the Sabbath that they practise And indeed as the leavers of the Lords-day-duties so the liveâ—esse in the duties of the Lords day who would not condole their conditions and endeavour to quicken their affections These latter we as Ministers should much lament and if possible amend The wonted way and day of Gods worship how doth it wax old in our Land Like David when he was old and stricken in years they covered him with cloathes but he gat no heat wherefore his servants said to him Let there be sought for my Lord the King a young Virgin and let her stand before the King and let her cherish him and let her lie in thy bosome that my Lord the King may get heat 1 Kings 1.1 2 3. 'T is not ordinary cloaths or bare outward Ordinances that will bring warmth into this blessed day that now seems with us to wax old and cold We must seek for the Spirit of God the spirit of duty which as the soul being brought into its bosome will put new life with warmth thereinto And were but the Lords day thus recovered to its heat and health other duties of Religion would not long lie sick yea though all religious duties with divers lie dead in our dayes yet if this live they would live likewise Of the lively Lords day we may say as 't is said of Eve Gen. 3.20 She was the Mother of all living As the Lord of the Sabbath is the Father so the Sabbath of the Lord is the Mother of all spiritual life In the womb of a wel-spent Sabbath are the most vigorous and best spiritual conceptions In the armes and by the breasts of such blessed Sabbaths are born and brought up many new-born babes for God yea let the Spirit of the Lord spring life in the Lords-day-duties and Ministerial endeavours how soon would sunk Christians decaying and dying professors be fetched back that are going apace to the grave of Apostasie And other raised that are â—ven dead and buried in sin Indeed some have sunk so low and God-ward been dead so long that we may say of them as Martha of her brother Lord by this time he stinketh Joh. 11. yet we might look to see even such Lazarusses arise from their Sepulchers of sin upon the spiritual living of Sabbaths and the sacred service of God such things I also considering my encouragments have encreased thus publickly to appear in this present Treatise Yet as great cause requireth reflecting upon my many infirmities crosse thoughts have sometimes beset me not knowing what to do but looking up to the Lord at length I resolved to let it go considering likewise that the Lord oftentimes does great matters by litle and unlikely means The Prophet was pulled out of a dark deep Dungeon by cast clouts and rotten rags that onely seemed fit for the Dunghil Jer. 38.11 12 13. If thâ— Lord will my poor weak word may be some means to draw Sabbaths and sacred Ordinances out of those Dungeons of contempt into which they seem now to be cast And therefore good Reader joyn with me in prayer that a blessing from above may abide this book and that the great God of heaven would go with it from heart to heart and make it some help to this holy Sabbaths and servants Now the good Lord put life into every leafe line and letter and the Lord out of his goodnesse more enliven my soul and thine Who am thine in the Lord glad to do thy soul any good Philip Goodwin August 9. 1654. To the Reader THe matters of Almighty God and of mans immortal soul are things of the greatest concernment in all the world This truth is in the generall readily acknowledged by all and yet there is no one truth more contradicted by the constant courses of the most of men The businesse of the Sabbath is a convincing instance for although Gods honour and mens welfare are very much engaged herein yet many in opinion and more in their practice do oppose the right observation thereof as holy to the Lord. First Gods concernment herein may many wayes be made manifest This is one of those ten Commandements charged by the Creatour of heaven and earth upon man â—eut 4.13 â—â—o 31.18 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy And the engrossing of this charge God did not leave to any Amanuensis but he writ it with his own finger â—eut 4.13 â—â—sworth Also to intimate that his intentions were to perpetuate this with the other precepts of the Decalogue in the morality thereof the Lord himself imprinted it not in paper but upon Tables of stone yea when the first Tables of stone were broken â—xo 34.1 â— â—en 2.2 â—hald Paâ—phr â—a 58.13 â—oc ad â—eum non â—d homines â—ferri deâ—t Calv. â—ark 2.28 his Majestie gave expresse order unto Moses to have other Tables like to the former prepared and he wrote thereon the same Law the second time As the Lord delighted in the first institution of the Sabbath so he accounts himself honoured by its sanctification yea he taketh this as a title of glory to be called The Lord of the Sabbath whereas this is his complaint and charge against them who are regardlesse of his Sabbath I am profaned amongst them Ezek. 22.26 Secondly Mans obligations to keep the Sabbath would neither be judged few nor weak Ezek. 20.12 Ezek. 20.20 Ezek. 20.12 Heb 4.4 5 8 9. if principles of sacred self-love might prevail For the Sabbath is givin not as a task but as a priviledge to Gods people to be a pledge of their interest in God and a confirmation unto their hope of their further sanctification as also of their everlasting Sabbatisme or rest after their wearisome wandrings in this World â—sa 58.13 Sabbathum deliciarum And for the sweetning of the Wildernesse-Way unto the heavenly Canaan the Lord hath provided a Sabbath for our spiritual feasting every Week in which respect he commandeth us to call it and to observe it as a day of delight The Text opened and improved in this ensuing Treatise giveth instance of an heavenly rapture Isa 58.13 Sabb thum delicatum quia delicatè et te nerè est observanduâ— Lapid locum â—n with which Saint John in his exile was refreshed on the Lords Day and the servants of Christ have in all ages had abundant experience of spiritual Cordials given in upon their consciencious keeping of this Sabbath therefore the rather should we observe it with holy tendernesse as Solomon counselleth every one to keep Gods Law as the Apple of his eye Prov. 7.2 Upon the first consideration we may condemn the profaners of the Sabbath as guiltie of sacriledge Exo. 20.10 Rev. 1.10 for it being the Sabbath of the Lord and the Lords Day that time is stollen from God himself which is spent otherwise then he alloweth And how sad this sacriledge and theft is I find unfolded in the following Treatise Onely observe
you will think they doe God good service John 16.2 Rom. 11.3 Or if such places be not plucked down they abuse them to abominable worships When ye shall see the obomination of desolation stand in the holy place Math. 24.15 Instead of a preaching Ministery a wooden Idol 'T is said of the Egyptian Temples they are beautifull without but within ugly formes To have the places of our publike meetings filled with deformed faces and blaspheming voices Owles to dwell there and Satyres dance there Isay 13.22 23. Yea upon this losse followes not onely the desolating the places of publike worship that be in the Land but the desolating the Land it self wherein the places of publike worship be Levit 26.31 33. I will bring your Sanctuaries into desolation and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours Yea I will make this whole Land desolate that your enemies shall be astonished thereat Then shall the Land enjoy her Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate The Land shall have Sabbaths of rest from plowing when Sabbaths of praying cease Now let us hence learn how lamentable the loss of the Lords Day would be I fear some are so profane that they think while Sabbaths are kept the losse is great August de civit Dei li. 6. ca. 11. Austin reports of that heathen Philosopher Seneca That he severely blamed the Jews for resting on the Seventh Day because thereby they lost the seventh part of their time Some I doubt that are called Christians that yet are of such a Paganish opinion that they think that time lost which is spent in the Service of God But this this is indeed that losse which the Lord help us to lay close to heart not to have the Service of God to spend Sabbath-time in and not to have Sabbath-time to spend in the Service of God To lose the Sabbath is not alone the losse of bare time but of blessed time time sanctified and set apart by a Divine Ordinance c. 3. The Lords Day lost in a land may be long before it be regained The way of Sabbaths once ceased may not soone if ever return as may evidently appeare in a double respect viz. Of God inflicting this losse and Of Men on whom this losse is inflicted 1. Because God does not make Sabbaths to cease in a sinfull Land but when there is great wrath in him stirred up and great wrath of him to be poured out 1. When God takes away his holy Sabbath from a people he is with great wrath provoked The Lord does not deprive a people of such precious priviledges as his holy times and things till he is very angry and exceedingly incensed so as that himself forsakes them Now great wrath in God as it is not suddenly raised so it is not presently appeased but it may remain long Zech. 1.12 2. When God takes away his holy Sabbath from a people he hath great wrath to execute The Lord hath caused the Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion Lam. 2.6 This was when God had great anger against Zion and Zion was sadly covered with the anger of God How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger Lam. 2.1 He hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Zion v. 2. He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horne of Zion v. 3. He hath poured out upon Zion his fury like fire v. 4. c. Now when God hath much fury to bring forth and in the way of his judgments much work to do he takes time God in the wayes of his mercie goes swift because therein he moves with delight Micah 7.18 But as God is slow to execute wrath so he is slow in the wrath he executes Dolet Deus quoties cogitur esse ferox for herein he moves with a kind of grief Judg. 10.16 Lam. 3.33 2. Such men as suffer this sad punishment the cessation of Sabbaths 'T is long As before they come to a true sense of it So before they may make a good use of it Men are many times long before they are sensible Either of their sin which is the cause of punishment Or of the punishment that is the effect of their sin Commonly men that come under this Spiritual Judgement the deprival of the Lords holy day Either they are pleased with it Or they are stupid under it Some they please themselves in being Sabbath-free as we may see at present in some parts of the Nation Can it be believed that in England or Wales there should be Parishes wherein the people know not when the Sabbath comes neither do they enquire but are contented and account liberty from Gods Ordinance a great deliverance People are pleased when well-spent Sabbath dayes are down Because then they are gone who disturbed them and Because then they find others in place that flatter them Such as caused them some soul-disquiet are gone Revel 11. See how merry the world makes it when Gods witnesses are slain They that dwell upon earth shall make merry rejoyce and send gifts one to another because the two Prophets that tormented them are dead vers 10. Yea and then such as keep them in a carnal quiet and sinfull secure peace are present See the people of the Jewes when Moses was gone from amongst them and they got Aaron to be of their own minds and made them a golden Calf O what dancings and merry doings there was Exod. 32. It liked them well but it wrought them woe 'T was that which had a sad influence into all their after troubles Hence it grew a Proverb Non est poena supra Israelem in qua non est uncia vitult That there was no punishment upon Israel in which there was not an ounce of the goldden Calf Thus people when they can get such Ministers among them Sabbatum aurei vituli August as will help make them a Sabbath of the golden Calf as Austin calls it that they may huddle and slubber over a little service to God and passe the principal of the day in dancing feasting and Jovial meetings this is to their minds but 't will be misery in the end 'T will put a sting into every trouble on earth and torment in hell Others under this judgement of Sabbath-ceasing are sottish and brutish Abundance such there be now abroad in England where for want of a publike Ministery the Lords day it laid by and since that liberty hath been granted to some upon the Sabbath wholly to separate into private houses others have taken the advantage to live like Atheists and Epicures as if there were no Sabbath for God nor any God for a Sabbath Yea people are in such a posture that if the Lord should punish the Land with the losse of Sabbaths 't is not like soon to be laid to heart With many the Lords day is already lost in the Land As they that being asked whether they had received
forth to minister Heb. 1. Yet this is their property they all think themselves happy in that God thinks them worthy to do his work in the world And as there are special persons they are imployed for So there are special seasons they are imployed in Most for Gods servants and Most on Gods Sabbaths Job 1.6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Job 2.1 And again There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. This day is by some applyed to the Sabbath on which day the Angels more then ordinary tender themselves to God to go out as Assistants in his Sabbath-service Bernard was wont to say The holy Angels helped him to preach every Lords day Though hereby there be no actual addition to their essential holinesse or Celestial happinesse Their very imployment is their pleasure Suppose hereby they may come to a greater knowledge of Christ yet hereby they do not gain a nearer accesse unto God to see any more of his face then they did or to receive any more glory in heaven then they had What then Notwithstanding they stand ready every Sabbath day if God will send them out then to assist in his service And shall not we be willing to perform Sabbath-works though we receive no Sabbath-Rewards We that are Ministers must not in our places lay by the businesse of the Lords Day because we cannot have that comfortable successe which the Searcher of all hearts knowes is our soules desire in converting sinners to God Chrysost Hom. 15. in Matth. Chrysostom hath a good expression As fountains send out water though no pitcher be brought to fetch from them So Pastors ought to preach though none receive fruit or profit by them And thus other Christians must not cast off the service of the Sabbath which concerns them because they cannot come up to those encouragements they carry in their eye 2. Say some serving of God upon the Sabbath-day should not be successeful in that plenty of peace and profit they expect yet what peace or profit could such expect should they lay aside the service of the Sabbath upon the same account at all other times all the exercises of religion might be left off and what good could then be looked for Jerom upon that place of the Apostle Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Hieron in Psal 107. but of God that shewes mery Sure then says he it is not of him that sleepeth nor of him that idleh nor of him that neglects duty for on such the Lord will have no mercy And Chrysostom well observes upon that saying of our Saviour Matth. 16. If any will come after me Chrysost in Matth. Homil. 56. c. Christ sayes not If any will stand still or sit down for sayes he the Kingdom of God is not given to standers and idlers but to walkers and workers c. So say I the comforts of God are not given to any person upon any pretence whatsoever that shall neglect his duty especially upon the Lords Day For any to pretend they have performed duties but see no good successe what good successe are any like to see upon the ceasing of their duty Non est gloriosa victoria nisi ubi fuerint laboriosa certamina Ambr. If in the Day of battel he that fights may not win the field sure he that is loath to combate will lose the Conquest If such as look well to their seed-time plow and sowe misse their crops what harvest can they hope for who in due time do not sowe their seed If such as are provident and diligent in their callings all the week yet decay and sink in the world are they like to thrive if they throw by their businesse As if some on the Sabbath industrious in duty yet perceive their soules sinking and no comfort comming what comfort is like to come by casting off the duties of the Sabbath If men may use the meanes and yet misse the end sure such must misse the end who do not use the means Let none think to better their soules condition by ceasing Sabbath-transactions 2. When Christians have performed Sabbath-day-duties and do not find such desired successe in comfortable communions with God it should presently put them Upon self reflectings and Not upon Sabbath-neglectings Instantly to enter their own hearts enquiring the cause The Word is a fire why am I cold The Word is quickning why am I dead Ordinances are the meanes of comfort why have I no comfort by the meanes Some are at Sermons and Sacraments with their hearts leaping and go away with their faces shining that such as see them may say They have been with Jesus why go I drooping all the day yea when Christians find their Sabbath-performances yield them no fruit it should presently put them Upon the amending their duties Not upon the omitting their duties As Fisher-men in the use of their Nets having caught nothing they fall to turning and mending of their Nets with care and not to casting away of their Nets with discontent An Archer in the use of his Bow if his arrow flies wide or falls short he shoots again directs his arrow more straight drawes his bowe with more strength that yet if possible he may not misse the mark Thus in the discharge of the Lords-day-duties if we misse Gods desired mercies we must stir up our selves and strive with the more strength quickening up the greater care in a Sabbath-course We must not conclude through humane frailties we will do this dayes work no further but we must resolve through divine abilities to do the work of this day better 4. The Sabbath-performances of soule-afflicted Saints although they are not Sensibly good and comfortable to them yet They are certainly good and acceptable to God God sees that in their aimings which they cannot see in their actings That which they cannot see in their work God sees in their will God knowes after what all the day long the set desire of their soules reacheth not a bare being in duty but therein a clear beholding of God a close comming in to Christ to keep up their entercourse with Father Son and Holy Ghost 'T is not so much the Ordinance of God as God in the Ordinance they look for I know whom you seek sayes the Angel to the women Luk. 24. Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified There they saw the Sepulchre wherein Christ was laid and there they saw the linnen clothes wherein Christ was wrapt but all would not satisfie It was not the Sepulchre of Christ but Christ in the Sepulchre they sought for So 't is not so much the Sabbath of Christ as Christ in the Sabbath nor so much the Gospel of Christ as Christ in the Gospel they groan after Something like that of Bernards is a true Christians cry Lord unlesse that I give thee my self 't
and the attendance of his Ministers and their apparell and his cup-bearers and his ascent c. There was no more spirit in her 1. King 10.4 5. Thus the honours pleasures and profits of the world do so work upon the hearts of many that they have no more spirit left in them Without Spirit That is Without judgement to know and Without courage to doe the will of God Without judgement to discern good Hose 7.11 Ephraim is a silly Dove without heart Gods Saints are as Innocent doves without gall and others are as silly doves without heart without any wisdom of spirit The spirit of man sayes Solomon is the candle of the Lord. Many a man is a dark Lanthorn without a candle having in him no knowing spirit to give him light he gropes after God in the dark Act. 17.23 So without courage to pursue any saving good or withstand any destructive evill when they should stand up in Gods cause and soules defence they have no spirit Joshua 5.1 When the Kings of the Amorites and all the Kings of the Canaanites heard that the Lord had dryed up the waters of Jordan from before the Children of Israel so thâ—t they were passed over their hearts mâ—lâ—ed neither was there spirit in them any more We seâ— severall men Who though set in a superiour station And though of Christ they make a visible profession Yet if any difficultie appear or danger approach they have no spirit for God is or good only their care is to secure themselves The King of Navarre when Beza blamed him for his spiritlessenesse in the cause of Christ he replyed That for Christian religion he would lanch no further to sea then if a storm did arise he might be sure himself to return safe to shoare Men who thus towards the Lord are without spirit they cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords Day Positively It is not possible such persons on the Lords Day should be in the Spirit Because In the flesh They be in the flesh which is evill And they be in an Evill Spirit Flesh It is in several Texts taken for that which is lawfull and good Psalme 79.2 Eph. 5.13 Rom. 9.3 1. Cor. 7.18 But Flesh ordinarily intimates that which is evill and naught as mans naturall corruption and sinfull condition 1. Cor. 5.5 Coloss 2.13 Gala. 5.24 1 Pet. 4.6 c. In this flesh are all unregenerate men Rom. 7.5 Rom. 8.8 Not onely flesh in them that is the case of the best Christians Rom. 7.18 but in the flesh as a fish in the water Not onely sin in them but they in sin as the Leviathan in the Sea In sin they sport and take delight They live in sin and yet are dead in sin Sin is as the Sepulchre in which they lie dead and buried they lie in sin as a swine in the slow They are in sin as a Malefactor in his fetters in the Gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Act. 8.23 They are so in sin as they are nothing but sin so in the flesh that they are all and only flesh We may say of such mens persons prayers services hopes and hearts as the Prophet of the Egyptian horses they are flesh and not spirit Isay 31.3 These therefore cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords Day Their fixed condition is in the flesh Yea on the Lords Day they cannot be in this good Spirit of God For They have an evill spirit in them And they are in an evill spirit An evill spirit is in them Eph. 2 2. The spirit that now works in the children of disobedience The Greek hath two in 's The Spirit does inwork in them to signifie how exceeding inward Satan that evill spirit is at work in wicked men Every sinfull soule is such an Ark wherein is the Raven though not the Dove the Divell though not the Spirit of God Though in them is not the Holy Spirit yet the unclean spirit is in them Matth. 12.44 The unclean spirit saith I will return into my house The Divels house is every evil heart We see there the house may be swept and garnisht yet the Divels swept A man may be free from some grosse pollutions horrid thoughts of Atheisme Blasphemy Butchery of the Lords Lambs may be thrown out of the heart Garnished A man may be furnished with gifts parts performances a fair outward profession some flashes of good affection yet he may be the house wherein the Divel dwels Jam. 4.5 Do ye think the Scripture saith in vain The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy He speaks of us as men not of us as Saints In all men naturally the evil spirit dwells A spirit that moves to all lusts of envy hypocrisie pride infidelity sensuality Can they who have such an evil spirit in them be in the Spirit on the Lords day Yea but this is worse they are in an evil spirit Mark 1.23 And there was a man with an unclean spirit In an unclean spirit the Greek reads it So Mark 5.2 When Jesus was come out of the ship there met him a man in an unclean spirit Every sinful man is in Satan as in a Prison in the Divel as in a Dungeon In the power of the Divel Act. 26.18 In the snare of the Divel 2 Tim. 2.26 In the mouth of the Divel as Jonah in the belly of the Whale Yea sinful men they are strongly acted and they do strangely act in this evil spirit and therfore they cannot be in any spirit that is good upon the LORDS DAY 2. Such cannot be on the Lords day in the Spirit appears by what they daily do Both in respect of their own spirits God-ward And in respect of the Spirit of God They cannot be in the Spirit on the Lords day For They draw their spirits from the Lord And against the Lord they turn their spirits 1. From the Lord they withdraw their spirirs Whereas Gods dear Saints when their bodies are brought into bonds or are bound upon their beds yet then they in holy worships engage their hearts to approach near to God Jer. 30.21 But other men when in outward worships their bodies be brought in to God yet then they remove their hearts far off from God Esay 29.13 A good man watches his heart to hold it in to God he does not slip away his heart from God though while he is with God his heart may give him the slip This made a holy man in the midst of prayer cry out O Lord August in 2 Sam. 7. â—7 my heart hath left both thee and me But every sinful man he takes his heart off and turns it away from God As the Levite Judg. 19 divided his Concubine and sent her several parts into all the coasts of Israel thus many a man when he should bring in his heart and knit it up for God he divides it and sends it into all the parts of the world leaving none for God True Christians though God makes
the seventh day the Sabbath day the hearts and souls of Gods Saints are subâ—ect to fall from those heatings and heightenings they then have in duties holy But then they struggle in holy heats of heart to rise higher and to fix faster Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed Fixed and loosened and fixed again Warmed and cooled and kindled again so as that the fire is greater and flame hotter More abounding and abyding through the businesse of Gods blessed day Thus when Gods Spirit flowes in upon us and our spirits fall in with God so as with agility to act and with stability to be set in all sweet wayes of Sabbath-works This is Spiritually to spend the Lords day 2. The Motives that may incite all Gods Saints to such a Spiritual spending the Gospel-Sabbath may arise from things of two sorts observable viz. Some more antecedential and Some more consequential Arguments from things antecedent which may set all the servants of God upon a Spiritual passing this present day may be to consider Sabbath-ward these four things all which we find to be spiritually viz. The Ordainer of it The Ordinances in it The ends for it and The opposits against it 1. The Ordainer of this day the Lord Christ the things Spiritual concerning him we may discern by considering of him Both as he once was And as he now is 1. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath was Spiritual In his Conception and Birth In his Conversation and life In his Passion and death In his Resurrection from the dead And in his Ascension to heaven 1. Christ in his Conception and Birth was spiritual he being conceived of the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin â—nd the Angel said unto her The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luk. 1.35 36. 2. Christ in his Conversation and life was Spiritual Lo the heavens were opened uâ—to him and the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted upon him Matth. 3.16 Joh. 1.32 His joyes were Spiritual Luk. 10 21. His words were Spiritual Joh. 6.63 All his wayes in the world both towards God and men were Spiritual Heb. 7.26 3. Christ in his Passion and death was Spiritual He through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 Even when he was condemned in the world he was justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 4. Christ in his Resurrection from the dead was Spiritual Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God by the Spirit of holinesse in his resurrection from the dead Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus dwell in you c. Christ put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 5. Christ in his Ascension to heaven was Spirituall As he went up to God by a Spiritual assistance so upon a Spiritual design viz. to send down the holy Spirit of promiâ—e Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter the Spirit of truth will not come unto you but if I depaâ—t I will send him unto you which we find fulfilled Act. 1. Act. 2. 2. Christ the Lord of the Sabbath he is Spiritual Both in his positive condition And in his Relative transactions Considered in himself according to his glorified estate he is all Spiritual His blessed body is now brought beyond all humane infirmities filled with beauty clarity agility impassibility immortality through the eternal Spirit In his humbled estate he was endowed and adorned with the Spirit what then in his honoured estate God gave him then the Spirit not by measure Joh. 3.34 O what immense and immeasurable fillings of the Spirit were in a crucified much more in a glorified Christ Such an infinite fulnesse of the Spirit is fixed in Christ whereby he is compleately fitted to the perfect performance of all his excellent offices Yea and Christ in his actings is now every way Spirituall Both in what he does with God for men And in what he does with men for God With God for men Christ hath his Spiritual exercise Christs acting as an Advocate with the Father 1 Job 2. His appearing and pleading our cause in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 His making Intercession at the right hand of God Rom. 8.33 As this is founded in the sufficiency of his Merit So it is performed by the efficiency of his Spirit As a meer man Christ does not manage his Mediatorship with God but Christ in Spirit presents unto God the Father for his members His deserts and His desires Both what for his people he hath purchased and what to his people God hath promised that they may perfectly possesse Joh. 17.21 23 24. And with men for God Christ acts all Spiritually As Christ executes his Priestly office in heaven So he fulfils his Prophetical and Regal office on earth in a way of Spirituâ—l working As with Ordinances by the Spirit does Christ teach So by the Spirit with officers does Christ govern As his Kingdom is Spiritual which he governs So his government is spiritual of his Kingdome It is through the Spirit that Christ does such great things in our dayes as it was through the Spirit that Christ did so many good things in the dayes of his flesh Being anointed with the holy Ghost he went about dâ—ing good Act. 10.38 He now sits on his throne in heaven yet by the holy Ghost he transacts manifold and marvellous things on earth By the Spirit he writes his Law in the hearts of his people and rules his people by the Law in their hearts Leads his flock in the way they should walk and Feeds his flock as they walk in the way c. Thus Christ the Lord of the Sabbath is Spiritual And shall not we be Spiritual in the Sabbath of the Lord 2. The Ordinances in the Lords day are Spiritual likewise Go through all the appointments of God that are for this dayes exercise Are they not Spiritual If we seriously consider things that concern The Word Prayer Sacraments Singing of Psalmes Collections for the poor c. Are they nor all duties to be spiritually done Doth not Both the precepts of God binde us hereto And the practise of the binde us hereto Godly 1. For the Word As it is of a Spiritual nature So it is in a Spiritual manner to be managed Both on the Ministers and On the peoples part Every part of Gods precious Word is Spiritual The Law is Spiritual Rom. 7.14 The Gospel that is Spiritual Rom. 1.11 Yea because the Law in Spirituality comes short of the Gospel the Gospel in glory out-goes the Law As it is excellently opened 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8. They that preach the glorious Gospel that is so surpassingly Spiritual must endeavour to do it in the evidences and efficacies of the Spirit