have added hereunto a Form of Prayer to be used by those that shall see convenient Dear Father THough through the dint of Passion and fiery Zeal I cannot prevail with thee to enter thy Kingdom yet I do not doubt but that I shall be able to do it through Constancy and Importunity unless I am wanting to my self for so thou hast promised me through my Saviour pardon me therefore if with the most entire submission to thy Will I continually wrestle with the in Prayer O GOD I would not presumptuously offer at thy Kingdom thus by force were it not that thou hast given me encouragement but now thou hast I beg thee for thine own Glory for thy Mercy 's sake and for the good of thy Creation that thou wouldest not leave thy poor Churches destitute but confound the works of Satan and teach us the way to thy Kingdom and even now O Lord I approach thee in all Humility and after all my Petitions thy Will only be done Nothing that is presumptuous wicked or proud can find acceptance in thy sight and therefore I dare not move a step beyond what thy Precepts give me Authority grant me therefore that as I pursue thine own Sacred Dictates and Commands so I may prevail with thee and not let thee go until like Jacob I have got a Blessing from thee I mean not a Temporal one but the Eternal one of thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Or if this offend you or seem imperfect use that great and general Catholicon prescribed by our Saviour himself and which indeed is so general that it suits with all Men of all Religions and Professions whatever and is withal so perfect that I might add the Wit of Man is not able to exceed it Our (a) When we Pray we ought to do it for others as well as our selves Father which art in (b) Our Addresses to God are to the chief Seat of his Divine Majesty Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy (c) Note the three first Petitions in this Prayer are for the Honour of GOD and which we ought to learn to seek before all things Kingdom (d) That is to the destruction of Satans come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in (e) surely then possible Heaven Give us this day our daily bread (f) all outward Necessaries and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us (g) GOD will Judge us as we do others let us beware therefore what we do in this case lest we Pray in vain And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evil (h) These last Petitions are for our selves purely and therefore most deservedly follow the other for thine is the Kingdom the Power (i) This Doxology is as well to stir up our Faith at last as to Praise GOD. and the Glory for ever and ever Amen To this I shall also add four Rules whereby the Scriptures tell us that we shall be accepted in our Prayers * The Author for the same Reason desires all his Readers particular Prayers for him either if he is in the Truth to strengthen and continue him in it or if he is in an Error to let him be taught and given to understand better even so I beseech thee O Lord for Christ's sake Amen The First when we Pray for one another thus St. Peter was delivered out of Prison by an Angel Secondly Where two or three are gathered together in Christ's Name to encourage Publick Communion Thirdly Pray without ceasing remembring neither to ask amiss nor in your Lusts James 4.3 1 Thess 5.17 Fourthly To Pray every day afresh and as GOD's Spirit shall by your Conscience lead you remembring that GOD is to be worshipped in Spirit and Truth Now though the state and corruption of the Church may Excuse us in our Duty in the Second of these to wit as to matter of Communion yet as to the other three nothing can excuse us and if possible nothing ought to excuse us even from the Second also indeed if we either wilfully or negligently disregard these Rules we need not wonder if our Prayers never prevail ☞ Note By Old Tradition the World as it has lasted 2000 Years before the Law and 2000 Years after it so also is it to last 2000 Years after the Coming of Christ e're we arrive at the great and final Millerium or Sabbath But a surer Rule is that GOD hath put the Times and Seasons of all things in his own Power Acts 1.7 I have hereunto added also a Copy of an Extraordinary Dream that I had some Years since which I recollected I had a Copy of by me some time after I wrote this Treatise and which seeming to tend so directly to the same purpose I thought I could not well at the same time deny the Reader a sight of it together herewith What is the true meaning and purport of it God who only knows will shew in his own time in the mean while I have delivered it down very near in very same rude form of Expression that I wrote it several Years since Memorandum That about the latter end of May in the Year 1681. just upon my Recovery from the Small-Pox I had the Strange and Remarkable Dream following and which seeming as Notable in its intent and coherence as it was lively in my reception of it about two Years after and whilst every Circumstance of it remained clear in my Memory I wrote it down some little Additions by present Memory excepted as ensueth I imagined my self Travelling I thought to France and it seemed as it were by a Chariot or Engine of Ropes and by which I seemed first to be raised up to a very great height and afterwards to be slid down again forwards with it as with a very great swiftness Methoughts my Journey was by Moon-shine and whilst I was thus raised in the Air I imagined I more perfectly survey'd the Heavens than now and they appeared to me but as a decayed wooden Engine however of a vastly large Architecture and the Moon shining brightly in them Methoughts also I saw the rest of the World almost all mudling below except some few and who seemed in the like little Chariots beneath me At length as I travelled on I apprehended I had a pretty little Book given me what it was I cannot declare but this I remember I perused it with a very great Satisfaction and continued it in my hand for some time till by and by I was diverted by the presence of a Guardian Angel I apprehended he sate on my Chariot by me on my Right Hand as it were behind me At first indeed he shewed himself but dimly to my sight but even his Presence so seemed to inspire me with an extraordinary Devotion But at last methoughts he became familiar and visible even as a Friend to me and then talking with him of several matters I remember I asked
their Factions and especially since he cannot but perceive that his foolish Children cannot bear other measures and what he has so long designed in vain for them 5. That our Sectarists will never satisfie themselves forsooth about Episcopacy Ordination Administration of the Sacraments c. because they do not find nice and particular Directions in Scripture about them fear not Time and Patience will do much when the Prejudice of Separation is once off from them then the Argument that the Church was established by word of Mouth and corrected only occasionally by the Apostles in Writing will be enough to perswade any reasonable Man I am sure that they may justly let the consent of Churches fix those things in a discreet Order for the Glory of God that the Holy Ghost for our Tryals thought not good to leave us a greater certainty in on neither side To conclude God only knows how long his Temple will be trodden under foot thus through our unhappy Morrice-dance of Sects but be it longer or shorter this I am perswaded when his time comes like a Tide turned I believe he will move us as all at once to Unity and then I know such a condescention as this will be admired I know at first a begrudging Elder Brother may disdain thus to receive his Younger Brother in Raggs but surely for all that a true Christian Father will rather kill the fatted Calf and kiss and embrace the poor Prodigal for joy of his Return than begrudge him a Reception Glory be to God on High on Earth Peace and Good-will towards Men. The CONCLUSION THou seest now Reader that I have finished as well Appendix as Treatise the Treatise to lead every Man in his Private Capacity in Religion and the Appendix to shew all Men what their Relation to the Publick Church is and both to bring thee to that Kingdom of God that has been too long esteemed as well by Christians as Jews to be of this World only What remains then but that I give thee two or three Reflections upon the whole and conclude The first is that now thou hast read over this Treatise and while it is fresh in thy memory I would desire thee once more to peruse the Scriptures after it and to examine them and see how agreeable their main purport is to it if thou art not a Sadducee to laugh at an invisible state or a negligent Gallio that careth for none of these things I am perswaded thou wilt be even amazed to see as well how harmonious and consonant this Treatise is to them as to observe how strangely and widely the World have hitherto mistaken their true intent and purport The Second Reflection is to think what a wonderful Obligation of Gratitude and Thanks thou art indebted to thy Maker in as well in his giving thee a Talent of Life in Prospect of these Glories through his Son as in his prolonging it as he has daily continued to do to the great encouragement of thy advance therein Good God! what is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of Man that thou shouldest not only give him Being but thus continually attend him with the Sacred Assistances of thy Spirit to bring him at last to the enjoyment of thy own Glory My last Reflection is that thou make a true use of these things I pretend to no other Gift of Prophecy here than plain Reasoning but thus much I dare be bold to foretel by it that whether private Man or Church make their approaches to God they shall never be accepted by other steps than these Nay and more I 'le dare say let God have given us never so great Promises or Encouragements for the sake of his Church we shall never be the Men to receive them nor enjoy the least benefit by them unless thus with an exact and humble Obedience we make our Application according to his Will Christ tells us That if our Righteousness exceed not that of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall never be able to enter the Kingdom of God And give me leave to acquaint you without Comparisons or entring the Lists with their Merits we must have a Purity and a Piety yea and a Sincerity and Self-denyal as great and singular as the Glories of that Kingdom we seek for if ever we expect to reach it Our Saviour tells us That every Plant that his Heavenly Father hath not set shall be rooted out And I must tell you this alone is what is his Husbandry and no wonder therefore that our other Methods have hitherto succeeded so ill and will yet succeed worse if we do not thus set about us to reform them FINIS INDEX OF the Kingdom of God in general Pag 1. Of the Crisis of our Tryal in general 5 Of our Evil Crisis 8 Of God's Impartiality 9 Of our Gradual Access herein 11 Humility 13 The Compleat Faith 16 Objections about it 20 Of Miracles 22 Of Dreams and Visions 23 Of Enthusiasm 26 Of Scripture 29 The State of Prophecy 31 Of Prophetick Churches 33 Objections Historical 36 Of Heaven 43 Of Preparing our selves 44 Of Grace 49 Of Prayer 51 An APPENDIX Of Persecution 58 Of Catholick Communion 66 The Conclusion 74 FINIS
Treatise be ended to shew as considerable from Scripture as for any Doctrine in Christianity A FULL ENQUIRY INTO THE Power of Faith the Nature of Prophecy the Translation of Enoch and Elias and the Resurrection of Christ Of the Kingdom of God in general WHEN Christ entred upon his Office of Preaching the Gospel his first Lesson was Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 4.17 So when he sent out his Apostles his charge to them was after they had healed the Sick to tell them That the Kingdom of GOD was come nigh them Luke 10.9 as if he would purposely insinuate something extraordinary approaching them besides his Doctrine and their freedom from their Diseases upon his conversing with them instructing and healing them I have taken the freedom therefore in this case to examine by the rest of the Scriptures what might be the meaning of so weighty an Expression I hope I shall not err by running into an Enthusiastick Method in it for I have resolv'd never to let my Faith run counter to my Reason or over-reach it and on the other side if in the search of the Matter considerable and deep matters of Faith appear not hitherto sufficiently regarded I hope a modest Recommendation of the same will offend no Man To explain therefore to thee the scope of what I have discovered and what thou mayest expect from me upon this Subject I shall tell thee first what my apprehension of the words is and after that descending more particularly into the several parts and branches of my Discourse upon it I shall endeavour both to answer from Scripture and Reason all manner of Objections and Difficulties that may be raised against my sense of them As to the first thing thou wilt find I have laid it down from hence as a certain Rule that all Men I mean of all Religions and Perswasions whatever have the means in their hands if they improve them of reaching to and attaining this Kingdom of GOD not only of the lower measures of Grace I mean but the highest pitches of Glory that is not only of the common assistances of the Spirit but of Prophecy and Miracles nay and even of Translation also and this I apprehend was that great Doctrine of the Kingdom that Christ came to instruct us in and that was the full and true scope both of those his words and the Gospel And this is that Kingdom which if I mistake not he mentions in that his most excellent Form of Prayer saying Thy Kingdom come this is that Kingdom wherein the Millenarists expect Christ's Reign on the Earth and this is that Kingdom whereby Christ will destroy Antichrist with the very Glory of his Coming in truth this is that Kingdom that the Apostle makes the very Crown and Perfection of our Faith Heb. 11.5 And though there seems a possibility that with Enoch and Elias we might attain this Kingdom without such the Instruction of Christ Yet since GOD has added a further help to the Law of Moses and our Natural Light through him that was to be a Sacrifice for the World shall we contemptuously set aside this newer Light that has added the most lively Instructions as well as his Example to this bare Possibility and Idea of the Kingdom of GOD only Nor need it discourage us in this case that the Apostles of Christ wrote not much of this Doctrine unless in repeating his words as it was what neither they nor the World could then bear just as Elijah knew nothing of his Translation till the day came though he were a Prophet before 1 Kings 19.4 and as the Spirit reveals it self altogether to our occasions but now in the latter Ages of the World what hinders but that GOD may reveal it more manifestly in comfort to his Church and to draw the Reformists or his new Israel from the Bonds of Spiritual Egypt or Popery and to unite and draw into one Fold all the Elect in the several Churches of the World when the Fulness of Time is come can we think GOD will want proper means to execute his Will when we see rather than fail that he could make even a wicked High-Priest to Prophecy that 't was necessary that Christ should dye for the People If therefore by this little Essay I shall be able to shew this Doctrine not only consonant to the highest Reason but the most genuine Scripture I mean of the Old as well as New Testament I hope no one will condemn me only for illustrating and clearing the Rays of so great a truth nor be afraid therefore Reader to receive freely what I write in it I pretend to nothing but a plain and sincere Reasoning and Exposition of Scripture by it and I hope no way tending to beguile thee But if on the other side the state of our Faith be really such as I have represented it to thee I know not why we should any longer slight so great a truth should we not rather couragiously reflect that we have a better Country as I have proposed thee Here we are lyable to Wrongs Wounds and all manner of Accidents and had we not better then seek for the Spiritual Canaan and Pray to enter the Kingdom of GOD where neither Vipers will be able to hurt us Lions devour us nor Fiery Furnaces consume us where the Sun will be forced to stand still and Mountains to move at our Commands and whether Judgments threaten the World either by Fire or Water yet at least like Noah Jonas and Lot we shall be saved I know at present to believe the truth of this Doctrine is to seem contumeliously to accuse the World of Corruption and a Man must expect a Censure and Treatment for it accordingly and yet methinks for all these difficulties I cannot for my part but believe it it seems so entirely agreeable to Scripture and Reason that I could as soon not be a Christian as not assent to it And as for the Corruption of the World if St. Paul could say of his Times There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 it may be no difficulty to say so now for surely there were as ood Men in the Apostles Age as ours But alas what good will Apologies do one in this matter We that have such an Infidel Generation amongst us that 't is even ridiculous to talk or write of either a Spiritual Kingdom or Faith amongst them can one expect that either Sense or Reason can convince them or reconcile them to an Hypothesis of this Nature the Resurrection of the Dead at least must and can be the only real Foundation either of Christianity or any other Religion for what would Precepts avail without their Reward I hope to God that even that does not pass to slighty by way of Figure and Allegory amongst us also Nor shall I wonder in this case that Men endeavour to stifle this Kingdom neither is not this that Kingdom that Satan has endeavoured all along to
A FULL ENQUIRY INTO THE Power of Faith THE Nature of Prophery The Translation of ENOCH and ELIAS AND THE Resurrection of CHRIST LONDON Printed in the YEAR 1693. PREFACE THIS Tract however peculiar it may seem to Christians yet as is shewn hereafter is not intended to exclude its self from the Vse and Encouragement even of Jews Mahumetans and all other Professions also The Author endeavours to open wide to all the Common way to GOD and 't is one end of his Writing to demonstrate that the Righteous of all Religions are accepted and while they are sincere have equally Right to be the Heirs of the Kingdom And to this purpose therefore the Wisdom of GOD to cut off all manner of proud Cavils for a Prerogative and Monopoly of Salvation as he observes seems purposely to have given us three several Examples of Translation The First in Enoch to convince us of our acceptance in our Natural Light The Second in Elijah to shew you that for all their Law of Ceremonies yet the Jews are not therefore rendred uncapable of so great a Blessing And the last of Christ on his Resurrection to confirm his more profitable Precepts towards this Kingdom I say these three great Prophets signally in their Order exemplisie to us what Religion will be acceptable to GOD in us and methinks their followers when they consider it need not be at such variances as they are for in truth however diversified by Circumstances yet in the main surely 't was the same Faith that lead and directed each at the bottom and the same Purity and Piety that drew down so singular a Reward and Testimony from GOD to declare his Approbation of it Nor would I have any Man therefore here offended that I signalize these great Prophets thus for it is not as with a design to diminish or eclipse the rest from their real Value but as the more bright the Example the clearer Pattern have we to follow so in the Holy Ambition of our seeking to GOD surely we cannot better fix our selves to imitate any than those whom GOD has given such his clearest declarations that he has most approved of And thus could Mahomet or any others therefore teach me this Heavenly Road I would equally follow them as Christ my Redeemer for would they not all go the same way And yet on the other side shall I leave his Directions who perfected himself before me the Journey of Faith he advises me unto to follow that Man in the Road that never travelled throughout in it himself And in truth what says Christ himself otherwise to us in this matter Does not he tell us that 't will be in vain for us to say we have cryed Lord Lord or done Miracles in that great day without we have lived well and a life of Faith also I will not say that any man can heartily make his approaches unto GOD and refuse Christianity and on that account be saved without believing Christ or else surely the way by Christ or otherwise were all one Nor let any Man censure me in this neither that I prefer Enoch and Elijah before either Moses or the Apostles to us indeed the latter excelled Moses as he was a Law-giver and the Apostles as they delivered us down the Gospel of Christ but in the real efficacy of Faith certainly Enoch and Elijah transcended GOD employs his Prophets in Messages and makes them Illustrious to the World according as his Mercies to Mankind incline him but that they Triumph in Faith is through their Piety and their own Application Thus what was it preserved Noah and made Abraham dear to GOD was it not Faith So what was it that preserved Daniel in the Lions Den was it not Faith I may say are we so ridiculously Blasphemous as even contrary to the words of Scripture and those express Directions there that tell us that the immutable GOD is no respecter of Persons as to think that GOD took a fancy either to Noah Abraham or Daniel as Men fondly practice and if he did why did the Apostle to the Hebrews then prefer Melchizedeck before Abraham and why were they not all translated had not their weaker Faiths fallen far short either of Enoch's or Elijah's And for shame therefore let us lay by all these our Youthful Apprehensions and our petty Imaginations of Piety which were good in their way but now in the full light of Religion are but as Shadows to the more real Exercises of Faith Were Enoch Moses and Elijah nay and Christ and Mahomet all true Prophets and think you were they all present with us they would not thus exhort us to a steady and firm Vnion in our adoring GOD through Faith and seeking his Kingdom Alas we all vainly Cavil about the out-side and shell of Religion like the Jews who valued themselves upon Rites and Sacrifices though even their own Prophets reproved their Vanity in them in respect of the real Purity of the Heart and while we let the Devil rob us of what ought to be even infinitely more dear to us After all I know nothing to be objected in this matter but that I lay the value of Christianity low but alas wherein Christ came to teach us the way to GOD and not to save us just in believing in his Name And as for his great Lesson of Instruction this is it 't was Faith and I endeavour to recommend no other you say he tells us That he that believes not in him is damned and 't is true enough and I believe the Sentence irrevocable where Men believe not on conviction But doth not both Christ and his Apostles inform you that the invincibly ignorant and the weak are excused in their Blindness Nay and that they shall be accepted in the way they can walk John 9.41 James 4.17 Rom. 2.14 15. John 15.22.24 And yet will we condemn them To be short what I have wrote has been neither to abuse the Scriptures innovate in Doctrines or to injure our present Churches or Christianity if it has any tendency 't is but to explain a Doctrine long since delivered Dr. Taylor in his Treatise of Holy Dying Cap. 3. Sect. 1. p. 59. is amply express of the same mind he tells you plainly how the sin of Adam and his Posterity not only remov'd their Immortality and Translation by Death but dwindled our Ages in the Patriarchs first from near 1000 to 500 years and thence after to 2 and 300 till it rested at 70 our present Period Pray God for the future we prove as ready to reverse this Curse as our fore-fathers were to fall in it So what says Luther to the same effect Does he not tell us in his Table-Talk p. 477. that Adam was Originally designed to be translated And so otherwhere in many places that if he had Faith he did not doubt but that he could do any thing But why should I insist longer on multiplying Humane Authorities for what I hope ere this
destroy that he reduc'd unto Noah in the Flood and that he has raised up Antichrist to confound Indeed is not this that Kingdom that he has clouded and sealed up all along from the Wise of this World and to which as the Apostle observes not many wise not many mighty nor many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 And yet through which we have an assurance that he will pour out his Spirit in the latter days Surely therefore I may add if ever we intend to make any Progress in Christianity in this Kingdom it is that we must lay our Foundation and which as I may say perfectly harmonizes with the Revelations both of Moses and Christ I am not Superstitious however I shall add a Modern Prophecy also about it 't is said to be Withers's and 't is not unlikely for he not only wrote a Comment upon the Lord's Prayer to the same effect but really his Writings shew him a Man of so admirable a Sincerity and Piety that he seemed a proper Object for so great a Gift But be it whose you will the words are as follows That Kingdom which the Jew did long ago Mould out according to his erring Brain And whereof many Zealous Christians too Unwarrantable Fancies entertain That Kingdom whereof now in Types we hear Shall to the World essentially appear Now if GOD therefore has set us thus to be tryed on the Stage of this World according as we make our Attainments to this Glorious Kingdom had we not better then with an Holy Ambition let him Glory in us as Conquerors than become the despicable Captives of the Devil Not I mean that we should be lofty or proud with this Ambition neither for if ever we expect to Conquer it must be by an entire and Lamb-like Submission to the Will of GOD. To be short this is that Kingdom that we are told is within us and that comes not by Observation Luke 17.20 21. and for which we need not to go to the Wilderness of Teachers that cry lo here Christ and lo there for 't is in our Hearts and whence if we hold fast that which is good and quench not the Spirit but permit him to lead us through an entire resignation into all his Paths of Holy Suggestions we must needs attain it And whereas on the contrary in the Kingdom of Satan and where our Sins bear Rule St. James tells us Cap. 1.13 That our Lusts will bring forth Sin and that the Wages of Sin are Death But that I may the better proceed on this Subject I shall here suppose Of the Crisis of our Tryal in general that there are two distinct great Kingdoms to wit the first of GOD and the latter of Satan as also that they have their several and distinct Crisis's and measures of Judgment But first a little of this matter in general Alas who that 's either Christian Jew or Turk or that but believes the Old Testament can forbear lamenting to see the Devil's Tyranny through sin in Adam poor dying deformed and wretched Man a Creation groaning and longing to be delivered Rom. 8.22 What are our Riches Coaches and sine Cloaths but as Rags to our Innocence lost Will they avail us any thing either against Death or Sorrow or are they able to keep us from the Dreadful Day at last And yet for all this and though that if we Repent the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand nay and though we have a Promise that if we first seek the Kingdom of GOD all other things shall be added unto it as if GOD had expresly reversed the Curse of the Earth and resolved rather than fail with the Israelites to feed us with Manna and Quails on our first step of retreat towards the Heavenly Paradise Mat. 6.33 Yet alas who seeks to GOD either for Eternal Life or Necessaries as they should do No we are all run astray some one way some another some are drowned in Infidelity and neither regard what either Scripture or Reason informs them others are perfectly stupidly negligent and regard no more what yet they cannot but believe than a fair Story that they have heard with delight And yet the Spirit of God warns us all and so leaves all inexcusable to their Condemnation And hence also it is that every Man whatever has his hour of Visitation and which will and must certainly continue to lead him right and that even to perfection if he follow and not resist it And hence every Man I see methinks shews me an Angel or a Devil in making some moving on to one degree of Perfection and others to another while others starting aside like a broken Bow and uneasie to follow the leading of GOD's Spirit proudly seek Devices of their own and so are lost in their own Contrivances So hence 't is that others making their application imperfectly to GOD are forced to be purged for it through Martyrdom or Death when could they learn with Enoch but to walk perfectly with GOD canst thou think Friend that he would let them dye No know GOD is no respecter of Persons the whole course of Scriptures besides general Texts witness it Ephes 6.9 Acts 10.35 1 Pet. 1.17 And yet beware how thou rashly attempt this for know these Glories are defended by a fiery Tryal and before thou attainest them thou wilt find a real Fight of Infidelity Pride and Inconstancy and a terrible one too thy little seekings of Curiosity and Passion will not avail for this Kingdom no 't is worthy of thy Constancy and therefore such Lusts thou mayst be sure will but obstruct thy proceedings Take care therefore and purifie thy Heart throughly for know as thy great Conflicts will be between GOD and thy self in private where no body sees and where you will be forced to fight your way through Principalities and Mights to the Kingdom of GOD and wrestle with the Powers of Darkness Ephes 6.12 So you must expect to be most exactly pure for that alone can support you and which if you are you need not fear any dangers nay rather thou mayest joy against Satan when he brings his Temptations to destroy thy Hopes for if thou thus trust in GOD they must advance them 2 Cor. 12.9 What shall I say then if Christ for these Reasons has assured us that the Kingdom of Heaven has through his Instructions and Example suffered Violence Exhortation and may be taken by force Nay if he himself has gone the way before us why should we longer obstruct so great a Grace by delighting to welter in our Iniquities Perverse Man that will not skill his Seasons of Grace Man more sottish than Birds or Beasts they know their Times and Seasons and follow the Instincts of their Nature but Man will not follow the leadings of the Holy Ghost We dare not trust the words of Christ our Saviour like Martha we will not neglect our Temporal Affairs though but a little to get the one and great thing
is tedious and difficult and that the many miscarriages of others quite discourages all thy Endeavours towards it Alas thou forgettest that Gold is not Gold till 't is tryed in the Furnace and our Sovereign Maker in all the Justice of the World has reason to take us for no other than tinsâ—l and dâ—oss for all our gawdy and gilded appearance of Uprightness until we have stood a due shock of Tryals and Temptations and after all who shall say to God that Justice is not an Attribute worthy of the goodness of the Divine Majesty Besides God is more good than to leave our gain so desperate too he has reserved many lesser Measures and lesser Crowns and degrees of Glory for them who with hearty endeavours fail of attaining the highest And what then though thou art not one of those one 's of Myriads that have attained Translation or those one 's of Millions that have attained to be Prophets David could rather desire to be a Door-keeper in the House of God than a Prince in the Tents of Wickedness So further remember that if thou dost set about this great Work that thou do it not like the Sons of Zebedee Humility by seeking the chief place only leave that Ambition to GOD and if thou dost so and dost well 't is impossible but that by degrees he must give it thee Nor be grieved that GOD does not immediately appear to thee by Vision or Revelation remember 't is in Mercy that he will not lead us further than we are perfect lest we be destroyed The Offences that in the Vale of Ignorance are light and trivial against the full Glory of GOD's Revelations and Commands magnifie like Achan's Corah Dathan's and Abiram's Remember Judas and Lot's Wife and that if we there fall away we must never expect to be renewed Heb. 6.6 Take care therefore for as at best GOD will frustrate all such Superstitious Expectations of Faith so if thou hast no other Bottom than such Stubble and Straw of Curiosity to trust to thou must expect that when GOD's purifying Fire comes that though thou art raised even as high as Lucifer in thy conceit yet all will consume and fall yea and thou with it nay and that though thou raise thy Babel a Thousand times if it does not do worse and run thee into Enthusiasm and the Delusions of Satan And yet for all this thou must still work it out with Patience thou must not think now only to aim at a Tabernacle here and with the Faith of Abraham and the Patriarchs rest at a Pilgrimage in this World only for though David and others were Men in their time and Light after GOD's own Heart yet now we have a more perfect and holy Example to wit Christ Jesus a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck that never dyes and greater than Abraham Heb. 7.3 So that now we are without Excuse if that we only seek an Earthly Canaan for to what end does Light come into the World if we still remain in Darkness But you will say the Apostles attained not hereto and yet were very Holy Men and what then Do they not all confess themselves the imperfect followers of the great Pattern Christ Jesus Object I might judge that it was their Contentions and Propriety in Conversions that kept them from their growth in this Kingdom but I forbear to censure as I am sure if I do I cannot be certain however by the effect 't is plain that there was something wanting in them as there was in their casting out some Devils that they could not but by Fasting and Prayer Luke 9.39 40. But I leave their Judgment to GOD. To proceed therefore thou must not for all this let theirs nor any others failings make thee forbear thy hopes for Purity and Happiness no as I have said let GOD be true and every Man a lyar Nor fear for if thou art exactly sincere thou must conquer nor be dismayed that thou hast hitherto lived in sin for Christ has shewn thee by his Parable that though thou come in at the latter end of the day yet 't is all one indeed 't will be thy pitch and continuance in Faith that will be all in all But thou art a Jew or Turk and canst not meet with Reason sufficient to Convert thee to Christianity And what then If thou followest it but in this alone and art sincere and art not wilful in thine own Ignorances 't is impossible but that thou must Conquer and rather than thou shalt fail of a necessary truth if thou persevere in this course to seek the Kingdom of GOD and conform to an exact Scrutiny of Truth even GOD himself will reveal it to thee as he did it to St. Paul and Cornelius 1 Tim. 1.13 Acts Cap. 9 10. Let us chearfully then set about this great Work and try to Rival one another in it and in who can help each other most towards it let us Pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5.16 and let us add to that a purifying Industry that we may not tempt GOD are we not Cowards to let Enoch and Elias through the Law of Nature and a Law of Ceremonies and Shadows enter this Kingdom whilst we are shut out that not only have the Example but the most particular Instructions of Christ to help us towards it You Object That the Translation of Enoch and Elias was not on this Account but rather with the Resurrection of Christ to give an Ocular Demonstration to the several Ages of the World of the Immortality of the Soul But why should you furmise thus Do the Scriptures say thus Nay do they not plainly say the contrary and make all the meer effect of Faith Heb. 11.5 If so then let us no longer lye Idle and be thus deceived with the appearance of Truth only let us embrace the Scriptures throughly or reject them wholly But alas in truth the thing is our Lusts are in our way and we resist the leading of GOD's Spirit and so it is that he is forced to perfect us as high as he can alas we are so far from moving Mountains and making Iron swim with our Faith that with St. Peter we sink the first step we take on the Water we have not the Faith even to give us a Mortal Canaan or to make the Walls of Jericho fall how shall we then expect the Spiritual Canaan and the New Jerusalem amongst us But as we can't 'tis our own fault and only ours we will not follow the Spirit of GOD I am sure that he tryes us e're he leaves us and meerly the cunning of the Devil cannot supplant us is he nigh us GOD is nearer and thou canst not fall but by thine own privity but when instead of Industriously following GOD's leading Methods to Wisdom through Meditation and Conscience thou resist them do you think you do not stop up your own way And from this wilful and perverse Spirit of Infidelity it is that GOD has been
forced as I have said once in 2000 years or less either to destroy the World as he did by the Flood or else in Mercy to raise up some new Patterns of Faith to lead us again and thus he gave us Moses and Christ after both whom some afresh begun to serve GOD in Purity and to become Prophets also but alas how soon are we returned like the Dog to his Vomit and sunk into our old Infidelity again In truth one may justly say of the best of Men amongst us now adays they entertain so many Vertues and so many Vices so much Piety and so much Sin and which continually encounters with one another in them if Vice prevails he is mostly wicked if Vertue he is our good Man O that we could but say of any of us that Sin and Vice were quite extinct in us at least as to our will if not to frailty for then with Enoch might we be truly said to walk with GOD also But besides this I may add and what shall we never learn with the blessed Simeon and Anna and Joseph of Arimathea purposely to wait with a doe Patience for the Kingdom of GOD Mark 15.43 Luke 23.51 If with them we do not happen to rise to the greatest Perfection yet at least we shall find that GOD at last will accept us and bless us for our hearty endeavour's sake as far as they reach and surely that will be better than a dead Infidelity Come unto Christ then all ye that are weary and heavy laden for his Yoke is easie and his Burthen is light indeed you need fear nothing under his Conduct as heavier Scholars indeed GOD pricks us forwards through Afflictions but if we sincerely endeavour to be perfect he cannot but take them from us for then even Angels will deliver us out of Prison Ravens will be forced to feed us and the mouths of Lions will be stopt against us only Christ suffered in this state of Purity and that for our sakes and by his own consent he not only tells us he could have more than Twelve Legions of Angels to help him if he pleased Mat. 26.53 but even his Persecutors were forced to go back and fall down from his Presence e're they could seize him John 18.6 As the All-just GOD therefore cannot inflict the Punishment or Purgation on those that walk as pure already so let us learn to cherish this little Mustard-seed of the Kingdom of GOD till it become as a Tree and wherein all the Vertues of Divinity and Morality may flourish Mark 4.32 Elijah destroyed Ahab's Guards Moses drowned Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea and we have a Promise even to bind Kings in Chains and Princes with Links of Iron And think you not that these things were done and these promises made for the Example and the Encouragement of the Saints 'T is true St. Paul by his being wrap'd up into the third Heaven and St. John by his having the Revelations given him seem only of the Apostles to have made their approaches near this Perfection Transfigurations and such Visions being the usual dawnings of Translation as Divine Dreams are of Prophecy And they failed too but what if they did were they not Men as well as we They had a greater measure of Christ's help and Example indeed but what is GOD a respecter of Persons And have we not the same offers of Grace and as fair a Tryal given us as ever they had For shame therefore let us serve GOD with all our strength and all our might The Compleat Faith Mark 12.30 and so recommend our selves more nearly to his Protection and that can only be through a vigorous Faith The Scriptures have told us already that Faith without Works is dead and I shall add also that Works without Faith to lead them are dead also I mean as to the Kingdom of GOD. Without Faith 't is impossible to see or please GOD whereas our Faith if it be strong it must prevail nay and though it be erring if not wilfully as appears by Cornelius and St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 Whereas on the contrary if it be strong and evil it must needs draw down Enthusiasm and Delusion upon us And hence it is that our Saviour tells us That all things are possible to him that believes Mark 9.23 Indeed he says Had we the Faith of a grain of Mustard-seed we might at a word remove this Sycamine-tree or Mountain and cast it into the Sea Luke 17.6 And hence it is that O ye of little Faith is almost his constant Expostulatory upbraiding throughout the whole Gospels Luke 9.41 Hence likewise it is that his Apostles after him when they had their Faith once strengthned in themselves to move it in others tell us That whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 So also that Faith was imputed to Abraham for Righteousness Rom. 4.22 And therefore to use their Argument though at the time of our Ignorance GOD winked at us yet now he expects we should Repent Acts 17.30 and remain in our dead and brutish Infidelity no longer Nay further this Faith of the Kingdom of GOD is the only real and excellent Faith to believe barely in Christ and that he was crucified is no more than what the Devils believe and yet have still reason to tremble but to believe in him and to act pursuant to his most excellent Doctrine of the Kingdom and to lead good Lives is to follow the design and scope of his Gospel and is that active Faith which only has the Promises of Salvation But why do I remain on the brink of my Argument thus Hath not Christ even expresly promised That those that keep his sayings shall never see Death John 8.51 And that those that believe in him shall never dye John 11.26 but are passed from death unto life John 5.24 And doth he not expresly limit this Death in his Discourse to our Life in this World as well as the other John 6.49 50.58 Nay has he not promised us more that we shall do greater Works than he himself has done and really whatever we shall ask in Faith John 14.12 As Sin therefore is the Road to Death as also Grace is to Life Rom. 5.21 So let us through these Encouragements of Christ learn to avoid our Sins and Lusts which run us into Sin and Death James 1.15 and follow those ways that lead us to Holiness and Life The Apostles that could not get out of Prison themselves yet through the Prayers of the Church had their Liberty Acts 12. And can you think that had they purified themselves exactly as Christ did they would not have opened the Prison Doors of themselves as well as Elijah destroyed Ahab's Guards Yes undoubtedly they might and God shewed exact measures of Justice in all these Events or else 't were impertinent nay impossible that these things should be written for our Example and Encouragement and what needed else that Christ and his