abused all that their peace was their poyson And hence in the primitive Churches they began to cast off the government of the Lord Jesus murmurings there were hence came persecution but they were a precious people and made blessed use of it And the Lord couples their chief persecution with their rest And 't is said Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest c. And what do you think of the reason of the long reign of Antichrist exalting himself above God and all that 's called God bringing the Church under the heaviest bondage for body and soul that ever the earth saw Men did not love the truth either speculative to guide their minds or practicall to rule their wills and hence left to this day What is the cause of Bleeding Germanies wo Oh poor Germany Whence the Gospell first brake out in its full strength that now 't is a field of blood that men in woods like satyres are afraid of men and men in Cities glad to eat the intrailes of Beasts and sometimes the flesh of their own babes to preserve their lives What was there no evill but the common condition of the Church to be under the crosse ask them they cannot tell what ailes them but curse the Emperour and Swedes c. Oh think of it with sorrow in secret for them that know it not themselves they have secretly I say secretly cast off the government of a mercifull Christ and hence are under the hand of unmercifull men What is the cause in our native Countrey notwithstanding all prayers and tears no diliverance truly men do not know it but the Lord sees it they know not how to use their liberty And for our selves what shall I say I cannot but blesse God and wonder to see how 't is with many and rejoyce to see many precious holy ones to whom one day in Gods Court is sweeter than a thousand elsewhere but I must professe and cannot but mourn for others men that were eminent under bondage but never worse then here as if the Lord should say Look here by your eminent ones look and fear and mourn you Ministers of my house here be the people you had thought had been converted and that of all others such a one would never a fallen so one an opinion takes him another a lot another loose company another his lust another gowes proud another fierce another murmuring what should I name all Oh that my words might be healing c. Vse 3. Hence see what will become of us that are now under the government of the Lord if ever we cast it off either inward or outward or both We are not dearer to him then his people Israel here nay Iudah When old Israel the great and numerous tribes of Israel had set up calves little Iudah and Benjamin received the Priests and yet they fell and were in bondage I know we are not yet in bondage yet it is not more unseasonable to speak now then for the Lord to Solomon 1 King 9. 1 Quest. But there being much unsubduedness in the hearts of the best how shall one know when there be such sins for which the Lord will cast from under his government Answer 1. When men do not loath their own hearts for the unprofitablenesse but loath Gods ordinances secretly and grow weary of them as of their burdens because of the unprofitablenesse of them When a people find not that speciall good by them which recompenseth all losses and so prize them but lay blame on them because unfruitfull to them Malachie 3. 13. He speaks to a people got out of Captivity Your words have been stout against me no say they 'T is in vain to serve the Lord what profit is there in this you must conceive they had many losses were very poor as vers 11. a temptation which a proud heart cannot indure above any here is now no profit in mourning fasting c. and Gods own people began to think so and hence Vers. 16. Then they spake often one to another there was good effect of his Sermon now what follows Chapter 4. 1. Hence the wicked shall come and cut off Branch and Root in Antiochus time there is a burning day a comming that shall burn down house root and branch and hence Matthewâ—1 â—1 43. The kingdome shall be given to them that bring forth fruit You will say we do No thy own mouth shall condemn thee you do not you find no good by all the ordinances of God and hence come those Questions what warrant for such an ordinance the bottome is they never felt good of it and hence grow weary of it well if it be your burthen the Lord will ease you of it 2. When you see men professing the fear of God mutually naturally contentious and continuing so I say contentious with Saints which they say they love which they are by covenant bound to love either from some conceived wrong and hence cannot forgive as Christ doth them or from a prejudicate groundlesse opinion they care not for me nor I for them or from a spirit of scornfull Censoriousnesse what are such and such or because distasted because of some reproof in their sin or by some opinion or by some worldly conveniency or laying out lots or restraint of some liberty c. or because of some sin Now can sit and censure and I say when this is mutual for a godly man may be contended with but he prayes and mourns and pitties unlesse it be at some time but when it shall continually abide so fierce and implacable Eccles. 7. 9. Anger resteth in the bosome of fools when a man shall be glad of an occasion of difference that so he may depart and have something to quiet conscience for breach of Covenant that there can be no healing but Bellies of pigs are more dear then bowels of Saints and when quiet upon the least occasion apt to pâ—ck holes and quarrel Now it 's time for the Lord to give over to another government Zach. 11. 14 15. When Brotherhood is broken then an Idol-shepheard is set up Exodus 2. Moses was sent to deliver Israel but he finds two Hebrews oppressed striving and must not be checkt neither well then fare-well deliverance if you be of that spirit you shall love one another better if ever the Lord doth that for you It hath been the wisdome of some Princes when their subjects have been at Civill wars to call them forth to a common enemy and there they can agree Oh brethren there is no sin like this and yet none so slighted You shall know what it is either by being yoked under enemies or sins The first of these breaking bonds of union to Christ the other with his members Vse 4. Hence see the reason why many men are delivered up to the bondage of their own lusts the most sad bondage and power of Satan who have seemed to be delivered from it truly they have cast off
to the resurrection of the dead in glorification and now nothing is dear to the soul but Christ. 2. When the will after the soul hath had some hopes the Lord may look towards it in his grace and having had many heart-breaking tears before the Lord the Lord is now pleased by the glad tidings of the Gospell to give the will power not only to receive and entertain the Lord but gladly to receive him The soul wonders that ever the Lord should bow down to him and offer mercy to him and when as together with this by the sweet â—avour of his Grace that he doth let into the heart the soul doth receive the Lord with most dear imbracings into his soul that now there is none like to the Lord. Cant. 1. 3. Thy name is like an 〈◊〉 poured out where the very feet of the messengers of glad tidings are beautifull But the Lord himself is the only crown and Joy of the soul when the least look of love to a castaway is more sweet than kingdomes ay and much more that 's love it self Isaiah 52 9. Bâ—â—ak forth into joy sing together ye waste plaâ—â—s of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people When kings shall stop their mouths as vile in themselves and not able to set forth that glory they never heard of before and the soul for Joy sells away all to buy this pearl that it sayes with David How do I love thy Law Now beloved when the soul does thus receive the Lord the kingdome of God is come to that soul and therefâ—re try and examin is it thus with you or hath the Lord begun to deal thus with thee to give himself the glory of Angels the wonderment of heaven the mighty God of heaven to come to thy heart thou art then under the government of the kingdome of God But now on the contrary if thou canst be content to receive the ordinances of Christ or the consolations of Christ or some of the commands of Christ and that is all and the Lord never gave thee a heart to close with Christ himself it 's a strange thing to thee that which is the main thing the Diamond in the Ring of the Gospel thou art yet far enough off from the kingdome of God I dare not say not think for all the world that ever the kingdome of God came to thy heart Again if you have received Christ but not with thy whole soul that now the offer promises blood life grace glory in the Gospell are grown common things to thee that the Lord never sent thee home wondering at the glory of Gods grace to a poor wretch never yet said'st Lordâ—â—he â—he Lord never yet lay next thy heart or if thou hast had some liking and some love and affections in pangs yet the Lord is not only precious and exceeding dear in thy heart thy heart breaks not for grief that thou hast so much slighted him so little born him of thy heart It is a sign that the Lord hath begun to reveal himself to thy soul when he gives thee a heart to mourn for thy standing our against him but this never came to thy soul. Certainly here is the wound of many men The Gospell of God never hath its proper effect till the Lord help thee to give thy whole heart thus to a Saviour to a God to the Prince of peace and till this is done the Gospel is ineffectuall it doth nothing It was a sweet prayer of him Make thy Son dear very dear exceeding dear only dear and precious or not at all If thou hadst a thousand hearts it was too little for Christ to love him and do'st grudge him one when thou hast imparted thy heart and esteem to thy lusts and creature do'st thou love the Lord with part of thy heart but a vile lust a poor creature must have a share and the remnant will serve Christ is he not the onely pearl of thy heart to give him daily communion know this thou art a stranger to Hear ye despisers and wonder and perish God will work a work in your dayes What is that the infinit God cannot express as it were the wrath that shall come against such a soul nor I cannot expresse the wrath that shall come upon such a despiser of the Lord Jesus Give him all thy heart or none if thou hast the Lord thou hast his whole heart if he had a thousand lives he would have laid them all down for thee He poured out his bloud for every one of his but for the present thou art out of the Kingdom of God to this day 2. When the whole soul closeth with the whole will of Christ having thus received him for if a Prince be come and people will not be ruled by him nor any laws that he makes though never so good but what they list the Kingdome is cast off For beloved there is a marvellous common deceit in mens hearts they would not for all the world but have Christ ay but the will of Christ is neglected that is a clog and the burden of the Lord of Hosts Christ is sweet and his will is 〈◊〉 Christ is precious and his will is vile Why do you make him a King and ye will make lawes for Christ and you will rule Christ and his will shall not stand here is no King Such kind of idle Libertines were in the Apostles time 1 Ioh. 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and there is no truth in us But now when the whole soul does submit to the whole will of the Lord now his Kingdome is come indeed when his will is thus sweet Dan. 7. 27. His Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all nations shall serve him and his servants ye are whom ye obey whether Christ the devill or your own hearts Now the whole wil of Christ is 1. Directing 2. Correctin Now when the soul submits to both then Christ rules in his Kingdome sometime you meet with Christs directing will now this is mens frame naturally they will not see it they will not come to the light Iohn 3. â—0 they are led by their own counsell and will not regard the light and counsell of God in his word they will quarrell with the light when it is crosse to their ends gain honour and the like men have high thoughts against the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting down imaginations and every high thought that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God And again if men do see it yet like the devill that has much light they do not love it nor out of love not unlesse it be out of fear subject to it like Balaam that had no love to Gods command but onely was acted by fear and constraint now when the soul continues thus it casts off Christs Kingdom but if the whole soul first comes to the light though it sees little sets the whole will of Christ before
that now had the Lord Jesus the honours of the world attending on them then they could make much of them but because they come with poverty therefore they can plot and speak against them and in time come to cast off the Ordinances of the Lord Jesus It is certain the Lord hath bondage for such soules and you will certainly find this true one day Mal. 3. 14 15. The people they say What profit is it that we have served the Lord and that we have walked mournfully before him and hence they forsook the Lord Hence Chap. â— 1. the Lord threatens that He will burn them up both root and branch The Lord hath consuming fire for such one day The Ordinances of the Lord were too costly for you Mark 12. 9. 8. The Lord hath his Vine-yard he lets it out to husbandmen and he sends for the fruit and at last the Son bimself comes to call for fruit Now say they Here is the son let us kill him Why what is the matter out of gain that is the businesse That the inheritance may be ours Here is this gain to be without them and therefore to cast off Christ What will the Lord do to these husband-men he will take away his Vine-yard frrom them c. It is the speech of Luthâ—r Venter in omni religione potentissiâ—um Idolum When the Belly is served Christ must be destroyed Men may have this quiet life without these Ordinances and hence men bear a privy grudge against the Ordinances of the Lord because the belly is not served Look as it was with the â—ews they looked for a glorious King to come to them and Christ câ—me and though they were told of it before when he came he had nothing but his Crâ—sse and he tels them If they will be his Disciples they must take his Crosse. But now because he came not with pomp but only with his crosse this is the great reason why to this day the Jeâ—es do set themselves against the Lord Jesus Chrâ—â—â— the Crosse came with Christ that 's the cause of it So when men shall look for great things from the Ordinances of Christ and when they come to enjoy them they meet with nothing else but Christ and his Crâ—sse and disappointments and desertions when they meet with this then Christ is cast off and they professe he is no King and Cesar is our King and if we take this man to be our King the Romanes will ruine us I know it is a hard trial for a man to be put to such a strait for the Lord to advance the price of his Ordinances at that high rate that all must be parted with for the enjoyment of them But yet notwithstanding he is for ever unworthy to have the Lord Jesus to rule him that shall therefore make him a King as they did Iohn 6. He was their Cook therefore they made him King Therefore this I say take heed of disputing against or denying or nullifying not only outwardly but in thy very heart secretly any of Gods Ordinances for that the Lord complains of his people that their hearts went after their wickednesse Oh take heed of doing thus against any one of Gods Ordinances because straits do attend on them It was the speech of David Ps. 119. Thy law is pure therefore thy servant loveth it Suppose thou shouldest never get any good by any of Gods Ordinances yet thy law is pure the fault is in thy own heart and certainly the Lord he will remember as there he speaketh Ierem. â— 2. I remember the love of thine espousals when thou didst follow me in a land of barrennesse in a land where there was no water Thy life shall be precious to the Lord that shall follow the Lord in all afflictions yet thy heatt doth cleave to the Lord and follow the Lord in all his Ordinances therefore this is that I would say there are many wants now in the countrey But yet notwithstanding let the people of God get neer to Christ speak often one to another and find out wayes and means to pay your debts and lye down at the feet of the Lord Jesus and be content if the Lord will have it so to be nothing be content thus and though thou dost not find any benefit from the Ordinance of the Lord as yet yet notwithstanding loath thy own heart but love them yet seek after the Lord and look to the Lord in them And this is certain the Lord hath blessings for his people not only in this life but as he there speaketh to his Disciples when they say to him Lord what shall we have saith the Lord to them You that have followed me you shall sit on thrones But take heed of this if once ye come to slight Ordinances and cast off Ordinances because of these straits and wants and so forth And what are your Ordinances c and a generation of men risen up I think Christians should send forth their gronings to the Lord that the terrour of the Lord may fall upon them they deny all the Ordinances of the Lord and the Spirit must teach us only 'T is true the Spirit must do it but will ye therefore take away the means and hence the very Scripture is made an Alphabet for children and so they do destroy the Ordinances of the Lord. Beloved if it be from this principle take heed of it for if it be ye will certainly find bondage 4. When men do not thus pull down the Ordinances the throne of Christ but drive the Lord Jesus away out of his Ordinances though they have his Ordinances with them by their secret defilings pollutions spiritual pollutions of the glorious Ordinances of Christ this the Lord frequently complaineth of in Ierem. and Ezek. The very great reason why the Lord did leave his Temple where their fathers did praise the Lord they had polluted and defiled it that was the reason of it They had driven the Lord away from his throne and this doth pull down the princely power of the Lord in his Churches I know there be many sins and defilements and the sons of men have hidden wayes of polluting the Ordinances of the Lord that a man shall sit undet all the Ordinances of the Lord and as it is said of Mount Gilboah not any dew fall upon him never see good when good comes the Lord is not dear that is the reason of it Oh thy secret defilements of the Ordinances of the Lord have driven the Lord far from you There are many I shall only name three principally that there may be a little heed taken of them First When there is a secret contempt grown upon a mans spirit of the Ordinances of Christ attended with a secret wearinesse of them this doth now pollute the Ordinances of the Lord and this doth drive the Lord from his Ordinances Mal. 1. 7. Ye have offered polluted bread wherein have we done it say they this was the cause of
with hands A childe of God may have many 〈…〉 many excellencies 〈…〉 when they come to be 〈…〉 now they yield there and that as 〈…〉 shall either 〈…〉 question their grace Snakes will not hisse nor sting till touched a sheep will be led to the slaughter and turn the cheek to him that smites So should one poor brother do to another when he comes to him in the name of the Lord but not many that will so do but resist and oppose against all reason 3. They have a power of Communication of good one to another in way of edification according to their places in this their communion So that now 't is not only left in the hands of the Officers but of the whole Church and each Member in the Church according to his place and ability to edifie the whole Eph. 4. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joyned and compacted together by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part making increase of the body unto the edifying it self in love Members are not to stand like beautifull pictures in Church-windows and as costly Images in Churches that have eyes and see not eares and hear not but they are to be living stones in Gods building not only to build up themselves but one another also that so a man may not only get no hurt from communion of Churches but he may get good indeed from the same And if I mistake not here is the wound of Churches When Members seek not and indeavour not the good one of another and so have Ordinances and means of doing one another good but exercise them not or if they do receive not the good they might hereby but may say and shall say at last as he Prov. 5. 14. I was almost in all evill in the midst of the Congregation Sin prevailing and sorrows by little and little like water in a leaking ship sinking the poor bark Quest. What are those means that are left to the Saints themselves even private Members to exercise in Christian communion for men and women and so you may see when these are neglected or not improved the power of Christ in his Church is cast off so far forth Answ. 1. The first is a Spirit of dear Christ-like love one to another every one to all and all to that again being ready to expresse it self in procuring the good of others as well as its own This doth sweeten communion very much and edifies quickens and encourageth a Christian in his whole course marvelously Eph. 4. 16. Making increase of the body unto the edifying it self in love Love edifieth 1 Cor. 8. 1. Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth It 's the joy of the Saints and that which makes the Saints to blesse God in heaven where take any one singly all joyntly besides honour it tender it and seek the good of it and that one blesseth God and seeks their good more than its own again and this is prophesied Zeph. 3. 9. That they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one â—â—â—sent to serve the Lord with one shoulder to help one another spiritually and outwardly where there be many griefs and burdens which depresse the spirits and make it unserviceable is removed As what is there that doth alienate the hearts of men more from God and his Church but want of love Now when mens love grows cold that a godly man is not esteemed whiles he lives nor his death lamented so much as the losse of a swine When people grow strange one to another and take distastes and prejudices when they can sit by the fire-side and censure and whisper and make offences and take offences and minds divide and hearts divide that if you ask what such a one is good for the answer is he is good for himself and good to breed brawles and divide a Church A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand therfore hereby you cast off this Kingdom Oh Christians should pray for this and mourn for want of this and study peace follow it It should be death to differ or side or make a party one against another 2. Earnest prayer for the Church all in it besides thy self and that with striving with God till an answer is given Stretcht-out prayers as they made for Peer James 5. 16. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for ather that you may be healed And so Iude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy saith praying in the holy Ghost This is a meanes to edifie one another when there is inlargednesse of heart to pray one for another Psalme 122. 8. For my bretâ—â—â—â— sake I 'le wish thy peace Sometimes a Christian can do others little good yet he will wrastle for him in his prayers to God One knowes not the good comes hereâ—â— if withall a man keeps a good Conscience making conscience of his wayes And 't is one of the greatest priviledges that a man hath when once he hath a share in all the prayers of the Saints as his own and it answers that Quere What is a Christian the better for the liberties of the Church Matth. 18. 19. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven v. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midd'st of them Now when people are false herein to their brethren and to their Covenant to their God and to their own soules for there is no one prayer thou makest that shall be lost but if it attain not a blessing for others it shall return again into thy bosome When there shall be no heart to spend prayer or shed tears for them whom Christ hath shed his blood for now you cast off the Kingdome of Christ. Oh Brethren consider of it when there shall be many a soul in a Church taken by Satans temptations and held in temptations and ready to be overcome by temptations and it may bee would not be so but because thou dost not pray publick Ordinances the ministery of the word little good done thereby because thou hast no heart to pray Acts 4. 31. And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were met together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost This is the reason the hearts of thy children servants and fellow-brethren remain secure and unshaken by all the Sermons they hear nothing doth them good nothing will pierce or penetrate their adamant-like hearts because thou hast no heart to pray for them or at least not to purpose 3. Timely Exhortation when brethren are dead-hearted and heartlesse in their Christian course Heb. 3. 12 13. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but
wo. And for 〈…〉 Christ their lives not desired their deaths not lamented but you know how to contend and are carelesse though the Gospell and God be slandered you 〈◊〉 of the Lords yoke It was one mans speech that the great sin of this Countrey will be hatred of the Saints a scornful contempt of them It will come by degrees first distaste and then censure and contemne Oâ— but if herein you submit herein Christ is honoured and Gospell glorified in love and amiablenesse Not in a rigorous austerity of spirit and diabolicall censoriousnesse but in word and deed countenance and gesture comforting and encouraging one another When David would know what to do Truly saith he my goodnesse extends not to thee but to the Saints in whom is all my delight Oh therefore submit here this conscience calls for and Christ must have To conclude with a word for help here Means 1. Look to Gods Ordinances not as they be in themselves but as appointed of God to communicate an almighty power of spirit to them that wait on the Lord in them An almighty power must overcome and go on Conquering and to Conquer How shall we have this by Gods Ordinances Some more principall as Word and Sacraments some lesse How shall we partake of this power in them Look not on them in themselves but as appointed and sanctified and so as glorious And there pray and wait and look for the power nay believe you shall receive this power As the 〈◊〉 of Iordan to Naâ—man How did they cleanse Whe◠〈◊〉 lookt upon them without the command and 〈◊〉 he despised theâ— and so found not the benefit of them but afterwards hee found the benefit of them when he washed seven times in attendance to the appointment of God Brethren it is but go and wash here 1 Cor. 10. 5. Means 2. Know your disobedience the breadth of it Some things Christians see and pray against them and then all is well but see the breadth of evill in your disobedience There is something that doth oppose God in every lawfull thing in whole or in part for flesh is in it or else you are blinded if you see it not Oh therefore feel the breadth of evill in it that being sensible of and humbled under and striving against your continuall disobedience every thought may be brought into subjection and obedience to Christ. OF INEFFECTVALL HEARING JOHN 5. 37. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape FRom the 31. Vers. to the end of this Chapter Our Saviour proves that he was the Messiah to come from four testimonies 1. From the testimony of Iohn the first yet the least yet very strong and full vers 32 33. 2. From the testimony of his works greater than that of Iohn vers 36. 3. From the testimony of the Father by his voice from heaven vers 37. 4. From the voice of the Scriptures the highest of all and surer than a voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. vers 39 46. Now these words are annexed to the third testimony which I told you is the voyce of God from heaven set down Mat. 3. 17. For this Testimony of the Father â—s not the inward testimony of the Spirit only Because Christ speaks of publick and evident testimonies in this place noâ— is it meant of the testimony of the Father in the Scripture for that is a distinct testimony and â—â—ough the Father doth testifie of Christ in the Scriptures yet 't is not as his testimony no more than the testimony of Iohn and of his works whereby the Father did testifie also Nor is it probable that our Saviour would at this time omit that famous testimony of the Father at his Baptism which if it be not here is no where in this Chapter Beside how is this testimony the Fathers more than the Spirits but then being called his Son he did evidently declare himself to be the Father that spake Lastly the Spirits testimony is spoken of as the testimony of Moses and the Prophets Vers. 46 47. For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wâ—ote of me vers 47. For if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye believe my words Now our Saviour in these words answers an Objection which the Jewes ever conceited of their own knowledge might make We know the Father as well as you and yet we know no such testimony that he gives Christ answers You do not know him for the certain knowledge of a thing is either by seeing or hearing now you never saw him nor heard him you have therefore no acquaintance with him So that the words contain 1. Christs fearfull accusation of the Jews to be ignorant of God 2. The aggravation and extent of it at no time i. e. not only at Baptism but at no other time in any Ministery or in any Scripture c. Quest. 1. What is it not to see his shape nor hear his voice Answ. Some think they are metaphorical speeches to expresse their ignorance of God Now though this be the scope and the general truth yet I conceive the Lord speaking particularly and knowing what he spake intends something particularly and it is a rule never to flie to metaphors where there can be a plain sense given There is therefore two degrees of true knowledge of God in this life or 't is attained unto by a double means 1. By hearing of him for hence our faith comes by the Word 2. By hearing thus from him the mind also comes to have a true Idea of God as he reveals himself in the Word and Means by the Spirit Iob 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee and this is the shape here spoken of not bodily and carnall Now Christ doth professe that they did want both Carnal and unregenerate hearts neither hear Gods voyce nor have a right Idea of God in their minds but become vain in their minds though they have means of knowing and their foolish hearts are darkned the wiser they be the more foolish they grow 2. At no time i. e. neither at baptism nor else in any mans Ministery nor in any of the Scriptures which you read and where the Lord speaks 3. But did they not hear the voice of God at Christs baptism and at the Mount when Christ preach't when the Scriptures were opened every Lords day and at other times amongst them Answ. No they never heard it It 's a strange thing that such men that read heard preach'd remembred the Scriptures and could tell you mysteries in titles never heard the voice of God and yet it is most true Observat. That many men may a long time together know and hear the Word of God written and spoken yet never hear the Lord speaking that Word no not so much as one word tittle or syllable no not so much at once at any time This was the estate of
SUBJECTION TO CHRIST IN ALL HIS ORDINANCES AND APPOINTMENTS The best means to preserve our LIBERTY Together with a TREATISE OF Ineffectual Hearing the Word How we may know whether we have heard the same effectually And by what means it may become effectuall unto us With some remarkable Passages of his life By Thomas Shephard late Pastor of the Church of Christ in Cambridge in New-England MATTH 11. 29. Take my yoke upon you c. LONDON Printed by S. G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Fountain in Cheap-side 1657. TO THE READER ONe of the sweetest refreshing mercies of God to his New England People amidst all their wilderness-tryals and straits and sorrows wherewith they at first conflicted in those ends of the earth hath been their Sanctuary-enjoyments in the beauties of holinesse where they have seen and met with him whom their soules love and had familiar and full converse with him above what they could then enjoy in the land from whence they came This is that that hath sweetned many a bitter Cup to the remnant of Israel The Lord alone led him and there was no strange God with him was said concerning Israel of old and this was accounted mercy enough when he led them into a land where no man dwelt and which no man passed thorough What God hath done for New-England in this reâ—â—â—ct and what their Sanctuary mercies be thou hast here a taste though but a taste These notes may well be thought to be lesse accurate than if the Author himself had published them and to want some polishments and trimmings which it were not fit for any other to adde however thou wilt find them full of usefull truths and mayest easily discern his Spirit and a Spirit above his own breathing in them Concerning the Author it were worth the while to write the story of his life It is needlesse to speak in his commendation His works praise him in the gates They that know him know he had as real apprehensions of the things of God and lived as much with God and with his own heart and more than the most of Christians do He had his education at Immanuel-College in Cambridge The Conversion and Change of his heart was wrought betimes when he lived in the Vniversity and enjoyed Dr. Prestons Ministery whereby God had the very best and strength of his parts and years for himself When he was first awakened to lookt after Religion having before swam quietly in thâ— stream of the times he was utterly at a losse which way to take being much molested with suggestions of Atheism in the depths whereof Junius was quite lost for a time and moved and tempted to the wayes of Familism also for some advised him in this condition to go to Grindlestone and to hear Mr. Brierley and being informed that the people were wont to find a mighty possessing over powering presence and work of the Spirit when they heard him he resolved upon the journey but God in mercy diverted him having reserved him for better things Yet he read what they said and the Books of H. N. amongst the rest where meeting with this passage That a Christian is so swallow'd up in the spirit that what action soever the spirit moves him to suppose whoredome he may do it and it is no sin to him this was enough for being against the light of his natural conscience it bred in him an utter abhorrency of thâ—se loose and vile wayes and principles ever after This adaâ—tage also he had that Doctor Tuckney was then his Tutor whom he acquainted with his condition and had his direction and help in those misâ—rable fluctuations and straits of his soul. Happy is the man whose doubtings end in establishments nil tam certum quà m quod de dubio certum but when men arrive in Scepticism as the last issue result of all their debates and thoughts of heart about Religion it had been good for such if they had never been born After his heart was changed it was observed of him that his abilities of mind were also much enlarged divinity though it be chiefly the Art and rule of the will yet raising and perfecting the understanding also which I conceive came to pass chiefly by this means that the fear of God fixed him and made him serious and taught him to meditate which is the main improvement of the understanding Therefore such as came to him for direction about their studies he would often advise them to be much in meditation professing that having spent some time in meditation every day in his beginning times and written down his thoughts he saw cause now to blesse God for it He was assigned to the work of the Ministery at a solemn meeting and conference of sundry godly Ministers about it there were to the number of twelve present at the meeting whose solemn advice was that he should serve the Lord in the Gospel of his Son wherein they have been the salvation of many a soul for upon this he addrest himself to the work with that reality and seriousnesse in wooing and winning souls that his words made deep impressions and seldome or never sell to the ground He was lecturer a while at Eâ—rles-cone in Essex which I take it was the first place of his Ministery where he did much good and the people there though now it is long since and many are gone yet they have a very precious and deep remembrance of him of the mighty power of God by him to this day But W. Lawd then Bishop of London soon stopt his mouth and drove him away as he did many other godly Ministers from Essex at the same time After this he lived at Butter-chrome in Yorkshire at Sir Richard Darleys house till the Iniquity of those times hunted him thence also Then he went to Northumberland till silenced there also and being thus molested and chased up and down at home he fled to New-England and after some difficulties and delayes by great storms and disasters at Sea upon the Sands and Coasts of Yarmouth which retarded his voyage till another year he arrived there at last where he was Pastor to a precious flock at Cambridge about fourteen yeers He was but 46. or 47. years old when he dyed His sicknesse began with a sore throat and then a squinacy and then a fever whereof be dyed August 25. 1649. This was one thing he said upon his deathbed Lord I am vile but thou art righteous and to those that were about him he bade them loue Iesus Christ dearly that little part that I have in him is no small comfort to me now His manner of preaching was close and searching and with abundance of affection and compassion to his hearers He took great pains in his preparations for his publick labours accounting it a cursed thing to do the work of the Lord negligently and therefore spending usually two or three whole dayes in preparing for the work of the Sabbath had his Sermons
God himself and profession of Christ make these to serve him to raise up his name this the Lord takes very ill Only this I would adde when the soul doth look at Christ with a single eye that Christ is sweet and precious and lyes under the blessed Spirit of Christ for that end and now looks up to Christ that he may submit to him with a single eye that the name of Christ may be glorified by life and death true it is self will be in every duty and so is contrary to the Lord in all and not for the Lord. Yet though it be thus there is another thing in the soul that is wholly for God and Christ and hence seeks that he may do his work his heart loves him and so seeks him and he begs it with many tears Oh that my children might serve and love this God nay that all the world might see and blesse and admire this God and the Lord inlargeth his heart herein Psal. 72. 19. and truly now the Kingdom of God is come to thy soul Rom. 5. 17. As sin and Satan do reign by death So Iesus Christ doth reign by life to eternall life Matth. 25. 14. He is the true Subject that improves his Talents for the King Christ will subdue all his to himself Psal. 66. 3. Through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves to thee Rom. 14. 17. For the Kingdome of God is not in meat and drink but in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost When a man shall be picking fault with things this and that offends him get ye gone the Kingdom of God consists not in that But when the soul do's go to the Lord and maintain his peace with God and love to the people of God and joy in the holy Ghost here is the Kingdome of God He that serves Christ in these things the Kingdome of God is come into his soul. He that thus submits to the Lord Christ he must first be a man weary of his own counsels and must loath himself When the Lord hath wearied a man of his own wayes he sayes What am I that the Lord should shew me any mercy And when the Lord calls him to any service Lord What am I that I should now pray to thee Bless the Lord when the Lord doth keep thy heart in this frame but now when men will honour Christ and yet Saul-like have Christ honour them Many poor creatures they think it a credit to be in Church-fellowship and they wil seek to know Christ that they may attain Church fellowship and have honour but know it till the Lord do pull down thy base ends and make thee loath thy self and so to submit to his blessed will truly till then the Kingdome of God is not come to thy soul Think of these things for if the Kingdome of God be in our hearts then look for good dayes Brethren let New-England be confident of it but if this be gone from the soules and hearts of men and women in their severall families and places though they may have the outward Kingdome of Christ yet the inward Kingdome being not set up I say no more but what he said Go to Palestina and Bohemia Certainly if they had not cast off the Lords government they had never seen those lamentable dayes they had outward Ordinances Oh but here was the thing the inward Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ and subjection to the will of the Lord Jesus and to be for the Lord Jesus this the Lord saw was not in them therefore the Lord hath left them to be lamentable spectacles Therefore dear brethren I do beseech you pray and beg for this Kingdome Thou sayest I fall short of this Know this Kingdome of God is at first like a grain of Mustard-seed some little lying under the will of Christ if it be in truth blessed be God â—or it The Kingdome of God is come and the soul doth weep and mourn after the Lord that the Lord would bring every thought into subjection Know it the Kingdome of God is come to thy soul and know it thou hast Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father interceding for thee therfore go home and blesse the Lord and wonder at his grace that hath translated thee from the Kingdome of darknesse to the Kingdome of his dear Son If the Lord hath let thee finde the beginning of these things in truth go home and blesse the Lord for it 2. Try when the externall Kingdome of Christ in his Church is cast off for we told you this was Christs kingdome 'T is called the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 25. 1. And 't is it which the Lord gives up at the last day to God the Father and hence Mat. 8. 12. the members thereof are The Children of the Kingdome and hence we read of the rulers and governours of it and the keys not only of doctrine but of power and jurisdiction committed by Christ Jesus to it punctually exprest in Scripture Now we know in the Church there is a three-fold power of Christ in Government 1. The supreme Monarchicall absolute power of Christ in and by his Ordinances 2. There is some derivative power of the Church from Christ joyntly together 3. There is a Ministeriall power of the officers of the Church it self Hence the Kingdome of Christ is overthrown when these three are when this three-fold cord is broken by the sons of men and if whole America cast off these or any of these then they fall to bondage and if particular persons in Churches do the Lord will do the like to them much more 1 Kings 9. 4 5. When Solomon had been praying much the Lord tells him If he would walk before him as David his father had done to keep his statutes and obey his commandments then he would be a God making good his promise but if not then the Lord would cast off him and that place So Zach. 14. 17. And it shall be that who so will not come up of all the families of the Earth to worship the King the Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no rain The Lord is quick in his judgements and will spare none 1. There is a supreme power of Jesus Christ in his Church and Ordinances thereof Isa. 9. 6. The Government is on his shoulders it is true this power is on others also but he is the main Heb. 3. Moses was only a servant in his House Christ as a Son The guidance of all things in the Church doth lye chiefly on him or else it would never be carried along Christ is a Son and that in his own House into whose hands the supreme power of guiding and ordering all things in the Church of God is put the experience of Gods Saints and People doth find another power which shewes that the Lord Jesus hath and doth exercise a mighty power in the ordinances of his Worship the supreme and kingly
say Oh Brethren let the Saints let it be the care of all the faithfull and people of God the first thing that ye do before ye come to hear a Sermon or receive a Sacrament or to any Christian communion or other Ordinance of God Before thou do'st come indeavour it at least to bring thy soul to a God to Christ above all Ordinances and break through the difficulties heart is dead and minde is blind and God is gone but yet break through difficulties and wrestle with the Lord in Prayer and then ye wil find the blessing of the Lord. The great reason why we enjoy not that mighty presence of the Lord in his Ordinances it is this Men come to Ordinances and would enjoy Ordinances but they never broke through difficulties to come to a God When men shall come to Ordinances only blessed be God we have the temple of the Lord truly this wil do you no good in the world The 5th Degree of casting off the supreme power of Christ in his Ordinances many times when the soul cannot come to Christ the Lord comes to it Now then the supreme power of Christ is cast off when the soul is unwilling or carelesse to receive the stroke of the Eternall power of the life of Jesus into his heart but contents himself with some beginnings some sips and tastes and doth not lye under the stroke of the eternall Spirit of the life of Christ. Look as it is with a company of Subjects they are in some great Town that stands it out against a Prince If the Prince send to them and they parlie with him and they are thankfull for his gifts and glad of his parly but yet notwithstanding they are unwilling to receive the Prince with all his power to come into the Town if they be unwilling to do that and are loath to joyn sides against the other party they cast him off from being King So it is here when men come to the Lord in Ordinances the Lord he parlies with them the Lord he sends promises and they are marvellous precious things and they have some taste of what the Lord do's send and it is sweet to them But now because they have lusts in their hearts the Lord saith make warre against thy lust and open the gates that I may come in If so be a man now out of secret love to his sin he content himself with the promises of Christ but the life of Christ he cares not for that he uses not all means that he may find that the supreme power of the Lord Jesus is now cast off and I know no difference between such a people and Capernaum they did enjoy the Gospell of God but now to entertain the Lord Jesus in his spirituall power this they were loath to come to therefore saith the Lord Wâ— to thee Capernaum the mighty work of Jesus Christ in their hearts this they never cared for Saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 5. The weapons of our warfare they are mighty through God As poor things as you think the Ordinances of the Lord to be they are mighty through the Lord When Christians shall not be willing to receive this mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ truly now the Kingdome of Christ is cast off Iohn 6. 49. Your fathers ate Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead that was outward Manna but he that eateth me shall live for ever In one word thus this is certain a man never gets good by any Ordinance nor the Lord Jesus doth never attain his end in any Ordinance till there be an everlasting power and life of Christ Jesus communicated by the Ordinance There saith he God commandeth his blessing life for evermore mercy for ever comforting and light for ever teaching and humbling for ever continuing and a man will never think he doth receive any good till he doth it For if a man be healed of his blindnesse and be blind presently again what is he the better So if a man hath some flash of light in the Ordinance blesse the Lord for it The Lord quickens up the heart to walk with the Lord Blessed be the Lord for it Ay but when the heart now shall lose that life and strength which it had not but that a Christian do's lose to his feeling but it will return again When he is a hearing some affection but he goes away dead as hee came no but when the Lord comes by his everlasting power and mercy and life in any Ordinance now Christ comes in his power and now ye receive the King in his power and Christ attains his end in the Ordinance This is all that I would say I do beseech you brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ Oh seek for this blessed life everlasting life Lord everlasting power Lord beg for that and seek for that and pray for that and weep for that do not content thy self with sippings and tastings look for everlasting life and power to come with the Ordinance though means be weak in themselves do not therefore vilifie them Look upon the brazen serpent what a poor thing was that to heal the people that were stung yet the institution of Christ did put vertue into it So do thou attend on the Ordinances and never be content till thou dost find the Lord and feel the Lord and say as some have said though I feel not the Lord now as I have done yet I think I shall for ever blesse the Lord. Never be content till ye find the Lord bringing your heart to this passe and then the King of glory the Prince of peace is come though ye find not the same power at all times yet if ye finde that power which do's inure your heart for ever to blesse the Lord here is everlasting power Jesus is now come to thy soul Ay but when ye content your selves with some movings and beginnings and sin and Satan as strong again as ever and ye find not your sin wasting and consuming in truth the Lord Jesus is cast off and ye have not the end for which ye come to the Ordinances of the Lord. But then ye are blessed for ever when ye find this 2. There is a derivative power of Christ to the Church joyntly considered together Mat. 18. 17. Go and tell the Church is the highest tribunal Christ hath on earth in the Kingdome of Saints 'T is Christs high Court of Parliament beyond which there is no appeal to any higher power than the Church and it cannot be meant of the Officers of the Church which is the fairest interpretation For the case may be that there is but one Officer and is he the Church as also that he may sin and not hear of his sin and must they leave him to himself at least to judge of his sin They power of Keys was given to Peter quia fidelis and the power to bind and loose to two or three gathered together in Christs name Mat. 18. but these
exhort one another whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Brotherly exhortation is a remedy against Apostasie of heart for though a man cannot convince another yet he may exhort him and 't is to be done in season whiles it 's called to day with due respect and taking notice of what good there is with much wisdome and a spirit of humility or else thou spoilest all thou medlest withall putting your selves in their estate and with hearty unfeigned prayer that the Lord would accompany the same with his blessing Heb. 10. 24. Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Look over the Congregation and consider such a Brothers or Sisters estate one is poor and low another falling another very much altered Now in some cases a private Brother may do more than a Minister the Lord help us and stir us up to this work Now when this is neglected many soules are hardned 4. Instructing and teaching one another as occasion serves Rom. 15. 14. And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that you also are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another They were able for to instruct and teach one another Isa. 54. 13. They shall be all taught of God What God teacheth thee that do thou teach others what thou gainest by hearing or by praying or meditation by putting questions to others sometimes to teach and sometimes to be taught and this do if possible in all occasionall meetings and worldly discourses mix with it some sweet truth that God hath taught thee But now on the other side when Christians shall meet and a 〈◊〉 is the worse for their fruitlesse discourse no savoâ—â— of any thing of God Let them meet never so long or oâ—â—en walking or sitting this is sad 5. In Comforting those that be sad Thes. 5. 14. and 4. ult Comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak wherefore comfort one another with these woâ—â—s There are many sad hearts in Gods Church and sad things are as wounds to a mans limbs that make him halt or fall Oh brethren be much in this work 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That a soul may say such a one came to me and spake some few words to me but they were as seasonable as though the Lord had sent an Angel from heaven to speak to me and of more worth than if he had given me â—any pounds But now when this also is neglected that one Christian hath not a word of encouragement to another but dry and savourless discourse this the Lord takes very ill at the hands of his people that have received comfort from himself in the day of their sorrow and distresse 6. Restoring a Brother fallen with a spirit of meekness Gal. 6. 1 2. Brethren of any be overtaken with a fault ye which are sprituall restore such a one with a spirit of meeknesse Oh how will a poor soul blesse the for such a Brothers prayers admonitions and exhortations when the Lord shall have brought his heart back again to himself although before he did most of all disesteem and vilâ—fie him Now when these are not used or not with a spirit of meeknesse improved that a man never blesseth God for these the Lord Jesus is pulled down from his throne when not done according to the ability time and place that the Lord affords And this I wish the Churches mourn not for another day For my own part I do adjudge my self before God and men as most guilty of this that I enjoy many sweet Ordinances and we improve them not and hence the glory of the Lord fils not his Tabernacle abides not on his Churches either to draw others to them or to make others abundantly blesse God for them Now here I will shew you the causes of this 1. Not gaining much in private duties in Prayer Meditation Reading and daily Examination of a mans own heart And hence they cannot do good because they receive none or very little themselves they have not a treasure within hence they can spend little have no heart or ability to exhort instruct comfort He that keeps not his shop his shop will never keep him As Psal 41. 6. His heart gathereth iniquity to it self when he goeth abroad he telleth it 2. A low spirit which makes a man to have low thoughts and endeavours I mean not an humble but a narrow spirit not inlarged to hold much or to do much hence it doth little As take a plain Countrey-man he neither seeks or regards the affaires of the State in publick because his spirit and condition is low but Princes do mind and attend to the affaires of the Kingdome to advance it because their condition is high and they know it Moses he suffered reproach with the people of God losse of all the honour and pleasure of Pharaâ—hs out feared not Pharaoh nor losse of life for their sakes For he saw that God which is invisible like Saul when once a Ringdome comes to be in his eye he leaves off to seek the Asses 3. Sloth There are Thornes Prov. 15. 19. and Lions Prov. 26. 13. in a sluggards way There be many difficulties businesses occasions and objections when as if once he were resolved to break thorough them then the work would go on Like a man when he is in his warm bed he is loth to rise but when he is up he would not be in his bed again if he might be hired again to put off his clothes I shall get no good saith one nor do none saith another and when these businesses are past and occasions over and at another time I will seek God and go about Gods work and thus a slothfull spirit hinders 4. Want of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. We believe and hence we speak Faith empties us most and hence fils us with Spirit and Life of Christ Jesus hence Steven full of faith and the holy Ghost A lively Christian when he comes in another Christians company it may be he knows not what to speak but he looks up to Christ and sayes Now Lord here is an opportunity in doing or receiving some good and therefore now Lord help 5. Want of fear of God and consolation of the spirit of God from the sense of Gods love Acts 9. 31. They walâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the fear of the Lord and consolations of thâ— Holy Ghost the Church was edified by the consolations of the Holy Ghost A man that 's wounded keeps within and stirs not but when he is in health and strength now hard work is his meat he cannot live except he work 1 Cor. 15. ult 6. Not considering the shortnesse of our time of sowing Heb. 10. 25. Whereas if men were on their death-bed they would wish Oh that I had walked more
shal grace reign unto eternall life Rom. 5. 21. He will bestow on you the sure mercies of David by an everlasting Covenant Isa. 55. 5. Quest. But wherein should I submit to the Lord Answ. None have power to rule conscience but Christ give him therefore this glory that wherein he bindes conscience conscience not out of fear but love may indeed submit I have instanced the particulars formerly yet more distinctly There be two great commands or charges of Christ that lye upon all mens consciences to whom the Gospell comes and therein lyes our service of him generally Which two I name because there we think we are free or do not know our liberty First The command of Christ is that every one to whom the Gospell comes and is preached do believe i. e. receive Christ Jesus in all his fulnesse in the Gospel Iohn 1. 12. For that is to believe in which command lies Gods offer 1 Iohn 5. 23. This is his commandment that ye believe John 6. 25 37 38. This is the work of God that ye believe Now here men think they are free 1. They say they are unworthy and hence they say Depart from me Lord I am a sinfull man as if Gods grace was built on mans worthinesse 2. Because unhumbled whereas Gods grace calls in men unhumbled Rev. 8. 17 18. For Gods call and offer is generall though none but the humble will hearken to it But there are none but it may be said to them If they can believe let them 3. Because Christ is not theirs are they bound to believe he is Whereas the first act of faith is not to believe Christ is mine then men were bound to believe a lie But to receive Christ as a woman her husband that he may be mine by saith and so a man may know and say he is mine The Gospell doth no where say to any man Christ is thine but if thou receive him he is thine and consequently the Spirit speaks so also 4. Because they cannot believe unlesse they should presume as if the Gospell bound the conscience of none to believe but them that were able to believe it and receive Christ in it yet 't is otherwise for it binds all to receive Christ Jesus to go up and possesse him to feed eat 〈◊〉 and live for ever And I will leave this one 〈◊〉 argument If men are liable to eternall conâ—â—â—mation at the great and last day and to bear the 〈◊〉 wrath of God and Christ also for disobeying the Gospell for refusing Christ and the offer of his grace therein Then those mens consciences are bound to obey the Gospell i. e. to believe and receive Christ now in this life But all that have the Gospell preached to them are liable to eternall condemnation for disobedience to it Iohn 3. 18 19. Psal. 2. 12. Kisse the Son lest he be angâ—y So. 2 Thes. 2. 8 9. He comes to render vengeance on them that obey not the Gospell Rom. â— 10. The Lord shall judge the secrets of all hearts by my Gospell That is where ever the Gospell comes for they that have no law having no law shall not by judged by it But men that have had the Gospell shall be judged by it and therefore are bound to obedience thereunto The serious consideration of which one truth is enough to draw all 〈…〉 from the power of unbelief especially they that say I cannot or ought not believe For the reason why meâ— do not come is 1. They think the Gospell concerns not them what doth the Lord say to me come so vile and sinfull yes that he doth if there was no such law there could be no transgression or condemnation 2. They think they shall presume No if conscience be bound to it 't is no prefumption to keep a Sabbath aright or to receive Christ as God offers him Oh this quiets conscience 3. The Lord layes his chain on the most tender place of conscience as it will answer it at the great day or will have any peace take heed you refuse not so great salvation 4. 'T is a chain not of bondage but of liberty and mercy and love Come and receive not a Kingdome but Christ Peace pardon and grace freely which may draw the heart as it will at the great and last day Come ye blessed take a Kingdome take a Christ prepared for you from before the foundation of the world Oh that this might sound in your eares This is the first and chiefest without this all your obedience is hypocrisie and abominable but this will please and then all poor obedience shall please Secondly Love unto the whole will of Christ especially to that part of it to love those that be the members of Christ. Some Christians they believe and feeling a heart so crosse to Christ and the will of God think they are from under the government of God and Christ so from under the grace of Christ and the argument is strong if true but why not under his government because they find daily a spirit so crosse to the will of Christ and hence under continuall fears of condemnation Oh but consider hast thou no love to the will of Christ and law of God for if any believe this is found in him if so then under Christs Government Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the spirit of life hath made me free What is that Law See Chap. 7. 23 24. Spirit of delight in the Law in the inner man and mourning for contrary captivity Know therefore though you cannot do all yet love the whole will of God and mourn where you do not and then say Now no condemnation Do not say 'T is impossible Oh here is mens wo and tryall of subjection to Christs will How do you love it love his Sabbaths and Ordinances because of his love to you How do's this constrain you In particular Love the people of God that is his speciall commandment 1 Iohn 3. 23. Iohn 13. 34. But now the want hereof or the contrary hereto As when a man shall become 1. A Distaster 2. A Contemner 3. A Censurer and whisperer 4. A Sooffer 5. If met on a Bridge an opposer of the Truths or servants of God This is that which kindles wrath and wherein the inward venome of hypocrisie appears There 's many duties neglected and not that spirit of prayer and holy conferences amongst Christians yet do you keep love to them that what you cannot do your selves yet you love others that can do it and account it your blessednesse to be like them and daily mourn under your neglects that in every thing the Gospel is not adorned by you on the other side although you have many duties Sabbaths and good acts yet if not love all is vile I fear 't is not mens joy sweetnesse delight to hear the least good word that falls from a good mans lips but rather the truths and things of God despised if so then look for
under the ground and the tombitâ—ne is laid upon them If Christ spake he would make the dead to hear and the blind to see Vse 2. Hence see why the Saints find such changes and alterations in themselves when they come to hear sometimes their hearts are quickned fed and cherished healed and comforted relieved and visited sometime again dead and senselesse heavy and hardned Mark 8. 17 18 21. How is it ye do not understand Nay which is more that the same truth which they hear at one time should affect them and at another time doth not the same thing which they have heard a hundred times and never stirr'd them at last should The reason is they heard the Word of God spoken at one time but not God speaking and they heard the Lord speaking that same Word at another time the Lord is in his Word at one time the Word goes alone at another time as in Eliah the Lord was not in the whirlwind but he spake in the still voice and hence there he was to Elijah Luke 24. 25. with 32. not that you are to lay blame on the Lord for he blows where he listeth but to make us see 't is not in outward means nor 't is not in our own spirits to quicken our selves and to make us ashamed of our own darknesse that when he speaks yet we cannot hear there is so much power of spiritual death and Satan yet within us only out of his pitty he speaks sometimes not that you should despise the outward word No no the Lord is there shining in Perfection of glory and that which doth thee no good the Lord makes powerfull to some others But prize the Spirit of God in that Word which alone can speak to thee Vse 3. Of dread and terrour to all unregenerate men Hence see the heavy wrath of God against them they have indeed the Scriptures and the precious Word of God dispensed to them but the Lord never speakes one word unto them If any one from whom we expect and look for love passe by us and never speak What not speak a word and we call to him and he will not speak we conclude he is angry and displeased with us You look for love do you not you that hear every Sabbath and come to Lectures and you must out t is well yes you will say His love is better than life frowns more bitter than death Love wo to me if the Lord do not love me better never been born I hope he loves me Happy I if the mountains might fall on me to crush me in pieces if he loves me not c. but consider if he loves he will then speak peace unspeakable to thy conscience when humbled life to thy heart joy in the Holy Ghost Isa. 57. 19. Iohn 6. 63. 1 Thes. 1. 6. but look upon thy soul and see this day in the sight of God whether ever the Lordspake one word to thee outwardly indeed he hath but not inwardly inwardly also but not effectually to turn them from darknesse to light and the power of Satan to God c. The voyce of God is full of Majesty it shakes the heart 't is full of life it quickens the dead and light and peace and gives wisdom to the simple Ps. 119. Opening of thy word gives light to the eyes How many women ever learning and never knowing and many men learning and knowing what is said but never hear God speak Then know the wrath of the Lord see and go home mourning under it There is a fourfold wrath in this 1. 'T is the Lords sore wrath and displeasure Zach. 1. 2. with vers 4. If one should expect love from another to do much for him and he did not it may be he would not take it as a signe of displeasure but if he will not do a small thing not speak a word to him oh this is bitter what will not the Lord speak a word not one word especially when thy life lies on it thy soul lies on it eternity lies on it especially the Lord that is so mercifull and and pittifull this is a sign of sore anger 2. 'T is a token of Gods old displeasure eternall displeasure I know you cannot hear hence though God speaks you hear him not but why doth not the Lord remove that deafnesse you old hearers that have ears fat with hearing but heavy he never intended love else he would speak there would be some time of love Rom. 11. 7 8. The Elect have had it others are blinded as 't is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this day 3. 'T is the Lords present displeasure When a man looks for love and speech and he doth not speak at those times he is not wont to speak one may take it as no sign of anger but when the Lord shall speak usually and then he speaks not this is a sad sign 1 Sam. 28. 6 15. He cries out of this He answors me not by Urim nor dreams nor thee by the Gospel nor Law neither where he useth to answer If this anger were to come it were some comfort but when 't is now upon thee even that very Sermon and Word whereby he speaks to others but not a word to thee 4. 'T is his insensible anger for a fat heart and an heavy ear ever go together for you will say I feel no hurt in this I have heard and been never the better but yet that hath made me never the worse Oh poor creature 't is because you feel it not but when the time of misery shall come you will say This is wo and load enough for the Lord to give no answer Psal. 71. 9. We see not our Prophets nor any to tell us how long so you that despise means you shall then lament and say none can tell how long Oh therefore lament this thy condition now that the Lord may hear some of your cries c. Vse 4. Hence examine whether ever you heard the Lords voice or no not only outwardly for that you know you have often done but inwardly and not only so for so ye may do and yet your eares heavy but effectually that if it be not so you may be humble and say Lord how have I spent my time in vain and if it be so you may be thankfull and say Lord what am I that the infinite God should speak to me There is great need of trial of this for a man may read hear and understand externally what ever another may and yet the whole Scripture a sealed Book There are therefore these three degrees by which you shall discern the effectuall voice of God you must take them joyntly 1. The voice of God singles a man out and though it be generally written or spoken speaks particularly to the very heart of a man with a marvellous kind of Majesty and glory of
God stamp't upon it and shining in it When a man hears things generally delivered the blessed estate of the Saints the cursed estate of the wicked consolations to the one curses to the other exhortations to faith and obedience to both and a man sits by and never thinks the Lord is now speaking and means me Or if it doth so yet thinks he intends me no more than others he hears not the Lord speaking for when he speaks he speaks particularly to the very heart of a man he doth so fit the word to him whether it be the Word of the law to humble him or of Gospel to comfort or of command to guide as if the Lord meant none but them The word is like an exact picture it looks every man in the face that looks on it if God speaks in it Heb. 4. 12 13. It searcheth the heart vers 12. but vers 13. he speaks of God how comes that in because God the Majesty of God comes with it when God speaks it With whom we have to do why is that put in because when the Lord speaks a man thinks now I have to do with God if I resist I oppose a God Before this a maâ— thinks he hath nothing to do with God they are such strangers Hence it is one man is wrought on in a Sermon another not GOd hath singled out one not the other that day Hence take a man unhumbled he hears many things and it may be understands not if so yet they concern not him if they do and conscience is stirr'd yet they think man means them and speaks by hap and others 〈…〉 bad as they and his troubie is not much At last he hears his secret thoughts and sins discovered all his life is made known and thinks 't is the Lord verily that hath done this now God speaks 1 Cor. 14. 2â— those things he did neither believe nor imagine c. Iohn 4. 29. See the man that hath told me all that ever I did Hence take a soul that is humbled he heares of the free offer of grace he refuseth it why this is to all and to hypocritâ—s as well as to me Apply any promise to it it casts by all it looks upon them as things generally spoken and â—polyed by man but they hear not God speaking but when the Lord comes he doth so meet with their objections and speaks what they have been thinking may be true that they think this is the Lord this is to me Hosea 2. 14. I 'le speak to her heart and hence 't is called the ingraffed word James 1 21. like one branch of many applied to the stock Iob 33. 14 16. 2. The voice of the Lord doth not only speak particularly but it goes further it comes not only with an Almighty power but with a certain everlasting efficacy and power on the soul. Thus 't is here vers 38. Ye have not his word in you they had it out of them and not only in you but abiding in you 1 Pet. 1. 23. born of incorruptible seed the Apostle seems to speak of a kind of birth by corruptible seed and such are like goodly flowers which soon wither but you are born of incorruptible seed which hath an eternall savour sweetnesse and power Mat. 13. of the four grounds three of them fall away Iohn 15. 16. Their fruit does not remain they have some living affection at the present but they go away and it dies Look but upon particulars doth the Lord once speak by the Word and humble the heart it never lists up its head more doth he reveal the glory of Christ that light never goes out more Isa. 60. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 4 5. As at the first Creation there was light and so continues to this day so doth he give life Iohn 11. 26. You shall never die more doth he give peace and joy no man shall take their joy from them Isa. 32. 17. Fruit of Righteousnesse and Peace and assurance for ever Doth he give the Spirit of all these which Gal. 3. comes by hearing of faith it shall abide for ever Iohn 14. 17. That look as Gods love is everlasting so his words have an everlasting excellency and efficacy in them and goodness in them the sweetest token of his love and as Christs purchase is only of eternall good things so the application of this purchase by the Word 't is of eternall worth peace but peace eternal life light favour joy but joy eternal like Mustard seed though very little yet mighty in increase and never subdued again so that though it be but little yet 't is eternal and hence observe where God hath spoken effectually the longer the man lives the more he grows in the vertue and power of the word another though wonderfully ravished for a time yet dies most commonly outwardly in externall Profession but ever in inward savour so that when you hear the word and it moves you affects you and Iohn is a burning light and you rejoyce therein but 't is but for a season The â—vill Spirit comes on you and David playes upon his Harp and Ministers preach sweet things but as soon as the Musick is done the evill Spirit returns I say you never heard the Lords voyce The peace and joy of the Lord enters into Eternity and the Apostle expresly cals him an unâ—ruitfull hearer Iames 1. 21 that sees his face and forgets himself A gracious heart can say This peace shall go to heaven and joy and love and fear it 's part of eternall glory 3. The voyce of the Lord comes not only thus particularly and with eternal efficacy but with such efficacy as carries unto and centers in Christ so 't is here For him whom God hath sent you believe not Iohn 6. 41. They shall be taught of God wherein doth that appear they shall hear and learn so as to come to me if the law humbles them it 's such a humbling as drives them unto Christ poor and undon Rom 10. 4. if the word gives peace to them 't is such a peace which at the last they find in Christ Eph. 2. 17 18. with 14. i it live holily it lives unto Christ not meerly as to God and to quiet conscience unto a Creator as Adam but for Christs sake 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15. We judge that if we were dead and Christ dyed for us we should then live unto him if they grow up by the word 't is in Christ Eph. 4. 14. though Christ be not mentioned yet it is strange to see let the word speak what it will whether terrour Oh my need of Christ mercy and grace Oh the love of Christ oh the blood of Christ command oh that I may live to honour Christ and wrong him no more Duties Oh the easie yoke of Christ They look upon the whole word rightly dispensed as the bridegrooms voice and truly his words are sweet For a man may have some such fear reformation affection as may continue
speak so suitably to him But as soon as he is gone out again this is the complaint of the soul all is lost again now the soul it sals a mourning again It is not for the glory of God to give the soul such peace out of his Ordinances as he doth in them the soul it would not prize the Ordinances of the Lord so much yet there it is and when they come again the Lord he either gives them the same refreshings again or else there is a new spring 3. The eternall efficacy of the word and voyce of God it may be preserved in an internall spirit of prayer for the continuance of it while he hath it and for the return of it when it is lost Psalm 119. 4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently David he knew his own weakness yet he intimates with what power it came on his heart Oh that my soul were directed to keep thy statutes When the soul sees the beaâ—ty of a command and the good will of God how sweet it is and how amiable the way and work of God is Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes And so when it is gone Psal. 63. 3. My soul thirsteth after thee Lord saith David that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary He doth not say that I may see thy glory and power in thy sanctuary though that might be too no but that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in the sanctuary David he did find a want of seeing him as he had done yet the vertue of it did remain in a spirit of thirsting and desire My soul thirrsteth for thee as in a dry land where no water is that I may see thee A Christian may have at some time such a glimpse in hearing the word of Gods grace of the exceeding riches of Gods grace and the love of God to him that he may be in a little heaven at that time ravished in the admiration of that mercy that ever God should look to him It is so and the word sayes so and the soul is ravished with wonderment at it yet God is gone again and the soul loses it Now the soul thinks I have lost the efficacy of Gods word but it is not so for thus it may be preserved Oh that I may see this God as I have done And all his life-time the soul may find the want of this yet it may be preserved in a spirit of prayer For whem the Lord hath given once a glimpse of his glory the soul it cannot be at rest but it breatheth for more of that mercy and presence a Christian may find his spirit marvellously refreshed at the word he may taste how good the Lord is and he may lose it again but this may be preserved in a spirit of longing after this God and presence again And I will say this Brethren A Christian may find no good by the word to his apprehension he sees the admirable blessed estate of the Saints and exceeding riches of God in Christ sees the sweetness of the waies of God goes home thinks within himself Happy they that are in this condition Blessed are they that can walk thus with God But I cannot saith the soul. I say it may find it thus when he cannot find the reall efficacy of the word as he would do he may receive the benefit of that word if the Lord do but only give him a heart to desire it Oh that the Lord would but thus manifest himself to me the soul may go away poor and hungry from the word and the Lord may yet reserve a spirit of thirsting after that good which a man desires to find and there is the efficacy of the word there As now there are two golden vessels one a man fills and it is every day dropping and he preserves it another vessel he do's not fill but with something that he hath He is every day widening of it So some Christians the Lord he 's a filling of them others the Lord he do's not fill them with such peace and joy ay but though the Lord is not filling of them he is a widening of them there is such a vertue that the Lord do's enlarge the heart with secret desires and longings after more of Gods grace and Christs The Lord he saith I intend to make this man a vessell of glory and I intend he shall have a great deal of glory and peace at the last The Lord he leaves such an impression of the word upon him as that thereby he enlargeth the heart Open thy mouth wide I will fill it 4. A Christian may have the everlasting efficacy of the word and voice of God preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the Lord for those joys and good that it finds by the word sometimes When it feels that the sweet and savour of the word is gone a spirit of thankfulnesse and love to the word that doth remain The Lord he preserves the efficacy of the word in this way Psal. 119. 7. I shall saith David then praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements The Lord he may teach his people his righteous judgements and the savour and feeling and strength of them to their feeling may be gone and yet it is preserved in a spirit of thankfulnesse and praise that ever the Lord should shew it such mercy When the Spirit is gone the spirit of love and thankfulnesse remains As now a man hath heard the word the Lord he hath effectually wrought on him and changed his heart and drawn him to himself a Christian it may be he may lose those sorrows and humiliations and the remembrance of those things yet there remaineth to his dying day this Spirit he blesseth God and wondereth at God that ever he should make the word effectuall that he should leave so many thousands in the world and cast his skirt over him and say to him Live this do's remain still Brethren the Lord do's sometimes let light into a mans mind to discover his sin now this light it do's not sensibly overcome the power of sin But now the sâ—ul blesseth God for that word which hath convinced it had I never seen my sin saith the soul I should never a sought for power against it and pardon of it and this continues now and cannot but continue here is the efficacy of the word the word of Gods grace though the flower of it be gone yet there is an eternal power of the word that the soul can say It hath come to me and helped me against these sins and the soul wonders at the Lord it should be so much as it is So again a Christian he finds marvellous refreshings and affection whiles he is a hearing when he is gone away he finds not the same but he blesseth God for those affections he finds and
and he doth give thee some victory Beloved a Christian may decay in the power of the grace of Christ which he hath received from the Word and voice of God in the Word and he may decay and grow to a very low estate yet he shall find this the Word of the Lord hath come with power to him it will recover his soul again and so the efficacy of the Word is eternall Psalm 72. it s said of Christ that his People shall fear him so long as Sun and Moon shall endure that is continually all their life-time It may be said there be many that find decay of their service and obedience and lose their fear of the Lord and their dread and their humble walking before him He shall come as the rain on the mowen grasse many times a Christian hath his flourishing time as the grasse but when the grasse is mowen it is as a dry chip so the soul it may grow dry as dry as a chip Now where is your sap and savour but I tell you if you belong to the Lord Jesus the rain it will fall again the Word of God set on by the Spirit of Christ it shall fall upon you as the rain on the mowen grasse and you know that it recovers little by little and puts on a green coat again Here is the eternal love of the Lord Jesus to his People and thus the eternal efficacy of the word does continue 3. Vse is of exhortation Oh Brethren and beloved in the Lord Jesus may a Christian hear the Word of God spoken and yet never hear God speak may he hear it externally and not internally then rest not in externall hearing and with some little movings and affections and stirrings of the Word of Gods grace in hearing Let not the Word be to you as the sound of many waters and a noise no efficacy of the Word that do remain on your soules Brethren and beloved in Christ I lay my finger on the sore in these times Oh the contempt of the Gospel of Christ though I believe it hath its efficacy in the heart of the Elect that is the thing that I presse never be content with external hearing though thou mayest have some affection and know new things unlesse thou find the Lord speaking with an eternall efficacy to thy soul. I conceive two things are to be done that the word may come with an everlasting efficacy although something is to be done by Ministers that is to preach truth and Gospel-truth fetch 't from heaven with many prayers soaked truth with many tears Ye shall know the truth that truth shal make you free Convicting truth We preach saith the Apostle in the demonstration of the Spirit The Spirit of God when he commeth he convinceth the world of sin Let Ministes do so Preach convincing truth and Gospel-truth fetch'd from heaven and bathed in tears Oh brethren let the fire burn clear let there not be more smoak than fire it will never come with power then convincing Gospel-truth set on by the demonstration of the Spirit of the Lord and this will set a Christian at liberty there is never such a Sermon that the faithful ones of God preach to you if it come not with a power to loosen you and call you home it comes with a power to blind you it is an ax at the root of the Trees but I leave this What means ought the people to use that the Word of God may come with efficacy Them that are in their unregenerate estate the Lord only knows how to work on their hearts they must come to the outward means I speak to the Saints of God I leave others to the infinite mercy of the Lord It is not in him that willeth or runneth but in the Lord that sheweth mercy In the use of means 1. Means Do not only see thy infirmities and weaknesses but pray to God to give thee a heart bleeding under the sense of thy many infirmities Many times men slight them and are not sensible of them I do not say wickednesses and wilfulnesses but thy infirmities and weaknesses get a heart mourning under them A Christian is made up of infirmities and weaknesses a man would not think there is that in another which he knows by himself Oh brethren labour for a broken heart in the sense of your many infirmities and weaknesses darknesse and enmity vanity and unsavourinesse the Lord will have his time to speak to such a soul. Break up the fallow ground of your hearts lest my wrath break out with fire the Lord hath promised to dwell with the poor and contrite Look as it was with our Saviour Christ they brought the sick and the lame ones to him and vertue went out from Christ to heal them all Bring thy sick and blind heart to Christ and vertue shall go forth from Christ to heal it 2. Draw near to God in the Word by looking on it as God speaking to thee We are far from God and therefore we cannot hear him draw near to him when you come to the external Word when you come to hear the Word hear it as the voyce of God You heard the Word as the Word of God which you felt in you I do not speak that the soul should take every thing that Ministers speak as the Word of God but that which is the Word of God take it as God speaking I am not able to expresse the infinite unknown sweetnesse and mercy and presence of God that you shall find thus comming I know it is a common truth but I am not ashamed to tell you I have not for many a year understood this truth and I see but little of it yet ye have heard of it but ye do not understand what it is to hear God speaking When God hath an intent to harden a mans heart and to damn him either he shall have a prejudice against the man or else if he hath not a prejudice against the man there is a secret loathing of the truth in regard of the commands of it and that is all and the Lord he hardens and blinds and prepares for eternall ruin all the men in the world by this means that live under the means When the Lord spake to Samuel Samuel heard a voyce but he heard it not as spoken by God but when he took Elies counsel and saw it was the Lord that spoke now he listens to the voice of the Lord and now the Lord opens all his mind to him 3. Do not trust to the external word It is a heaven on earth to hear the word exalted a glorious thing to hear the word of God as Gods word but trust to the free grace of God in it and the Spirit of God in Christ to set on that Word When they brought the lame and blind and halt to Christ they looked for the Word and the Power of it Speak the Word Lord and thy servants shall be whole so
bring you blind lame and halt souls to Christ and trust to the free grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Work of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand so the Word of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand also Lastly so seek the Lord and so hear the Word so see the truth and so hear the truth as that you lay up your happinesse in this world in closing with the truth and with the word Brethren what is a mans happiness in heaven but to close with God and Christ I cannot come to God now the most that I can have of God now is in his word if it be happiness in heaven to close with God in Christ truly then it is a mans happinesse to close with God in his word on earth and if it be your happiness lay up your happiness in it My son saith Solomon if thou wilt hear my words let them not depart from thine eies keep them in thy middest of thy heart place thy happiness in them So shall they be life to thy soul. Neverthelesse Brethren let a mans soul be set upon anything in the world when he comes to hear besides the word if he lay not up his happinesse in closing with the word truly the word it will be like a song to him The Prophet Ezekiel tells them Their hearts were gone after their covetousness When a man comes to hear a Sermon there is a Sermon and the Market there is a Sermon and a friend to speak withall and so many young people will go abroad to hear Sermons What is the end of it It is that yee may get wives and husbands many of you but it is not your blessednesse to close with the Lord in his word I have known some men that have had a distaste against the truth of the Lord and I have known them for many a day they have not bee able to understand the truth of the Lord. When it shall be thus with a man that a mans heart is set on something else besides the word of the Lord that it is not my happinesse to close with the truth of the Lord such a man shall never understand the truth of the Lord. Though the word be sweet to you sometimes if your blessednesse do not lye in this to enjoy God Oh this Gospel of God and these Commands of God that your blessednesse do not lye in cleaving to the Lord in his word I say it is a certain truth you shall be blinded and harned by the word For here is a Rule Whatsoever a mans heart is set on as his chiefest good the presence of that good it comes with power So here the precious Gospell of Christ when the presence of it commands the heart nothing is good enough for it and it closeth with it and with Christ in it I beseech you therefore Beloved in Christ set upon the use of these meanes think within your selves What if the Lord had left me without the word I will tell you what ye would have been Look upon these poor Indians herds of Beasts look upon others on their Ale-benches enemies to the Lord such a one thou hadst been This blessed word and voyce of God every tittle of it cost the blood of Christ written all the lines of it in the blood of Christ. Oh make much of it and it will make much of you it will comfort you and strengthen you and revive you if the word come not with power ye shall be under the power of something else if not under the power of the word then under the power of some lust What is the reason that these poor creatures that are come to the tryall for life and death that have fallen into such sinnes as were never heard of What is the reason that they are under the power of their lusts I will tell you what Solomon saith My son if wisdome enter into thy heart and discretion be pleasant to thy soul it shall keep thee from the strange woman and sinful companion If it be pleasant here is the reason the word of Gods grace it never came with power or if it came with power powerless the word of Gods grace hath been to them and because it hath not come with power the Lord hee hath given them over to the power of their lusts and sinfull distempers Oh Brethren truly I cannot see how any man can maintain any evidence of Gods electing love that shall hear and hear and good dayes mend him not nor bad dayes pair him that can commend a Sermon and speak of it but that efficacy is not known to him neither doth he mourn for the want of it but the eternall efficacy thereof is a stranger to it 1 Thes. 1. 5. Knowing saith the Apostle your Election of God How did he know it For saith he Our Gospel came not to you in word but in power ye will rejoyce the hearts of your Ministers when the word comes with power Let me say this and so I conclude I remember the Lords threatning I will take away the staffe of bread and ye shall eat and shall not be satisfied When the Lord shall let men have the word when the Lord shall not take away the word but the staffe of the word Suppose you poor Parents Fathers and Mothers your Families should have good Corn but when you come to eat it no strength at all but ye dye and wear away and others that are about you they have planted the same Corn and eat and are satisfied What will ye do in this case You would set apart a day of fasting and prayer and say Good Lord what a curse is upon me my poor children are dying before me others have the staffe of Corn but my Family have no strength at all Ye would mourn if it were thus with your poor Cattell Oh for poor Creatures to have the word but the efficacy of it to be taken away no blessing no power at all Oh poor Creatures go and say Oh the curse of God that lies on me the wrath of God that lyes on my servants it is a heavy plague But Oh the sweetnesse and excellency of it when a Christian shall find everlasting vertue and efficacy conveyed to him by the word All you that are before the Lord this day ye shall see an end of all perfection but eternall things are not they worth something You shall see an end of all delights and contentments but this shall comfort you when you are a dying that the word which you attended upon the Lord in such peace and such consolations I have found by it and the efficacy of that word then remaines with you nay goes to heaven with you I commend you therefore to the word of his grace which is able to build you up unto an eternall inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Acts 20. 32. FINIS Doctr. 1. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Reas. 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Quest. Vse 4. Objection Answ. 1. Answ. 2 Answ. 3. Vse 5. Quest. Answ. 1. Psal. 133. ult Quest. Answ. Acts 5. 12. Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Quest. Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Object Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Tit. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 18 Eph. 6. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Tit. 2. 9 10. Eph. 6. 5 Answ. 1. Answ. 1. Vse 6. Ier. 2. 20. Object Answ. Vse 7. Mot. 1. Mot. 2. Mot. 3. Mot. 4. Quest. Answ. Means 1. 〈◊〉 2. Quest. 1. Answ. Answ. Observ. Quest. 1. Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Rev. 12. 9. Rom. 1. 22. Reas. 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Object Answ. 1. Vse 3. 1 Thes. 2. 3. Prov. 3. Vers. 22.