded was to give a hint of the Authors end in framing this holy Conference within himself concerning all sorts and sects of men in these times and that I have learn't only by acquaintance with his person and perusal of his book by means of both I have collected and comforted my self with this that he had in his eye yea in his heart as Moses sometimes had in Egypt the falling out that was not only between the Egyptian and the Hebrew in the which quarrel Moses willingly engaged himself and was the death of the Egyptian as every true Israelite seeks to be for who was this Egyptian a figure of but the old man or the man of sin that transforms himself into all shapes and under various pretences disquiets both Church and State even till now Therefore Moses took care to bury him in the sand when no body was by into which Pharaoh with his mighty host sank afterwards being offended greatly as the world is now at the meekness of this meek man Moses by whom yet Egypt is overthrown and Israel set free But that which Moses was most offended with was to see two Hebrew brethren
to take content in outward observations and say O! the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and the ordinances of the Lord are these and yet we know not the good will of him that dwelt in the bush Jere. 7.4 Exod. 3.2 6 7 8. And thus we outwardly appear before men but inwardly we are ignorant of God and of Jesus Christ as it will appear in most Parish Churches for one saith he hath believed ever since he could remember and another she saith she hath as good a heart as the best and another he hopes to be saved for his good meaning and for his good thoughts and another saith he believes as the Church believes and another saith he believes what the Preacher saith and whether it be true or false he cannot tell but God forbid but he should believe his Minister Now such people are soon drawn to a form of Religion of any fashion for as the State changes so they wil change Now there are some others that can talk learnedly they think they know much but indeed and in truth they understand but little of Jesus Christ yet they may have a curious form of Religion and a glossie form of religious words which they may get by a customary way of Religion and by the abilities of nature and by reading in good Books as in a Catechism and the like and so they may speak the words that other men hath labored for and learn them and so much a Parrot may do and doth do Mistake me not I speak not against the using of good Books for I know those that are lame must have a crurch But one word with understanding and grace is better then a thousand words in a Catechism without understanding And so likewise Sect. 2 we may be like to the Jews in seeming to take delight in approaching to God upon our Fasting days as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh Isaiah 58.2 If we do that which is like unto the Jews then we are like unto the Jews and if we do not fast unto the Lord then we do fast unto our selves but if we do fast unto the Lord then what meaneth this bleating of the sheep saith Samuel to Saul what meaneth saith the Prophet Isaiah this putting forth of the finger and speaking against our neighbors and brethren what meaneth this strife and debate and this biting and devouring one another and this smitting with the fist in private Is not this wickedness to bow down our heads as a bull-rush and yet these things remain and we seemingly call upon the Lord. But this is not to fast unto the Lord. Read Zech. 7.5 6 7 8 9 10. Now if it would please God to help us but to keep one right Fasting day then we should loose the bands of wickedness and undo the heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free and break every yoke and deal our bread to the hungry and cover the naked and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother Then this would be a fast unto the Lord and a feast unto men Read Isai 58.6 7. Now the Elders that are not able to feed the flock of God they outwardly appear to be religious before men as Christ speaketh so you may read Matth. 23.27 28. And so saith the Prophet Micah concerning the Prophets and so saith the Lord They make my people erre they seem to be that which they are not that bite with their teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him Have not we had many such Prophets and Elders in our days read Micah 3.5 6. And so likewise the Lord takes notice of the people as well as of the Prophets and the Priests The Prophets prophecy falsly saith the Lord and the Priests bear rule by their means and this is a horrible thing committed in the land and my people saith the Lord love to have it so Mark this O ye people of England for the Lord takes notice of you that call truth error and error truth Jere. 5.30 31. Now the Elders that are not able to feed the flock of God and the priests that teach for hire and the heads of the house of Jacob that abhor judgment or neglect to do justice to the poor and so pervert all equity yet saith the Prophet they will lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us My desire is that these things were not to be found amongst us at this day read Micah 3.9 10 11 12. Zeph. 3.3 4. Mark what the Prophet Micah saith They lean upon the Lord that is they lean upon the ordinances of the Lord in a carnal way they lean upon being outwardly baptized and the hearing of the Word preached and the outward receiving of the Sacrament and they lean upon Church-fellowship and upon an outward Confession of Faith onely in words But mark now what our Saviour Christ speaks John 6.63 The flesh profiteeh nothing mistake me not I say to lean upon the outside of the ordinances of God profiteth nothing which the most part of the world doth to this day The leaning upon being baptized with water either young or old profiteth nothing but the being baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire that will teach you and help you to profit and that will refine you and thorowly purge your hearts and gather you as good wheat into Christ garner Luke 3.16 17. And so to lean upon the outward preaching of the Word that will not profit us until Christ open our ears and speak in our hearts and say this is the way and I will inable you to walk in this my way and you shall spiritually hear this voice and I will wait saith the Lord to be gracious unto you and I will turn a pure language unto you and you shall serve the Lord with one consent read Isai 35.5 6. 30.18 19 21. Zeph. 3.9 And when this is we shall profit and with Samuel we shall say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3.9 10. And so likewise to lean upon the outward receiving of the Sacrament it will profit nothing A blinde man that 's bid to a feast though he cannot see the excellence of the feast yet he may tast of the goodness and sweetness of the banquet but in this case of coming to the Sacrament it is otherwise for a man may see carnally but he cannot tast spiritually but he that cannot tast spiritually of the Lords banquet he cannot see spiritually and so he sits naked not having faith to see the want of Christs righteousness and so he sits naked before the King and the Saints Now Christ is the King of this banquet and a man not having faith is speechless when Christ speaks unto him read Mat. 22.11 12. Now a Saint and a true Beleever are in a better condition for they both see and tast of the sweetness of Christ and of the infinite love
that could preach no better then a Cobler and yet had two or three hundred pound a year he would say he was an Officer in the Church and who should controul him Now in this case amongst them the Officers would not cast out the Officers but they all conspired against the people to keep them in bondage and if they did but stir then they had them up into their Courts and they were very chargeable But I hope it wil not be so now We use to say there are two things that make a Minister a Cal of God and a Cal of men and if the Cal of men be able to instate them into a place then that power that puts them into place is able to put them out of place again I mean the whole Congregation have power in themselves to put out of place either Minister or Church-Officer if need so require But to prevent the charges of our new Courts let us consider what the Apostle saith Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you if there be then consider among your selves and if the case be difficult then if you please you may take the advice of your neighbor Church and so end the difference among your selves and never trouble the Courts and this wil be a means to save the peoples money 1 Cor. 6.5 6. Those that bear office in the Church ought to be meek and wise and able to end all sorts of differences in the Church I shalgive you but one instance more and that is this The chief Magistrate of a City doth not move as of himself but with the advice of his Society or the Common Councel which the people by their right do chuse unto that place and the people by their right do put them out of that place again and no doubt but for very good reason And so likewise the people have a right and a power in the Church as we as the Minister and the Church-Officers but every one in their place But I confess there is a mighty mist of ignorance before the eyes of all men and we do but grope as it were and are feeble in our way and we are not strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and how then shal we find out Gospel Ministers and Church-Officers which have discerning spirits And if this gift of discerning be wanting then it may be we shal take an enemy into our bosom and cast out our friends and then both the Ministers and Church-Officers wil be at a loss among themselves Now the Lord help us out of this way and for the most part of the people in a parish they have a vail before their eyes and how few in a parish are there that can make out a right knowledg of Jesus Christ how unable then are such people to chuse Church-Officers It may be they wil chuse ignorant men instead of knowing men and blind men instead of seeing men And then it wil come to pass as our Savior said If the blind lead the blind it is very likely they may both fal into a ditch Mat. 15.14 But you wil say what may help the people against this ignorance I answer The clear spiritual and Evangelical preaching of the Gospel For unto this wil all the Nations flow And many people wil say Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and he wil teach us of his ways for out of Zion shal go forth the Law And we shal have the swords of our enemies beaten into plow-shares and then we shal learn war no more read that Evangelical Prophet Isaiah 2.2 3 4 5. And so Jesus Christ doth inable his Apostles to be Evangelical and those that be his Ministers he doth inable them to deliver the spirituality of the Gospel for they have received that freely and they cannot but freely give that out again And so likewise Christ doth send forth his Ministers and bids them Provide neither gold nor silver in their purses neither two coats neither shoes nor yet staves to lean upon and so to be Independents but lean upon him and depend upon him for he wil provide for them and go before them and move the hearts of some men and they shal find favor and be refreshed by them for their labor and so they shal not need to make a bargain for a hundred or two hundred pound a year for this is to be an Independent but they shal be depending upon him as he is their Lord and Master and as they teach others to live the life of faith so they ought to be ensamples to live the life of faith in the use of that imployment which God hath set them about Mat. 10.9 10. He that hath the faith of Jesus Christ is a son of peace and doth not make a sale of the Gospel but is content with that which is given him and with that which is set before him Luk. 10.4 5 6 7 8. In the time of greatest trouble Sect. 11 some men seek to make their mountain strong and to make themselves great both in purse and in power when they are but only called to advise but we wil read backwards the words of Mat. 6.31 32 33 34. First seek the things of this world and then seek the things of heaven afterwards In the time of Christs great trouble when Judas had his hand upon the Table to betray Jesus Christ Then his Disciples were foolishly striving among themselves who should be counted the greatest But mark now how Christ cals them and tels them it shal not be so amongst them for they were his Disciples and it shal not be so amongst those that are my Ministers saith Christ for they shal be gentle as a nurse amongst her children My Ministers shal not strive nor be rough-handed for this is the Heathens way and the false Prophets way But ye my Disciples and you that be my Ministers indeed ye shal not be so but he that wil be great among you let him be in the lowest place and he that wil be as the chief among you let him be as one that is a servant Luk. 22.23 24 25 26. To conclude The Elders which are amongst you saith the Apostle see that ye have a store-house spiritually furnished to feed the flock of God not Pharisaically but Evangelically to teach and exhort and to admonish with all long-suffering and gentleness for the servants of the Lord must be gentle not striving to assume unto themselves above what is writen neither impose nor constrain that which cannot be received but with doubting Now in such cases as these there is need of that gift of discerning for in most parishes there are three sorts of people The first sort is such as in some degree or other they be like unto Judas now Judas betrayed the Truth of God into the hands of sinners and that with a kiss Now Judas did not love Jesus Christ therefore he did betray him with
a fair word Hail Master Mat. 26.47 48 49 50. Is not this in use now in our days I ask the question Are there not many in most parishes now that are like unto Judas in this They wil go along with the Truth in a formal way and they wil keep company with Jesus Christ as the time wil bear it as though the life of Religion did lie in outward forms and observing of times Now true love to God is the life and power of Religion But if this love to God be wanting and then the times do turn and put on a Prelatical face it is to be feared the most in a Parish nay the most in a Kingdom wil face about and forget their Covenant and imbrace a Bishop again nay it is wel if many Church-Officers do not betray their trust and face about and bring up the rear and if so then it wil be worse then it was at the first The second sort of people in a parish are such as are like unto those prating Lawyers as you may read in Luk. 11.45 46 52 53 54. For they did urge and provoke Iesus Christ to speak of many things laying wait to catch something out of his mouth that they might accuse him for they consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty and kil him or cause him to be put to death Mat. 26.3 4. I pray God that we may not use his members so in our days for in most parishes there are many that can talk like Lawyers yet they know not the truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 Therefore there is such secret jeering and disdainful behavior and such vaunting in pride and reproaching one another and scornful looks against our brethren and neighbors Take one instance David he takes notice of these sorts of people Lord saith he I was a reproach among all mine enemies but especially among my neighbors fear was upon me when they took counsel against me Psa 31.11 13. But when they were sick I prayed for them as though they had been my friend or brother but they rendred evil for good for when I was in distress they were glad with hypocritical mockers in feasts the abjects gnashed upon me and did tear me and when I went by them they winked with their eye and if thy rod O Lord doth but touch me then they say Aha aha now God wil forsake him And besides all this O Lord saith David they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the Land Psa 35.13 14 15 16 19 20 21. But you wil say this was in Davids time and against David I answer It was so likewise in Christs time and against Christ and it is so in our time and against the members of Christ for he that hath a mind to follow Christ must take up a Cross For the way to enter into the Kingdom of God is through much tribulation and accusation Acts 14.22 The third sort of people in most parishes are such as are like unto those Pharisees that Christ speaks of which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Luke 18.9 Now a Pharisee is one that seemeth to worship God zealously and yet knows not Iesus Christ We have one Father even God said the Iews to Iesus Christ Now Christ answered the Iews If God were your Father ye would love me for I came out of the bosom of the Father Ioh. 8.41 42. And so likewise those Pharisees that were so zealous for the Sabbath day yet they knew not Iesus Christ the Substance of the Sabbath and the Rest of the day Iesus Christ had opened the eyes of one that was born blind a convincing miracle Yet these Pharisees said This man is not of God nor from God because he keepeth not the Sabbath but doth such things as these on the Sabbath day Ioh. 9.16 These Pharisees had the Scriptures of the Prophets which held forth Christ clearly yet they were blind and saw nothing but the outside of the letter they did not know the mind of God in the letter which mind of God is Iesus Christ We know that God spake unto Moses say the Pharisees but as for this fellow meaning Iesus Christ we know not from whence he is Ioh. 9.29 So ignorant were the Pharisees and yet very zealous I ask a question Have not we Sect. 12 now in our days many Pharisaical-spirited men and women as wel as there were in Christs time Let us then consider what Christ said to his Disciples They wil put you out of the Synagogues saith Christ yea they wil even to the very killing of you think that they do God service And these things wil they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Ioh. 16.2 3. Take one instance The chief Priests and Pharisees first gathered a counsel to put Jesus Christ to death Ioh. 11.47 53. And then after that they consulted to put Lazarus to death also Ioh. 12.10 11 19. A zealous Pharisee and an ignorant Protestant are two fit subjects to make two precise Papists and they both follow the Law of righteousness like unto the Iews and neither of them attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore saith the Apostle because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. Rom. 10.2 3. CHAP. V. The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Acts 20.28 1 Tim. 5.17 Acts 11.20 21 22 23 24. Acts 15.2 3 4 22. Col. 4.16 17. Cant. 4.12 13 14. Eph. 4.20 21. Psa 32.8 Isa 48.17 1 Pet. 4.11 Acts 6.3 5 7 8. Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. Cant. 2.3 Mat. 23.4 5 6 7.23 24 25 26 27 28. Mat. 15.1 2 3. Jer. 7.4 Exod. 3.2 6 7 8. Isa 58.2 Zech. 7.5 6 7 8 9 10. Isa 58.6 7. Mat. 23.27 28. Micah 3.5 6. Jer. 5.30 31. Micah 3.9 10 11 12. Zeph. 3.3 4. Joh. 6.63 Luk. 3.16 17. Isa 35.5 6. Isa 30.18 19 21. Zeph. 3.9 1 Sam. 3.9 10. Mat. 22.11 12. Luk. 2.29 30. Cant. 2.3 4 5 6. Cant. 4.8 9 10. Cant. 1.12 13. Joh. 13.1 Heb. 13.5 6. Mat. 6.9 Joh. 21.20 Isa 41.10 Heb. 10.19 20. Habbak 3.17 18. Psa 121.1 2 3. 1 Joh. 1.3 4. Joh. 17.23 24. Eph. 1.4 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Col. 3.3 4. Joh. 14.19 20. Joh. 17.23 24 26. Joh. 16.13 14 15. Isa 33.16 17. Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.26 Act. 19.2 3. 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. Ezek. 36.25 Isa 44.3 Joh. 7.37 38 39. Mark 1.8 1 Joh. 3.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. 1 Cor. 12.12 13 14. 1 Cor. 10.17 1 Cor. 6.17 Gal. 6.15 1 Cor. 1.14.19 23 24. Joh. 20.11 16 17 18. Gal. 6.14 15. Col. 2.12 13 14 15. 1 Pet. 3.21 Eph. 2.5 6. Joh. 29.30 1 Joh. 3.18 1 Cor. 14.20 Mark 10.16 Acts 2.39 Heb. 2. Rom. 9.11 12 13. Mal. 1.2 Luk. 1.43 44. Joh. 3.29 Jer. 1.5 Exod. 2.3 4 6 7 8. Isa 29.11 12 13. Exod. 12.33 39. Exod.
labor toiling nor by industry they are not got by studying in a great Library but they are the incomes of God into the souls of men that in a moment 1 Tim. 3.16 Mat. 10.19.20 Joh. 7.38 39. 16.13 14 15. And this shal be to the praise of my good God as David doth express Psa 45.1 And I sat under the healing of Christs wings with great delight Cant. 2.3 And the North wind did blow that is the Spirit did blow in or upon my garden or heart and then the spices and the graces and the flowers did grow out and then my soul with Christ did feed upon his pleasant fruits which were very sweet to my taste Cant. 4.16 And now beloved Christian I have gathered a posie of sweet flowers out of the living Word of God for you to smel upon And yet I neither labored nor toyled for them nor wrought for them neither did I get them by my study but they were given me freely and that in a moment for they were brought into my hand or heart and droped down one by one and I was inabled and taught the same hour to gather them up with great delight Mat. 10.19 20. Now I shal conclude and give all honor glory and praise unto God my Father as my sweet Savior Christ did and that by way of union for every true Beleever is in the Father read John 17.23 and the Father is in every true Beleever and the words which they speak they speak not of themselves but the Father that dweleth in them he speaketh the words read John 14.10 Mat. 10.20 Come beloved Christian and I wil declare Beloved Christians silver and gold have I none but such as my God hath given me such I give unto you for the honor of Christ my Lord and your Lord Acts 3.6 to the glory and praise of the Lord my good God what he hath done for me and by me Psa 66.16 how bountifully he hath dealt with me even as Boaz did with Ruth Let her glean saith he even among the sheaves and reproach her not and let fal also some of the handfuls of purpose for her and leave them that she may glean them and rebuke her not Ruth 2.15 16. Even so bountifully hath the sweet Spirit of God dealt with me he hath brought me in amongst the sheaves to glean nay he hath let handfuls fal of purpose for me to take up this is the good wil of my God He doth open the mouth of the soul wide and then he doth feed it with spiritual food God like a mother doth open the mouth of the soul and then he doth feed it with his divine sweetnesses then the soul saith Bless the Lord. He doth all for the soul and he doth all in the soul and he is all unto the soul Therefore bless the Lord O my soul as David said and all that is within me bless his holy Name Psa 103.1 Rev. 5.13 14. And to this every Christ-baptized soul wil answer and say Amen So be it IF Christ thou truly know thou art not poor He that hath Christ hath all though in the worlds eye he seem to have nothing He wil suffice thee though thou hast no more If Christ be hid from thee thou art not wise All other knowledg is not truth but lyes THE CONTENTS Of this BOOK Directing to the Chapters Sections and Pages where they are spoken to CHAP. I. THe Scriptures insisted on set down Page 1 2. The difference betwixt freedom without and freedom within P. 2 3. Sect. 1. The leaven of the Pharisees ancient and modern opened and advised against Pag. 3 4. § 2. The danger of zeal without knowledg P. 4. § 3. Many deal with Christ as Ziba with his Master divide or make bargains with him P. 5. S. ib. A sweet thing to stand on Christ alone P. ib. § 4. Self-righteousness and Christs weighed together in the ballance Page 6 7. § 5. Confidence in the flesh a cloud that darkens the sun of righteousnes in men P. 7 8. S. 6. There 's a poor rich man and a rich poor man P. 9. S. ib. The speech of Christ upon his coming down from heaven P. ib. S. ib. Why the testimony of Christ is not received P. 10. S. 7. The Pharisee thrusts out Christ of his prayer and wil be heard for his own sake P. 11 12. S. ib. To be something in our selves a principle of corrupt nature but to be nothing a principle of divine grace P. 13. S. ib. A Pharisee hangs upon every thing he doth P. 14. CHAP. II. THe Scriptures insisted on set down Page 15. Sect. 1. Who represent the chief Priests and Pharisees in these times 15 16 S. ib. Christ the Law and the life of the Law P. 17. The followers of Christ suffer from the stricter sort P. 17. Where men bite and devour one another as in these times Christ is not P. 18. S. 2. All 's but a shadow where Christ is not P. 18. The different arguing with God betwixt a beleever and an unbeleever P. 19. Christ the way of God to man and of man to God P. 21. As the spider the Pharisee leans upon his own building P. 23. S. 3. Men have pulld down outward but have set up inward Idolatry in these times P. 24. CHAP. III. THe Scriptures insisted on set down P. 24 25 Sect. 1. God wil not accept of any thing besides Christ P. 26. Christ the golden censer in the which the prayers of the Saints are P. ib. What 't is to come to God with strange fire as Nadab and Abihu did P. 27 § 2. How the Pharisees cloath themselves and how God cloaths his people P. 29. The outside Christian discovered by the figtree that had leaves only P. ib. Men strive about ordinances but have Christ in contempt they are like the soldiers that put him to death but strove about his rayment P. 30. Ordinances without Christ are as clothes about dead men P. 31. An expression in the morning exercise London modestly reprehended P. 31. § 3. The Pharisee like the hen having done his duty tels all about him P. 32. § 4. The Pharisee Papist and outside Christian all alike P. 33 34 Who are enabled of the Father to worship him P. 34. How men become idolaters even with the Scriptures themselves P. 34 35. A mercy to have the Word but a greater to have the Spirit of the Word among us P. 35. § 5. That the Spirit of Christ is scarce to be found amongst us P. 36 Not to be of one faction or another is offence enough in these days Page 37. A large debate with and about Mr Edwards touching his writings P. 37 38 39 40. That the Jews said as much against Christ as M. Edwards doth against his members P. 40 41 42. § 6. The course the world take to have a fling at the truth P. 42. It s to be feared Mr Edwards had but the letter not
the life of the Word Page 44. How the Jesuites Popes and Friers are Ministers of Christ P. 44. ◠7. The shepherds of these times would rule Christs sheep with an iron mace P. 45. Some named that were reproached in Mr Edwards book P. 46. Mr Edwards ten heads in his book like the ten horns Rev. Zech. P. 47 What it is that frays these horns viz. the Spirit of our Lord Jesus P. 48 49 S. 8. That Saul was a Minister upon the same account that many are at this day P. 50 51. A Minister sent out from men is a Minister of terror not of tenderness P. 51. How the false Prophets are mingled among true as heretofore so even now P. 51 52 53. The Confidence of most Preachers in these times is their library and books P. 53. Vpon what account there is much preaching to little purpose in these times P. 54. CHAP. IV. THe Scriptures insisted on set down P. 55 S. 1. None but beleevers able to prove approve of and reprove Ministers P. 57 58. S. 2. There is no cure for the world but free grace P. 59. Jesus Christ is a Saints spiritual magazine P. 60. S. 3. That in these days God begins to pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh P. 61. That upon this account beleevers speak more profitably then their teachers P. 62. That beleevers have a divine right and authority to try the doctrines of men P. 63 A Caution given beleevers not to be despoiled of their liberties in Christ P. 63 64. Many pretend falsly to a divine right in these times P. 64. S. 5. How the people have been and yet are abused by Clergy men 65 66 What divine right is and to whom it doth belong P. 66 67. The honorable Commissioners why not approved of by the Ministers P. 67 The ignorance of the people taxed in not being able to try their Ministers P. 68. Who they be that creep into houses and lead captive silly women P. 68. That discord among brethren ariseth from the Ministers of this age 69. § 6. Who they be that bind heavy burthens and lay them on mens shoulders P. 69 70. Dr Gouge his complying formerly with the Archbishop reprehended Page 70. To rule with force and violence doth ill become Ministers P. 71 72. § 7. A word to Ministers and people to unite them into one band of love by the Spirit p. 72 73. The story of Abraham and Lot of Jacob Joseph and his Brethren excellently opened and applied to these times p. 73 74 75 76 77. What men pretend that mind persecution p. 77. § 8. A sweet prayer to God for Vnity p. 80. § 9. Arguments to perswade to Vnity p. 82 83. § 10. Where and what is the power of the Church p. 84 85. Who are Evangelical Preachers and that none profit the people but they p. 87 88. § 11. That most Ministers seem to read Christs advice Mat. 6.31 backwards p. 89 90. Who are Elders according to God page 90. Three sorts of corrupt men in a parish page 91 94. That Jesus Christ is the mind of God page 94. That most of our Protestants are fit matter to make Papists p. 95. CHAP. V. THe Scriptures insisted on set down p. 100 101. § 1. A most excellent and spiritual instruction given to the Eldership in the Church of God p. 101 108. The Church is a school and Christ the alone teacher in it p. 104. The Church in the Apostles time had many young men in it that were full of the Holy Spirit p. 105. Many hungry people in the Church whom nothing can satisfie but Jesus Christ p. 106. Great use of Elders if right in the Church of God P. 106. Religion without love is Pharisaism Page 107. How the Religion of the most is Popish P. 108. That there hath been much hypocritical fasting in these times P. 109 § 2. A true fast to the Lord is a feast to men P. 110. The most content themselves with the shel but neglect the kernel of Religion P. 112 113. The holy Spirit is the love-token of Christ in the hearts of the faithful P. 115. § 3. What food the Saints live upon Page 116. § 4. Too much confidence placed now adays in Church-fellowship Page 117. A just reproof of such P. ibid. What is the Churches foundation 118 Vpon what the Christians lean 118 The commonly called Anabaptists reprehended and that justly 119 120. They justifie the parishes they seem to condemn Why the Anabaptist and Presbyterians disagree P. 121. That Anabaptists are mistaken in the foundation of Church-fellowship 122 An excellent reason against rebaptizing P. 123 124. § 5. A modest debate with a moderate Anabaptist P. 124. That the soul enjoys all things in Christ P. 125. Vpon what account the beleever is conversant in external observations P. 125. § 6. Of the baptism of infants and that they have faith and may be admitted as well as others thereto P. 126 127. A whisper in the ear of an Anabaptist and Presbyterian P. 128 The same Lord is now a Cloud to the Egyptian world but a pillar of light and fire to the spiritual Israel 129. § 7. The plea of an unbeleever 131. Of the confession of sin and how few confess sin aright P. 132 133. The beleever hath joy from the Cross of Christ in the confession of sin 134 The death of Christ most divinely opened P. 134. Several Objections answered made against confession of sin with joy p. 135 136 137. CHAP. VI. THe Scriptures insisted on set down page 138 139. § 1. What the most of our Elders and Pastors are and what they are able to do p. 140. Who seek the good of King and Kingdom p. 144. § 2. That there is no steers-man in the Church on the heart of a true Christian but Jesus Christ. p. 145. Christ the guide of a Christian in his active and passive obedience to Magistrates p. 146 147. A wise caution given to Magistrates and why page ibid. § 3. Several objections answered touching the discerning of true teachers and false by their fruits p. 147 148. That the unlearned beleever doth and knows more then the learned that beleeves not p. 149. Those that have been with Jesus and in whom Jesus is alone understand the Scriptures p. 149 Christ the Covenant of God p. 150. What learned men they be that are unfit for the ministry p. 151. Christ is the day of Gods rest p. 152. That many talk of Reformation that are ignorant of the pure Religion page ibid. § 3. What the pure Religion is 152. The most of the learned in Christendom do agree in pleasure ease and profit p. 153. Many zealous for Presbyterian Government care not for coming to the Elders and why p. 156. That one place for worship is not to be preferred before another ibid. Whether it be decent for Ministers to go all in black p. 157. Of humane learning of what use and profit it is p. 158. A word of