eat or receive me but he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed and no man can give or take of this bread but my Heavenly Father only giveth you of that Heavenly Bread Ioh. 6. Ibid. 6. T is not the outward flesh of Christ or his external body was the life of the world But that same spirit and nature that was in Christ is to be in as many as do receive him this and no other is the life of the World viz. Christ his comming into the souls of men discovering them to be of the seed of that evil one and to be deceived to be lost to be in darkness and discovering the works of Darkness making manifest the works of the Devil and that he dwels in the soul under a disguise pretending himself to Christ when he is a Devil and Antichrist and is no other but the father of lyes Now Christ without us never does this but when he does it in us then is fulfilled that of the Apostle to the Galathians Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth Crucified among you or in you Gal. 3.1 The seeing of him then or now crucified outwardly was nothing that was but the shadow of the life and substance but really to see themselves to be the crucifiers of Christ this was the lively crucifying set out before them Then Beloved from hence t is clear against all gainsayers that it is the incomming of the Power of God in our spirits by which alone our Freedom Deliverance and Salvation is wrought T is not all the bolding forth of a Christ crucified the Letter can do it though all those things done in the Letter were true yet they are nothing to us if we be not saved delivered redeemed from our bondage and captivity therfore t is that we see many thousands in the world that can professe Christ and tell large stories of his external life and sufferings and yet never felt the power of his death or life in themselves for they can follow their own wills and they can love the world and extol and magnifie themselves and are as great in their own eyes as any other who professe him not Therefore Christ is not Salvation nor Deliverance to them Master we have eaten and drank in thy presence we have preacht and cast out Devils in thy Name Luk. 13.26 we have cast away Swearing and Lying and Whoring and Drunkenness and we have taken up this duty and the other and we have held forth thy Name to the World and we have been Sober Grave and Austere in our conversation but for all this Christ will profess I never knew you for ye are workers of iniquity For Satan had his full possession still and ye are no other but painted Sepulchres fair and glorious without but full of all rottennesse stench lothsomnesse and dead mens bones Then which nothing can stink more Therefore t is not holding forth the highest profession or Christ in the Letter or externally that sets us free except Christ come into the heart and makes us free indeed else t is not freedom indeed t is but the profession and the shew but it must be even the same Almighty power that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead we having the same spirit of faith as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.13 14. knowing that he that raised the Lord Iesus shall raise us up 2 Cor. 4.13 14. Rom. 8.11 by Iesus And again in Rom. 8.11 But if the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit which dwelleth in you And therfore how wofully hath the professing World been mistaken still in all ages about Christ without them and of Christ according to the Letter For if they do but assent to that and say Christ suffered for them and they must apply him by an external beleeving and so he is made their Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption and though they sin and fall if they can but cast their eyes upon Christ suffering upon the Cross Joh. 3.14 as the Israelites by looking up upon the brazen Serpent they shall be healed and pardoned and saved and yet we know withall that all those things were done and were necessary for the accomplishing of the Fathers purpose and the mind of God but in all those things it was not FINISHED and yet here the world sticks and builds their Religion and this they think is as much as is required and he that shall speak against it and say they fall short of Jesus Christ they cry out upon him for a Seducer and an Heretick and they are as mad against him as they were against Paul when he preacht that they were no gods which were made by men And are ready to burst out upon them as full of wrath and madnesse as the Jewes upon Steven when he ript them up and spoke home to them Acts. 7.54 Acts 7.54 c. And when they heard these things they were cut to the heart and gnashed upon him with their teeth Yet for all that know that all this believing wil not serve thy turn but it must be Christ manifested in thee seeing him crucified and rising again and sitting in Heavenly places in thy heart else whatever thou talkest of Christ and of his miracles if thou hast no witness no evidence of the truth of them in thy own heart what is all that ever He did and what 's all that ever He suffered to thee It may be thou mayest have a notion and an opinion of the things of God and thou hast them by History and by Relation or Education or Example or Custom or by Tradition or because generally all or most men have received them for truths but if thou hast no evidence of his mighty miracles and God-like power in thine own soul how or which way canst thou be a witness that they are the things thou hast heard and seen for all those outward things are but Representations Figures and Patterns of the Heavenly things themselves Thou mayest have a strong opinion but yet no experience of them that Jesus Christ hath freed and delivered thy soul Again take notice hence That as Christ delivers not but as he comes Himselfe into the soules of men and is born in them so it is not opinions nor notions nor forms nor washings nor disciplines nor any external rules or conformities that can work deliverance for the soule but it must be God in us operating by his own Almighty power every man is spiritually in Sodom and in Egypt Rev. 11.8 where our Lord is Spiritually and most truly crucified And as the world is deceived in their Forms and their Notions thinking they shall help and save them So likewise they take a great deal of satisfaction to themselves in making of Books and
he may be delivered from death and wrath Ezek. 20.43 1 Cor. 5.5 and that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord and that he may bring him to rest peace wisdom righteousness and glory in that alone and Aâ—sufficient Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ in whom alone are all these but in the creature nothing but trouble confusion death sinne hell and condemnation in which All the sonnes of men are concluded and all their best workes and Christ alone is ordained of the Father to be our strength wisdom righteousness redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 and salvation Him alone hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins Him alone I say being made unto us wisedome righteousness sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.29 That so no flesh should glory in his presence but according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord and in the Lord alone THE Power of Divine Attraction or the Fathers great Love in drawing poor sinners unto his Sonne Delivered at Whitehall on the Sixth of John verse 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day BEloved when the power of God from Eternity which was himself was made out in the appearance of flesh at Jerusalem when this eternal word I say was in that Vaile which was the making out of the true body of Christ when the Saviour of the world appeared in the flesh to make out himselfe to the Sonnes of men in all his actings and speakings we finde nothing else sought acted or spoken by him but the fulfilling and accomplishing of the work and will of the Father about which he was sent Joh. 6.38 and therefore whatsoever he did or said was onely that he might finish and accomplish that great work about which the Father had sent him therefore in that regard he said he had meat to eat that man knew not of John 4.32 understood not did not see And as he came to fulfil the work of the Father not onely in the flesh in those manifold and unparalleled sufferings he underwent but also in the power of that spirit that he might convey life and salvation to the soules of men this was his meat and drink so that this is it that in all his speakings he chiefly holds out so here he having declared that he was that bread that came down from Heaven that only true and spiâ—itual Manna which cometh down from Heaven Joh. 6 33. that nourisheth the soules of men and besides which there is none other Hereupon he holding forth this so boldly and so clearly the Jewes the scribes and Pharisees those Religious and learned men of the times not knowing the mystery of this bread became extreamly offended and despised and derided him saying Vers 41 Hew can this man give us his flesh to eat Truly Beloved that which is held out to us by this is That the Jew is in every man by nature and is discontented at the speaking out of the spiritual things of Jesus Christ When it is holden out that there is no other Wisdome Strength Righteousness and Holiness but that which is onely in and from the Son of God and that this is the only meat and drink of the soule And that there is not any one of the sonnes of men that hath either wisdom or holinesse or power or any good thing of his owne this is a hard saying to flesh and blood 1 Cor. 2.14 for the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God neither indeed can he for they are spiritually discerned The Words now read are the answer of our Saviour to the murmuring objection of the carnall minded man or Jew saying how can this man be bread unto us or Manna or meat and drink Joh. 6.42 Is not this the Son of Joseph and the reason is because they saw onely the Vail but not the Godhead the eternity or everliving WORD that was under that Vail viz. his flesh or his external appearance Now he therefore gives an answer to this their murmuring and shews the reason and ground why it could not be otherwise with them that their carnal minds could do no other but murmur at these spiritual makings out of the minde of God Because no man could know him love him and believe in him but those that were given him of the Father those that were drawn by the spirit and love of the Father onely would understand love and beleeve and know him but otherwise all others they would nor could do no other but murmur and repine for all others in seeing they did see and not understand for their foolish heart was blinded and darkened with impenitency of heart therefore saith he no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him First here is discovered by way of Negation and Exclusion the impossibility of man as man to come to Christ no man c. Secondly here is laid down the power way and means by which man comes on to Christ and that is in and by the drawing of the Father when the FATHER draws man cannot but come and when the Father draws not man cannot come unto Christ No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day as if he should say if he be not drawn and raised up by me he can never come and I never raise nor draw till the last day till mans day mans power wisdom strength holiness all that is in or of man is at an end and that he is lost distressed and undone Then at that last day I will raise him up I will come in and stay no longer for while mans day that is mans life wisdom and strength lasts there is nothing but resistance blindnesse fightings and oppositions First no man can come that is In his natural blind dead and lost condition wherein he is as a dead bone Ezek. 37. there is no life at all in him wherein he is stark blinde and sees not the things that concern his peace therefore he hath no will nor power nor mind to come unto me UNTO ME Luk. 19.42 who am the Saviour of the world the truth righteousnesse and Sactification it selfe to come unto me that is to ME indeed for men had power enough to come to Christs bodily appearance while he was on the earth but this is not the comming to him to come in conceit notion opinion or in a verbal or litteral way according to the History and relation of him But to come to Christ is to come in the life of Christ in the power of God to come unto him in the eternall power that HE may onely teach them lead them and guide them and be their onely Master that they may
his wisdom knowledge dignity and preferment in Jesus the Eternal Saviour of his Soule therefore I say here may any that live in the light see the great work of the Lord even when the greatest wisedome is made folly the greatest knowledge made ignorance and all that Gods wisdom may appear Oh what a wonder is it yea a Beautiful thing in this case to see a rich man spoild of his riches a strong man robbed of his strength and a spirit adorned with All carnal exercises made willing to suffer the loss of all that it may enjoy be filled with the fulness of him that filleth all in all there is none but such spirits as His that are made willing to suffer the losse of all that will forsake the Worlds Crown for Christs Crosse yet his spirit hath chosen with poor Moses rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures and profits of the world for a season As doth appear plainly in that he is not afraid to declare and witnesse forth to the unbeleeving world what great things the Lord hath done in and for his soule though he receive nothing from the world but scandal persecution and reproach which was and is all the reward that the people of God doe or ever shall receive from the world because they bear forth the witnesse of the Lord against all its formal covetous self-ended Religion which covers it self under the mantle of Christ thereby to gain the honour riches and pleasant endowments of the earth and makes the mercy and goodnesse of God which leads into all charity towards All creatures a cloak for them to hide their carnal and selfish practices under but this Poor heart having cast off and abandoned the cloaks of shame and renounced the hidden things of dishonesty deals not craftily neither handles the word of God deceitfully but declares the truth to every mans conscience in the sight of God For first here is laid open the foundation declaring that there is no peace life power wisdom righteousnesse nor Eternal happinesse in any other but in Jesus Christ and the heart of the Fathers love made manifest in flesh And also that there is no way to attain to the knowledge of this Jesus but by his own life power and wisdome And this is that which makes the professing ones in this as in all ages to bend their utmost power and strength against it For now cryes BABEL that 's hunting after God on purpose to get worldly power and riches into its hand that when by its pretended Religion it hath got earthly power it may oppresse persecute and undoe the poor groaning and distressed Saints of Jesus Christ who have relinquisht the world that they may serve him in doing good to every one of his creatures if this truth saith shee go forward then the hope of all our gain is gone and we shall no longer be applauded esteemed or set by for this teaches all men to deny themselves to forsake the world The riches pleasures and profits thereof and alwayes to doe good by relieving the oppressed and paying the debts of the imprisoned and that every poor captive may goe free Nay and not only so but also it declares the emptinesse of all our Forms Negative Religions Duties precise Walkings preachings prayings and all other of our Customes and Observations therefore is she forc't to seek the downfal of it or otherwise to lose all her self-glory But O yee Religious Ones let me ask you one Question or two Did Christ or his Apostles deny all ouâ—ward grosse sins as drunkennesse swearing lying and the like that they might become covetous proud and powerful in the world as it is too too apparent by your practice YE do as I shal clearly evince and demonstrate in these ensuing particulars 1. Is there any that have increased and advanced their carnal and worldly estates more then you in these times 2. Is there any that flatter men in Authority more then you and if for any other end then earthly preferment let the effects and fruits speak I know your pretences are that you aim at the glory of God but what are the fruits are they not self-glory for who are more self-seeking who more rich who more high and potent then you who are more desirous of worldly honour and rule then you And why do you say the Scriptures are a rule of life and make them no lesse then God and walk not according to their Rule Do you ever read in Scripture that Christ or his Apostles grew rich and mighty in the world by declaring and witnessing forth the truth in life and doctrine and wherefore are you not like them And ought not all to follow their examples if They ought then why doe not you Where is that self-denial and forsaking the world that Christ so often commands and exhorts to amongst you who are imbracing and thrusting after the world with all eagernesse and love to go in long cloathing to be known from other men that ye may receive Greetings in Markets and the chief seats in the Synagogues and the uppermost rooms at Feasts these are the things that please you How can you believe who thus love to receive Honour of men and seek not that which is of God Would it not be a happiness to you to have the Scripture changed into another form where it saith forsake the world deny thy selfe that it might say embrace the world and cleave to thy selfe for sure I am the one agrees more with your wayes then the other But now to my second Question did ever Christ or his Apostles persecute and hate any that were not of their minds yea or no if they did not then why do you And where is that spirit of love amongst you that is kinde to the evil and unthankful and why do you seek to civil Governours to assist in upholding that you call your Religion and in punishing all those that are contrary to it seeing Christ and his Apostles did not so doth it not hence plainly appear that you own the Scripture in words but denies it in your practice Oh my dear Hearts Are you talking of the Word being a rule of being frequent in duties of becomming obedient to Gods revealed will and walk not according to that rule but in words and outward restraint of some common vices have any of you at any time given freely of your goods to the poor or relieved poor Captives imprisoned for debt or visited the poor Widows and Fatherlesse children in their necessities purely for Christs sake nay this is not with you and if it were what were it available if it should not be from a right Principle yet I know you can speak well but alas that helps not Well thus I have clearly declared your estate it therefore now remains to shew unto you why you do all these things even because you have not known Christ nor the father working in you death
come to enquire after the Lord and these men of all other wil the Lord cut off these men the Lord will answer them by himselfe and will set his face against them and will make a signe and a proverb above all other and will cut them off from the midst of his people Israel I will answer them according to the multitude of their Idols says God and wil not be enquired of at all by them for these are the rebellious house These commit the highest abominations These set up their posts by the Lords posts their thresholds by his threshold which is the highest iniquitie These have daubed up a wall with untempered morter they are the Wall and the Prophets that prophesie peace to them they are the daubers and the sowers of pillows under all armholes that pollute the Lord among his people for handfulls of Barly and for peices of Bread that slay the soules that should not dye and save the soules alive that should not live by their lying to his people that hear and receive their lyes having made the righteous sad Ezek. 8.12 18. Esa 29.15 and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising and shewing him the true way of life These are those of the house of Israel that have set up the Idols of Jealousie in the Chambers of their Imagery and dig deep and think to hide their Counsels from the Lord and these are their Idols and their Gods they worship serve rely upon and sacrifice to Therefore with these will the Lord deal in fury because these wipe their mouths and put the branch to their nose and please themselves in their owne Idols and with the gods that their own hands have made Now men being thus confident in their own righteousnes and thinking this form and that duty and their strict walking shal deliver protect them and they resting secure under this mighty Image then comes the Stone cut out of the Mountains and breaks in pieces this glorious Image Dan. 2.45 It falls upon all their duties upon all their righteousnesse upon all their towers upon all their Idols and crushes them all to peices breaks in peices that stately Image made of iron and clay and brasse and silver and gold and makes all their high opinions of themselves become like the chaff upon the summers threshing floore that the wind carrieth away Ib. 2.35 And then they are brought to see that all their confidence was but an Idol an Image a Lye Vanity wind delusion And then and never before this little stone becomes in them a great Mountain and this fill the whole earth Man being once discovered to be as he is Vanity a Lye Babel Confusion Darknesse Hell Horrour Misery and what not with all his glorious righteousnesses discovering them to be but rags Esai 64.6 and filthy rags when man is brought really and not in words onely for that is part of the Covering to be nothing but sinne emptinesse nothingnesse then is the work begun the foundation laid Thou art Peter upon this rock will I build my Church Matth. 16.18 and the foundation being thus laid the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against it the other building was but upon the sand and cannot withstand when therain fals and the winds and storms blow but the fal therof will be great but when this work is brought about in the soule that man is laid low made nothing emptied of himself this is a foundation upon which building let the rain fall Ibid. 7.25 and the winds blow and the stormes beat yet it shall stand because it is founded upon a rock This rock is onely and alone Jesus Christ that blessed eternal rock of ages upon whom all the Saints from the foundation of the world to its consummation are founded and bottomed as upon mount Sion which shall never be removed All the Patriarcks and Prophets give testimony of this rock to him that is the rock of ages and is that great Mountain that shall fill the whole earth He that shall onely raign and shall be all in all whose Kingdome alone shall be exalted 1 Cor. 10.4 All the Fathers drank of this rock as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.4 they were baptised unto Moses but they all eat the same spiritual meat and all did drink of the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ He is that unspeakable glory power majesty eternity c. that can never be lift up enough never able to be unfolded nor set forth by Men and Angels according to his greatnesse his goodnesse his unchangablenesse his glory his wisdome and infinitenesse He is the wonder of ages the brightness of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1.3 and the express Image of his person He it is that is set forth by all creatures by all Types Metaphors Representations and yet all come infinitly short of him He that once comes into this mountain we have been speaking of he shall be fed with these fat things there is no attaining these high and fat things but in the Lords Mountain t is not mans Mountain nor mans fat things can feast us with these things but this man shall be fed and shall have the Vail rent from the top to the bottom the Covering that is the Covering of the Vaile of all Nations that is more or lesse upon every man But it is He onely in whom mans glorious Temple is destroyed and all of mans building laid flat and not a stone left upon a stone Mat. 24.2 that is not thrown down That we may come and make some use of all we have said and apply it to our selves This discovers Vse 1 that all things that Christ will make use of in his Church must be materials of his own from himself of his own providing that ever it be that man provides that men hew out by their own wisdom or power and frame never such curious Images they are all abominable all must be destroy'd broke to pieces blown away made nothing All fat things are only to be had in this mountain There is no destroying the Vail of the Covering of all Nations no bringing man to see his own misery his own hell his own darknesse but here no shewing man the excellency of the riches and glory of Christ but here no true feast but here all other feasts are but death and poyson what ever feast man provides or takes content in he feeds himself with lies he is but as an hungry man still that dreams he eates and when he awakes he is empty but this Feast of fat things and Wine on the lees Esay 29.8 and fat things full of marrow and wine on the lees well refined is only prepared and given unto us by Jesus Christ Man naturally feeds upon nothing but sin and misery and hell and damnation and these are sweet
Christ no hand can help him but only the infinit bottomlesse mercy of the Son of God He sees now nothing in Heaven or earth no righteousnesse of men or Angels could suffice for his ransom but Jesus Christ alone the Son of God himself must lay down his life to redeem him out of the nethermost hell Now Christ revealing this to him he hereby ascends up into this mountain and there he feasts and there he hath all his wisdom all his power all his life all his meat Jer. 17.13 all his living waters here he now hath all his teachings he now sees Christs mountain exalted upon the top of all mountains above the top of all mans mountains of wisdom power holinesse c. though they have been raised in mans esteem never so high and esteemed as the mountains of the Lord he sees his knowledge now meer folly his wisdom darkness his righteousness sin his power weaknes his glory shame his Heaven Hell this he sees in himself and he can see nothing else but this misery and this blindness upon the face of the whole earth every man is under this darknes is under this Covering the face of the Covering of all Nations Christ went up to the mountain and taught the people Mal. 2.2 The truth is this is that mountain where Christ alone teacheth all other teachings are folly and ignorance till we hear the word at his mouth Here in this mountain the soule beholds visions and receives the manifestations of Christ and the mysteries of the kingdome hereit sees from the bottom to the top of Jacob Ladder Mat. 24.15 here he sees the Abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet that had it not been for the love of Christ the meer power and hand of Christ he had been gon for ever lost for ever swallowed up in a mystery of iniquity but when Christ brings him into this mount then he sees himselfe escaped then he sees Sodom and Gomorah all on a flame all self flesh and al mans wisdom and righteousnes burnt up and the smoak thereof ascend as the smoak of a furnace and then he can say experimentally Jehovah-jireh Gen. 22.14 In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen Saints can testifie of these things because they have seen and felt them done in themselves and t is that which their hands have handled of the word of life 1 Joh. 1.1 they can give testimony to the wisedome of Christ to the power of Christ to the righteousnesse of Christ to the evrlasting and unexpressible goodnesse of Christ as it is expressed and put forth in their hearts they can give no testimony of man of any goodness wisdome power c. in themselves but they know Christ to be all in all he see man and himselfe and all things of man to be nothing but a pit of darknesse a lump of sin a gulf of misery without the least wisdome goodnesse or power but whatever is good or strong or holy in him t is not himself t is not of man but of an from Christ alone he sees experimentally that he hath as of himselfe no power no strength to resist sin no repentance no minde to hate or resist the least sin but the contrary He findes a cursed hellish demned unbeleeving heart full of evil and that continually Gen. 6.5 a heart instead of loving God it fights against God in stead of doing good to his Neighbour really he seeks not his good but his own ends in all he doth that he doth nothing at all for God but himselfe is his supreame and ultimate end so that his highest and best actions are loathsome defiled abominable Now the soule seeing these things to be really thus Then all his strong high towering conceits fall down before the light wisedome power and excellency of Christ and he sees that there is none of all these through all the whol earth but in Christ alone no wisdom at all but his no power at all but his no righteousnes at al but his and no creature to receive any glory but hm alone then he falls down and cryes out O'wretched man that I'am who shal deliver me from that body of death Rom. 7.24 who shal deliver me from this bottomless gulf who shal deliver me from this monsterous fiend my own self Rom. 9.3 he now sees the Locusts of the bottomles pit covering the face of the whole earth every one running after his own ways and following his own laws every man setting up new Gods every man setting up the Image of his Imagery and the abomination of desolation in himself every man making himself his own god and seeking to be somthing and making the eternal glorious God to be an Idol and nothing He sees himself with the whole earth besides saying with the builders of Babel Gen. 11.4 go to let us build us a Tower and a City whose top may reach up to Heaven that we may not be seattered and destroyed they will save and deliver themselves from hell wrath and destruction by their own power by their own wisedome by their own inventions by the brick slime and morter that they have made Now the Lord looking down from Heaven to see what the Children of men are doing and he in himselfe sees how God hath said Let us go down and confound their language God in them hath discovered the evilnesse of their wayes the evil of self-seeking self-glory of their selfe-wisdome selfe-power self-righteousnesse and they in whom or to whom the Lord discovers these things all this contrivance and all this work n them is made BABEL Confusion a heap of Lyes t is all deceit destruction and misery but in Jesus Christ he hath righteousnesse indeed life indeed power indeed heaven indeed And then he can adde and say with the Apostle Thanks be unto God who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15 54.55 Oh grave where is thy victory then hath this corruptible in him put on incorruption and this mortal put on immortality and then is brought to passe in him the saying as it is written death is swallowed up in victory Herein the Saints finde Jesus Christ to be their joy to be their feast to be their mountain to be their glory to be their All. In this mountain they finde and receive all these good things and are fully satisfied and that they are to be had nowhere else If they look anywhere else they know there is nothing but sin corruption death hell mortality and the grave And they having found this mountain they finde themselves escaped delivered from all those things And now they sit down with Abraham Isaac Mat. 8.11 and Jacob in the kingdome of Heaven They have found Abrahams bosome they have found the tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God they have found the Hidden Manna Rev. 3. they have received the
know no Master no Father no Teacher no Leader nor no strength besides him Oh Beloved this is not to be done without the drawing of the Father or not but in a Fatherly way since he is the fountain of eternal love the Father or Fountain of love that hath made out his eternal Love himself in the similitude of flesh 2 Cor. 5.19 for God was in Christ saith the Text reconciling the world unto himself not imputing to them their trespasses It must be the love and good will of the Father made out to the soule that must call it and will draw it and cause it to come in to be at peace with him and be reconciled onely by his owne making out his love in Christ So I say this Eternal love that sent out Christ and that gives with Christ all good things it is the same eternal love and power Rom. 8.32 and everlasting goodness and good will of the Father that draws and brings the spirits of men unto Christ else they come not Draw them how is that with such a drawing as must be effectual As the Rain falleth not in vain but the earth bringeth forth fruit meet for them for whom it is appointed Heb. 6.7 So the eternal word and power of the Father made out through the flesh of Christ to the soul calls invites draws and works effectually and brings home the soul and this drawing of the Father is the eternal and everliving power of the Godhead or spirit that wonderfully draws the soules of men and when they are thus drawn they cannot but follow and being thus drawn by him this is the joy life wisdom and righteousness of the soule here it dwels rests recreates it selfe having lost its own life it lives and receives full satisfaction in the life and power and wisdom of Christ Then it is the office of the Son whom the Father hath sent to quicken it and raise it up at the last day and make it like himself even to sit together with him in heavenly places Eph. 2.6 The point I shall offer to your Considerations is this That the drawing of the Father only leads the souls of men unto Christ Doct. otherwise none can come unto him Before this truth can be beleived in us or be of benefit unto us it must become a truth of evidence and manifestation and experience in our hearts yet to witnesse this from the litteral word that this is truth you may be pleased to look upon a place or two yet they can make out nothing to us except the sam be made out by the eternal spirit in uâ— â—lse the word is but a dry tree a dead letter Cant. 1.4 The experience of the Spouse in Cant. 1.4 witnesseth the same draw me and we will run after thee her experience had known that the drawings and leadings of those cords and bands of love that are never to be broken in Jesus Christ the drawings of these bands of love only made her willing to go after that Husband Father and God of Loving-kindness and mercy otherwise man never comes nor is ever drawn but onely by these cords of his love Again the same is witnessed in Jer. 31 3. there he tells you because he had loved them Jer. 31.3 therefore with loving-kindness had he drawn them And in Hosea 11.4 he declares he had drawn them with the Cords of a man with the bands of love Hos 11.4 the soule finds it is onely the power of the Father the love of the Father that hath drawn him out of many waters as the Psalmist witnesses for David had found it so Psal 69. Ibid. 40.2 that he had delivered his soul out of the mire and horrible pit There is nothing but the eternal power of God that is able to draw a soul out of the deep and mierry pit in which it lies the drawing of the Father the power of the Father only draws men unto Christ otherwise they will not nor cannot come That this is so Divine truth witnesses and the experience of all Saints that men will not cannot do act or work nor come in unto Christ without this drawing First because Jesus Christ is not known and understood in the pretiousness excellency and value of him to the lost blind Reas 1 and carnal heart of man for man in this condition knows not the worth sweetness and excellency of him therefore man comes not unto Christ as David witnesses He looked down to see if any of the sons of men would seek after God Psal 14.2 but they are all gone out of the way there is none thath doth good no not one so I say man comes not to Jesus Christ because he is ignorant of that life glory righteousness and immortality that is laid up in him therefore the Apostle renders it as the reason why the Princes of the world Princes of learning and Princes in zeal and religion kild him why because saith he none of the Princes of this world knew him for had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of life So I say the ground why our spirit comes not to Jesus Christ is that blindness and ignorance that is in the heart of man because he knows not the excellency and pretiousness of Christ As our Saviour said to the woman of Samaria John 4.10 Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and be would have given thee living water and so it was with Jerusalem Luk. 19.42 Reas 2. shee did not know the things belonging to her peace because they were bid from her eyes Again men cannot come to Jesus Christ because as he is the power of God and appears in the wisdom of God so he appears as folishness unto them and they disdaine him as a weak and mean thing as Isaiah faith in ch 53. v. 2. there is no form nor beauty in him why he should be desired Esa 53.2 as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form no comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs and we hid our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not therefore the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 2.14 the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishness unto him and are spiritually discerned and saith he in 1 Cor. 1 23. we preach Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1.23 to the Jewes a stumbling block to the Greeks foolishnesse so that man doth not will not nor cannot come to Jesus Christ because the spirit of Christ appears a poore despicable thing 1 Cor. 3.10 Psal 118.22.23 1 Pet. 2.7 and the heart of man is set against him and even that stone that is to be the head stone of
the corner it is rejected and laid by even by those that account themselves Master builders and this is the Lords doing and it s marvailous in our eyes Again another ground why the souls of men come not to Christ Reas 3 is because the appearing of Christ in the spirit makes all the hidden things of mans heart lie open even that which man himselfe never saw nor never thought was in him and this man hates and will not abide to see nor behold that depth of pride that selfe-glorying hypocrisie c. and taht bottomlesse pit of misery mans eye never looked into himself into his own heart but in the day of the appearance of Jesus Christ all this is discovered and laid open therefore man would by no means come to Christ because the appearing of Christ discovers his sin and condemnation man loves his own life skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give for his life but he that loseth his life shall find it Job 2.4 Mat. 10.39 John 3.19 therefore our Saviour tells us plainly that this is the câ—ndemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light because their deeds are evil for he that doth evil hateth the light neither comes to the light lest his deeds should be made manifest that they are evil So here the ground is rendred why the Gospel is Condemnation to the sons of men the Gospel brings light but men resist it hate it Certain it is that the light of Christ is in every creature for he is the true light that enlightens every one that come into the world Joh. 1.9 Mat. 6.23 And if this light that is in us be darkness how great is that darkness Here is the condemnation of all the sons of men that they dare not stand in the light of Christ not being able to behold hell in their own hearts but labour by all means to cover it for the light of Christ would shew them that there is no thought action or duty or performance that ever they did that had any thing of purity in it but it was all sin Now man not daring to see his own misery therefore he runs from this light and gets himselfe behinde any tree He runs from the appearance of him that sits upon the Throne and so resolves he will not see his own misery death and condemnation Rev. 6.16 neither will he believe it though he be told it by an Angel from Heaven he will not come to the light lest thereby he may know or be convinced that his deeds are onely evil Againe this is the work of the Father to draw men unto Christ because no lesse then infinitness and Eternity is able to bring God and man together the separation between God and man is so vast and they are at such an infinite distance since his fall that nothing but Infinitness can bring these two infinite ends together for the soul of man in one sin sins against an infinite God in any one sin it goes out and turns away from the infinitnesse of all blessednesse good joy glory and peace and so goes down into the infinitness of nothing for nothing is a kinde of infinitness and he is indeed gone into a far Country Luk. 15. 13. as the Prodigal was now therefore nothing but the infinite powers and infinite wisedome and strength that is in the Lord is able to bring life out of death something out of nothing therefore there is nothing to bring the heart of man out of that far country wherein to it is gone and out of that bottomless pit into which is is fallen nothing can do it but infinitness and eternity 2 Cor. 4.14 nothing but the same spirit that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead can quicken our mortal bodies there is nothing I say able to do it but the same spirit to bring a poor soul from hell and condemnation and make it one in unity with the spirit And therefore the Apostle witnesses Eph. 2.13 you that were aliens hath he made nigh by the blood of Christ Eph. 2.13 and you that were sometimes afar off hath he made near by the blood of Christ So now I hope this appears a truth to you and I hope the Lord will make it so in you by experience till then it is not a savour of life unto life for except you have the Scriptures made good in the power thereof in your own hearts what are the Scriptures to you And I have alledged them for that very end that you may finde and say These things are all fulfilled not only among the Jewes and at Jerusalem but really and truely in my selfe So then I hope some of you see it is the alone power of the Father that draws the soules of men unto Christ otherwise no man can come unto him But give me leave yet a little farther for the clearing it and explaining it by the way What this power of the Father is or how the Father doth draw or bring the soules of men unto Christ God is said to be a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.23 God is nothing but life glory and power spirit and immortality and whatsoever thing we could have a notion or similitude of that is able to set out strength and life and glory and wisdom yet all these come infinitly short of setting out the strength and power of the Lord of Hosts the great Jehovah who is Psal 121.5 he that keeps Israel Psal 121.5 he that keepes Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth so that is is to be cleared what power it is that brings the spirits of men unto Jesus Christ Certainly there is nothing but the same eternal spirit that was in Jesus Christ it is the same immortal and immediate hand and power of God that doth ever raise up the soule of man and bring it unto Christ and nothing but that spirit only and therefore from hence is that of the Apostle that no man can so much as say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 Joh. 3.5 and except a man be born of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God for t is all one and t is wrought by one and the same Almighty Spirit to say that Jesus is the Lord by the spirit and to be born of the spirit for man to say confess so ten thousand times if he do not feel him to be the Lord and the Almighty in him all his confessions in words are nothing And by one spirit saith the Text ye are all baptized into one body even the whole body and they all testifie one and the same thing that there is but one spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Eph. 4.4 one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all Eph. 4.4 and they have all been made to drink into
and say we are the Substitutes of Christ That which we deny him we take to our selves certainly all this is nothing else but hellish arrogancy and the pride of the man of sin and ANTICHRIST within us that exalts himself in us above all that is called God 2 Thes 2.4 that puts us into these wayes and to think that we can draw or we can drive to Jesus Christ when there is none can do this but meerly and solely that only and eternal power and spirit of the Father Thirdly if it be so as we have clearly proved and none dare deny it Use 3 neither can then the wisdome nor power nor strength nor any rules of Fellowships or Church-gatherings or any discipline of man draw nor drive others in but 't is onely the drawing and driving of the eternal power of the Fathers spirit It is true the Sons of Men may do and have done and do compass Sea and Land and what is it to doe to make a Proselyte and what then he is but twofold more the child of perdition then before Mat. 23.15 They may indeed gather men into Fellowships and Churches as they call them But to gather men into the spirit of the Lord Jesus this was never the work of man no strength nor power nor wisedome of man could ever doe it and without question every plant that the Heavenly father hath not planted Ibid. 15.13 shall be rooted up It is true and I grant there was some mention made of the Church and Churches in the times of the Apostles but what Churches were they They were no other but what were called by God himselfe in the power of his spirit and not of or by man Where do we read of this mans Church or the other mans Members but they were called the Church of God and not divided by those distinctions of vain-glorious self-seeking ambitious covetous men as they are in these dayes Nor did they Owne one another or had any relation one unto another in their love or esteem upon that account Note But they looked upon one another in what place soever as but one body and having all but one spirit meerly because thty were all baptized into One body by that One Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 They did not know one another as they were of Paul and of Apollo of Cephas and this mans Church as they now call it But as they were all baptized by one Spirit and into one Body and as they were of one mind and of one spirit and so of one heart Heb. 12.13 and so brought to the general assembly of the Church of the first born And therefore we must conclude there is nothing that gathers or draws in the soul of man unto Jesus Christ but the everlasting power of God We know also men may worship at Jerusalem this way and that way and pretend to honour that Christ who died there and yet they doe but draw nigh to him with their lips Esa 29.13 but not with the spirit in truth but no man can do these things in the power of God nor so much as SAY that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost and by the power of Jesus Christ And be sure that every plant that my heavenly father hath not planted shall be rooted up From whence also lastly Vse 4 If the power of the Father only draws the spirit of man unto the Son and unto Jesus Christ then let every man look in and unto his own heart and see whether he doe not resist the drawing of the spirit Behold saith he I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him Rev 3.20 and he with me enter but into thy own Chamber and be still and look into thy own brest and see whether thou be not daily and hourly resisting the Spirit of God that would draw man unto Christ didst thou but look into thy own heart thou shouldst find there was never any thought that did ever arise in thee to check or controle thee in thy evil wayes but that very thought was a light in thee if thou wouldst have heeded or regarded it And that light also did tell thee that all thy best actions were but sin and that all the wayes thou walkest in there is nothing but fear in them and death in them and misery in them And thy best and holiest services are an abomination There is a spirit within thee that is still troubling and checking thee for every proud and for every evil thought and what is this for 2 Cor. 8.2 onely to let thee see that thou art dead and reprobate to every good work and all thy deeds are evil and all that thou knowest thou knowest not as thou oughtest to know It is to let thee know that thou art naked and poor and blind and miserable It is to take away thy false strength and thy false wisedome and riches and to let thee see thy weaknesse and folly and poverty but this is thy onely misery and the general universal misery of all the sons of men that they dare not stand in the light and abide in it To abide in such a light which shewes that man hath not one good thought Psal 73.22 but is as a beast before God That he hath no holinesse nor no righteousnesse at all Now for thee so farre to presume and to think so highly of thy selfe that thou art of such abilities and wisdome and parts as to sit down at the head-end of the Table or because that thou hast gotten in thy own conceit into the best way of Religion for knowledge and practice and performances and therefore thou art Some-body and thou must be magnified and reverenced and for these men now to be brought back to look into their own hearts and see themselves as bad as the rest of the world and to see themselves the worst of men Oh Beloved what a mighty fall must these men have before ever God brings them into this condition which must be if ever they be brought or drawn home to Jesus Christ by the power of the Father And yet to adde to this besides all this thou hast gotten a covering for thy sins and hast wipt thy mouth and said thou hast done nothing when all thy wayes are nothing but resistings fightings and emnity against God Do not men resist him when they seek esteem to themselves and they must be great and respected and honoured what is all this but to rob Jesus Christ of his honour and steal it away to put upon themselves Oh that the power of God would but make men abide in the Center of their own hearts to see that there is nothing there but darkness nothing but folly in regard of God and Christ if man would but dwell and abide here to see himselfe lost and wretched miserable and undone then God would
of the subtile Serpent within him then followed Death Hell Misery and Condemnation then he sees his folly and madnesse in harkning to and giving way to this false Lyar who before told him he should better his condition and he should be like God himself And thus seeing and beholding his nakednesse his folly and misery he being not able to behold it nor live in the sight thereof for he is not able to behold the wrath of God and Hell-fire flashing in his face then he bethinks himselfe of some Covering some Shelter some Cloaths to cover his nakedness he is not able to behold his own condition and he invents a thousand wayes to shelter himself runs to this duty and that rule and he will find out somthing he will do something to quench the fire in him that is kindled by the breath of the Lord. And is not man in this more mad Esa 30.33 and more vain and more miserable For by all these things he doth but adde fuell to this fire for doth he think till one stronger then himself come even to be delivered Alas Luk. 11 22. thus are all the sons of men deluded but when Christ who is the true Mediatour comes when he sets up his light in man then he convinces him of his Emptinesse of his Weaknesse of his Nothingnesse and that he cannot arise Joh. 11.43 nor live without the loud and mighty voyce of the son of God quicked him when this light and life comes upon him then though he be naked in himself yet he is not ashamed but he standing in this condemnation all sin and darknesse and condemnation vanish before the glory of these heavenly things and come to nothing and empty themselves into their own nothingness that so the glory of Jesus Christ may come in the room thereof who is truth and life and fulness and perfection and all things But while man walks by the light of his own fire Esa 50.11 and in the sparks which he hath kindled he is holy and good and pure and excellent and great in his own sight and high in his own wisedome but when once he comes to be guided by the fire and light of the Tabernacle then he is a Miserable Empty Bare Beggerly thing nothing in him of Wisdom Power Glory Riches Goodnesse a meer naked empty and simple thing except he be made happy in the light of God and in the union with Jesus Christ wise in the wisdom of God and holy in the holinesse of God Here sayes the Apostle I permit not a woman to speak in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 Ibid. 11.16 here let her head be covered that is let not man speak any thing in the Church in the presence of the Lord of his wisdom of his goodness of his upright walking but let Christ be all these in the Church There let all the Weaknesse and Womanishnesse of man come upon him and let him be covered with shame in the presence of this Bridgroom for t is a shame for a woman to speak in the Church let not her shew so much pride but let her ask her Husbad at home let him have all the glory Let not the Bride speak any thing of her riches of her beauty in the presence of her Lord but to see her selfe rich in his riches and glorious in his glory wise in his wisdom let her not meddle herein without her head be covered so that she sees she hath nothing of glory nothing praiseworthy nothing beautiful in her but that her head be perfectly covered with the righteousness riches and glory of Jesus Christ All the men in the world be they of what parts learning strength or excellencie can be named are but WOMEN in this respect and are to cover their heads in the presence of Christ in the Church of Christ In thy Temple every one speak of thy glory Psal 26.9 saith David If a Woman offer to speak in the Church this is but weaknesse this is but shame and confusion of face in the CHURCH what 's that think you without question the meaning of the Apostle is not to be taken Litterally of a material Church nor t is not meant of a Congregation of men or women assembled or congregated together as the wisest of men take it for this in the Scripture sense is not called A CHURCH much lesse in a low and vulgar acceptation of a meeting place built of bricks or wood or stone But the CHURCH is the Temple of God the House of God the Body of Christ in which the Lord discovers his Riches Glory Wisdome Bounty and the Treasures of Wisdome and knowledge and his everlasting power and goodness to the soules of Beleevers and in this Church where the Lord is present let not weaknesse discover its pride insolency or vain-boasting for this is the Church and this is the Woman that ought not to speak there Now this fire of the sanctuary is that which discovers all this Weaknesse Darknesse and Blindnesse in the soul when this light of God appears then all shadows vanish then all coverings are removed and all things in and of Man appear as they are to be nothing but Darknesse Deformity Delusion Lyes Confusion and Misery and God appears to the soul to be onely Light Life Happinesse and Perfection Gen. 2.25 and the soule is not ashamed to be thus naked because this makes way that God may have all the glory all the wisedome all the excellency and man may come to be nothing but sin and emptinesse Thus the soule comes with the Apostle to rejoyce in and to glory in his infirmities 2 Cor. 12.5 and that the power and wisedom of God is made perfect in his Weakness and Folly As a good Wife she is not ashamed to be as nothing in the presence of her Husband but rejoyces that He is esteemed and that he is made all in all to her So doth the true Spouse of Christ let her be nothing so He may be all for she acknowledges that she is only rich in her Husbands riches and wise in his wisdom and strong in his strength 1. Pet. 1.7 she sees she lives not by her own care and industry but in the love and care of her Husband and thus she glories not in her selfe but in her Husband This is to become NAKED and yet not ashamed as was Adam in his Innocency Rev. 3.17 2 Cor. 10 5. To have a poor sinner freely to confess to the glory of Christ Time was when I was rich and had high imaginations of my self and I was in my own esteem able to guide and rule and direct my self and all my affairs and I thought my selfe in a blessed and secure condition but I finde now that was nothing but a lye and a delusion But even then the meer love and tender compassion of my Saviour and Redeemer set up a candle and light in my soul whereby I was discovered to
be nothing but A sink of sin A body of death A bottomlesse pit of abominations Mark 4.21 Rom. 7.24 Rev. 9 2. that I was a fool and madness was in my heart in all I did And that he alone was goodness mercy power wisdom eternity salvation and Alsufficiency this he freely and with all readinesse acknowledgeth and this he is not ashamed to declare as those are that would be esteemed holy Ones but to tell it to all the world though all the wise and holy men of the world esteem him a foole and a madman yet this is his glory to take shame to himselfe But all your wise and righteous men all their contriving is to hide all their shame and they would be thought to be holy men and strict men and that they walk exactly and according to the rule of the word and this is their glory that others have this esteem of them they would not for a world be thought as vile and finful as others they hate that Jesus Christ should so far lay them open to the world and themselves Psal 56.8 Ezek. 8.11 What are they to come before the Lord and have no Goodnesse no Endeavours no Watchfulnesse no Bottles of Prayers to offer no sweet incense to offer no Duties thereby to think well of themselves this would be Death and Destruction and Desolation to them When God knows when once he will arise in them Psal 50 21. and set their sins in order then all their delusions and coverings will be removed and they made naked Then all their fine and neat contrivances to disguise themselves before God and men shall be rent and destroyed Joh. 9.39 when the Lord will arise and come to Judgment in their hearts then all their inward parts shall be laid open and what they have dâ—ne in secret shall be proclaimed upon the house top Mat. 24.15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy place whoso readeth let him understand then shall there be in those dayes great tribulation in them Luk. 8.17 Mat. 24.21 Mark 13.14 Luk. 21.25 and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken Then he that is on the house top shall not come down to take any ting out of his house he shall not go down to fetch any of his Riches or Gold or Silver none of his fine utensils for worship none of his fine and workmanlike duties none of his strictnesses none of his holy walkings he is stript of all left naked and how are their houses left unto them desolate in one moment Babylon in them is fallen is fallen and shee that said in her heart I shall sit a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow therefore shall her plagues come upon her in one day Rev. 18.2 c. death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Then is the houre of Judgment come and the Lord will arise and nothing can hinder or stand before him This will be a miserable day to these men a day of blackness and gloominess and thick Clouds the Sun turned into darkness and the moon into blood A deluge of wrath is now irresistibly comming upon them and then the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole and the earth shall melt with fervent heat and all their works burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 Then from hence we may conclude that at that day all men even the wisest men of the world will be at their wits end to cover and hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb and from him that sits on the Throne Rev. 6.16 Then all those Merchants of Babylon shall lament for her That their Whore their Strumpet with whom they have all their dayes committed fornication is made desolate c. their trade of Religion is quite overturned Mich. 3.11 those that made Merchandise of the Word and Preacht for money and for hire and to get bread or to make themselves great and to that end got into forms and duties and fellowships that men might have high thoughts of them and made long prayers under pretence and to grow rich by devouring widows houses Mat. 23.14 and yet these things these pretences these prayers and duties they heap to themselves thinking they may please God with them and these things as foule and abominable as they be they think to be a goodly sacrifice But when this day comes that the Lord will arise and plead his own cause all these things will stand in no stead all their works must be burnt up then he will remember how these foolish men blasphème his name Psal 74.22 23. Psal 74.22 23. And if they should bethink themselve wherewithal to come before the Lord and to offer thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyle nay if they give the fruit of the Body for the sin of their Soul Micah 6.7 all were to to no purpose For the Father the Eternal Majesty of Heaven can be pleased with nothing but that One Eternal and Alsufficient sacrifice the blood of his own dear Son For men to call themselves Christians and Saints and for others to esteem them so is a poor covering now in this day it will not cover their nakednesse The bed is too short to stretch themselves on it and the covering is too narrow they cannot cover nor wrap themselves in it Esa 28.20 T is not all their fellowships and Congregatings nor washings nor External eatings and sitting down with Christ at his Table nor their Perswasions that they do the mind of God and conform exactly to the rule and letter of the word All things of this nature is but of man Phil. 3.19 and they glory in their own shame Thou dishonourest thy head Christ to pray or prophesie and thy head not BARE if thy self be not stript naked t is a dishonour to Christ who is the head of the Church for all honor all praise all wisdom all goodness all righteousnesse is Christ's crown and no creature is to wear that Crown but himself alone If thou takest these or any part of these which are due alone to him thou makest Christ ashamed he is dishonoured for there is no Goodnesse no Love no Beauty no Life but onely in the Son of God and whatever is in him is his for the Church not that they enjoy it in themselves but in him all glory be to him and all shame and confusion upon themselves and hereby is their head magnified Christ alone is their Covering their Righteousnesse their Wisedome their Redemption their Saviour their Beauty they have no shelter no hiding place but in him Those that are ashamed thus to acknowledge and confess him before men Mat. 10.32 he will be ashamed to confess them
nothing else but their own Idols and Groves and Images the inventions and works of mens hands And when they have decked and trimmed their Idols gloriously they not onely fall down themselves to them as Nebuchadnezzar did Dan. 3.11 but enjoyn this Idol-worship to all others and he that will not fall down to what they say is truth and Religion Him they persecute and brand with those odious names of Hereticks Sectaries Schismaticks Familists and the like But in the day when the Lord will appeare to make all these Magicians and Southsayers to be lyars which day they hate and hide themselves from because they hate the light John 3.20 Neither come they to the light lest their deeds should be made manifest and declared that they are not wrought in God but are acted in the power of man by the wonderful working of Antichrist in all power and signs and lying wonders and in all deceivableness of unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2.8 10. And the Lord when he shall rise wil discover and consume them with the breath of his mouth and with the brightnesse of his comming and all those glorious Images and fine contrived modes and forms and lying wonders wherein they trusted in so much that all the world wondred after the beast Rev. 13.3 as if that these were the only religious men But when God appeares with his light all these shaddows deceits and delusions all these Inchantments and Sorceries wherewith men have cloathed themselves shall be cut off These Cities that the sonnes of men have builded for their safety security and preservation they shall all be cut off from their hands Now of all things in the world these men hate nothing more then this light and this day of the Lord. These Sorcerers use all the means they can to keep away this light and to darken this glory by their reproaches slanders lyes and scandals And they will tell you all this is false light why because it discovers their Inchantments and delusions And they will tell you that all these prophesies concern other things they were onely literally fulfilled when the people of Israel were carried captive into Babylon and there can be no such Mystery in them And so for the promises they will tell you are to be fulfilled externally and litterally or at the most they will carry out the prophesies to be fulfilled onely in the Great Messiah who was born at Bethlem and was crucified at Ierusalem yet indeed know him not And he that shall goe farther then thus is with them a deceiver which sense is no other then those low poore and carnall thoughts and expectations which the Jewes had of him expecting an outward and externall deliverer and all things to be fulfilled in a litterall way As if the holy and divine spirit of the Lord onely busied it selfe about shadows and forms and external worshippings bodily exercises which profit nothing carnal ordinances and things of the world and that he had no higher aym then what every one may come to act and doe when indeed and in truth his main end is to declare the Kingdom of Heaven and set forth the new Ierusalem Rev. 21.2 comming down from God out of Heaven and to shew that his Kingdom is not of this world and consisteth not in meats and drinks touching tasting Rom. 4.17 or handling or any thing the outward man can be exercised in but that his Kingdom consists in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Yet some yea most men who pretend very much in the knowledge of Christ yet carry all prophesies of him no higher then his appearing in the flesh and therein say all Scriptures were fulfilled As that prophesie here exprest in the second verse of this chapter The virgin of Israel is fallen Amos 5.2 she shall no more arise she is forsaken upon her Land and there is none to raise her up some say this concerned Israels captivity when all her glory departed from her and she was stript of all her beautiful attire and virgin rayments to which it may be applicable I deny not but that is but in an outward literall and externall way but the spirit of God hath a far higher aym then this viz. That outward and externall glory when men trust to that and professe themselves to be the Israel of God because of that then the Lord threatens that the pride of all their externall forms shall all be forsaken and no man shall regard them and there shall be none to raise them up And that place in Micah chap. 5. vers 2. they say is the promise of the restauration of the Church Micah 5.2 and that she shall be restored and her Rulers But some who would seem to goe further carry it to the highest interpretation as they conceive to Jesus Christ his comming in the flesh and they have referred to this place and cited it in the margin in Matth. 2.6 Thou Bethlem in the land of Iudah art not the least among the Princes of Iudah Math. 2.6 for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel That in regard he was the MESSIAH which was then born and given to the world and was to suffer and die and rise again All which things are true in a lower and externall sense but there is more in it then so for Christ is yesterday and to day Heb. 13.8 and the same for ever and his goings forth have been of old from everlasting and therefore cannot he be limited according to the short time he was in the flesh But Christ is the same in all generations and he is chiefly manifested in the spirit and all his words expresse no lesse he still takes our eyes off his fleshly appearance and sayes his Kingdome is not of this World Luke 17.21 Joh. 18.36 John 6.51 Luke 22.20 and his Kingdome is within you and his body is the bread which commeth down from heaven and the cup which he gives is The cup of the New Testament in his blood T is not the eating the bread made by men or wine of grapes in that whcih feeds the soule And so for Christs death and his going away there is more in it then his fleshly dying or the application of that But this is held out he must goe away else the Comforter which shall lead into all truth John 16.7 will not come His bodily presence and our apprehending of his fleshly appearing and fleshly suffering Hee in this sence must depart or else the Kingdome of God cannot come upon us nor the Comforter come Touch me not in this way for I am not ascended to my Father And while ye look upon my fleshly presence I cannot send the comforter Acts 1 11. But that must go away Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven Why do ye gaze upon his External appearing Sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.16 Acts
things but Christ in us must remove and passe away else the heavenly things cannot appeare for whatever is not of the Fathers setting up and planting John 15.2 must be rooted up and t is the Lord himselfe must teach his own worship For Paul clearly confesseth he had his knowledge in the mystery of Christ by Revelation for all his great knowledge in the letter yet he saw he was blind and ignorant of that as you may see he expresseth at large in Eph. 3. at the beginning and elsewhere And none know this but the Church and those that are true members of Jesus Christ nay the Angels and Principalities and Powers know not these things which he calls the manifold wisedom of God vers 10. So that in these words read before you it appears to me there is included these two things First here is a description of mans day and what he doth in that his day He gets unto himself Horses of his own and Chariots of his own and he builds unto himself strong Cities and strong holds that is places of security of his own inventing and in that day his hand is full of Witchcrafts Delusions and Lyes and he gets to himself Southsayers and Diviners to promise to him peace safety and security and in that day he is full of graven Images of his own making and he cleaves mightily to his old ancient and standing Images which both he and his forefathers have received Secondly here is a threatning of an approach of the day of the Lord and that his hand shall be upon all these things he will cut off his Horses and destroy his Chariots and the Cities of his Land and will throw down all his strong holds and will cut off all his Witchcrafts and Southsayers and graven Images c. And however most Interpreters do take this in a Litteral sense onely and look upon it as a History of what God did outwardly and externally among the Jewes when they were destroyed and carried into captivity yet to me there is much more in it for all those relations are types of spiritual things the word of the Lord enduring for ever as David saith I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Law is exeecding broad Psal 119.96 And in this sense it is promised there shall be no more an Inchanter in Israel But we will endeavour to apply all this to our selves and make Use thereof First hence we may safely conclude that all men without distinction untill Christ be revealed in them they are all joyned in one way of Idolatry and false worship and that all those Histories and Descriptions of Idols and Idolaters in Scripture are but figures of what man does in his DAY And howerer they go not all one way in regard of themselves but many censure and condemn each other yet to God they are all Idolaters Inchanters Southsayers c. and are gone a whoring after their own inventions Psali 106.39 and are mad after Idols they all have their Horses and their Chariots and Cities of confidence and strong holds their Sorcerers and Inchanters and follow the way of Balaam Jer. 19.14 1 Kings 18.18 and their god ASHTEROTH as their Fathers have taught them All that the spirit of man can find out by his own wisdom power or invention is nothing but as Sauls going to Witches and Wizzards in the day of their distresse they every one in this way leave URIM and THUMMIM which the Lord hath commanded Exod. 28.30 1 Sam. 28.7 and they are all going to a weak woman and one that hath a familiar spirit And all this he doth by taking counsel of his own heart and following his own inventions and doth not wait upon that Divine teaching of the Father and that never failing URIM and THUMMIM which the Lord himself hath commanded him to wait upon All these inventions of man are but his Horses and Chariots to carry him away swiftly from his enemies and pursuers when conscience is awaked in man and he begins to apprehend wrath and vengeance and sees what a vile ugly creature he is and what wayes he hath taken and how he hath followed after witches and wizzards to enquire of them who have made lyes their refuge now man gets to himselfe all the refuges defences and deliverers he can possibly to save him from this wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Deu. 19.6 he rides swiftly from the pursuer of blood and the wrath of God I say let this be the first Vse we make of this point even every man befroe me and all to whom these things shal come to examin himself seriously if these things be not so let him deal plainly with his own heart let him get into his chamber and be still and there Commune with himself and he shall finde that all his goings out and seekings and inventions have been nothing else but to stop the mouth of conscience to allay the fire that began to burn within him and to get some drops to coole his tongue and to cover the fire and the smoak of the bottomlesse pit Luk. 16.24 Did not all your undertakings arise from a sight of a want an emptiness poverty and misery and have ye not gotten Horses to ride far away from this guilt of conscience have ye not with the Prodigal gone out from your fathers house and spent your patrimony upon Harlots and riotous living Ibid. 15.13 and nothing could ever cause you to return but though ye were never so poor and had spent all yet you would joyne your selves to any thing in the first place that may appear as a rich Citizen wherein ye may not fear want but for all this your povertie and misery still comming more and more upon you you rather then you will return home and discover your folly miserie and nakedness will live upon husks shadowes figures and they not being able to fill your belly nor supply that infinite emptiness in your soules then you have been forced to return and come home unto your father emptie naked ashamed miserable lost and undone And till this be there is not one of the sons of men ever can come home or return to their fathers house not untill they have nothing at all left no goodness no love no wisdom no power c. but see that all these are in their Fathers house and nowhere else Being perswaded that there is bowels of love there is the rich robe there is bread enough there is the embraces there is the kisses of love there is the dancing and the melodie Till this day comes the Prodigal is never received with joy his Father never falls upon his neck and kisses him Beloved I appeal to every soule here this day and to all the poor received Saints and people of God if they have not found all these things fulfilled in them and a thousand times more after this manner more then ever can be exprest Have all
free ye shall be free indeed They every moment committed sin and were servants to sin and rejected Him that would have made them free and yet were ignorant thereof and still justified themselves so that Christ could not be a Deliverer to them notwithstanding he continually preacht this Doctrin in their ears He would have spiritually made them free-men indeed and he could never convince them of their bondage that so he might have made them Free And this Freedom is beyond all other freedoms This is that perfect Law of liberty which Iames speaks of Iam. 1.25 Jam. 1.25 All other deliverances are but imperfect deliverances without this And in Rom. 6.22 sayes the Apostle Rom. 6.22 being made free from sin and become servants to God yet have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life for when ye were servants of sin ye were free from righteousnesse From all which Scriptures it appears that never any were or could be made free and set at liberty but onely by His power and by His Eternal right hand t is not all the Power Wisdom Righteousnesse Endeavours Rules Strictnesse Conformity that all or any of the sons of men could use could ever deliver them from their bondage to the least sin though they may pretend a godly reformation forsooth and strictnesse of walking and sticking close to God and walking up to their knowledge and to their strict rules yet they were never yet freed nor delivered from any one sin by Jesus Christ nor ever left any one sin from any good end but the Devil in them hath only shifted shapes and left or put off some particular sins which were not profitable or convenient or stood not with their credit but he hath caused them to take up Forms to cover the defilements of their hearts and of their inward man which notwithstanding all their shewes is full of rottennesse hypocrisie and all iniquity And again the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.22 He that is called in the Lord being a servant is the Lords Freeman 1 Cor 7.22 likewise he that is called being Free is Christs servant Therefore ye are bought with a Price be not ye the servants of men All that are once made free by Christ they cannot be servants to men that is to those things men are so subject to yeild obedience to they not only ought not but cannot serve those lusts that men serve when Jesus Christ has set the soul Free they will be onely servants to him They will not be servants to the world nor servants to their own will they cannot go where they list but they are girded to wait upon the will of their Master as Christ told Peter when thou wast young thou girdedst thy self John 21.18 and walkedst whither thou pleasedst but when thou art old another shall gird thee and lead thee whither thou wouldest not Christ Intimating thus much to him that while he was young and in the state of unregeneracy he followed his own will and girded himself and did what himself pleased but hereafter he should not do so but he must serve his Master and his commands should gird him and rule him he should be girded by Christ and should cross his own will and follow his Masters in whatever service he should command And truly Brethren he that is thus made a Servant by Christ he is truly a free-man and a Citizen of Heaven And thus to have experience of Christ in us to be the Deliverer to know him to feel him and to rejoyce in his salvation there is none like this to see HIS mighty power and his strong arm delivering thy soul from the powers of Hell and Darkness And holding this forth not onely by the Prophets and their pointing at Him but chiefly in holding this forth in Himselfe by all his external actions what a mighty Mystery is this yea such a Mystery as none knows but only he who is delivered Indeed men talk of it and run over it in words but to Feel Christ a Captain a Conquerer a Deliverer in them this is that Mystery that neither the Pharisees nor all the Learned nor all the wisdom nor industry of man could ever yet comprehend for it is spiritually discerned In this sense the whole Scriptures are a Book sealed and a Garden walled about Rev. 5.1 Cant. 4.12 and a Fountain shut up few can make this out in their own experience they can tell you a story of Abraham and David and Peter and Paul but that they are the men no such matter they can neither make out the way the manner nor the means how their souls were brought out and delivered from the pit nor from out of the mire and clay nor how their fetters were broken off nor how their eyes were opened nor how their anckle-bones received strength Acts 3.7 for how can they when they never found they were in prison or under death or condemnation they were never blind Mat. 13.42 nor deaf nor dumb But t is onely the Scribe that is instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven can bring out of his treasures things new and old what Christ did in him at first and how he carried him on and how he brought him out and set him at liberty And truly Beloved there is one thing among others that I would gladly speak out that every man may examine himselfe The world hath made a great noise and made great boast of what they have received by Jesus Christ and what Freedom he has purchased for them what a mighty and wonderful redemption he hath wrought by One Act of his suffring and dying upon the crosse in the days of his flesh or at least as some say by all his actions and suffrings And this is their Anchor hold their hope and their trust because he hath purchased thereby Heaven and Salvation for them And if they do but perform the condition on their part viz. Beleeve then all is theirs all his Riches Glory Peace Redemption Salvation Heaven and all that is in Jesus Christ But alas alas what 's all this to any man if he do not experience the truth thereof in himself and have not Christ formed in him and he be not baptized into his death Col. 3.1 and have not experience of his Resurrection in himself to be risen with Christ to seek those things that are above In a word what is all thy external faith and beleeving if thou doest not know the Mystery of that appearance For He is the Lamb slain from the beginning Rev. 13.8 he is yesterday and to day and the same for ever He is that Eternal Sacrifice which is once and for ever offered up and presented to the Father He is to this day from the foundation of the world not only crucified at Jerusalem but he is crucified in all ages in Sodom and Egypt as Saint John witnesseth Rev. 11.8 And their dead bodies speaking of those two Eternal Witnesses which ever stood
not of nor cannot conceive of And therefore all the world whether professing Christ or not they not eating of this Divine food they starve and die and eat nothing else but death the curse and damnation And yet what a noise and a busling there hath been in all ages about the forms and shadows of things and what censuring and condemning each other for not having a uniformity which can never be for they only dwelling in the letter and upon externall things they see not the spirit and the mysterie the life and the true bread 1 Gor. 10.17 But those who eate of the true bread they are one body and one bread for they are all partakers of that one bread with them there is a unity and a uniformity and nowhere else there can be of which men have heard a talk and report and they speak of such a thing but they know not what it means nor how to come by it for none can come at it but those to whom this bread is given and they onely can say experimentally Joh. 6.55 his body is bread indeed and his blood is drink indeed 1 Gor. 10.16 And they only can give witnesse of the True Communion of Saints and know the happinesse and true pleasure thereof and what heavenly sweetnesse is therein All harmonizing and giving testimony to This One alone Great Deliverer and This wonderfull None-such Deliverance No unity like this unity nor love nor peace like this peace which they have in Jesus Christ Their only Deliverer THE SAINTS Perfect Freedome OR Liberty in CHRIST asserted In opposition to all Yokes of Bondage By Mr. Jo. WEBSTER Preached at Alhallows Lumbard-street SERMON II. GALAT. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage WE have already spoke something from these words according as God was pleased to give forth to us The Apostle in the former Chapter having spoken of the difference between the two seeds shewing that the one was the Heir the son of the promise and the seed of the Free-woman and was to inherit all the blessings The other was the son of the Bond-woman who was always in bondage with her Children and was to be cast cut and rejected for the Son of the Bond-woman shall not be Heir with the son of the Free-woman Now the Apostle with these Galathians had taken great pains and he had as it were Gal. 4.19 travailed in birth with them to bring them to Christ and to have him formed in them and they being made children of the Free-woman He comes in this verse to exhort them to stand fast in that deliverance wherewith Christ had made them free and to stand fast under the true obedience of Christ and not to be entangled or to give eare to any other Doctrine for all Doctrine and all other Government was no other but A yoak of bondage And the point we then stood upon was this That Jesus Christ was the only Deliverer from bondage wherein we shewed that every beleever was Christs true free-man Doct. and no man was ever delivered and set free from bondage but only and alone by Jesus Christ And we spake something to shew you how Christ was the Deliverer Esa 7.14 whom I shewed you was IMMANUEL God in us he being manifested and brought forth in us Col. 5.27 then he was the hope of Glory and never till then For man is set free by no other nor no lesse power then the power of the Father even the very same power which raised up Iesus from the grave Eph. 1.19.20 The very same sets every beleever at liberty And was that which freed him from his bondage broke off his shackles loosed him from his chains and delivered him out of prison We shewed hence the folly and madness of all those who went about or had any hope or expectation of freedom by any other way but only by Jesus Christ alone and how vain all the endeavour of man was till Christ was pleased to set him free for where the spirit of Christ is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is liberty and nowhere else This Liberty will abide and men may stand fast in it but all other liberty is but a delusion and will fail and come to nothing whatever peace or power or righteousness is brought into any soul by any other means it will fail and deceive him that puts confidence therein But where Christ has set a man free there is real freedom and his work will abide and shall receive a reward 1 Cor. 3.14 In the next place we shewed that this Deliverer all his works were spiritual they were not wrought in a carnal and fleshly way It was not externall forms nor outward rules nor disciplines nor gathering into fellowships nothing of this nature could set the soul free but onely the infinite power of Jesus Christ himself And having laid these things down we would now come nearer to our selves that every soul here may examine it selfe to see what witnesse it can bear to this doctrine whether they can testifie and beare out their witnesse in experience that Christ hath been their Deliverer or no and whether this deliverance have been wrought in them I doe not here come to ask any what he can say in words or what he hath by notion by reading or hearing or by custom or education but Art thou come to thy Deliverance by the spirit and power of Christ Hast thou found in thy selfe that all thy wisdom power endeavours all thy rules and strict walking could never deliver thy soul from one lust but that thou wert forced to renounce all as weak and abominable being utterly lost and stript naked in thy selfe being made as weak as any other man Judg. 16.17 and that all thy power working acting reforming was but a meer forced thing and nothing therein done by the power of love and by the spirit of Christ in thee that all thy glorious shews of faith and holinesse and strictnesse in conversation was but meer shews and pictures and that thou thy selfe wert but as sounding Brass and as a tinckling Cymbal and all thy profession and religion meer aire apparition 1 Cor. 13.1 emptiness and in truth A Ly and no such thing However thou hast been carried out upon divers considerations and hast had many glorious speculations and high expressions which to thy selfe and others have seemed rare and glorious yet I say except thou canst make these things out as done and acted in thy self by Jesus Christ be assured all thy words and high profession is nothing But hath Jesus Christ been thy Saviour thy Deliverer hath he opened thy eyes and thy ears raised thee from death to life have thy anckle-bones received steength from him Are those miracles spoken of which he did in the flesh done in thee Acts. 3.7 Are thy bones broken Ps 91.3 and is thy soul
escaped from the snare of the Hunter Hast thou really seen thy selfe lost undone made miserable hast thou seen that thy self was in Captivity and that thou wast deaf and dumb and blind and lame that thou wert shut up in darknesse and death and that there was none in Heaven or Earth able to help thee in the least but thou seeing thy selfe so miserable and hopeless that thou wert at thy wits end and no help at all appeared If this have not been thy condition though thou couldst speak never so excellently of the Letter and the History and though thou submittedst to the highest forms and to the soberest and most strict course of life being constant and austere in observing of thy rules for hearing and reading and set times of prayer and constant examining thy self to keep thy selfe up the stricter to thy Rules alas poor soul all this is nothing though thou couldest speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels 1 Cor. 13.1 and pray with such sweet words and language as might ravish all the men on earth If thou doest not finde Christ Jesus in thee breaking every bond and loosing every yoak and that no other in Heaven or Earth could do it but he thou wert never yet delivered but art still under wrath death and bondage The chief thing that every soul is to mind in reading and hearing is to examine whether the same thing be wrought in them whatever we find in the Letter if it be not made good in us what are the words to us we must see how Christ is crucified and buried in us and how he is risen and raised from death in us the chief thing I say is to look into our own breasts All generally that hold forth a profession of Christ they say in words that Christ is the Deliverer but that is not the thing but is he a Deliverer to thee Is that glorious MESSIAH promised Rom. 11.26 and the Deliverer out of Sion come with power into thy soul hath he exalted himselfe there and hath he made bare his arm and been a glorious CONQVERER in thee hath he taken to himself his great power to raign in thee Rev. 11.17 Is he King of Kings and Lord of Lords in thee c. Beloved all preaching and reading and praying and duties is to this end to examine thy inward man and thy spiritual condition Thou joinest thy self in fellowship and walkest conformable to all thy rules and thou art washed and thou breakest bread with them and thinkest herein thou hast obeyed the commands of Christ alas this is nothing if Jesus Christ have not joined thee to himself and made thee a member of him what good doe all these things for by all these outward actings thou dost not discern the Lords body To discern the Lords body is to eat him to be united to him to be made one spirit with him that so he may be made experimentally a Saviour and a Deliverer in thee That he hath taken thy soul out of the mire and clay Ps 40.2 and out of the horrible pit thou canst say experimentally and by feeling that it was an horrible pit and that there thy soul stuck fast and thou hadst no hope ever to get forth and if Christ hath set thee free thou knowest full well no power could do it but only his Eph. 1.19 only the same power which raised Jesus Christ from the grave and no lesse And thou whoever thou art who hast experience of this work thou art in one of these two conditions either thou art set free and delivered by the power of Jesus Christ or else thou seest thy self in the pit in straits in misery in a hopelesse condition and art sighing and groaning for deliverance and waiting when Christ will deliver thee And if thou beest but in either of these two conditions thou art in a safe and good Condition but if thou hast been in this misery and condemnation and thou hast used all means to put this off and sought out deliverance for thy selfe and by thy wisedome and strength and conformity and holinesse hast got thy selfe a covering by any thing under Heaven then Jesus Christ never was a Deliverer to thee but though thou thinkest thy selfe delivered yet thou art for all thy peace and for all thy Coverings under a worse bondage then before Therefore I say I would have every soul before me examine it selfe whether he be a true seeker of Deliverance which is to examine in which of these two Conditions he is in whether he hath been under these Terrors and death in hell and condemnation seeing himself lost and miserable and that instead of seeing any wisdom or power or righteousnesse in himself that he hath seeen and doth still see himself to be a meer sink of sin and a cage of unclean birds and that in him is nothing but weaknesse Rev. 18.2 wickednesse and all abominations And let me ask thee when thou wast in this condition whither wentest thou for help whether to dumb Idols that could not help that have eyes and see not and ears and hear not or to the living God in whom alone is help and deliverance And if thou art at present in this condition and distresse Joh. 5.4 thou art one that lies waiting at the pool till the Angel stir the waters expecting when Christ will put thee in Thou wilt not run to this duty and that form to ease thy self and to allay these Terrors and to quench these flames but if help come not there thou waist and there thou standest and remainest in this condemnation and goest up and down sighing and mourning all the day long and thou seest t is not in the power of all the Ministers under Heaven not in all the forms and rules that can be invented but only in the tender mercy and good will of Jesus Christ All other wayes thou lookest upon but as going out to Asher Hos 7.11 and to Egypt and to seek after dumb Idols that have a picture of eyes and ears and hands promising as though they could help but they can neither see nor hear nor help though to others they appear glorious and goodly things and they blesse themselves in using them yet to thee they are dead cold and helplesse so that now here thou waitest and sittest alone like the Pelican in the Desart Ps 102.6 and there thou mournest and bemoanest thy condition and with David thou hast no rest in thy bones because of thy sins Ibid. 38.3 Try thy self now in which is thy condition if in neither of these thou art in a most sad miserable condition indeed and so much the more sad because thou seest it not Or it may be thou hast cured thy self and healed thy selfe but art not cured nor healed Jer. 6.14 but the Prophets have healed the Daughter of my people slightly as the Prophet speaks have not throughly discovered their iniquity to turn
not without demonstration enough that they do but flatter Christ with their MOVTHS when their hearts are far from him sayes Iehu 2 Kings 10 16. See my zeal for the Lord of Hosts but we know his zeal was but for himself So these men are offended if any thing be said to touch them or their wayes pretending dishonour to Christ and they cry out BLASPHEMY because it reproves their blindnesse or ignorance shewing that they are the blind leaders of the blind and both fal into the ditch Luk. 6.39 so do it out of pretence of love to Christ and zeal for the Lord of Hosts If so be it were so that they did make God their zeal and Christ their rest and their dependance as they would have all beleeve what is the reason that these men professing themselves Servants to Christ and Messengers from Christ what 's the reason I say they are so in love with the world who more hunting after Honour after Riches after Applause and in all things seeking themselves as much or more then others making no profession what 's the reason that they must come forth as messengers sent out from Christ and yet they must have two coats Mark 6.9 contrary to their Masters command and they must have their scrip and their bag and who more taking care to provide for the body for food and rayment and the like and yet they say they are doing the Lords work yet dare not trust their Master for outward things shall any man think these men have trusted their souls with him who dare not trust their bodies with him but they must have so much a year and they must indent with the people or else they will not work how say you are not these those that make merchandise of the word of God certainly these men can never make out themselves messengers from Christ 2 Cor. 4.2 approving themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God neither hath he Commissioned them nor given them their errand nor revealed his secrets to them but they run before they are sent and say thus saith the Lord when he sent them not Jer. 14.23 neither have they seen any vision as the Prophet saith Certainly these are not the men that preach the word of God out of a ready mind and constraint of love depending on the Lord for their recompence and reward 1 Pet. 5.2 but for filthy lucre sake These men never yet received the truth in the love of it in themselves but preach for honour and for praise and because it is a place in credit and this delights them and is very pleasing to the flesh and because they are had in honour and so much they will speak forth and no more then may stand with those things and they dare not venture either their honour or riches or credit c. upon the account of truth no not for their lives Are these of Pauls mind who cryed out woe is me if I preach not the Gospel but these men if they can have but the accomodations that attend a Minister in these dayes 1 Cor. 9.16 as riches and honour and praise and full tables and entertainments and feasting and uppermost seats and the like they will doe well enough for dispensing the Gospel and do that warily and tenderly enough without prejudicing their own esteem or offending others And are not these men faithful Stewards think ye as they would fain be esteemed that can thus order their wayes and keep up themselves and dare not for their ears commit themselves nor their works to the Lord nor to the Authority and power of truth in the hearts of men I am much grieved to see these things and yet who seem more zealous then these men who say they are doing their Lords work just so did the Pharisees up and down whom Christ so sharply reproves for Hypocrisie and Blindness and Covetousnesse and Deceivers c. being blind leaders of the blind and both fall into the ditch Mat. 15.14 But the reason of all this is because these men were never yet emptied in themselves they never took up the crosse of Christ Ibid. 10.38 or denied themselves but are rich and full and holy and wise and sober and very strict as they would be thought and think so of themselves for though they talk and babble of these things in a litteral way yet they never had them in experience but boast of things in another mans line 2 Cor. 10.14 15. and stretch themselves beyond their own measure borrowing this mans words and the other mans experience and because Paul and others have been witnesses to the truth and of high manifestations of God brought forth in them this they appropriate and arrogate and say t is their condition when t is no such matter but having a shew of humility and godlinesse they deceive the simple and are such who serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly and by good words Col. 2.23 and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple and are such who cannot give testimony to the truth in themselves they are full of curious collected choise words but if you bring those words to experience they plainly discover they know nothing of them but do indeed oppose the truth in themselves for they love honour and greatnesse and the praise of men of whom Christ saith plainly How can YEE believe who thus seek honour one of another and not that honour which commeth from God only Joh. 5.44 Certainly these men whatever they talk of Christ and preach of Christ and make a great noise in words yet they will be found to be no other but as sounding brass and tinkling Cymbals 1 Cor. 13 1 They will undertake to invite others to Christ and never found Jesus in themselves for no man can come after him but he that denies himselfe Mar. 8.34 and takes up his cross and follows him and though they in words and notions talk of self-deniall and selling all for the PEARL yet they are wise in themselves and holy in themselves and rich in themselves and they have a power to act in the waies of God and to conform them selves to the rule have these men sold all think you and though they say men are dead in trespasses and sins yet how many MVSTS do they lay upon them and doe Thus and Thus And whence is all this but because indeed they never yet followed Christ never yet found him never yet believed in him never yet denied themselves were never reduced to emptiness and nothingness but are still alive and whole in themselves except it be for a few outward neglects or omissions now and then and that they can make up again with a little double diligence and this is their way and herein lies the life and top of their Religion And truly brethren how can these things be otherwise Did the woman with the bloody
Attendants except by a Shop-keeper who seemed his Companion I doubt he scarcely discerns the cunning juglings of Romish JESUITES And I am sure he understands not Satans jugling in his own brest who hath bewitched him that he doth not obey the truth but oppose it Poor Creature he can see and discern others to be evil and wretched without him but knows not the familiar spirit in his own bosome that deludes and deceives him He saith this habit of sin is destroyed but tells not in whom where how far nor in what respect it is destroyed no alas all that must be understood by the Readers for he understands none of them at all It had been his part to have shewed how farre sinne as it is inherent in us by nature and habitual by exercise and custome is destroyed or annihilated doth there no relicts nor remnants of it remaine in a beleever what was that Law that Paul found in his members rebelling against the Law of his mind Rom. 7.23 and bringing him into captivity to the Law of sin was all sin both Original and Habitual destroyed ad killed in him If we say we have no sin 1 Joh. 1.8 we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And whereas he saith the Habit of Learning is not in the lest diminished much lesse destroyed I answer that it is destroyed in the same manner and in respect that sin is Rom. 6.12 to wit that it should not reign in our mortal bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof so is Learning destroyed that it should not reign in the sanctified soul nor take place of the divine teachings of the spirit of truth but be kept under and so be destroyed And I am sure the Apostle Saint Paul had more learning then this Armiger and yet in him it was so kept down and destroyed that he came not unto the Corinthians in the wisdom of mens words lest the Crosse of Christ should be made of none effect 1 Cor. 1 1â— And is not mans wisdome or learning destroyed according to the meaning of the Holy Ghost when it is made foolishnesse Cor. 3.1 If any man seem to be wise let him become a fool that he may be made wise and thus if the man had been blind indeed he had had no sin but he saith he sees Joh. 9.41 and therefore his sin remains Secondly he urges that the whole man with all his endowments is sanctified as 1 Thes 5.23 24. 1 Thes 5.23 c. c. And then concludes that either Learning must be sanctified or something remains unsanctified A wondrous learned Conclusion and sure it is with him a great absurdity to say that something remains unsanctified doth not some sin remain and can sin ever be said to be sanctified Therefore I plainly affirm that something remaines unsanctified and because it is a mystery to the man I shall a little open it There is mention made in the scripture of a double or two-fold man first the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse and this is the immortal seed of the second Adam that sins not but is sanctified throughout Secondly there is the old man Eph. 4.22.24 or the body of sin from the first Adam which is corrupt according to the deceivable lusts and this is to be put off and destroyed is never sanctified but must be burnt up with unquenchable fire and humane learning is the wisedom of this old man which is earthly sensual and devilish and must be put off and destroyed And the Scripture he alledgeth doth not say that the work of sanctification is done but in doing faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it Thirdly he saith that acquired Learning of it selfe and of its own nature is not sin and thinks he proves it by saying sin is a transgression of the Law and then supposeth no Law forbiddeth learning and asks where it is written Thou shalt not be learned c. I answer that still he is besides the limits of the Question for we are not disputing whether a man may be learned or not learned but whether acquired learning in a Theological respect as it is ignorant of the mystery of the Gospel be sin or not and in this respect I must tell him that it is a transgression of the Law of God and declared to be sinful and though it be not written Thou shalt not be Learned yet it is written that the wisdom of the flesh is emnity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be and it is undeniably true that whatsoever is emnity against the law of God and is not nor can be subject unto it is a transgression of it From whence the Argument lies thus All the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God But all acquired learning is the wisedome of the flesh Ergo All acquired learning is enmity against God The Major is the clear words of the Text Rom. 8.7 Rom. 8.7 If the Minor be denyed it is proved thus The greatest knowledge that man by acquisition can attain unto must needs be the wisdom of the flesh But humane learning is the greatest knowledge that man by acquisition can attain unto Therefore humane learning must needs be the wisdom of the flesh nay doth not the Text tell us plainly that all the imaginations of mans heart are evil Gen. 6.5 and that continually and is not all humane learning the imaginations of mans heart Joh. 3.6 and therefore evil continually And is not that which is born of the flesh flesh and flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God for to be carnally minded is death and is not all humane learning born of the product of flesh and so lusteth against the spirit and is therefore sinful and accursed Farther he saith And sure were learning either in it self sin or lesse unsanctified in a sanctified heart we should not finde the Apostle Paul giving thanks for it in 1 Cor. 14.18 1 Cor. 14.18 I thank God I speak with tongues more then you all c. What consequence is there in this may we not give thanks for things that are sinful many things are good as they come from God but made sinful in us and by us and may we not give thanks unto God for them seeing he gave them to us as they were good not as they were sinful Our affections desires and senses are all good as they are given to us of God but we exercising them in sin lusts may we not give God thanks for them because it is our faults that have made them sinful If Learning were plac't where it ought and mov'd not above its own sphere it were one of the greatest blessings that man enjoyes in this fraile life and is onely condemnable in a relative sense as it will intermeddle with the things of God and yet when