that should teach the people to love one another rather cause the people to hate one another by laying foolish and false reproaches upon some and tel the people that they say God sees no sin in them they need not to ask for pardon of sin Christ hath done al for them and such like discourse And it may be cal them Independents that wil live under no Government and then the drunkards of a parish make songs of them and swear the Kingdom must be rid of them before all be wel And if they be asked how they know all this they answer Our Parson said so Psa 69.12 and so in Neh. 6.6 There Sanballet chargeth the Prophet with rebellion and those that were with him and thus the Pharisees accused Jesus Christ of being a wine-bibber a gluttonous man and a friend of Publicans and sinners and of coming to break the Law and to be a Ringleader of Sectaries as you may read in Joh. 12.19 And the Pharisees therefore said among themselves Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the world is gone after him And they tel the people they who know not the Law are accursed and in the mean time they themselvs beleeved not on him who was the Law and the life of the Law Joh. 7.47 48 49. And thus you see what usage Christ had and those that followed him As for instance Jesus Christ loved Lazarus therefore the Chief Priests and Pharisees hated him as you may read in Joh. 12.10 11. And the Chief Priests and Pharisees consulted for they are all one for to put Lazarus also to death as wel as his Master Now the reason why they did so was because many of the Jews went away from them and beleeved on Jesus Now who wil follow Jesus Christ must make account to suffer from the stricter sort and as Paul said all men have not faith therefore unreasonable so all men and women have not the knowledg of Christ nor the love of Christ in them therefore unreasonable though they seem to be zealous for the devout and honorable women and the chief men of the City raised persecution against Paul for preaching Jesus Christ Acts 13.50 Thus you may see what hard usage Christ had in the world and those that he draws after him with the cords of his love We seem all to profess and follow one Christ and one Religion and yet we bite and backbite and devour one another this is strange dissimulation Sect. 2 But to make good what I did intend to say to the Pharisee and to the Pharisaical and outside Religion that is in the world Take special notice of three places of Scripture which I shal name The first is Jer. 7.4 14. All things are as a shadow that passeth away but Christ is the substance that endureth for ever and ever therfore trust ye not in your own lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these For what profit hast thou in the Temple of the Lord or in the Ordinances of the Lord or these if thou see not Jesus Christ there and know him by the power of his Resurrection It is a vain thing to rejoyce in the Cabinet when the Pearl is not there The second place of Scripture is Mat. 7.21 22 23. To be something with Jesus Christ by way of merit or desert is the next way for Christ to shut us out of door Lord Lord have we not prophecyed and prayed and humbled our selves and in thy Name have cast out devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works Mark the argument that 's pleaded Lord Lord have not we done something to lean upon and as it were with thy help to bring us to heaven And so that proud Pharisee in Luk. 18.11 12. God I thank thee I fast and pray and give alms and I am not as this Publican and so saith the Ruler What shal I do to inherit eternal life Luk. 18.18 Now I wil shew you the difference betwixt a Pharisee and a true Beleever The Pharisee or the outside Christian argues from what he hath done or from what he wil do But a true Beleever argues with the same argument that God himself useth with himself as you may read in Ezek. 36.20 21 22 23. where the Lord argues with his own holy Name for to deliver the people that was in bondage But I had pity saith the Lord for mine holy Name and gave them rest and so in Isa 43.25 I even I am he saith the Lord that blotteth out thy sins for mine own sake Now there is nothing of man that can move God but God for his holy Names sake moves himself This is the great argument which the Saints of old have made use of as for instance Lord saith Moses I beseech thee for thy Name sake do not destroy this people but let the power of my Lord be great that is let the Name of my Lord be great in shewing mercy Numb 14.12 13 17 18 19. And so likewise David argues Lord saith he for thy Names sake pardon mine iniquity not but that David knew that his sins were pardoned but David desires a comfortable and a constant assurance of the pardon of his sin in his own breast Psa 25.11 And so the Apostle speaks Not by works of righteousness which we have done but for his Names sake he saveth us Tit. 3.5 Here I have shewed you the difference between a true Beleever and a Pharisee or an outside Christian Now a true Beleever makes the Name of God his great argument nay more he cals the Name of God The Lord his righteousness Jer. 23.6 But a Pharisee or an outside Christian raiseth his argument upon what he hath done instance that forenamed place Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men I fast and pray and do many things and so in Mat. 7.22 In thy Name we have done many wonderful works Now Christ answers I profess I never knew you that is I do not approve of you depart from me But why shal we depart from thee Because you do but seem to draw nigh me with your mouth and with your lips but your hearts are against me And ye are they which justifie your selvs before men and this you highly esteem but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 Now the third place of Scripture which I shal name is Isa 58.2 3 4 5 6 7. Now an ignorant zealous man or woman knows not Iesus Christ to proceed forth come forth from God and to be sent forth from God Joh. 8.42 to be the Way Ioh. 14.6 for lost man to return back again to God Now Christ is the new and living way Heb. 10.20 Now mark all those that are not in this new and living way are subject to walk in by-ways and like unto a man that is in the water and likely to be drown'd
zeal and piety they endeavor to make honest godly men seem odious to the world Instance in Mr Edwards read his first Gangraena pag. 61. 172. and there you may find him reproaching of honest godly men under the name of Sectaries and he draws them up into ten heads And the first is looseness of life and liberty of conscience The second is Covetousness and Self-seeking The third is policy and subversion The fourth is seeming activity in the prosecution of that way And the fifth is Tumultuousness Disorder and Confusion The sixth is Destruction of Government The seventh is Insolent Pride and Arrogance The eighth is Unhumane incivility or to that effect And the ninth is to have power to carry on all before them and throw down all that stands in their way But me thinks this is a beam that sticks fast in Mr Edwards own eye and a thing that he strives hard after himself And the tenth thing is what they do saith he they do it in hypocrisie under pretences of piety and holiness And this is a garment that M. Edwards would have all men to be clothed in that do not look like himself or tread in his steps THE LOVE of GOD AND THE Blood of Jesus Christ Are a soveraign medicine to take away sin past present and to come 1 JOHN 1.7 9 10. Christ is the Rule of a Christian or the Law he walks by Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 J Cannot but speak a word or two of the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Gospel of free grace and the alone means to break a hard heart and the only means to melt a frozen soul and the only cordial to comfort a sick soul and the only staff of love to stay up a drooping spirit O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help saith the Lord Hosea 13.9 I wil heal thy backsliding I wil love thee freely saith the Lord The Lords free love unto al his people Hosea 14.4 I even I am he that bloteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake saith the God of Love and I wil forgive thy iniquity and I wil remember thy sins no more Isa 43.25 Jer. 31.33 34. Now he that knows the Lord for his own good knows the Lord after this manner and beleeves the report that God in Christ hath made of himself That he is a God that delighteth in mercy and that he hath cast all the sins of his people behind his back and he hath cast all the sins of his beloved people into the depths of the sea of his Sons blood which is able to quench the fears and the flames of hel in any mans soul 2 Cor. 5.19 Mich 7.18 19. Exodus 34.6 7. Isa 38.17 The learned world knoweth not this manner of Gods love 1 John 3.1 Neither do they know that fit man the one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Who hath carried all their sins into a Land of forgetfulness a Land not inhabited this is a fit man of the Lords sending out Levit. 16.21 22. This is a ransom that the Lord hath found and he wil be gracious through him Job 33.23 24. And this Messenger is sent to bind up the broken hearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives Isa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Now in these days and in this time saith the Lord The iniquity of Israel shal be sought for and there shal be none and the sins of Judah and they shal not be found any more Jer. 50.20 For the Lord hath laid all our sins upon the back of Christ Isa 53.6 7. And Christ hath nailed them to his cross and buried them in his grave and we are compleat in him Col. 2.13 14 15. And sin shal not condemn those that beleeve for Christ is risen again to save and sanctifie and glorifie those that are one in him Rom. 8.33 34. and he hath made them clean every whit Joh. 13.10 But if I speak after this manner Sect. 5 I shall be cloathed with that reproachfull name of Antinomian of which name our Pulpits have rung of late time and by this means some people have got a habit of a proud and a high look and a scornfull eye against their neighbours and with disdain they will turn away from them as from one that had a plague sore upon him if it be their lot for to meet in the streets this I my self and others have experience of For under the name of an Antinomian that will have no Law of God to walk by as they say and live as they list and pray for no pardon of sin under this name which is a false one many honest godly men seem odious to those they live by I shall instance onely in five men which they say have and do preach Freegrace which is an occasion to open a gap to all licentiousness And the first man is Doctor Crisp a man that was famous and eminent for vertue and an able Minister of the Gospel of Grace and one that made the Law of Faith and Love his rule for to walk by 1 Joh. 3.23 24. Now this man was brought upon the stage for an Antinomian and Master Burges at Lawrence Church did dispute learnedly against him but to little purpose as one that would take up the weapons of a dead man to fight with him when he was dead The second man is young Master Simpson a man unblameable in his conversation and a man eminent in the work of the Lord but counted an Antinomian and so looked upon as contemptible The third man is Master Peter Sterry such a man as there are but a few in respect of the great number that are called the Ministers of England yet this man lyes under two reproachful names as Antinomian or Familist or else jeered at by some for a Free-grace Preacher This Peter Sterry is a man approved to be an Evangelical Heavenly Divine Preacher of the Mystery of the everlasting Gospel Now no ministery but such a ministery can be a soul-comforting ministery because it is full of Light and Life Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost But no new light as some cry out but an old light of Jesus Christ John 1.1 2 3 4 5. which was before the foundations of the earth were laid read Prov. 8.22 23. Now the fourth man is one like unto Mr Stirrey and that is Mr Saltmarsh a man eminent to declare the King in his beauty and that is Jesus Christ who is the rose of Sharon and the lilly of the valleys And as an apple tree among the trees of the wood is excellent even so is Christ among his sons and Christ is the pearl in the field and as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land and all this Christ is to them that know him and such can tel how to speak to his praise The fifth man that I shal speak
Ministers do fall in with these two and make up their conclusion with the Jews in the ninth of the Romans But as it were by the works of the Law Together with thy help O Christ we look for a blessing and for heaven and for what we have Rom. 9.30 31 32. Now for want of Preaching of Free-grace Sect. 5 A Simile we know not where the strength of Sampsâ—n lyes I mean Christ and so we begin to set up our selves as it were to be partners with Christ and thus the people are at a loss Now on the other side Free-grace teaches a man for to deny himself and to give God in Christ the preeminence alone and to say it is no more I but the Lord is my light and my life and my strength and in this will I be confident and this Free-grace causeth to grow Psal 27.1 3 5. Now he that hath tasted of the sweetness of Free-grace cannot but speak of it because it is the onely means for to break a hard heart and the onely cordial for to comfort a sick soul 1 Pet. 2.3 7. Psal 45.1 2. 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Psal 27.13 14. Now on the other side he that hath not tasted of Free-grace but speaks of it by hear-say though he be never so learned a man yet he will be but a fumbler in speaking of Free-grace or a bungler as we use for to speak And to deal plainly I conceive that the most of our Ministers want both will and skill for to speak of the Free-grace of God in and through Christ for they speak but little of it and that is the reason that the most people are so ignorant of it and live so much in sin read Tit. 2.11 12. When grace doth appear sin vanishes away O the glorious truths of grace that lye under that black cloud of Antinomianism That reproachful name which causeth the people for to sin in speaking evil of that which they know not Now I shall reflect back Sect. 6 and speak a word of the souls being taken by Christ into the banqueting house where Christ doth acquaint the soul what the pardon of sin is and that its sins are done away both past present and to come of this I spake before Now Jesus Christ doth acquaint the soul that it shall have the evidences of his Spirit for to comfort it in time of distress when temptation doth come upon it and when the world doth trouble it and when worldly men do oppose it and if it doth begin to sink or to droup then it shall call but not for the pardon of sin for that is sure in God for it but it shall say with Peter help Lord send the evidences of thy Spirit to acquaint me of the sure mercies of David and thus the soul doth acquaint Christ with its wants and then the soul doth find the left hand of Christ to be under its head when it is in communion with Christ in the banqueting house which house is Christ himself and there the right hand of Christ doth imbrance me saith the soul Now these embraces that Christ gives the soul they are the sweet gayls of the Spirit which put all things out of doubt in the soul Cant. 2.4 5 6. Now it pleaseth Jesus Christ Christ like a mother draws a curtain sometimes to draw a curtain between himself and the soul as a mother doth sometimes in love to her child and then the child cries after her and thus the poor soul cries after the Spirit of Christ in all occasions to come and comfort it Make hast my beloved saith the soul to Christ and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Flee away make haste do not stay by the way saith the soul that longs after Christ No comfort like unto thine O my Love No love like unto thine O my Joy Cause me to hear thy voyce quickly that I faint not O my dear I hearken to thy voyce O sweet Spirit of Christ let me hear it and it sufficeth me though I dye and come to thee which is best of all For in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Cant. 8.13 14. Psa 16.11 And thus he whose Name is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 doth descend and come down into the hearts of his people to manifest himself unto them and in them 1 John 4.8 9 10. John 17.6 And thus the blessed God doth manifest himself and make known things unspeakable and ful of glory and doth let into the soul high manifestations of his love which is the original of the pardon of sin Now if there come a black cloud at any time between the soul and the Sun of righteousness who is God blessed for ever yet the soul in this case can say as Peter said I am sure that my sun is in the living God and he wil speak words of eternal life unto me Iohn 6.68 69. For the Spirit of the Lord put his Word in my mouth saith David and hath made with me an everlasting Covenant which is sure I know and though my sun doth not always shine yet in him wil I be confident read 2 Sam. 23.2 4 5. Psa 27.1 3. Now here comes in the work of the Sect. 7 third Person in the blessed Trinity which is according to the promise of Christ Iohn 15.26 Now here follows the souls desires that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is first That it may dwel in the house of the Lord which house is Christ and there to behold the beauty of the Lord and to have it made out in his holy Temple which Temple is Jesus Christ Psa 27.4 5. And here to have the light of his fatherly countenance and the sweet smiles of his holy Spirit constantly upon its soul and to have the high manifestations of the love of God in Christ as the Apostle prays for Eph. 3.16 17 18 19. and to have the evidences kept close unto its soul Now Christ answers the soul Answ my Spirit shal come into thee and shal keep thee guide thee and shew thee things to come concerning me and he shal make me beautiful in thine eyes and he shal shed his love into thy soul which wil cause thee to love me Rom. 5.5 And thou shalt have all thy treasure in me saith Christ to the soul for all things that the Father hath are mine and I and my Father are one and thou shalt be one with us in my union and with me shalt thou have communion Iohn 16 13 14 15. 17.21 to 26. Answ Now here is the souls answer unto Christ O blessed God the fountain of Israel O my God thou hast turned all my prayers that I made for the pardon of my sin into praises or praising of thee O my God who hast forgiven all my sins Bless the Lord O my soul saith David and forget not to praise him for all
O poor soul its Gods minde that thy corn of wheat shall die and bring forth much fruit unto life eternal and it is for thy exceeding honor for to serve Christ and to follow Christ for where he hath been thou must go John 12.24 25 26. But now let me speak a word of comfort unto thee that art a believing man or woman Though thou be in never so great extremities difficulties wants griefs and pains and revilings temptations of the right hand and of the left and though all these should come as thick as the pains of a woman in travail thou needest not to be disheartned Christs stands by the soul in trouble for thy God stands by thee The angel of the Covenant the messenger of peace and rest doth appear from Heaven for to strengthen thy soul CHAP. XI The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Ephes 2.14 15 16. Rom. 5.14 Isai 2.17 Luke 18.9 11 12. 1 John 3.2 1 John 4.17 Colos 2.2 3. John 14.2 3. Psal 145.14 Luke 22.43 Revel 3.19 Heb. 8.12 Jere. 31.34 Isai 53.11 Mal. 3.2 3. Rom. 5.3 4 5. Isai 53.6 Heb. 2.10 11. Isai 43.2 Isai 32.2 Psal 46.1 2. James 1.2 3 4. Revel 1.9 Job 1.21 Revel 3.18 Isai 55.1 2 3 4. Prov. 8.18 19 21. Acts 24.24 25 27. Luke 19.14 Matth. 27.62 63. Luke 11.45 Jere. 4.22 Luke 19.27 Gen. 17.18 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Ephes 6.10 11 12 13. Ephes 6.14 15. Psal 91.13 read the whole Psalm Ephes 6.16 17. Joh. 1.1 4.24 15.26 2 Cor. 12.10 2 Cor. 4. read the whole Chapter Psal 66.16 Luke 8.2 3. Mark 16.9 Acts 26.9 10 11. Acts 7.57 58 59. Acts 22.19 20. 26.10 11. Numb 11.26 27 28 29. Jere. 50.6 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Rom. 2.29 Phil. 3.3 4 5 6. Luke 19.5 8 9 8.43 44 45 46. 1 Pet. 2.13 14 17. 2 Sam. 24.17 24. 1 King 3.16 26 27 28. Isai 58.2 6 7 9. Zech. 7.5 6 9 10. Isai 58.8 9. Jere. 31.24 25 26. Ezek. 13.7 8 9 10. Jere. 23.30 31 32. 14.18 50.6 Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Jere. 4.22 5.30 31. Jere. 14.18 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. Matth. 7.15 21 22 23 15.13 14. Acts 8.30 31 34 35. Luke 24.45 BUt now in the next place let me speak a word for thy observation O poor soul that art so opprest Thy heart is like an earthly Garden into which Obser ∣ vation the seed of some curious flower is sown and in the growing up it breaks through the earth and grows up towards Heaven Even so is the seed of God sown in thy heart and comparatively like as a Chicken grows in the shell until it cracks the shell and breaks it all to peeces Christ is the seed of God growing thorow the earthiness of mens hearts even so Christ the Rose of Sharon the Lilly of the Valleys and the Seed of God grows in thy natural earthly fleshly heart and cracks the partition Wall all to peeces Ephes 2.14 15 16. and breaks down the strong holds of sin and self and high imaginations and doth subdue every thought that is stout against God Now Christ the seed of God which lay vailed and hid in the earth of the first Adams heart who is the figure of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 Now this seed hath been a working it self out of the earth in all ages but in several ways of working As first before the Law and secondly under the Law and now under the Gospel Christ will take away all mens righteousness and carnal confidence which they have of their own works This seed is pulling down the foundations of the money changers and the tables of those that sell doves and endeavor to set up false christs in the earthy hearts of men And this seed is now striking down all the self-righteousness of men and women and all their fleshly wisdom and carnal confidence that they have of themselves and their ways and works And this seed Christ will have the loftiness of men broke down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Now Christ is that day read Isai 2.17 Now thou poor soul that made such a pitiful complaint like a woman in travail it may be Christ is breaking through the earth of thy heart and throwing down the mountains and filling up the valleys that were in thy heart and taking every thing out of the way that he may bring his whole train of graces into thy soul and when he doth thus appear in thy heart then he is a raising thee out of the grave and he will cause thee to leave thy grave-clothes behinde thee I mean the good opinion which thou hast had of thy self and of thy performances which have been but as grave-clothes to wrap thee in as the Pharisees did Luke 18.9 11 12. And when this seed Christ doth appear to be in the earthiness of thy heart he will cause thee by his grace and power to grow up out of that earthiness together with himself and he will inable thee to rise out of the grave and make thee as the sons of God And when he doth thus appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Iohn 3.2 Nay more then so for as he is so are we in this world 1 Iohn 4.17 Sect. 2 Now I shall speak a word of Consolation unto thee that art exercised in all maner of troubles every day Consola ∣ tion And though thou saidst God lets thee alone in all thy troubles and miseries and gives thee no ease yet the Lord hath many a time in his love opened or drawn back the curtain that thou mightest see into his treasures of holiness and kindness and mercy love wisdom tender heartedness And these are hid in Christ and are as mansions for thy troubled soul to dwell in Col. 2.2 3. Iohn 14.2 3. Now when thou art in thy saddest troubles and greatest perplexities and sharpest miseries and heavy temptations lying upon thee ready to sink thee then do but turn about and look into these Treasures which are in Christ and they will so refresh thee that thou wilt count thy afflictions but as small things and for a short time And so likewise when sad melancholly thoughts do take hold in thee so that thou thinkest one day thou shalt perish by these troubles Alass poor soul these troubles are for the honor of God and for thy own good as I shall tell thee anon Be of good chear thy troubles shall not sink thee and when thou thinkest that God hath forsaken thee or forgotten thee he hath thee by the hand Psal 145.14 God is more tender hearted then a mother can be and when thou thinkest that thou art falling then God steps in like a tender hearted father and saith O my childe and takes thee up in his arms and puts thee in his bosom and thou lookest into the ark of his strength which ark is Christ and there
life but we are to work from a principle of life which is in Christ Jesus A right knowledg of this and the exceeding great and precious promises and the in-comes and the in-dwelling of the Divine Nature in our nature and in our hearts Now this is the seed in the tree of life which wil cause us to â—ease from our selves whose breath is in our nostrils and we shal cease from our own doings For wherein are we to be accounted of Now in this day and at this time The loftiness and the haughtiness of men shal be made low and the Lord alone shal be exalted in that day read and compare 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Isa 2.17 20 21 22. together Now when the grace of God in Christ doth abound in your hearts saith the Apostle That wil make you that ye shal neither be barren nor unfruitful in the works of the Lord nor in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ read 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. Now this wil stop the mouths of your adversaries that say that you say Christ hath done all for you and you need to do nothing Now I know you wil answer and say as Christ said to Philip The words that you speak The Saints defence and the works that you do it is not you that do them but it is Christ who is God that dwelleth in you that doth all in you and for you and by the strength of Christ you do what you do and Christ shal have all the praise Ioh. 14.10 Fourthly You are accused of saying That you need not pray for the pardon of sin Of the pardon of Sin Now the Love of God and the Blood of Jesus are the pardon of sin and the pardon for sin and the sweet Spirit of God is the Messenger that brings the Manifestations of this pardon unto the soul nay into the soul and makes it glad In my love I have bloted out thy sins as a thick cloud saith the Lord. Isa 44.22 And with my Sons blood I have writen a pardon Rom. 5.8 9 10 11. Heb. 9.22 28. Now this pardon lies in the Covenant ordered in all things and made everlastingly sure though I do not as yet beleeve it or at sometimes I do not so clearly see it or feel it in my soul Read and consider 2 Sam. 23.4 5. Hebr. 10.16 17 18 19. Now in time of Trouble The time of Temptation or in time of Ignorance when men do not beleeve or in time of Desertion when God doth withdraw himself or hide his face or in the time of men being weak in faith then they are apt to think that there is no pardon or that there must be one got made for them but there is one ready for them before they pray for it or cal for it Isa 42.6 7. Now the love of God and the blood of this man saith the Apostle meaning Christ who offered one sacrifice for sins from the foundation of the world 1 John 4.9 Heb. 10.12 14. Rev. 13.8 Now this is the pardon that is ever ready for poor siners to come unto and it is able to save them to the uttermost Hebrews 7.24 25 26. Now we are not so much to ask for the pardon for that is sure and stedfast in the heaven of God but we are to ask much more for the manifestations of this pardon in our own souls and that by the Spirit of God and this wil make the lame man leap as an Hart Isa 35.5 How the soul is refreshed 6 7. and make the sick man wel and heal all our doubts and expel our fears and make us holy and heavenly before God as for instance saith Ieremiah The Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me Lam. 1.16 And so in David Lord saith he I know my pardon is sure but there is a cloud before me and it Lord saith he take this cloud away Davids prayer Ps 51. opened and cause me to hear the joy and gladness that I had wont to have in and with the Spirit of Christ O Lord restore this joy and let me have thy free Spirit to comfort me and uphold me O Lord let thy holy Spirit be constantly in my brest or in my heart that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce The absence of thy Spirit O God is as the breaking of bones and the presence of thy Spirit O God is as marrow and fatness and as wine upon the lees And thus it was in David Psa 51.8 9 10 11 12. And thus it was between the Church and the Spirit of Christ in her union and communion with the Spirit of Christ I am thine and thou art mine saith the soul to Christ I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine And this we know saith the Apostle by the Spirit of God which he hath freely given unto us Cant. 6.3 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Now the question is not whether there be a pardon or not a pardon but whether I saith a poor soul have any interest in this pardon or no The perplexities of a poor soul wanting assurance I know not And if I had saith a poor soul or if I could but get saith another poor soul the assurance of the pardon of my sins then I should tread the world under my feet I know saith another poor soul that there is a pardon but whether it be for me or no it is not as yet revealed unto me but if it were revealed in my soul then it would be as a crown of life to me as David said Lord saith he thou hast crowned me with loving kindness and with tender mercies Psa 103.4 10 11 12. Now the word Pardon which is so much spoke of amongst us and prayed for by us it is apparently known to be and to be generally held forth unto all men for Christ hath spread as large a plaister as Adam made the sore Rom. 5.18 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. And life and death good and evil blessing and cursing are set before men therefore chuse life O men for why wil ye dye O ye sons of men Deut. 30.13 14 15 19. Ezek. 18.31 Now you wil say I am for general Redemption and for free wil. I answer An Objectionmade and answered I am for that which God is for It is not in faln man to direct his steps to God Jer. 10.23 All men in Adam went out of the way from God and are to be found in a way of sin Rom. 3.11 12 18. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots No it is their nature we have a proverb That custom is a second nature Man at the first falling into sin sin is become a custom and so is become a second nature and so men drink in sin as a fish drinks in water John 8.44 The Ethiopian cannot change his skin no more can a man change himself that is accustomed to sin Ier. 13.23 A man in his sins is dead
to true living actions Eph. 2.1 4 5. Now God in his time of love came the second time to man and said unto him Live and this was a more high and excellent life then that which the first Adam had read Ezek. 16.6 7 8. Now a man in and by nature may give credit unto God and thus the Heathen Philosophers did And so men may naturally give credit to the Scriptures and thus the most men do and no more But now to beleeve Evangelically That the most high God came down and became Christ and was manifest in our flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 2.14 and was made in the likeness of man and was found in fashion as a man Phil. 2.6 7 8. And he was our pardon and our ransom to free us from sin and from hel the grave and hath raised us up together with himself that we may be where he is and that is in God Col. 3.3 Now if you would find God you must look for him in Christ and there you shal find him reconciled to his Church in Christ Now if you ask Where the Church is where you may find the Church you may find the Church and God both together in Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 18 19. Now this is a great mystery to know Emmanuel God with us or in us Mat. 1.23 receiving us up into glory with his Son or in his Son 1 Tim. 3.15 16. Now faln man hath not free wil to beleeve this great mystery he may hear the report of it but he cannot see it For flesh and blood hath it not to reveal unto him Mat. 16.16 17. But the man that is raised up in Christ the new man he sees and beleeves this great mystery 1 Cor. 2.12 13 16. and doth acknowledg No free wil to good that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runeth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 And Faith is the gift of God in his new Creation that the boasting of free wil which is natural earthly and a work of the old Creation may be abased Eph. 2.8 9. Now free wil in faln man is to do evil continually every imagination and thought of his heart is evil nay the very purposes and his desires every day are evil and thus the earth is corrupt before God and all earthly men Gen. 6.5.11 12 13. read the whole Chapter The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord as the Sun in the Firmament is Prov. 20.27 Now the spirit of man being darkened by that sin of eating of the forbiden fruit and so degenerating from its first principle of light remains now in a dark light like unto that of the Moon which is a light for the night which a man cannot see by to do the works of the day Gen. 2.17 Now mark This is a way through which God doth produce bring forth his greatest light into the world to renew and restore men again Now faln man in that estate hath not free wil to do good but he hath free wil to do evil constantly And the reason is because such a man is at enmity against God Rom. 8.6 7 8. Now free wil to do good doth only belong to the most high God for evil he doth none Whatsoever the Lord willed or pleased mark this that did he in heaven and in earth in the sea and all deep places Psa 135.5 6 7. Therefore Free wil belongs alone to GOD. because he is above all and there is none equal with him he may lay mercy on whom he wil lay mercy and whom he wil withdraw his mercy from such a man hardeneth presently Instance in Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 18. Object Now you wil say unto me saith the Apostle Why doth God as yet find fault or complain for who hath resisted his wil Rom. 9.19 Nay but O man Answ who art thou saith the Apostle that repliest against God There are secrets with the Lord concerning this thing which thou canst not reach unto with thy natural reason nor compass in thy carnal understanding For what if God be willing to shew mercy to one and not to another and give no account of it Is there any equal with him for to call him to an account and to judg him if not then be still O vain man for he doth what he will and which way he will for to bring forth his own glory and the riches of his grace Rom. 9.20 21 22 23. And thus much of freewil in the blessed God and of freewil in sinful man CHAP. IX The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Isai 55.1 2 7. Revel 13.8 Eph. 1.4 5. Rom. 5.8 Psal 68.18 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 9.22 28. 1 Cor. 2.14 Psal 25.11 2 Sam. 23.5 Mal. 3.6 Psa 30.7 1 Pet. 1.5 7. Isa 43.1 2 5. Joh. 20.13 Psal 4.6 7 8. Psal 51.8 12. Psal 73.25 26. Psal 36.8 9. Cant. 1.3 12 13. Eze. 16.14 Cant. 4.1 Psal 118.22 23 24. Cant. 2.4 Ephes 1.3 4 5. John 1.16 17 18. Isai 53. the whole Chapter Hosea 13.14 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57 58. Heb. 2.14 15. Heb. 12.2 Ephes 2.10 Matth. 5.15 16. 1 Cor. 1.30 Matth. 9.2 Revel 2.9 10 11 13. Luke 6.22 23. John 16.32 33. John 15.5 Psal 119.32 Psal 110.3 Rom. 7.22 Psal 1.2 1 John 5.3 1 Cor. 6.17 19 20. Phil. 2.13 2 Pet. 1.8 Heb. 2.9 10 11. John 17.4 5 6. Iohn 19.30 Iohn 4.10 Ioh. 15.5 Dan. 9.24 Psal 17.15 Revel 14.1 2 3 4 5. Psal 149.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. Luke 1.35 Gal. 4.19 Psal 27.4 1 Iohn 3.9 Luke 10.42 Luke 18.19 1 Cor. 15.50 Rom. 7.18 Gal. 5.17 Gal. 6.14 Rom. 7.21 22 23 24 25. Col. 2.13 14 15. Heb. 2.14 15. Rom. 7.4 Tit. 2.11 12. Mark 10.17 Luke 18.11 12. Rom. 9.30 31 32. Psal 27.1 3 5. 1 Pet. 2.3 7. Psal 45.1 2. 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Psal 27.13 14. Tit. 2.11 12. Cant. 2.4 5 6. Cant. 8.13 14. Psal 16.11 1 Iohn 4.8 1 Iohn 4.8 9 10. Ioh. 17.6 Ioh. 6.68 69. 2 Sam. 23.2 4 5. Psal 27.1 3. Iohn 15.26 Psal 27.4 5. Ephes 3.16 17 18 19. Rom. 5.5 Iohn 16.13 14 15. Iohn 17.21 22 23 24 25 26. Psal 103. read the whole Psalm Revel 22.1 2 3 4 5. Psal 36.7 8 9. Acts 17.28 Revel 14.4 5 6. Psal 87.6 7. Psal 68.26 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. Heb. 12.18 21 27 29. Heb. 1.10 11 12. 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12 13. Isai 33.14 Exod. 3.2 3 4. 1 Cor. 2.11 12 13. 1 Pet. 1.5 7 8. Heb. 13.8 Psal 1.4 5. Psal 50.19 20.21 Habak 1.13 Heb. 2.14 15. Revel 22.16 2 Chron. 18.19 20 21 22 33 34. 1 Sam. 17.47 48 49 50. Acts 14.15 Gen. 49.26 Psal 107.8 15 21 31 42 43. Psal 139.14 15 16. Psal 49.12 Gen. 1.31 Gen. 3.1 5. Gen. 4.8 Gen. 2.7 16 17. Gen. 3.7 8 16 17 19. Rom. 8.21 22. 1 Cor. 15 44 45 47. Revel 5.5 8 to the end Hebr. 1.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Psal
his benefits who hath forgiven thee all thy sins whodoth forgive thee al thy sins he doth continually declare unto thee the forgiveness of all thine iniquities that thou mightest rejoyce before him in the forgiveness of all thy sins for he hath healed all thy diseases and he doth heal all thy diseases and he wil continually heal all thy diseases Therefore thou mayst be of good cheer O my soul for thou mayst and dost swim in rivers of pleasures for evermore Now this river is loving kindness and tender mercies whereof the soul doth drink and is abundantly satisfied and it lives in this river and shal never more thirst after sin read Psa 103.1 read the whole Psalm Now this river is God himself in which the soul doth live and refresh it self as in a fountain of life and it never needs to fear drowning read Rev. 22.1 2 3 4 5. Psa 36.7 8 9. Secondly This Fountain of Israel which is the sweet God himself is the ayr in which the soul doth live and in which the soul doth move and act and hath its being Acts 17.28 And so likewise the soul as a bird doth fly up and down in this ayr admiring of God and praising of God and chirping forth praise unto God in the midst of this heaven and thus the soul doth fly in the midst of the Heaven of God delighting it self in God where it shal abide for evermore read Rev. 14.4 5 6. Now the soul doth wind up its conclusion in giving all honor unto its original All my springs saith the soul are in thee who art the fountain of Israel which is God blessed for evermore read Psa 87.6 7. Psa 68.26 And so much with submission to better judgment about praying for a pardon for sin nay rather a praying for the manifestations of the Spirit and the evidences of the Spirit to be in my heart of that pardon which God hath had ever ready from the foundations of the world and holds it forth unto all men But I Quest saith some poor soul want the Spirits application of this pardon and if he would but keep it close unto my soul or in my soul then it would cause me to rejoyce both in life and at death But the Spirit is free to work where he wil and in whom he wil and to pass by whom he wil and who shal say Why dost thou so unto him Fifthly You are accused of saying That God sees no sin or no sin in you But how is it then that God suffers sin to come into his Creation as an accident he not creating of sin Answ Because he wil bring forth his own defign in manifesting of the glory of his free grace and making out of Christ Secondly There is no equality between Christ and sin or Christ and siners neither hath Christ any accord with sin And what agreement hath Christ the Temple of God with idols which is sin None at all 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16. God sees sin contrary unto himself therefore he appears as a consuming fire unto sin and not unto sin only but unto all created forms and beings Heb. 12.18 21 27 29. Heb. 1.10 11 12. 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12 13. And so likewise to siners that is sinful men and women in whom sin hath taken possession and is their present king Now such in their capacity look upon God as a dreadful Judg because they look out of the prison house of sin and think they most dwel with devouring fire and with everlasting burnings And thus God appears unto all that look upon him out of Christ Isai 33.14 But now on the other side Sect. 8 Those that are Baptized with the fire of the Holy Ghest this is their proper heavenly element that they live in and they are like the bush that was all on a flame of fire and was not consumed Exod. 3.2 3 4. Now this fire wil burn stubble and all maner of sinful works of men 1 Cor. 2 11 12 13. But this heavenly fire is nourishment unto that which is of it self 1 Pet. 1.5 7 8. Now these seeing God in Christ see him unchangeably good and the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 Now God is not as sinful dark men judg him to be that is to be made up of love and hatred Fury is not in God Isa 27 4. and wrath and fury and so they stand a far off from him and say that he is an hard Master Now what a mistake is here for God is the only true Good he is loving merciful and just and sin shal not stand neer him but sin shal be bowed down and the siner whose heart is a throne for sin to be his king he shal not stand upright in the judgment of God in Christ Psa 1.4 5. Now sin doth delude a man to think that God is like unto himself read Psa 50.19 20 21. But God is of purer eyes then to behold such evil and to look on iniquity and sin and not to destroy death with his sting Habak 1.13 Heb. 2.14 15. Now I shal speak a word by way of comparison of sin coming in by way of accident and Gods design in suffering of it Now the comparison wil fal infinitly too short But suppose a curious Artificer makes a Watch very curiously but something fals out in a very short time and puts the Watch out of order and this we cal an accident and use to say there is such an accident faln out and hath put the Watch out of order and it doth nothing now but jar and it never goes right until it be taken in pieces and a second Art applied unto it and so new made up again but now if this Artificer could have prevented this accident he would not have suffered this accident to have faln out upon his Watch and spoiled it But it is not so with God for accidents are not against God Nothing done without Gods providence but for God and permited by God to be or not to be and are suffered by God and ordered by him to bring his own designs about Now an accident is in relation to men as not knowing God and so they use that word accident or luck or chance or as some grosly cal it fortune not knowing that God is neer unto that which they cal accident or luck and doth dispose of it and them as shal make most for his own glory As for instance The lying spirit was admited to go into the mouth of the Prophets of Ahab and so Ahab was deluded And so likewise the arrow was ordered that was drawn out of a bow at a venture and was directed to the joynts of the harness of the King of Israel and so he was wounded And so likewise David hasted and ran to meet the Army and put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone and slung it Now David being a type of Christ Revel 22.16 as it is writen
hand of the Gospel moveth the heart of a man to a godly sorrow The goodness and the kindness and mercy of God applyed to the hearts of men that leadeth men forth to a true repentance and a right breaking of heart Now when the love of Jehovah doth break into the heart of a man or woman then the soul doth cry out and say the loving kindness and the goodness of God hath conquered my soul and the Lord draws my soul after him with the cords of love and how then shal I return again to folly seeing Jehovah hath taken hold of my soul with his love Now the rough hand of the Law as it is unskilfully handled by the most of our learned Men that know not Christ handle the law roughly rather hardens the hearts of men and sears them up in their sins then it mollifies and softens the heart because the Law is a strict rule holy jvst and good not given for men to do and live thereby Now the strict rule of the Law in the letter meeting with a crooked siner these two fal to variance as Cain did with Abel Now this carnal siner looks upon the Law as too strict that if he offend in one point he is guilty of all and so lies lyable to a curse for not continuing in all things which are in the book of the Law to do them Now this siner looking upon the Law out of the hand of Christ his heart begins to harden against God and he becomes an enemy against God and is not subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 And if it were possible this carnal minded man would destroy both God and his Law for the very same reason that Cain slew his brother 1 Joh. 3.12 And thus a man comes to be seared up in his sins when both he and his minister look upon the Law carnally and not in the hands of Christ as we in our days have many pretenders for the Law and many that rest in the Law and not in Christ and yet make their boast of God and seem to be Teachers of others and yet not able to teach themselves and yet make their boast of the Law and remain carnal in the Gospel and can hardly tel how to speak any thing of Christ Sect. 9 Now these rough handlers of the Law are like unto Esau cuning men of the field men that love red pottage and see no beauty in Jacobs heritage but despise it How can these men apply savory meat unto a poor hungry thirsty soul whom they hate for the blessing wherewith it is blessed in Christ And Esau said in his heart Now Esaus heart being ful of the seed of the serpent he said he would slay his brother Jacob as Herod would have done Christ Now by savory meat I mean the sweetnesses and the refreshings of Christ unto a poor weary soul which these men by experience know not as you may take an instance of the Jews and Pharisees Instance great zealous talkers of the Law of God and the Worship of God Nay they made their boast of God and yet they did not know Jesus Christ though he was present amongst them but dealt roughly with him according as they did see the Law as you may read at large Rom. 2.17 21 23. Gen. 25.27 30 34. 27.41 Iohn 9.13 14 15 16 29. Have not we many now in our days which hold forth the Law as the chief Priests and Pharisees did that is quite out of the hands of Christ and they tel the people they know not the Law but they must beleeve it as they hold it out unto them for the chief Priests and Pharisees told the people in Christs time That the people who know not the Law are cursed And thus the Law did seem to be rough by their unskilful handling of it out of the hands of Christ as we also may do at this day Iohn 7.45 48 49. How the Law in the hand of Christ turns to be Gospel Christ is the living law of God and the onely rule for a Christian and doth the greatest work as for instance Saul in his height of malice when he was going to Damascus the light of Christ did shine round about him and changed his evil heart He did not hear the voyce of thundering and lightning at Mount Sinai but a gentle hand and a soft sweet voyce speaking unto him and saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me in my members Now Saul was not afrighted out of his wits but said Who art thou Lord and the Lord said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest but thou shalt do so no more for I will make thee a Minister of grace and though Saul trembled yet his heart was possest with love to the Lord and to those that he had persecuted for saith he Lord what wilt thou have me to do for thee and for them that I have so wronged Now this is a Gospel-change Acts 9.3 4 5 6. 26.16 Sect. 10 Now if this work of the Gospel had been wrought in the hearts of those that might have prevented bloodshed or in those that were so exceeding mad to shed the blood that was shed in Guildhal-yard but it seems they were of Sauls minde Men in our times like unto Saul and the chief Priests and Pharisees thinking that they might do many things nay any thing against a man or a woman under the name of Independents or Sectaries that is to put Christ and his members out of their Synagogues and City nay further even to kill Christ in his members or Christ and his members together and in so doing To think that they do God service These things are done and the cause is they neither know God nor Christ these are Christs own words as you may read Acts 26.9 10 11. John 16.2 3. But I am of Stevens minde and shall say Lord lay not this sin to the charge of this City Acts 7.58 59 60. Now the Law being in the hands of Christ and the Spirit of Christ who is the onely blessed God and the efficient cause in changing of that which we call Law into Gospel Thus God in Christ saith unto every soul I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods before me Exod. 20.2 3. Now this Law is brought by the Spirit of Christ Christ makes way for himself in the hearts of men into the heart of a man or a woman and there it is planted and ingraven Jere. 31.33 34. and Christ puts in the finger of his sweet Spirit in at the hole of the door of the heart in at the hole of the lock as it were and his Spirit is the key that opens the heart and Christ with his finger puts back all the barrs and bolts that stand between him and the soul and Christ looks into the soul and takes away all drousie distempers and waters the soul and refreshes it with his sweet graces Christ is a sweet Law
ignorantly Come you old men which consented and suffered your men to go forth in such multitudes to Westminster and after that to Guildhal it might have produced sad things but God prevented it even as sad things All men by nature like unto Saul as Saul accused himself of unto the Lord Lord saith he They know that I imprisoned and beat in every Synagogue them that beleeved on thee and when the blood of thy Martyr Steven was shed I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him And I gave my voice against those that did speak of the Name of Jesus and when they were put to death I gave my consent and when they were to be persecuted or any did but speak evil of them I also gave my vote against them I ask Quest is not this the temper of a great many in our Kingdom and City read Acts 22.19 20. 26.10 11. I am perswaded that we have many Aldermen and Common-Councel men and others That are good religious men yet it is possible that good men may do unworthy actions As for instance Instance Joshua was a good man Good men sometimes may do bad actions as Joshua did Numb 11.28 29. and the servant of Moses and one of his young men now he hearing another young man complaining to Moses of Eldad and Medad that did prophesie in the Camp Joshua he seconds him and answered and said My lord Moses forbid them that they may not prophesie Now this was an unworthy action of Joshua as you may see by the reproof that Moses gave him read Numbers 11. verses 26 27 28 29. Now had we not a whole Councel that did envy against such men as did prophesie or preach or speak call it what you will Witness our City Remonstrance which did request That they might have something against such people that they might proceed against them as Sectaries or factious persons and so stop their mouths and compel them and so likewise our young men and other good men amongst them meeting at Guildhal many days together they sotishly reviled those that were good Christians and the sotish young men ignorantly cryed down with these Sectaries down with these Independents and so thrusting them up and down the Hall and the yard with their Elbows and Shoulders And this was the simple behavior and gross ignorance with their proud mockings and secret whisperings and outward scornings and contempt of those that are good Christians and this was done by many or the most in that multitude as also now at this day under the name of Sectaries as he that hath eyes in his head may see And this did prove but of bad consequence at Guildhal which made those wounds that are not healed yet A word to the Citizens whom I love to the grief of some But shall I point you unto the word of the Lord and consider well of it My people saith God have been lost sheep their shepherds have caused them to erre or to go astray If God turn you you shall see a fountain of grace to wash away your spots Jere. 50.6 But yet for all this turn not away from the Lord but turn to the Lord with all your hearts nay rather the Lord will turn your hearts and cause you to see a fountain of grace open to wash off all your spots O it is a comfortable grace it will make you new men it will purge your corrupt mindes it will make you love them that formerly you did hate it will cause you sweetly to rejoyce in Christ Jesus O it is a soveraign Grace it will heal you as it did Paul It may be you did what you did ignorantly in unbelief A man may be very zealous and yet have neither faith nor love yet be of good cheer for it was Pauls condition I saith he before I had this grace was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious and yet I was very zealous for the worship of God in my way and yet I had neither faith in Christ nor love to his people But when this abundant grace this translating grace came into my heart then I that thought my self to be righteous did see my self to be the chiefest of sinners And when this sweet grace and mercy came I was and am a pattern to shew forth the long-suffering of God to me and I also am taught of the Spirit of Christ to give forth most excellent reports of this grace and mercy saith Paul An outward shew may seem good and yet not profit No true ground to rejoyce in but onely in Christ spiritual because this mercy endureth for ever It is not the having of an outward Church-fellowship nor the being a member of a visible Church nor any external priviledges whatsoever that is a sufficient ground for the soul to rejoyce in but onely the circumcision of the heart in the Spirit and to worship God in the Spirit and to rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh but in the appearance of Christ alone in the Spirit read these three Scriptures 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Rom. 2.29 Phil. 3.3 4 5 6. O this grace of God is a soveraign grace it healed Zacheus Art thou an oppressor of the poor hast thou plundered the poor Christians out of spight against Jesus Christ these have been plundering times But I will tell thee if thou hadst but the grace of Christ in thy heart it will make thee like Zacheus Behold Lord saith he the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation or by oppression I restore him four fold for it read Luke 19.5 8 9. O you ignorant Sect. 8 and sotish ones of our times The grace of Jesus Christ is a healing grace it will heal a bloody issue though a particular person or a whole Kingdom have had a bloody issue twelve yeers and have spent all their hope and all their wit and all their living upon natural policy and have fastened their hope upon the King and upon the Parliament and Army Why none of these can heal this bloody issue but onely the grace of Jesus Christ alone O poor England and Ireland that have had this bloody issue seven yeers Nothing but the grace of Christ will heal England Ireland and yet uncured Your Physitians cannot heal you though you spend all nothing but the grace of Jesus Christ can heal you You have not as yet touched the hem of Christ garment that vertue may come out from him and stench your bloody issue and heal you Luke 8.43 44 45 46. We have all looked for the King and the Parliament and the Army to be our Physitians to heal us but our Physitians have let the Kingdom blood but the grace of Christ alone will heal us Therefore let us pray to God for to fill the Kings heart
What is an hours discourse though never so learned if God do not teach the Minister to speak spiritually God is come into the hearts of men with large and spiritual appearances I hope neither the learned nor the unlearned wil jeer me for using these expressions For by the light of these appearances God wil dis-throne Antichrist which is very much amongst us and this light wil expel all that which seems to be light and is but darkness and God wil set up his own true Christ which is himself and God alone wil be the light of men The Lord is my light saith David Psa 27.1 Sect. 7 Now the worldly wise men are much displeased with these spiritual appearances for it throws down their wisdom because it is fleshly and carnal The wisdom of the flesh charges the wisdom of God with folly and madness and saith it doth infect the world and therefore they take no delight in it they see no beauty in it why they should desire it But when the Spirit comes into the heart of a man and maketh his appearances then this sweet Spirit which is God who is Alpha and Omega and comes and doth the office of the third person and so he is the first and the last and so the poor soul is even at rest in the bosom of God Rev. 1.10 11 12. And there it is taught all truths by the Spirit who is God and the Spirit shews the soul glorious things to come and the Spirit makes Jesus Christ very glorious in the eyes of the soul and here the soul sees Christ and the Spirit and God the Father One and all that the Father hath is Christs and all that Christ hath is a Christians and Christ and a Christian are Gods Iohn 16.13 14 15. 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Now when God doth make these glorious appearances in our flesh then he doth teach us to justifie him in his spiritual appearances and to see him as wel as the Angels for we see by Faith the mystery of Christ and his Church which things the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.11 12 13. And we speak of this mystery unto men and it is beleeved by some men in the world and as Christ is received up into glory so he wil bring down his glorious wisdom and holiness into the hearts of his people And as Christ is wisdom even so he makes his children wise that they may justifie him who is wisdom it self for wisdom is justified of her children 1 Tim. 3.16 Luke 7.34 35. Now it is plain to prove that there is but one God and Father of all in all his appearances and through all the appearances which have been spoken of as Jesus Christ our Lord therefore we shal be inabled to keep the unity of the Spirit and to be at peace with God for there is but one body and one Spirit one Lord Iesus Christ who is the one God and he is first and last the beginning and the ending of all things saith the Lord Which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Rev. 1.7 8. And there is but one true Faith which is in him and by him and from him which is the blessed God Acts 26.18 And there is but one true Baptism which is from him and by him and of him who is the only wise God and our good God Now this one Baptism made Iohn rejoyce and his joy was exceeding ful because of Christ which is the souls bridegroom Luke 3.16 17. Iohn 3.29 30. Sect. 8 Now this one sweet and blessed God is the Father of all and every thing that is good doth proceed and come out from him He is the original of all good He is the first cause of all good to the creature He is all in himself and to himself He is all to the soul and he is all in the poor soul He is all in all his appearances He is the Father of all and above all and through all and in you all read Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. Now it is as plain to prove that this one God did and doth come under all these appearances To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the government shal be upon his shoulders and his name shal be called wonderful counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace God wil renew the heart of a man or woman make it as a chaste Virgin to bear Christ in the spirit as wel as the Virgin Mary did bear Christ in the flesh Now here is one and all and all and yet but one read Isa 9.6 And so likewise Behold a Virgin shal be with Child and shal bring forth a Son Now it is meant thy heart O man or woman shal be a Virgin to bear this Child as wel as the Virgin Mary And when God doth appear as the holy Child Iesus in a man then man doth begin to be happy and the name of this Child shal be called Emmanuel which being spiritually interpreted is God with us or God in us Mat. 1.20 21 22 23. Isa 7.14 Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth God comes down into every low condition to comfort a poor soul in high places and in low places Our God comes down into every low condition Is not this a great comfort for the poor souls of men He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil This is the good wil of our good God He leaves no contemptible place unsought to find out his people though it be in a dunghil He was with Iob upon the dunghil that he might set him and all his poor despised people as Princes even with the Princes of his people Psa 113.5 6 7 8. O the wonderful greatness of our God that hath made his Christ and given him to be the head over all things to the Church O the wonderful wisdom and endless mercy of our God who hath fited his Church to be his own body in Christ Christ being the head O what a sweet harmony and agreement there is between the head Christ and his members O poor drouping soul Sect. 9 lift up thine eyes A note of great comfort to a poor soul and behold thy God who is thy head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2.19 And now poor soul thou art so fitly framed together and so compleat in Christ that thou art become an holy Temple in the Lord In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.21 22. Col. 2.9 10. Now when God doth teach a poor soul to live upon this it wil be as the lifting up the head above all waters above all temptations above all reproaches of men and above all