need nothing but more of the world that they might provide for their posterity there is all the care they have which made the Prophet cry Earth earth earth hear the Word of the Lord. In their Exercises they call a Psalm and either they or their Clarke read a verse at a time not too much for fear of cloying them and sweetned being meter and the people must sing to the praise and glory of God That they love the Lord with all their hearts that Gods Comandments are better to them then Gold and Silver and sweeter then the Hony and Hony Combe and divers such words whereas it is not in their hearts And thus the Almighty God is mocked by a company of poor soules that know not what they doe Yet by the report of their minister they are good Christians he dawbes with untempered morter and laies a little of his Tin upon them and so they passe for currant O what a reckoning will here be when the Lord comes to try and refine the sons of Levi who are reâ—embâ—ed to Tin they will be clean taken away God will have in his temple no other vessels but Gold and Silver that they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousnesse then shall the offerings both of Judah and Jerusalem be acceptable unto the Lord as in the old time Aagain Tin is a dry metall and by reason of its drynesse when it is bended it will creek those that are Mineralists know this that Tin of all metalls is dry Shall it be said that the Clergy is so it may be said they are dry and thirsty too their drinesse appeares that they have but little good within them and their thirst declares that they would draw what they could to them for their drynesse it appears by their charity peace contentation and humility let them examine themselves I would none of them were to be blamed but found to be Sions builders yet being my duty I must speak what I know and have found them to be I charge not all that are or have the name of Ministers but the corrupt ones they are uncharitable contentious greedy proud and persecuting some there are I would set down their goodnesse if I could perceive any they are quite dry of all goodnesse But this is not all they are thirsty that is they are covetous their desire above all is large for they desire rich Benefices fair houses farmes dairies land living store of tithes all mens good will their servants their cattell their gold and silver what not if these be not like Tin in its drinesse then no men are But they are so and therefore the Lord will melt-them We may observe that in the Temple there was much Gold Silver Brasse and Iron used but no Tin in the new heaven Rev. 21.1 and new earth that coms dowen from God there will be no Tin this Tin was never found but where Apostacy was and when Almighty God removeth away our Apostacy then will he take away all our Tin Again Tin when it is bended it will creek and cry it makes a noise and by that signe many knowes it to be Tin and different from mixt metals will Tin when it is bowed and bended creek and cry And what do the Clergy when things goes contrary to their outward peace and welfare how do they cry till a deliverance comes till a repair is made this is sufficiently experienced what excellent shifts they use above all men that lost in the late warrs they were soonest repaired they will not ly long in a trouble or in adversity but they will cry to their gods whether favourers of Episcopacy or Presbytery they are sure to speed rather then not they will passe upon them a Romish sentence which some poor Ignoramusses stand in fear of and helpes them out of his tender minde saith he a minister of the Gospell There be many such canonized for Saints that have done much for the worst Ministers which is to their further hardening I must say of them Matth. 6.5 as our Saviour Christ said verily they have their reward they have it already it is in their possession they have all they shall have let them look for no more for the unrighteous shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven What a do is there now with the Clergy there is news that their kingdom is at end that there is no need of them that they are Seducers and Deceivers that they preach for hire here is a great matter to bow them and bend them to make them creek and cry and do they not Survey their demeanour under this strange Academy they do cry out amain they travell much they spend their spirits much more then they did having mended their pace they say we are all undone if this light do continue If they cannot blow it out they cry for help help Judge help Magistrate help Justice help Lawyer help common men help poor help rabble and rascality I had almost forgot they cry for help to their God too and that at all publike occasions and meetings I cannot assure them that the almighty God will hear them although some men of authority do hear them my advice is from the Lord to them Let all flesh be silent before the Lord Zach. 2.13 for he is raised out of his holy place Fiftly Tin it will receive any impression easily Filius Dei was once stampt on the clergy when the sons of Levi Since was Jure Divino on some on others such a Lords Chaplain They were at the beginning only Prophets and Priests but of late they have been leaving out the Romish Catalogue Bishops Doctours Bachelours and Masters As Tin will easily receive any stamp cognizance or badge so will the Clergy imbrace any place or name any title whatsoever to make their benefit great Yet in all this and notwithstanding all other impressions they claim the old stamp Filius Dei although they be not Silver but a mixt deceiveable metal so that they are in the world like unto bad coine which when some see the stamp they own the peece for good being afterwards upon better view or advice of others found to be bad and that no experienced party will meddle with it for good as it so past before then there is a stir and a mischief being a losse and a detriment to him that received and took it for good Even so the studied doctrines and speeches which is squeesed through the corrupt braines of some called Divines and brought through multitudes of words of Art Eloquence and Philosophy which is not consistent with the minde of God who is the Eternal and most holy God make much mischief in the world among the sons of men now Insomuch that men that are truly and purely inlightened will not medle with it and likewise doth forbid their brethren to have any thing to do with it knowing and understanding how formerly they were at a losse by it and
I will pardon all The same that Israel was in her time the same is the Church now scattered upon the face of the whole earth the Gentiles being succedaneous to Israel whereof England is a particular How hath God dealt with this Nation from time to time delivered it out of the hands of the Romish power Antichristian heresies and worship and from all the tyrannicall government and lords over our consciences Heavie things were upon us and some of us not sensible of it the innovations bowings and cringings at the name of Jesus and to the Altar Jure divino like to be long lived reformation feared as much as vassallage yet Almighty God with his own arm saved us and snatched us as brands out of the fire from the violence that was lately and delivered us from our enemies and hath wrought some reformation for us he lookt upon us as a people that were drosse and hath begun to refine But we like the Egyptians love the garlick and onions of our Countrey that that hath been vomited out would we willingly take up again And these few yeers wherein God hath shewed us much mercy and love both to our spirituall and temporall beings in much tranquillity and peace we have abused to our own lusts and have not followed that light which God hath sent amongst us but the dark and foggie mists of our own carnall hearts despising and persecuting the same so that we have given the Lord just occasion to complain of us that we we the church of England is drosse as the house of Israel was yet neverthelesse take comfort thy God wilt melt thee and thou shalt be as the word pure silver Secondly The house of Israel is drosse to me saith God as drosse and the drosse of silver Almighty God is a pure a holy and a good God there is nothing can remain or dwell with God but holinesse and purity holinesse becomes his habitation Hag. 2.9 the gold and the silver are his the drosse and drossie metals are ours By gold is understood the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit and by silver the word of truth the word of God yea the word God There can be no union between gold and silver and drosse for drosse is that imperfect matter which doth accompany metals and is to be severed from them at the first rise of them out of the earth and taken from the metall as the scum and film of the metall by a refining and a purging fire Drosse likewise is found among metals subject to rust and apt to receive into it self corruption being in vessels and this likewise by melting and refining is cleansed and made clear Drosse of it self is worth nothing yet it fixeth and abideth in metals and may be by the skilfull refiner brought to something being washed and purified Is England drosse see are they not like the house of Israel that were Idolaters and other kindes of sinners what sin is there that is not committed in England Hath not God lately and now at present made triall of us Mark 12.1 â— as the Husbandman did of those that kept his Vineyard he hath sent his servants to see what fruit we have for him and we yeeld him none at all but beat revile reproach and persecute his servants That light that he hath sent amongst us our fathers scarce heard of it but never saw it that discovers Antichrist the Beast and the Whore Antichrist to be man exalted in the flesh man the righteousnesse of man in us the Beast to be the man of sin that is man deceiving himself Gal. 6.3 thinking to be something when he is nothing for man of himself is nothing without God but as a beast and the Whore to be man that seems to live with God in the outward appearance or Church and lives on the traditions and inventions of men cleaving onely to the wisdom and fashions of men and not desiring God to be all in all Do we not hate the messengers of truth and sin with an high hand against the bounty and love of God falling to spirituall whoredoms and fornications like the Concubines and Harlots having a seeming heart for God but wholly yeelding of it up to the service of the Devil the world and the flesh hating those that tremble at the word of God casting them out for his names sake and say Esa 66.5 Let the Lord be glorified but mark the end the one shall have the appearance of God to their joy and they the others shall be ashamed What is the demeanour of the people of England in their profession Is it not meerly outside The more mercy and love God doth bestow on us the more we lift up our heels against him when we should live and praise him in the admiration of his bounty beholding our great dignity in and through Christ he hath called us to be his sons heirs of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken and fellow-heirs with Christ in that Kingdom he calleth us unto a union with himself my Tabernacle shall be among men Ephes 1. ult Col. 2.19 as he hath said We are his portion and he is our portion we are his fulnes having the increases of God yet notwithstanding all this we are wedded to fleshly services and forms and content our selves with the bare names of Christians denying the life and power of Christianity and do hate those that live in that power Our services and worship of God are as dead things not being done by our selves but by an Attourney we do not call on God by a dead Saint but by a living man who may be as dead having not the life of God in him neither hath attained to the first resurrection a poor service that is not in our own persons with our own hearts Many there are that neither call on God themselves neither do assent to the prayer of another but custom and fashion causes them to bring their bodies to a publike place where the poor blinde heart cannot tell what he comes for neither is he carefull being benummed what the issues of his sencelesse comming will be Is this the coming to Christ for life Is this the way to get acquaintance with God No this is that drosse and more there is like to it that doth accompany the good metall but it shall in time be cast out and then we shall learn of Christ for he is meek and not learn of those that are proud boasters haters of God inventers of evil things and despisers of the pure light and truth O that the Lord would shew men the deceitfulnesse of their own hearts that can be content with the husk and shell of Religion be ful of glorying in that Righteousnesse which they have gotten by outward meanes in their own wisdoms and imaginations and utterly neglect refuse and abhor the inward binding of their souls up in union by Christ with the Father in the free Covenant of Grace and
if they differ in the least from the will of God must be cast out For not onely humane reason but divine reason not sanctified can may or ought to have any power in the ordering placing or disposing of any worship of God The will of God onely is the reason of his own worship and mans reason can be no ground for such a structure which his art and science defileth as separate from the will of God Non vox sed votum non musica cordula sed cor Non clamans sed amans clamat in aure Dei Much might be said concerning the drosse that is among the pure metall In plain termes the corruption the filth and the uncleannesse that is among professing people that professe to be the people of God and are civilized exceedingly that to the eyes of the World are almost spotless but when God comes to try by fire then will their filth and drosse appear Prov. 7.3 Solomon saith As the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold so the Lord tryeth the hearts The outward visible actions of professours that is so much accompanied with outward decency in the behaviour keeps off the inward purity that the soule should be exercised in in the sight of God Curisity in duties outwardly done in the sight of man hinders the inward integrity invisibly to be done with God Therefore it is that the exercise of Religion which should cure and eject our drosse by an addition of more filth and impurity in that which should speak purity and life it doth kill and brings death The shining beames of Gods most pure and holy Spirit shining in us causeth our actions and duties through that most pure Light to be living and become a living Sacrifice acceptable to God But duties done visibly and audibly Rom. 12 1â— onely in the body the minde and will being carried on to the satisfaction of the outward spectacle resting in the forme custom use and manner woundeth and slayeth the spirituall and invisible part where the receptacle should be for the living Sacrifice For men to go about to make themselves like God in their own wills doth derogate from the nature of obedience and doth manifest that they are the sons of emnity but yeelding themselves up submitting unto embracing that which is crosse to their wills desiring to be ruled and guided by that good counsell which is of God maketh the purest sacrifice It pleased God by these comparisons of metals to discover what his people are and how they are different in purity from himself which is most pure and holy let therefore all men that live in a profession not stand upon the purity of it for the Whore sits upon waters there is many baptisms of water but the baptisme of fire is that that God will purifie his people withall and that that hath quenched this many yeers Mat. 3. must now be dried up by the fire of the Lord and it will burn up all and dry up all For our God is a consuming fire Experience this ye that are called godly you cannot be God-like which is the Old language untill the Lord God hath consumed all flesh within you and there be nothing in you but the Lord God All in All. Thirdly God saith that Israel is Brasse and Tin and Iron and Lead What Israel was and what England is by these comparisons of metals the Lord will make known to us These severall metals are of severall natures and qualities some by art counterfeiting the richer metals of Gold and Silver which are figures of Himself and of his word These metals are very apt to rust and to receive and embrace the same and so are accounted drossy metals yet very vsefull as to the World ordained by the great Creatour in their severall kndes for severall necessitous negotiations in the world They have their breeding and their generation in the earth and being from thence and thereout they must passe through a strong blowing fire before they come to perfection and be fit to officiate the use service and the end the great Creatour made them for as to the use of the world wherein is seen a great deal of the glory of God in the excellency of his creation in the various qualities of them as doth also appear in all other things created by God How is Israel Brasse and Tin and Iron and Lead wherein and in what are they such metals The people of Israel here named are thus in divers respects First They are Brasse in their men of power Rulers Governours Magistrates Justices and Arbiters Secondly They are Tin in their Prophets Teachers Guides and Ministers Thirdly They are Iron in the people of Trafficke Commerce Trade and merchandise and in them that exercise to the support of the Nation Fourthly They are Lead in the poor and mean in people of low degree First see what Brasse is and how it may be said that Rulers Governours c. May be as brasse Brasse is a compound metall made and contrived of Copper and Calamy which metall so composed hath a lustre like gold by its mixture and the more usefull for it's mixture So are those that are called to high places of Government they are not barely naturalists onely men as borne simply themselves naturally But there is a mixture composed with other ingredients in them of natural endowments fit for their places of learning experience knowledge understanding and rightly to censure as also to execute as to the World the things matters and causes that are under their dispensation and their determination and herein as brasse hath a lustre like gold so have the Governours c. a lustre beyond other men Hence it is that there is and hath been at all times an honour and a respect given unto them being the greatest instruments under the arme of God for the peace the welfare and the good of people in the Nations under them I have said You are Gods and you are all Psal 82.6 the children of the most High Christians have had at all times respect to their governours for Gods sake they are set up of God By me kings reign c. Rom. 13.1 There is no power but of God wherefore resist not the powers they that doe shall receive to themselves judgement But whence is the complaint that the Lord makes that Israels Rulers are Brasse something is the matter God Almighty expecteth that they should not onely doe and execute the common and ordinary businesse as to the World but that they should stand up like men in the cause of God to distribute justice impartially and as in his stead to curb and punish the evil doers and to defend and preserve those that do well encouraging others also to live in their wayes that they should be as nursing fathers and nursing mothers Esa 49.23 they should defend the innocent and acquit him and execute justice on the nocent The cause why the Lord complaineth
that hate you and perâ—ecute you and they neither blesse nor pray except they pray to have mi chief fall upon such as would shew them their blindâ—nesse and hypocrisie which they do discover by their converse with the poor for what is said unto the poor weak and ignorant by them is voted for good commended and applauded they speak well of them that know them not for many do live by the rule of custome and so the Minister is honoured more out of ignorance and custome or for some preingagements then any other way else but forsowing of pillowes under theâ—e bowes of men of higher degree Ezek. 22.28 Jer. 6.14 8 11 1 Thes 5.3 and speaking peace when they have no warrant from the Lord this makes the rich worldling also to hold with them and plead for them 3 Furthermore besides Tin mixing with metals it doth also beautifie other metalls it doth put a fairer glosse and luster upon metals then they have of themselves it becomes as a coat or a cloake on them as for example Tin covering brasse makes it very like Silver as that we call Alkemy how many have been deceived by this sort of contrived metals in vessels instruments and in coine taking it for good Silver when being Brasse it hath onely a coat of Tin upon it Thus doth the Clergy they put another hue and countenance upon the Magistracy then they have of themselves their associating with them their frequent conversing with them their discoursing with them and their advizing and counselling of them makes the world seeing their familiarity to judge them to be as they are which suppose to be the pure metall of Silver and so as in their judgement they conceive well of the Minister so do they of the men in Authority because are together often in converse and in discourse Thus the world comes to be deceived to build their confidence upon hay and stubble which the fire will consume although the praise the minister giveth makes the party the more in respect it is but of the men of the world but the Almighty God knoweth the heart and that one doth spoil and corrupt the other Esa 5.20 for the Ministers as well as the old false prophets are apt to call evil good and good evill and so there is a wo pronounced against them Again Tin it doth beautifie iron and makes it seem as Tin by which iron we understand the worldling he that is nothing but Iron that regardeth nothing but the world and the profits of it it makes him seem to be that he is not to be as the Tin is that is like his Preacher and his teacher witnesse many wretched worldlings whose intimacy with their Preachers Amos. 3.3 their resorting to him their familiar society walking and talking with them as agreed makes the people of the world to take them for no worse then their Preachers although like Iron they be never so hard and cruell lying as iron in the earth untill the earth hath turned them to earth Thus doth the Ministry for their worldly ends keep company with the men of the world as long as they live and sometimes before they die like Ravens about a beast they visit him often for their prey sake and when they are dead they put an eternall fame upon them worth sometimes five pounds This good man this just and upright man this man that loved the word a constant hearer and frequenter of the Church and the Ordinances of God and charitable to the poor as appeareth at his death he is now in Heaven after which if a monument of him pietas virtus sanctus if not sanctissimus c. must be part of his Epitaph and so the ministers doe not only vernish and colour the worldlings and the corrupt minded here while living but indeavor to perpetuate and eternize their fame and all this for the succeding expectation of the like reward Saint Paul became all things to all men that he might gain some that is some to Christ into the house of God into the Kingdom but shame it is that Ministers are become all things to all men that they might gain some of the world with them but to gain them to God to Christ if a sermon or two once or twice a week will do it well if not what care they they look for their fleece and therefore they do with their people of eminence as servants that flatter their masters fearing their frownes and that they shall be losers if they speak out their mindes really and not to their masters affection or to his gaine being asked is this well don though perhaps ill don yea say they it is well done or otherwise if they say it is best or may it be lawfull for me to do thus or thus though perhaps unlawfull saies the servant knowing his masters affection and the purpose of his minde yea you may lawfully do it if otherwise that the master be crost away then if they speak contrary to their mindes and waies Should a Minister speak against a rich worldâ—ing and come to him as Nathan did to David and say thou art the man it is as much as his place is worth witnesse certaine places and towns that might be named where it is in the power of the chief men of the place there the preacher must be wary Lastly it doth colour and set a glosse upon the earth it makes that to shine for all the earthen vessels Matth. 6. that are shining white vessels they are made so with Tin very fair clearâ— and pure to the eye but the matter chiefly whereof they are made is earth The Clergy doth beautifie and colour the earth and earthly minded people who as their Disciples do follow them making them to seem that they are not for they appear to men to pray to hear to live orderly among others when they are but onely civilized there is nothing within that is changed the same that came into the world the same remains inwardly in their hearts yet honest men good men this is the Tinny approbation they give them when poor ignorant souls there is nothing in them but blindenesse of minde darknesse of understanding and clean contrary to God and his Word meer earth They are told by their Minister If they come and hear him and pray and observe their Church duly they need not be so scrupulous and so full of inquiry after things that do not concern them tradesmen should not come from off their shopboard and leap into Election and Predestination Bishop Pearce of Wells but follow their callings so holding them in the outward forme feeding cherishing and nourishing them in blinde hypocrisie they cannot perceiâ—e what the change means Iohn 3.4 like to Nicodemus they wonder at a new birth and yet they think themselves to be as good Christians as any in the world they see themselves to be full Deut. 32.1 Isa 34.1 Jer. 6.19 22 29. and to
when the weather of affliction comes it weares away the silvering and then the Iron that rusteth and becomes earth and so all is worth nothing Secondly Iron is subiect above all metalls to rust and so looses not onely his beauty and his colour but also his strength yea his very substance for by lying in the earth it is turned unto earth Iron never so well cleaned and beautified will lose his colour let it be from the fire the fire doth preserve it standing or being used neer it So long as the fire of God anger is neer the worldling so long is he of a bright hue and countenance and some appearance of God is in him But when his corrupt heart joyneth it self to earth or to the waters that is to lie in the earth in his earthly and carnall minde and not be brought out of it but there remains still in its own element it becomes afterwards to be very earth it self by rusting in it How is the worldling by loving the world cleaving to it and delighting in it loving it with all his heart with all his minde with all his soul with all his strength exercising all his understanding art cunning and wisdome in the prosecution of it adding more and more to his desire and to his endeavours still unsatisfied so that in the end he becomes infinite in his desires being without bounds or limits no word or counsell can restrain him but colours the unmeasurable desire of still obtaining with the shew of good husbandry and thrift and therein thinks he doth God good service in the exercising of his talent and pleads for his most covetous and wretched practises which is the height of all wickednes to plead for it and to defend it against all the perswasions that can be urged So that the lying in this earthly minde and will without any remorse at all makes him to be very earth he is eaten up and devoured of his own earthly sensuall and worldly pursuings that there is nothing of God in him neither of Religion being thus centured hence it comes to passe that being present at any meeting where any thing of God is spoken though he be present in body he is absent in minde and either his minde wanders his thoughts runs out into the world or else heavie and sleepy in such places and at such exercises declaring plainly that he hath no love at all to God his Word or Religion the talke of it is tedious to him he cannot bear it it is to him as an unsavoury or an unrelishable dish of meat being offensive to him it must be taken from him or else he will depart Lamentable is the case of worldlings in respect of their loving the treasure of the world whereas being men made with a face directed to look upward they look downwards alwaies groveling in the earth like beasts And this is not all but there are some who live and center themselves in the pride and pleasure of the world what the world affords them they do embrace it and make their chief delight and joy in it the proud man that is proud of his estate means lands livings friends or his place or office is here concernd in this resemblance of iron and he living here in the onely service of his voluntary and high minde adâ—ancing himself above others and thinking himself in his proud conceit to be better then others staveth off from himself all good counsell to humility that in the end he is swallowed up into such an extream deluge of pride being hardened in it that nothing will work upon him his rust and filth of his proud minde doth devour him The like may be said of such as give themselves up wholly to pleasure and can see no benefit at all to themselves but onely the pleasure yea the pleasure that the world yeeldeth them that they take as their portion and dreams of a Heaven that is of such like condition Beware oh ye that love pleasure more then God for your end is damnation and while you live thus not owning God or the pleasure and pleasantnesse of His countenance you are so rusted with lying in pleasure that nothing but earth and the transitorinesse of that pleasure shall be your reward and are devoured by that wherein your flesh delighted Doth God complain that his people are Iron great cause there is for it for the greatest part of the world are as Iron hard and stiffe cruel and strong worldly covetous proud and living in pleasure consider this ye that do forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you although you are as strong and as hard as Iron the Lord can finde away to weaken and soften you the fire of his wrath will do it there is nothing too hard for the Lord hath he said and shall it not be done Break off therefore your sins by repentance and your iniquities by shewing of mercy be liberall and bountifull in the distribution of what God hath given you to the poor make not the earth your own it is the Lords and he giveth it to the sons of men Boast not of any worldly thing it is all vanity your wisdom your strength your riches honour and dignity and all shall passe away as a vaine thing Eccles. 2. Solomon had all his heart could desire of all the pleasurable things of the world and when he had considered all he saw all to be vanity and vexation of spirit and that there is no profit under the Sun Fourthly and lastly let us see how Israel is said to be Lead in the poor mean and people of low degree Lead is a metal that is soft and waighty it is pliable and will receive any impression and it hath silver contained in it not to be seen it is also malleable Of all the former metals this hath the least esteem yet the best metall considering the good qualities of it being soft and pliable and retaining something of silver 1 Is Lead soft and pliable so are the poor of the world they are soft in their answers as Solomon saith A soft word appeaseth strife it is not for a poor man to stirre up strife his care is to peace giâ—ing good words diligent attendance suffering wrong he is soft being gentle and submissive he is soft in being friendly and serviceab e every way a poor man is soft not rough nor rigid nor high minded as the former sorts of men exemplified by other sorts of metals are 2 A poor man is also pliable as lead you may winde him and turn him any way put him to any buâ—…nesse speak any thing to him he is content to be of anothers judgement being ignorant â—oon perswaded do any thing for a livelyhood 3 Again a poor man like as lead will receive any impression any stamp call him what you will any title serves him he bears it because he cannot avoid it he is also as Lead malleable the
us in a mystery so that our knowledge without the mystery becomes a snare a bar to keep us from the life and light of God being proud thinking thou art something when thou art nothing Gal. 6. Get out of thy self into single-hearted humility deny the glory and same of thine own wit wisdom and understanding which is sprung up in thee from that evil seed is become that drosse in thee that hath defiled and corrupted the good metall so shalt thou finde the Lord and he will teach thee and instruct thee Psal 16.7 Psal 45. he it is that will give thee counsell without which thou art Antichrist and of the Whore let thy profession be never so shining for the Kings daughter is all glorious within Try and examine thy self O England whether thou dost obey the Lord thy God whether thou dost love him with all thy heart with all thy minde with all thy soul with all thy strength thou hast been catechized unto this Psal 81.8 but where is the exercise of it Hadst not thou need to learn it again of the Lord hear what God saith of Israel If they would have hearkened unto him and not have any other gods what blessings would he have brought upon them c The like might the Lord say of England See and behold thy gods of silver of gold of high places lands livings friends trade and the like Are not thy teachers thy gods whom thou servest and praisest Dost not thou idolize them for their parts of wit art humane learning and invention speaking things agreeable to thy palate and dost despise reject and refuse the inward teachings of God being thereunto wilfully blinded Why dost thou take the Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed Psal 50.20 Esa 1. 1 Cor. 4.5 Mat. 10.26 Or why shouldest thou think that God is as thou art consider this ye that forget God he will reprove you by his creatures the Ox and the Asse and other creatures by his judgements and by thine own conscience Forsake therefore thine hypocrisie and leave off thy lip-labour go from the falshood dwell no longer in Babylon neither delight thy self in the abominations of the Whore for her flesh shall be burnt and happy are they that have attained to this in particular and who are by the teachings of God made like to himself he that is built on the Rock need not fear undermining Tremble all you that live in blindnesse and ignorance that see not the mystery of God manifested among men God in union with man being new created cleansed purged purified and refined Will you still continue as young children to be bound up and swadled in swadling clouts Time was when the Church was in its infancie that it was needfull that it should be bound and limited with ordinances and fed with a little at a time being chewed by the Pastour which used Catechisticall forms having then no other attainments which salting kept the Church from a farther declension or putrefaction being introducible to a further and more cleare demonstration which now is lifted up and held forth namely the accomplishment of the promises whereby we do not only enjoy by faith the benefit of Gods goodnesse mercy and love as dis-joyned but his presence and abiding with us Are you not glad to hear of the beginnings of that which your forefathers did long to see are you content with the rudiments and traditions of men and forsake the inward teachings of God Take heed you do not turn the grace of God into wantonnesse and consult with the arm of flesh and be found fighters against God and his pure truth accounting the times of darknesse to be better then the taking up the Crosse by embracing and obeying the pure light without which you shall never see light nor enjoy the Crown Much might be said concerning the times and of the people that are in controversie in these our dayes the one would have this way the other that way every one seeking to be master over others their words and actions yea of their spirits too contemning one another and contending one with another insomuch that England is become as it were a Chaos of confusion and a nursery of Sects and Orders some binding up the spirit of Christ to the forms and orders of disputation setting foolish reason to be the Master or Judge in things concerning the kingdom of Christ giving out the meaning of the spirit of God without inward testimony perverting the holy Scriptures to their own destruction and others in severall various wayes broaching new doctrines not consistent with the minde of God insomuch that brotherly love hath been much impaired divisions increased and many revolted and rebell in their mindes against the Law and love of God Some stand much upon the ordinances and divine orders in stone-houses called Churches that their devout duties of lip-labour and preaching wherein is counterfeited somewhat of Christ is the onely way to life calling themselves the true Church and their Teachers true Apostles Others spend rheir time in disputing contending and brawling about sects idolatries opinions and judgements so that one party doth condemn and sentence another so that the ears and hearts of the Auditours are much infected with gall and bitternesse wilfully opposing one another crying down that for diabolicall that is not their own judgement whence proceedeth very dangerous effects of daily and most deadly provocations through a secret inward pride of minde working by envie and malice generated and bred in that gall exercising and urging one another by evil entreating by which it doth appear 1 Joh. 2.18 that there are many Antichrists in the world one persecuting and speaking evil of another Ephraim against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim and both against Judah These contentions among us do perfectly declare that the war spoken of is begun Rev. 12.7 betwixt Michael and the Dragon they that have received the unction 1 Joh. 2.20 Saint John speaketh of they know all things they need not be taught of men but they speak of it and that great tribulation shall be such as was not from the beginning all to bring to passe the promised thing It is much that the Devil the great red Dragon should make Heaven his place to war in so it is he is now warring against Michael in Heaven that is in religion in and among the Professors therof but the comfort is he shall not prevail although his angels make sport and recreation to fulfill the anger of God being the very fire of God and his bellowes also to blow up the fire they do onely his will in purging away the drosse of his people by their most fiery contentions brawlings revilings Zach. 8.10 Isa 66.5 and persecutions as if it were the very zeal of the Lords glory The people of God knowing that the Lord will purge and refine them do willingly yeeld themselves thereunto to be tried and purified
that can destroy them not for the love of his great power thaâ— burns and consumes sin and drosse in them they fear him because they are sinfull and do not convert and change but live in sin love it and plead for it But because God hates sin and sin is of such a defilin nature and makes us that we cannot be vessels for him therefore should we hate it Search and examine your selves ye sons of men thaâ— say you know God and are Christians and hope to bâ— saved by Christ Do you know God If you did yoâ— would know his people his Word his will his power his love his mercy his goodnesse and his tender compassion Can people say they know God and hate an persecute his Saints despise his Word resist his will regard not his power take nothing from God as love to them but what doth appear visibly in the things of the world that cannot see God mercifull to them when he doth afflict them that cannot conceive that God made them men out of his goodnesse that cannot apprehend God to be tender unto them in delivering them from their lusts from the snares of Satan and from the allurements of the world that cannot praise God for afflictions and rejoyce under crosses that fear death and being never renewed nor changed cannot tell what Heaven is neither is their desire to any other heaven than that that is like the happinesse of this world Should there be such a strict survey and enquiry made of the knowledge of God among us we should finde very few that do know God aright and truly as they ought and as the Saints of old did but imaginarily by relation by hear-say and by writings Who is it that knoweth God experimentally not onely to be his Creatour but to be his God Who is there that sheweth forth in a lively practice that he was made to glorifie God with and in his heart minde soul and strength that doth witnesse to the world that all his members and sences were deputed in their severall orders and places to honour and glorifie his Maker and not to make them vassals and drudges in the service of sin and Satan Who is there that doth exercise his affections in the things of God onely that leapeth and danceth as David did because of the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.14 that was recovered and brought again among the people of God Or who doth grieve and mourn to the death as old Eli and his daughter Phineas wife did 1 Sam 4.13 Jerem 9.1 Isai 22.3 because the Ark of God was taken they would not be comforted The glory is departed from Israel therefore life was nothing to them Are mens affections carried on or off according to the tenour of Gods will as for the glory of God Or are they set on the world and carried on to the contrary then there can be no true knowledge of God Who is there that the passions of his minde bends to the glory of God that is angry when the Lord is dishonoured his people abused truth despised Where is the zeal that David had Psal 69 9. which did eat him up he was not himself his zeal had devoured him Who is there that will adventure his life liberty goods estate credit or reputation for God If there be any such as are here enquired of surely they know the Lord. And all others that live onely in the Heathenish nature and run together with the multitudes to do they know not what and to they know not whom The Lord will make as many as doth belong to him to know him by his furnace and acknowledge him to be just holy and good as he hath declared himself to be so shall his people finde in themselves if there were no Scripture by their own testimony which is the best evidence and proof for no true knowledge can be but by the inward testimony other knowledge deceiveth for when men boast of their knowing God to be all-sufficient and that he knoweth best what is fit for them and if this be not radicall within by inward testimony when trouble and affliction cometh and the evil day approacheth they are ready to murmure against God and disdain his dealings whereby they testifie to their own hearts their own failings and that recoileth back that should go forwards witnessing by their impatiency and unquiet spirits that their knowledge of him was not true neither can there be any thing true but what will hold the fiery triall that makes us to know the Lord and to know our selves The people of God that are and have been melted they onely shall know the Lord and his indignation they shall not need to fear the wrath to come for wrath seizeth on them here they shall know the Lords wrath that it hath past oâ—er them and that there shall be no more and that his triall is that they might be the better that they might know God knoweth what all men are though men know not themselves Where no triall hath been and none of Gods indignation hath past over to melt refine purifie and purge out the drosse the filth and corruption which lieth hidden and covered within what ever metall-like shining there is or what gilded profession soever there is or whatsoever art or worldly wisdom there is there is nothing but death To know God inwardly savingly experimentally in all his attributes in all his dealings to know that his wrath here his indignation here worketh for our eternall good is the right knowledge that God will indue his people with for the true knowledge of God and a pure minde goes together being attained unto by the Crosse and by the true revelation of the Son of God made manifest in the flesh by his sufferings that as he overcame death and now sits at the right hand of the Father so might we also overcome and be fellow-heirs with him Away with the knowledge the world hath that cannot apprehend God to be good to them in time of distresse sorrow misery and calamity in the time of their triall but deem that they are out of Gods favour and lie down either despairing of happinesse looking without themselves and revile others which they conceive have been the cause of that that is fallen upon them The case of England is so at present because men cannot enjoy their pleasures and profits as heretofore and things are not according to their wils they lie down in discontent and rage against those that rule over them emulating reviling of them if not seeking their destruction Mark and behold what man is he is a polluted Psal 3. Isai 6. unclean filthy and a defiled creature how unable is he to do any thing to the cleansing of himself and to enter into life he cannot let him be what he will except he be cleansed as the brasse cannot make it self to be gold nor the Tin to be silver so cannot man approach neer to God