Synod of Clergy-men of Rome they sit and make Laws for men to walk by and they lock up the Scriptures from the lay people and teach them for to observe the traditions of the Elders And thus Antichrist is crept in amongst all the world and so far as Antichrist doth creep in amongst us now in our days so far we shall be corrupted and drawn from the simplicity of the truth as it is in Iesus And thus far Antichrist hath crept in amongst us he hath crept into our Almanacks nay into our Ordinances nay into mens hearts and they dance after his pipe in the observing of days and times in a formal way of Religion As the keeping of Christmas in a confused remembrance of our Saviour and the keeping of Candlemas out of love to the Virgin Mary and the holy time of Lent for observation and Good Friday as you call it for dolor and Easter day when Christ is risen for Recreation and so likewise the most people amongst us observe a day for superficial holiness as for to be more holy upon a Sabbath day then upon other days mistake me not and so upon Fasting days and so likewise upon Sacrament days as when they receive at a Cathedral Church as Pauls and the like and so upon Easter day in other places All this is like unto a childe that says his verbal prayers in a morning and afterward grows wanton all the day after But we are to be holy unto the Lord every day as well as upon set days and he that knows the Lords day is so And thus foolish are we in our external devotion as those silly women that went for to be churched in white Vails and that devoutly in the Prelats time and so likewise we have many amongst us that think if they have not prayers said over their dead when they bury them that they are like unto heathens that know not God Now the great business that makes all to be Christians as we think and all in Parishes strive after is this Some will have their children to be baptized though it be with the signe of the Cross and Godfathers for to witness it because it is the old way and some will have their children for to be baptized to make them Christian souls and this is the reason that they give And so likewise men and women of yeers they must have the Eucharist given them I mean the Sacrament or else they will fall out with their Minister though they be no more able for to give a good reason of the Lords Supper then a young childe is for to give a reason of his faith And some again are able naturally for to give a strong reason of what shall be demanded of them by the Eldership and to have words in abundance even for to silence an Elder and yet these men may be but Orators like unto Tertullus that disputed against Paul Acts 24.1 2 3 4 5. Though these men be naturally able for to speak fine words it may be Yet as natural men they cannot perceive the things of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 How much need have we then of discerning Elders for if they be not able for to discern then they may cast out a lamb that is dumb before them and receive in a wolf that will tear them in time or else jeer them It will be a difficult thing for to get right Cedars in most Parishes for to build a Church on The condition of most men and women is such That if they hear the Word preached and receive the Sacrament they think this is enough for to Christianize them though they be but as Heathenized for Christ hath no room with them but in the stable or in the High Priests hall yet customarily they will go to the Church and do as their neighbors do Now to come to the last act of Christianity Our English Protestants Religion explained for the most part They will have their dead buried like unto Christians that is to say As the reading Priest hath used to say Thou hast taken to thy self the soul of our dear brother here departed This they would say Though he lived and died a blasphemer of God and an enemy to Jesus Christ and hath a heathen amongst men and yet he will call him a Christian brother and so commit his body to the earth saying Earth to earth ashes to ashes in sure and certain hope of resurrection And thus with Mass and Mattins and saying Prayers over the dead we make up our outside Christianity And this is the common profession of the most of our Protestants in all Parishes Mistake me not I do not say all in all Parishes neither conceive of me as though I did slight the Ordinances of God or any decent way that is of good report or praise-worthy But I speak of the formality and gross ignorance that is amongst us which is like unto the Papists Be not angry with me I pray you for I speak not to provoke you to anger but to inform you of your gross ignorance in the substance of Religion and being too like the Pharisees in resting and glorying onely in the outside of Religion Now I conceive the blinde and ignorant Priests are a great cause of the gross ignorance that is amongst the people mark for the most part Like priest like people as you may read Isai 56.10 11 12. Jere. 5.30 31. Micah 3.5 11. Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Phil. 3.2 18 19. Now he that will not marry with the Ring and Christen with the Cross and say Prayers over the dead and say over the Ten Commandments and the Creed for a prayer together with the Letany and Epistles and Gospels upon holy days and so conclude with the Lords prayer in a form of words but when they come to that Petition Thy Kingdom come Matth. 6.9 10. Then they become like unto those that Saint James speaks of Jam. 3.9 They seem to pray thy Kingdom come but they indeed with the same tongue revile and reproach those into whose heart the Kingdom of Grace is come Now he that will not do this that hath been spoke of he shall not be the Parson of a Parish by the most peoples consent though he were an Angel from Heaven but he that will do these things he is the onely man with the most people and such a man may tumble amongst his Tithes Geese Hens Ducks and Lambs and sometimes a fat Calf and so when he dies it may be he will order a Cross for to be set upon his Grave-stone as the Bishops of late memory had their Crosses and Crucifixes Their memory was so weak that they could not remember Christ except they saw him upon the Cross And do not we and our preaching Elders and our lay Elders in a great measure for the most part resemble the Papists but more is the pity that we should answer the Papists as face answers face in a glass as
concerning hell as it is a prison for sin and sinners and so ariseth a false fear or a slavish fear and so no true knowledg of God nor of Jesus Christ who is the Law of God and he makes sin to become exceeding sinful Romans 7. verses 12 13 14 22. None but Christ can forgive sin nor none but the Spirit of Christ can convince of sin John 16.7 8 9. Our learned make large confessions of sin and so almost all other men do or may do for to make a confession of sin by roat and in a customary way and so to think by confession of sin they have done enough to get the pardon of sin and this the Papists do but this will not profit neither them nor us And do not the most of men do this Mistake me not I speak not against confession of sin to God for a right confession of sin to God turns to the praise of his free-grace who hath forgiven our sins before we confess them and hath blotted out our sins for ever from before his face and will not bear them in his minde any more Read that remarkable story of David Psalm 103. read the whole Psalm and so Rom. 5.8 Isai 43.25 The end of my speech is against the formality that is in the confession of sin by the most of our learned and others and how few there be that make a right confession of sin as from the cross of Jesus Christ believing the blotting out of their sin and Christ taking it out of the way and nailing it to his cross Colos 2.13 14 15. The unbelieving men Ministers as well as others may make a very specious confession of sin for matter of form and yet have neither faith in God nor love to God nor joy in the holy Ghost But the believing men Ministers as well as others they are the most able men for to make confession of sin because they have faith towards God and love to God and joy in the holy Ghost As for instance Though I have lien among the pots saith the believing man yet I shall be as white as snow in Salmon I beleeve this therefore have I spoken Psalm 68.13 14. 2 Cor. 4.13 I am black saith the believing man or woman but yet comely through that comeliness which Christ hath put upon me therefore my soul is in love with Jesus Christ Cant. 1.3 5. Ezek. 16.14 So likewise the true believing Christian can make a confession of sin rejoycingly and with great joy seeing the victory and the spoiling of the powres of sin and darkness by the divine nature of Jesus Christ read 2 Peter 1.3 4. Which threw down the humane nature of Christ and bruised it nay it pleased the Lord and he put it to greif and pain and made it an offering for sin that he might see his seed by the travel of his soul and he is fully satisfied and the pleasure of the Lord is in him and upon all those which are his seed and grow up in him read Isai 53.6 10 11. And this Christ as God did and does crucifie sin and the old man every day triumphing over them is it or in himself Colos 2.15 And is not this matter of great joy to a pooâ— soul that carries about in his body every day the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 O thou poor soul thou must lose thy self and be taken up by the power of God and thou shal be found in Jesus Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10. Ephes 1.18 19 20 21. Be of gooâ— cheer O thou poor soul for if thou be dead with Christ thou shalt live in eternal glory with Christ and if thou suffer persecution either from the tongue or from the hand with Christ or for Christ thou shalt reign with Christ 2 Tim. 2.11 12. O thou poor soul if Christ hath inabled thee for to make such a confession of sin in faith thou hast cause to walk rejoycingly Now here will arise two objections The first is this Sect. 8 You will object and say Object there needs no confession of sin now by your discourse and so we shall forget that we are sinners and continue in our sins and live as we list for there is one that hath done all for us we need to do nothing I answer Sol. It is not a vain repeating of sin as the Pharisee and the Heathen do Matth. 6.7 and as most people do but it is a forsaking of sin as the man in Christ does 2 Tim. 2.19 It is not a bare confession of sin in words but it is a turning from sin to God and this is the work of Christ onely and none of thine O man Turn me O Lord saith Ephraim for I cannot turn my self Jere. 31.18 We that are dead to sin saith the Apostle and risen again with Christ we cannot live any longer therein because grace doth abound Rom. 6.1 2. Now you will ask in the next place Object what those must do that are said to make a confession of sin with great joy nay rejoycingly which is a thing that you seldom hear of in our days for we are taught to mourn and to shed tears as it were to wash away our sin that is in part Romans 9.32 I shall answer your question Sol. and tell you what those do that make a confession of sin rejoycingly they fight against sin and they fight against Antichrist which is very much amongst us and they fight against the world and I will tell you with what weapons they fight with all the first weapon is the sheild of Faith by which they are able for to quench all the fiery darts of the devil and wicked men the second weapon is the helmet of salvation which shall cover men in the day of battel the third weapon is the sword of the spirit and that is Jesus Christ the living Word of God which will subdue all things unto himself And is not this matter of great joy Read those two remarkable Scriptures Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. But you will object and say Object that I exclude all outward sorrow for sin But I say no by no means Sol. if it be godly sorrow for godly sorrow proceedeth from a right apprehension of the love of God in slaying of sin with the sword of his mouth and this sword is Jesus Christ the living Word of God Read Revel 19.13 14 15 16 20 21. Heb. 4.12 13. The goodness of God leadeth men to repentance and makes a man flie from sin How shall I saith Joseph do this sin against my good God Rom. 2.4 Gen. 39.8 9. Now this is the root that godly sorrow grows upon and is not to be repented of but fleshly and carnal sorrow causeth or worketh death but godly sorrow causeth hatred against sin and love to God and is not this a great cause for to walk rejoycingly Read that remarkable Scripture 2 Cor. 7.8 9 10 11. One word more and so conclude It is
of such a Ministry with the answer that Christ gave to one of his Disciples and the answer is this Let the dead bury their dead Mat. 8.22 That is let a dead living Ministry preach to a living dead Auditory for these be strangers to Christ and that is the reason there is so much barrenness in the most part of this Kingdom Now the sheep of Christ wil not follow strangers but flee from them for they know not the voyce of strangers but they know the voyce of Christ only and he calleth them by name and leadeth them out into green pastures and by stil waters read Joh. 10.3 4 5. Psa 23.1 2 3. Sect. 5 The Elders that are old in Christ and come from Christ they are right Elders NOw such Elders are able for to feed the flock of God 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. And they are gentle among them even as a good nurse to her children which out of her affection feeds them with good milk 1 Thes 2.7 8. Even the sincere milk of the living Word which is truth and the taste of the grace of the Lord Christ and he is preious in their esteem 1 Pet. 2.2 3 7. And they suck and are satisfied with his brests of consolation and grow up into abundance of his glory and he like unto a mother is always comforting them read Isa 66.11 12 13. Now such Elders as these are like unto a good nurse Simile whose brest is ful of good milk and she is pained until the child hath received it instance in David My heart saith he is inditing of Christ and my heart boyleth within me or as water bubbleth up I am pained until I have declared Jesus Christ Psa 45.1 Therefore saith he come thou poor soul and I wil declare unto thee what Christ hath done for my soul and we wil praise him both together Psa 66.16 17. Now there is this difference between a good Elder and an Elder that is an hireling or an Elder that doth pretend for to be one Now a hireling is a servant to men for mens sakes and for mens wages but a good Elder is a servant to men for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 But he that is an hireling seeth the wolf coming which is fin and Antichrist now this hireling loves not the sheep therefore he leaveth the sheep to these wolves because he is one with these wolves and is not in relation to the sheep and hath no wil nor skil to help them Ioh. 10.12 Acts 20.28 29 30. Now the good Elder is in relation to Jesus Christ and so to the sheep of Christ and hath both wil and skil to lead the sheep apart from the wolves and as they receive freely so they give freely Mat. 10.8 Out of their store-house of love and good affection as Paul said not only the Gospel of God but our own souls for ye are dear unto us 1 Thes 2.8 Now on the other side the hireling loveth not the sheep but to feed him and cloath him read Ezek. 34.2 3. And so if he see a fatter benefice or a better abroad he wil leave the sheep for others that can feed them better though he cannot feed them at all but with husks in stead of fine wheat for he can neither pray nor preach but only say over a prayer and read over a Sermon Now the reason of all that hath been said is this these be hirelings of men and not sent out from Jesus Christ as Christ himself speaketh The â—ircling fleeth because he is an hireling and he careth not for the sheep read Ioh. 10.12 13. Now on the other side the good Elders whether they be Lay Elders or preaching Elders they wil very gladly spend and be spent for the good of one anothers souls as Paul said of himself for they have the same spirit that Paul had to make him a Minister read 2 Cor. 12.14 15. 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7. Now the reason and the ground why the good Elders are so able it is this Jesus Christ hath made them able Ministers to speak of the New Testament not of the letter only but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 And again they are raised from the dead with Jesus Christ for to bring forth fruit unto God But not in the oldness of the letter but to serve him in newness of spirit Rom. 7.4 6. Now these being married unto Jesus Christ are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh read Rom. 7.4 Phil. 3.3 Here you may see the Lay Elder as wel as the Learned Elder is in some measure able to feed the flock of God For the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and God worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12.6 7. Now you wil object and say Object That I am all Spirit or all for the Spirit and nothing is to be done but by the Spirit I answer Ans As the body is dead without a soul so is the soul dead without the last Adams quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Though the soul may seem to live a natural and fieshly life yet it is as though it were dead if the life of the Spirit of Christ be not communicated into it It is the Spirit that quickeneth saith Christ your living soul and natural fleshly life wil profit nothing The words that I speak unto you or in you they are Spirit and they are life saith Christ Ioh. 6.63 CHAP. VIII The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Phil. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Gal. 6.2 Rom. 14.5 23. Mat. 7.12 Iohn 13.35 Rom. 14.17 18 19. Col. 3.12 Ioh. 12.26 Isa 14.12 13 14. Rev. 9.11 18 19 20 21. Revel 12.10 11 12 13. 2 Thes 2.7 8 9. Gen. 3.4 5 6 7 8. Gen. 4.3 4 5. Acts 26.9 Acts 22.3 Rom. 9.31 32. Zech. 7.10 Psa 15.2 3. John 8.44 Gen. 4.8 Acts 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Psa 119.11 Psalm 119.105 John 14.6 Gen. 4.8 Ioh. 12.10 11. 1 Cor. 2.6 7 8. Mat. 6.11 Psa 150.5 6 7 8. Hosea 13.9 Hosea 14.4 Isa 43.25 Ier. 31.33 34. 2.5.19 Micah 7.18 19. Exo. 34.6 7. Isa 38.17 1 Iohn 3.1 1 Tim. 2.5 Lev. 16.21 22. Iob 33.23 24. Isa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 Iere. 50.20 Isa 53.6 7. Col. 2.13 14 15. Rom. 8.33 34. Iohn 13.10 1 Iohn 3.23 24. Iohn 1.1 2 3 4 5. Prov. 8.22 23. 1 Thes 2.19 20. Mark 8.24 Acts 17.18 19 20. Iohn 18.19 20 21. Mark 8.25 Exo. 4.10 12. 4.14 15 16. c. 7.1 2. Rom. 2.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Iames 2.8 1 Iohn 3.23 Iames 4.11 1 Cor. 13.4 5. Phil. 3.15 Ez. 13.22 Iohn 21.15 Psa 64.3 Rev. 12.10 Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. Ier. 23.6 7 8. Eph. 1.4 5. Gal. 4.19 Isa 66.12 13. Isa 49.22 23. Psa 39.8 Prov. 6.22 23. 1 Ioh. 5.3 4 9 10. Rom. 5.8 1 Ioh. 1.7.2.1 2. Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 Eph. 4.20 21. Iohn 14.6 7. Isa 9.6 Psa 90.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.5
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
A Looking-glass FOR A PROVD PHARISEE very zealous and very ignorant As also for a TRVE CHRISTIAN very meek and very mercifull Discovering an Effectuall way by the Mysterie of God For the healing of the Land through the Uniting al sides to God and one to another by JESUS CHRIST Humbly presented to the City of London By ROBERT PRIER a member of it For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge ROM 10.2 3. LONDON Printed by J. M. and are to be sold by Henry Overton in Popeshead Alley and Giles Calvert at the West end of Pauls 1648. THE EPISTLE OR A Word in kindness and good will to inform the READER Courteous Reader I Have made bold to present unto you some plaine words and my advice is judg not according to outward appearance but judg righteous judgment for a little Religion goes a great way amongst rich people and the rich have many friends but the poor man hath but few in the day of his distress And so likewise the most men and women have the truth of God in respect of mens persons as a Bishop or a great learned Doctor or some noted man these and no other must be the men to speak the truths of God because they have the School Arts and this is the peoples cry as though the Ministry o◠Christ were a Ministry o◠Art but I answer the Ministry of Christ is a ministry and a gift of the Grace of Christ given unto men of all sorts as well to unlearned men as to learned men as you may read ACTS 4.13 EPH. 3.7 8 9. And if there were less Art and more Honesty it would be better for us all And as for the Ministers sent forth only from men there are two things that spoil them And the first is the looking after a great benefice And secondly for honor among men Now the deceitfulness of riches and honor are as thorns which choke the Word which these men have got by Art and other men as well as they so that they all become unfruitful Mat. 13.20 21 22. Now the Ministry of the grace of Christ I mean all sorts of men they are to mind the good of mens bodies but especially the souls of men for they freely receive therefore they must freely give and depend upon God Mat. 10.8 9. Courteous Reader though I be mean and illiterate and a Tradesman and so contemptible and compassed about with sin as all other men are and in my own esteem a worm nay a fool yet do not trample upon me nor be angry with me for anger resteth in the bosom of fools Eccles 7.9 nor rise up in scorn against me for any thing that I have done or writ And I pray you let not this little handful of words seem tedious to read Read them all over before you judg and then observe that golden rule 1 Thes 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Read with a single eye and if you find any truth mind the truth mind not me and mind the truth for the truths sake and take up no prejudice against the truth because it comes through such unworthy hands as mine are All things should be done for the glory of God and for the good of one another If you have found truth give God the glory of it and so you answer my desire and as Paul saith 2 COR. 4.5 6 7. I am your servant for Jesus sake in all offices of love The meanest of the servants of CHRIST Robert Prier A Vindication c. Courteous Reader I Had finished all my Copy and it was licensed and almost finished at the Press before Master Edwards departed this life This I relate unto you because I have spoken much of him in my Treatise I should think it would have been a blemish unto me if I should have spoken but one word after his departure for that would have been as the taking up of weapons to fight with a dead man But let the living make use of what hath been said and take heed that they be not such An Explanation touching the word Note Hand or Behold THe words Note and Hand or Behold in Scripture when God speaks of himself in his Christ these are remarkable and full of sweetness and kindness for the hand and finger of God in a Beleevers heart puts back all the bars and bolts deadness in the soul and leaves the soul full of sweetness and longing after him The word Note Rom. 16.7 or Hand ☞ Cant. 5.4 5. or Behold Isa 42.1 2 3 4. are remarkable excellent and full of sweetness An Explanation touching the Hand or Finger of Oppression BUt when God takes notice of the putting forth of the Finger of men the Finger of Oppression by men and the faigning love of men and the winking with the eye and the jears with the tongue that most men and women now use this shews the great fall of men from God and if so then no kindnes but cruelty from them the putting forth of the Finger by most men is grievous and burthensom The Hand ☞ Isaiah 58.9 or Finger Ezek. 33.30 31 32. of Oppression Psa 35.19 21. Jer. 5.1 2 5 30 31. Jer. 4.22 Joh. 7.48 49. By the unjust Judges and by the proud and ignorant Clergy and the sottish people which love to have it so and the feigning love of most men and the wink with the eye and a jear with the tongue these are full of infamy the Lord sees it Why do poor souls here weep and wail When ordinances do them fail Since they to substance are a shade And Christ to us their all is made And tho i' th' grave he 's seen no more He 's risen and he 's gone before That where he is we all may be As he is to eternity R. P. A WORD To you that are SCHOLARS IN Christs School Courteous Readers MY language in my Book may have something amiss in it but it is plain to a single eye and that which may seem to be amiss unto one may not be amiss to another Christian Readers my language in my Book is not dressed with school Arts nor with the curious phrases of Scholarship for these do but dazle the eyes of the people I wonder that a beautiful child should be disliked because it is not dressed in fine clothes the naked and plain truth is most beautiful naked Christ is most amiable and sweet when the wisdom of men doth not appear but only the wisdom of God God will have the foolish and the weak and the base things of this world to bring to nought the wisdom of faln man 1 Cor. 1.24 25 26 27 28. But the wisdom of the new man is a mystery in the world and not many mighty nor many learned men receive it 1 Cor. 2.4 5 6 7 8. Therefore the loftiness and the haughtiness of men shall be made low And the Word which was made flesh and
have not found Iesus Christ there It is a great mistake and the most in our days are subject to this mistake They think the meer having of the letter of the Scripture is sufficient for them to have eternal life so in some sort they become Idolaters even with the Scriptures themselves What is the Scripture to thee if thou mistake it In them ye think ye have eternal life but thy darkness comprehendeth not the light that shines in them as you may read in the Gospel of John 1.4 5. For what is the body without a soul Or what is the Scriptures to thee if thou hast not the key of David to open and unfold them unto thee Rev. 3.7 Or what is the Word to thee if thou hast not the Spirit of God by which it was given to open the mystery unto thee that is in it and then that Spirit wil teach thee to profit by the Word and wil instruct the in righteousness 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. And thou canst not take liberty to sin as the great out-cry goes now in our days but so much for that Mistake me not my advice is to account it a very great mercy to have the Word of God amongst us but ten thousand times a greater mercy to have the Spirit of the Word among us our Teachers and then that Spirit would heal our divisions and shed his love abroad in our hearts and then we should not bite and devour one another as we do and this is the crown of Pauls rejoycing to be made an able Minister not of the letter but of the Spirit for the Spirit giveth life and worketh love in our hearts 2 Cor. 3.6 O Lord Sect. 5 how little of thy sweet and peaceable Spirit is abroad in the world amongst Ministers and people if we consider the bitter envying and strife in mens hearts which is brought forth in contention and reproaching one another Now I shal speak as S. James speaks My brethren these things ought not so to be James 3.10 13 14 15 16. Is this the Spirit of Iesus Christ No in no wise For the fruit of the Spirit of Christ is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness temperance Gal. 5.22 23. For these gifts the Spirit of God works in the hearts of the Saints as the Apostle speaks For God saith he hath not given us the spirit of fear and of error and heresie and division but of power of love and of a sound mind as you may read 2 Tim. 1.7 You Pharisees saith our Savior you search the Scriptures but ye wil not come to me For how can ye beleeve in me when ye receive honor one of another John 5.39 40 41 42 43 44. compared with John 12.42 43. and you shal find that not to be of the Pharisees simple judgment one shal have no place amongst them no not so much as to be the Beadle of a Ward not to be one in their way is as much as to be put out of their Synagogue as for instance in the blind man And they cast him out Iohn 9.32 33 34. And so you may instance in Lazarus But the Chief Priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death For he was a cause that the people went to meet Iesus Christ as you may read in the Gospel of John Chap. 12. Vers 10 11 18 19. Have not we many chief Priests and Pharisees now in our days as wel as there were in Christs time that sit and consult against their brethren as you may see in John Chap. 11. Vers 47 48. Instance if you wil in Mr Edwards a mighty man in the Scriptures and yet hardly knows Jesus Christ like to Nicodemus Joh. 3.1 4. He is something like to Tertullus too who disputed maliciously against Paul a notable Orator and one that had learned a leaf past grace and could talk nimbly but to little purpose as Mr Edwards doth read Acts 24.1 2 5 6. But now if Mr Edwards had an ear to hear what the Lord saith he would tremble Thou givest thy mouth to evil saith the Lord and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Mr Edwards have you not done these things doth not your conscience accuse you yet The Lord wil reprove you Mr Edwards consider whether you have not forgot God read Psa 50.19 20 21 22. Mr Edwards I shal refer you to one place more Have you heard of the doctrine of Iesus Christ Now the doctrine of Christ is First For Information Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing pleasing to God Joh. 15.5 Secondly It is for Exhortation to you Mr Edwards beware of being like to the Scribes and Pharisees Mar. 12.38 which neither loved Christ nor his followers Mistake me not I am no favorer of Sectaries yet I can with patience look upon them til God doth change their hearts In the third place I advise you not to be like an unskilful man to pluck up the wheat in stead of tares And in the fourth place Beware of being like unto the Scribes and Pharisees in loving to be chief and to have the uppermost places and to have domination and beware that you be not like the Pharisees and Lawyers that lode men with burdens grievous to be born and for a pretence make long prayers and so devour widows houses that is you oppress the weak and poor by your power and self-seeking Read if you please Mark 12.38 39 40. and Luke 11.44 45 46. Master Edwards be not angry with me for quoting these Scriptures unto you for they are the words of our Savior to the Pharisees and to the Lawyers and they were as wise men as your self Mr Edwards and as zealous read Joh. 5.16 17 18. and yet they made no conscience in seeking to kil Jesus Christ as you do not under the name of Sectaries to kil the Saints in their good name and in their reputation by your reproaches which you lay upon them and then you cal for the Magistrate to punish them and imprison them But God hath given the Parliament wisdom above such spirits as you are Mr Edwards for to restrain you or else what is it that you would not do and so the chief Priests and Pharisees likewise were very skilful in clothing Jesus Christ with a filthy garment of their reproaches and then they made the people out of love with him and then Barabbas must be let loose and Christ must go to suffer As for instance in their reproaching of Christ The first is this They thought Christ was come to destroy the Law Mat. 5.17 The second is this They said Christ was a Blasphemer Mat. 9.3 4. The third is this They said Jesus Christ was a gluttonous man a wine-bibber and did resort to ungodly men and to sinners Luk. 7.33 34. In the fourth place They said that Christ was a Conjuror This fellow say they doth cast out devils by
comfortably unto them in their great distress when they were at their wits end then Joseph spake unâ—â— his brethren and said I am Joseph doth my father yet live Come neer to me notwithstanding ye put me away in your hatred but come neer unto my love Come neer to me I pray you and they came neer and he said I am Joseph your brother whom ye foolishly sold into Egypt be not grieved nor angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good for God did send me before you to preserve life Gen. 45.3 4 5. Gen. 50.20 The spiritual application of what hath been said Sect. 8 is betwixt Christ and a poor soul and if this were wel taught and wel learned it would mitigate that heat of strife that is amongst us and then we should observe that new Command which Christ gave That we should love one another Now I shal refer you unto that place of Scripture which Joseph gave unto his brethren for their advice and he said unto them See that you fal not out by the way for ye be brethren You may travel from Egypt to Canaan now with joy for I have freed you from all your fears see now that you fal not out by the way Consider Jesus Christ the spiritual Joseph who hath delivered you from spiritual Egypt and doth give you spiritual joy that you may travel to the heavenly Canaan and wil you yet fal out by the way Again consider Jesus Christ as he is a Prince of peace and of his peace there shal be no end Christ is our spiritual Joseph and our elder brother and hath left this Word Go tel my brethren that I ascend to my Father and their Father to my God and their God and I wil prepare a place for them and they all shal be where I am A Prayer O sweet Jesus shal thy people be with thee who art the Prince of peace and live with thee in heaven O Lord make this a lively motive to all thy people that as they shal live in heaven together so they may live in love and be at peace on earth together though they cannot agree about circumstances if the Lord would be pleased to enlarge our hearts then we should by his strength run the way of his new command which is love Love one another Lord do thou teach us and help us that we may not fal out about the way to Canaan but we pray thee plane us into Jesus Christ who alone is the new and the living way and gave unto us such a spirit as Jacob had when he did see the wagons of Josephs love then his spirit was revived and he said It is enough Joseph my son is yet alive Genesis 45.27 28. When our spirits are a dying then to have news from Jesus Christ would be a reviving to our spirits and we shal say as Jacob said It is enough my son Joseph is alive It is enough my friend Jesus Christ is alive and doth send good news to my soul and I shal go and live with him To conclude We should not rest in making clean the outside of the cup and of the platter Mat. 23.25 For the kingdom of God cometh not with observation or with outward shew Luk. 17.20 Neither let us take content in tithe-mint and anise and cummin when we are ignorant of the weightier matters of the Law as Judgment Mercy and Faith Mat. 23.23 And so it wil be for our shame and loss if we take the shadow for the substance and say The Temple of the Lord are these Jer. 7.4 and so be like unto the five foolish Virgins whose lamps were out and their oyl was spent and they went from Christ to buy grace when as indeed they should have come to Christ but in not coming they missed of Jesus Christ Mat. 25.8 10 11 12. Yet let us not fal out by the way as we are traveling through the wilderness of this world but let us admonish one another in love and think upon Josephs advice to his brethren when they were to travel from Egypt to Canaan to their father saith Joseph Ye be brethren see that ye fal not out by the way Gen. 45.24 Sect. 9 I shal now crave leave to speak a word or two betwixt the Minister and the People but with submission to better judgments for what I have said or shal say 1. We are not now to expect Prophets and Apostles to pen new Scripture Secondly We are now to look for men gifted to open the mind and meaning of God in the Scriptures which were written for our learning Thirdly We are not to take upon trust what men do deliver because God doth command us to try that which men do deliver whether it be from God or no 1 Thes 5.21 1 Ioh. 4.1 Fourthly Now we have no infallible men as the Prophets and the Apostles were therefore we should do as the noble Bereans did search the Scriptures to see whether those men that preach preach according to the Scripture or no Acts 17.10 11. But it may be you wil object and say Is there any that can infallibly search the Scriptures and so be able to try others I answer Christ hath given gifts unto men to try as wel as to teach and it is his command to try Try all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 But it wil be counted a boldness in a man that dwels in a Parish to try the Minister or the Church-Officers but the Church may cal them to account I mean the whole Parish or a select Congregation may cal their Officers to account for they are but as Stewards to the Church I shal conclude with that of the Apostle Peter As every man saith he hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God And if any man speak let him speak as from the Lord and if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 4.10 11. There hath been much said Sect. 10 of late about the power of the Church and that this power doth belong and that by Divine Right unto the Officers of the Church and to them only and something hath been writ to that purpose by him that answered the Queries that the Parliament set out but not for him to answer neither did he answer them though he said he did But I reason thus If all the power be in the Church-Officers and the keys be given unto them where shal the body which is the Church whereof these Officers be members find relief in case they should oppress or be found faulty for they are but men and the Shepherd may err as wel as the sheep may go astray as for instance the Bishops said they were the Church and every superstitious Priest in a parish
Doth your baptizing old men or women avail any thing I indeed baptize you onely with water saith Iohn Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.26 And this you do and mightily lean upon this weak shadow or figure and it is to be feared that many amongst you are like unto those in the Acts where Paul asked them If they had received the holy Ghost and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost Acts 19.2 3. Are not you carnally minded about the ordinances of God for the most part of you as the Apostle speaks in 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Doth not the most part of you rest in outsides of Religion being but very little acquainted with the truth and power of Religion as it is in the Spirit What difference is there between parishes and you from which you dissent They for the most part rest in a meer outside form of godliness read 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. and think they were baptized when they were young and if they hear Sermons then they may be admitted to the Sacrament as they think by the Minister or Elders and if there be no more but this it is a meer outside shew and a form that wil not profit and is it not so with many of you that are called Anabaptists If you be but admited by those that say they wil baptize you then you lean much upon this and say now you are within the door but beware for many go in at this door and return out again with litle profit mistake me not I prize the ordinances of God and therefore I speak of the formality that most use in and about them I shal ask one question Are you acquainted experimentally with the Baptism of Jesus Christ upon your spirits even the sprinkling of clean water upon you and this wil purge your corrupt natures Ezek. 36.25 And this water wil refresh thy parched soul Isa 44.3 And this water wil be as a Wel of Living Water for to comfort thee in all thy straits Joh. 7.37 38 39. He saith John shal baptize you with the holy Ghost meaning Jesus Christ Mark 1.8 Now you that are called Anabaptists and you Presbyterians if you were acquainted with the Baptism of Jesus Christ that would clear up your judgments which I conceive are very dark for God is Love and if you were acquainted with this Baptism it would teach you to love one another read 1 Joh. 3.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. But one of you prays against the other which is not wel One word more to you that are rigid Anabaptists for you make a division in the body of Christ for Christ and his members are one 1 Cor. 12.12 13 14. And those that are one with Jesus Christ you judg not fit to be members or one with you if they be not of your judgment or opinion But we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 And by one Spirit saith the Apostle we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And those that are joyned to the Lord are one spirit with the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 And wil you slight those or separate your self from those that God hath joyned to himself This is not wel judg not according to externals be not over rigid in censuring Cease to be legal learn to be spiritual and then you wil love one another for salvation doth not depend upon diping or sprinkling or plunging or washing read Gal. 6.15 Sect. 5 One word to you that are moderate Anabaptists Do not the publick professors of this Kingdom both Ministers and people for the most part rest in an outside and a visible form of Religion I know you wil answer Yes I ask is it not so with the most part of those that are of your opinion Do they not rest too much in the form and shadow not being acquainted with Christ crucified who is the power of God and the wisdom of God and the salvation that God gives to men 1 Cor. 1.13 14.23 24. The Baptism of water for profession is nigh at hand and both young and old receive it But the Baptism of the Spirit is far off and few there be that have it but those that have it do not go back again to the shadow because Christ the Sun doth shine who is the Substance Mary Magdalen after she had seen Christ was risen from the grave she did not return back again to look Christ in the grave Joh. 20.11.16 17 18. Now you that lean so much upon the Baptism of water if you have no more that wil profit but little But moderate and Christian friend the Baptism of the Spirit of Christ wil teach us to profit in all conditions It wil teach us to know the world to be passing away and all the glory of it to be but as grass It wil teach us to dye to the world with Christ upon the Cross Gal. 6.14 15. It wil teach us to go down with Christ from the Cross into the Grave and there to see sin the devil the world the grave and the old man conquered and subdued and Jesus Christ triumphing from the Cross to the grave and in the grave and this is the Christians dayly work if they have faith read Col. 2.12 13 14 15. And so this blessed Spirit wil baptize every true Beleever every day more and more into the resurrection of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 Now a true Beleever being raised up from the grave together with Jesus Christ is made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2.5 6. And this is the Baptism that wil profit us and answer all our doubts and fil our hearts ful of the joy of the Lord that is Christ the bridegroom of the soul and the soul standeth to hear the voyce of Christ and greatly rejoyceth in that Jesus Christ is the spiritual Loadstone that draws up the soul to himself in whom the soul centers and finds its rest and in him the soul spiritually injoys all the ordinances and with Jesus Christ comes down again to all external ordinances and becomes weak to the weak that he may gain some and so likewise Iohn Baptist did rejoyce in Christs Ministry for he saw that to be glorious and said Christ should increase and the glory of his Ministry should run up into Christs Ministry He must increase saith John but I must decrease Joh. 3.29 30. Now you that rest so much upon water the Baptism of an outward profession and slight all those that are not of your opinion and you contend much for the time when and the manner how this ordinance of God must be administred Not to young children you say but to men and women of years because a young child cannot make a verbal Confession of Faith it is true indeed but a man or a woman in years may learn by education to make a verbal Confession of
and the light of the Law which is in no wise grievous read Prov. 6.23 1 Ioh. 5.3 And Christ is the love-token of his Father read Rom. 5.8 And thus those that are counted loathsom Antinomians do imbrace him as the effect of his Fathers love which is the efficient cause of taking away sin from men read 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. And so they account the blood of Jesus Christ God-man to be the meritorious cause that hath and doth cleanse us from all sin past present and to come 1 Iohn 1.7 2.1 2. And so likewise Christ is the rule of a Christian and the Law of God which a Christian doth walk by And so likewise Christ is a Christian School-master for to bring him to God Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 Eph. 4.20 21. Iohn 14.6 O sweet God Sect. 7 and everlasting Father Isa 9.6 A Prayer from the Scripture to the Father Son holy Spirit opening that Mystery Thou art a sure foundation and a sure dwelling place Psa 90.1 2. O sweet Jesus thou that art built in and upon this foundation 1 Pet. 2.5 6. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. And thy sons and thy daughters being in thee thou proceedest forth and comest forth from God and bringest thy sons and thy daughters along with thee Eph. 1.3 4 5. Iohn 8.42 Isa 8.18 O sweet and holy and blessed Spirit of God which cometh from the Father Iohn 15.26 and from the Son and is sent by the Son into the hearts of his sons and daughters for to make Christ who is God-man glorious in their eyes Iohn 16.13 14 15. Isa 32.15 O sweet and blessed Spirit which art one of three and yet undividable thou art but one God blessed for evermore and not three Gods read 1 Cor. 8.5 6. But out of thy love and wisdom O sweet God thou hast made a distinction of thy self in the first Creation when thou saidst Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 And thou hast made it good again in the second Creation when thou saidst Go and make new Schollars or new Disciples Then thy power O blessed Father Son and holy Spirit goes along and makes a new Creature in Christ or for Christ Old things are past away behold all things are become new read Matth. 28.18 19. 2 Cor. 5.17 A natural Tree growing up out of the earth An excellent Si mile having his roots therein and by the mighty power of God in his Creation there goes effectual power from the earth into the roots and so up into the body of the Tree and so up into every branch and causeth leaves and Fruit for the use of man which Tree hath its Seed in its self Gen. 1.11 12 29. Heb. 1.2 3. Now our Friend Jesus Christ is the Spiritual Tree of Life which grows in the midst of the paradise of God Revel 2.7 Gen. 2.9 Now God the Father is the paradise and the onely sweet Divine Garden Revel 2.7 And Christ his Son is the only sweet Flower in the Garden and he is daily his Fathers delight and in him onely God takes his pleasure read these two Scriptures Prov. 8.22 30. Matth. 17.5 Now the fulness of the Godhead is the infinite Fountain of Divinty in which Christ is a root or rooted and so grows up in that and so Christ cometh out of God and from God Col. 2.9 Psa 68.26 Isa 11.1 10. John 14.10 11. 17.8 21. 1.18 And so Christ is Gods King upon his holy Hill of Sion and God hath given him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his Body now the true Church of God is the fulness of Christ and the true Church is most compleat in Jesus Christ Psal 2.6 Ephes 1.22 23. Colos 2.10 Psal 45.13 Now this is matter of great comfort unto a perticular poor soul for to have the blessed and infinite God anointing Jesus Christ our Head with his fulness that we might receive of his fulness even grace for grace in Christ Jesus Heb. 1.9 John 1.16 And so likewise it is an inlivening comfort to a poor fainting panting and thirsty soul for God to pour out his precious ointment upon the Head of thy Aaron that is Jesus Christ And so from him as thy Head this ointment runs down upon thy Beard nay it runs into thy heart into every corner of thy heart and it runs down to the skirts of his garments that is to every poor member of his and he fills and refreshes them with his Grace which is as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord gives a blessing even life for evermore read Psa 133.2 3. Now this is the River the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God Now the heart of a right Christian and a true believing man or woman is the City of God and the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most High and the infinite Divine Consolations of the Spirit which is God blessed for evermore runs thorow this City and maketh it glad when the world is turned upside down read Psa 46.4 5 6. Now you that stand for Fruits Sect. 8 and for Notes and Signes consider well what Tree they grow upon for a natural tree may bring forth excellent Fruit to the natural sight and if you take this natural Fruit for to be Notes and Signes spiritual you will deceive your selves as the most of the world do to this day because the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them and if he hear of them by the hearing of the ear he makes a jest of them for they are foolishness unto him 1 Cor. 2.14 But if you grow in the Tree of Life as the Branch doth in the Vine which Tree and Branch Zech. 6.12 is Jesus Christ then you shall live and receive of his life and bring forth fruit by his strength for in him and with him and by him you shal be able to do all things and without him you can do nothing to please God John 15.4 5. Phil. 4.13 Heb. 11.6 O sweet and blessed Spirit of God which workest all our works in us and for us Isa 26.12 And as a natural tree whose seed is in it self and having its roots in the earth and so receiving nourishment in at the roots without which it could not live But that nourishment which the roots do receive in runs up the body of the tree into every branch of the tree and causeth a fruitful flourishing of green leaves and fruit for the use of men and this turns to the praise of God and the good of men and all this is the work of the sweet Spirit of God through the whole course of nature But in a supernatural way of grace it is unspeakable and ful of glory Christ is the spiritual tree of life which is rooted in God Isa 11.1 10. John 1.18 John 17.23 24. Now the sweet Spirit of God which is only
94.7 8 9 10 11. Gen. 1.31 1 Iohn 3.8 Rom. 8.28 Psal 103.14 15. Hosea 13.9 Psal 30.5 Isai 27.4 Hosea 14.4 Gen. 3.8 Tit. 3.4 5 6. Psal 110.3 Revel 22.2 4 5 16. 1 Iohn 3.9 Matth. 12.28 29. 2 Cor. 7.1 Luke 18.9 Rom. 7.18 Colos 2.14 Gal. 6.14 Col. 1.27 29. Gal. 6.14 Rom. 7.15 Rom. 7.25 Iere. 23.21 30 to the end 1 King 22.11 12. 2 Pet. 2.1 Matth. 24.24 25. Phil. 3.20 Ephes 2.20 21. Iohn 14.2 Isai 33.17 Phil. 3.20 Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Psal 9.10 1 Iohn 4.1 2 3. Isai 1.11 12. Isai 58.2 3. Iere. 7.4 8 14. Iere. 5.30 31. Phil. 3.4 5 6 7 8. 1 Corinth 1.18 19 to the end 1 Corinth 13.4 5 6 7 8. 1 Iohn 3.11 12 13. Iames 4.1 Mark 7.21 22. Revel 12.1 Gen. 2.2 3. Heb. 4.9 10. Matth. 17.5 Iohn 17.23 24. Hebr. 2.11 12 13. I Shall speak a word of the freeness of the pardon which is in general Sect. 1 held forth unto all men Isai 55.1 2 7. This is the ground I confess of every ones coming that comes aright If the pardon be free to every one then I am within the number Now this pardon of sin which we pray for it is not to be made now for it was in God with Christ before the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 Eph. 1.4 5. Rom. 5.8 Psa 68.18 Rom. 8.3 Heb. 9.22 28. And so much in general of the pardon of sin Now I shall speak a word of this pardon in particular And here lyes a scruple and here lyes everlasting comfort I know Object says some this pardon is held forth to all But yet for all this I cannot beleeve that it is for me I answer Sol. If you know it by the hearing of the ear naturally and earnally and by the seeing of the eye sensually and according to your natural sense and no more then you cannot know it nor beleeve it by these for your good because it is spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Secondly I answer A man may have a true knowledg of the pardon of his sin and yet have the comfortableness of it withdrawn for a time Now here comes in a right panting and breathing and praying not for the pardon of sin for that is sure in God but here is a praying for a comfortable evidence and the sweet manifestations of the Spirit of God to my soul or in my soul O Lord saith David pardon my sin Psalm 25.11 Now David at this time did know that his sins were pardoned You will ask how I know that Quest He himself said Answ That God had made with him an everlasting pardon or covenant ordered in all things and sure and this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow saith he 2 Sam. 23.5 And I know the Lord changeth not for he hath said it Mal. 3.6 Now David was a strong man in the Lord and yet he was up one while and down another while Up when the Spirit of God did act the grace of Faith in him then he did flourish like a green bay-tree and then his mountain was strong but when the sweet Spirit of God did withdraw it self then David was troubled Psal 30.7 Now a poor soul in its winter season when its fruits are in its roots Sect. 2 is kept by the power of God as in the secret chamber of God and lives upon a word of promise when it doth not see the spirits fruits at that time it beleeves that God is faithful though he doth not shine upon it and cause it to grow 1 Pet. 1.5 7. Isai 43.1 2 5. Now a poor soul not having the heat and sunshine of the Spirit is discontented though it may have its eye fixed upon its pardon which is sure and stedfast O saith Mary Magdalen they have taken away my Lord And so saith the poor soul Iohn 20.13 O Lord saith David let the light of thy Spirit shiâ—e into my soul and that will make me more glad then corn and wine increased Psal 4.6 7 8. One smile from thy fatherly countenance O Lord one beam or glance of the refreshings of thy sweet Spirit O let me hear of spiritual joy and gladness and then I shall follow thee all the day long My soul panteth for thee the living God I cannot live but in thy light restore my wonted joys My heart and my flesh fail me But God is my rock and my well-spring of joy and he never faileth and this is all my joy Psal 51.8 12. 73.25 26. 36.8 9. The poor soul once being possessed of this spiritual dew it begins to speak of the excellency of Christ while the Spirit of grace sitteth as king in my soul and hath spred his table full of divine Graces upon which my soul doth feed and while the King sitteth upon his throne in my soul saith the Church my graces send forth a pleasant smell While the king lodgeth within my brest saith the poor soul he his sweet as a bundle of myrrhe to my soul And the king saith I am fair and there is no spot in me because of the comeliness which he hath put upon me and he saith that I am fair and have doves eyes read Cant. 1.3 12 13. Eze. 16.14 Cant. 4.1 Now a poor soul being brought by the king into the banqueting house on the day of the Lord nay in the day of the Lord and upon the Lords day I mean Christ who is the Lords day Psalm 118.22 23 24. Now Christ is the king of this day and the day it self in which every true believing soul doth abide for ever any Christ himself is the house into which the poor soul is brought and Christ himself holds his banner of love over a poor soul and makes it glad in himself Cant. 2.4 Now Christ and the soul have sweet communion together Sect. 3 and Jesus Christ tells the soul of his Fathers great love unto it before the foundation of the world and that he hath chosen it in him and blessed it with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in himself And Christ tells the soul that it shall stand in him for ever before God and be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes 1.3 4. And Christ tells the soul that he came out of the bosom of the Father to be its ransom and to pay its debts to the law and to sin and to hell and the devil and the grave John 1.16 17 18. Isai 53. read the whole Chapter Hosea 13.14 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57 58. Heb. 2.14 15. And so likewise Christ tells the soul he will inable it to beleeve all this Heb. 12.2 And so Christ tells the soul he will make it fruitful in good works before God and men that they may glorifie God on their behalf Eph. 2.10 Matth. 5.15 16. And Christ tells the soul he hath done all for it that it stands in need of and that he is all unto it that it wants
1 Cor. 1.30 And Christ bids the soul be of good cheer for its sins are forgiven Matth. 9.2 and he hath overcome the world for it though it live amongst men that are slanderers and say it will have none of his Law to be its rule and call it Antinomian that will live as its own list For Christ hath done all for it and it needs to do nothing at all And this they say It will not pray for pardon of sin for God sees no sin in it and they say it takes liberty by Freegrace to sin and is infectious as the plague But mark how Christ speaks to the soul Be of good cheer poor soul for I know thy works and thy tribulation and patience and poverty and where thou dwellest even where Satans throne is Revel 2.9 10 11 13. But be of good cheer O poor soul though these men hate thee yet thou art blessed and when they shall separate thee from their company and shall reproach thee and cast out thy name as evil for my sake rejoyce thou in that day and be of good cheer for I have overcome this world of men Luke 6.22 23. John 16.32 33. Now mark how Jesus Christ doth vindicate these reproached ones I know saith Christ that you acknowledg that without me you can do nothing Joh. 15.5 When I have inlarged thine heart and put my self therein saith Christ then I will be thy law and thy rule and thy day and thy power and thou shalt be willing in me and I will be thy law in which thou shalt delight and it shall not be grievous but thy joy Psa 119.32 110.3 Rom. 7.22 Psal 1.2 1 John 5.3 Secondly Thou canst not live as thy own list O thou poor soul saith Christ for thou art not thy own I have bought thee with a price and thou art joyned unto me in and by the Spirit and thou shalt live as I will have thee saith Christ for I will give thee both to will and to do of my good pleasure and thou shalt not be barren nor unfruitful 1 Cor. 6.17 19 20. Phil. 2.13 2 Pet. 1.8 Thirdly Jesus Christ did not suffer and die for himself but he tells thee O poor soul that he died for thee to bring thee as a son unto glory and bids thee be of good cheer for he hath finished the work which God gave him to do for thee O poor soul and thou needest not for to do any thing at all for life or for to get Christ who is thy life Mistake me not here Sect. 4 for most people do mistake this point Christ tells thee O poor soul again That he hath finished all for thee upon the Crose and thou needest not to work for life neither needest thou to work for to get Christ for Christ is a free gift of God and not for us to get of God Now as Christ hath done all for the soul so Christ tells the poor soul he will do all in it for he is the vine and the soul is a branch in him and it shall work from a principle of life which is in him which is its original and he will pour into it spiritual influence and nourishment and it shall bring forth much fruit because of him read Heb. 2.9 10 11. John 17.4 5 6. 19.30 4.10 15.5 Fourthly Jesus Christ tells the poor soul that it needs not doubt of the pardon of sin for he hath put an end to its sins and brought in everlasting righteousness unto it for to cover it and he will open its eyes and awaken it that it may run and read its pardon and be satisfied with beholding his face in righteousness which will transform it into his likeness and cause it for to sing the song of the Lamb and to have the high praises of God in its mouth Dan. 9.24 Psal 17.15 Revel 14.1 2 3 4 5. Psal 149.4 5 6. Fifthly Christ tells the soul that God sees no sin in his that is in the new man that is the heavenly man which is that holy thing which shall be born in thee O thou poor soul and this holy thing shall be formed in thee O thou poor soul and this is the seed of God which shall be born in thy heart and it cannot sin because he is born of God And this is the good part or the better part which Christ speaks of to Martha Now this good thing or this better part is even God himself Now we are to consider betwixt the spirit and the flesh Now in the Spirit which is of God there is no evil or sin but in the flesh there is not this good neither can flesh and blood inherit the Kingdom of God for in my flesh saith Paul I know there dwelleth no good thing Now a true Christian in this life doth consist of good and evill Now the good part in a true believing man or woman brings the bad part every moment unto the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified as Paul speaks By which Cross saith he I am crucified to the world the flesh and sin and the world the flesh and sin are crucified unto me upon this Cross And I thank God through Christ my Lord which hath freed me from the body of this death So that with the minde I my self saith the Apostle serve the Law of God but in my flesh there is a law of sin which is nailing to the Cross of Christ every day 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. Luke 1.35 Gal. 4.19 Psal 27.4 1 Iohn 3.9 Luke 10.41 42. 18.19 These Scriptures shew where God sees no sin And these Scriptures which I shall now name shew how and where God doth see sin that is in the flesh and upon the Cross of Christ 1 Corinth 15.50 Rom. 7.18 Gal. 5.17 6.14 Rom. 7.21 22 23 24 25. Col. 2.13 14 15. Heb. 2.14 15. Sixthly Free-grace doth not open a door to let in sin into the soul but the soul as a chaste Virgin married unto Christ the Fountain of Free-grace by which grace the soul is strong to shut the door against sin Romans chap. verse 4. Titus 2. verses 11 12. Seventhly Those that speak so much of Free-grace are not infectious as a plague as some call them and say they are corrupt in the brain and so they are dangerous Now such men do labor to bring an evil report upon these men for Free-grace sake Now by this means there is a disaffecting and a great neglecting of the speaking of Free-grace and rather a teaching of men for to do some good thing of their own as it were and so to get our selves qualifications as it were for to fit us for Christ Good master what shall I do saith the young man that I may inherit eternal life Mark 10.17 And so saith the Pharisee I have fasted and prayed and done many things therefore I am not as other men are Luke 18.11 12. Now is it not apparent that most people and
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
side All this was done unto his body which was humane besides his troubles in the spirit when he was in an agony in the garden where his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Now never were any mans sorrows like unto the sorrows of Jesus Christ yet for all this their malice did not change the stream of love which was in Jesus Christ for when they were a thrusting him out of the world and he was going unto God his Father then this Child Jesus which was the Man Christ and anointed of God above all his yellows prayed Father saith he for give them for they know not what they do for they are ful of the seed of the serpent Yet nevertheless O righteous Father saith Jesus Christ A ful Redemption by Christ for al men if all men had but faith to beleeve I have finished a sufficient Redemption for the whole world if thou O Father wilt but give them faith to beleeve it or to give a true credit unto that report for it is finished And thus Jesus Christ bowed his head and took his leave of this cruel people and this wicked world together as you may read Luk. 23.34 John 19.30 Now these blind Jews and Lawyers Sect. 5 and zealous Pharisees together with the blind devotion of the chief Priests and the rude multitude they all looked upon an outside Christ or a fleshly Christ or Christ the Son of God vailed with flesh so that they did not see within the vail the most holy of all therefore they fel upon him and judged him to be forsaken of God and so they marred his visage and despised him and saw no comeliness or beauty in him that he should be more desired then another man Isa 52.14 Isa 53.2 2 4. Now the man in whose heart the Child Jesus is born such a man or woman sees within the vail and sees Christ spiritually sees Christ as God-man ful of divine amiableness and sweetnesses of beauty and unspeakable comeliness of the spiritualnesses in Christ when he was vailed with his flesh but much more now Christ is ascended far above all heavens to fil the souls of men ful of spiritual gifts unutterable and ful of glory Eph. 49 10. Psa 68.18 Now the soul of such a man or woman is sick of love for the delightful in-comes of a spiritual Christ now unvailed which is not to be seen visibly for he is invisible and not to be seen now but by the eye of faith for by faith Moses saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.27 Now a man in Christ is a new creature and Christ being born in a man makes him partaker of the Divine Nature as the Apostle speaks Now Christ is our life and our life is hid in God Col. 3.3 4. Now the life which a true christianized man or woman that is a true beleeving man or woman or a true beleeving man in his young age as wel as in his old age now the life which they live it is not they but Christ liveth in them and as a Father he doth translate them into the substance of the Gospel which is Christ the inheritance of the Saints in light but no new light mark this all you that mock and jeer at new light Gal. 2.20 Col. 1.12 13. Now Christ being in a Christian and a Christian in Christ Christ becomes the Christians School-master and doth Gospelize him and make him a new creature and he doth spiritualize him and make him heavenly and Christ-like that is like unto himself Now a true beleeving man or woman are the auditors or the hearers and the holy Ghost is the preacher or the speaker and the heart of a true beleeving man is the place where this sweet Spirit of grace doth preach or make known the Lord who is our salvation Eph. 4.20 21. 1 Jo. 2.27 28. Now the Lord is that Spirit that doth all in us and for us And in the glory of the Lord every true beleeving man or woman is changed into the image of Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and a true beleeving man or woman is comple at in him Now all this is done by the Spirit of the Lord who is both Lord and Christ read 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Col. 2.9 10. Now you wil object and say Object that I seem to make more Christs then one whereas I say that the child Jesus is to be born in the heart of a man or Christ the Son of God for man who is the Son of God in man he is to be formed in the hearts of men or Christ to be born in the heart of a man which is God with us or God in us Mat. 1.21 23. Luk 2.26 27. I answer Answ there is but one God and Christ one Christ who is above all and through all and in you all and when this Christ doth appear in thy heart O man or woman then thou shalt also appear with him in glory for grace is glory Eph. 4.6 Col. 3.4 11. One word more to prove that there is but one true Christ Sect. 6 by way of simile Simile There is but one natural Sun in the Firmament that doth shine upon this world and all men and creatures do live in this Sun and do partake of its light and heat or else they would dye and vanish away and this Sun doth live in men and in all creatures with his light and heat but men and creatures are distinct from this Sun and apart from it so that every man or creature is not a Sun as this natural Sun in the Firmament which I have spoken of but every man and creature doth partake of the fulness of this Suns light and heat and so they are nourished And so likewise in the last place I shal prove That every true Christian or true beleeving man or woman is not a Christ neither are they Christs as you did object and say I seemed to make more Christs then one yet a true beleever is one with Christ in union and communion light and life And first of all for union I in them and thou in me I wil saith Christ that they be with me where I am to behold my glory Joh. 17.23 24. Secondly For communion of the fulness of Christ Every true beleever receiveth grace after grace unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Joh. 1.16 Eph. 4.13 Thirdly The light of the Lord is my light saith the soul of every true beleeving man and it is my joy and delight to walk in this light and his salvation is the strength of my life of whom shal I be afraid Psa 27.1 Fourthly Christ is my life saith a true beleeving Christianized man in whom I live and move and have my being and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who is God with us or God in us and his name
is Emmanucl Mat. 1.23 Now every new born child of God and every Christ-like man doth live and walk and talk in the Son of God who is the fountain of life and light and is the divine Sun of righteousness who doth shine into the hearts of true Beleevers Now as I spake before of the new born children or true beleevers to be in the Sun of righteousness the fountain of life and light and that God is in them it doth not follow that they are so many Gods or so many Christs no there is but one God who is Christ Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Deut. 6.4 And there is but one Lord Christ Who is God blessed for ever Luk. 2.26 Yet though these be not Gods nor Christs which have been spoken of yet they are shining Stars in the Heaven of God and they are Kings with crowns of glory in the hand of the Lord A true beleeving man is as a shining star and a royal diadem in the hand of Christ and a royal diadem in the hand of Christ who is the hand of God and thy God Isa 62.3 Nay more they are as streams flowing from the fountain of life and as rivers run back again into the sea from whence they came even so do the Saints return into God in Christ from whence they came and there they solace themselves in the ocean sea of divine pleasures and they are abundantly satisfied with the drink of that river for there they stand admiring of God and praising of God and rejoycing in God Now as the men of this world do walk up and down in the light of the natural Sun in the Firmament Sect. 7.3 even so do the Saints in light walk up and down in the light of the blessed God who is the spiritual Sun that shines into their souls And in his light they see light for there is a fulness of light read Psa 36.7 8 9. Ioh. 1.4 5. And every Saint or true Beleever hath his part or portion which is a fulness to him and in him yet every true beleeving soul is apart from God and doth behold his face in righteousness Psa Saints are not Gods nor Christs but sparks of the divinenature 17.15 And though a true beleeving soul be in so neer a union with God and so close a communion with Christ and such an unsupparableness of oneness between God and the Saints as you may read Ioh. 17.21 yet they are not Gods and Christs unto themselves nor unto others as you did object and say that I seemed to make them so but they all say as the Apostle said Though there be many that are called gods yet say they to us that beleeve there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and for him and to us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him and in him 1 Cor. 8.5 6. Now this is the poor souls rest that all things are done by the hands of Christs for its good and this is the weary souls great comfort that Christ is a City of rest for it to be in and this is the great joy of an oppressed soul that Christ is the King of that City to whom it wil run together with an innumerable company of the first born which are inrolled in heaven and these run to God as a bride prepared and adorned for her husband Now these poor jeered ones and hared for Christs sake and separated from their company are reproached by zealous men and their names cast out as evil yet these persecuted ones in this storm have great cause to rejoyce for their rest is in heaven Luk. 6.22 23. And they as loyal subjects run unto their King Jesus for protection and this King is their loving friend and he is the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne of grace before whom they stand with boldness and much confidence as you may read at large Heb. 12.22 23 24. Rev. 5.4 5 6 7 13. Now I shal make two Uses of Comfort which wil be useful unto a poor soul in every sad condition And the first Use is this Christ is the life of the oppressed soul First Use of comfort and the actings movings of the soul if the soul be spiritually sensible it saith thus Though I live it is Christ that lives in me and moveth me and acteth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Col. 3.4 Gal. 2.20 Now the Faith of the Son of God it is Christ God-man who is the substance of our effectual faith Now a poor soul having the substance of faith within it self the effects follow as in the case of Mary towards Lazarus even so a poor soul in its sadest conditions hath its head lifted up until Christ speak in the soul and then the soul is quickly upon the wing and riseth hastily up to meet Jesus Christ its Lord as Mary did and then the poor sad soul saith Lord if thou hadst been here my brother my husband my child had not dyed nor my estate which is so neer unto me and so comfortable unto me had not wasted nor been taken from me and I left in such a sad condition Now Christ seeing the soul in this sad condition why Christ himself groans in the Spirit and is troubled with the poor soul and weeps and again groaning in himself he troubled himself and labors to bring into the sad souls divine consolation to refresh it Sect. 8 And whereas some soul doth object and say If Christ had been with it its brother or its comfort had not died Now Christ answers the soul again as he answered Nathaniel The soul is weak in faith when it saith Christ is far from it When thou wast under the fig-tree I saw thee O thou poor soul when thou wast under such a sad burden then I saw thee and when thou wast in such a sad condition then I was with thee and when thou wast so much dejected and cast down even then I was with thee and held thee up that thou shouldst not faint I was never absent from thee O poor soul and the many tribulations which thou hast been under it is not as punishment unto thee but for a tryal of thy faith and for the exercise of thy graces Fear not O thou poor soul for sin shall not condemn thee for it is I thy Christ thy Jesus that died for thee yea rather that is risen again and is in God ever speaking good of thee and for thee O thou poor soul and my Father heareth me always Rom. 8.33 34 35. And I and my Father will send a comforting spirit into thee for to cheer thee up and at that day thou shalt know that I am in my Father and that thou art in me and that I am in thee Joh. 15.26 Joh. 14.19 20. Now this soft
thou receivest such food that thou art able to go fourty days in the strength of it to incounter with new troubles again One word more unto thee that seemest to be discontented in thy troubles when they are more then ordinary Thou oughtest to be contented and to rejoyce in them and if they seem too hard for thee so that thou begin to wrastle with them then there will appear thy God An angel from Heaven to strengthen thee and to uphold thee in the hour of thy distress Luke 22.43 Now in the second place I shall confirm what I have said by Scripture Every son of love must have his dross taken away As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Revel 3.19 Now by rebuke and chasten it is not to be understood that every trouble and affliction is so a rebuke from God God is as good as his word not to remember sin because he is satisfied that it is a punishment for sin no for this would be to remember sin again but God hath said He will remember their sins no more Heb. 8.12 Iere. 31.34 Because Christ hath paid a full price for all our sins and he hath crossed the Book and God is fully satisfied Isai 53.11 Now I tell thee O distressed man or woman God having brought a whole train of graces into thy soul he will exercise them for his own honor and for thy good and if there be any rust at any time upon thy graces Christ sits as a refiner of silver and he will purifie thy graces as gold Mal. 3.2 3. Now the end of exercising thy graces is that thou thy self mayest know that thou hast grace and that the world may know that thou hast grace Chastisements are for the exercise of Faith and Graces Now thou having grace art to exercise thy grace in glorying in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience and experience of the sufferings of Christ of which thou must be partaker that thou mayest come to a lively hope through Christ and this hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.3 4 5. Now the miseries Sect. 3 and the calamities and the afflictions that do fall upon a true beleeving man or woman it is not as punishment for sin for that were to lay iniquities afresh upon Christ our surety again Isai 53.6 Mistake me not I do not in the least give any liberty to sin for if patience have its perfect work it makes you perfect and intire wanting nothing but that which doth befal thee in this life it is for the tryal of thy faith and for the exercise of thy graces and if any thing doth befal thee which the world calls sin then comes in the tryal of thy faith and lets thee see the wiles of Satan and the sin that is in thy flesh and then thy faith calls for all thy graces and then thou goest to Jesus Christ the Captain of thy salvation who hath subdued all thy sins who doth subdue all thy sorrows who will subdue all thy griefs Heb. 2.10 11. And thus thy graces are exercised and for this God will be honored before the world because the world shall know that he doth uphold thee with his grace and is with thee in a promise And when thou passest through the waters he will be with thee and when thou goest through the rivers they shall not overflow thee because he is with thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt because he is with thee neither shall the flame kindle upon thee because he is with thee Isai 43.2 Now this man Christ Christ is as a privy Chamber for the soul to retire into to refresh it self God and man he is an hiding place for a poor distressed soul to go into from the wrath and fury of the men of the world and so he is a covering for a poor distempered spirit that is troubled with sin and Satan fears and doubts and as rivers of water in a dry place are sweet and comfortable and pleasant even so is Christ unto a thirsty soul And as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land even so is Jesus Christ unto a poor panting drouping fainting weary spirit Isai 32.2 Now thou poor soul that hast such a very present help in time of need therefore thou needest not fear read Psal 46.1 2. but count it all joy when thou fallest into divers sorts of troubles and temptations knowing this that the trying of thy faith worketh patience And this is a needful grace in this troublesom world read Jam. 1.2 3 4. Now in the third place I shall give thee O poor soul an instance and an example of what I have said I says an experienced Christian am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ and this Iohn said Revel 1.9 And so saith an exercised Christian I brought nothing into this world but sin The Lord gives tryals and takes away troubles as be pleases and that I shall leave in the grave The Lord gives tryals and the Lord takes away troubles Blessed be the name of the Lord saith Job Iob 1.21 Now a Christian that hath been in the mount with God Sect. 4 can tell how to speak good of his name when he comes into a wilderness of troubles as Moses and John did and as Christ doth so doth a true Christian Christ comes and saith The commodities of Christ are his graces and they run forth freely to sinners Buy my white raiment my righteousness to clothe thee that thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with my grace that thou mayest see And thus Christ sets forth his commodities in the market places and in the fairs amongst men and saith I beseech you come and buy my riches my honor my riches will endure for ever I intreat you to take my commodities you shall have them without money and without price and if you take my commodities your soul shall live Revel 3.18 Isai 55.1 2 3 4. Prov. 8.18 19 31. Now Most men complement and dissemble with Jesus Christ the most men and women in the world they come and complement with Christ and his commodities it may be his ordinances and they will come and hear him as Felix did Paul But they have no minde at this time to buy his commodities for they have married a wife and bought a yoke of oxen and they cannot stay now but they will come some convenient season and call for him And thus the most men and women do in a formal customary way go to Church and so come home again and make a little verbal discourse but leave Christ and his members it may be in prison and in misery out of some dislike against them and to shew some a favor as Felix was willing to shew the Iews a pleasure and left Paul bound Acts 24.24 25 27. And thus for all the fair pretences of some men for Christ yet they
the false doctrines of the men of the world And now I wil cal thee a ful soul in the close of all that I shal say unto thee God hath fitted thee with a fulness of himself so that thou art a compleat body The fulness of him that filleth all in all Now this is a wonder and a great mystery to the world That the Church should be the fulness of God in Christ That a poor soul should be the fulness of Christ which filleth all in all All the rivers run into the sea yet the sea it self is not ful Eccles 1.7 All the rivers of grace and glory come from God who is the fountain and the great sea into which these rivers run again and yet God who is the fountain is not capable of being filled the fuller The Church which is the Body of Christ which is filled with all the fulness of God and is the fulness of him which filleth all in all Eph. 3.17 18 19. 1.22 23. Now this is a great mystery but I have spoken concerning Christ and his Church read Eph. 5.32 I have in much weakness received a little strength and I have in much dimness received a little sight to see faln man the old man the corrupt man brought to the Cross of Christ and there to dye and then from the Cross into the grave and there to lie and put off the old man the corrupt grave clothes of the soul and then to rise the third day which is the Lords day which day is Christ But first we must suffer and be crucified with Christ and then we shal rise with Christ and be glorified together with Christ read Rom. 8.17 And then we shal know the power of the resurrection of Iesus Christ read Phil. 3.10 11. And this is a Christians glory to be made a new creature in Iesus Christ Gal. 6.14 15. Now to conclude Sect. 10 I have taken notice of many things which by some are called Error and Heresie Antinomianism Familism and then Sectaries But under these reproachful names there may and do lie hid many glorious truths And I have observed that there are many which wil charge a man with Error and Heresie when he speaks the Truth and so make a man an offender for a word and say he is in an Error Isa 29.20 21. As it was said of that eminent and truly religious man Dr Crisp by name and many others besides him But after the way which some cal Heresie so saith the Apostle worship a the God of my fathers beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Acts 24.13 14. We have an old Proverb amongst us That the blind eat flies Now if the blind feed the blind they are both likely to eat hay stubble and chaff in steaâ— of manna By manna I mean Christ and by hay stubble and chaff I mean a natural gravity in years and an artificial form of holiness before the eyes of men and a feeding upon mans own actings workings good meanings and good endevors This is an Error and much in use And this is an earthly Christ which most men lean upon It is not the being old in years that makes a Minister of Christ though never so learned but to be grave in grace and in the knowledg of Christ Now those that know not Christ wil take up any to be their guide or Minister and say they understand them Now I wonder that the ministry of Christ is so little understood amongst most men but the Spirit of God wil shew the reason Read these Scriptures Matthew 23.24 and Chap. 15.14 The first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 3. Vers 12. Revel 3.17 Matthew 19.20 21. Jeremiah 5.31 The first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 2. Verses 6 7. NOw the occasion of all Errors amongst us is because most men know not the true Christ and if men know not the true Christ then they wil make unto themselves many falâ—e Christs such as their good medning is and their prayers and fastings and their alms-deeds and their own good endevors to please God as the Pharisee did Luke 18.11 12. And if men know not the true Christ then they cannot know the true Ministry of Christ for the Ministry of Christ is an able spiritual Ministry of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 Now for the proof of this Ministry The ministry of Christ proved Christ his ministry always together Christ and this Ministry are always together and that in your hearts always teaching you saith the Apostle except you have not as yet heard of Christ nor as yet known Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13.3 4 5. Now if men know not the Ministry of Jesus Christ then they are subject to take the wisdom of men for their Ministry and to take humane learning for their Ministry 1 Cor. 2.4 5. And thus Antichrist is crept into the world But it is not every learned man that comes up into a Pulpit and saith Lord Lord that makes a Minister of Christ yet such a man may prophecy and preach of Christ and do many things in his name and yet for all this not know Christ False Christs are within a man as wel as without a man 1 Tim. 6 9 10. Luk. 12 20 21. Mat. 24.24 nor have any acquaintance with him neither doth Christ approve of him and if Christ approve not of him God will root him up as you may read Matth. 7.21 22 23. 15.13 14. For such a man is but a blind leader of the people though the people think that he sees Luke 6.39 40. CHAP. XIV The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Psal 27.4 5. Luke 10.42 John 4.10 14 32. Rev. 4.6 7 8. Acts 22.24 25. Heb. 5.11 12 13 14. Jerem. 5.30 31. 4.22 Isai 6.1 2 3. Rev. 1.10 13 19. 4.6 7 8. John 20.11 12 13 14 15 16. Iohn 7.37 38 39. Acts 7.55 56. Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 2 Tim. 3.12 Mat. 10.36 1 Pet. 4.16 17 18 19. Psa 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Gal. 6.1 2. 2 Sam. 23.3 Isai 49.23 Psal 78.70 71 72. 1 Tim. 2.1 2. 2 Sam. 23.3 Ruth 2.7 8 9. Ruth 2.18 1 Iohn 2.20 21. Iohn 3.8 Psal 45.1 Cant. 2.3 4.16 Matth. 10.19 20. Joh. 17.23 Joh. 14.10 Mat. 10.20 Act. 3.6 Psal 66.16 Ruth 2.15 16. Psalm 103.1 Rev. 5.13 14. Christ is the best thing in the worst times No man can give him and no man can take him away Christ is the only good thing he wil make a man wise and rich and ful of all good things in time of need which no man can take away Christ is the free gift of God and not for men to get as some men teach NOw the best thing in troublesom times is to have one good thing nay the only good thing which heaven and earth can afford for which one needs not to be beholding to either King Parliament Army Synod or
City for they can neither give this good thing nor hinder the one thing needful nor take away this free gift of God which wil make a man free in troublesom times An Use of sweet comfort Now Christ is the good thing and the one thing needful and the free gift of God and the substance of Religion within a man and by his Spirit he wil be a Wel of living water springing up into everlasting life within the soul and spirit of a man And this wil be meat and drink spiritual which the world knows not of This wil refresh a man in the time of greatest troubles and the world cannot take this sweet food away Psal 27.4 5. Luke 10.42 John 4.10 14 32. And though men of all sorts be striving now for externals in matters of Religion meer circumstances shadows that wil flie away Yet amongst these men there are two sorts of men which may be divided into four sorts of men and these four sorts of men may be all the servants of Christ as those four beasts were which you may read of Rev. 4.6 7 8. And these four sorts of men may be divided into two parts comparatively as Presbyterians and Independents Now if you wil divide the Presbyterians into two parts you shal find them acting like unto those two first beasts which I before spake of And the first beast is like a Lion and the second beast like a Calf and the third beast had a face as a man and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle Now the first part of the Presbyterians did not they begin to move Lion-like with majesty speed and roughness and did not some of them say as the chief Captain said of Paul Let him be brought into the Castle and be examined by scourging only they wanted power read Acts 22.24 25. The second part of the Presbyterians moves like a Calf that is more slowly more moderately and with less harm Now divide the Independents into two parts and the first of them moves and hath a face like a man that is more rational more temperate more condescending in the worship of God to do as he would be done by Now the second part of the Independents moves like an Eagle that is flying high even unto the third Heaven where Christ is where they see things unutterable and ful of glory and for this they depend only upon God and herein they are not Independents as some cal them But now the Lion-like and the Calf-like and he that had the face like a man begin to raise troubles and jealousies against him that is Eagle-like because say they he flies too high we cannot discern him nor agree with him But shal I now Sect. 2 as a friend give you a reason why you cannot discern him that is like an Eagle it is because you are dul of hearing and are unskilful in the word of righteousnes for ye are as babes for strong meat belongeth to them that are of ful age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil as you may read heb 5.11 12 13 14. And thus our dul-headed Prelatical Clergy for the most part were wont to cal those that were Eagle-like Puritans and now at this time they cal them Roundheads and others there are that cal them Familists and Sectaries Now here are three that are striving in the world and make a great deal of stir about circumstances and things which wil change And the first is the Presbytery and they are striving for preeminence and for a form to sit easie on Now the second is the Independents which would fain have their own way but they shal suffer for it if some had but power Now while these two are striving the third party which is the Episcopal or the Prelatical party or Priests comes in with their long black gowns coats A ministry not coming out from Christ is not Christian but Antichristian that loves not the flock for they cannot feed the flock Mar. 13.21 22 23 1 Joh. 4.1 2 3. John 21.15 16 17. skarfs and girdles with roses at them as though they were singular above all other men and they bring in their easie common Service Book and an old Homily or a Sermon preached over and over and it may be never the better a piece of art which they for the most part study and this art doth consist of Rhetorick that is to be elegant and to speak plausible words though it may be they are but little acquainted with the lively part of divine Theology but only the Theorick they are fine Theoricians that is they can speak much of that which they can practise little or nothing of and with this the most people in this Kingdom are wel pleased Take an Instance Jere. 5.30 31. 4.22 And thus these three are striving for external things meer outsides circumstances fig leaves And thus these three feed upon low mean food but some of them I hope do feed upon true food though like babes weakly But for the most part of these three which I have spoken of they feed upon low earthly food as outside forms with little or no love in them or as it were A ministry that hath Christ in possession witnesseth a good profession of Christ in Faith Verity 1 Tim. 6.11 12 13. with gilded fig leaves and the like But now the Eagle-like or the man that is like the flying Eagle he is about the throne of God and feeds upon Angels food Isai 6.1 2 3. Now such a man doth the work of Angels because he is in the Spirit as John was on the Lords day which day is Jesus Christ Rev. 1.10 13 19. 4.6 7 8. Now such a man feeds upon delicate spiritual food in the heaven of God Sect. 3 which heaven is Christ Now such a beleeving man or woman takes no delight in the box except the pearl be therein It is not the beautiful box that such a soul takes delight in but it is the pearl Christ or Christ the pearl that the soul is fixed upon as you may instance in Mary It was not the two glorious Angels sitting in white that gave Mary content but she remains weeping and enquiring for her Lord Christ and when Christ began to speak to her he so spake to her heart that her soul ecchoed again to him and she said Master O Master thou art he whom my soul loveth John 20.11 12 13 14 15 16. Now the only good thing in troublesom times and in the hour of distress and in sad temptations is to have rivers of living Water living comforting water of life which Christ gives Now this water is the Spirit the Spirit of comforts or the gracious comforting Spirit read John 7.37 38 39. Now this sweet water of life is comfortable in sickly times but especially upon the sick bed when a man comes to lie upon his dying pillow then to have this sweet Spirit
which is God to lift up his head that he may look into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus Christ the right hand of God opening himself to receive his poor weary soul O what a refreshing comfort is this unto a dying man to see the heavens of God in Christ opening A beleeving soul sees it self happy and compleat in God through Iesus Christ and the Son of man God-man standing with the souls of men which he hath made just and perfect and they standing as the right hand of God in Christ as a Queen in gold of Ophir All this you may have an instance of in Steven if you do but read Acts 7.55 56. And so likewise in the whole Church of Christ if you do but read Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 And thus a poor soul is received from misery unto glory even into Abrahams bosom that is into the bosom of Jesus Christ where it takes up its rest as Steven did but while the poor soul doth live in this world it shal find trouble For all that do live the life of God in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution in this world 2 Tim. 3.12 All relations under the Sun variable as the relation to a wife to a family in Church fellowship in professed friends in parents and in children in riches and in outward contentments but in Christ all these are constant and dureable For a mans enemies shal be they of his own houshold Mat. 10.36 Nay in Church fellowship which is like an houshold if they differ in judgment read 1 Pet. 4.16 to 19. If it be so in a mans houshold and in Church fellowship as there is experience between the Presbyterian and the Independent I shal conclude and say as David said It is good for me to draw neer to God and to desire him to plant my confidence and my joy in him alone for in every external condition in this world I shal find trouble But my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ and spiritually there I shal find good cheer read these Scriptures Psal 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Sect. 4 I shal speak now of a precious balsam and a sweet cordial that wil heal all our diseases in this Kingdom that is if the Lord would be pleased to raise a flood of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and cause it to run with a mighty stream into the hearts of the King and the Parliament this would enable them to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ that is to restore the poor groaning subjects in the spirit of meekness that they may rejoyce once again Gal. 6.1 2. Now he that ruleth over men must be just mark this ruling in the fear of God read 2 Sam. 23.3 Now my hope is and my desire shal be that God would be pleased through Christ his strong arm to make good that Prophesie in our days which is spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah That Kings may be nursing Fathers and Queens may be nursing mothers in these our days O that we might truly say once out of experience that we are beholding to them as nourishers or for their good nursing Isai 49.23 For this end God did set up Kings at the first as David and Solomon who were types of the spiritual King Jesus and fed their people with wholsom and sweet food that is with a peaceable life as good Magistrates and preserved them in all godliness against those that would harm them and disquiet them Psa 78.70 71 72. But of this we have had but little these many years instance in those domineering Bishops and the high Commission Court which was of long standing and persecuted godliness under the name of Puritans or some other names but I hope it will not be so now therefore let us follow the Apostles Exhortation That prayer be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for he or they that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and 2 Sam. 23.3 Courteous Reader Sect. 5 I shal speak a word or two in my own defence and so conclude Now my first word is When I first set my pen to paper it was not with any sinister respect or by-end but it was for the glory of God Neither was it for profit nor the applause of men for that to me is as a vain thing I speak the words of truth and soberness But seeing the customary and the outside Pharisaicalness which most men and women of all sorts use in matters of Religion Ministers as wel as others this I saw and was at a loss within my self but the Lord did teach me to consider of it and then I went to glean as Ruth did into the field of Boaz read Ruth 2.7 8 9. But the field that mine eyes was upon to glean in it was not the field of external Art nor the field of a great Library for that is to learn to speak other mens words which I disclaim But mine eyes were upon that only one field where I gleaned among the sheaves and that field is the Scriptures the only one Book which I had and no more and that is the Bible which is the Word of God Now courteous Reader I have gleaned and am satisfied and I commend that unto you which I have reserved and as Naomi did make use of the barley which Ruth did glean as you may read Ruth 2.18 so I desire that you may be wise to make use of what hath been said for your own good and I shal be glad Sect. 6 Now my second and last word is to the Christ-baptized man or woman for I speak unto thee O man or woman who art inwardly taught by the sweet Spirit of God hast that unction from the holy One which wil teach thee to know all things for that anointing abideth in thee anâ— teacheth thee all truths and thou shalt abide in him or it 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Therefore I speak to thee O man or woman who art baptized with the Spirit of Christ because thou art the best able to discern between wheat and chaff True Christian Reader when I first set pen to paper my heart was inabled to indite of matter concerning the Lord of Lords and I spake of things touching Christ the King and my heart was stirred within me as the water is when it bubbleth up or the water which the fire boyleth And I was made able by the sweet Spirit of God who did blow sweet gales of wind spiritually into my heart Ioh. 3.8 And I was so refreshed by them for they so comforted my heart that my tongue became as the pen of a ready writer The knowledg of the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ the Saints and the givings forth of the Spirit are not got by
Ordination ibid. That all men in the Church of God have liberty to exercise p. 159. A word touching Order p. 160. Who are and what the true Ministers of Christ must expect of men p. 161 § 5. That the Apostles order cannot be observed in our parish Churches without offence p. 161 162. The good gift of God to men in the Church is Jesus Christ p. 162. The Scriptures as a box of ointment are full of Christ p. 164. That this Author was a hearer of Mr Edwards p. 165. A vindication of some reproached by Mr Edwards p. 166. The Author no Sectary p. 166 167. That the Religion of most is but traditional p. 167. That there is much form and little power of Religion in these days 168 The Ministers that are for persecution put to silence by an argument of their own p. 169. Many Citizens reprehended for changing their Common-Councel men p. 170 171. The corruption of the several Wards and Parishes p. 172. Doctor Bastwick reprehended p. 172. That old preachers are not always the best p. 174. § 6. That as Christ proceedeth and cometh forth from God so doth a true Christian proceed and come forth from Jesus Christ p. 175. § 7. Who the silly women be that are lead captive p. 177. Three characters by which to know the false Prophets of this age p. 178 179. CHAP. VII THe Scriptures insisted on set down page 180 181. § 1. A word in season to two sorts of Elders p. 182. Bad Elders like unto a bad Nurse p. ibid. He that is an Elder in Jesus Christ is a good Elder p. 183. The fleshly Elder fills the ear but feeds not the heart p. 184. 'T were to be wisht that the Elders had the gift of discerning spirits p. 185. Vnder what delusion the Papists are p. 186. § 2. How the Protestants resemble the Papists p. 186. That a Synod or Councel may erre p. 186 187. How far Antichrist hath crept in among us in England p. 188. How difficult it is to get right Cedars in a parish to build a Church on p. 190. The superstition of the common Protestant p. 191. From whence the ignorance of the people doth arise p. 192. Why 't is so hard a thing to get and keep a good preacher in a parish p. 193. How few men will stand when Christ appears p. 194. Why all things are out of course both in Church and State p. 194. § 3. The fountain from whence the true and the right Elders do proceed p. 195. The fountain of Israel and the welspring of learning is God himself in Christ p. 196. That many men have but grosly abuse school Arts and humane learning p. 197. The way to God few men know p. 198. Humane learning and School Arts grow in Natures gardens p. 199. § 5. Of right and good Elders 200 How the hireling and the true shepherd differ p. 201 202. What all things are without the Spirit 204. CHAP. VIII THe Scriptures insisted on set down p. 204 205. § 1. A cordial Petition for our sickly times p. 208 209. A vindication of those called by the foolish name of Independents 210 § 3. Ten Independents drawn up into a file 1. the Devil 2. Judas 3. the cheif Priest 4. the Pharisee 5. Cain 6. Pilate 7. the young man in the Gospel 8. Dives or the rich man Luke 12.9 9 Adam 10. Eve p. 211 212 213. How Christs lodged himself in Davids heart p. 214. How Christ is a crucifying in his members all Europe over p. 215. Vpon whom the Independents have their dependency p. 216. § 4. Whence 't is honest men are called Sectaries p. 216 217. Mr Nye falsly reputed a Jesuite by some p. 218. A Rhyme to reproach the Independents taxed p. 219. The ten heads under which Mr Edwards ranks the Independents or Sectaries 219 220. R. B. THE CONTENTS Of this BOOK Being the second Part Directing to the Chapters Sections and Pages where they are spoken to § 5. THe love of God and the blood of Jesus Christ are a soveraign medicine to take away sin past present and to come p. 221. What alone is able to quench the flames of hell in any mans soul 222 The fit man that undertakes with God for man p. 223. How unjustly men are charged with the name of Antinomian p. 224. The person of Dr Crisp and several other men instanc't in 224 225 226 A word of Mr Burgess at Lawrence Church p. 225. The pretended Law-defenders the greatest Law-breakers p. 228. § 6. A word of Mr Calamy p. 229. The filthy names on foot in these times the cause of much evil p. 231. That Christ is the rule of a Christian p. 232. A sweet prayer to the Father Son and holy Spirit opening that mystery p. 234. An excellent simile opening the mystery of Christ p. 235. Whence the Christians comfort doth arise even from the anointing of the Father p. 236. § 7. That the heart of a true Christian is the City of God and the consolations of the Spirit the river that runs thorough it p. 237. § 8. Christ a spiritual tree rooted in God of which the Saints are branches p. 238. How Christ led Philip and every one that beleeves through himself to the Father p. 239. That the Spirit of Christ is God 240. That a Christian is not in Christ after a carnal manner p. 241. Why a Christian weeps as Mary by the ordinances when handled after a carnal manner p. 242. An excellent advice to a troubled soul p. ibid. § 9. A true preacher what he is ib. The Spirit of Christ the Saints resting place p. 243. The Saints life what it is ibid. That the Saints cannot live as they list p. 244. That they that beleeve work from and not for life p. ibid. The Apologie they that beleeve make for themselves p. 245. What is the pardon of sin p. 246. The condition of a man in trouble about the pardon of sin p. 247. What is the refreshing of a weary soul p. ibid. Davids Prayer Psa 51. opened 248. The great business of assurance spoken to p. 249. An objection touching general Redemption and free will p. 250. Where the Church is to be found 251. What is free will in man p. 252. Who alone hath free will p. 253. CHAP. IX THe Scriptures opened set down P. 255. § 1. By what a man is encouraged first to come to God p. 256 257. Touching a particular assurance some objections opened p. 258. § 2. Christ the day in which every true Christian abides for ever 261. § 3. How Christ opens himself in the heart of a true beleever 262 263. How Christ vindicates a Christian from the slander of men p. 264. § 4. Christ hath done all for and doth all in the soul p. 265. How God sees no sin in his p. 266. What was the better part of which Christ spake p. ibid. Of the Cross of Christ in the heart of a Christian p. 267. How the soul