and sufficient for Salvation This may quiet all Ob. Of what use then are other Scriptures Sol. From a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and as profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works All Scriptures are equally true but not equally important nor necessary in terminis The Death and Resurrection of Christ are of greater value then the Circumstances of them The Text is of more worth then the Comments Paraphrases and Glosses upon them As long as we believe the main we are safe for other things Errare possum Haereticus esse nolo Aug. Repentance and Faith are the whole Duties of man Every one that doth evil hateth the light Joh. 3.20.21 neither cometh to the light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds might be made manifest that they are wrought in God The Kingdom of God consisteth in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost The Kingdom of Christ is within us Joh. 1.12 13. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his name Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of man but of God Of him ye are in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.30 who is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption See the Sermon on the Mount per totum Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy mind Mat. 22.37.38 This is the First and great Commandment And the Second is like unto it Thou shall love thy Neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets Joh. 13.34 35 A New Covenant I give unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another This is my Commandment Joh. 15.12 That ye love one another as I have loved you The hour cometh Joh. 4 21. when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth We have known and believed the love that God hath to us God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and he in him 1 Joh. 4.16 Heb. 10.19 c Having boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus By a new and living way which he hath Consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh And having a High Priest over the House of God let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood Ro 3.25 c. to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God c. One Mediator between God and Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time If any man sin Tim. 2.5 6. we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Joh. 2.1 2. and he is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole World Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me c. He that believeth on him is not condemned Joh. 3.18 but he that believeth not is condemned already Joh. 8.12 I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not work in darkness but shall have the Light of Life Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men c. SECT XV. 2. Morality despised is Christianity Morality Heb. 11.6 They that fear God and work Righteousness are accepted of him They that believe God believe Christ Without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Ob. Moral Men have no Grace they are many of them in Hell Sol. This is the Language Ro. 2.26 c. of those that pretend to speak the Language of Canan Let us hearken to sound words If the Uncircumcision keep the Righteousness of the Law shall not his Uncircumcision be counted for Circumcision And shall not Uncircumcision which is by Nature if it fulfil the Law Judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision doth transgress the Law For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outwardly in the Flesh But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God A Moral Man is a Christian by the surer side Speculations Mr. Hobs. Notions Forms are mistaken A good life saved Heathens The Light of Nature is God's Will though it be more highly revealed I must confess I have not yet made the proficiency in the Schools of our Ages as to see why the second Table and the Acts of it are not as properly the part of Religion and Christianity as the Acts and Observations of the First Table If I mistake in this 't is St. James that hath abused me Jam. 1.17 who saith Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World So the thing which in the new Dialect signifies nothing but Morality and Civility the same in the Language of the Holy Ghost imports true Religion and undefiled Such as we Sow such shall we Reap God will require no more than what he hath given We talk of Special Graces but Sanctification makes the Saints and Self-denial the Christians and he that doth Righteousness is Righteous and he shall live and not die Follow Peace with all men and Holiness without which no Man shall see the Lord. â—eb 12.14 Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments Christ said â—s 119.164 I must preach the Kingdom of God to other Cities also â—uke 4.43 for therefore am I sent The Kingdom of God is within you â—uke 17.20 The Grace of God
They have better Principles than so where ever they are they are the Truâ—st Church say the Papists and Sectaries what they please Theirs is the only safe way to Salvation Sit anima mea cum talibus Christianis SECT VIII Therefore the Modern Divinity of the Reformation is according to the Pattern of Christ on Mount Sion not of Moses on Mount Sinai Right Preaching agreeable to the Sense Language and Stâ—le of the New Testament agreeable to Sense and Reason drawn from the New Testament explaining the great Points of Grace Faith Repentance Justification Regeneration Adoption Election c. for edification of Souls without the tincture of Legends of Saints Miracles and Reliques Penances Prayers to Saints or Angels Devotion to Images or the Cross or to the Host without School Subtilties or Flourishes of Eloquence falsly so called without Enterludes or Masquerades upon the Passion Resurrection or Ascension c. which things have a shew of Holiness but nothing of the Power of Godliness at all in them to please God at all Therefore the Modern Doctrine Discipline and Worship of the Reformation is agreeable to the pure Antient and Spiritual Doctrine Discipline and Worship of God in that true evangelical Dispensation after the Abolishment of Mose's Law without Carnal Pomp and Ceremonies directed to God above through Jesus Christ without any Applications to Saints or Angels or Images without Prayers in an unknown Tongue Half Communion Penances Pilgrimages Vows Offerings at Shrines Prayers to or for the dead which things have a shew and form of Godliness pleasing to the Flesh but nothing of the power or substance of Religion to please God This honest preaching of God's word and plain form of Publick Worship by solid Prayers Intercessions Praises Thanksgivings and Benedictions fitting for all conditions at all times is the true Modern Christian Service for Uniformity in Knowledge and Devotion in Spirit and Truth in the publick Congregation leaving every man to liberty of Conscience in Reading and Praying in his Family or in his Closet that all may be done for Edification Decently and in Order And if all Protestants would submit as they are commanded to the publick hearing of God's word and to the publick Worship as it is by Law established in the freedom of the Spirit and Faith though they scruple at some few indifferent Rites to which they are not in Bondage reserving their liberty of opening to themselves they should do no more then what all Jews did and what all Heathens did and what all Papists did and do and what all other Protestants and Christians over all the World do keeping peace though they are not all agreed in other things Why should our Dissenters be strangers to all Christendom besides And this the Poor People would quickly do if their private Teachers would conform and teach them to do the like which is the thing so greatly desired and to which they have been so long woo'd with all kindness and encouragement imaginable O when will they once look upon their dear Mother the Church of England whom they have pierced for she is ready to look upon them as God is with the eye of tender pity and compassion Her Bowels yearn upon her Children who that they may be undâ—ceived let them know that the bottom of the business is this The Politick Great ones pretending to the Title aim strongly at these two things 1. At the Power Regal Policy Thrones are brave things 2. At Crown Lands Church Lands and Nobilities and Gentries Lands These are fat morsels Nobles shall embrace Dunghills and Slaves shine in purple and Scarlet These great Dogs shall swallow the rich prey the little Curs bark aloud and starve You fat Citizens and Countrey Farmers shall spend your Bloods and Estates and be turn'd off with Debentures to the publick Faith till you be as poor as Job and as very Slaves as the African Negroes I le promise you Gospellers shall get Sequestrations of your Brethrens Livings but the Classes and Assemblies shall never be able to set up the Stool of Repentance nor tyrannize over the Gentry of every Parish by the Assistance of Weavers and Taylors and your Lay Elders You may remember when you were uppermost your Patrons never trusted you with Power nor with the Kings Nobilities or Gentries or Churches Revenues Stand off But the Independants Anabaptists Quakers having the longest Sword would not stand off but took the Power and Estate too and the least Dog of yours durst not open his mouth against your dear Brethren Then were you fairly wip't of all Then you whin'd and cryed to bring in the King and upon his knees too if you could for your own ends And now you are not pleased what does infatuation presage They say Quos Jupiter vult perdere hos dementat But you may do a great deal of mischief before that time But you may repent also and then that time shall never come And as a Motive to your Repentance I 'le be a Prophet for once that never was a Prophet before Your own Lay-Masters and Protectors will engage you to do their work for them and when they have done they will fill their own Bellies and turn you off to live upon the Bridle For Treason is liked but the Traytor loathed And if you will not believe me Look over into Scotland in Knocks his time Look beyond the Seas into Holland Germany Hungary Sweden Denmark Norway c. Observe their Clergy Superintenders and Lay-Administrators where the Name of Bishop will not down but their Estates are gone down glib into Lay-mens Stomacks and are very well digested But the new-named Clergy are put off with a Bit and a Knock pitiful dependent Pensioners and Trencher-Chaplains easily blown away by the Blast of their Great Dons or the Puff of a Lurdy Burger Lastly for I am tired in this Odious Subject Beside the most deplorable Atheism daily increasing and the Distractions in the Religion that is left Rebellion multiplying upon us by reason of the Spirit of Rebellion not only the Prince is affronted by his Subjects the Magistrate by his Citizens the Pastor by his Flock but every Parent by his Children and every Master of a Family by his Servants So that if there were no other end but the benefit of enjoying our Temporal Rights we had need to pray for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life here in common honesty which can never be expected in such a state of Rebellion as we are now in From which Good Lord deliver us Amen Do but consider If you should break out into Rebellion the Second time how many young poor Creatures would you draw away in the simplicity of their Souls as if it were Gods cause but especially what multitudes of forlorn hungry Desperados Banditi and angry Fellows would follow you for prey and plunder of Churches and Palaces to the Ruin of the King Nobility
that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us to deny ungodliness â—it 2.11 c. All Flesh shall see the Salvation of God â—oh 3.6 The same came for a Witness to bear witness of the Light â—oh 1.7 〈◊〉 .8.16 that all men through him might believe SECT XVI 3. A visible Judge pretended â—â—sible Judge the Judge is within us the Spirit its self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Let every man prove his own Work â—l 6.45 then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another 1 Joh. 3.21 If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God Luke made Theophilus his own Judge of his Writings to him as the Apostle did them at Rome Corinth c. And the People made the Church Infallibility takes away the use of every man's Reason The Pope should conclude us by Conviction and not by Authority to make us to believe a Lie Ro. 1.19 That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 2 Cor. 4.1 2 c. As we have received Mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God for if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who as the Image of God should shine unto them c. The Church is not visible nor Worldly as other Societies World and Church like Sosia and Mercury resemble at a vast difference SECT XVII 4. Liberty The Jews after hard service under the Law during their Minority when the Gospel came Liberty were Adult and Free The Gentiles knew no Minority but under Natures Law and upon the preaching of the Gospel were immediately Adult and Free The Jews lost their Carnal Priviledges which did them no Good for they were still Debtors responsible to the Law which could never be satisfied But when they and the Gentiles embraced the Gospel they were by the goodness of God immediately set at Liberty and invested with Spiritual Priviledges which did them good and set them everlastingly free from the Curse of all Law So the fulness of Time of the Gentiles came in suddenly all at once upon them for Adoption and Sonship without the Law And for their Faith they were made elder Brethren by Grace to the Jews which were the Elder Brethren by Nature As Jacob was the Younger to Esau the first Born The Jews had the first offer to keep their Birthright but they profanely rejected it so the offer was made to the Jews they refused So we turn to the Gentiles and they wisely accepted it The Sons of the Free-Woman were disinherited and the Sons of the Bond-Woman legitimated Great Grace by the Gospel greater than by the Law The Jews stood upon their Carnal Birth and Carnal Ordinances they were Abraham's Children and Mose's Disciples But the Gentiles by Faith were the true Children of Faithful Abraham and the true Disciples of Christ the Lord of Moses But between the Believing Jew and the Believing Gentile there is no difference at all We perceive by this that God is no respecter of Persons but in every Nation they that fear him and work Righteousness are accepted of him Those that honour God he will honour but those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed The Allegories of Sarah and Agar Esau and Jacob Jshmael and Isaac Mount Sinai and Mount Sion Jerusalem above and Jerusalem below are changed in their Natures and all are free in Christ Jesus who is all in all Ob. We are no Jews no fear of that Sol. We are a little Jewish some fear of that Ob. We are not Heathens for Idolatry Sol. We are something Heathenish for Superstition Therefore in Modern Divinity we distinguish carefully between Judaism and Paganism Conclusion Carnal and Spiritual Priesthood Law Altar Temple Sacrifice between Works Faith Liberty Bondage Flesh and Spirit rightly dividing the Word of Truth like Workmen that need not to be ashamed These are short Hints of the matter largely displaied in the Difference between the two Covenants in the Two Testaments of the Law and the Gospel FINIS