flesh nay as he is one with the Father Now 2 Cor. 5. 17. as many as are in Christ must be new creatures not new in some outward circumstances but in their whole frame not new from ontward restraint and present occurrences that mould them but new from a new inward disposition and so old thoughts indulging of sense and appetite unrulinesse and unreasonablnesse of passion unduenesse of aims and ends all these old things must passe away and all become new You are partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. He doth not say you are partakers of Nature for that is common to all creatures nor of a reasonable nature for that is common to all men But a Divine Nature which is as far above the reasonable as the reasonable Nature is above the brutish it s such a Nature as ariseth from the great and precious Promises that are given to us and by which world lust and corruption are escaped You are Gods workmanship Eph. 2. 10. Those upon whom God leaves and manifesteth his special power and grace you are a created workmanship answerable to that work which called light out of darkness and created in Christ as well as by him and therefore you must answer Gods great ordination by being dedicate unto good workes and walking in them your motion must be progression and your progresse must be continued Your minds must be filled with the knowledge of his will Col. 1. 9. The manifestation of his minde must be imprinted on yours his word is his will revealed and his will is that which we must know yea know so as that there must be no deficiency you must be filled with it you must not onely be rational but wise not onely understanding but spiritual yea filled with all wisdome and spiritual understanding Eph. 1. 17. makes mention of the spirit of wisdome and revelation Of wisdome raising you to exalt the best good as your highest end and directing you to the aptest meanes for obtaining that good and what your natural power cannot reach unto he reveals and therefore it concerns you not onely to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge but the acknowment of his will knowledge upon knowledge experimental approving knowledge Your understanding must be inlightned v. 18. light upon light spiritual upon natural light and then you are searching into not the nicetyes and curiosities of knowledge but to know his call and the hope of it his calling you out of darknesse into marvelous light and laying up a Crown of glory for your hope you have the exceeding greatnesse of his power working you to believe and the glorious riches of the inheritance in the Saints and all for you to know You must be transformed by the renewing of your minde Rom. 12. 2. Transformation and renovation must go together to make up this Christian metamorphosis and then you will not be quarrelling and snarling at the word as if it were a hard saying not to be borne but then you will prove the will of God to be good and perfect and it will be exceeding acceptable to you You must know the love of God which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. A strange paradoxe to know that which passeth knowledge and yet its most true and most sweet for its a filling knowledge a knowledge with a fullnesse yea the fullest fullnesse for it is with all the fullnesse of God Your hearts must be abounding in sincerity of love to Jesus Christ his truth and all Saints They are under the Anathema maranatha that love not the Lord Jesus Christ and the power and deceitfulnesse of Satan works in them that receive not the love of the truth loving is more then liking it s a deliberate act of will closing with a sutable good Christ and his truth his wayes and his Saints are most sutable and agreeable to us when we are in love with him Your desires must not be faint and weak but hungrings and thirstings and that after righteousnesse strong desires for the apprehension of the excellency of the object and necessity of enjoying desires from an inward sense of want and unsatisfied without the enjoyment of what is desired and yet are you truely blessed in your desire after those things You must be walking in the feare of the Lord and comforts of the holy Ghost Act. 9. 31. Happy is the man that feareth alway that is in the actual apprehension of Gods greatnesse and goodnesse and so is troubled left his carriage should not answer them both Holy comforts do not make men idle or wanton but walking and fearing walking in the comforts of the holy Ghost and if sorrows and mournings overtake them they have comforts in them for its godly sorrow causing repentance never to be repented of The great duty of your heart is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that you may be saved to see him in the excellency of his person and that he is able to save to the uttermost and that he is the onely one there being no other name given whereby you can be saved saved from sin and wrath from guilt and power hence you leane rest and stay on him roule your selves into his armes and if you perish resolve to perish there and so believing in hope against hope are strong in faith and give glory to God Rom. 4. 18. 20. and this faith must purifi◠your hearts so that when others are transported with unruly passions you must be shewing forth all meeknesse kindnesse and gentlenesse You must rejoyce in the Lord allway Phil. 4. 4. Your faith gives a sweet enjoyment of Christ and that enjoyment doth inlarge your heart with joy unsp eakable and full of glory which make up that peace that passeth all understanding It is no light or loose joy but that which guards the heart and minde from the assaults and insults of sin and Satan and make up that new name that none can read but he that hath it Your mouths must correspond with your hearts and no corrupt communication is to proceed out of your mouth our mouths are made instruments to communicate our thoughts but this communication must not be corrupt in us or tending in the least to corrupt others it must be good not corrupt but useful and profitable good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers grace in you may draw forth grace in them good communication in you may promote good communication in them No foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a virtue with Aristotle is set down by the Apostle as a thing not convenient Talking is then foolish when it promotes not the feare of God and the good ends we should prosecute and mark how the Apostle joynes jesting with foolish talking I dare appeale to your experience that when you have garbled your
of God that his people have a bit of bread that they have meat for their mouths and drink to quench their thirst but when it s added He is ever mindful of his Covenant His Covenant and his mindfulnesse of his Covenant and so giving them meat renders this common path of providence this so giving them meat to be truly wonderful v. 6. He hath shewed his people the power of his works How few are there that take notice of the works of God and fewer that take notice of God in his works But this is the favour that he shewes his people not onely his works but the power of them their Verity and Judgement Truth Vprightnesse and Stedfastnesse as it is v. 7 8. Vision is the glory and light of life he lives most like a man not that eates and drinks most sleeps and sports most but he that with the acting eye of Reason sees most of things and their difference He lives most like a Christian that by faith seâ—th him that is invisible makes a reall presence of things absent and an evidence and trâ—e enjoyment of things hoped for our present and after-happinesse is in vision by faith here really and truly but more hereafter when we shall see him face to face and know as we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. Daniel and John the greatly beloved Prophet and Disciple were both much honoured with Visions and Revelations our Saviour commends Abraham for that he saw his day and rejoyced Joh. 8. 56. Those who are Abrahams seed cannot but eye Christ and rejoyce in the dawning of his day if God have an hand to work surely we must have an eye to see an heart to believe and a tongue to praise him God doth not work little things for his people it stands not with his love and their condition and when he doth great things we must meet him and them with great observation I have heard an Ambassador residing here should write home that he lived in a Land of wonders well noteing how great turns passed on us and how little blood was shed about them then if strangers see so much we should see more Doubtlesse God hath revived his works of old made his arme bare commanding and creating deliverances for us How often hath he brought us to the gates of death and then said return return ye children of men How many and mighty malicious and prosperous have our enemies been and yet how destroyed How little and low how despised and nothing have your Councils Armies Allyes your all been and yet God hath remembred us in our low estate He hath not been weary of doing us good although we have soon been weary of serving him There is a voyce in the râ—d saith the Prophet and surely mercies deliverances and salvations have their voyce also and the greater any danger or deliverance is the louder is the voyce Oh! that we could heare so as to love and learn righteousnesse Oh! that we were wise to read Gods works out of his word his providences in his prophesies Dan. 12. 10. The wise shall understand Thus to understand him will be our wisdome When the Devil tempted our Saviour it was by shewing him the World and the glory of it But behold here a better vision the glory of the world and worldly Kingdomes and the fall of them Mountains tumbling down and Vallyes filled up high things brought low and low things exalted How many and mighty precious and seasonable have been the returns of fervent righteous faithful prayers They were made in former Ages but are answered Now our fore-fathers had the honour to sow and we the blessing to reape the fruits of their prayers Oh! the riches of the grace of God that hightens our mercies by steeping them in blood Our Adoption Reconciliation Redemption Remission of sin and salvation is by the precious blood of Jesus the glorious truths of the everlasting Gospel come to us dyed in his blood who was the great Martyr and in the blood of many his servants and Martyrs Rev. 6. 9. Our present Liberty Peace and Enjoyments did they not cost the dearest blood of many valiant Worthies Oh! let not let not the blood of Christ his Martyrs and Souldiers condemn us Let it not be said God stretched forth his hand to a foolish and gainsaying people that the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib and that we know not care not consider not when God works such glorious things When David had the water of the Well of Bethlehem brought to him he poured it out before the Lord because it was the blood of these men Oh! that now your hearts might rebound these mercies to Heaven whence they came in humble thankfulnesse and watchful obedience seeing they are the blood of your brethren When the time of performing great promises and prophesies drew nigh God raiseth up Daniel's spirit to search Oh! that we might be praying and searching praying and reading praying and inquiring and not giving over till we come to some understanding of these blessed mysteries Now to help you in this search to informe your understanding to be instrumental to draw forth and establish your faith about the great works of this latter Age is the scope of this insuing Treatise The Lord in much mercy blesse you and it together that those good ends may be obtained Chap. 2. Handleth these eight Propositions FIrst that God delivers his prophesies in the way of a promise 2. New-Testament Promises are set forth in Old Testament language 3. That both prophesies and promises are to be taken in the largest extent 4. That they admit of divers degrees seasons and manners of fulfilling 5. That under one person or thing named the whole series both of persons and things is to be understood 6. God performes his promises in these latter ages in a way of proportion to his former glorious workings 7. The inflicting of punishment on the adversaries of his Church is subordinate to the performance of his promise to his people 8. That the time of fulfilling Prophesies and Promises and working great changes is at or before the coming of Christ Before we come to the particulars which we intend to insist upon give me leave first for the better understanding of the matter and the Scriptures produced to lay down these eight Considerations God delivers his Prophesies in the way of a Promise Prophesies are the foretelling of things that shall come to passe in their proper times God cannot speak to his Saints but in away of love his foreteling things to come tells you how he loves them Our God is a God of power and grace and promises are the engagements of both The Father worketh and Christ worketh for his peoples special good and you have them both at work in performing prophetical promises The prophesie of Christ his coming in the flesh it s in the way of a promise
CHAP. XII Opens the fifth Pos That Kings abuse their power for 1. They serve themselves more then others 2. They turne their power that should be for the good to the hurt of others 3. It was against Christ in his person 4. It is against Christ in his interest 5. It s given up to Christs enemie Vses WE have heard that Kings reign by Christ and that Government is set up for the good of men But now we come to shew the unhappy inversion of power againg Christ and of government against those for whose good it was intended Hence your fifth Position Kings and Princes have in all Ages grossly abused their power The first King we read of is Nimrod Gen. 10. 10. His Kingdome began at Babel but what was he v. 8. He was a mighty one that 's true Kings are mighty ones but where in the earth and for the earth for earthly and sensual things v. 9. He was a mighty one but a mighty Hunter not so much of beasts as of men Saul was the first King of Israel and what he was we all know Now that they have thus abused their power I shall shew these five wayes 1. They serve themselves more then others Government and Governours you heard was set up for others and their good and to turne it to one person or family is a palpable abuse How sad is it when their double portion of these outward things which should enâ—ble them to be more useful and beneficial to others is imploy'd and laid out mainly to gain friends and servants to their own lusts and interrsts Those who have been most popular pretending love to their Country how wickedly have they interwoven their self-interests when they have good successe in publick enterprises how do they sacrifice to their own nets applauding their own wisdome and power You shall finde them sometimes affable and courteous but is it not to inhaunce love and power to themselves by the repute of their wisdome birth and eloquence Iâ—geniosi sed nequam facundi sed malo publico witty but wicked eloquent but to publick damage and thus they abuse their power by their corrupt selfe-seeking 1 Sam. 8. 11. It s said He will appoint for himselfe He that is Saul and such as he was will appoint for themselves But David who was after Gods own heart in government as well as otheâ—wayes and those who be like David they they I say will not seek themselves but the good of others and now methinks I finde my hope enlarged for those who sit at the sterne of this Common-wealth that they being eminently and remarkably raised up by God will seeke the honour of him who thus raised them 2. They turn their power that should be for the good to the hurt of others God never intended power to oppresse power to crush the weake and innocent but to help and releive them But I would daily observation and experience both in this and former ages did not proclame the miserable abuse of power Read over your Chronicles and there you will finde that made good which was spoken by Cato Censâ—rius Reges omnes esse de genere bestiarum rapacium All Kings are akin to ravenous beasts who prey and devour they are great in power and powerful in oppression 1 Sam. 8. 13 14 15 16 17. They shall take your Daughters your Feilds your Seed your Servants your Sheep and what is this taking but unjust taking and unjust taking is oppression and oppression an abuse of power 3. The greatest powers were against Christ in his person while he was upon earth Acts 4. 26. The Kings of the earth stand up and the Rulers are gathered togegether against the Lord and against his Christ No sooner was Christ born but Herod seekes his life and he is faine to be carried into Egypt when he comes forth to preach and work miracles the Scribes and the Pharisees and the Rulers of the people set against him call him Bel zebub the Prince of Devils and though he professed his Kingdom not to be of this world but came in a low emptied condition yet he is held forth as an enemy to Caesar Joh. 19. 12. If thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars friend and so you know how he was condemned and abused by Herod and Pontius Pilate Thus was government turn'd against him who set it up 4. Kings and Princes have been bitter enemies against Christs interest and people When Gods Israel was in Egypt there arose a new King Exod. 1. 11. that set Task-masters to afflict them with heavy burdens that their souls served with rigour Burdens Taxes Masters Hardship Servitude is the best that Kings can afford the Israel of God When they come into Canaan Sihon King of the Amorites will not suffer them to passe thorow his border but gathers all his people to fight them The Kings of Jerusalem Hebron Jarmuth Lachish and Eglon made war with the Gibeonits because they made peace with Israel Josh 10. 3. It was Jeroboam the King the son of Nebat that sinned and made Israel to sin 1 Kings 14. 16. And against whom were all those bloody persecutions under the Heathenish Emperours but against the Christians the servants and worshippers of Christ If any evil befel them they make the Christians the cause of it and then Christianos ad Leones carry these Christians to the Lyons let them devour them it was enough to make a man guilty if he were a Christian Bonus vir Caius sed Christianus Caius was a good man but a Christian and thus is power inverted against Christ and his interest in his people 5. Kings and Princes give up their power to Christs enemie can there be a greater abuse Rev. 17. 17. The ten hornes the ten Kings of Europe they agree and give their kingdom to the Beast to receive laws from his lust and to serve his designes Rev. 16. 14. The froggs which are the spirits of Devils goe forth to the Kings of the earth and Rev. 17. 2. The Kings of the earth commit fornication and are drunk with the wine of the great whore and thus you see power abused 1. See here the foundation of turnes and changes upon kingdomes and governments they are departed far from their right ends become corrupt and abominable so that the Lord cannot â—uffer them Are these the powers that I set up saith God did I ever intend they should be against me and mine did I set them up to pride themselves in their lusts and to oppresse those that are better then themselves Surely no. I will now arise saith the Lord and overturn overturn overturn them 2. See how little they deserve the name of Sacred Majesty who were so profane and mindelâ—sse of holy things that keep up Religion not out of conscience but custome not that God may have his homage and men Gods blessing but out of State-policy to keep men in awe how grosse
flattery is it both of dead and living to count their memory blessed who were so crooked and cursed in their courses 3. Judge not of men or causes to be good by the greatnesse of them that own them and follow them When Christ was in the world Joh. 7. 48. the question was Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed on him any of your great wise men No I warrant you they know better they are more wise then so v. 49. but this people this poor people giddy people nay cursed people that know not the Law Luke 23. 35. The Rulers derided him and Luke 24. 20. Our chiefe Preists and Rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and to be crucified You must not make the great ones of the earth your example for then you will follow wickednesse 4. Undeceive your selves about the true value of earthly powers The Trappings of power are not so good as we count for because power it selfe may be so soon and grossly abused Grace grace is most desirable which is proper and active to correct these abuses and cannot serve to these wicked inversions 5. Lastly is it any undue inference that seeing Kings have abused their power to call upon those who take their places on them to be circumspect very circumspect what hath been may be again what hath been abused may be abused Mistake me not I am far from bespattering those whom I am bound to honour surely Gods great deliverances and his peoples blood are fresh upon their hearts and will raise up a redoubled consideration in them how to honour God and serve their present generation in the management of publick affairs CHAP. XIII Proceeds to the sixth Pos which shews That abuse of power tends to the breaking of power which is apparent 1. When those in power indulge their lazinesse 2. VVhen they take no account of under-Officers 3. VVhen they rule by will 4. VVhen they look not after excâ—â—ution of good Laws 5. But are unjust And 6. Sinfully conformable to neighbour Princes 7. Vndue enterposal in the things of God And 8. Persecute those who are good Vses GOvernments you heard were apt to change yea to change from good to bad and from bad to worse and that brings in a breach Sin and sorrow are inseparable companions if sin goe before sorrow will follow after To be clothed with power is an honour but to abuse power is a sin and such a sin as will make way for ruine desolation and destruction Hence your sixth Position The sins of Princes whereby they abuse power carry a tendency with them to breake their power All their power is from Christ and all sin is against him and surely he will never maintaine his own power in a way against himselfe As Princes have power over other men so they sin in that power they sin as they are men and they sin as they are men in place as Princes Now their Princely sins are those that break their Princely power as thus 1. Indulging of a lazie spirit tends to break their power They gladly accept of the honour revenues and observance of their places but transferre the care to others Corona curarum nidus A Crown is a nest of cares they love the Crown but will not undertake the care They are too nice and delicate they must not misse their meals their naps their sports no not for a publick good No wonder then if God cause that to passe from them which they so put away from themselves and make that over to others in the honour which they long before made over to them in the worke and service 2. When Princes take no account of their Ministers it tends to break power I know its impossible Princes should performe all their duties in their own person They have much lieth upon themselves and they have more to transferre to others Its a wasting sin to put off what is inherent in themselves and t is no lesse to transferre to others and take no account of them They must have their Ministers that 's granted but their Ministers must be accounted with or else all will fall It keeps them in due awe and order to think they must to an audit give account of their stewardship Places and justice will be bought and sold publick treasures exhausted publick negotiations slighted and what care they when they know they shall be let alone How unworthily may men betray their trust dishonour their Prince and wrong the Nation yea do it boldly when they know they shall goe unexamined and so unpunished Princes devest themselves of their highest power by this neglect and its jusâ— they should fall short of the reverence they expâ—ct in the hearts of those who are under them 3. When will is Law then down goes rule Non debet Princeps dominari sed Ratio The Prince that is the Prince in his will should not beare sway but Reason Government hath no such enemy as self-willednesse never do Princes lose so much of their power as when they exalt their will against Law they think they gain but then they lose most 4. Neglect of looking after the execution of good Laws much infeebles their power Kings should be living laws Reges vivae leges their carriage so regular as to command imitation and their care great to see good laws executed Execution makes good Laws alive and good Laws well executed makes Kings live for their power is advanced in their execution and neglect herein is fatal and ruinous to them 5. Injustice tumbles down Chairs of State Prove 16. 12. The Throne is established by righteousnesse but Mic. 7. 3. It s doing evil with both hands when the Prince asketh and the Judge asketh for a reward When that is acted which we read of 1 Sam. 8. 14. when the oppressed cry and are not eased when might overcomes right it s a woful victory and such an one as they shall have no cause to triumph in for Christ will cause them to vomit up all their sweet morsels and to repent of their unjust dealings 6. Sinful conformity to neighbour Nations doth no good It displeased God and his servant Samuel when the people cryed out Make us a King 1 Sam. 8. 6. and the great argument was they would be like other Nations So verse 6. Give us a King to judge us and verse 5. Make us a King to judge us like all the Nations When we conforme to their pride their fashions their excesse their wantonnesse will not this undermine us 7. Undue interposal in the things of God will pull down the powers of men God hath reserved it for his own wisdome power and holinesse to give the Law of his worship His teare is not to be taught by the precepts of men or made good by their powers The patterne of the Tabernacle and Temple is to be fetched from God alone we are not tyed to waite for mens
laid waste and the posterity that expected succession into the riches and honours of their fore-Fathers are little better then Noble Vagabounds I meddle not with the proceedings in that case but sure I am In all God is just God hath begun in England but he will not end there I dare not presume to set down times measures meanes and modes of things which the Father hath reserved in his own hand onely this I say waite but a while and it may be you shall see The Incestuous house of Austria the Emperour King of Spain France and the rest of the ten Kings of Europe which have given their power to the Beast to come tumbling down and if they fall surely many more will fall with them their Creatures and their Followers their Courtiers and their Flatterers cannot stand but must come down and with them many more I perswade my selfe that those whom God hath set now in power over us do seriously weigh what Christ hath done and will do how he is yesterday and to day the same for ever for ever just and jealous against all wickednesse and ungodlinesse and that this doth and will work upon their hearts and cause them to be humble before God and much in prayer to be watchful over themselves and theirs and others and to study to do the work of Christ put into their hands not negligently but faithfully not to please men but Christ CHAP. XX. Concludes with shewing How the twelve Positions formerly handled instruct us in our Turns and Changes WE have opened twelve Positions and divers things in them I shall conclude with a very breife instruction teaching us what we may learne from every one of those Positions concerning our present Turns Pos 1. All power is in Christ power to raise or depresse Kingdomes and Nations as well as particular persons and its little lesse then blasphemy to exclude him from our Turns If they be for good he is the Author and preserver of them If we have Plenty after scarcity Liberty after bondage Peace after war Oh thank him him I say for those blessed changes But what if we experience the contrary darknesse instead of Light feare instead of Safety evil instead of Good yet in these evils Christ is to be owned Isa 45. 7. I forme light and create darknesse I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things and Amos 3. 6. Shall there be evil in the City and I the Lord have not done it Christ then hath his work in City or National good or evil Pos 2. All the Kings of the earth reigne by Christ Kings are the greatest persons of the earth and cause the greatest Turns and Changes either to good or evil How is our feare and sorrow turned into hope and joy when righteous men are exalted to government and what mourning when wicked ones Prov. 29. 2. How much of the increase of wickednesse is abated by their power care and example and what great cause have Saints to blesse God when he makes Rulers nursing fathers and to rule for him as they rule by him Pos 3. Government is set up for the good of the World and nothing causeth more considerable changes then that doth it reduceth lawlesse ones to a rule ruleth and boundeth excessive desires and actions brings in trade and wealth improvement of creatures and increase of peace Pos 4. Government in the frame of it is apt to change and doth not that reach us Government is a comprehensive word relating to Princes and people and so all change when Governments change Laws Places Offices Rewards Times and Persons all change Pos 5. Kings and Princes have abused their power that is a sad change a change of what should be best to worst of power to abuse of it of Kings to Tyrants of Princes to Oppressors Pos 6. Sins of Princes tend to break their power Here is change upon change Change of Manners by sin and change of Wholnesse and Soundnesse to a breach Power cannot break but many things break with it and many things cannot break but it makes great alteration Pos 7. Princes being wicked people grow wicked too a woful change indeed and much to be lamented Princes that should rule become slaves and that to the worst of masters their own Lusts people that should be under command to become unruly and unruly by them that should better order them Pos 8. Abuse of power and wickednesse of people adapt to Civil War Those in power complain of the people and the people of them in power and we have just cause to complaine of both It s a sad case that turnes the soul to a wearinesse of the good it doth possesse and to a loathing its own peace Pos 9. Civil Wars cause fatal Turnes They turne and overturne all Turnes are in the bowels of that one our many years sad experience hath taught us we were full but soon emptied we were high but brought low we were in safety but soon rapt into feare Oh that our hearts might turne after all these Turnes upon us Pos 10. We fall out one with another and our neighbours fall out with us both How do they laugh at us and seek to raise themselves out of our ruines Is it not hard when those you thought would help you at best are Neuters stand still and look on Truly we may thank our selves for putting them on that temptation Had we kept together Pos 11. They would have been as formerly But now they are in armes their War-ships rigged and manned and now the Seas must be as bloody by a Forreigne War as our Land had been by a Civil Dreadful Turns and Changes when both land and sea are bloody And surely Christ Pos 12. will inquire after all that blood whose blood how much blood for what cause by whom in what manner and when it was shed The Judge of All shall appeare in his righteous judgement and then wo be to the wicked crafty cruel great ones of the World CHAP. XXI Shews the Turns that befal Nations from the consideration and working of Christ as King of Saints in 12. Sections 1. Jesus Christ is King of Saints 2. He hath this honour upon his sufferings 3. He puts forth his power as King of the World for his Saints over whom he is King in a special manner 4. He must have more visible glory in this World 5. All governments will prove bitter that Christ may be embraced as sweet 6. Christ pours out a mighty spirit of prayer on his people which he will answer 7. He shall have a willing people in the day of his power 8. Some of the Kings shall be among that willing people 9. Christ having great works to do will notably stir up the spirits of Princes and people 10. The great work of the last dayes shall be to exalt holinesse and righteousnesse 11. Saints shall have Conquests over their adversaries 12. These Turns shall be by degrees
they are in the darke and that your zeale may provoke very may You must hold out the word of life you have not onely the word of light but the word of life within you which to you is a quickning word dividing asunder between the joynts and marrow and this word of light and life this living word you are to hold out for your light must shine before men that they may see your good works before men most men are in darknesse and sit in darknesse carnal sensual men cannot receive the things of God and yet God requires such a shining in you that these men these blind men may some way see and here again observe it must be good works and good works with light not barely good words or good profession that will convince them you may talke long enough and these men will never see any good unlesse you worke it frequently and constantly You must glorifie your Father which is in heaven and they by you It was Christ his work upon earth and it s yours and he finished that work and so should you Joh. 17. Herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples You must be abounding and abounding alway in the work of the Lord knowing your labour is not in vain filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Christ to the glory of the Father giving all diligence and adding to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly-kindnesse and to brotherly-kindnesse love These things must be in you and abound in you that ye may not be barren or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ You have been the servants of sin long enough now it concerns you to obey from the heart the form of Doctrine into which you were delivered It lies upon you to raise common things by holy ends and to turne outward objects into spiritual converse If you do but eat and drink walk or work work or recreate what ever ye do in word or deed it must be all to the glory of God in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks to God the Father by him Eating and drinking are but natural actions but they must have Gods glory as their end Nature may teach you to give thanks but it s the Gospel that teacheth you in your thanksgiving to haverecourse to God the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus The meanesse of your condition must not hinder the raisednesse of you holinesse Suppose you are servants the Gospel teacheth you how to make your service to become divine Col. 3. 22. Servants obey in all things your Masters not with eye-service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and whatever you do do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive a reward for ye serve the Lord Christ You must obey your Masters but so as you must declare you are fearing God while you are obeying them you must render them service but not eye-service God requires the heart for himselfe and when he requires your respect to another he requires your heart thereto How unlike is your complemental expression of saying Your servant your humble servant Sir to the singlenesse of heart here mentioned You must please men and yet not be men-pleasers but please God in the pleasing of them you must do and do heartily but as to the Lord and not to men and there 's good reason for it for of him you must receive the reward for ye serve the Lord Christ he tells you of serving men and serving Christ yea serving Christ in serving men and thus you greaten little and highten low things You should be persons of a raised manner of behaviour in all actions states and conditions in all holy conversation and godlinesse But most of all when you come to worship God who will be sanctified in his nigh ones and glorified before all the people Levit. 10. 3. To worship God is to be neer to him you are then under a promise of his special presence But then he will be sanctified either you must sanctifie him or he will sanctifie himselfe he must be sanctified either in and by you in the holinesse of your hearts or upon you in the execution of his just judgements You must not think to content your selves with pretence to worship God alone in your Closet or Family but you must worship him also before all the people and that is a glorifying him You must worship the Father Joh. 4. 24. but it must be in spirit and truth Gospel-worship hath lesse outward pompe and ceremony then that under the Law and therefore it must have more of plainesse and purity else God should be a loser You must pray alwayes Eph. 6. 18. with all manner of prayer and supplication not prate but pray repetition of words in form of confessions or petition are not prayer your praying must be in the spirit your spirits in prayer must be drawn forth and acted by Gods spirit your affections must be spiritual or you cannot pray it may be babling and howling but praying it is not unlesse it be in the spirit your heads may work and your lips may move but it s no prayer if the heart lie still the voice of words is not the voice of prayer but the sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26 27. You must lift up your souls in prayer lay hold on the strength of the Almighty and wrastle with him not letting him alone until he blesse you Jesus Christ hath set up and set open a Throne of grace and given us a boldnesse of accesse Eph. 3. 12. You must come in his Name with confidence Aske and you shall bave seeke and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened to you You must watch and pray yea watch unto prayer with all perseverance and joy Eph. 6. 18. You lose many sweet praying opportunities by not watching your season you lose the acting and improvement of many graces and obtaining of many precious comforts and sweet returnes by not persevering in prayer Far be it from you to pray as a task or as a work which you are soon weary of and glad when it is over but you must persevere in prayer and pray with joy and joy to pray You must attend at the posts of Wisdomes door Prov 8. 34. Laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyes and all evil speakings as new born babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milke the form of wholesome words not sugared with the wisdome of words but coming in the demonstration of the spirit and with power That word desire and desire as new born babes out of
is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not angry with me if I wish you so well that I would not have you to think or write above what God hath written in his word or workes There be some things in all Arts that God hides from men as Sympathys and Antipathies in natural Philosophy the returnes of Agues by set fits in Medicinal practice and in your own way the cause of the ebbings and flowings of the Sea You are not infallible in what you think you know you are apt enough to erre as you are men Humanum est errare but how much more apt if you proceed by erroneous principles and doctrines Is it nothing to you that God hath stirred up the spirits and pens of those who are godly and wise to appeare against your way I should much suspect my selfe to be in the way of Balaam when I should meet with so many Angels Ministers Messengers of God coming against me You may mistake and so mispeake as that Divination may easily turn into a lye Isa 44. â—5 and God may blast that reason into madnesse that is so abused and then how sad will your case be when you must be ranked with those who are without whose property is described to be such who love and make a lye Rev. 22. 15. Oh remember how unduely and nnworthily you have perplexed and rejoyced the hearts of people you have put them in feare where no feare was and rejoyced them when you had no good ground for it You have raised up hopes in them like spiders webbs which a little time hath easily swept away and you have driven many to despaire when God gave no cause for such desperation How infectious have your principles and practices been How many have been misled by you Think on your Schollers whom you have trained up to follow your steps if you walke awry how can they walke right Doth it not or may it not pitty your heart to see so many young ingenious hopeful Gentlemen to be corrupted by you It may be God may give you repentance which I heartily wish but they may be hardned in their vanity and never returne and will not that fall sad on you when you shall remember that you have a generation in the pit beneath whom your false teaching and corrupt example hath begotten You cannot be so inobservant in your own way but you doe know that God from heaven doth beare witnesse against your weather-wisdome making that prove faire that you foretel to be foul and foule to be fair Now if you are so much out in that which is lowest in your way may you not much more mistake in higher pretences Surely since you are so confident of things to come which yet God and Nature hath not actually determined you might be more bold to call up things past if you can tell a person what shall befal him you may as well tell what hath befallen him Why doe you not bend your thoughts that way and not this is it not because it would not be so taking with men and withal it would decry your skill Remember and forget not you must give account of your wayes and workes thinke seriously of it Will your proceedings be owned by Christ another day will he say to you Euge bone serve Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in thy Predictions I will make thee Lord of ten Cities enter into thy Masters joy Will he not rather accuse you for abusing your selves and others for mispending your parts and paines and snarling at those who reproved you Your sins are great but not unpardonable Oh that God would give you repentance unto life like those we read of in Acts 19. 19. Many believed and among those Many that used curious Arts brought their Bookes together and burned them before all men If you will stile your dealings Arts others and rightly too will call them Curious Now there was cause enough to burne their Books then May there not be as much in your Books now I shall adde no more onely leave it to God and your consciences and descend to give a word to your disciples I cannot but from my soul pitty you to see your youth and ingenuity so dangerously intangled Astrological Predictions are fine cobwebs to catch young wits Give eare to a plaine word It s possible you may meet with something that is and may be called Art But is there nothing else is there not something far worse No evil was ever so audacious at first as to appeare unmasked and in its own colours the worst of things sometimes put on the best of names and pretences I should be too impudent in writing against what is Art and so Gods wisdome in the creature and you would be too negligent and grosse if you espouse mens phantasies and wickednesse for Art for Gods wisdome in the creature All men desire to know and those that know something desire to know more Scientiâ— non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem I blame not your desire of knowledge but wish you to goe on in it and that your desires may end in attainment but take heed what and how you know All knowledge of excellent objects innobles the minde Excellens objectum intellectum perficit I beseech you weigh whether such principles as you are taught and have sucked in will make your minde one jot better and not rather much worse I know they insinuate not barely by pretending to augment your knowledge but knowledge in relation to your practice of something to be done by you and that hereafter nay of what God will doe by you and to you and these considerations are taking and snaring To pretend to advance knowledge onely without practice would be vaine speculation to know onely what concerns other men would seeme a busibodinesse to tell you what is past is but to recall what you had some knowledge of before but to tell you what is to come and to come from God this takes much with you But deare hearts be not deceived How came the spirit of God to them that they can reveale so much to you They goe but God sent them not and they declare but what the visions of their own heart I am not ignorant that there is somewhat of singularity by which they ingraciate themselves men affect to be and doe something more then others to be as all men are to know as all men know is but a common being and knowledge but to be of higher straines and extract to be of more accomplisht perfection is that which men strive for and they pretend to bring you unto Bona verba These are good words indeed but looke well to it lest while you aime to be higher then other men you fall not beneath the lowest Christians and while you strive to know what you should not you grow ignorant of what you should The knowledge of God and a mans selfe are the greatest Sciences and they