Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	body_n	eternal_a	spirit_n	5,952	5	5.0650	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55858	A looking-glass for a proud pharisee (very zealous and very ignorant:) as also for a true Christian (very meek and very mercifull:) discovering an effectual 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 memeber of it.; Cristall looking-glass for a proud Pharisee.	Prier, Robert.	1648 (1648)	Wing P3451; ESTC R217467	193,143	501

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

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 ●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

Ministers do fall in with these two and make up their conclusion with the Jews in the ninth of the Romans But as it were by the works of the Law Together with thy help O Christ we look for a blessing and for heaven and for what we have Rom. 9.30 31 32. Now for want of Preaching of Free-grace Sect. 5 A Simile we know not where the strength of Samps●n lyes I mean Christ and so we begin to set up our selves as it were to be partners with Christ and thus the people are at a loss Now on the other side Free-grace teaches a man for to deny himself and to give God in Christ the preeminence alone and to say it is no more I but the Lord is my light and my life and my strength and in this will I be confident and this Free-grace causeth to grow Psal 27.1 3 5. Now he that hath tasted of the sweetness of Free-grace cannot but speak of it because it is the onely means for to break a hard heart and the onely cordial for to comfort a sick soul 1 Pet. 2.3 7. Psal 45.1 2. 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Psal 27.13 14. Now on the other side he that hath not tasted of Free-grace but speaks of it by hear-say though he be never so learned a man yet he will be but a fumbler in speaking of Free-grace or a bungler as we use for to speak And to deal plainly I conceive that the most of our Ministers want both will and skill for to speak of the Free-grace of God in and through Christ for they speak but little of it and that is the reason that the most people are so ignorant of it and live so much in sin read Tit. 2.11 12. When grace doth appear sin vanishes away O the glorious truths of grace that lye under that black cloud of Antinomianism That reproachful name which causeth the people for to sin in speaking evil of that which they know not Now I shall reflect back Sect. 6 and speak a word of the souls being taken by Christ into the banqueting house where Christ doth acquaint the soul what the pardon of sin is and that its sins are done away both past present and to come of this I spake before Now Jesus Christ doth acquaint the soul that it shall have the evidences of his Spirit for to comfort it in time of distress when temptation doth come upon it and when the world doth trouble it and when worldly men do oppose it and if it doth begin to sink or to droup then it shall call but not for the pardon of sin for that is sure in God for it but it shall say with Peter help Lord send the evidences of thy Spirit to acquaint me of the sure mercies of David and thus the soul doth acquaint Christ with its wants and then the soul doth find the left hand of Christ to be under its head when it is in communion with Christ in the banqueting house which house is Christ himself and there the right hand of Christ doth imbrance me saith the soul Now these embraces that Christ gives the soul they are the sweet gayls of the Spirit which put all things out of doubt in the soul Cant. 2.4 5 6. Now it pleaseth Jesus Christ Christ like a mother draws a curtain sometimes to draw a curtain between himself and the soul as a mother doth sometimes in love to her child and then the child cries after her and thus the poor soul cries after the Spirit of Christ in all occasions to come and comfort it Make hast my beloved saith the soul to Christ and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Flee away make haste do not stay by the way saith the soul that longs after Christ No comfort like unto thine O my Love No love like unto thine O my Joy Cause me to hear thy voyce quickly that I faint not O my dear I hearken to thy voyce O sweet Spirit of Christ let me hear it and it sufficeth me though I dye and come to thee which is best of all For in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Cant. 8.13 14. Psa 16.11 And thus he whose Name is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 doth descend and come down into the hearts of his people to manifest himself unto them and in them 1 John 4.8 9 10. John 17.6 And thus the blessed God doth manifest himself and make known things unspeakable and ful of glory and doth let into the soul high manifestations of his love which is the original of the pardon of sin Now if there come a black cloud at any time between the soul and the Sun of righteousness who is God blessed for ever yet the soul in this case can say as Peter said I am sure that my sun is in the living God and he wil speak words of eternal life unto me Iohn 6.68 69. For the Spirit of the Lord put his Word in my mouth saith David and hath made with me an everlasting Covenant which is sure I know and though my sun doth not always shine yet in him wil I be confident read 2 Sam. 23.2 4 5. Psa 27.1 3. Now here comes in the work of the Sect. 7 third Person in the blessed Trinity which is according to the promise of Christ Iohn 15.26 Now here follows the souls desires that hath tasted how gracious the Lord is first That it may dwel in the house of the Lord which house is Christ and there to behold the beauty of the Lord and to have it made out in his holy Temple which Temple is Jesus Christ Psa 27.4 5. And here to have the light of his fatherly countenance and the sweet smiles of his holy Spirit constantly upon its soul and to have the high manifestations of the love of God in Christ as the Apostle prays for Eph. 3.16 17 18 19. and to have the evidences kept close unto its soul Now Christ answers the soul Answ my Spirit shal come into thee and shal keep thee guide thee and shew thee things to come concerning me and he shal make me beautiful in thine eyes and he shal shed his love into thy soul which wil cause thee to love me Rom. 5.5 And thou shalt have all thy treasure in me saith Christ to the soul for all things that the Father hath are mine and I and my Father are one and thou shalt be one with us in my union and with me shalt thou have communion Iohn 16 13 14 15. 17.21 to 26. Answ Now here is the souls answer unto Christ O blessed God the fountain of Israel O my God thou hast turned all my prayers that I made for the pardon of my sin into praises or praising of thee O my God who hast forgiven all my sins Bless the Lord O my soul saith David and forget not to praise him for all

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

is the Lord our God he alone shall be exalted singly in that day and then we shall cease from man Isa 2.17 22. Psa 131.1 2 3. Now you that stand so much upon your scholarship and rest upon that consider what I have said and the Lord teach you to know the plainness of Truth in singlenes of heart and to own the Truth for its own sake and own naked Christ which is the joy of the Lord and your strength though he be not dressed with humane Eloquence Nehem. 8.10 Yours in the Lord RO. PRIER A WORD Touching the Author and Nature Of this TREATISE I Shall not add much to the bulk of this book though there 's occasion administred unto me so to do only three or four things by way of preface I judg meet thou shouldst be put in mind of whoever thou art that seekest after God in reading it viz. the Author Nature End and opportuness of it coming forth As touching the Author a thousand to one if thou knewest his person thou wouldst have him in very great contempt not for the evilness of his conversation for were his adversaries his judges they would not be able scarce to charge him with those infirmities that are common to man such is his known innocency sweetness meekness faith sincerity love God having very plentifully showred down of his grace upon him But that which would be a stumbling block unto thee is the meaness lowness obscureness of his Condition in respect of writing books according as man judgeth who being neither a Prophet nor a Prophets son as 't is said of Amos should thus boldly and groundedly stand up to the reproof of the Prophets and Seers of this Age and Nation making it to appear that the most of them speak out of the vision of their own hearts and say the Lord the Lord when they have seen nothing Will they not say he takes too much upon him But their predecessors said so of Christ and have charged the same offence upon his in all ages especially if they have as he publikely appeared to discover the blindness of the leaders and teachers of the people 2. As concerning the Nature of this book I find three things excelling in it plainness homeness and the heavenly favor of it First the plainness of it is such that I may say to the readers of all sorts that he of them that runs may read it the vision of God in it is made so evident and written as the Lord bid the Prophet Isaiah stilo humano with a mans pen so that in it as some say of the Scriptures for the lowness of it the Lamb may wade and for its depth and glory the Elephant may swim or to make use of the Scripture simile there 's found in it milk for babes and stronger meat for them of riper age in Christ In the second place the homeness of it is no less to be observed for we shall find scarce any man of any opinion whatsoever in these times that is not touched to the quick I mean justly judged and taxed in it for one miscarriage or another tending to the scandal and reproach of pure Christianity which is scarce thought on in these times So that in it as in a glass a clear and cristal one the Christians whether Popish or Prelatical Presbyterian or Independent as we now speak may at once see their deformities together with the way and means as it were Bethesdas pool stirred to their hands by the descent of that high and holy Angel the Angel of the Covenant Jesus our Lord that they yea even King and Parliament and those of either party might step therein and be made every whit whole and in joynt again Lastly the savor of it is so sweet and heavenly That methinks I find it altogether such savory meat as the Author speaks of in the body of his book which Rebeccah the Churches type cook't and Jacob brought in Esaus a The man that makes so great ado in hunting up down to no purpose in all Ages absence to his father Isaac when he was old and not able to walk abroad which he relisht well for he tasted God in it by this Jacob a plain man without art and fraud got the blessing as this man will certainly do from his elder and churlish brother Esau a forward man that came forth first In one word it is of a most comforting quickning nature Aqua vitae to the drooping fainting soul not letters and sillables only or as the Apostle speaks a voyce of words and no more but as our Savior says Spirit and Life to them that have their senses exercised through the communication of the same spirit of truth to discern betwixt good and evil As for unspiritual men and women they are so vitiated by a customariness in feeding upon other things the cucumbers onyons and garlick the flesh-pots of Egypt I mean the traditions of men that are as themselves are Carnal that 't is no marvel they so distaste this Manna as the Israelites did the like upon the same account that they cry out in Town and Country O si O that they would give us flesh to eat for our soul is dryed up for there is nothing Numb 11. besides this Manna that which we know not what to make of before our eyes Yet let me tell thee Reader for therein I shall undertake to divine and prophesie wait but a while and there will be nothing left for to refresh the Nation but that which their soul abhors this Manna of which they say what is it though they have had flesh in such abundance as the Israelites had quails a bird of the earth that it comes out at their nostrils their shame and folly is even now so manifest unto all The third thing I propounded was to give a hint of the Authors end in framing this holy Conference within himself concerning all sorts and sects of men in these times and that I have learn't only by acquaintance with his person and perusal of his book by means of both I have collected and comforted my self with this that he had in his eye yea in his heart as Moses sometimes had in Egypt the falling out that was not only between the Egyptian and the Hebrew in the which quarrel Moses willingly engaged himself and was the death of the Egyptian as every true Israelite seeks to be for who was this Egyptian a figure of but the old man or the man of sin that transforms himself into all shapes and under various pretences disquiets both Church and State even till now Therefore Moses took care to bury him in the sand when no body was by into which Pharaoh with his mighty host sank afterwards being offended greatly as the world is now at the meekness of this meek man Moses by whom yet Egypt is overthrown and Israel set free But that which Moses was most offended with was to see two Hebrew brethren

he wil hang upon every thing to save himself so the Iews for the most part did hang upon their own performances and so the Pharisees in Christs time and so to this very very day as for instance in Isa 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted and done so much say they and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledg of us Now the Lords answer is this These be but your bodily exercises and wil profit you but little It is not a form of godliness but the powerfulness of Gods Spirit in you and that must teach you to profit Isa 48.17 Now in the next place you have the Lords description of these outside professors in these words Yet they seek me dayly and delight to know my ways they ask of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approaching to God Isa 58.2 Now they reply from this in these words Wherefore have we humbled our selves and prayed why saith the Lord your performances which you have woven are but as the spiders web which shal not be garments to cover you for you are like unto the spider that leans upon his house but it shal not stand neither shal you cover your selves with your own works Isa 59.6 compared with Iob 8.13 14 15. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord when you have not faith and love in your inward parts I delight not in your vain repetitions and luke-warm discourse it is an abomination unto me saith the Lord because they are your Idols or a false Christ of your own making if Christ the Son of God be not all in all in the heart of a man or woman then the heart is ful of Idols and false Christs Isa 44.16 17. So the most part of the world are ful of heart Idolatry and false Christs Beware of Covetousness Sect. 3 which is Idolatry Eph. 5.5 And I wil say to my soul soul thou hast much goods take thy rest Luk. 12.19 now here is a false Christ For there is no rest but in Christ Psa 116.7 Now it is a good thing to throw down outward Idolatry and Superstition but in the mean time if our hearts be as Temples ful of Idols and of false Christs what have we done Is not this that which the Lord complains of and cals it an abomination unto him and saith he is weary of their performances because they bring them and their prayers and their civil walking and their good meaning unto him and leave Christ behind them Therefore saith the Lord When ye spread forth your hands I wil hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I wil not hear you that is I wil not regard you Isa 1.11 12 13 14 15. CHAP. III. The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Lev. 10.1 2. Rev. 8.3 4. Prov. 15.8 Mark 11.13 Rev. 22.2 Gen. 3.7 Ezek. 16.8 Mark 15.16 24. Joh. 6.63 Ezek. 36.22 Rom. 8.26 Mark 10.17 18 19 20 21. Joh. 14.6 Joh. 4.23 24. Joh. 1.4 5. Rev. 3.7 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 2 Cor. 3.6 Jam. 3.10 13 14 15 16. Gal. 5.22 23. 2 Tim. 1.7 Joh. 5.39 40 41 42 43 44. compared with Joh. 12.42 43. Psa 50.19 20 21 22. Mat. 5.17 Mat. 9.3 4. Luk. 7.33 34. Mat. 12.24 25. Joh. 5.16 18. Joh. 9.16 Joh. 18.30 Joh. 11.47 48. Joh. 12.19 Joh. 15.18 19 20. Joh. 18.30 31. Mark 15.8 9 10 11 12 13. Joh. 19.14 15 16. Joh. 5.39 46 47. Jer. 23.21 Jer. 14.12 13 14. Acts 24.2 5 6. Acts 19.23 24 25 26. Acts 17.18 19 20. Gen. 9.22 23 24 25. Acts 22.22 23 24 25. Revelation 17.7 9 12 13 14 15. 2 Thessalonians 2.3 4 7 8 9 10 11. Zachariah 2.7 Zachariah 1.19 20 21. Acts 26.11.22.3 4 5. Acts 22.3 4 5. Acts 26.9 10 11. Acts 8.3 4. Exod. 7.10 11 12. 1 Kings 18.21 22 23 24 25.38 Leviticus 9.24 Ieremiah 14.12 13 14 15 16. Ezekiel 13.10 11. Ier. 6.13 14. Zach. 10.2 3. Jer. 23.28 31 32. Mat. 24.24 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. Phil. 1.15 16. Act. 4.20 2 Cor. 4.13 Phil. 3.2 18 19. 3 Joh. 9 10 11. Psa 15.3 Luk. 11.35 NOw to give you the reason of what hath been said of the Pharisee or outside professor Sect. 1 is this God the Father wil not accept of any thing out of Christ his Son or besides Christ instance in Nadab and Abihu which took fire but not from the Altar and so offered strange fire And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they dyed before the Lord Lev. 10.1 2. Secondly Christ is that golden Censer in which the prayers of the Saints are Thirdly Christ as God is that golden Altar upon which the prayers of the Saints are offered Fourthly Christ is the first and the only accepted with God and hath in himself much incense and in him are all the prayers of the Saints acceptable and sweet before God and by him alone are all the prayers of the Saints offered up to God as a sweet smelling savor Rev. 8.3 4. Now it is otherwise with a Pharisee or an outside Christian for they come to God alone by themselves and bring their prayers and performances and good meanings to God without Christ and leave Iesus Christ behind them and so they offer strange fire as Nadab and Abihu did And so likewise they have no golden censer for their prayers nor sweet incense to offer with their prayers nor any to offer their prayers upon the golden Altar but themselves for they know not Iesus Christ whose place it is to offer up prayers to God for he is the only accepted of God and if they seem to know him yet they wil not give him the preeminence in all things instance in those Iews Rom. 9.31 32. But as it were by the works of the Law that is partly by Christ and partly by their own works They would come to God but to come to God without Iesus Christ is as if the stubble should come to the flaming fire to be agreed and to come to God with a half Christ or to be halfes with Christ is plain Popery for it is to deny Iesus Christ the preeminence in all things as you may read in Col. 1.15 16 17 18 19. And thus they foolishly strive to be something of themselves with Christ in all things that they do and Christ not to be all in all things for them but themselves as it were to do something of themselves and so their prayers become as vain babling as Christ speaks Mat. 6.7 for Christ wil be all in all things to a man or else he wil be nothing at all to a man and then as Solomon saith The prayers of such a man and all things that he doth are an abomination to the Lord but the prayers of the upright are his delight Prov. 15.8 because he sees the Son of his delight to be all in them Sect. 2 Now I shal make

of God the Father and the unspeakable and sweet comforts of the holy Ghost and that in a spiritual way in all the ordinances they do not nor cannot lean upon the outside of any ordinance A true Beleever sees within the vail and sees the most holy of all Mine eyes saith old Simeon have seen thy salvation O Lord Luk. 2.29 30. A Saint sees Christ in the Spirit though he be vailed with flesh A true Beleever sits down at the table with Christ who is the King of this banquet and there is friendly discourse between Christ and a poor soul A poor soul sits down under the shadow of Christ with great delight and the graces of Christ are sweet to my tast saith the poor foul Cant. 2.3 4 5 6. Now Christ answers the poor soul again and saith Thy graces smel sweeter that I have given thee then the ointments of all spices Cant. 4.8 9 10. Now a beleeving soul is married to God and Christ and doth confess all her sufficiency is from God and from Christ While the King siteth at his table saith the poor soul my spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof that is while Christ is in the soul to act those graces that he hath given into the soul so long those graces send forth a pleasant sinel Cant. 1.12 13. Now Christ being once in the soul is for ever in the soul and with the poor soul for to help it in all its wants and loves it to the end that is for evermore Joh. 13.1 And Christ promises That he wil never leave the poor soul nor forsake it in its greatest wants Heb. 13.5 6. Now a poor soul begins to be strong in the Lord because Jesus Christ hath taught it to cal God Father Mat. 6.9 And Christ himself cals the poor soul his brother and his sister and tels them he wil pray his Father and their Father for to send his love-token into their hearts that is the sweet Spirit of God for to uphold them in the hour of temptation and to comfort them in their greatest distress and to teach them to have communion and fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ and this is the food that a true beleeving soul feeds upon in all the ordinances of God and in all the promises and providences of God in this world and this is that which a Saint leans upon even upon the very bosome of God and of Jesus Christ as that beloved Disciple did lean upon the brest of Christ at Supper Joh. 21.20 Sect. 3 Now by this means a true beleeving soul begins to be without slavish fear and without bastard-like fear because God hath said Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee yea I wil help thee O thou poor weary soul yea I wil uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Isa 41.10 Now this is that which holds up the head of a beleeving man or woman in this troublesom world for they see a way made by the blood of Jesus a new and living way and by the hand of faith they can take spiritual food out of that new and living way and feed upon that when worldly food seemeth to decay Heb. 10.19 20. And so likewise a beleeving man by the eye of faith doth see himself secure in this new and living way though the world should be turned upside down What saith the Prophet Habakkuk Although saith he the fields should yeeld no meat and the flocks were cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stals Mark the condition of a true beleeving man Yet saith he I wil rejoyce in the Lord and I wil joy in the God of my salvation Habak 3.17 18. I wil lift up mine eyes saith the beleeving man unto the hils from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth Psa 121.1 2 3. Now in the next place to lean upon Church-fellowship this wil not profit us But there is a fellowship which the Apostle speaks of which wil profit us Truly saith the Apostle we and all that do truly beleeve our fellowship saith he is with God and with Jesus Christ read 1 Joh. 1.3 4 and this fellowship is by way of union I in them and thou in me saith Christ that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 24. I shal now speak a word to those that are in external Church-fellowship Sect. 4 who hold it not fit for to have communion with one in some ordinances nay almost in all if one be not in fellowship with them but count of one as to be without or to be men of the world or almost as bad as Heathens in that condition But the Foundation or Being of the Saints is built upon the eternal good wil and good pleasure of God which he had purposed in himself before the world was and hath chosen us with an unchangeable love in him that is in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love read Eph. 1.4 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Here you may see the original of the Saints from whence they are They come forth from God and they go with Jesus Christ to God their Father again For their life is hid with Christ in God read Col. 3.3 4. Joh. 14.19 20. For at that day saith Christ to the Saints ye shal know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and because I live ye shal live also And where I am there shal you be also and you shal behold my glory saith Christ to the poor souls of men and rejoyce in that and you shal see my Fathers love in me and it shal be in you and I wil be in you read Ioh. 17.23 24 26. Here you may see from whence the Saints are and upon what fellowship they lean They lean upon the unchangable love of God and they lean upon their friend Jesus Christ and they lean upon the coming forth of the sweet Spirit from God and from Jesus Christ into their hearts and that sweet Spirit wil shew them things to come as Christ tels them and that blessed Spirit wil teach them to profit and he wil make Jesus Christ beautiful in their eyes for he shal receive from God and from Jesus Christ and shal shew it unto them as Christ himself speaks read Ioh. 16.13 14 15. Isa 33.16 17. Here you may see what heavenly provision and what a sure place of rest the holy one of Israel hath prepared for every true beleeving soul and here you may see what fellowship God and Jesus Christ have with every true beleeving man or woman And wil you that are called Anabaptists have no fellowship with those that God and Christ and the holy Spirit of God have fellowship withall except they be baptized your way You say to be baptized young availeth nothing I ask

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 poo● 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 goo● 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

stand for the King I have spoke of three sorts of Ministers yet there is but one Truth Now this one Truth not being rightly known by these three sorts of Ministers hence it comes to pass That they preach Christ saith the Apostle out of envy and strife one against another Phil. 1.15 16 17. He that stands for the Truth as it is in Jesus and so preacheth it he only stands for the good of the King and Kingdom All of you say that you stand for the truth and preach the truth so there were some in the Church of Ephesus that seemed to be great and said they were Apostles but they were found lyers Revel 2.2 There is an old proverb Like Priests Sect. 2 like people and so on the other side as a State changes or alters in matters of Religion so the people will change and alter in matters of Religion but a State or a Councel of those men that are called Divines are not to fit at the stern as the steer-man doth for to compel by force or to force men in matters of Religion contrary to that which he knows himself and so doubtingly a man doth that out of fear which afterwards becomes sin For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 Therefore we ought to wait till God doth perswade the heart of a man for a man ought to be perswaded in his own minde that he may do nothing against the truth but for the truth Rom. 14.5 So in the next place let us look to him whose place it is to sit at the stern and that is Jesus Christ Now there is none that will presume to sit in that place with Jesus Christ but onely one and that is Antichrist and he with his do exalt themselves above Christ who is God as you may plainly see 2 Thes 2.4 7 8 9 10. And this mystery of iniquity is discovered in these latter times by the Spirit of Christs mouth and with the brightness of his coming Now Christ in the heart of a man is the onely and the alone steers-man he guides the soul in matters of Religion he teaches the soul the pure Religion which is to have faith in God and to fear and to love God and to have hope and confidence in God and he teaches the soul to know that he hath presented it to God without sin or spot of sin or wrinkle or any such thing and that it shall stand without blame forever before him in love and Christ in the soul doth help the soul in this present wicked world for to fly from sin as from a serpent and Christ by his Spirit doth lead forth the soul for to rejoyce in God and to see God rejoycing over it for to do it good Iere. 32.40 41. Eph. 5.27 And so likewise Christ leads forth the soul actively to be subject to the Magistrate in all lawful demands Rom. 13.1 5. And so likewise Christ doth help the soul passively to be subject to the Magistrate in all unlawful demands that is to suffer if you cannot do that which they command you as for instance Be it known unto thee O King say those three Worthies we wil not serve thy gods though thou cast us into the burning fiery furnace Dan. 3.18 19 20. And those that Christ doth thus inable can pray and do pray for the Magistrate therefore let them live peaceably by you in your Cities and Parishes and do not disdain them and force them to say as Paul said in another case and now we shal have no more place in these parts hardly to live in 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Rom. 15.23 There have been false Prophets Sect. 3 and false Teachers amongst the Churches in all ages of the world down to this very day 2 Pet. 2.1 Therefore saith our Savior Beware of false Prophets and false Teachers Mat. 7.15 Quest Object But how shal one know the true Teachers from the false Ans By their fruits saith Christ Sol. ye shal know them Mat. 7.16 Q. What is meant by Fruits Object Humane Learning or an outside shew of holiness for this the chief Priests and Pharisees had Ans Sol. Humane Learning and an outside shew of holiness are necessary but they are fruits that wil wither as the chief Priests and Pharisees did 1 Cor. 1.19 20 28 29. Mat. 23.28 Q. Object But how shal one know the fruits of the true Teachers of Christ and a true Beleever in Christ A. Sol. He that hath heard Christ and hath been taught by Christ is one in Truth and one with Truth and is puting off the old man and is puting on the new man and they are renewed in the spirit of their minds and are ordained of God in Christ to walk in good works before God and towards men Eph. 4.21 22 23 24. 2.10 Ioh. 15.4 5. Q. Quest But you wil say who must judg of these things A. Answ Not the Learned of the world nor the Elders that are in years but he that is an Elder in Christ for these things are foolishness to the natural learned men and the Elders only in years cannot perceive them how then can they judg But the spiritual man is able to judg of all things because he knows the mind of Jesus Christ who only knows the mind of God and reveals it to them by his Spirit who searcheth the deep things of God 1 Cor. 1.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14 15 16. Q. Now you wil ask what can these men do more then other men Quest that you have spoke so much of A. Answ They can do more then the learned men of the world can do for they can read the Scriptures and speak the mind of Christ to the people distinctly and give a right sense of the Word because they have been with Jesus and Jesus hath been in them and hath given them an understanding for to know him to be the only Truth The chief Priests and Pharisees being grieved at Peter and Iohn took notice of them that they had been with Jesus and the chief Priests and the Elders put them into prison and threatned them as we do the poor Independents read Acts 4.2 3 13 21.23 and so 1 Ioh. 5.20 Q. But you wil say Quest Can you give an instance of such abilities in learned men and unlearned men and are there any such now in our days A. Ans Yes Ezra the Priest did read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading Neh. 8.2 3 5 8. And so likewise Peter and Iohn the Disciples of Christ they were unlearned men and yet they could not but speak the things which they had heard and seen Acts 4.13 20. And so likewise it was the practise of Christ himself begining at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures things concerning himself Luke 24.27 The letter of the Scriptures is as a parable to the learned of the world and to

zeal and piety they endeavor to make honest godly men seem odious to the world Instance in Mr Edwards read his first Gangraena pag. 61. 172. and there you may find him reproaching of honest godly men under the name of Sectaries and he draws them up into ten heads And the first is looseness of life and liberty of conscience The second is Covetousness and Self-seeking The third is policy and subversion The fourth is seeming activity in the prosecution of that way And the fifth is Tumultuousness Disorder and Confusion The sixth is Destruction of Government The seventh is Insolent Pride and Arrogance The eighth is Unhumane incivility or to that effect And the ninth is to have power to carry on all before them and throw down all that stands in their way But me thinks this is a beam that sticks fast in Mr Edwards own eye and a thing that he strives hard after himself And the tenth thing is what they do saith he they do it in hypocrisie under pretences of piety and holiness And this is a garment that M. Edwards would have all men to be clothed in that do not look like himself or tread in his steps THE LOVE of GOD AND THE Blood of Jesus Christ Are a soveraign medicine to take away sin past present and to come 1 JOHN 1.7 9 10. Christ is the Rule of a Christian or the Law he walks by Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 J Cannot but speak a word or two of the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Gospel of free grace and the alone means to break a hard heart and the only means to melt a frozen soul and the only cordial to comfort a sick soul and the only staff of love to stay up a drooping spirit O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help saith the Lord Hosea 13.9 I wil heal thy backsliding I wil love thee freely saith the Lord The Lords free love unto al his people Hosea 14.4 I even I am he that bloteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake saith the God of Love and I wil forgive thy iniquity and I wil remember thy sins no more Isa 43.25 Jer. 31.33 34. Now he that knows the Lord for his own good knows the Lord after this manner and beleeves the report that God in Christ hath made of himself That he is a God that delighteth in mercy and that he hath cast all the sins of his people behind his back and he hath cast all the sins of his beloved people into the depths of the sea of his Sons blood which is able to quench the fears and the flames of hel in any mans soul 2 Cor. 5.19 Mich 7.18 19. Exodus 34.6 7. Isa 38.17 The learned world knoweth not this manner of Gods love 1 John 3.1 Neither do they know that fit man the one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 Who hath carried all their sins into a Land of forgetfulness a Land not inhabited this is a fit man of the Lords sending out Levit. 16.21 22. This is a ransom that the Lord hath found and he wil be gracious through him Job 33.23 24. And this Messenger is sent to bind up the broken hearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives Isa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Now in these days and in this time saith the Lord The iniquity of Israel shal be sought for and there shal be none and the sins of Judah and they shal not be found any more Jer. 50.20 For the Lord hath laid all our sins upon the back of Christ Isa 53.6 7. And Christ hath nailed them to his cross and buried them in his grave and we are compleat in him Col. 2.13 14 15. And sin shal not condemn those that beleeve for Christ is risen again to save and sanctifie and glorifie those that are one in him Rom. 8.33 34. and he hath made them clean every whit Joh. 13.10 But if I speak after this manner Sect. 5 I shall be cloathed with that reproachfull name of Antinomian of which name our Pulpits have rung of late time and by this means some people have got a habit of a proud and a high look and a scornfull eye against their neighbours and with disdain they will turn away from them as from one that had a plague sore upon him if it be their lot for to meet in the streets this I my self and others have experience of For under the name of an Antinomian that will have no Law of God to walk by as they say and live as they list and pray for no pardon of sin under this name which is a false one many honest godly men seem odious to those they live by I shall instance onely in five men which they say have and do preach Freegrace which is an occasion to open a gap to all licentiousness And the first man is Doctor Crisp a man that was famous and eminent for vertue and an able Minister of the Gospel of Grace and one that made the Law of Faith and Love his rule for to walk by 1 Joh. 3.23 24. Now this man was brought upon the stage for an Antinomian and Master Burges at Lawrence Church did dispute learnedly against him but to little purpose as one that would take up the weapons of a dead man to fight with him when he was dead The second man is young Master Simpson a man unblameable in his conversation and a man eminent in the work of the Lord but counted an Antinomian and so looked upon as contemptible The third man is Master Peter Sterry such a man as there are but a few in respect of the great number that are called the Ministers of England yet this man lyes under two reproachful names as Antinomian or Familist or else jeered at by some for a Free-grace Preacher This Peter Sterry is a man approved to be an Evangelical Heavenly Divine Preacher of the Mystery of the everlasting Gospel Now no ministery but such a ministery can be a soul-comforting ministery because it is full of Light and Life Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost But no new light as some cry out but an old light of Jesus Christ John 1.1 2 3 4 5. which was before the foundations of the earth were laid read Prov. 8.22 23. Now the fourth man is one like unto Mr Stirrey and that is Mr Saltmarsh a man eminent to declare the King in his beauty and that is Jesus Christ who is the rose of Sharon and the lilly of the valleys And as an apple tree among the trees of the wood is excellent even so is Christ among his sons and Christ is the pearl in the field and as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land and all this Christ is to them that know him and such can tel how to speak to his praise The fifth man that I shal speak

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

one God Eph. 4.6 cometh down from heaven into Christ not by measure but in the fulness of God to dwel in the body of the tree of life which tree is Jesus Christ John 1.32 33 34. Joh. 3.34 Col. 2 9. 1.19 Now the sweet Spirit of God is the head and life of this tree and this tree is the head and life of the branches which are surely graffed into this tree Now God is the head of Christ and his life and Christ is the head of the Church and their life Col. 3. ● 4. Now Jesus Christ being man united unto God and God dwelling in this man Christ now Christ being man and so weak saith this of himself I saith he can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judg and I seek not mine own wil but the honor of the Father which hath sent me John 5.30 And thus Christ reasons with Philip that he might lead Philip through himself unto the Father that he might give God the Father the honor of his love for Christ thus Christ seeks the honor of his Father Now Christ being the spiritual tree of life and Philip a branch of this tree the spirit of life runs through this tree into all the branches and causeth the branches to bring forth the fruit of praise to God And thus Christ and his members do seek to advance the glory of the Spirit of life which is God as you may see by these words Have I been so long with you saith Christ to Philip and yet hast thou not not known me He that hath seen me hath seen the Father And how sayst thou then Shew us the Father Beleevest not thou that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self Mark this But the Father that dwelleth in me he speaketh the words and he doth the works Beleeve me Philip saith Christ that I am in the Father and the Father in me Joh. 14.8 9 10 11. And thus Christ the tree of life bears and brings forth honor to his Father and thus the branches of this tree bring forth fruit and give the honor of it wholly unto God instance in Paul The life saith he that now I live it is not I but it is God in Christ that lives in me Gal. 2.20 And thus the sweet Spirit of God cometh down into the head of the body which head is Christ and so down into the branches which are the body of Christ and the Church of Christ which Church is created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 God is a Spirit John 4.24 If I be lifted up from the earth saith Christ I wil draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 that is Christ who is God in the Spirit shal draw men with the Spirit up into Christ and they shal be all taught of God the Father who is a Spirit and learn of him spiritually to come to Christ John 6.44 45 46. And thus you may see that a Christian in deed and in truth is not in Jesus Christ or for Jesus Christ after a carnal manner or after the rudiments of the world or after the laws of mens making Col. 2.8 18 19 20. But as the Apostle Paul saith We saith he worship God in the spirit and we rejoyce with the spirit in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh or fleshly ordinances Phil. 3.3 Carnal reason and fleshly wisdom may and do handle those things which we cal the ordinances of God and it may be very learnedly and with a seeming shew of zeal and piety and yet for all this be but carnal and fleshly and like the grave where Mary stood weeping An allusion because she could not find her Lord Christ there now Christ was risen and gone and she sought the living among the dead John 20.11 12 13. Luk. 24.5 And so a poor soul stands by the ordinances that most men handle Observe weeping because it finds them dul and cold and dark And if one ask the poor soul why it weeps it answers as Mary did I weep because I cannot find my Christ here These men cannot tel me of my beloved Lord whom my soul loveth Let me advise thee a little An Advice O thou poor soul thou must go a little beyond these dark and dul watchmen I was saith the Church but a little passed from these watchmen but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go such is the love of the soul unto Jesus Christ that it cannot be satisfied without Christ read Cant. 3.3 4. Such a man is the only man for a sick soul that beleeves what he speaks A true preacher and speaks what he hath seen and learned of Christ read 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 4.21 Now the man in Christ Sect. 9 with the spirit of Christ speaks spiritually of God in Christ and the Spirit of Christ is the Saints rest or resting place for unto that the Saints flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows for shelter and for food Isa 60.8 The Spirit of God is the original good The Spirit of God and the only sweet good unto the spirits of men The Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle be with thy spirit 2 Tim. 4.22 Thus the sweet Spirit of God comes down into the tree of life which is Christ and so into the branches that grow in this tree of life Christ is the tree out of which these branches grow and come forth Iames 1.17 18. The Saints life Every true beleeving man and woman is a branch in Christ the tree of life and the sweet Spirit of God is their life that they live by and move by and act by Acts 17.28 And it pleaseth the sweet Spirit of God to give this title to the branches in Christ That they might be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord by the rivers of his sweet Spirit that he may bring forth fruit in his season read and compare Isa 61.3 9 10 11. and Psa 1.3 together And thus the sweet Spirit of God works all the Saints works in them and for them Isa 26.12 13 19 20. And thus the holy Spirit of God doth write his Law in their hearts even the Law of Faith and Love which they account of great use Secondly They live not as they list but as the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth constrain them and so in its love it doth direct them read Isa 30.21 Thirdly We are to do nothing for Christ as the most people in the world do to this day for this were to go down to Egypt the flesh for strength to get Christ but this wil be to no purpose or vain labor Now in this case Our strength is to sit stil saith the Prophet read Isa 30.7 Christ is a gift of God John 4.10 and not for us to get of God or from God We are not to work for

life but we are to work from a principle of life which is in Christ Jesus A right knowledg of this and the exceeding great and precious promises and the in-comes and the in-dwelling of the Divine Nature in our nature and in our hearts Now this is the seed in the tree of life which wil cause us to ●ease from our selves whose breath is in our nostrils and we shal cease from our own doings For wherein are we to be accounted of Now in this day and at this time The loftiness and the haughtiness of men shal be made low and the Lord alone shal be exalted in that day read and compare 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Isa 2.17 20 21 22. together Now when the grace of God in Christ doth abound in your hearts saith the Apostle That wil make you that ye shal neither be barren nor unfruitful in the works of the Lord nor in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ read 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. Now this wil stop the mouths of your adversaries that say that you say Christ hath done all for you and you need to do nothing Now I know you wil answer and say as Christ said to Philip The words that you speak The Saints defence and the works that you do it is not you that do them but it is Christ who is God that dwelleth in you that doth all in you and for you and by the strength of Christ you do what you do and Christ shal have all the praise Ioh. 14.10 Fourthly You are accused of saying That you need not pray for the pardon of sin Of the pardon of Sin Now the Love of God and the Blood of Jesus are the pardon of sin and the pardon for sin and the sweet Spirit of God is the Messenger that brings the Manifestations of this pardon unto the soul nay into the soul and makes it glad In my love I have bloted out thy sins as a thick cloud saith the Lord. Isa 44.22 And with my Sons blood I have writen a pardon Rom. 5.8 9 10 11. Heb. 9.22 28. Now this pardon lies in the Covenant ordered in all things and made everlastingly sure though I do not as yet beleeve it or at sometimes I do not so clearly see it or feel it in my soul Read and consider 2 Sam. 23.4 5. Hebr. 10.16 17 18 19. Now in time of Trouble The time of Temptation or in time of Ignorance when men do not beleeve or in time of Desertion when God doth withdraw himself or hide his face or in the time of men being weak in faith then they are apt to think that there is no pardon or that there must be one got made for them but there is one ready for them before they pray for it or cal for it Isa 42.6 7. Now the love of God and the blood of this man saith the Apostle meaning Christ who offered one sacrifice for sins from the foundation of the world 1 John 4.9 Heb. 10.12 14. Rev. 13.8 Now this is the pardon that is ever ready for poor siners to come unto and it is able to save them to the uttermost Hebrews 7.24 25 26. Now we are not so much to ask for the pardon for that is sure and stedfast in the heaven of God but we are to ask much more for the manifestations of this pardon in our own souls and that by the Spirit of God and this wil make the lame man leap as an Hart Isa 35.5 How the soul is refreshed 6 7. and make the sick man wel and heal all our doubts and expel our fears and make us holy and heavenly before God as for instance saith Ieremiah The Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me Lam. 1.16 And so in David Lord saith he I know my pardon is sure but there is a cloud before me and it Lord saith he take this cloud away Davids prayer Ps 51. opened and cause me to hear the joy and gladness that I had wont to have in and with the Spirit of Christ O Lord restore this joy and let me have thy free Spirit to comfort me and uphold me O Lord let thy holy Spirit be constantly in my brest or in my heart that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce The absence of thy Spirit O God is as the breaking of bones and the presence of thy Spirit O God is as marrow and fatness and as wine upon the lees And thus it was in David Psa 51.8 9 10 11 12. And thus it was between the Church and the Spirit of Christ in her union and communion with the Spirit of Christ I am thine and thou art mine saith the soul to Christ I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine And this we know saith the Apostle by the Spirit of God which he hath freely given unto us Cant. 6.3 1 Cor. 2.12 13. Now the question is not whether there be a pardon or not a pardon but whether I saith a poor soul have any interest in this pardon or no The perplexities of a poor soul wanting assurance I know not And if I had saith a poor soul or if I could but get saith another poor soul the assurance of the pardon of my sins then I should tread the world under my feet I know saith another poor soul that there is a pardon but whether it be for me or no it is not as yet revealed unto me but if it were revealed in my soul then it would be as a crown of life to me as David said Lord saith he thou hast crowned me with loving kindness and with tender mercies Psa 103.4 10 11 12. Now the word Pardon which is so much spoke of amongst us and prayed for by us it is apparently known to be and to be generally held forth unto all men for Christ hath spread as large a plaister as Adam made the sore Rom. 5.18 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. And life and death good and evil blessing and cursing are set before men therefore chuse life O men for why wil ye dye O ye sons of men Deut. 30.13 14 15 19. Ezek. 18.31 Now you wil say I am for general Redemption and for free wil. I answer An Objectionmade and answered I am for that which God is for It is not in faln man to direct his steps to God Jer. 10.23 All men in Adam went out of the way from God and are to be found in a way of sin Rom. 3.11 12 18. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots No it is their nature we have a proverb That custom is a second nature Man at the first falling into sin sin is become a custom and so is become a second nature and so men drink in sin as a fish drinks in water John 8.44 The Ethiopian cannot change his skin no more can a man change himself that is accustomed to sin Ier. 13.23 A man in his sins is dead

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 shi●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

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

hand of the Gospel moveth the heart of a man to a godly sorrow The goodness and the kindness and mercy of God applyed to the hearts of men that leadeth men forth to a true repentance and a right breaking of heart Now when the love of Jehovah doth break into the heart of a man or woman then the soul doth cry out and say the loving kindness and the goodness of God hath conquered my soul and the Lord draws my soul after him with the cords of love and how then shal I return again to folly seeing Jehovah hath taken hold of my soul with his love Now the rough hand of the Law as it is unskilfully handled by the most of our learned Men that know not Christ handle the law roughly rather hardens the hearts of men and sears them up in their sins then it mollifies and softens the heart because the Law is a strict rule holy jvst and good not given for men to do and live thereby Now the strict rule of the Law in the letter meeting with a crooked siner these two fal to variance as Cain did with Abel Now this carnal siner looks upon the Law as too strict that if he offend in one point he is guilty of all and so lies lyable to a curse for not continuing in all things which are in the book of the Law to do them Now this siner looking upon the Law out of the hand of Christ his heart begins to harden against God and he becomes an enemy against God and is not subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 And if it were possible this carnal minded man would destroy both God and his Law for the very same reason that Cain slew his brother 1 Joh. 3.12 And thus a man comes to be seared up in his sins when both he and his minister look upon the Law carnally and not in the hands of Christ as we in our days have many pretenders for the Law and many that rest in the Law and not in Christ and yet make their boast of God and seem to be Teachers of others and yet not able to teach themselves and yet make their boast of the Law and remain carnal in the Gospel and can hardly tel how to speak any thing of Christ Sect. 9 Now these rough handlers of the Law are like unto Esau cuning men of the field men that love red pottage and see no beauty in Jacobs heritage but despise it How can these men apply savory meat unto a poor hungry thirsty soul whom they hate for the blessing wherewith it is blessed in Christ And Esau said in his heart Now Esaus heart being ful of the seed of the serpent he said he would slay his brother Jacob as Herod would have done Christ Now by savory meat I mean the sweetnesses and the refreshings of Christ unto a poor weary soul which these men by experience know not as you may take an instance of the Jews and Pharisees Instance great zealous talkers of the Law of God and the Worship of God Nay they made their boast of God and yet they did not know Jesus Christ though he was present amongst them but dealt roughly with him according as they did see the Law as you may read at large Rom. 2.17 21 23. Gen. 25.27 30 34. 27.41 Iohn 9.13 14 15 16 29. Have not we many now in our days which hold forth the Law as the chief Priests and Pharisees did that is quite out of the hands of Christ and they tel the people they know not the Law but they must beleeve it as they hold it out unto them for the chief Priests and Pharisees told the people in Christs time That the people who know not the Law are cursed And thus the Law did seem to be rough by their unskilful handling of it out of the hands of Christ as we also may do at this day Iohn 7.45 48 49. How the Law in the hand of Christ turns to be Gospel Christ is the living law of God and the onely rule for a Christian and doth the greatest work as for instance Saul in his height of malice when he was going to Damascus the light of Christ did shine round about him and changed his evil heart He did not hear the voyce of thundering and lightning at Mount Sinai but a gentle hand and a soft sweet voyce speaking unto him and saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me in my members Now Saul was not afrighted out of his wits but said Who art thou Lord and the Lord said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest but thou shalt do so no more for I will make thee a Minister of grace and though Saul trembled yet his heart was possest with love to the Lord and to those that he had persecuted for saith he Lord what wilt thou have me to do for thee and for them that I have so wronged Now this is a Gospel-change Acts 9.3 4 5 6. 26.16 Sect. 10 Now if this work of the Gospel had been wrought in the hearts of those that might have prevented bloodshed or in those that were so exceeding mad to shed the blood that was shed in Guildhal-yard but it seems they were of Sauls minde Men in our times like unto Saul and the chief Priests and Pharisees thinking that they might do many things nay any thing against a man or a woman under the name of Independents or Sectaries that is to put Christ and his members out of their Synagogues and City nay further even to kill Christ in his members or Christ and his members together and in so doing To think that they do God service These things are done and the cause is they neither know God nor Christ these are Christs own words as you may read Acts 26.9 10 11. John 16.2 3. But I am of Stevens minde and shall say Lord lay not this sin to the charge of this City Acts 7.58 59 60. Now the Law being in the hands of Christ and the Spirit of Christ who is the onely blessed God and the efficient cause in changing of that which we call Law into Gospel Thus God in Christ saith unto every soul I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have no other Gods before me Exod. 20.2 3. Now this Law is brought by the Spirit of Christ Christ makes way for himself in the hearts of men into the heart of a man or a woman and there it is planted and ingraven Jere. 31.33 34. and Christ puts in the finger of his sweet Spirit in at the hole of the door of the heart in at the hole of the lock as it were and his Spirit is the key that opens the heart and Christ with his finger puts back all the barrs and bolts that stand between him and the soul and Christ looks into the soul and takes away all drousie distempers and waters the soul and refreshes it with his sweet graces Christ is a sweet Law

and the soul follows him in delight and then the bowels of the soul were moved after its Christ and rose up to open to it s beloved and its hands dropped with myrrhe and my fingers dropped with sweet smelling myrrhe ' which Christ had left for me upon the handles of the lock which he handled Cant. 5.4 5. Now Christ is the Law of God and the Rule of a Christian and he alone opens the heart and plants himself therein and then the soul doth begin to wait upon Christ and attend to hear what Christ speaks as it is plain in the case of Lydia Now she being baptized with the baptism of the holy Ghost she begins to love the servants of Christ and to constrain them in love to abide in her house Psal 40.7 8 9. Acts 16.14 15. Now this is a good president for all you that are rigged Presbyterians and endeavor under the name of Independents or Sectaries to out the servants of Christ out of their own houses nay out of the City if it were possible and it is much ado for a man and his wife to live together if they be not both of one opinion but as for parents and children there must be a separation between them for their opinion and as for the poor hired sersant some men in a Parish it may be out of zeal doth come into his or her Master and Mistriss and solicite them for to turn away their servant because of their opinion it may be for not coming unto their Parish Church or the like My Brethren these things out not so to be for it is believed that these are the servants of Christ which you labor for to put so far from you This is not to be like unto Lydia to constrain them to abide in your houses but like Gaderens to thrust them out of your coasts and so to adde trouble and grief unto a poor soul But now let me speak a word Sect. 11 by way of a second Use unto thee Vse 2 O man or woman that art thus troubled The servant must be as the Lord is it was even so with Christ but comfort thy self with this O thou poor soul The Lord knows how to deliver thee and before thou call the Lord will answer thee even the secret pantings and the inward struglings and the lifting up of thy heart unto God and as Christ said so mayest thou say Father I thank thee that thou hearest my inward groanings and complaints I know that thou hearest me always and seest me and art ever present with me Iohn 11.41 42. Now some will object and say Object That they are under great temptations A sad complaint of a troubled soul and extream heavy burdens and mighty difficulties and in many wants sorrows griefs and pains do possess them day and night And the light of Gods countenance is hid from them and they want the assurance of his love and favor and new troubles do arise every day and overtake them and they are dejected in themselves and either forsaken or forgotten of God and rejected of the world and as for their part they cannot say as Christ said Father I thank thee that thou hearest me I know that thou hearest me always Christ indeed said so And as for my part in my troubles I call upon God and I know that he hears me and sees me and stands by me and looks upon me in all my miseries but yet he doth not deliver me out of my troubles but lets them lye heavy upon me still And I see likewise That all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Yet for all this I do not say It is in vain to serve God or what profit is it that I have to keep his ordinances Though I see they that tempt God are even delivered Mal. 3.14 15. But as for my part I am not let alone so long as to have time for to swallow down my spittle but one trouble is in the neck of another upon me Job 7.19 And God stands by me The reasoning of a troubled soul with God and looks upon me in all my miseries and I know that he is a pitiful heavenly Father Now this is that which I wonder at and am astonished to see a natural earthly Father as soon as he sees his poor childe in misery he indeavors to help him out of it presently Now I know that God is a tender-hearted Father and is able for to help his poor children out of all their troubles in a moment but he suffers them to lye among the grimy pots and the thorns a long time it may be all their life time Psal 68.13 So that I may say as Job said Why hast thou set me as a mark to be shot against so that I am a burden to my self Job 7.20 Alass poor soul I shall answer thee Thou speakest out of the anguish of thy own spirit and out of the bitterness of thy own soul as Job did Job 7.11 Sect. 12 Now I shall answer these objections Answ which thou hast made four several ways and the first is by a comfortable perswasion Alass poor soul thou hast made a pitiful complaint not knowing the minde and love of thy heavenly Father in his dealings towards thee thou judgest according to thy sense and so indeed thy outward miseries seem grievous And this was the Churches fault in the Prophet Isaiahs time And Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Isai 49.14 Hearken now Christs is neer in troubles to help his that they faint not O poor soul and behold thy God in Christ bids thee break forth into singing for he hath graven thee upon the palms of his hands and thou art continually in his eye and his mercy is round about thee when thou art afflicted he stands but behinde the curtain though thou think he is far off yet he is there to be thy protector Isai 49.13 15 16. And he will step into thee and acquaint thee with his minde and dealings towards thee and when this is thou shalt be a delightsome land or as a fragrant Garden full of sweet smells unto thy God Mal. 3.12 Now it is Gods minde and will that thou shalt suffer for Christ sakes as well as to beleeve on him that thou mayest be like unto him Phil. 1.29 For he doth teach his Disciples to pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Matth. 6.10 And it was his own practice O father saith he if thou be willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done Luke 22.42 But for this cause came I unto this hour Father glorifie thy Name John 12.27 28. Now let me tell thee

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

ignorantly Come you old men which consented and suffered your men to go forth in such multitudes to Westminster and after that to Guildhal it might have produced sad things but God prevented it even as sad things All men by nature like unto Saul as Saul accused himself of unto the Lord Lord saith he They know that I imprisoned and beat in every Synagogue them that beleeved on thee and when the blood of thy Martyr Steven was shed I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him And I gave my voice against those that did speak of the Name of Jesus and when they were put to death I gave my consent and when they were to be persecuted or any did but speak evil of them I also gave my vote against them I ask Quest is not this the temper of a great many in our Kingdom and City read Acts 22.19 20. 26.10 11. I am perswaded that we have many Aldermen and Common-Councel men and others That are good religious men yet it is possible that good men may do unworthy actions As for instance Instance Joshua was a good man Good men sometimes may do bad actions as Joshua did Numb 11.28 29. and the servant of Moses and one of his young men now he hearing another young man complaining to Moses of Eldad and Medad that did prophesie in the Camp Joshua he seconds him and answered and said My lord Moses forbid them that they may not prophesie Now this was an unworthy action of Joshua as you may see by the reproof that Moses gave him read Numbers 11. verses 26 27 28 29. Now had we not a whole Councel that did envy against such men as did prophesie or preach or speak call it what you will Witness our City Remonstrance which did request That they might have something against such people that they might proceed against them as Sectaries or factious persons and so stop their mouths and compel them and so likewise our young men and other good men amongst them meeting at Guildhal many days together they sotishly reviled those that were good Christians and the sotish young men ignorantly cryed down with these Sectaries down with these Independents and so thrusting them up and down the Hall and the yard with their Elbows and Shoulders And this was the simple behavior and gross ignorance with their proud mockings and secret whisperings and outward scornings and contempt of those that are good Christians and this was done by many or the most in that multitude as also now at this day under the name of Sectaries as he that hath eyes in his head may see And this did prove but of bad consequence at Guildhal which made those wounds that are not healed yet A word to the Citizens whom I love to the grief of some But shall I point you unto the word of the Lord and consider well of it My people saith God have been lost sheep their shepherds have caused them to erre or to go astray If God turn you you shall see a fountain of grace to wash away your spots Jere. 50.6 But yet for all this turn not away from the Lord but turn to the Lord with all your hearts nay rather the Lord will turn your hearts and cause you to see a fountain of grace open to wash off all your spots O it is a comfortable grace it will make you new men it will purge your corrupt mindes it will make you love them that formerly you did hate it will cause you sweetly to rejoyce in Christ Jesus O it is a soveraign Grace it will heal you as it did Paul It may be you did what you did ignorantly in unbelief A man may be very zealous and yet have neither faith nor love yet be of good cheer for it was Pauls condition I saith he before I had this grace was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious and yet I was very zealous for the worship of God in my way and yet I had neither faith in Christ nor love to his people But when this abundant grace this translating grace came into my heart then I that thought my self to be righteous did see my self to be the chiefest of sinners And when this sweet grace and mercy came I was and am a pattern to shew forth the long-suffering of God to me and I also am taught of the Spirit of Christ to give forth most excellent reports of this grace and mercy saith Paul An outward shew may seem good and yet not profit No true ground to rejoyce in but onely in Christ spiritual because this mercy endureth for ever It is not the having of an outward Church-fellowship nor the being a member of a visible Church nor any external priviledges whatsoever that is a sufficient ground for the soul to rejoyce in but onely the circumcision of the heart in the Spirit and to worship God in the Spirit and to rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh but in the appearance of Christ alone in the Spirit read these three Scriptures 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Rom. 2.29 Phil. 3.3 4 5 6. O this grace of God is a soveraign grace it healed Zacheus Art thou an oppressor of the poor hast thou plundered the poor Christians out of spight against Jesus Christ these have been plundering times But I will tell thee if thou hadst but the grace of Christ in thy heart it will make thee like Zacheus Behold Lord saith he the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation or by oppression I restore him four fold for it read Luke 19.5 8 9. O you ignorant Sect. 8 and sotish ones of our times The grace of Jesus Christ is a healing grace it will heal a bloody issue though a particular person or a whole Kingdom have had a bloody issue twelve yeers and have spent all their hope and all their wit and all their living upon natural policy and have fastened their hope upon the King and upon the Parliament and Army Why none of these can heal this bloody issue but onely the grace of Jesus Christ alone O poor England and Ireland that have had this bloody issue seven yeers Nothing but the grace of Christ will heal England Ireland and yet uncured Your Physitians cannot heal you though you spend all nothing but the grace of Jesus Christ can heal you You have not as yet touched the hem of Christ garment that vertue may come out from him and stench your bloody issue and heal you Luke 8.43 44 45 46. We have all looked for the King and the Parliament and the Army to be our Physitians to heal us but our Physitians have let the Kingdom blood but the grace of Christ alone will heal us Therefore let us pray to God for to fill the Kings heart

be as a book sealed or as a box that hath far more precious ointment in it then that of Mary Magdalen as you may read Mark 14.3 But such men want a key to open this box A literal reading of preaching Minister doth but speak empty words in the ears of people or they want heavenly art to break this box that the sweet smels of Jesus Christ may come forth into the world amongst men Such men can speak of the letter of the Word which is as a Cabinet but they can speak little or nothing of Christ in the Spirit which is the Pearl in this Cabinet and this is one reason why your hearers are so ignorant and there is so little love to God in the world and love unto our neighbors Now I shal give your hearers one Caution Sect. 4 which is this It is not enough to cal Lord Lord but to have the grace of Christ to inable them to do his wil read Luk. 6.45 46. It is not the hearing of the Common Prayer Book read nor the verbal reading of it your self A form of Prayer only taught by men doth but beat the ayr that wil profit you It may be you may hear it read and be zealous in that and pray and yet remain ignorant in what you hear and in what you pray and your understandings ful of darkness But the Apostle saith He wil pray with the light of the Spirit and that light wil enlighten his understanding that he may edifie others 1 Cor. 14.14 15. And so likewise you may learn to say over the prayers in that book The definition of prayer viz. nay it maybe say over many prayers without the book but this is not prayer herein you are mistaken for prayer consists not in length of words nor in strength of words A true and a comfortable prayer comes from the spirit of grace returns to the spirit again but in the breathings of the Spirit of God into the soul and the souls breathings back again unto God And this is that which the Apostle saith The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us or in us with groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 27. because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the wil of God Now this grace of Christ in prayer comforts every soul that hath it and makes them able in the publick for the Kingdom and it makes them able for their families in private This grace of Christ makes those that are the Ministers of his Gospel sufficient and able in the newness of the Spirit to bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 6. Now I know that you that are readers and hearers of the Common Prayer Book and of those imitating preaching Ministers which can preach but little or nothing at all of the mystery of Christ and of the unsearchable riches of the sweet grace of Jesus Christ but they can speak pleasingly of the history of Christ and of the letter only I know now that you wil plead liberty of conscience to hear and to have this manner of reading and preaching And for my part you should have the liberty of your conscience A people delighting in a litter alministry are sotishly ignorant for the most part of them and ful of segality but I am sorry that your understandings are so dark that you are not able to discern the natural artificialness that is in some mens reading and preaching and I am grieved to see that you are not able to discern between the naturalness and the spiritualness of Ministers Some by the principles of nature can preach elegantly and use plausible words and this pleases you wel and this you cry up and magnifie But the spiritualness which some Ministers have from the Spirit of God this you cry down and say it is new light or new wine and with mockings say these men are ful of new light or with a jeer as Festus did to Paul saying Too much of this learning makes men mad And thus natural parts are advanced and true Ministers of the Gospel discountenanced as you may read Acts 2.13 15 16 17. Acts 26.24 25. 1 King 22.26 27. Mat. 27.63 Sect. 5 Now I shal speak a word in the behalf of those Ministers which are made able by the grace of the Gospel of God as Paul was such Ministers have the mystery of God manifest in the flesh revealed unto them by the spirit of God They are ful likewise of knowledg of the mystery of Christ in God and God in Christ and Christ who is God and the new man dwelling in the Saints now this is a glorious mystery read John 17.21 23 24. Eph. 4.23 24. 2 Cor. 6.16 Now such Ministers are made able by the gift of grace and the effectual working of the power of God that they may preach the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ unto a poor soul A ministry built on Christ doth administer grace to the hearts of the people now such Ministers have the secrets of the Lord revealed unto them Psa 25.14 And they do declare unto all the world the mystery which hath been hid in God from the begining of the world but now in these last times it shal be made known by the Church of Christ the manifold wisdom and love of God in his eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence that we shal be filled with all the fulness of God And thus the true Ministers of Christ are furnished from God to speak the things of God Evangelically and to speak spiritually what they hear and see of Jesus Christ and this you may read at large Eph. 3.3 the whole Chapter And so likewise every poor member of Christ is compleat in Christ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily and of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Col. 2.9 10. Joh. 1.16 17. Now if the Lord would be pleased to let this grace come down from above as an overflowing stream of love into our Land it would heal our breaches it would move the Kings heart to be easie to be intreated by the Parliament for the good and peace of his subjects that they might enjoy their own with quietness and the freedom of free subjects though he as a King lost something which is his own to purchase peace for his people and then he would be as a nursing Father unto his people which I desire to see all this a tender-hearted father doth for the good of his child he wil part with much of his own because he loves his child And this grace must move the Parliament if they be like unto a tender-hearted father Now those that are like unto a tender father If they see any one lie under a burden though it be but light they go speedily they make no delays in taking off

and there dye and sin must be so destroyed Rom. 6.5 6 7 8 Heb. 2.14 15. Now thou must know O man this Cross of Christ to be within thy heart as wel as to know by hear-say the Cross of Christ which Christ was crucified on nigh unto Jerusalem for thou hast as many enemies in thy heart against Christ spiritually as Christ had enemies in and about Jerusalem Now as I said before we must dye upon this Cross of Christ and be buried with Christ nay we have need of this Cross of Christ every day for it is a Christians glory and joy to have this Cross of Christ for by the power of this Cross we dye to sin we live and arise more purely unto righteousness then ever we did in the first Adam and by the power of this Cross of Christ the world and sin are crucified unto a Christian dayly and a Christian is crucified unto sin and the world and himself dayly and liveth a new creature in the new Creation in Christ and with Christ spiritually and that continually Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 6.14 15. Now if we dye upon this Cross of Christ then Christ takes the soul down into his grave and there he puts off the old man and brings the soul up in a new Creation and this is called a putting off the old man which is corrupt and a being renewed in the Spirit and a putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. And this is called a translating us into the kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. And this is called a passing away of old things for all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 And this is called a being changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinth 3.18 Now this is a very glorious condition for a Christians comfort Sect. 5 to be made conformable unto the death of Christ for if we be made partakers with Christ in his death then for certain we shal be made partakers with Christ in his resurrection Rom. 6.5 8. 8.11 Phil. 3.9 10. But first we must be crucified and dye with Christ and lose our selves in Christ and be found again in him by the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of God who is the holy Spirit read 1 John 1.3 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 And now true beleeving man or woman thou that hast walked through the vale of Death and art arrived at the haven of Life which is God in Christ now this God is thy God in all his several appearances he is both thy God and thy Jesus and thy Christ And now beloved Christian God wil dwel with thee nay in thee and thou shalt reign with him Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in this first resurrection And now loving Christian seeing thou art come into this haven of rest here I wil bid you farewel for there shal be no more death to you neither sorrow nor crying neither shal there be any more pain for thy God wil wipe away all tears from thine eyes and the Spirit wil shew thee great things coming out from God and the glory of God shal be thy light which is a light most sweet and clear and there shal be no night with thee nor in thee and thou and the whole Church of God shal be but as one Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb and there shal be no more confinement neither to places nor persons and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are a Temple for thee and the whole Church of God to worship in And thou and the whole Church of God are like unto a City that hath no need of the Sun When God comes in his great appearances of glory then you have no need of the dark Moon-lights of men for the glory of God doth lighten you and you are as a City which the Lamb is the light of read Revel 20.4 5 6. Rev. 21 3 4 9 10 11 22 23. Now a Christian Sect. 6 that hath but low and fleshly appearances of God is ready to say as Martha and Mary did Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed Now such have but low comforts because they think God to be in this place and not in that place as Martha and Mary did But a Christian that knows Jesus Christ to be the only wise God knows him to be omnipresent in every place and knows all his wants and hears all his cries and groans and he can say as Christ did Father I know that thou hearest me always John 11.42 Now the Gospelized man and the Christ baptized man he knows the one God who hath made divers appearances at several times in the flesh but now in these last times his appearances in our flesh are in a spiritual way and this most men cannot disgest for it is foolishness to them 1 Cor. 2.13 14. God hath made divers appearances in the flesh as for instance those three Angels which Abraham ran to meet and they did appear to him as men Gen. 18.1 2 3 4. And these Angels do signifie the Trinity as some say and so likewise those two Angels that Lot did meet and converse withal as men Gen. 19.1 2 3 4. And so likewise that same astonishing appearance of God in the fiery furnace with the three children to make good his promise read Dan. 3.24 25 26. Isa 43.2 3. And so likewise now in these last times God who is the Father of all doth appear as a second who is a Son and a Savior of all Isai 43.3 4. And thus God was found in the fashion of a man and was made in the likeness of other men and so he became our Jesus in this office Phil. 2.6 7 8. And as he was second so he was sent of the first in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in thy flesh and to forgive thee thy sin And this is that which the Jews stumbled at for they did not see Jesus Christ as God to forgive sins therefore they crucified the body which God gave unto Jesus Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Heb. 10.5 6 7. And so likewise this is a great mystery for the only one God to manifest himself in our flesh and to become our Christ and our high Priest to offer up himself as a sacrifice without spot unto himself and that through the eternal spirit which spirit is the only blessed God 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 9.11 12 13 14. Now God comes in these latter days in his great and most excellent appearances and that is spiritually in all his ordinances What is the water to thee in Baptism if thou find him not baptizing thee with his Spirit What is the bread and wine to thee in the Sacrament if thou see not his Table spred with spiritual graces

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 stea● 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 fal●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

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