the unlearned Mat. 13.3 34. Ioh. 3.3 4. But to the scholars of Christ it is given to them in all times for to know the mysteries of the Scriptures Luk. 8.10 The secret of the Lord is with them that love and fear him and because he loves them he wil shew them Christ his Covenant Psa 25.14 Object Now you wil say you speak much of learned men Object What mean you or whom do you mean Ans Sol. I mean such learned men as can but only read the book of Common prayer or a Homily or can but only read the Scripture and no more and have not as yet learned of Christ to spel out the mind of God in the Scriptures and I mean such as can but only preach by natural art and not out of experience as from Christ and I mean such as can do no more but what they have a form for and yet they cal themselves Ministers of the Gospel And how many such learned have we had in this Kingdom and have at this day and most people dote after such men Object Now you wil object and say you speak much of the unlearned Object and of an outside shew in matters of Religion what mean you or whom do you so speak of Ans Sol. It is a very sad thing to be unlearned and untaught of Christ and to rest and to take delight in an outside shew in matters of Religion as it doth appear most men do and it is to be feared that many amongst those that cry for Reformation in Religion in the City of London are ignorant of the pure Religion and are like unto Nicodemus that ignorant learned man that came to Christ by night and asked Christ How a man can be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born John 3.1 2 4. Now there are abundance of such professors in our days both learned and unlearned that can complement with Religion and with Jesus Christ as a good man But there are but few that know Christ spiritually as the power of God or the day of Gods power or as the day of Gods rest or as the day of a beleeving souls rest Rom. 1.16 Psa 110.2 3. Psa 116.7 Heb. 4.10 Q. Sect. 4 But what mean you by that word Pure Religion Object A. Sol. I mean a possession of Christ and a profession of Christ in faith and verity which wil expel sin and vanquish the devil 2 John 9. Heb. 10.23 Heb. 2.14 I confess though I have made two objections Presby ∣ terian q. yet I cannot but grant that the most of our learned and unlearned do differ about Discipline and make a great deal of ado about an outward shew in matters of Religion which are but circumstances and through ignorance they neglect the substance A. Sir my answer to you is this Answ You are very much mistaken though you confess and grant that the most of the learned of the Church and the unlearned do differ I wil tel you plainly and consider wel of it The most of the learned in Christendom do agree as one man in three things and that is Pleasure Ease and Profit as for instance Do not the Clergy of Rome take pleasure in usurping authority over Kings and over whole States and those that differ with them about their ease and their profit are like to go to the Inquisition house And so you may instance in the Lord Bishops of England Those that did differ with them about their Lordly authority or about their fifteen hundred or two thousand a year were had up into the High Commission Court And so now those that differ with them about ease or about the profit of three four or five hundred a year shal be had up for a Sectary or an Antinomian Mistake me not I grudg not against the wel being of a deserving Minister that preacheth Christ purely and without mixture for such ought to be had in singular respect because of Christ and such ought to be provided for that they and their wives and children may live comfortably Now the Discipline that you say the most of the learned differ about is circumstances but I say it is wel if they do not make them substances Sir I think you are mistaken for not one of five hundred of the learned do differ about Discipline for they are all of them as one man and yet they are questionable and he that differs from them gets himself a blot Sir are not we taught for to have the truth of God in respect of places and persons and cry one place up and another place down and cry up such a man with respect to his habit for he must have a black gown or a black suit and cloak and look like a Minister or else most people wil take up a prejudice against the truth of God and so likewise a man must not worship God as the Spirit of God doth dictate unto him or teach him but a man must worship God after the rules of men and according to a form which they wil draw out for him I speak not concerning the State but I speak concerning the Clergy I hope you wil not be offended with me because M Edwards siteth at the receit of Custom raketh up all the filthy rags from all the parts of the Kingdom for to make paper of them but it proves but bloting paper and so is but little worth but yet he makes a shift for to make a book of it ful of accusations and filthy reproaches and lays them upon the heads of his brethren and brings them upon the stage of the world and uncovers their nakedness nay it may be their weakness and saith Lo these be the Sectaries that trouble us and then he cals them Independents and Antinomians or Anabaptists and then the people answer him and say as they said of Paul Away with such fellows from the earth for it is not fit that such fellows should live read that place Act. 22.22 23. Is this the fruit of a Gospel Minister Mr Edwards for you say you are one But if this be the fruit you bear I shal pray to God for to deliver me from such a Ministry Sir I pray you one word more which I had almost forgot many of those that seem to be zealous for the Presbyterian Government do not care for coming to the Elders I conceive it is because they are so ignorant for the most part of them in the principles of Religion that they cannot tel what to say and I do wonder at many that are forward for that Government they know not neither can they soon understand it Q. Quest Is there some respect now to be given to some places of worship more then to other some A. Answ I know none neither Church nor Chappel nor Cathedral as you cal them Beleeve me saith Christ to the woman neither in this place nor in that place Joh. 4.20 21 22 23
a comparison of the Pharisee and of the outside Christian which I shal make good by four places of Scripture And the first place of Scripture is in Mark 11.13 concerning the Fig-tree And Christ seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves he came if haply he might find any thing thereon and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves Here are three things remarkable with relation to a Pharisee or an outside Christian The first is Christ sees a Pharisee afar off he sees into their hearts he sees them proud afar off he tels them they are as graves ful of rottenness Luk 11.42 43 44. Secondly Christ comes to the Pharisees and they reject him Joh. 11.47 48 53. and took counsel together to put Christ to death Thirdly Christ finds nothing in a Pharisee but leaves and these leaves are not for the healing of the Nations as is spoken of in Rev. 22.2 But rather a bringing in of judgment and a wounding of a Nation as Adam and Eve did by seeking themselves in eating the forbidden fruit they brought sin upon the Nations of the world and so became naked and they sewed fig-leaves together to hide their nakednes Gen. 3.7 And this is the Pharisee's way But I wil shew you a more excellent way The Lord God himself made coats of skins for Adam and Eve and covered their nakedness and in his goodness said The seed of the woman meaning Christ should spread his skirt of love over them and cover their spiritual nakedness Gen. 3.15 21. Ezek. 16.8 And thus much shal serve by way of comparing the Pharisee to the Fig-tree that had leaves but no fruit for Christ The second comparison that I shal make of the Pharisees is this They are like to those Soldiers that led Christ away to crucifie him and after they had done then they did strive for his garments Mark 15.16 24. The Pharisees caused Christ to be put to death and I beleeve that there are Pharisees now that though they cannot reach the person of Christ yet they can reach the members of Christ to kil them in their outward comforts and in their good name and in reproaching of them for if they have done so to the green tree what wil they do to the dry tree and if they have put Christ to death they wil proceed to put Lazarus to death also Joh. 12.9 10 11. And yet they wil strive for Christs garments I mean they wil strive for the ordinances of Christ and seem to take delight in them as a man doth in his garments as you may plainly read in Isa 58.2 And yet they are like dying men whose garments can neither warm them nor keep life in them If Jesus Christ be not the life and the heat in all his ordinances though you lap your selves about with them as with a garment yet you may perish for want of heat for it is the Spirit of Christ that gives forth heat and makes men lively It is the Spirit that quickneth saith Christ the letter profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 Jesus Christ tels the Pharisees that they are miserable and naked Rev. 3.17 No say the Pharisees for we have the ordinances of God and our duties and these are as garments to cover our nakedness Now this is a strain of spirit that doth rest upon most people and Ministers as one may hear in these expressions Since we have begun these morning Exercises saith one God hath given us in 70 victories but mark what the Lord saith these victories be but the effects therefore ascribe not too much to your prayers but consider the cause Not for your sakes O house of Israel nor for your prayers be it known unto you but for mine holy Names sake are these victories given unto you Ezek. 36.22 Yet I wil be sought unto saith the Lord. O! Sect. 3 it is a sweet thing to pray when the Spirit of Jesus Christ teacheth and helpeth us to pray then we shal set the Crown of praise upon the head of Christ alone for the Spirit it self helpeth us so to do Rom. 8.26 But it is a bad thing to set the crown of praise upon the head of our prayers and performances O that we could do our duties out of love to Christ alone and then take our hearts and our hands off from them and have our eyes fixed upon Christ alone and not upon our duties for why should we be like the Hen that when she hath done her duty she tels all about her Simile The Pharisee seemeth to be much for the praise of God yet hath but little or no acquaintance with Jesus Christ Give God the praise saith the Pharisee to the blind man that was cured and as for this Follow meaning Jesus Christ we know not from whence he is Joh. 9.24 29. A Pharisee doth not really know Jesus Christ therefore he doth carnally complement with Christ Iesus Good Master saith the Pharisee what shal I do that I may get heaven Why saith Christ thou knowest the Commandments and yet thou canst not spel my Name in them therefore thou art miserable poor and naked No saith the Pharisee I am not so for I have observed all those Commands that thou didst bid me from my youth to this day Wel saith Christ I see into thy heart and that is not right to me for all that thou hast done Mark 10.17 18 19 20 21. And this web saith Christ which thou dost trust unto shal be as a spiders web and shal not cover thy nakedness and this staff which thou dost lean upon shal be as the spiders house But it shal not stand though thou shalt hold it fast it shal not endure Job 8.13 14 15. Though a Pharisee seem to come to Christ yet at the same time he doth thrust Jesus Christ away from him Now the third comparison Sect. 4 that I shal make of the Pharisee or outside Christian is this Now a Pharisee is like unto a Papist in two things The first is this A Pharisee is one that seems to worship God zealously but hath no knowledg of Iesus Christ I bear them record saith the Apostle that they have a zeal of God but not of Christ Rom. 10.2 3. and so they are ignorant of the true way which God wil be worshiped in which true way is Iesus Christ Joh. 14.6 I am the Way and the Truth saith our Savior And God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him or inables such and then they worship him spiritually in Christ Iesus Joh. 4.23 24. Search the Scriptures saith our Savior to the Pharisees for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they testifie of me And ye wil not come to me that ye might have life Now a Pharisee or an outside Christian searches the Scriptures as a Papist searches his beads by number and by tale and when they have done they
mistake not your self in the application of these few lines for these are perilous times for some indeed preach Christ out of envy and strife and those that preach Christ thus have it by Art and not by Grace Phil. 1.15 16. And thus a natural carnal man may preach Christ having the common gifts of the Spirit which are common to all men as the Arts and the Tongues which may be learned at Oxford and then the help of a great Library and a good pen and sit at it all the week and then a good memory and then a fluent tongue then such a man may talk of Christ an hour or two together but I suppose this is not preaching if it be we have great store of it now in our days And those men that so preach are subject to speak evil of those that preach Christ out of good wil To preach Christ out of good wil is a saving gift And such men cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard Acts 4.20 Now true preaching is to beleeve We having the same spirit of faith saith the Apostle therefore we speak 2 Cor. 4.13 though we be evil spoken of and upbraided with new doctrine and with a new light M. Edwards are not you guilty of this clamor and I fear others besides you are But I remember a caution that the Apostle gave to the Philippians Beware of evil workers saith he who boast of the letter and of the outsides of Religion and yet are enemies to Christ for they mind earthly things Phil. 3.2 18 19. as profit and preeminence M. Edwards I pray you be not like unto Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence among them receiveth us not saith the Apostle But when I come saith the Apostle I wil remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the brethren but speaketh evil of them and forbiddeth them that would receive them and casteth them out of the Church read 3. Epistle of Joh. 9 10 11. M. Edwards I shal take leave of you now I shal speak of you again only I shal present you with two cautions The first is Follow not that which is evil and take not up a reproach against your neighbor to do him harm Psa 15.3 The second is Take heed that the light which is in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 CHAP. IV. The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Rev. 2.17.2.2 Cant. 2.8 John 10.4 5 27. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Ioh. 14.10 11 Ioh. 17.21 22 23 14. Eph. 1.3 c. Lu. 7.44 c. Psa 1.2 Psa 66.16 1 Pet. 2.5 Joh. 2.20 27. Act. 2.17 18. Joel 2.28 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Joh. 3.2 3 4. Mat. 21.16 Psa 8.2 1 Thes 5.21 1 Joh. 4.1 Col. 4.17 Gal. 5.1 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Colos 2.18 19. 1 Pet. 5.2 1 Cor. 5.4 12 13. Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.13 Mark 9.35 1 Cor. 7.23 Prov. 6.16 19. Rom. 14.5.23 1 Thes 2.7 8. 2 Cor. 1.24 Act. 15.5 10. Joh. 11.47 48. Luke 22.24 25 26. Iohn 13.15 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Psal 133.1 2. Gen. 13.8 Isa 49.15 16. Ier. 32.40 41. Gen. 42.36 Acts 27.22 23 24. Eph. 5.32 Gen. 30.27 Gen. 37.19 20 21 22. Gen. 42.21 22. Gen. 45.3 4 5. Gen. 50.20 Gen. 45.27 28. Mat. 23.24 25. Luke 17.20 Mat. 23.23 Ier. 7.4 Mat. 25.8 10 11 12. Gen. 45.24 1 Thes 5.21 1 Pet. 4.10 11. 1 Cor. 6.5 6. Mat. 15.14 Isaiah 2.2 3 4 5. Matthew 10.9 10. Luke 10.4 5 6 7 8. Matthew 6.31 32 33 34. Luke 22.22 25 26. Matthew 26.47 48 49 50. Luke 11.45 46 52 53 54. Matthew 26.3 4. Ephesians 4.22 Psalm 31.11 13. Psalm 35.13 14 15 16 19 20. Acts 14.22 Luke 18.9 Iohn 8.41 42. Iohn 9.16 29. Iohn 2.3.11.47 43. Iohn 12.10 11 19. THere is great contending Sect. 1 now in our days how one should know who are the true Ministers of the Gospel Ans But they who have an ear to hear what the Spirit of God saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.17 are inabled by the spirit of Christ in some measure to try them which say they are Apostles and are not and have found them lyars Rev. 2.2 The Church of Christ only knows the voyce of Christ It is the voyce of my beloved saith the Spouse Cant. 2.8 My sheep hear my voyce saith Christ and a stranger they wil not follow for they know not the voyce of strangers and wil flee from them Iohn 10.4 5 27. Here is the report that Christ gives of his sheep which holds forth a sufficiency in them by his holy Spirit to try the messages that the messengers or ministers of the Gospel do bring unto them and that by a divine authority Now here wil arise an Objection and that is this Object Can an unlearned man try the Doctrine of a learned man Ans Sol. Yes for the doctrine of Christ is spiritual though it may be delivered literally or in the letter and so it may be as a Cabinet sealed up to him that carries it or delivers it But an unlearned man may have and hath the key of David that is the Spirit of God to teach him the mystery when the learned man may have but the history There is no man in the world though never so learned so able as the Saints are Are true Beleevers to give out the spiritual meaning of the Word of God It is true indeed learned men may take up the Truth as other men lay it down and so they may talk of it But the beleeving man Sect. 2 the new man he is the only man for he hath the Truth and he can declare the Truth for the Spirit of God doth teach him read 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16. The beleeving man is the only man for these Reasons The first is God is in Christ Joh. 14.10 11. The second is Christ and God is in every true Beleever I in them and thou in me saith Jesus Christ Joh. 17.21 22 23 24. The third is Every true beleeving man and woman were in Christ before the world was and as soon as they came into the world they went astray and then were accepted again in the beloved that is in Christ they have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of all their sins at once and not by peece-meal and this is to the glory of free grace O there is nothing in the world that can cleanse the world of taking liberty to sin but only free grace read Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8. A great sinner once made a true beleever such a man and woman is the only man and woman that can magnifie free grace Mary Magdalen a great sinner was overcome by the free grace of God in Christ and then she washed Christs feet with tears and kissed his feet and anointed them Free grace begets much love Luk. 7.44 45 46 47. And so Paul a
one God Eph. 4.6 cometh down from heaven into Christ not by measure but in the fulness of God to dwel in the body of the tree of life which tree is Jesus Christ John 1.32 33 34. Joh. 3.34 Col. 2 9. 1.19 Now the sweet Spirit of God is the head and life of this tree and this tree is the head and life of the branches which are surely graffed into this tree Now God is the head of Christ and his life and Christ is the head of the Church and their life Col. 3. â— 4. Now Jesus Christ being man united unto God and God dwelling in this man Christ now Christ being man and so weak saith this of himself I saith he can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judg and I seek not mine own wil but the honor of the Father which hath sent me John 5.30 And thus Christ reasons with Philip that he might lead Philip through himself unto the Father that he might give God the Father the honor of his love for Christ thus Christ seeks the honor of his Father Now Christ being the spiritual tree of life and Philip a branch of this tree the spirit of life runs through this tree into all the branches and causeth the branches to bring forth the fruit of praise to God And thus Christ and his members do seek to advance the glory of the Spirit of life which is God as you may see by these words Have I been so long with you saith Christ to Philip and yet hast thou not not known me He that hath seen me hath seen the Father And how sayst thou then Shew us the Father Beleevest not thou that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self Mark this But the Father that dwelleth in me he speaketh the words and he doth the works Beleeve me Philip saith Christ that I am in the Father and the Father in me Joh. 14.8 9 10 11. And thus Christ the tree of life bears and brings forth honor to his Father and thus the branches of this tree bring forth fruit and give the honor of it wholly unto God instance in Paul The life saith he that now I live it is not I but it is God in Christ that lives in me Gal. 2.20 And thus the sweet Spirit of God cometh down into the head of the body which head is Christ and so down into the branches which are the body of Christ and the Church of Christ which Church is created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 God is a Spirit John 4.24 If I be lifted up from the earth saith Christ I wil draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 that is Christ who is God in the Spirit shal draw men with the Spirit up into Christ and they shal be all taught of God the Father who is a Spirit and learn of him spiritually to come to Christ John 6.44 45 46. And thus you may see that a Christian in deed and in truth is not in Jesus Christ or for Jesus Christ after a carnal manner or after the rudiments of the world or after the laws of mens making Col. 2.8 18 19 20. But as the Apostle Paul saith We saith he worship God in the spirit and we rejoyce with the spirit in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh or fleshly ordinances Phil. 3.3 Carnal reason and fleshly wisdom may and do handle those things which we cal the ordinances of God and it may be very learnedly and with a seeming shew of zeal and piety and yet for all this be but carnal and fleshly and like the grave where Mary stood weeping An allusion because she could not find her Lord Christ there now Christ was risen and gone and she sought the living among the dead John 20.11 12 13. Luk. 24.5 And so a poor soul stands by the ordinances that most men handle Observe weeping because it finds them dul and cold and dark And if one ask the poor soul why it weeps it answers as Mary did I weep because I cannot find my Christ here These men cannot tel me of my beloved Lord whom my soul loveth Let me advise thee a little An Advice O thou poor soul thou must go a little beyond these dark and dul watchmen I was saith the Church but a little passed from these watchmen but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go such is the love of the soul unto Jesus Christ that it cannot be satisfied without Christ read Cant. 3.3 4. Such a man is the only man for a sick soul that beleeves what he speaks A true preacher and speaks what he hath seen and learned of Christ read 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 4.21 Now the man in Christ Sect. 9 with the spirit of Christ speaks spiritually of God in Christ and the Spirit of Christ is the Saints rest or resting place for unto that the Saints flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows for shelter and for food Isa 60.8 The Spirit of God is the original good The Spirit of God and the only sweet good unto the spirits of men The Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle be with thy spirit 2 Tim. 4.22 Thus the sweet Spirit of God comes down into the tree of life which is Christ and so into the branches that grow in this tree of life Christ is the tree out of which these branches grow and come forth Iames 1.17 18. The Saints life Every true beleeving man and woman is a branch in Christ the tree of life and the sweet Spirit of God is their life that they live by and move by and act by Acts 17.28 And it pleaseth the sweet Spirit of God to give this title to the branches in Christ That they might be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord by the rivers of his sweet Spirit that he may bring forth fruit in his season read and compare Isa 61.3 9 10 11. and Psa 1.3 together And thus the sweet Spirit of God works all the Saints works in them and for them Isa 26.12 13 19 20. And thus the holy Spirit of God doth write his Law in their hearts even the Law of Faith and Love which they account of great use Secondly They live not as they list but as the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth constrain them and so in its love it doth direct them read Isa 30.21 Thirdly We are to do nothing for Christ as the most people in the world do to this day for this were to go down to Egypt the flesh for strength to get Christ but this wil be to no purpose or vain labor Now in this case Our strength is to sit stil saith the Prophet read Isa 30.7 Christ is a gift of God John 4.10 and not for us to get of God or from God We are not to work for
which is God to lift up his head that he may look into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus Christ the right hand of God opening himself to receive his poor weary soul O what a refreshing comfort is this unto a dying man to see the heavens of God in Christ opening A beleeving soul sees it self happy and compleat in God through Iesus Christ and the Son of man God-man standing with the souls of men which he hath made just and perfect and they standing as the right hand of God in Christ as a Queen in gold of Ophir All this you may have an instance of in Steven if you do but read Acts 7.55 56. And so likewise in the whole Church of Christ if you do but read Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 And thus a poor soul is received from misery unto glory even into Abrahams bosom that is into the bosom of Jesus Christ where it takes up its rest as Steven did but while the poor soul doth live in this world it shal find trouble For all that do live the life of God in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution in this world 2 Tim. 3.12 All relations under the Sun variable as the relation to a wife to a family in Church fellowship in professed friends in parents and in children in riches and in outward contentments but in Christ all these are constant and dureable For a mans enemies shal be they of his own houshold Mat. 10.36 Nay in Church fellowship which is like an houshold if they differ in judgment read 1 Pet. 4.16 to 19. If it be so in a mans houshold and in Church fellowship as there is experience between the Presbyterian and the Independent I shal conclude and say as David said It is good for me to draw neer to God and to desire him to plant my confidence and my joy in him alone for in every external condition in this world I shal find trouble But my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ and spiritually there I shal find good cheer read these Scriptures Psal 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Sect. 4 I shal speak now of a precious balsam and a sweet cordial that wil heal all our diseases in this Kingdom that is if the Lord would be pleased to raise a flood of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and cause it to run with a mighty stream into the hearts of the King and the Parliament this would enable them to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ that is to restore the poor groaning subjects in the spirit of meekness that they may rejoyce once again Gal. 6.1 2. Now he that ruleth over men must be just mark this ruling in the fear of God read 2 Sam. 23.3 Now my hope is and my desire shal be that God would be pleased through Christ his strong arm to make good that Prophesie in our days which is spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah That Kings may be nursing Fathers and Queens may be nursing mothers in these our days O that we might truly say once out of experience that we are beholding to them as nourishers or for their good nursing Isai 49.23 For this end God did set up Kings at the first as David and Solomon who were types of the spiritual King Jesus and fed their people with wholsom and sweet food that is with a peaceable life as good Magistrates and preserved them in all godliness against those that would harm them and disquiet them Psa 78.70 71 72. But of this we have had but little these many years instance in those domineering Bishops and the high Commission Court which was of long standing and persecuted godliness under the name of Puritans or some other names but I hope it will not be so now therefore let us follow the Apostles Exhortation That prayer be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for he or they that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and 2 Sam. 23.3 Courteous Reader Sect. 5 I shal speak a word or two in my own defence and so conclude Now my first word is When I first set my pen to paper it was not with any sinister respect or by-end but it was for the glory of God Neither was it for profit nor the applause of men for that to me is as a vain thing I speak the words of truth and soberness But seeing the customary and the outside Pharisaicalness which most men and women of all sorts use in matters of Religion Ministers as wel as others this I saw and was at a loss within my self but the Lord did teach me to consider of it and then I went to glean as Ruth did into the field of Boaz read Ruth 2.7 8 9. But the field that mine eyes was upon to glean in it was not the field of external Art nor the field of a great Library for that is to learn to speak other mens words which I disclaim But mine eyes were upon that only one field where I gleaned among the sheaves and that field is the Scriptures the only one Book which I had and no more and that is the Bible which is the Word of God Now courteous Reader I have gleaned and am satisfied and I commend that unto you which I have reserved and as Naomi did make use of the barley which Ruth did glean as you may read Ruth 2.18 so I desire that you may be wise to make use of what hath been said for your own good and I shal be glad Sect. 6 Now my second and last word is to the Christ-baptized man or woman for I speak unto thee O man or woman who art inwardly taught by the sweet Spirit of God hast that unction from the holy One which wil teach thee to know all things for that anointing abideth in thee anâ— teacheth thee all truths and thou shalt abide in him or it 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Therefore I speak to thee O man or woman who art baptized with the Spirit of Christ because thou art the best able to discern between wheat and chaff True Christian Reader when I first set pen to paper my heart was inabled to indite of matter concerning the Lord of Lords and I spake of things touching Christ the King and my heart was stirred within me as the water is when it bubbleth up or the water which the fire boyleth And I was made able by the sweet Spirit of God who did blow sweet gales of wind spiritually into my heart Ioh. 3.8 And I was so refreshed by them for they so comforted my heart that my tongue became as the pen of a ready writer The knowledg of the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ the Saints and the givings forth of the Spirit are not got by
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
great sinner Blessed saith he be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ is a Saints spiritual magazine for free grace but if I speak of the things I shal have the name of Independent or Antinomian put upon me which is to me a smal thing In the next place Sect. 3 a true Beleever is the only thankful man Blessed be God saith Paul for his free grace Secondly The man in Christ is the most able of all men for to try the doctrines that men bring whether they be of God or no for a man in Christ is blessed with spiritual blessings in Christ and he tries the doctrines of men whether there be any spirituality in them or no because he himself is exercised therein day and night Psa 1.2 Thirdly A true Beleever in Christ is able to declare the truth to others and that out of experience Come saith David I wil tel you what God hath done for my soul or in my soul Psa 66.16 Here you may see the ability and the authority of the members of Christ which is the Church of Christ Now for the abilities of the Saints there are degrees some more able to try the doctrines of men and some less able and so some are more able to declare the truths of God to others and some are less able as it pleaseth God to bestow his gifts to men Now the reason or ground why or how they come to be thus able Ans They are built upon Christ a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ read 1 Pet. 2.5 And so likewise they have that unction from the holy One that is from God in Christ and that abideth in them and teacheth them above all the teaching of men read 1 Joh. 2.20 27. and by that they come to know the mind of God in Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 And so it comes to pass now in our days that there is a beginning to fulfil the promise which hath been spoken of long ago I wil saith God in the last days pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your young men and your maidens shal be able to declare the Truths of Jesus Christ to all that are about them Act. 2.17 18. Joel 2.28 It may be to more profit then those that are called their Teachers and at this the world is angry and says that boys and girles now adays are become wiser then their Teachers It pleased God to instruct Timothy from a child to know the holy Scriptures and to know the mind of God in Christ therein 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. when the old zealous Nicodemus's know but little of God and nothing of Christ though they have the holy Scriptures before them read Ioh. 3.2 3 4. But out of the mouth of babes and sucklings God doth perfect his praise and they for the most part speak so as though they had by experience tasted of the sweetness of the grace of God in Christ read Mat. 21.16 Psa 8.2 Now by these few lines you may take notice That none but those that know the voyce of Christ whether young or old are able to try the doctrines of those that say they are the Ministers of the Gospel Secondly All those that are thus inabled have a divine right and authority to try the doctrines of men The Church hath liberty from God to try their Officers before they trust them Prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Secondly Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John Chap. 4. Vers 1. Thirdly The Church ought to admonish their Pastor and their Officers for the shepherd may err as wel as the sheep may go astray Therefore saith the Apostle to the Church of the Colossians Bid Archippus take heed to his ministry Col. 4.17 I shal now in the next place Sect. 4 crave leave to speak a word or two for the liberty of the subjects of the Kingdom of Christ I mean the Church of Christ which doth consist of beleeving men women I desire that they did know the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free then they would not gladly suffer men to bring them into bondage and devour them then they would not be glad of men that do exalt themselves and so intangle them with a yoke of bondage but you that beleeve stand fast in the liberty of Christ and for the liberty of Christ with meekness of spirit Gal. 5.1 2 Cor. 11.19 20. And beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit and let no man beguile you of your liberty nor of any part of it but hold fast Christ your head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2.8 18 19. And consider those that you have given power to rule amongst you I mean your Ministers and your Church-Officers for they are as servants to the Church but it is an honorable service if they rule wel but beware they do not rule over you with constraint read 1 Pet. 5.2 and with a vast and unlimited power and then put the name of Divine Right upon it and so by that means they come to over-power the Church which called them only to advise The Ministers and Church Officers have not power as of themselves but the Church giveth them power and hath power over them even to put them out from amongst them if they walk disorderly as some in our days have done When ye are come together saith the Apostle to the Church of the Corinthians put away from among your selves that wicked person and if that wicked person then by the same power the Church may put away from among them either Minister or Church-Officers if they walk contrary to sound doctrine 1 Cor. 5.4 12 13. The Bishops of late memory pleaded a Divine Right for what they did and so they made fools of men and women they made fools of women in causing them to come covered with white vails through the streets to be churched as they cal it and they made fools both of young men and of old in making them to sit bare-headed an hour or two together to hear their divine Service as they cal it and they durst not be covered in their unsanctified presence And so likewise they made fools both of men and women in compelling them to come up to the Rails and to fal down upon their knees to receive the Sacrament and this they did for decency and for uniformity as they said and so they made fools of the poor that some of them were fain to sel their pot to them their tithes And is this Divinity Here you may see how these men were subject to err Sect. 5 and are not we
becomes strong to shut the door against sin p. ibid. A defence of the doctrine of free grace p. 268. Who the most of men and women fall in with in these times p. 268. § 5. Whence 't is that many learned men are meer fumblers in speaking of free grace p. 269. What 's the cloud that lies upon the doctrine of free grace p. 270. § 6. What is the banqueting house into which a Christian is brought p. 271. How a Christian opens himself in his longings to Christ p. 272. Of the work of the third person in the blessed Trinity p. 273. § 7. The ayr in which a Christian lives is God himself p. 275. What is the appearance of God to sinners § 8. To whom the appearance of God is pleasant p. 277. The multitudes mistake of God 278. Whether sin came into the world by accident p. 279. That accidents are not against but for God ibid. Not chance but providence doth all p. 280. Sect. 9. Of the author use and end of the first Creation p. 281. Sin is none of Gods Creation but a vail over it p. 282. That Christ was slain by Adam and Eve ibid. How Sin and the Devil broke in upon man ibid. How the whole Creation greans till Christ appear p. 283. What is the heaven of God ibid. God permits of many things for his own glory p. 284. § 10. The Godhead is the womb out of which-every good and perfect gift doth proceed p. 285. God sees no sin in the new Creature because it is his seed p. 286. What is that ayr of which Satan is the Prince p 287. Sect. 11. That there were and yet are false Prophets many p. 288. Want of humane learning is no let in revealing Christ p 289. Why unlearned men that beleeve speak more truly of heaven then others p. 290. What is the great sin of England ibid. How our English Clergie are divided p. 291. Few of our learned men can speak experimentally of Father Son and holy Spirit p. 291 292. Sect. 12. That God hath made use of illiterate men for the propagating of the truth in these times 293. What are the foolish things the world despise 294. Sect. 13. What the Apostle Paul would say if he were now living in England 296. Whence Wars arise 296 297. The child Jesus is the first wonder in heaven 298. CHAP. X. THe Scriptures opened and applied set down P. 299. Sect. 1. The womb in the which the Children of God are conceived 302. What a one a lame Minister is ibid. § 2. What are the brests the New Creature is nourished by 303. Christs tenderness a president to the Ministers of this age That many call God Father who hate his children 305. § 3. How Christ is said to be both mother and child P. 305. That the holy child Jesus must be born in the heart of man ibid. How Christ is the ground and hope of a Christians glory 306. How a Christian comes to partake of of the divine nature 307. § 4. How the Jews dealt with Christ in his low estate 307. Christ overcame the malice of the world with love 308 309. § 5. How a man comes to look within the vail 312. That a Christian is Gospelized by Christ 313. The heart of man is the pulpit in the which the spirit of grace preacheth 314. § 6. That Christ is but one illustrated by a simile taken from the Sun ibid. A true beleeving man is a shining star and a royal diadem in the hand of Christ 317. § 7. What is the light of that world to come in the which the beleever walks 317. Christ is the King of that City to which the Saints fly for rest 318. Christ is the life of the oppressed soul 319. That a poor soul hath the substance of faith within it self 320. Sect. 8. The soul is weak in faith when it saith Christ is far from it 321. The soft hand of the Gospel moveth the heart of a man to a godly sorrow 322 The rough hand of the law unskilfully handled hardens the heart of men 322 323. What Cains enmity of Abel was a type of 323. Sect. 9. The rough handlers of the Law set forth by Esau 324. What was Jacobs savory meat ibid. Many handle the law as the Pharisees quite out of Christ 325. The Law in the hands of Christ turns to be Gospel 325. Pauls conversion well opened 325 326 Sect. 10. The madness of those in the Guildhal-yard taxed 326. That the Law is planted by Christ in the heart of him that beleeves 327. The fruit of rigid Presbyterianism 328. Sect. 11. A sad complaint of a troubled soul P. 330. Sect. 12. To which is a spiritual reply for consolation 332 333. CHAP. XI THe Scriptures insisted on set down P. 334. Sect. 1. Christ is the seed of God growing up through the earthiness of mens hearts 337. How Christ the seed of God lyes hid in the earth of the first Adams heart 336. Christ is the day of God in the which the loftiness of man is layd low 337. That a Christian in trouble is as a woman in travel till he bring forth Christ in the knowledg of him in his heart Rev. 12. 337. What is the grave-clothes many a man is buried in 338. Sect. 2. A word of consolation to one troubled every day ibid. VVhat are those treasures that are hid in Christ for a Christian 339. What it is for a Christian to look into the Ark of Gods strength P. 339. That a Christian in his trouble hath an Angel from heaven to comfort him as Christ had 340. How God remembers the sin of his people no more ibid. Why chastisements from the Lord are upon the Christian 341. Sect. 3. That God doth not punish a Christian for sin ibid. Christ is as a privy Chamber for the soul to retire into to refresh it self 342 343. Tryals are given and taken away again according as God pleaseth 344. Sect. 4. The commodities of Christ are his graces and they run forth freely to sinners 344. Most men complement and dissemble with Jesus Christ 345. Who were the Citizens that hated Christ ibid. Of the trouble raised at Guildhal of late by some Citizens 346. Sect. 5. What kind of bargain Christ makes with a beleeving sinner 347. A man that hath been in the Mount with Christ gives an excellent report of him P. 347. Christ the power of God is a Christians might 348. Grace discovers sin ibid. Those that strike at a Christian hit Christ first 349. S. 6. The greatest sinner Christ calls to himself to do cure on him 350. A whisper in the ear of the young men of the City that made that ado at the Parliament door Guidhal and elsewhere 350 351 That they did as Paul did whiles he was Saul ibid. That Christ is calling and alluring them to himself 351. A word to the old men that had their hand in the same thing ibid. That good men may do bad