was the only Son of his Father yet he took upon him the form of a Servant Joh. 1. 14. Phil. 2. 6 7 8. yea though he was Heyr of all things and possessor of Heaven and Earth yet he became poore and hungry that we might be made rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. Though he had no sinne yet he was made sinne that we poor sinners might escape sinne 1 Pet. 1. 19. and 2. 22. and 2 Cor. 1. 21. and though he was a Law giver and a Law maker yet he became under the curse of his owne Law to redeeme us from that curse Isay 33. 22. Gal. 3. 13. though he was his Fathers delight and an object of his love from everlasting yet he became an object of his wrath for his love to us who were yet in our sins Psal 88. 16. and 102 Ps 10. When we were slaves to the Devill and firebrands of Hell even then did Christ rescue us from the power of one and redeeme us from the plague and punishment of the other 1 Thes 1. 10. Amos 4. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 25. Heb. 2. 14. Obj. But is there nothing in the way that hinders men and women that are willing to come to Christ are all the stumbling blocks removed Answ There is nothing on Gods part for he hath taken all things out of the way that hindred thee to be saved Col. 2. 14. Nay further we are to doe nothing at all towards our own salvation for Christ hath freely purchased us life and Salvation 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Ephes 1. 14. Even thus doth the Lord doe for us that we might acknowledge we are nothing but what we are in him and that we have nothing but what we have received from him that so all the glory might be to him First he will have us to see our selves to be the greatest and vilest sinners and againe to see all our owne righteousnesse and performances to be as filthy and monstrous rags that so we might deny our own righteousnesse wholly and look to be found in the righteousnesse of Christ only Obj. But saith another timerous weak soule I am a lyar and the Lord saith in the Revelation that lyars shall not enter into Heaven but have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone Answ The house of Israel and the house of Judah dealt treacherously against the Lord and belyed him c. So that the Lord saith Ephraim my deare son compasseth me about with lies yet was I gracious to them and forgave them as thou mayst see Jer. 5. 11 12. Hos 11. 12. Jer. 23. 6. 31. 20. so that it is he that loveth and maketh a lye that shall be cast out and forsaken of God even he that delights in sin not he that complains and mourns under sin Obj. But I am a very great sinner and I goe many times to Prayer and to heare Sermons and I finde no more working or relenting upon my Soule then if I were a dead Stock or Stone nay for there I have laine long under the meanes of grace and yet I am altogether fruitlesse and like the barren Fig-tree Ans If thou didst see all thy sins with their nature number and aggravations thou couldst never look upon them but with despaire as Caine and Judas but if thou wilt look upon them as they were layd upon the Scape-goat thou wilt see them carryed into the land of forgetfulnesse Levit. 16. 22. Againe these sinns so numerous were laid upon Christ Isa 53. 6. and he was bruised for our iniquities verse 5. he shall see the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied ver 11. Againe the Lord saith he will blot them out as a thick cloud and freely forgive them and remember them no more Againe he tells us that in him is our fruit found and he is our rightousnesse and he will purge us and then we shall bring forth fruit abundanly See John 15. 2. 5. Psal 92. 12 13 14. And now to draw towards a conclusion let us seriously consider where the fault lyeth that there is so much weakness bondage feares affrightments timerousness and weakness in the professing men and women of our times the fault or defect herein must be either on Gods part or on our part and that it is not on Gods it is most cleare for he hath left us a remedy in his Word for every Malady Psal 103. 3. 1 John 1. 9. and doth assure us we are not straitned in him but in our own bowels 2 Cor. 6. 12. he bids us open our mouths wide and he will fill it Psal 81. 10. Are not my wayes equall and yours unequall saith the Lord Ezek. 18. 25. 29. and 33. 17. 20. 29. What could I have done more for my Vineyard Isaiah 5. 4. then I have done wherefore when I expected Grapes it brought forth wild Grapes Isaiah 1. 2. Hear O Heavens and give eare O Earth for the Lord hath spoken saying I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Jerem. 2. 13. my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that can hold no water c. By which it doth appear that the defect doth lye on our parts and not on Gods And now let us a little consider what is the reason we spend much time in reading hearing conferring meditating day after day week after week year after year yet little or no growth we are at the same place as we were four or five or six years ago Surely dear friend whosoever thou art that readest these few lines there is a spirituall art or skill if thee and I could hit upon it that we might profit more in one day then before in seven year that so we might read and understand effect and keep believe and apply the precious promises to our own soules and then we might understand what we heare preached and apply what we understand and practise what we apply O there is a spirituall skill if we could hit upon it that would be of exeeding great advantage to us we may yet break forth and say as in Isa 49. 4. I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nought or else we may all say with Peter Luk. 5. 5. Master we have toyled all the night and have taken nothing Oh how do we study and inquire and search and strive and pump and act flesh and grope in the dark how doe the Ministers turn their preaching into labors forme or else boast in another mans line of things made ready to their hands or vent their own naturall wisdome and so befoole themselves confessing that in Doctrine they deny in Reason and acknowledge that in Reason that they deny in Use and hold forth that in Use that they deny in Practise And then for the Hearers how is hearing turned into a forme and so Satan deceives us if Satan can he will
I have been speaking to XVIII The next stumbling block is or may be this I fear saith another poor stammering soul that I shall never be saved for Christ tels me plainly Mat. 5. 20. that except my righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees I shall not be saved and I have examined my self and doe finde that my righteousnesse is so farre from exceeding theirs that theirs doe much exceed mine Answ The Scribes and Pharisees sought righteousnesse only by the works of the Law which made none perfect in that the Scriptures saith it was weak through the flesh Rom. 8. 3. none were able to fulfill it therefore Israel attained not to the Law of righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9. 31. our righteousnesse must exceed this as doth the righteousnesse which is of faith in Jesus who perfectly fulfilled the Law for us or you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven For by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified Rom. 3. 20. and we are justified by faith only without the works of the Law Now if by righteousnesse was meant works of mens own acting as temperance obedience mercy and justice and upright dealing then we finde in Scripture that Heathens have outstript many if not most of us 1. For temperance King Ahasuerus Hester 1. 8. a Heathen King made a law that no man should be compelled to drink and yet many that call themselves Christians can hardly lay aside their drinking of healths 2. For Obedience when King Abimelech took Abrahams Wife no sooner did the Lord command him to deliver her to Abraham again but he obeyed the command of the Lord. Jonah preached at Niniveh to the Heathen and no sooner did they hear him but they did beleeve and repent 3. For Mercy when Paul and the rest of the company suffered ship-wrack the Heathen came and did receive them See Act. 28. 1 2 3. 4. For Justice and upright dealing the King of Sodome a Heathen when Abraham had overcome the four Kings and brought home the Sodomites the King of Sodome said unto him Give me the men and take thee the goods for thy pains Belshazzaâ— see how he kept promise with Daniel for when he saw the hand writing on the wall he said unto Daniel If thou wilt interpâ—et it for me I will make thee the third ruler in my kingdome Daniel told him that it tended to the ruining of him and all his house and notwithstanding this Heathen King kept promise with him and made him the third ruler in the land Dan. the 5. from the 16. to the 29. vers Again consider well this Scripture Ezek. 5. from the 6. verse to the end of that chapter the Lord doth send heavie judgements upon his people for being out stript by Heathens Vers 6. Shee hath changed my judgements into wickednesse more thâ—n the Nations and my Statutes more then the Countries round about therefore Vers 7. Thus saith the Lord God because ye multiplyed more then the Nations that are round about you and have not walked in my Statutes neither have kept my Judgemenâ—s Vers 8. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I am against thee and will execute Judgements in the midst of thee in the sight of the Nations and I will doe in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not doe any more the like because of all thy abominations Vers 12. Therefore a third part of thee shall die with the pestilence and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee and I will scatter a third part into all the world and I will draw out a sword after them Verâ— 13. Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal when I have accomplished my fury in them c. From all which we may clearly learn that God will not spare a sinfull people but let out his fury to the full to the highest degree stirre up all his wrath pour out his full vials upon a disobedient people although they were known by the name of the Lords owne inheritance if their righteousnesse doth not exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees But on the contrary if their wickednesse doe exceed the wickednesse of the Heathen then there is no escaping from Gods judgements one or other will overtake them 1 King 19. 15. The Lord will scatter them into Babylon Moab Ammon Egypt Psal 44. 12. So that if we look only upon the externall performance and judge according to the outward appearance you shall finde many civilized men and women out-strip some of the Saints but yet for all that we are exhorted by Christ in some cases not to judge according to the outward appearance but to judge righteous judgement Joh. 7. 24. Now the righteousnesse of a Christian doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees and all Heathens in the world in these two things 1. By faith in Christ whereby all the righteousnesse of Christ is made his 2. In works done in faith which the other cannot doe one thing done in faith is better then a thousand in unbelief Rom. 14. 23. 1. Every Christians righteousnesse doth exceed that of the Pharisees by saith in Christ whereby the righteousnesse of Christ is made his by faith the poor creature seeth all his sinnes which the Spirit of God had convinced him of laid upon Christ Isai 53. 6. Again by faith he cometh to see Christ made unto him wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. And so by faith in him he can say the Lord our righteousnesse and hear the Lord say unto him in me is thy fruit found So the soul looking upon Christ in whom he is accepted Ephes 2. 13. and so he seeth all is of grace nothing of debt election is the election of grace vocation is according to the good pleasure of his will 2 Tim. 1. 9. regeneration was of Gods own will Jam. 1. 18. Faith the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Justification is freely by grace Rom. 3. 24. and a free gift Rom. 5. 15 18. and forgivenesse of our sins according to the riches of his grace Ephes 1. 7. Eternall life the freest gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Act. 15. 11. even the life of glory is the grace of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. Christ himself was a token of free love from the Father to mankinde and as his whole work was to love so his whole love was free and as we said before there is not one soul that ever be loved but it was poor and empty sick and impotent unamiable and filthy regardlesse of him and opposite to him The language of the Law is Doe this and live if not die no work no
3. 15. and 13. compared together 2. Neither did ye enquire after me till the Decree came forth Zeph. 2. 1 2 3. Now my fierce anger is comming upon you c. 3. It shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah then for you Mat. 10. 15. and Mat. 11. 24. Good had it been for you if ye had never been born or at least if ye had not been invited or waited upon by me 4. Ye sought not unto me untill ye had abused my patience so as to weary me so as that I could bear no longer Jer. 15. 6. Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord and gone backward therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee for I am weary with repenting Jer. 44. 22. So that the Lord could no longer beare because of the evill of their doings 5. They did never heartily seek to me untill I had said none of those which were bidden should tast of my Supper Luke 14. 24. and sworn surely they shall not enter into my rest Psal 95. 11. and therefore Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Do ye think ô ye rebellious souls that I would have cast the Angels out of Heaven for one sin and spare you who are guilty of so many millions of sins did not one sin make Saul lose his Kingdome and Esau his Birth-right And how can ye escape seeing ye have judging your selves unworthy of eternall life in neglecting so great salvation I am sure I have waited upon some of you ten twenty thirty fourty fifty years or upwards ô ye stout-hearted sinners that are far from righteousness O ye damned souls I will set your sins in order before your sight with the number nature aggravations and circumstances that ye may be your own Judges and so despaire with Cain and hang your selves with your Cousin Judas Are ye come now it is too late to my Supper without a Wedding Garment Go mine Angels binde them in chains and cast them into utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 22. 12. 17. For they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and have digged themselves pits even broken pits that can hold no water Jer. 2. 13. If ye would then if ye could give all the world to recall one day againe that ye have mispent ye cannot have it your sins against mercy will bring the greatest misery ye have spun fair threads in going on from folly to folly untill ye are ripe for eternall misery from which there is no redemption for sin and punishment are linked together Ye have been wicked and ye must be tormented Oh condemned souls Did ye never read that in all ages I have severely punished sin in mine own people in Covenant with me and as dear to me as the apple of mine eye and yet think ye that I would spare you did ye never read Mat. 12. 36. That For every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of Judgement And do ye think to be freed who are guilty of the breach of every command 1. Consider to your torment That whereas I have promised to pardon the sins of my people so I have pronounced that your sinnes shall not be pardoned Isaiah 22. 14. Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye dye saith the Lord God of Hosts Ezek. 24. 13. Because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee See Heb. 10. 29. and Numb 15. 31. 2. Whereas the Lord is able to bring in the mercy promised to his people as we have held forth at large so he is able to bring all the plagues threatned upon all unbelievers Mat. 10. 28. to destroy soule and body 3. And whereas the Lord is mindfull of the mercies promised to his people so he is as mindfull of the judgements threatned against his enemyes See Eccles 8. 12 13. 4. Whereas he is faithfull to do all that he hath said for his people so he is as just in pouring out the vialls of his wrath upon obstinate stout-hearted sinners 1 Sam. 3. 14. 5. Whereas the Lord hath covenanted to and with his people to assure them that he will not faile them so also hath he entred into Covenant with all unrighteous people that he will ease himselfe of them his adversaries and avenge himselfe on his enemyes Isaiah 1. 24. and bring upon them all the curses of the Covenant as in Deut. 29. 21. 6. Whereas the Almighty God hath sworn that he will make good all things to his people in Covenant with him and withhold no good thing from them So he hath sworne that the iniquity of those wilfull opposers and neglecters of him shall never be purged with Sacrifice nor Offerings for ever 1 Sam. 3. 14. Yea The Lord hath sworne in his wrath that they shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. 11. Behold here is the portion of all filthy dreamers Jude ver 8. Loe here is the reward of all Raging waves of the Sea foming out their owne shame wandring Starrs to whom is reserved the mist of darknesse for ever Jude 12 13. Loe these are those naturall bruite-beasts made to be taken and destroyed Speaking evill of the things that they understand not and so shall utterly perish in their own corruptions These are those wells without water clouds that are carryed with every tempest to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2. 12. 17. c. Ye Serpents saith Christ how can ye escape the damnation of Hell Mat. 23. 33. The Lord in Scripture giveth a man a name suitable to his nature The Scripture calleth them Lyons for their fiercenesse and Bears for their cruelty and Dragons for their hideousnesse and Doggs for their filthinesse and Wolves for their subtilenesse In a word the Spirit of God styleth them Scorpions Vipers Thornes Bryars Thistles Brambles Stubble Dust Chaffe Dirt Drosse Smoak Scumme Loe here are your titles of honour O ye great ones that stand so much upon your gentility and look so big to jet up and down the Streets Isa 23. 9. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed to stayne the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Oh ye that fare deliciously every day ye must goe to Hell with your Brother Dives Oh ye that adorne a stinking carcase with the best aray and Lord it over your brethren ye are most of you the poorest men in the world for all that ye thinke your selves rich A wicked man though a Gentleman is the poorest needyest man in the world for he wanteth trust in God Christ the Spirit the Promises the Covenant of grace he wanteth peace of Conscience and peace with God he wanteth acceptation and reconciliation with God he wanteth righteousnesse justification adoption
rich and miserable with Dives Oh! I see I see that one storm at Sea one coale of Fire one false Friend one unadvised word one false Witness may make a rich man a Beggar and a Prisoner altogether Surely if this had been considered some things had been reformed that were not Did you never read Psal 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighs of the poore I will up saith the Lord and will set at liberty c. And in Psalm 146. 9. The Lord keepeth the Stranger he relieveth the Fatherlesse and Widow c. Did you not know that the oppression of the poor which was so great in the midst of us would pull down the judgement of God upon the heads of those that had power to relieve them and would not May not many of you hereafter say as Philip the third of Spain whose life was free from gross evils being in the Agony of death fear struck into him and these words burst from him Oh would to God I had never reigned Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God and not opprest the people What doth all my honour profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my death My day of account is very neere and all men shall know and feel that the sleeping of vengeance causeth the overflowing of sin and the overflowing of oppression causeth the overflowing of vengeance Abused oportunity will most certainly turn into fury for Gods long forbearance is no acquittance the day is at hand when he will pay negligent men and women for mispending precious time and for the abuse of new and old mercies in the day of account Mens actions are all in print and they shall be read aloud in the eares of all the world that all the righteous Nation that shall enter in may say Amen to that righteous Sentence that Christ shall pass upon all those that had a prize put into their hands to mind his glory and to unload his people of their heavy burthens that the oppressed might go free but they had no heart to it as in the Proverbs But instead thereof sought great things for themselves as in Jer. 45. 5. Nay though Moses and Aaron two choice Christians and Champions did lead and govern Israel for a long time notwithstanding many dangers and difficulties yet they were at last shut out of Canaan because they did not sanctifie the Lord God at the water of Meribah Deut. 32. 15. and Numb 27. 14 15. For ye were disobedient unto my Word in the strife of the Assembly c. A word of Advice to the present Supream Authority of ENGLAND c. Most noble and honoured Sirs WHom God even the God of the spirits of all flesh hath at present intrusted with the highest places not only in the Field but also in the seat of Justice My prayers to God for you are that the Lord would make you rather gracious and inwardly holy then outwardly happy and give you a spirit of divine wisdome and valour suitable to the work that lyeth before you that ye may improve the present oportunity that is put into your hands for the glory of God that gave it you Consider the presence of the Lord is in the midst of you the prayers of his Saints and Servants are continually poured out for you the eyes of the people are upon you all expecting some great things to be done by you yea and the other parts of the world look upon you if ye go on in a way of righteousness they will follow you It will be a glory for the English Nation to give a blessed example to all the people of the earth to free themselves from tyranny and slavery If a worm might be thought worthy to advise you then give me leave to tell you there is but one thing in the main that God and his people doe expect from you viz. That ye would eye the Lord Jesus in all your actings and advance his Kingdome as much as in you lyeth and if this be uppermost in your hearts first in your thoughts and most constant in your purposes so that ye do in your judgements prefer and in your wills deliberately mind the glory of God the advancement of the Kingdome of his dear Son by the assistance of his holy Spirit then shall the work of the Lord prosper in your hands and the day shall be light before you and his footsteps that are not yet known shall be discovered to you and ye shall see your work before you Christ was once humbled that we might be exalted let him now be exalted that we might willingly be humbled by him although he be willing to give you grace yet his glory he will not give to any other Let it be a comfort for you that he hath exalted you in the hearts of his people although you are a table-talk and a by-word and a scorn in the hearts and by the tongues of his enemies Well would you stand your selves now others are fallen and not only keep but also add to the honour which God hath given you Then make it your business to exalt the Kingdome of Christ not only in your selves but also in this and the neighbouring Nations and remember that the rock of ages pulleth down some to the end that others might not exalt themselves when they are in power for the Lord hath decreed to stain the pride of all earthly honour and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth that so all flesh might be humbled and the Lord alone exalted therefore seek not ye great things for your selves as many of those that went before you lest ye be laid aside and no eye pitty you Provide nothing more for your selves then ye have I beseech you but to seek for the honour of Christ and the freedome of the Saints and these Nations wherein your owne freedomes and safeties are involved Consider that the Lord hath hitherto made some of you friends to his people and a terrour to their and his enemies and our prayer to the Lord is that he would teach you as once he did good Nehemiah to do many years hard service freely because the payments were heavy upon their fellow creatures as you may see in Neh. 5. 14. 18. That ye may say as that servant of Christ did to the glory of God and the shame of the former self-seeking powers ver 15. But the former Governours that had been before me were chargable unto the people and had taken of them their Bread and Wine besides fourty shekels of Silver but so did not I said this good man because of the feare of the Lord. I have but a few things more to begg of you as upon my bended knees and with weeping eyes which if ye will but hear and grant it may make much for the glory of God the honour of the three Nations and the Comfort of your owne Souls The first thing is that
ye would set some time and persons apart to heare and receive the private petitions and grievances of the poor Widows and Fatherless so much neglected by the former power for they have poured out their complaints in the midst of their wants and their cry came up before the Lord before the dissolving of the late Parliament Consider I request you That the earth and all thereen is the Lords not our Store-house and ye are at present his Stewards wherefore as in Prov. 3. 7. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it So in the end ye shall be able to say with Job That ye have not withheld the poore from their desire nor caused the eyes of the Widow and Fatherless to faile nor seen any perish for want of cloathing nor seen any poore in the streets without covering I could almost say to you as once Abraham did to the Lord Gen. 18. 27. Behold now I have taken upon me to speak which am but dust and ashes I would begg leave to present a few things more to your serious consideration The next thing is That when ye make inquisition for ravening wolves prophesied of by Christ and his Apostles Mat. 7. 15. compared with Acts 20. 29. that come to us in Sheeps cloathing that ye would not do as the late Parliament did stop the Wolf's mouth in one Town and let him go and devour or at least deceive the Sheep in another if he be adjudged unfit to bite or devour in one place let him be held as unfit in another lest ye should do as if in effect they did put out the fire in Canne and send it to Marlborough or endeavour to stop the plague in Bristoll by sending the infected persons to London The next thing that I would begg of you for this poor nation is That whereas the last Power did promise much and perform little be ye more like God I both humbly and earnestly request you by promising less then ye intend to perform that ye may appeare to us in very deed to be like him He promised the Children of Israel only the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two other Kingdomes which he never did promise to give them And to Zacharias Luke 1. 20. He promised to give him his Speech again at the Birth of the Child but beside that he gave him the gift of prophesie so that as Paul saith He can give and do abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think And yet that say ye abide in him ought so to walk as ye have him for an example See Eph. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 2. 6. The next thing I would beseech of you most noble and honoured Senators is this That ye would endeavour to unite all the Saints sound in the Faith to an union in the spirit of Love Though England be but as a garden to the whole world all the people in it but a handfull and scarce one of twenty of this handfull godly men yet were these few Saints united by the blessed Spirit so as their hearts might agree together as touching any thing they ought to ask and were so well affected to lift up one voice and one heart according to the will of God they would have the things they ask so as nothing should be too hard for them to do all the world could not stand before them nor undermine them for they would be wise in the Lords wisdome and strong in him and in the power of his might Shall Herod and Pilate agree Turks and Pagans agree Beares and Lyons agree Tygers and Wolves agree and shall not Saints agree If the Saints were but once united Antichrist would soone be destroyed Oh let not our Supream Power under God be angry and I will speak but this once Oh let me then say to you as once Mordecai did to Hester Hest 4. 14. If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall their enlargement come and deliverance arise from another place or power but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time as this And under correction let me tell you the work is the Lords and if ye will not carry it on he will lay you aside with shame and raise up those that he will own and bless And whereas most of the Godly people in England are crying mightily to God for you to purge out self-seeking and to plant a spirit of Government in you and to furnish you with naturall and spirituall abilities suitable to the work that lyeth before you but if ye begin to flag as the former power did and so let the work stick in the Birth and every one minding his owne things not the things of Jesus Christ then let me tell you that all the Lords people in England and the other Nations will be praying to him and wrestling with him and give him no rest night nor day till the Lord turne you also out of doores and bring in those that he will own and bless FINIS A Table shewing the principall things in this TREATISE OF the state of Nature 1 Of the state of Grace ibid. The severall degrees in each of these states ibid. How a soul yet in the state of Nature may be brought to Christ 2 Which is first in the soul Faith or Repentance fully discovered 12 A great question answered why doth the righteous God promise life to him that doth believe and threaten eternall death to them that do not believe seeing that it is not in the power of the Creature to believe And there are five reasons for it 17 Conviction goeth alwayes with Conversion 18 Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins go together ibid. Many sweet promises made to a soul convinced of sinne 19 20 One and twenty stumbling-blocks cast in a Christians way to Heaven by the World Flesh and Devil 21 What those blocks are and how to remove them 22 The first stumbling-block cast in the way is to cause a soule to question whether the Scriptures be the Word of God 23 Proved by five Arguments that they are the Word of God 24 The second stumbling-block is that the Scriptures are corrupted by a spirit of ignorance and self-ends in the Translators 25 Proved that the generality of Scriptures are truly clearely faithfully translated ibid. The third stumbling-block cast in the way is that the promises were made to the Jews and Gentiles heretofore in being What hath any man to do to apply them now 26 Proved by severall Testimonies in holy writ that the people now in being may and ought to apply the promises as well as they 27 The fourth stumbling-block cast in the way is that I know not what the Scriptures mean they are to be understood in a spiritual sence the Book is sealed 28 Proved that the same God that hath commanded us to read
THE WAY TO HEAVEN DISCOVERED And The Stumbling-blocks cast therein by the World Flesh and Devill removed OR The ready way to true Happines Leading to the Gate of Full assurance WITH A word of Reproof to the scattered discontented Members of the late Parliament And a word of Advise to the present Supreme Authority of ENGLAND By ROBERT PURNELL MAT. 23. 13. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees for ye shut up the kingdome of heaven ye neither goe in your selves nor suffer them that are entring to goe in ISA. 57. 14. Take up the stumbling-blocks out of the way of my people Printed for William Ballard of Bristol and are sold by J. Grismond in Ivie-lane London 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE Impartiall READER Unbyased Reader THe Lord by the Prophet Isa 57. 14. ver latter part saith Take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people that so they may walke as Jer. 31. 9. in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble Mal. 2. 8. But contrary to this not onely the World Flesh and Devill but many of the leaders of the people have cast blocks in the way and caused many to stumble not minding the commands of Christ by Paul Rom. 14. 13. Let no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way I have endeavoured in this ensuing Discourse or Treatise to remove those stumbling blocks that by experience I have found cast in mine own way either by the World Flesh or Devill which in some measure are now removed and my desire is that I might be an assistant to others that have not these blocks removed which is my end in presenting these things to publick view that which I have received by immediate inspiration and mediate Declarations viz. some of those things I learned in reading the Scriptures some in hearing the word preached some in conference amongst Christians some in reading the writings of godly men but I have not as I know of written one line received from either of these but that and onely that which I have not onely heard but heard and seene by experience in mine own soule so that the things are living upon mine own spirit and I doubt not but that the spirits of many shall be refreshed by it when it commeth to publick view and I could wish that those that have greater measures of light would undertake to write more distinctly clearly in order to the removing of these stumbling blocks or any other blocks cast in our way by our soule-murthering enemies especially in these dividing dayes wherein men make it their great worke to cast stumbling-blocks one in anothers way so that while we are contesting about the garment of Religion the power thereof is much abated Men dispute for Honour sake and Victory sake not for truths sake and in the meane time many poore drooping soules lye languishing and the enemies of Christ and his Kingdome rejoycing and the soules of most starving our Gospell is turned into a Covenant of workes by our Legallists or else into a doctrine of Licentiousnesse by our new upstart wantons I meane the Raunters and Hypocriticall dissemblers and Vice-advancers and Ordinances for sakers who like swarmes of Drone Bees are buzzing in our eares whose dayes are ending and plagues be coming as in 2 Pet. 2. 10 12 13 15 17 18 19 21 22. But for all ye whose hearts are upright with the Lord the time is at hand when the reproach and contempt that is now cast upon you shall be quite taken away for your Father will make you the head and not the tayle as doth appeare by these Scriptures Isa 62. 8 9. Joel 2. 23 24. Mich. 4. 4. Amos 9. 13 14. Zech. 8. 12. Isa 41. 18 19. Jer. 31. 12. Isa 30. 23. Isa 55. 13. and Isay 66. 6 7. and 65. 21 22. and 61. 4. and 60. 10. c. Those contemptible despised Saints that now many doe thrust sorely at and others look a squint upon some shut the doore against others turn their backs upon and most of men do either neglect them or despise them But Oh! poor Saints lift up your heads your redemptirn draweth nigh ye shall receive of his fulnesse grace for grace what soever grace there is in Christ there is the like stamped upon every true Christian Is Jesus Christ called the beloved of God so are the Saints too Is he called the Son of God the Saints are also called the Sons of God Is Christ called Heire the Saints are said to be Heirs coheires with Christ Is he said to be elect and precious so are the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 2. Is he called the light of the world the true light they are called also light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Is he said to be sanctified So are the Saints also For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Iohn 17. 19. Is he said to be full of Grace and Truth so are the Saints too some of them as Stephen full of Grace Acts 7. 55. and Mary full of Grace Thus doth the Lord honour those that doe honour him with such titles of honour and the consideration of this doth put the Soule upon Spirituall duties from Spirituall principles as from the sence of Divine love that doth constraine the soule to wait on God and to act for God Rom. 6. 1. How shall we that are dead to sinne live any longer therein So againe I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God c. Rom. 12. 1. So John These things I write unto you that ye sin not What was it that he wrote He wrote that we have fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and that the bloud of Christ clenseth us from all sinne And that if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and that if we sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous These choise favours and mercies the Apostle holds forth as the chiefest meanes to preserve the soule from sinne There is nothing in the world that renders a man more unlike a Saint and more like to Sathan then to argue from mercy to sinfull liberty from Divine goodnesse to licentiousnesse which is the Devills Logick The love of Christ being placed in us the same love will be constraining of us to have all our conversations and wilkings to be ordered as becometh children of such a Father the members of such a body the Heyres of such promises the Temples of such a Holy Ghost and the hearing and believing then of what God hath done for us in Christ is the most prevailing meanes of drawing men in to believe in Christ Rom. 5. 9 10. God hath commended his love to us in this that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us and so a right trusting in him springeth from the very power of his Holy Spirit
dust of their feet against them Acts 18. 6 7. 4. That we might apply our selves unto God in the use of those meanes that he hath appointed for the working of faith in us Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth unto everlasting life Isa 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me hear and your soule shall live 5. That we might wholly deny our selves and search and by searching finde in the Covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to beleeve whatsoever is required to be beleeved Rom. 10. 17. Joh. 5. 39. Psal 119. 9 98 99 104 105. Rom. 4. 6. The soul being brought thus far on his journey toward heaven as 1. To be powerfully convinced by the Spirit of God as in Joh. 16. 8. this Spirit doth convince us of our own naturall misery and of Christs supernaturall al-sufficiency to remove it In the next place the soul begins to enquire after a remedy and finds that there is no other name given under heaven whereby it can be saved but by Christ alone so the soul begins to hear what Christ saith in his Word to poor sinners Mat. 11. 28. Come to me saith Christ I will give thee rest Isa 55. 7. I will abundantly pardon thee Isa 55. 1. Come come come to me saith Christ Revel 22. 17. Take the water of life freely If thou doest confesse and forsake thy sin thou shalt finde mercy Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Nay if thou canst not forsake them if thou dost but truly confesse them he will pardon thee Jer. 3. 13. Mica 7. 18. 19. But if thou finde not the conditions of the promise wrought in thee then apply those absolute promises that are made without condition viz. They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. And I will blot out all thy sins for my own Name sake Isa 43. 25. Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more I will sprinckle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ezek. 36. 25. and again I will give you a new heart and take away the stony heart Ezek. 36. 26. Isa 48. 9. 28. 11. Dan. 9. 17. 1 Joh. 1. 1 2. He the Lord Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins Heb. 8. 12. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sins will I remember no more Rom. 5. 20. Where sinne abounded grate did much more abaund Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly 2. Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Isa 5. 3. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own selfe bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto him should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed Now all this is written that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us as in Heb. 6. 18. and so sit down quiet in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. In a word Our heavenly Father hath made his Will and given us poor undone sinners great wealth rich possessions and large legacies so that all his children are great heires Rom. 8. 17. Wherefore we ought to have an unshaken expectation and a frequent seeking for all that is promised and not to suffer the heavenly Father to purse or keep a penny that is due but he shall be sure to hear of his promise made to us in his Will and Covenant and if he do not presently give in according to Covenant let us draw a petition and preserre it in the Court of heaven where we have an Advocate prepared Jesus Christ the righteous to plead thy cause without a see 1 Joh. 2. 1. Isa 43. 25. Now when a soul begins to clear up and to beleeve and apply these and the like pretious promises the Devill comes in as a roaring Lyon like a Jaylor that hath lost a prisoner the World comes and holds forth her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure to a lure the soul to returne to its first state of security and so both the World and the Dâ—vill lay siege against our owne misgiving hearts and so all three bending their forces together to cheat the soule or at last to ingage the whole man to put a stop to this blessed worke they begin againe to cheat the soule under more specious pretences covering all the grosse sins flowing from the deceitfull heart with the mantle of Religion and so promise the soule peace and bring it into trouble promise it honour and bring it to disgrace promise it liberty and bring it into bondage promise the soule life and bring it to death and so hide pride under the name of decencie and bring in Covetousnesse under the name of good husbandry clothe Drunkennesse under the name of good fellowship and hide Frowardnesse under the name of Zeale so that sin sings to us and sinks us it kisseth us and betrays us Who would imagine that whiles a man cries out against Pride Covetousnesse Cruelty Treason Heresie Blasphemy c. that he himselfe should be the spring from whence these issue In a word a man may as well tell the starres and number the sands of the sea as reckon up all the deceits in ones own heart At length the poore soule is awakened again and begins to see it is cheated on every side and so breaks forth in these or the like words thoughts or both Well saith the poor soule you have convinced me of sinne or rather the Spirit of God in the of reading the forementioned Scriptures and you have also laid before me the remedy but unlesse you can as an instrument in Gods hand take away all the stumbling blocks that are in my way to heaven I see I shall do nothing but fall for the Devill is ever and anone casting a stumbling block in my way and so doeth the World and so doth my owne deceitfull desperate wicked heart my worst enemy of all that I no sooner have gotten over one stumbling block but another is laid in my way and I walk in the dark and see little or no light and so am ready to fall over every block and my falling so often doth make me so weak that I fear I shall fall so long that I shall never be able to rise again see in Psal 140. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 8.
or what to thinke of it I know not only this I know that all those that live without God in the World and die in ignorance shall never goe to heaven 1 Thess 2. 8. Answ I must confesse if a man should goe about to know what God is by those definitions and descriptions that most men give of God a man may spend all his dayes in learning and yet die in ignorance So confused are most mens notions of God some declaring him to be that which he is not and others saying he is not what he is And for mine own part I can speak by sad experience who was my selfe about 14. years since at such a losse in my soul about this very thing that had not he that doth live in that inaccessible light that no mortall eye can approâ—h unto satisfyed my soul in some measure I had been mad for I was in that condition for the space of one moneth during which time I remained restlesse in my soul and sometimes felt the flames of hell burning within me as it were then I felt what a wounded conscience was and could say by experience who can beare it Well I set my selfe sometimes to reading severall Authours upon the attributes of God and the more I sought after the knowledge of him there the more ignorant I saw my selfe of him I inquired also of many Ministers and of some Antient professors but they could make out but little to my understanding at last I went to another Minister Mr. Stubbs by name and declared to him my condition and after a little serious consideration he gave me a milde and tender answer as one that did sympathise with me in my misery and as he was speaking to me or within few houres after my spirit was finely calmed and my trouble abated The substance of what he said unto me was in these two heads First that whereas I was so troubled that I did not know God he said that neither I nor any man under heaven did know him so as we ought to know him and as hereafter we shall know him Paul himselfe said he knew but in part Secondly he further said this my ignorance of God is not a willing ignorance and God never comes in flaming fire rendring vengeance upon those that are willing to know him but he comes to render vengeance upon those that are willingly ignorant of him With these and such like words the Lord was pleased to calme those stormes that were within me which mercy I trust I shall never forget c. And to proceed for the removing of this stumbling blocke that God hath in mercy removed from me Consider that God in himselfe is wonderfull and God in Christ is wonderfull see Isa 9. 6. Father and Son in the Spirit is wonderfull the Fathers wayes are in tho deep the Sonnes wayes are in the deep the holy Ghosts wayes are in the deep and so their foot-steps are not known Psal 77. 19. If any aske How can these be three and yet but one God I answer great is the mystery the Sonne in the Father and the Father in the Sonne and the Spirit of truth which is sent by the Father and the Sonne Joh. 14. 11. with 15. 26. 14. 26. God is incomprehensible there is something in Gods essence not to be inquired into and there are some things that may be known of God and some things not Rom. 1. 20. Of his great and glorious being we can see but the glimmerings Exod. 33. 20 23. No man can see and know him as he is and live in this sinfull body we may admire his essence but not comprehend it Rom. 11. 33. It is life eternall to know him as we may read Joh. 17. 3. But he dwelleth in that light that no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see 1 Tim. 6 16. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. And as he is immortall so he is invisible 1 Tim. 1. 17. 1 Joh. 4. 12. But more particularly how can these be three and yet but one God I answer they are distinguished not divided they be distinguished into Father Son and holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that beare record and these three are one he is so eternall as is nâ—t onely without beginning and ending but by and in him all things begin and end For the further clearing hereof Consider at the first the Lord made man of the dust of the earth and breathed in him the breath of life and he became a living soul and in this soul there is a spirituall substance as is God but finit and not being of it selfe so is not God the Lord stamped his owne likenesse of an holy Trinity in Unity and of an holy Unity in Trinity as the soul is but one essence yet there ariseth three diverse faculties in that one substance first there is the Minde secondly there is the Will thirdly there is the power of doing or working the minde conceiveth and understandeth things the will affecteth the object according as the minde first conceiveth of the thing and from this minde conceiving and will affecting there proceedeth the working power by which something is done the minde so conceiving resembleth the Father the will having his affections begotten by the minde conception resembleth the Son begotten of Father and the power of doing proceeding both from the minde and will resembleth the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son and as these three Father Son and Spirit make but one God so these three faculties doe make but one spirituall substance or soul But as the Father worketh not without the Son nor the holy Ghost without the Father and the Son so neither doth the minde or will or working power effect any thing apart but joyntly together yet as we attribute Creation to the Father Redemption to the Son Illumination to the Spirit so to the minde we attribute understanding to the will we attribute both well or ill affecting and to the working power we attribute the thing wrought or done And as in that one God no person is before or after another in time but only in order so neither in that one soul is the minde before the will in time nor the working power behinde them in time for the power of working is before the thing wrought There is no distinction but only in order for there is no sooner the soule in the body but there exist all them three and without any one of them the soul cannot be If any demand who created all things I answer God Who redeemeth man fallen God Who doth inlighten man God yet there are not three but one God So if any man demand What is that in me that understandeth I answer the soul What is that willeth or affecteth any thing I answer the soul What is that whereby I am
cups out of which you drink on the bed-steeds where you lye on the wals of the house where you dwell on the garments which you wear and on the foreheads of all them whom ye meet and on your own selves in every member of your body and faculty of the soul Psal 39. 5. Every man at his best estate is vanity Where is the glory of Solomon the sumptuous buildings of Nebuchadnezzar the nine hundred Chariots of Sicera the power of Alexander the authority of Augustus that commanded the whole world to be taxed all these at their best estates weâ—e but vanity nay take Solomon for beauty Samson for strength Achitophell for policy Haman for favour Ahasael for swiftnesse Alexander for great conquests and yet all these at their best estate are altogether vanity Wherefore centre not in any creature comfort take not up thy rest in any thing be this side God the God of rest and peace for all is mutable that hath the name of creature upon it only the Creator is immutable and unchangeable in all that he saith or doth if he be once a Father he will be ever a Father if once a Friend he will be ever a Friend if he once love thee he will never hate thee and for this ground it is we are commanded to love him with a supreme love if we love father mother wife or children more then he we be not worthy of him nay we cannot be his disciples unlesse we in a sense hate all theâ—e for his sake Luk. 14. 26. Moses desired to see the Lord that he might know him more perfectly and the Lord told him Exod. 33. 20. Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live and Paul renders the reason of this 1 Tim. 6. 16. who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see in a word man is so vailed and clouded and narrow spirited that at the highest degree he can know God but only in his attributes and that but in part neither for he is wonderfull in every attribute and as the Prophet saith such knowledge is too wonderfull for me wherefore to winde up all and for the removing of this stumbling block endevour to beleeve in one God Father of all and in one Lord Jesus Christ redeemer of all and in one sanctifying Spirit of grace it is the office of the Father to Elect the office of thâ— Sonne to Redeem and the office of the Holy Ghost to Sanctifâ—e those and only those whom the Father hath elected and the Sonne redeemed Endevour in the Name of the Lord to see the Father love thee freely and the Sonne manifesting that unto thee and the Spirit beginning to evidence it in thee further endevour to see that the Father loves thee as redeemed by the Sonne the Sonne looks upon thee and loves thee as being given by the Father for him to redeem and the Holy Ghost seeing the love of the Father in choosing thee and the love of the Sonne in redeeming thee he also sets his love upon thee and will shortly manifest it unto thee and evidence it in thee this is that intenall eternall Word by which all things were made supported ruled quickned enlightned and judged this glorious infinite wisdome was vailed in flesh and so God manifest in the flesh was the mirror of Angels the terrour of Devils the expectation of the new creation in a word it is as easie to compasse the heaven with a span and to contain the sea in a nut-shell as to apprehend or comprehend this internall eternall being in the fulnesse thereof we may as soon fill a bag with wisdome and a chest with virtue and a circle with a triangle as the heart of man with the knowledge of God man may have some glimerings and know him in part and this is life eternall but dark man is so narrow spirited that in all things God is above him he saith of himself to man My waies are not your waies nor my thoughts your thoughts for as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my thoughts above your thoâ—ghts and my waies above your waies Isai 55. 9. as if the Lord had said there is as vast a difference between my knowledge of you and your knowledge of me as there is distance between the heaven and the earth my dispositions and dealings both for mercy and goodnesse and for firmnesse and faithfulnesse are as farre above your understanding as the highest heavens are above the very centre of the earth and farre higher for the one is unmeasurable yet finite whereas the other because infinite is for greatnesse and amplitude and immensity inconceivable The best of men that have bowels of compassion some tender heartednesse some ingenuity and readinesse to remit a wrong or some firmnesse or faithfulnesse in making good what they promise what is all this to that which is in God for so much as God is above man in point of Majesty so he is above man in mercy he is a guide to lead you a staffe to uphold you a cordiall to strengthen you a plaister to heal you he will stand you in stead when friends forsake you he is as swift to shew mercy as he is slow to anger he will carry you through the hardest services with the greatest swiftnesse if he give us more knowledge of him we shall live more upon him and delight more in him and be more conformable unto him true happinesse lies only in our injoyment of a sutable good a pure good a totall good an eternall good and God is only such a good the treasure of the Saints is the knowledge of God the presence of God the favour of God union and communion with God the pardon of sin the joy of the Spirit and peace of conscience all which câ—mes into the soule by the knowledge of Christ and is clouded again in the absence of Christ a man wiâ—hout this knowledge of Christ and God is as a workman without hands a painter without eyes a traveller without legs a ship without sails or a bird without wings or as a body without a soul all our discouragements doe flow from our ignorance and want of faith in this Almighty God viz. it springs from our ignorance of the riches freenesse fulnesse and everlastingnesse of Gods love or from our ignorance of the power glory sufficiency and efficacy of the death and of the sufferings of Christ Jesus our Lord or from our ignorance of the worth glory fulnesse and compleatnesse of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ or from our ignorance of that reall close spirituall glorious and inseparable union that there is between Christ and our precious souls To drive further into this mystery time would fail me strength fail me light would fail me I doe rather lispe then speak in the things of God and therefore must I needs stammer in so mysterious a point as this
13. 1. 2. A good Conscience purged from dead workes to serve the living God 3. Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now faith may be said to be unfained when it hath the true nature of faith of assenting to the truth revealed and applying particularly those truthes assented to 3. For forme and manner do things required in such sort as God requires them not only doing good things but doing them well 1. Spiritually and heartily with heart and spirit not with body only this God requires Proverb 23. 26. My sonne give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes Joh. 4. 24. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 1. 9. God abhorres all other services Matth. 12. 7 8. Ezek. 33. 31 32. 2. Sincerely and uprightly as in the sight of God Gen. 17. 1. God said to Abraham Walke before me and be perfit 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 3. Constantly perseverance in well doing crownes well doing Psal 1. 2. In his law doth he meditate day and night Psal 92. 14. They shall still bring forth fruite Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patience continuing in well-doing 4. Obediently because God commands it therefore in conscience and love to the command obedience is performed as in Noah Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being warned of God prepared an Arke Heb. 11. 8. By faith Abraham obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went So we might instance in David Psal 40. 8. and Paul Rom. 7. 22. 5. Vniversally without reservations and exceptions Hypocrites may doe many things as Jehu 2 Kings 10. 30 31. Herod Marke 6. 20. But an upright heart hath respect to all things required as we may see and read in David Psal 119. 6. Caleb Num. 14. 24. Zachariah and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. Now O Christian dost thou practise or performe the things required spiritually sincerely obediently universally and constantly If so then thy righteousnesse in the practicall part doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees 4. And Lastly dost thou do the thing commanded for right ends viz. Gods glory primarily 2 Cor. 10. 41. Thine owne and others spirituall or eternall good Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 2 3 4. Low and base ends spoyle the highest undertakings as we may see in Jehu 2 Kings 10. and the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 6. 15 16. and Saul 1 Sam. 15. 30. Now then lay these foure things together upon thy heart and state the question to thy owne soule Soule I charge thee in the presence of the Allmighty God as thou shalt answer at the last dreadfull day of Judgement dost thou looke to the principle from which thou dost act and to the matter and to the manner and to the ends and art thou pure in all this in some measure then let me tell thee thy righteousnesse doth exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees both in the doctrinall part and in the practicall part for they act from a corrupt principle and for base ends to be seen of men and so the righteousnesse of the Scribes cannot justifie a poore soule because it doth crosse the ends of the Lord in giving the Law the Lord gave the law to shew people their sinne and the judgements thereunto due Again it cannot justifie a sinner because then it would frustrate the death of Christ then Christ dyed in vaine XIX The nineteenth stumbling block Oh! but for all this I feare I have but a forme of Godlinesse and so shall not be saved for I find my selfe apt to look more upon gifts then upon grace upon law then upon Gospell upon a forme more then upon the power of Godlinesse Oh! I shall bâ—tray Christ with Judas or embrace the present world with Demas I have but only tasted of the Heavenly gift Heb. 6. 4. Note it is not said to have eaten or drunken but only tasted that is I have had some kinde of relish or small sense by a temporary faith of the excellency of Christ I have but onely tasted of the good word of God as those cast-awayes did Heb. 6. 5. And so again I have tasted of the powers of the World to come but alas I see I have only a name to live though in truth I am dead I live in a forme but I want the power of Godlinesse I have deceived my selfe and others have been deceived by me and the Lord alone knowes what will become of me Answ The Devill hath many wayes to keep poor soules in a sad doubting and questioning condition sometimes by suggesting that their graces are not true but counterfeit sometimes by tempting men to cast off all formes as things too low for strong Saints at least to make use of and sometimes by making men to rest or satisfie themselves in a forme without the power and by this Dragons taile a third part of men and women are deceived see Revel 12. 4. All men that would walke with God and worship him in spirit take heed of formality in all holy duties take pains with your hearts in them labour for the power of Godlinesse strive to get up to God in them it were well if when we did performe holy duties we did but keep close to the duty it selfe few goe so farre but it is one thing to keepe close to the duty and another thing to keep close to God in the duty to finde God in all duties that we wait upon him in and in the use of all ordinances to take paines to finde God there and not to satisfie and quiet our hearts except we finde God in the duties that we performe We have a full Scripture for this Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee that is where ever there is any Ordinance or any holy duty to be performed there is a recording of Gods name and saith he I will come unto thee and there I will blesse thee if you would finde God you must goe where God is promised to be manifested and that is in the way of his ordinances when men come to rest in a forme as most do they never honour their profession they have little comfort to their own souls they goe on in a dead heartlesse condition they know not what it is to have communion with God It may be thou hast prayed preached conferred meditated but have you been in heaven that while what converse with God have you had there Oh take heed of formality it will drown men in perdition even when they expect salvation but now a Christian that can but chatter to God and speake a few broken words and halfe sentences yet if he doth not rest in formality he may have much converse with God whereas others that have excellent parts yet resting in the worke done never knowe what the meaning is of having communion and fellowship with the Father and the Sonne and Saints in the spirit they are just such a people spoken to in
power but of God 2. In a sense warily understood there is a power in every creature 1. There is no power but of God essentially originally or habitually 2. There is a power in every creature distributively and virtually by way of participation Now there is no power in any beneath God himself essentially and originally in this sense all creatures are powerlesse and strengthlesse but then in the second place as God in whom all power is hath impowered man so farre man hath a power and although this talent or talents was given him by the Lord and was the Lords yet it being given man it becomes his and is called mans and God at the last commends or condemns the party for improving or not improving this power bestowed on him to speak after the manner of men let us then consider the most inconsiderable creatures as the Swallow the Pismire the Crane and the Sparrow all these have received a power from God and hath God given no power to man whom he hath made Lord of all these creatures Man hath a great power over the beasts for man is a superiour but the beasts themselves have a great deal of power over the grasse and hearbs for the beast is the superiour In a word if the Scriptures shall be our rule and the Spirit our guide and the glory of God our aime then the Scripture holds forth a twofold power that is distributed or given forth to the creature the first is common to all the second is proper only to some The first is naturall the second is spirituall The naturall power is given forth universally to every mothers sonne and daughter of us as one talent which we ought not to hide in a napkin so Pilat had received power as Christ tels him Joh. 19. 10 11. Again have any of us done so much good or refrained so much evill as we might have done See Heb. 5. 12. see Jer. 35. 6. 18 19. Yea the worst of all created creatures the Devill himself hath a power First he hath the power of conquest for in Adams fall Satan conquered the whole world all mankinde they were the Devils conquest upon the fall so that when a man is converted then he is said to come out of the Kingdome of Satan but since this head doth begin to be bruised he cannot doe all things without leave There was a speciall temptation upon the countrey in his running their heard of swine into the sea and he had leave for that before he did it there was a speciall temptation upon Ahab in the lying spirit of the Prophets and he had a speciall leave and permission from God there was a speciall temptation coming down upon the Disciples and he would have had leave for that Simon Simon Satan hath desired you he was fain to aske leave before he can execute his power he is called in Scripture The Prince of the power of the aire the same words that are given unto God for good in Scripture are given also unto Satan for evill the Holy Ghost is said to enlighten a man Satan is said for to blinde him The god of this world hath blinded their eyes saith the Apostle the Spirit is said to rule in us Satan is said to rule in the children of disobedience the Holy Ghost is said to work in us mightily the same word is used for him also the Holy Ghost is said to fill the hearts of beleevers they were filled with the Holy Ghost so are mens hearts said to be filled with Satan Sayes Peter to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart Now doth God impower Fowls and Fishes and Beasts of the earth and every one to act in his kinde and is man left powerlesse Nay hath the Devill himself a power and man none this is the errour of men not the language of the Scripture for the Lord is so just and his waies so equall that he never requires impossible things of his creatures Only take notice of this by the way although I doe affirme that all men have a naturall power yet I doe not say that every man naturally hath it in the same measure neither doe I say or affirme that naturall power can act in supernaturall things no more then a bird can live in the sea or a fish in the air See Rom. 1. 19 20. 2. There is a spirituall power and this is not given forth to all universally as the other is but only to those that are new born by this power according to the measure of the gift of Christ they can pray in the Spirit rejoyce in the Spirit and worship God in the Spirit by this power they pull down strong houses and cast down imaginations by this power they can keep down their corruptible body as Paul 2 Cor. 9. 27. Now if any body should say that a new creature hath no spirituall power I will aske him to what end is there so many precepts exhortations and perswasions to these people If no power in these men cease to teach man as good goe teach the Sunne Moon and Stars which way they shall goe the winde to blow or the sea to ebbe and flow goe teach the fish to swim the bird to flie for they have power but by their opinion man hath none and indeed if man spiritually should have no power to act goe and rase out these and the like ensuing Scriptures as requiring that of man which he hath no power to doe Luk. 13. 24. Rom. 15. 30. Heb. 12. 4. Heb. 12. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Phil. 2. 12. Jer. 4. 14. Mat. 11. 28. Jer. 3. 13. Let no man therefore say that he hath no power in any sense lest he make God the author of all his omissions which should be charged upon the creature not upon the Creator for he gives to every man some talent or talents as to some worldly and naturall talents as wisdome wealth and art c. and to others spirituall talents or gifts as to prophesie interpret work miracles c. Questionlesse there is no man that improves his talent so well as he ought and might improve it and God may upon the non-improvement of what we have deny us more and where he finds us faithlesse in a little it 's but meet that he should deny us much also God may very justly damn men for not improving what he gives them and call them to an account as a Lord doth his faithlesse and unprofitable servant and steward therefore the very Heathens that had but the very light of nature will be inexcusable at the day of Judgement for not walking and acting according to that light and instinct in them though they never heard Scripture Law nor Gospell So that to sinne against the law of nature onely is enough to damn men if the improving of the law of nature is not sufficient to save men for there is a knowledge of Christ faith in him obedience to him
required as absolutely necessary to salvation Joh. 17. 3. Joh. 3. 36. 8. 24. Psal 2. 12. Luk. 19. 27. So that election and reprobation are not in any sense causes of salvation and damnation but Christ is the proper and meritorious cause of salvation and sin the proper and meritorious cause of damnation so that election and reprobation they are but precedent acts or decrees and the causes of salvation and damnation they come in between the decrees and the execution thereof So then if we consider men in themselves and without Christ they are dead in their sins without any spirituall strength and having neither will nor spirituall power neither in themselves nor of themselves either to beleeve or to doe any good work from any true principle or for any good end therefore Gods grace prepareth us before we can be able and worketh in us that we may be able nay the Lord doth work all our works in or for us as well after beleeving as before beleeving Take a man that is quickned inlightned converted and impowered by the Spirit of God in the inward man this man hath need of a continuall supply Phil. 1. 19. of the Spirit of God of renewed strength for we read of Peter that he rested upon some old received strength and so fals before a new temptation So again Paul I can doe all things through Christ enabling me he knew he must not rest upon what he was inabled to doe but expect a continuall enabling by the same Spirit that at first enabled him Eph. 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord that is be ye strengthned daily more and more by the power of the Lord that is be ye encouraged to doe the thing required of the Lord by that union ye have with him by faith drawing from him all the strength ye stand in need of 1. Consider thou hast a power already given thee by which thou art able to doe the thing required 2. Or else with the command the Lord conveyes a power to inable thee to do the thing commanded Thirdly when thou lookest upon the command on thy left hand then look upon the promises on thy right hand wherein the Lord God hath promised to inable thee and not not not faile thee nor nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. It is observed that there are five Negatives in these words although our Translation doth expresse but one but for more carefull practising doing and observing all the commands of our God consider these few things as incouragements 1. He requires no more of us then he hath inabled us to doe or at least promised to inable us to doe 2. For our encouragement he hath promised to reward us for doing our duty so that to every precept there are two Promises the one to reward us the other to inable us and both to encourage us And in case of slothfulnesse and negligence in leaving undone what we ought and might have done First he complains on us Secondly he exhorts us Thirdly he threatens us Fourthly he tells us that he did put a prize into our hands but we like fools had no heart to it and so our cloudings eclipsings mis-givings and doubtings are but the effects of our negligence See Isa 59. 2. Isa 1. 15. Jer. 5. 25. Psal 107. 17. 34. The Lord doth protest we are not straitned in him he is not wanting to us what could I saith the Lord have done more for my Vineyard Isa 5. 4. And when I looked for Grapes it brought forth wilde Grapes wherefore judge are not my wayes equall and yours unequall Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth be astonished I have furnished a people with strength to obey me and they have rebelled against me What will no man believe me did I ever say seeke mee in vaine did not your Fathers trust in me and were saved are not my wayes equall and yours unequall do I reap where I have not sown do I require much where I have given little is not my promise before you and my presence with you is not my blessing upon you and my Angels guarding you dost thou want strength ask of me dost thou want wisdome ask of me Have not I said in my Word that I do give liberally and upbraide not have I not said I will withhold no good thing from thee and have I not promised to work faith in thee and protested I will never faile nor forsake thee Why dost thou not take hold of my Covenant and assure thy self I will never faile thee The soul having all its stumbling-blocks removed it begins to clear up and solace it self in the apprehension of Christ and application of his promises and so breaks forth into these or the like words Ever blessed be the name of God that hath removed these terrible stumbling-blocks that lay in my way now I see that I never saw now I know that I never knew he hath anoynted mine eyes he hath scattered all my doubts he is my God and I will prepare him a habitation in my soule and the chiefest roome in my heart God told Moses he could not see his face and live If I cannot see his face and live then let me dye that I may behold him as he is and have full injoyment of him O I am sick for the love of him that dyed for the love of me I was ignorant as a beast before him but now I know him and have experience of him he hath avouched himselfe to be mine and I have avouched my selfe to be his Jacobs life was bound up in Benjamins but my soule is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord my God so that for me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine he hath overcome me with his love he hath made knowne his minde to me in removing these stumbling-blocks from me I am overcome with admiration and replenished with exceeding consolation 21. The last stumbling-block that I shall name is this And saith many a poor soul with-within it self I know not with what Society or Assembly to joyne with there are so many opinions viz. Presbytery Independency Anabaptist Arminians Antinomians Ranters Quakers Seekers I know not with whom to sit downe O tell me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest thy flock that so I may be able to discerne betweene him that serveth God in pretence or in truth Ans My advise is That thou wouldst own all men and women let them go under what name soever if thou seest any thing of the appearance of Christ in them and know no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16. that is do not so much take notice of mens outward appearances viz. kindred quality honour wisdome or eloquency but meerly know them after the spirit that is according to the spirituall power vertue and grace that is in them the true Church then are a people created in Christ Jesus or begotten and born to God in the faith and knowledge of his Son by the
Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost 1 John 5. 5 6 7 8 9. 18 19 21. Mat. 28. 19. Ephes 4. 4 5 6. and 1 John 2. 22 23. and 2 John 9. 10. and 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. and 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1 John 2. 22. Acts 4. 10. 12. and 1 Cor. 3. 10 11. Isaiah 45. 21 22 23. 4. A true Church may be known by this also I say a true Church that is perfectly joyned together for of such a Church I am now speaking 1 Cor. 1. 10. I say that this Church doth hold that Jesus Christ is very God and very Man of the very Substance of the Virgin Mary begotten by the spirit of God 1 Joh. 4. 23. 2 Joh. 7. and 1 John 4. 3. That Jesus Christ is God and Man doth further appeare in these Scriptures Mat. 16. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Isaiah 53. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 24 25. 1 Corinth 15. 2 3. 2 Timoth. 2. 4 5 6. 5. That the same Lord Jesus Christ dyed for the sinnes of the people being crucified at Jerusalem and rose againe and ascended into Heaven whereby there is a way opened for all sinners whom God shall draw and make willing freely to come to God and their duty so to doe and whosoever doth come and none else he doth wash away their sinnes in his owne bloud and present them to his Father pure in his owne purity John 8. 24. Acts 4. 10 11 12. Acts 10. 38 39 40 41 42 43. and 1 Cor. 15. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Act. 22. 8. Acts 2. 36 37 38. Rev. 22. 17. Isa 55. 1 2. Col. 1. 22. 28. Ephes 5. 27. 2 Peter 3. 14. Colos 2. 10. 6. A true Church sound in the Faith and holy in Conversation doth hold that this same Jesus Christ being the onely God and Man in one person remaines for ever a distinct Being from the Saints and Angels notwithstanding their Vnion and Communion with him Col. 2. 8 9. 19. and 1 Tim. 3. 16. 7. A true Church doth hold that precious faith or comming to God is a spirituall and peculiar gift of God and that there is no freenesse or willingnesse in any naturall man to that which is spiritually good but an absolute enmity thereto so that no naturall man can by any thing that he can doe bring himselfe into a state of grace or holinesse or sit himselfe thereto 8. A true Church sound in the Faith doth hold that we are justified and saved by grace and saith in Christ and not by workes Rom. 1. 16 17. 31. Rom. 8. 13. Rom. 9. 31 32 33. and 10. 3 4. Act. 15. 24. Gal. 1. 6 7 8 9. Gal. 5. 2. 4 5. Ephes 2. 8 9 10. and 1 John 1. 6. 8. 1 John 3. 3 4 5 6 7 8. and 2 Pet. 2. 19 20. 9. A true Church doth hold that God meerly of his good pleasure without the fore-sight of any good in the creature elected a certaine number by name unto eternall salvation and hath decreed also to effect all the wayes for them and in them to bring them thereto Ephes 1. 4. Mat. 24. 22. 24. 31. Rom. 8. 33. and 9. 11. and 1 Tim. 5. 21. and 2. 2. 10. and 1 Pet. 1. 2. and 2 Pet. 1. 10. and 2 Thes 2. 13. 10. A true Church holds that no person that is so elected and regenerated shall fall away out of that state and be damned but shall be undoubtedly kept by the power of God in that state of regeneration unto salvation 2 Tim. 2. 19. Titus 1. 2. and Mat. 24. 24. Phil. 1. 6. 1 Per. 1. 5. Rom. 8. 1. and 6. 22. and 8. 30. Ephes 4. 30. and 5. 27. Heb. 12. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Prov. 24. 1◠1 John 3. 9. Jude 24. Mat. 7. 24 25. Besides the Lord hath engaged by way of promise that none of his shall fall finally John 10. 27 28 29. and 4. 14. and 3. 36. and 5. 24. and 6. 40. 47. 54. and 14. 16. and 1 Cor. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 6. and 2. 1. 10. 1 Sam. 12. 22. Psal 94. 14. Prov. 10. 30. A true Church doth hold that God is to be worshipped according to his owne will but those that slight his Ordinances and despise the duties of his worship doe manifestly declare that they are none of those that shall be saved Jer. 10. 15. Psal 14. 4. Jude 18 19 20 21. 12. That Church that is perfectly joyned one to another in one spirit doth hold that the dead shall rise and that there is a day of Judgement Acts 17. 30 31. 1 Cor. 15. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Heb. 9. 27. 1 Pet. 4. 17. Jude 6. Rev. 20. 12 13. Rom. 2. 16. In a word to say no more a true Communion of Saints according to a Gospel-institution is a Communion of Saints arising from a clear apprehension of their Union with Saints 1 Cor. 12. 13 14. for by one spirit we are all baptised into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free 〈◊〉 have been all made to drink into one spirit for the body is not one member but many ver 20. for now are they many members but one body Now when a Saint comes to see that every one in whom the Lord Jesus appeareth is a member together with him in the same body whereof Christ is the head then his heart longeth to joyne himselfe in fellowship with such who have fellowship with the Father and the Son 1 John 1. 3. Obj. But I am a little unsatisfied in this saith some soule I heare that those Churches that walk nearest to those Rules before laid downe doe suffer some to speake and teach amongst them that are not Ministers but private Members pray Sir how is that exercise proved Answ Their exercising their gifts may be proved by these four demonstrations 1. By examples in the Jewish Church where men though in no Office either in Temple or Synagogue had liberty publiquely to use their gifts as doth clearly appeare by these Scriptures Luke 2. 42. 46 47. Luke 4. 16 17 18. Acts 8. 4. and 11. 19 20 21. and Chapt. 13 14 15 16. chap. 18. 24 25 26. 2. By the Commandement of Christ and his Apostles Luke 9 10. chap. 10. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 5. 30 31. 3. It will appeare plainly by the prohibiting of women to teach in the Church hereby liberty being given unto men their husbands or others 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. 4. This will yet more fully appeare by those most excellent ends which by this meanes are to be obtained As 1. The glory of God in the manifestation of his manifold graces See 1 Pet. 4. 10 11. 2. That the gifts of the Spirit in men be not quenched 1 Thes 5. 19 20. Quench not the Spirit despise not prophesying that is Stop not the motion of the Spirit in your selves nor restraine the gift thereof in others Despise not prophesying that is Contemne not the Word
Or of his sincerity to intend me really what he speaketh 4. Or of his constant memory of taking the opportunity of doing the thing promised or intended 5. Or of his stableness to be still of the same mind Now if there be no want of any of these in him whose promise we speak of there is then certainly no ground of doubting or staggering or misgiving but rather a firm ground of confidence and assurance The serious consideration of this will skrew up a Christian to a holy boldnesse and spirituall confidence where is that boldness as there was in David I will not said he fear though ten thousand should hem me in if warre should rise against me in this will I be confident Psal 27. 1 2 3. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid ver 2. When the wicked even mine enemies and foes come upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell c. Where is such boldnesse and strength as was in Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel and prevailed with God to put him in mind of his promise made to him Where is such a spirit of prevailing with God as there was in Moses when the Lord said Let me alone Moses c. Where is such joy in suffrings as there was in Paul and the rest of the Saints Rom. 5. 3. We rejoice in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope Where are those noble overcomming Saints that would not be afraid of a man that should dye What have we the same Father and so unlike our Brethren do we not disparage our Fathers house by looking so like Pharaoh's lean Kine and in stead of holy boldnesse and spirituall confidence one is whining another piping some sighing and all doubting and complaining Surely this fearfulnesse and timerousnesse doth arise from weakness and feebleness and weakness and feebleness doth arise from imbecillity or incredulity In a word it springeth from our ignorance of the riches freeness fulness and everlastingness of Gods love and from our ignorance of the power glory sufficiency and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ and from our ignorance of the worth glory fulness largeness and compleatness of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and from our ignorance of that reall close spirituall glorious and inseparable union that there is between Christ and our pretious soules here lyeth the defect and how shall this be removed and the soule revived and the heart cheared and the whole man quickned but by the spirit of God in the applying of these promises Oh then oh then consider there are many promises and they do belong to us and he that made them is the mighty God he is able to make them good he is faithfull and willing to accomplish them he is unchangeable in his love to us and alwayes mindfull of us and waiting to be gracious unto us Oh! How earnestly doth he knock how powerfully doth he strive how long doth he wait upon us to make known himself unto us Our Fathers trusted in him and were saved Surely the Lord is never worse but many times better then his promise He promised the children of Israel only the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two other Kingdomes which he never promised and to Zacharias he promised to give him his Speech at the Birth of the Child but besides that he gave him the gift of prophesie And hence it is that the Apostle in Ephes 3. 20. saith That God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can either aske or thinke In the Name of the Lord then let us arise and take the Bible and read and understand and effect and believe and apply that so the word of God may dwell plentifully in us so shall the Word be our rule the Spirit our guide and the Glory of God our ayme so shall an entrance be administred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the Rock of Ages the light of the World and King of Saints to whom be Glory for ever Amen But now if after all these earnest knocking 's long waitings and powerfull strivings if after all these invitations removing stumbling-blocks answering objections callings waitings beseechings and intreatings after this day of grace is over then to those souls that come not in Christ doth change his voyce doth protest that none of those souls thus invited shall ever tast of his Supper Luk. 14. 24. Nay he saith Though they call he will not answer Prov. 1. 28. And if they seek him they shall not finde him ver 26. He will laugh at their calamity and mock when their feare commeth Mat. 23. 37. I would have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not 38. Behold your house is left unto you desolate And then if ye would he will not c. Jer. 7. 16. Pray not for this people for I will not heare saith the Lord Isa 65. 12. Therefore will I number you to the sword and ye shall bow downe to the slaughter because when I called yee did not answer when I spake ye would not hear but yee did chuse that wherein I delighted not Isa 66. 4. Therefore will I chuse out their delusions and I will bring their feare upon them because I called and none would answer I spake and they would not heare Jer. 7. 13 14 15 16. Now therefore because ye have done all these evill things saith the Lord and I rose up early and spake unto you but yee would not hear me neither when I called would ye answer Therefore c. I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your brethren Therefore pray not for this people I will not answer c. Obj. But if any may then say Why Lord wilt thou not heare us thou hast manifested thy selfe that thou art mercifull Answ I will not heare you the Lord may then justly say because the day of Grace for you is past the Sun is set your Glass is runne out the Golden Scepter is taken in and Repentance is a work that must be timely done or whoever men or women that have been called and neglected their time be utterly undone Ye did not obey my voyce spoken to you by my Servant Isaiah in Isa 55. 6. Ye did not seek me while I was to be found ye did not call upon me while I was near whereas every one whose heart was upright with me did come to me in a time when I was to be found Psal 32. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto him in a tinse when he is to be found But ye did not come to me will the Lord justly say c. 1. Untill the terme of time allotted for repentance was past See Heb.