sitting And there appeared unto them cloven Tongues as of Fire and it sat upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance As their Commission was to preach the Gospel to all Nations so the Qualification for the Work was agreeable to the Commission Where Persons do pretend to the same Commission with the Apostles and that they have as large an extent of Power and Jurisdiction as they had and want the Qualification wherewith they were endued they carry saith the learned Dr. Owen the mark of Antichrist in their Foreheads That this Qualification for the first publishing of the Gospel did proceed from the Intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator for the gathering of the Elect out of the World will appear if we compare these two following Scriptures one with another Acts 2.32 33. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we all are Witnesses Therefore being by the right-hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Compared with Acts 10.34 35 36 43 44. Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of Persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel preaching Peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of Sins While Peter spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word In Acts 2.32 33. the Qualification is laid down without which Peter had been unable to preach the Gospel to those of Cesarea here is the Holy Ghost as a fruit of the Lord Jesus's Intercession attending the outward preaching of the Gospel and setting it home upon the Heart with Power the outward preaching of the Gospel being the instrumental means appointed to gather the Elect out of the World unto God Rom. 10.17 So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God By the Word of God here is meant the Declaration of the Gospel The outward Declaration of the Gospel doth contain in it these Truths appointed by God for the Salvation of the Elect the Holy Ghost removes the Vail of Darkness from the Heart subjects the Heart unto the Truth and inclines the Heart to join with it I come in the second place to treat of the ordinary Qualification to preach the Gospel without which a Person can have no real Satisfaction to his own Soul that he is called of God to that great Work and Service The extraordinary Qualisication and the ordinary Qualification do not differ in a different Declaration of Truths delivered but in a different work of the Spirit upon the Heart in discovering one and the same Truth the one having it by the immediate impulse of the Spirit of God overpowering all the Faculties of the Soul and making it stoop to the leadings of the Spirit in the other the holy Spirit works not so powerfully but by giving in of Light to behold the Truth already delivered in the Word and sealed by Miracle gives a Gift of utterance to declare it unto others For the clearing up this Qualification I shall compare two Scriptures Ephes 4.7 8. But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto Men. Which Gifts to Men he tells us in ver 12. are for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ the Body of Christ taking in the Saints until Christ's second appearance The Gifts here intended must be meant the ordinary Qualifications of the Spirit for the work of the Ministry as the means appointed by God to gather the Saints into one Body and to edify them when they are gather'd in until they be brought safe to the Mansions of Glory because the extraordinary Qualification did cease in a little time To clear up this a little further lock into 1 Pet. 4.10 11. As every Man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any Man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any Man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesut Christ to whom be Praise and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Here is contained in these words the Gift given from God the Father here is the Lord Jesus Christ through whose Intercession this Gift is given here is the nature of the Gift which is the Spirit 's inlightnings into the Oracles or holy Scriptures here is the twofold end God's Glory and the Saints Edification Where this Qualification is wanting the Soul can have no real Satisfaction that it is called of God to that Work and Service which I shall make appear by these following Rensons First Altho Learning be very serviceable in order to have recourse to the Original Text for the understanding the Letter of the Scripture in the Original for to stop the mouth of Gainsayers yet the Darkness which is upon the Soul by Nature is not thereby removed Neither can Learning of it self comprehend that inward Life and Virtue which breaths in the holy Scriptures The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Secondly Without this ordinary Qualification of which I have been speaking the Soul can have no real Satisfaction that it is called of God to the work of the Ministry of the Gospel because that altho by Learning many weighty Truths may be collected from the Writings of experienced Christians who have lived in the Power of Christianity yet the inward work of the Spirit being wanting in him that delivers them to others they give an uncertain sound there being a want of an inward sense of these Truths upon the Heart and often a great deal of Man's Corruptions mixt with them which they receive from the Vessel through which they pass Thirdly Without this ordinary Qualification of which I have been speaking the Soul can have no real Satisfaction that it is called of God to the work of the Ministry of the Gospel because without it the Heart is not engaged in the Work that such Persons take upon them neither are their Aims and Ends right in their entering upon this great Work nor in the carrying of it on the getting an outward Support in the World for themselves being the thing they are most concerned for Fourthly Without this ordinary Qualification of which I have been speaking the
take it up They look upon their Lord to be at present absent from them and therefore they are greatly concerned for his Truths white he is absent from the World they are willing to sacrifice their Interests in the World to the Interest of Christianity That Person hath great cause to question his Interest in Christ whose Will is not so far brought over to the Lord Jesus Christ as to become a Martyr for him upon the account of his Truths The Power to enable to go through so great a Work must come from God when call'd to it but they do not find a drawing back of the Will from it if he shall see it good to call them to it Being united to him what Privileges have they in present Possession and what Privileges have they in Reversion At present they are brought into the state of Children John 1.12 But as many at received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Through him they witness what it is to have recourse to God as a Father and to be owned by him as his Children In Reversion they behold by Faith an eternal Inheritance and a redeemed Body 1 Joh. 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Compared with Rom. 8.16 17. The Spirit it self heareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together The third thing is to shew how the Lord Christ is brought into Relation with God the Father and what those Privileges are that he enjoys by virtue of this Relation If I should speak of the Relation of the eternal Word with the Father which was from everlasting it cannot be declared by the Creature therefore to meddle with this were high Presumption I shall only speak of his Relation with the Father as the second Person in the Godhead join'd to our Nature and as so united he is stiled in Scripture the only begotten Son of God the Relation of his Divine Nature with the Father being not thereby dissolved but remaining firm and his human Nature taken in to share with the Divine Nature in this Relation And as so related he enjoys very great Privileges from the Father As first To share with him in Divine Honour Joh. 5.22 23. For the Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father As we honour the Father as the giver of every good thing to us we honour the Son as the way through which it is given ver 27. And hath given him authority to execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man That is he shall externally sit on the Tribunal or Judgment-seat at the last day and shall sentence all Persons to their eternal state I come now to treat of that Work which the holy Spirit carries on in the Souls of the Saints The Children of God being brought by the Light of the first Covenant to see themselves under the Penalty of the Law do come to witness by inward Experience the truth of the Apostle's words Rom. 7.10 And the Commandment which was ordained to Life to the first Adam while in Innocency is to them the Messenger of Death Actual Sins which they have committed against God with the Penalty annex'd to them are in the Glass of the Law presented before them they are so far delivered from the Rock of Presumption that they are in danger of splitting upon the Rock of Desperation but that an everlasting Arm is put under to support them To these heavy-laden Sinners are the Tenders of Grace through a dear Redeemer presented outwardly and these doth the Spirit draw inwardly The Sins that they have committed outwardly and the Corruptions that they groan under inwardly are brought with them to the Lord Jesus Christ they have nothing to recommend themselves by to the Redeemer but an inward fight and feeling of the Misery that they groan under they see a real need of a Saviour and to these when laid hold of by Faith he is precious The Evidence of a real Closure with the Lord Jesus Christ and the acceptance of pardoning Grace through him doth manifest it self in a differrent manner All the Children of God have not alike Evidence of a Closure some come only to witness a Faith of dependance on him and upon Grace through him while others are taken into his Arms and imbraced by him and drink deep of the Enjoyment of God through him To each of these Conditions as having received through rich Grace some inward Experience of them upon my own Soul I shall treat And first Of the Faith of dependance which doth discover it self to the Souls of God's Children in this manner The Soul hath strongly born in by the holy Spirit some such absolute Promise as this John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out They have the Evidences of the Father's giving them to him and of his driving them out of self-dependance to this Saviour they have the assurance in the Promise of his acceptance in these words him that cometh extended to every comer and they have the certainty of their Salvation that he will in no wise cast them out This or such like absolute Promises being not only born in but ingraven upon the Heart by the holy Spirit the Soul is inabled by Faith to feed upon and to rest upon for Comfort being throughly perswaded of the faithfulness of the Promiser and of his Ability to perform what he hath promised and from this doth the Soul draw inward Peace going a begging through the World for a more full discovery of their Souls Beloved to them and of the Fathers Love through him but are denied and many times do breath out their Souls unto God in words not much unlike their Lord's My God my God Why dost thou for sake me A Faith of dependance which knits the Soul to him is present but the Evidence of God's Presence with them is wanting It is upon an absolute Promise that I desire to close with Christ saith Mr. Cotton for if the Promise upon which thou closest be conditional there being a Failure through Frailty of the Condition the Comforts flowing from the Promise will thereby cease therefore saith he it is upon an absolute Promise that I desire to trust for Salvation 2ly I come in the next place to treat of that more full and clear Discovery of a closure with the Lord Jesus Christ and of the Father's Acceptance through him which the Holy Spirit doth bring some of the Children of God to
secret before God for Counsel and Direction and blessed be his holy Name he did not leave me but open'd a way for my Escape which Mercy I desire to keep in remembrance while I am in this World The night before the Warrant was to be executed I was very sick all the night but in the morning something better the Officers meeting together about that wicked Work to which they were all averse sent for me but my Excuse of not being well would not serve their turn but they proceeded by Lot to take the Houses of that poor People and sent me my Lots which I received with a great deal of joy seeing they desired me either to send Mony or get one to officiate I sent them the Mony rejoicing and upon my Knees blessed God for that great Mercy and tho the poor Quakers did offer me my Mony again yet I durst not for Conscience sake receive it I leave this with you as my Judgment that a misguided Conscience ought to be informed not forced God hath appointed other ways in his Word to reclaim those that are in an Error than by ruining Mens Persons and Estates The Liberty for Dissenters being granted by King James I was brought to hear five or six dissenting Ministers at Richard Cockeril's which through the Blessing of God so far wrought upon me as to take off that Prejudice that I had conceived against them but my Understanding remained dark without any inward discovery of the precious Doctrine of the Gospel until I sat under the Ministry of Mr. Humphreys being before that time a high Asserter of Free-will and general Redemption which naturally falls under the first Covenant-Principle His Personal Failings which brought a stain upon the precious Truths f the Gospel through Mercy I abhorr'd and took the freedom at times to speak to him about it yet his Doctrine which he preached was the instrumental means to bring me and many other poor Sinners to join with the Truth which through Mercy I was inabled to do upon the account of its own Worth and Excellency And mark it my Children that which must establish your Hearts in the Truths of God must be the holy Spirit 's inlightening your Souls to behold the Truth in the Scripture-Glass and inabling your Souls to see a native Beauty and Excellency in it above any Lustre that the Creature can put upon it by any Rhetorical Florishes whatsoever I cannot see what solid ground Persons can have to lay claim to an Interest in the Foundation-Truths of Christianity before the charming Simplicity that doth appear in Truth doth allure and win upon the Heart to lay hold of it When the holy Spirit doth present Truth unto the Soul it puts such a Divine Authority into it as constrains the Soul to bow before it and to submit unto it That Scripture which the Holy Ghost was pleased to make use of to present the Lord Jesus Christ unto my Soul and to seal unto it an Interest in God as my God through him was the words of Christ to Mary Joh. 20. the latter part of the 17th Verse Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God In which words the Lord Jesus Christ was presented unto my Soul as the Person by whom we are brought into relation with God and so was I inabled to lay hold of him with my whole Heart as the Person that opens the door of Grace and Mercy and under the inward sense and feeling of that Grace and Mercy which I did then receive from my heavenly Father as an Evidence of his accepting of me through his Son my Heart was exceedingly melted before him and drawn forth by the Spirit of Adoption into such a familiarity with him as to lay open my Heart before him being not then afraid to let him know the worst of my Condition from that Confidence that I had in that blessed Mediator that stood betwixt us I then experienced a new Principle begotten in my Soul which knit my Heart to the Person of the Lord Jesus I felt my Heart leaning towards him for Security and Safety and while the inward Evidence of my Union with him did last I look'd upon my self to be without the reach of the Tempter and altho many Clouds and Temptations have been upon me since the time of my first closing with him yet he hath not suffered me to be overwhelmed by them but in the midst of Troubles hath discovered himself unto me And this frequently I have experienced that when some sudden surprizing Providence hath fallen upon me that seem'd to be of a frowning nature my Soul being rouz'd did shake it self to see if it 's spiritual Strength remained Its first search hath been after its Union with its Lord and to get the Heart raised to God through him If Grace remained so as to keep the Heart knit unto Christ to wrestle with the Father through him generally slavish Fear fled away and a submissive frame of Spirit took place of it to be disposed of by God according to his Wisdom and before the Trouble was wholly over some comfortable Scripture was born in as an earnest that the Deliverance was coming My hope for Heaven lies in this that I am in the way that all the Flock have walk'd in unto this day For the New Testament stands upon the Credit and Authority of the Old If the Messiah were yet to come to work out Man's Salvation the Old Testament Prophecies concerning him could have their Accomplishment in no other way than they are laid down fulfilled in the New in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of Sins And besides this my Heart hath been inwardly made sensible of the preventing Grace of God put forth outwardly towards me and his pardoning and renewing Grace hath been manifested inwardly in me First His preventing Grace hath been put forth outwardly towards me in that tender Watchfulness that my Heavenly Father hath shewed towards me to this day How many times have I been in danger of being led away by grievous Temptations and have been without the sense of the danger that I was in and yet something hath fallen out that hath prevented my falling by the Temptation and afterwards I have been made sensible of the Danger and of the Mercy received This was a great means of settling my Soul in the Doctrine of Election for I was many times constrained to cry out Why dost thou manifest such Grace unto me a worthless Creature For my Children I must acknowledg as standing under the first Covenant I was a Sinner before God and liable to his Justice His condemning of me could have been no Injustice in him therefore his dealing with me in Mercy 's way must lead me to acknowledg that it is by Grace I stand Secondly His
God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Hearts who being past feeling have given themselves over unto Lasciviousness to work all Vncleanness with greediness The Understanding is so far from being taken up with the Knowledg of God his Mind and Will that it labours more and more after the knowledg of the ways of Sin and so becomes more and more estranged from God wise to do evil but to do good without Understanding The Memory wherein lay a holy remembrance of heavenly things is now become dull and forgetful and easily lets go those things which we are in the chiefest place concerned to remember we can remember readily the things which concern this Life the Vanities and Follies of the ways of Sin What deep Impression do these things make upon the Memory of poor Creatures But things which lead to the enjoyment of God and the everlasting Welfare of the immortal Soul how slippery and weak is the Memory become to retain these The Will wherein lay the liberty of choosing or refusing and before Sin enter'd will'd always that which was good is now become impotent and weak in its joining with Good how is it inslaved by Sin and in the Chains of Satan Rom. 6.20 For when you were the Servants of Sin ye were free from Righteousness Holiness without which God cannot be enjoy'd the poor unconverted Sinner hath no Will in him to lay hold of but on the contrary lusteth after that which is evil Gen. 6.6 And God saw that the Wickedness of Man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of his Heart was evil continually compared with Job 15.16 How much more abominable is Man who drinketh Iniquity like Water Yea what an Enmity is seated in the Will of unconverted Sinners against the ways of Holiness How do their very Hearts rise against it Rom. 8.7 Because the carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The Affections of the Soul wherein lay the strength of the desire after God are subjected to Sin How are they set upon unmeet Objects inclined to things they should not be and not to those they should Thus we naturally hate good and love evil 1 Kings 22.8 And the King of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat There is yet one Man Micaiah the Son of Imlah by whom we may inquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesy good concerning me but evil Our Affections are naturally raised to meet Sin and the Temptations that lead into it and do even embrace the Temptation but are not stirred up to that which is Good unless it be to eschew and shun it Besides when the Affections do move how disorderly is their Motion when merry too merry when sad too sad The Conscience wherein lay Man's Integrity or walking with God and wherein were the Impressions of the Divine Law which contained in it our Duty to God and to one another how is it disordered by Sin the Acts of Sin taking away the inward sense and feeling of the evil of it And with what weakness doth that first Covenant-Light which leads the Soul to seek after God as Creator move in the Soul How are its Reproofs hardly taken notice of by most Persons and that by reason of that great Darkness that is fallen upon the Soul of Man Thus we may see that Sin as a Leprosy hath over-run all the Faculties and is become as a Body in the Soul consisting of many Members Rom. 7.23 24. But I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my Members O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death Tho all Sin doth not appear alike in all some by Nature are more mild and courteous than others the reason of which difference is not that there are not the same seeds of Corruption in all but that the Lord keepeth down those Sins in some which he suffereth to rise up in others The Children of God that are by the Inlightnings of the holy Spirit come to see into the Corruptions of their Hearts how do they see the seeds of Sin lying in their Souls even of such Sins which they thought had not been in them The Heart or Soul doth then appear to be desperately wicked who but God himself can have the full knowledg of it For the Children of God in their searches after Heart-corruptions cannot come to find the bottom of them so far is the Soul of Man fallen from God by Sin that it is afraid to come nigh unto God it flies farther and farther from God until it gets into the Pit of eternal Misery How dark was Adam become by Sin as to think the Trees of the Garden could hide him from the Eye of the great Creator And that God might aggravate and heighten his Sin he speaks ironically by way of taunt The Man is become like one of us He is come to know Evil by woful experience he is fill'd with inward Horror and with outward Shame Secondly I shall shew the miserable state that Adam was brought into by the Fall as to his Body for no sooner was he fallen but the Sentence was inflicted on him That in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Altho the Sentence was not so far put in execution against him as to separate the Soul from the Body yet his bodily state was so far changed as to bring it under those Evils that lead to a Dissolution He was driven out of that pleasant Garden of Delight in which God at first placed him into the Earth to get his Living in it amongst the Beasts of the field and whereas in his innocent state he had a furnished Table provided without labor or toil God himself having by his own Power provided things necessary for his bodily Subsistence now he must till the Earth with labour and toil which was put under the Curse of Barrenness for Man's sake until the poor Body wearied out returneth to the Earth by a painful Death from whence it was taken Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return The Beasts of the Field who gave a willing Subjection to him as their Soveraign were now so far estranged from him as to rebel against him and ready to put in execution the Sentence of a bodily Death the Air in which he breathed was changed for his sake and infected the poor Body with many sorts of Distempers Sores Sicknesses and Diseases of all sorts Sin being the cause of all this Misery Mat. 9.2 And behold they brought to him a Man sick of the Palsie lying on a Bed and Jesus seeing their Faith said unto the sick of the Palsie Son be of good cheer thy Sins be forgiven thee Thus by taking away the Sin he takes away that which was inflicted upon the poor Body
experience and that is by leading a poor sensible Sinner to the Declaration of the Sufferings of the Blessed Jesus and conveying the Declaration into the Soul and with it giving the Soul an inward Glance of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ from whom the Soul by the help of the Spirit doth draw such Virtue as causeth an immediate removal of inward Guilt which the Soul hath contracted by Sin and under much Brokenness the Soul is brought to close with him Where this Closure is witnessed there doth an Intercourse with the Father attend it The Name of the Blessed Jesus is with this Closure engraven so on the Heart that the Injoyment of him becomes exceeding pleasant and comfortable 3ly I shall proceed to shew how the Holy Spirit doth break down Corruption in the Soul and carries on the Work of Sanctification 1. By discovering unto the Soul the polluting Nature of Sin that unless the Soul be preserved from it Communion with a holy God cannot be enjoyed It leads the Soul to watch against Temptations that draw into Sin and it leads the Soul through Christ to the Father for power to be kept from it The Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator is the Person upon the account of whose Worthiness the Soul craves help from God No sooner is the Soul come before God to seek him in its private Addresses but if Christ be enjoy'd by Faith the Outgoings of the Heart are to him and through him to the Father The Soul claims a Right of Relation or Kindred with him and so useth Plainness of Speech with him about its State and Condition and by beholding that its own nature in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ stands nighly related to the Father it puts him upon taking its Condition and the managing of it into his own hands as being able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him seeing he ever lives to make Intercession for them 2. The Spirit of God doth put the Soul upon seeking unto God for more light that so those Seeds of Sin that lie undiscovered in the Soul may not only be brought to light but likewise be rooted out as saith the Psalmit Search me O God and know my Heart try me and know my Thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Such is the nature of Holiness in the Souls of the Saints that it would have the very Seeds of Corruption removed and as the Spirit of God doth put the Soul upon the using that means which God hath appointed for the subduing of Sin and Corruption so it likewise doth not only beget a Principle of Grace in the Soul by the Soul's Union with the Lord Jesus Christ but by its inward Supplies it puts fresh Vigor and Life into it by which the Heart comes more and more to be led forth unto God to seek after him and engaged more closely to follow him 3. The H. Spirit doth encourage the Soul to persevere in the Way that leads to Communion with God by letting the Soul feel the peaceable Fruit that it doth bear in it in this Life and likewise that eternal Happiness that it fits the Soul for in glory The Saints sow in Tears here but they shall reap in Joy they go on their way weeping bearing pretious Seed but at the Morning of the Resurrection then they shall appear bearing their Sheaves with them I come now in the third place to prove how all this is subservient to the Decree of Election and answers the designs of it Ephesians the first Chapter ver 3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly places in Christ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will to the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved Compared with the first Epistle of Peter the first Chapter 2 3 4 5th Verses Elect according to the Fore-knowledg of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time These Scriptures do fully prove the Truths of which I have been treating the Oneness of the Covenant of Grace and Redemption for here the Decree as it proceeds from God is eternal and passeth through Time into Eternity to the effecting or perfecting what was designed by it Can any Person separate the means comprehended in the Womb of the Decree to attain the End and not do manifest Wrong to the Decree it self Let the serious Reader judg Here is the Lord Jesus Christ the second Person in the Godhead set up by the Decree as the Head of the Elect all the Elect comprehended in him He appears in a State of Humiliation for the Elect they have the Offers of Grace by him and are brought to give Obedience to the Offers have his Blood applied to their Souls for their Justification and through him have the Spirit sanctifying them and by his mighty Power bringing them to the Glory which the Decree hath designed for them All these outward Acts which were transacted in time were but the gradual fulfilling of what was comprehended in the Decree which in it self was eternal which I hope doth prove that which was designed by the second Part of this Book that is that the Covenant of Grace and Redemption is but one Covenant For a Conclusion This Doctrine administers a great deal of Comfort to those that have the Marks of Election already wrought in their Souls to see their Salvation sixt upon such a sure Foundation and the Accomplishment in such a way as brings the greatest Motives with it to Humility and Thankfulness of engaging the Heart unto God And for those that are under the means which lead to attain the End it is not discouraging Doctrine to them because who are comprehended in the Decree is a Secret wholly reserved to God alone and we no otherwise know that our selves or others are in it but as we come under effectual Calling which is that which opens the Door into it Therefore it is in vain for the Creature to think to know what God at present conceals from him any other way but that which is of his own appointing Secret things belong to
viz. an Entail of a particular Enjoyment of the Worship of God amongst them for many Generations together But this will fall under Consideration when I come to treat of the New Testament Church Thirdly Where internal Grace did accompany these Ordinances of Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb with other parts of the Old Testament Worship the Elect Seed were brought to have spiritual Mercies convey'd to their Souls through it Abraham hath that Honour conferr'd upon him to be a Father not only to a numerous Offspring who did enjoy an Earthly Inheritance by Covenant-right as descending from him but likewise a Father of the spiritual Seed both Jews and Gentiles who should share with him in the same Faith and so come to share in those precious Promises made to him as a Believer through the Lord Jesus Christ That he stood as a Father to this twofold Seed doth appear from the words of our Lord Joh. 8.37 I know that ye are Abraham 's Seed but ye seek to kill me because my Word hath no place in you That is ye are only of that Seed who by virtue of descent from him do enjoy the Privileges of Earthly Enjoyments Ver. 39. They answered and said unto him Abraham is our Father Jesus saith unto them If ye were Abraham 's Children ye would do the Works of Abraham That is if you were of his spiritual Seed and of the same Faith with him it would shew it self by its Works as Abraham's Faith did who saw my day of appearance as a Redeemer and rejoiced Of his natural Seed as such I have already spoken and the Privileges they enjoy'd I now come to treat of his Spiritual Seed that did descend from him who did not come to their Right by being the Offspring of believing Abraham but by being of the same Faith with him Rom. 9.7 8. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called That is They which are the Children of the Flesh these are not the Children of God but the Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed That is as Isaac's Birth was not by the natural strength of the Parents but by virtue of God's Promise which bound his Truth to set his Omnipotency on work to perform what he promised even so it is with all the spiritual Seed Without the moving of the same Power upon the Heart to subject the Heart unto him none could come into that state which will give its Evidence according to the Scriptures that they are of the spiritual Seed As it was by preaching of the Gospel unto Abraham or a renewing of the Promise of a Messiah to come which had been given out in the threatning against Satan Gen. 3.15 that Abraham was brought into Covenant so it was by the means which the Wisdom of God did think fit to make use of to convey the knowledg of the Messiah to come unto the Souls of these Israelites who were to be Abraham's spiritual Seed and the ordinary means was that Worship appointed by God in the Old Testament Church to these that were of years The way that God takes to convey Grace to elect Infants in all Ages being a Secret which he is pleased not to discover unto us I desire to leave them to his rich Grace which flows to Sinners through a dear Redeemer and to his own way to apply it unto their Souls and shall return to treat of the matter in hand As Abraham was a Father to a twofold Seed and the believing Israelites were to proceed from him by Generation as well as the Unbelievers and as both these were to be imbodied together into one Nation and Church for many Generations so the natural Seed having the things intended for them by the Covenant sealed unto them it was necessary that his spiritual Seed should have their Covenant-Mercies sealed to them Abraham received the sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that believe The outward part of the Ordinance was not the Evidence of the Israelites being Abraham's spiritual Seed but that which was figured out by it unto the spiritual Seed was the Evidence which was the having their Hearts circumcised Corruption removed and Grace planted in the Soul for altho an outward Ordinance be the means leading to the inward where the Spirit concurs with it it is from the inward that the Soul receives Comfort being thereby brought into a condition to enjoy Communion with God and through Faith to behold the Heavenly Canaan before it As the Paschal Lamb was appointed to figure out to the natural Seed that God was accomplishing his Promise in bringing of them to an Earthly Canaan so where the spiritual Seed were led by Faith to behold that the Paschal Lamb was but a Type of the Lord Jesus Christ the great Passover they through Faith were brought to behold that God was upon the accomplishing of his Promise in bringing of them to the Heavenly Canaan The Apostle in Heb. 9.9 10. shews us that the Old Testament Church-state was but a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did sacrifice perfect at pertaining to the Conscience which stood in Meats and Drinks and carnal Ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation Not that the Ordinances were carnal in respect of the things typified by them and apprehended through the help of the Spirit by the spiritual Seed But saith Mr. Hildersam such as carnal Men might perform and very sutable to the Disposition of a carnal Heart God by his Wisdom ordering his Worship in this manner that so the natural Seed and the spiritual Seed of Abraham from the first setting up or forming that People into a Church might remain imbodied together until the times of Reformation that is the New Testament Church-state Their Privileges by fleshly right do then end and the natural Seed ceaseth from being counted any longer a Church or People to God but as they fall in with the spiritual Seed of Abraham and receive the Qualification which the New Testament Church calls for in order to be a Member of it Rom. 11.19 20 21. Thou wilt say then The Branches were broken off that I might be graffed in Well because of Vnbelief they were broken off and thou standest by Faith be not high-minded but fear For if God spared not the natural Branches take heed lest he also spare not thee These words I think do comprehend the whole matter of which I have been treating in this Chapter the Branches that are broken off are the natural Seed of Abraham or as Paul calls them the Children of the Flesh such as tho destitute of spiritual Grace in their Souls yet by virtue of Birth-Privilege did enjoy as a Branch from Abraham a right of Membership in the Old Testament Church
Work nor Device in the Grave If out of Christ when Death comes to you then miserable for ever if in Christ when Death comes happy for ever 6. Take care to get your Judgments throughly informd and settled in the Foundation-Principle of Christianity Other Foundation can no Man lay than that which is already laid which is Jesus Christ an all-sufficient Saviour Remember you must always go empty to him but have a care of returning empty from him Have the Saints in all Ages beheld such an Excellency in him and can you see none It 's a sign your Hearts are not right with him you talk of what you do not enjoy To you that believe saith the Apostle he is precious it 's such a Faith as gives a view of his Person in the Gospel-Glass 7. Endeavour to be much in the inward experimental part of Religion Have a care of sticking in the true Form without the Power and have a care of a pretended Power without the true Form If you stick in the purest Form without the Power you get no further than Formalists and are no better than a lifeless Image without Motion in God's account For Revealed Religion was appointed to bring the Heart to Communion with God and where this is not attained the great Design of God in giving forth Revealed Religion is lost Have a care of a pretended Power without the true Form for by this you will be laid open to the Transformings of Satan and to his Deceivings as an Angel of Light Lend not an Ear to that Spirit that gets above the holy Scriptures as a Rule and Guide How many Persons who have seemd to be in a hopeful way in the Truths of Christianity have been led into By-paths through Satan's Wiles and many sincere Christians have so far fallen as to lose much of their former Experiences 8. If the Lord in Mercy to you make you fit Matter of a Gospel-Church and afford you the Means of giving up your selves to other Christians that are gathered together according to the order of the Gospel upon a Profession of Faith and sincere Obedience neglect not so great a Mercy you may then be serviceable unto others by the exercising of the Gifts given you which may be for others Edification and Improvement to your selves and your Hearts may be warmed by the Gifts and Graces of other Christians Besides your Mercy will be very great in having the watchful Eye of sincere Christians over you to incourage you in your Christian Course and to be faithful Reprovers of you if they see that you do not walk orderly according to the Rule of the Gospel This is one of the great Privileges that attend those that are in Church-fellowship Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a Man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Two saith Solomon are better than one because they have a good Reward for their Labour for if they fall the one will lift up his Fellow but wo to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him If two Christians may be serviceable one to another how much more to have a considerable number of sincere Christians watching over you 9. Endeavour to get imprinted upon your Hearts that the Life of a Christian while he is passing through this World is a Life of Prayer When God takes Persons into Covenant with him he pours out upon their Souls the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication Prayer is the Intelligencer betwixt the Saints here on Earth and their Father now in Heaven it is that which keeps God's Ear open to us and our Hearts open for him The blessed Jesus speaking of John's Ministry the effect it had upon sinners to bring them to a sincere Repentance and by strong Cries to lay open their state before God he tells us Mat. 11.12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by force He compareth these poor returning Penitents to a Company of Souldiers drawn up in Battel-array to force their Entrance into a Fort or Castle their Cries here on Earth piercing into Heaven Prayer made God use that familiar and condescending Expression to Moses concerning the People of Israel Exod. 32.9 10 11. And the Lord said unto Moses I have seen this People and behold it is a stiff-necked People Now therefore let me alone that my Wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation And Moses besought the Lord his God and said Why doth thy Wrath wax hot against thy People which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Egypt You may see in these and the following words to the 15th Verse what prevalency Prayer hath upon God when it is put up on the behalf of others much more when it is on our own behalf In treating of this Subject I shall First Shew what Prayer is and the nature of it Secondly I shall shew the necessity of the continuance of it while we are on this side Eternity First I shall shew what Prayer is and the nature of it We may take Prayer according to Scripture under a twofold Consideration First As proceeding from the Spirit of Bondage And here the Heart doth not cry unto God from an inward sight and feeling that it is interested in God but by the light of the first Govenant It looks upon God as Creator and as having an Ability in him to supply Nature's Wants and to deliver from approaching Misery This Prayer is Nature's Cry and is oftentimes put forth with a great deal of Earnestness where there is no Evidence of an Interest in God or Communion with God But that Prayer which I design to lay open is the Work of the Spirit of Adoption upon the Hearts of the Saints and this consists in these three parts 1st In giving inward Light to see the things necessary to be prayed for 2dly In giving Life and Motion to the Faculties of the Soul that so the Soul may be engag'd in the Duty 3dly In leading the Soul in the way by which an Entrance is obtained into Heaven First I shall shew the nature of the Inlightnings of the Spirit in the Duty of Prayer how they are discovered in the Soul of Man 1. The Inlightnings of the Spirit are discovered in the Soul of Man by discovering the inward Frame that the Soul is in The Hearts of the unconverted World are always in an ill Frame and that which is their great Misery they want Light to see it but if the Saints be in an ill frame they are in Mercy brought to see it remaining Corruption is discovered deadness and dulness and wandering of the Heart from God is discovered the holy Spirit gives Light that the Heart may be rectified and made fit for Communion with God because therein
lies Man's chief Happiness Keep thy Heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life 2. The things that concern the outward Man are through the Inlightnings of the holy Spirit beheld as of less Concern and Worth altho they do lie next to Sense and the Hearts of the Saints have been inabled to get above them and to part with them when they stood in Competition with the sincere performance of those Duties which God call'd them to The Inlightning of the Spirit doth concern it self for the outward Man but it is that Nature may be satisfied and not Lust gratified it is that such a Supply may be given as Nature may be kept from Temptations not that we may run into Temptations Remove far from me Vanity and Lies give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with Food convenient for me lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain While the Heart is without the Inlightnings of the Spirit it is made a Servant to those things that are most obvious to Sense Daily Experience shews us that the Heart of every unconverted Sinner doth place its Satisfaction in the enjoyment of these things altho they end in Death so that the Inlightnings of the holy Spirit are absolutely necessary in the Duty of Prayer 3. The holy Spirit gives inward Life and Motion to the Faculties of the Soul that so the Soul may be ingag'd in the Duty Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered That is the Spirit follows the Inlightnings with inward Life and Motion by which the Heart is set a working after God for the removal of that which stands in the way of Communion with him and for the obtaining of it there is an inward sensibility doth accompany the Matter which we present unto God in Duty not only the things we pray for are presented unto God as those we have need of but the Heart goes along with them that our Heavenly Father may see we are in earnest with him Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul Compared with Psal 119.20 My Soul breaketh for the longings that it hath to thy Judgments at all times The holy Spirit draws out the Heart with such earnestness unto God as if there were a Separation going to be made betwixt the Soul and the Body 4. The holy Spirit doth lead the Soul in the way by which Entrance is obtain'd into Heaven We must distinguish betwixt the Spirit 's Intercession in us and the Son's Intercession for us The Spirit 's Intercession in us is that supplicating begging frame which the holy Spirit doth inable the Soul to express it self in when it appears before God yet this through the weakness of the Creature is attended with a great deal of Imperfection But the Intercession of the Son for us as Mediator the Church's Head is that upon which our admittance into Heaven is granted His Prayer is a perfect Prayer and carries Incense along with it to perfume ours Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne This Angel is the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator and the Church's Head the Censer is his holy glorified Body the Man Christ the Incense is his Divine Nature the Perfume of which perfuming the Supplications or Prayers of the Saints and ascending with them before God gains acceptance That Spirit that would assume a right of giving Salvation by Man's Obedience to it its Work is as opposite to the leadings of the Holy Ghost as Light and Darkness For as the Declaration of the Gospel leads to the Lord Jesus Christ as God-Man in one Person our Emanuel as Redeemer and as Mediator who is able to save all those that come to God by him so with this doth the Holy Ghost agree in his inward Witness in the Souls of the Saints Joh. 15.26 27. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testify of me And ye also shall bear witness because ye have been with me from the beginning This is that new and living way which the Apostle speaks of which gives Boldness in our approaching before God Heb. 10.19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh The Holiest that is into Heaven of which the Sanctum Sanctorum under the Law was a Type by a living way that enlivens the Person that walks in it boldness or a holy freedom being given to plead with God which yet causeth great Humility in the Soul its acceptance with God being grounded upon the account of another's Worthiness which by Faith the Soul is inabled to behold and not upon the account of its own Worthiness This is the Way that meets the Experience of the Saints that are now upon the Earth this is the Way that the Flock walk'd in who are gone to Heaven before us we may say we are compassed about with a Cloud of Witnesses The second part of this Head of the Duty of Prayer is to shew the necessity of the continuance of it while we are on this side Eternity 1st Because we have a multitude of Temptations attending of us outwardly And 2dly Because the Soul doth too readily join with the Baits that gratify corrupt Nature First I shall shew you that we have a multitude of Temptations attending of us outwardly The World is gotten to a very high pitch of Atheism and Profaneness Christianity as to the Power of it is not only removed but Persons have lost that Morality that former Ages did enjoy You can hardly deal in the World now but you are in danger every moment to be carried away with the Stream the Difficulties of getting an outward Support for the Body being great Satan takes the advantage of it to draw out the Corruptions of Mens Hearts after these things so as to hurry them forward in their Endeavours to keep and to gain a share in this fading World without any Consideration Where is the Person that hath the Fear of the Almighty before him and an inward Tenderness lest he should offend him Did David take up this Complaint Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tenths of Kedar My Soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth Peace What cause have we every day to take up the same Complaint if we look upon the
Immorality of the Times we live in most Persons being at Peace with the ways of Sin but unwilling to be brought to the Enjoyment of that Peace which the ways of Holiness do afford Surely my Children if God in Mercy to your Souls open your Understandings to see that great danger that your precious Souls are in you will see a great necessity laid upon you to keep close to God by the great Duty of Prayer that you may stand in his Counsel and that he may undertake to lead you in a safe way that so you may be kept from the Pollutions of the times you live in If the Lord be so gracious to you as by his Providence to open a door for you by which you may get daily Bread in a way that doth not expose you to those great Temptations that many are exposed to tho it be in a lower station in the World make choice of it before Greatness in the World with Temptations Consider the wise Man's words Prov. 28.22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil Eye and considereth not that Poverty shall come upon him It 's Corruption that insatiably drives him forward and suffers him not to consider how he is heaping Sin upon his Soul while he is gathering together these worldly things Altho God do let such Persons live out their days with the Enjoyment of these outward things yet what a heap of Guilt do such Persons carry with them into Eternity Remember what the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6.9 For they that will be rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition Another great thing that shews the necessity of the continuance of the Duty of Prayer as long as we are on this side Eternity is that till then Satan hath not his Power of tempting of us wholly taken from him It is the great Mercy of God's Children that the Rage of this devouring Lion is limited that he has not liberty to execute all that Rage against them which is in him But daily Experience shews us that the Father is pleased to give Satan so much Power against his Children as to vex and grieve them with those violent Temptations he at times suggests into them Now the only way to escape this Adversary and to be strengthened against his Temptations is to keep up Communion with God by Prayer for so long as God is inwardly injoy'd he cannot enter The Apostle in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 5. v. 17. saith Pray without ceasing He doth not mean that we should be always in the exercise of that Duty but that we should endeavour to have our Hearts always in a frame for it But secondly The necessity of the continuance of the Duty of Prayer doth appear while we are on this side Eternity because the Soul doth readily too often join with the Baits that gratify corrupt Nature The Body is yet unredeemed and therefore desires to be gratified in those things that delight the outward Man the Senses are as Doors and Windows unto the Soul to let in those outward Objects which are as so many Baits and Snares to draw away the Soul after them There is no keeping the door of the Heart shut against these things but as the Soul is led up by Faith to Objects of a higher nature and the Duty of Prayer is one of the great means made use of by the Spirit to give the Soul a view of those things that are of a more excellent nature than these earthly things are Again Endeavour to get imprinted upon your Minds the necessity of an even composed frame of Spirit under the various changes of God's Providence You know what is past but you know not what is before you whether Prosperity or Adverversity be appointed for you Have a care that with the change of Providences there be not a change of your Hearts for the worse Doth not daily Experience shew us that changes of Providence to poot unconverted Sinners have this effect upon them What a change hath a sudden Advancement to a higher Condition in the World made upon many unconverted Sinners They have hardly known how to behave themselves toward those that were their Familiars while they were in a low Condition much less how to carry themselves toward God who advanced them in the World This change from a low state in the World to a higher hath been a means greatly to eat out that Life and Power that hath been in God's Children when in a low Condition What a Change did it make in Joseph that in discoursing with his Brethren he so far forgets himself as to make use of the Courtly Oaths that were then in fashion By the Life of Pharaoh ye are Spies Again What an effect upon Persons hath a sudden change of Providence had when they have been surprizingly brought down into a low Condition in the World while they have been in an unconverted state that they knew not the way to go to God that they might humble their Souls before him Through the strength of Temptations accompanied with their Corruptions they have been so overwhelmed that they have broken out in unbecoming Expressions towards God and in a desperate manner have laid violent hands upon themselves yea some of God's Children when they have been under dark Providences for want of a settled frame have shew'd too much of a fretful impatient Spirit and like the Israelites have been fill'd with Murmurings and Repinings O endeavour to learn the Apostle's Lesson Phil. 4.11 Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content That you may learn this Lesson take these following Directions 1. Endeavour to get your Minds exercised with the thoughts of God as to that absolute Power which he hath over you and all his Creatures that to him belongs the right of disposing of you and the things that he hath for a time given you even as pleaseth him that to you belongs a humble submissive frame of Spirit as you are his Creatures much more if he have brought you into the state of Children 2. Endeavour to see if you cannot find some of God's rational Creatures and some of his dear Children in one respect or other exercised with greater Difficulties than you are having found some under greater Straits than your selves search into your Hearts and Lives and see if you can find any moving Cause there why he should not deal with you as with those that you behold in a worse Condition and so learn Submission to him 3. Look into the Scripture-Glass and there behold that the way God hath taken with his Children to burn up the dross of Corruption and to fit the Soul for himself is by afflicting Providences Isa 48.10 I have chosen thee in the furnace of Affliction And let this be a means for you to press after the same sanctified use of
TRUTH UNVAILD BY Scripture-Light In Three Parts Written for the sake of those that desire to behold it in its native Beauty To which is added An APPENDIX which the Author desires to leave as a Legacy to his Children By a despised Follower of the blessed Jesus ROBERT PRVDOM And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.15 LONDON Printed and sold by John Marshal at the Bible in Grace-Church-street 1699. In Commendation OF THE Ensuing Treatise THE worthy Author of the ensuing Treatise I bless God that ever I became acquainted with being fully satisfied of the inward Uprightness and Sincerity of his Soul besides his undaunted Resolution and Courage according to his Light in following the Lord Jesus in his despised way and cleaving to his Truth and People who are exposed to the Scorn and Reproach of the World and to many Professors also add to his high Commendation Moreover all that shall vouchsafe to read this Treatise shall find that the blessed God hath graciously bestowed no small Light Gifts and Knowledg upon him in the great Fundamentals of true Christianity the Lord certainly hath raised him up to defend his Truth and Interest in those Northern Parts of this Kingdom where he dwells in a more clear Light than many have attained Besides he is not only furnished with Knowledg but with a sutable Zeal he being willing to work and labour in Christ's Vineyard The Subject he hath wrote upon is such as calls it is true for the Pen of the most discerning Eye many have wrote upon the two Covenants but how cloudily and darkly is palpable to many tho others have most excellently opened them amongst which the Reverend Mr. Nehemiah Cox in my Judgment hath exceeded yet his Stile seems a little too high for ordinary Capacities Our pious Friend tho very concise yet is very clear As far as I can discern 't is evident that God made a twofold Covenant with Abraham and set him up as a twofold Covenant-Head First The one with his natural Seed as such in which Covenant he promised to be his God and the God of all his natural Offspring that sprang from Isaac upon the Condition of their answering the Terms thereof which shews it was a meer Legal Covenant or of the same nature with the Sinai Covenant and in this Covenant he separated all his fleshly Seed from all other People in the World to be his People and visible Church under that Dispensation which consisted partly of the true spiritual Seed or Believers and partly of Unbelievers and in this Covenant he promised them the Land of Canaan and as a Sign or Token of all those Legal Covenant-Blessings he gave them the Rite of Circumcision Now this Church-state was figurative or typical and the Precepts and Ordinances were therefore typical and so continued till Christ came and the Gospel-Church the Antitype of it was established Many not seeing this run into a great Error thinking the Covenant made with Abraham was but one entire Covenant i. e. the Covenant of Grace whereas nothing is more clear than that Circumcision belonged to all the Male Children that sprang from Isaac tho their Parents were ungodly or Unbelievers as well as the Male Children of Believers that were of the same Seed Besides if all the Children of Abraham according to the Flesh were in the Covenant of Grace then one of these two things would follow that they must all be saved or else the Covenant of Grace is not a sure an everlasting or an unchangeable Covenant nor of meer Grace but a conditional Covenant and so Men may fall from Grace and perish eternally Therefore in the Second place The Covenant of Grace which was made with Abraham 't is evident was a distinct Covenant from the Covenant made with his fleshly Seed as such and consisted only in an absolute Promise of God's free Grace through Christ which took in none but God's elect ones and extended not only to the Elect amongst Abraham's Seed but those of the Gentiles also see Rom. 9.4 5 6. Gal. 3.16 29. Moreover it may seem strange that some Pedo-baptists should affirm that every believing Parent is a like common Covenant-Head to all their Seed as Abraham was for that was a Prerogative and Privilege only given to him and if it is as they dream then every believing Parent is the Father of all Nations or of all Believers whether Jews or Gentiles for so was Abraham made by the holy God See my late Replies to Mr. Burket Rector at Mildon and to Mr. James Owen I shall add no more only let you know our Author seems directly to agree with us herein As to our Author's Appendix in which you have an account of his Experiences and most pious Counsels to his Children I am greatly affected therewith the good Lord help not only his but all the Children of Godly Persons to whose hands it shall come to lay those things to Heart I wish from my Soul that every Godly Family throughout this Nation had one of these Books and that a Blessing may attend it shall be the Prayer of him who is yet by Grace preserved through many Trials to serve the Lord Jesus in his Generation according to his small Ability Benjamin Keach Horsly-down this 5th of the 4th Month called June 1699. The EPISTLE to the Christian READER REader in the perusing of the Truths contained in this Book I desire thou mayst with the noble Bereans have recourse to the holy Scriptures which contain in them the Path that the Flock have walk'd in who are gone before to the Mansions of eternal Rest The things laid down call for a more clear Discovery by some of God's Children who are better fitted for so great a Work and I do hope this may be as a Provocation to one of greater Ability to undertake it All that I can say for my self is that what I have done was from an inward Constraint of Soul through Grace I have been conscious to my self of my personal Weakness and therefore I have endeavoured to have my Heart laid at the Feet of the blessed ascended Jesus to whom I have devoted Soul and Body and all that is dear unto me My Soul hath endeavoured to keep sight of my Lord by Faith held before me in the Gospel-Glass and to follow that borrowed Light which shines in the Saints from Christ the Son of Righteousness Having in my youthful Years drunk in the Principles of Free-will General Redemption and falling away from Grace which do fall in naturally with the Judgment of Man while he stands under the first Covenant I was so settled in those Opinions that nothing less than an Almighty Power was able to draw my Mind to call the truth of them into question I was at times check'd by those absolute Promises laid down in the holy Scripture which seem'd to
wherein consisted true Wisdom and heavenly Knowledg 2. The Memory a holy remembrance of such things as we ought 3. The Will a liberty of choosing or refusing 4. The Affections wherein lay the strength of the desire after God 5. The Conscience wherein lay Man's Integrity or Uprightness in walking with God And that the Soul might not be any ways deficient the Impress of the Law of the Creator was ingraven upon it which consisted in our Duty to God and to one another Adam wanted not Light to see the Excellency of the state wherein he was created which Light if followed would lead him to the Creator as the Spring from whence this his immortal Soul did come He was under the greatest Obligations that were possible of loving his Creator with all his Heart with all his Mind and with all his Strength and his Neighbour as himself both which parts of the Law he broke in going from his Duty to his Creator and by offering Violence to all his Offspring which were then in his Loins he being made their Representative and the Root from whence they were all to proceeed which I shall treat of more at large in the next Chapter and return now to speak of the Excellency of the Soul and of its immortal Nature 1. From the Scripture 2. From Experience in our viewing of dying Persons And 3. From the Sayings of many Gentiles First From the Scripture Eccles 12.7 Then shall the Dust return to the Earth and the Spirit return to God who gave it As it received Life from God without the Body so being separated from the Body it ceaseth not to be but goeth unto God its Creator to be disposed of by him see Phil. 1.21 I might also mention the Promise of Christ to the penitent Thief on the Cross I say to thee This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise and that of the Parable of the rich Man and Lazarus See also 2 Cor. 5.1 Secondly In our viewing of dying Persons How great Testimony have we of the Excellency of the Soul in its being immortal in that when the Body is languishing and under its last minutes drawing to a Dissolution the Soul is more active and quick than ever striving as it were to be gone from it Again the Excellency of the Soul in the Immortality of it doth appear in the dying Hopes of the Saints and the dying Fears and Terrors of the Wicked I my self have seen some who in their dying hours have carried the greatest Evidences of their Souls being immortal and that they were going to the eternal Enjoyment of God that was possible to be given enough to satisfy the most daring Atheist even a meeting of Death with the greatest sweetness and composedness of Spirit Give my Love saith one to me to such and such Friends and tell them by such a time my Soul will be in eternal Rest Their Souls have given forth the greatest Unconcernedness that was possible to part with those things that had been most delightful unto them by being brought to see into the Emptiness of all these inferiour things having received a view of the full Enjoyment of God to be had and that their Souls when separated from the Body were capable of such an enjoying of him Not many Months since I my self went to visit a dying Friend who at that time seem'd to me to be further from her Dissolution than she really was she seem'd to be exceeding chearful I said to her I hope you may recover you are better than you have been she answered I hope I shall not to which I replied Why do you hope so She answer'd My Evidences are clear for Heaven and I long to have the Enjoyment of it Again What an Evidence doth the dying Fears of unconverted Sinners carry with it of the Excellency of the Soul and of the Immortality of it for altho that part of the Image of God in their Souls which contained their Duty to God and to one another be defac'd and the Faculties of the Soul have lost that Rectitude and Order in which they were created yet the Evidences of the Excellency of it in being immortal and capable of an eternal Enjoyment of God have remained What Concernedness hath filled the Souls of dying unconverted Sinners about their eternal loss of God and how have they been seiz'd with the sad apprehensions of an eternal exclusion from him See Mr. Wadsworth on the Soul's Immortality and Dr. More Thirdly A third Evidence of the Immortality of the Soul and of the Excellency of it doth appear from the words of many famous Gentiles as quoted by William Penn in his Christian Quaker Chapter the 14th of Gentile Divinity of the Immortality of the Soul To which might be added the Sayings of divers Heathen Writers 1st Pythagoras The Soul is incorruptible it never dieth for when it goeth out of the Body it goeth into the other World the pure to God the impure bound by Furies in indissolvable Chains 2dly Heraclitus If my Body be over-press'd it may descend to the destinate place nevertheless my Soul shall not descend but being a thing immortal shall fly up on high to Heaven 3dly Socrates The Body being compounded it dissolved by Death the Soul being simple passeth into another Life incapable of Corruption The Souls of the good after Death are in a happy state united to God in a blessed inaccessible place the bad in convenient places suffering condign Punishment The same Socrates being condemned to die by Poison Crito one of his Followers ask'd him How wilt thou be buried As you think good saith he if you can catch me and if I give you not the slip Then with a smile applying himself to those that stood by him I cannot perswade Crito saith he that I am any more than the Carcase you will anon behold and therefore he takes care for my Interment It seems that what I even now told him that as soon as I have taken the Poison I shall go to the Joys of the Blessed hath been to little purpose From what hath been said it doth appear that the Soul of Man is of an excellent frame or make How happy was the first Adam while in the state of Innocency when every Faculty of the Soul stood in that Rectitude and Order wherein it was placed by the wise Creator and the Impressions of what was required of him ingraven upon his Heart For if that Law which is call'd the Law of Nature carry such Beauty in it now what Beauty had it in it before it was defac'd by Sin Adam while in the state of Innocency had no Corruption in him for to fasten the Temptation upon his Will was free and at liberty to join with or refuse the Temptation when presented to him and to incourage him in his Obedience he had the continuance in this his happy state promised to him for as the threatning if he disobey'd God carried Death with it so it must be
for it Besides all this Misery that is inflicted upon the poor Body in this Life if it be not brought within the compass of a share in the Redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ at the morning of the Resurrection it must be reunited to the Soul and sentenc'd to share with the Soul in eternal Misery having been a sharer with it in a course of Sin in this Life Thirdly I shall shew the Misery that Adam brought upon all his Offspring by the Fall Adam stood not before God as a single Person but as one that had all his Offspring in him They being all in him and to proceed from him by Generation became sharers with him in that state which he fell into Gen. 5.3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years and begat a Son in his own Likeness after his Image and called his Name Seth born to the same Misery that his Father Adam was in and a sharer with him in it Adam received Light from the eternal Creator and a holy rectitude of Soul and was under no necessity of giving way to a Temptation there being nothing in him while in his state of Innocency to fasten a Temptation upon so that his Fall was a voluntary going off from God He receiving those excellent Endowments of Soul and Body as a publick Person by his Transgression Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation Rom. 5.14 Nevertheless Death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam 's Transgression For from Adam to Moses we do not read that after the Fall God ever treated with Adam or with his Offspring by an outward trial upon the terms of Do and live Besides Death then reigned and doth still reign over little Children whose Infant-state makes them uncapable of being put to the trial of their Obedience How doth daily Experience shew us that poor Infants are many times arrested as soon as gotten into the World by grievous Distempers as the Convulsions and such like which keep them in grievous Misery for several days together before the Soul be separated from the Body which is a sufficient Testimony that they have another's Sin imputed to them by which their very Nature is defiled upon which defiled Nature Death feeds until it hath brought it to Dissolution as to their Bodies but their Souls I desire to leave to that rich and free Grace which flows to Sinners through a second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ and to the Spirit 's applying of it to them without any outward means Having gone through this third Chapter which contains the misery of the first Adam and his Offspring before thou leavest it make some Application of it to thy own Soul Look back my Soul and see what thou wast in an unconverted state thou spentst twelve Years in gross darkness without the least knowledg of that God from whence thou receivedst thy being thou wast wholly given up to the ways of Sin without the least consideration what bitter Fruit it did produce that the way of it led to the Chambers of Death and the Pit of eternal Misery How many times wast thou while in this state nigh the Dissolution of thy Body the Grave both to thy self and others seeming to open its Mouth to receive thee What could have been thy state in eternity if thou hadst been then removed Dos not the holy Scripture fully declare that those who spend their days in Sin and in Satan's slavery shall he eternally miserable with him O my Soul tho thou couldst not pity thy self because of that gross darkness that was upon thee yet that God that gave thee thy being pitied thee and extended sparing Mercy to thee It is he that hath delivered thy Soul from Death thine Eyes from Tears and thy Feet from falling Thou now groanest in an unredeemed Body but thou viewst by Faith a redeem'd one Doth the Creation groan by reason of that weight of Sin that is upon it Thy Lord Jesus's Return draws very nigh his Coming will bring with it a removal of the Curse and times of Refreshing shall come with him he will renew the Earth and in it shall dwell nothing but Righteousness CHAP. IV. Of the Image of God that was upon the Heart of the first Adam how it discovers it self in the Hearts or Souls of his fallen Children The nature of the leadings of that first Covenant-light and the Condition of those that stand under the highest Attainment of it THat Adam was a publick Person and that the great Creator enter'd into Covenant with him upon the terms of Obey and live hath been proved in the foregoing Chapter and shall by the help of the Spirit of God be more fully demonstrated in this That all his Offspring as descending from him by Generation are under the same Covenant have some remaining Impressions of the same Law upon their Souls and Light from the Creator answering the terms of that first Covenant I shall First clear up from Scripture Secondly from the Sayings of many famous Gentiles Thirdly from common Experience of all Persons that do take notice of the dealings of God with their Souls And First to prove it from Scripture Deut. 30.11 12 13 14 15. For this Commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou mayest do it I have set before thee this day Life and Good and Death and Evil. Compared with Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law that is in the outward letter are a Law unto themselves Which shew the work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience also bearing witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another From which Scriptures it is evident that the Law delivered at Sinai and written in Tables of Stone was but a Copy of this inward Law which was ingraven in the Soul of Adam and on the Souls of all his Offspring It doth further appear that Adam's Offspring as they descend from him are under the same Covenant with himself from their dealing with God and his with them according to the terms of that first Covenant Gen. 4.5 6 7. But unto Cain and his Offering he had not respect and Cain was very wroth and his Countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain Why art thou wroth and why is thy Conntenance fallen If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well Sin lieth at the
come to partake of them the Promises run to him and fix in him as in an immoveable Rock that can never be shaken 2dly He is the Head of the Elect and the way through which electing Love doth pass to every elect Person because they are given to him as a Seed Psal 89.27 28 29. Also I will make him my first-born higher than the Kings of the Earth My Mercy will I keep for him for evermore my Covenant shall stand fast with him His Seed will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the days of Heaven Compared with Heb. 2.13 And again I will put my Trust in him And again I and the Children which God hath given me As the first Adam conveys natural Defilement to all his Seed and that which causeth the loss of Communion with God so the Lord Jesus Christ that conveys to all the elect Seed which removes that which hinders Communion and restores Communion to them John 6.57 As the living Father sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me Here is three Livers here is 1. The Life of the Godhead 2. Here is the Man Christ living upon the Godhead 3. Here is the Believer living upon the Lord Jesus Christ as God-man in one Person the Divine Nature putting Life into the Manhood and conveying of that Life to the Elect. Gal 3.16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made He saith not To Seeds as of many but as of one And to thy Seed which is Christ Is Christ mystical here meant saith Leigh then the Elect are comprehended in him To Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made to Abraham in Christ and not to Christ in Abraham saith Kendal against John Goodwin 3dly It doth appear that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Elect and the way through which electing Love doth pass to every elect Person from the Experience of the Saints from Abel to this very day The Elect that were in the World before his appearance in the state of his Humiliation did all by Faith look at him and through him were brought to the enjoyment of God and upon him lay their hope of persevering with God Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the Race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith This Cloud of Witnesses that look'd unto Jesus were the Saints from Abel's time in the 11th Chapter The Saints that have been and are in the World in the times of the New Testament through Jesus do go to God through Jesus do enjoy Communion with God 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ To sum up this Chapter Was the Lord Jesus Christ comprehended in the Womb of the Decree of Election Was the Union of the two Natures in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ comprehended in the Decree as the Head of the Elect and by the Decree appointed to be the Conveyer of Grace to every elect Person Then whatever was acted and done by him was subservient to the Decree and proves the Covenant of Grace and Redemption to be but one Covenant Joh. 4.34 Jesus saith unto them My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his work CHAP. II. Of the Redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ in two parts First Perfect Obedience to the Law Secondly Satisfaction to the Penalty of it for the Elect subservient to the Decree of Election and leading to answer the great Designs of it THE great God that he might make good that threatning against Satan That the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head doth by the incomprehensible Power of the Holy Ghost first sanctify that Matter of which the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ was made and then without the help of Man's Seed did create or form it into the shape of Man to which a living Soul was given that so he might appear to be like his Brethren the Elect. To this second Man so wonderfully made was the eternal Word the second Person in the Godhead united in the Womb of the Virgin Mary and brought forth into the World our Emanuel the Mighty God the everlasting Father the wonderful Counsellor the Prince of Peace His Divine Nature being the express Image of his Father's Substance and in respect of it it was no Robbery in him to be the Father's equal and one with the Father That he might be one with the Elect he is wonderfully united to their Nature in the Womb of the Virgin and that he might figure out the Misery that all the Elect were in by Generation he is born in a Stable and laid in a Manger typifying out that by reason of their natural Pollution they were like their first Father Adam who was driven from the Presence of God amongst the Beasts He is put under the first Covenant that he might fulfil the Righteousness of it Gal. 4.4 5. Made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons And he is not only put under the first Covenant to give it a perfect Obedience that in that Obedience of his the Elect might appear before God but he is likewise put under the first Covenant to give Satisfaction to the Wrong done to it by the Elect as they successively come into the World Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree Compared with Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he the eternal Word also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil Those that stood in the Decree of Election as Children coming into the World in such a way by Generation as brought them under the defilements of Sin and so under the Penalty of the first Covenant the eternal Word takes hold of their Nature and by sanctifying of it in Death perfuming the Sacrifice by his Divine Nature the Penalty of the first Covenant is removed and a Pardon laid in for the Children as they shall successively come into the World and have it applied to their Souls by the Spirit They being interested in this Satisfaction the Penalties of the first Covenant are removed and the executive Power of it taken out of the hands of Satan Having now by way of Introduction opened the door into the Work of Redemption wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ I come in the next place to consider this Soul-amazing
tarry ye here and watch with me Mark 14.35 And he went forward a little and fell on the ground and pray'd that if it were possible the hour might pass from him Compared with Luke 22.42 43 44. Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my Will but thine be done And there appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthening him And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his Sweat was as it were drops of Blood falling down to the ground He prayeth for freedom from that Cup and Hour that is from the grievous Torments that were upon his Soul yea so great was the Sorrow wherewith his Soul was ready to be overwhelmed that he seeks for help by the Prayers of his poor drousy sleeping Disciples There is an Astonishment or an Amazement which falls upon the Soul two ways that is an Astonishment of Admiration and an Astonishment of Fear the latter is here meant He saw himself fallen on a sudden into such Distress as he knew he could not be delivered from it and being in an Agony he wrestles with Grief and Fear which pressed his precious Soul yea he struggles and wrestles with it that he might not be so far overcome by it as to bewray any kind of Impatience he vents his Grief and Sorrow in these words Not my Will but thine be done The first Adam had a Garden of Pleasure to walk in the second Adam hath a Garden of Sorrow to weep and mourn in The Garden in which Adam and Eve was placed had a pleasant River running through it to water it this Garden is watered with the Blood of the second Adam that is forced through his Veins by inward Grief and excessive Sorrow he not only is said to have sweat drops of Blood but as it were to have bedew'd the place Saith Jansen upon the words If we behold him upon the Cross he there complains of the withdrawings of the Divine Nature from him in these words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me I come secondly to speak of the Sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ in his Body he experienced the fulfilling of the words of the Prophet Isa 50.6 I gave my Back to the smiters and my Cheeks to them that pluck'd off the Hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting Pilate who was his Judg pronounceth him innocent and as an outward sign of his Innocency washeth his hands when he pronounceth Sentence against him to clear himself of his Blood yet scourgeth him and deliver'd him to be crucified Mat. 27.27 28. Then the Souldiers of the Governour took Jesus into the common Hall and gathered unto him the whole band of Souldiers And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet Robe The putting on the Scarlet Robe was for two Reasons the first that the pain of his scourging might be increased upon him the second reason to shew their Contempt of his Kingly Power Ver. 29 30. And when they had platted a Crown of Thorns they put it upon his Head and a Reed in his right-hand and they bowed the Knee before him saying Hail King of the Jews And they spit upon him and took the Reed and smote him on the Head They would not only mock him with the putting of such a Crown on him but by the same also shew their Cruelty to him by fastening the Thorns into his Head Ver. 32. And as they came out they found a Man of Cyrene Simon by name him they compelled to bear his Cross It was a Custom among the Romans that those Malefactors that were to be crucified did bear their own Cross but such had been already the grievous Sufferings of this innocent Lamb that his Body was wearied and made unable to undergo it so a Stranger is laid hold of to carry it for him to the place of Execution Ver. 38. Then were two Thieves crucified with him one on the right-hand and the other on the left This Death of the Cross was a very painful and shameful Death the weight of the Body being born up by Nails struck through the Hands and Feet until they died by a languishing Death He was numbered with the Transgressors having a Thief on each hand that we might be reckoned amongst the Sons of God His Arms were stretched open to shew his willingness to receive poor returning Sinners with one Arm inviting the Jews with the other the Gentiles to flee from Wrath to come by taking Sanctuary in him O my Soul dost thou desire to behold the abominable nature of Sin Dost thou desire to know how hateful it is in God's sight Then take a view of thy suffering Lord. How was his precious Soul fill'd with Anguish How was his precious Body which was formd by the incomprehensible Power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary wearied out by a painful Death Behold this Man of Sorrow that is acquainted with Grief The Vail of the Temple is rent at his Death to shew that he was plucking away that Vail that interposed betwixt God and poor Sinners The Sun was darkned being asham'd to behold the Rage of the wicked against him the Earth who had long groaned under the Curse for Sin trembles to behold what the Son of God indures to remove the Curse Thirdly I proceed to shew that the Redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ was subservient to the Decree of Election and answers the Designs of it And I shall clear it up from these following Scriptures Acts 2.22 23. Ye Men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God among you by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selves also know Him being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledg of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain I shall pass by the Wickedness of these malicious Jews and only take notice of what is contain'd in this 23d Verse concerning the Decree of God his determinate Counsel and Fore-knowledg having determined it to be so that is that his Son should thus suffer which did not in the least lesson their Sin The reasons of our Lord's Death in reference to the answering of the Decree we have in John 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth Compared with Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one for which cause he if not ashamed to call them Brethren By sanctified and sanctifieth in these two Scriptures is not meant the sanctifying Work of the holy Spirit but his being set apart to the Work of Redemption performed by the Lord Jesus Christ being the Head of the Elect for their sakes he willingly submitteth to those Conditions his Father required to clear them from the Penalty of the first Covenant That the Redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ is subservient to the Decree
when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. The Apostle in these words doth refer us to the bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt the imbodying of that People into a Nation and God's setting up his Worship amongst them which the 17th Chapter of Genesis and the Covenant there mentioned carried in the Womb of it the Insufficiency of which Covenant lay not only in the unvailed Administration of Gospel-Grace which was darkly typified forth in the times of the Old Testament but chiefly in the want of internal Grace from having a share of which Grace the greatest part of the Seed of Abraham were excluded not the Elect who were of his Offspring but those which were put off with Earthly Enjoyments which they by their Rebellions in process of time forfeited the Forbearance and Patience of God being wearied out Having by way of Introduction opened the way to that which I intend to treat of in the following Discourse I shall lay down these three Heads to enlarge on First That the Seed of Abraham were in Gen 17. taken into Covenant with God unto which Covenant temporal Mercies were annexed and Circumcision given as a Seal of the performance of it on God's part Secondly That as the Covenant mentioned Gen. 17. carried in the Womb of it the imbodying of the Seed of Abraham into a separate Nation in order to have that Old Testament Church-state set up amongst them so their Deliverance out of Egypt and the appointing the Paschal Lamb was to shew them that God was actually on the accomplishing what was contained it the Covenant Thirdly Where internal Grace did accompany these Ordinances and other parts of that Old Testament Worship the Elect Seed were brought to have spiritual Mercies convey'd to their Souls through it First That the Seed of Abraham were in Gen. 17. taken into Covenant with God unto which Covenant Temporal Mercies were annex'd and Circumcision given as a Seal of the performance of it on God's part doth appear as it is laid down from ver 4 to v. 15. extending it self not only to all his Seed that should descend from him by Generation but likewise to those that were born in his House or bought with his Mony And the uncircumcised Manchild whose Flesh of his fore-skin is not circumcised that Soul shall be cut off from his People he hath broken my Covenant That all the Persons that were brought into this Covenant had inward Mercies convey'd to their Souls crosseth the words of Abraham ver 18. And Abraham said unto God O that Ishmael might live before thee If he had understood that this Covenant into which Ishmael was going to be taken by the initiating Ordinance of Circumcision had been the Covenant of Grace he needed not have doubted of that there being a sincere performance of what was required of Abraham's part on the behalf of Ishmael But we find by God's Answer that there was not that intended by that Covenant for him but as the Covenant promised an Earthly Canaan so Ishmael tho he had not that Land yet he should have other Earthly Greatness which should carry with it the performance of what was held forth by the Covenant unto the natural Seed of Abraham ver 20. And as for Ishmael I have heard thee Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great Nation This is that which the Covenant intended for him and doubtless Abraham did so look upon it or otherwise he would have interceded farther for Ishmael Evident it is that Ishmael was taken into this Covenant contain'd in Gen. 17. for Abraham did circumcise him as the Covenant required yet we find the Apostle Paul making Agar and Ishmael to represent the Covenant of Works Gal. 4.22 23 24. For it is written that Abraham had two Sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman But he that was of the bond-woman was born after the Flesh but he of the free-woman was by Promise Which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants the one from the Mount Sinai which gendereth to Bondage which is Agar Mr. Edward Leigh in his Annotations upon the New Testament doth speak so fully to the Truth that I shall insert his words at large Ver. 23. Born after the Flesh That is by a bare natural Power of Generation By Promise That is not so much by the natural strength of Parents as by virtue of God's Promise which bound his Truth to set his Omnipotency at work above Nature Ver. 24. Which things are an Allegory That is being the things that they were signify the things that they were not a Figure of some other thing mystically signified by them that is they represent or signify the two Covenants For these are the two Covenants That is distinct Covenants of Works and Grace first and second Covenant not the Covenant of Grace differently administred in the Old and New Testament Ishmael was not under the Covenant of Grace in any sense Isaac and Ishmael represented all Men regenerate and unregenerate all which are under the Covenant of Works and Grace Mount Sinai Which came thence being there published and promulgated the Law and Covenant of Works To Bondage That is begets not Children of a free and ingenuous Spirit loving God and out of Love doing him Service and meerly of his Grace Love free Favour and Promise expecting their Reward but Bondslaves which out of a fear of Punishment or hope of Reward do Service and expect the Reward for the worthiness sake of their Works This Covenant is Hagar That is signified by Hagar so called for a double respect First For its Condition because it begets all Children to Bondage Secondly For Subordination Sarah's Maid the Law is a Servant to the Gospel and Gospel Ends. If as Mr. Leigh saith Ishmael was not under the Covenant of Grace in any sense I do wonder how he can as he doth in other places make it the Covenant of Grace and Circumcision the Seal of that Covenant for of it was Ishmael made a partaker Gen. 17.23 24. And Abraham took Ishmael his Son and all that were born in his House and all that were bought with his Mony according to the appointment of the Covenant ver 13. every Male among the Men of Abraham 's House and circumcised the Flesh of their fore-skin in the self-same day as God had said unto him A second Proof for the Confirmation of what I have laid down under this first Head that the Covenant mention'd in Gen. 17. did only hold forth Earthly Things to be enjoy'd by the Seed of Abraham by the Seed of Abraham I intend the great number of his fleshly Seed as separated from the Elect which were amongst them That this Covenant did only hold forth Earthly Enjoyments
he shall neglect to hear these two or three Witnesses then tell it to the Church that is let his Offence and his persisting in it after Admonition be laid before the Church to whom the Offender belongs as a Member but if he neglect to hear the Church in admonishing of him of his Offence then let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican that is as a Person that is a Stranger from the Church and not belonging to it Thirdly A third Reason why the New Testament requires a Work of true Conversion upon the Heart as that which qualifies or fits a Person to be a Member of a visible Church is because as every Member doth receive Grace in a measure so it is their Duty to communicate of that Grace to their fellow Member holding the Head the Lord Jesus Christ who by Faith ties and knits every Member of the Body unto him and from that fulness that is in him gives forth Nourishment to every individual Member so that as they grow up by the strength of Grace they are enabled to add something to the edifying and strengthning of their fellow Members and to add to the Beauty of the Church to whom they do belong for altho many Men that are Members of the Church may not have received such Gifts as to fit them for publick Exercise in the Church much less Women who are strictly forbidden the contrary 1 Cor. 4.34 35. yet in their private Discourses one with another whether Men or Women if the Matter which they discourse of tend not to the advancing of the Lord Jesus Christ and the exalting of the Grace of God through him by which they may be edified such Persons little consider what is required of Church-Members in order to the discharge of their Duty to God and to one another CHAP. V. Of the Ordinances of the New Testament Church what is required to fit for the partaking of them and what they do hold out when administred according to the Rule of the Word THE Apostle Paul lays open the different state of the Church under the Old and New Testament in Heb. 3.5 6. And Moses verily was faithful in all his House as a Servant for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after That is Moses was faithful in giving forth the Pattern of the Old Testament Worship which was figurative of what was to be done by the Messiah at his appearance in the state of his Humiliation He by his appearance performing what was figured out by the Old Testament Worship it must follow that there was an end put to that Worship and with the Worship to the Church-state likewise Ver. 6. But Christ as a Son over his own House whose House are we if we hold fast the Confidence and the rejoicing of the hope unto the end The New Testament Church hath the honour to have the Son of God to be the first Discoverer by his own Mouth what was required to be a Member of it and to be the Appointer of the Ordinances to be continued in it Mat. 16.15 16 17 18. He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Leigh upon the words faith that it was the Judgment of Hilary Cyril Chrysostom Theophilact and Ambrose that by the Rock is not meant Peter's Person but the Faith which he had professed in Christ an inward discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith accompanied with an outward Profession of the fame is the Matter of which the New Testament Church is built 1 Pet. 2.4 5. To whom coming as to a living Stone disallowed indeed of Men but chosen of God and precious ye also as lively Stones are built up a spiritual House an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Every Member of the Church is not fitted to be a Publisher of the Gospel but every Member of the Church if such an one as the Word requires is brought through Christ to receive the Grace of God and from an inward feeling of this Grace received to offer up a thankful Heart devoted to him For the gathering in of such Members into the New Testament Church is the Commission given forth to the Apostles and direction is given to admit Persons thus gathered to the initiating Ordinance of Water-Baptism as appears from the words of the Commission and the Practice of the Apostles by virtue of the Commission Mat. 28.18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World Here three things lie fair from the words without any wresting of them First Outward Teaching the instrumental Means appointed by Christ and made use of by the Holy Ghost to bring to the inward knowledg of him and the acceptance of Grace through him thereby to be made fit Matter for the Church under the New Testament This I have spoken so fully to in the last and in this Chapter that the visible Church of Christ under the New Testament doth consist of such as are call'd out of the World by true Conversion to lay hold of the Lord Jesus Christ and Grace through him that I need not enlarge upon this first Head The second thing contained in the Commission is the admittance of such to the initiating Ordinance of Baptism Acts 2.41 Then they that gladly received the Word were baptized and the same day were added to them about three thousand Souls Thirdly Here is the continuation of what is commanded by the Commission in these words And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the World The Apostles liv'd not till the end of the World therefore I am with you and your Successors who shall be fitted by me for the preaching of the everlasting Gospel appointed to gather the Elect unto God until this World come under a Dissolution As by the Commission and the Practice of the Apostles upon the Commission Baptism is appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ as the initiating or entering Ordinance into a visible Church of Christ under the New Testament so his last Supper is appointed by him to be practised by these that are in a visible Church-state Luke 22.19 20. And he took Bread and gave Thanks and brake it and gave unto them saying This is my Body
beating me about the Head I was almost stupified and growing melancholy I was judg'd to be gone into a Consumption My Mother advising with Dr. Korbat about me he advised her to take me from the School which she did but my Father that I might not forget to read English well borrowed for me Fox's Acts and Monuments which I began to take great delight in And the first thing that fastened upon my Heart to do me good was a Letter of Bilnay's to Dunstal the Popish Arch-bishop of York in the Reign of Henry the Eighth wherein that holy Martyr laying before the Bishop the manner of his Life that he was a Mass-Priest to pray Souls out of Purgatory Reading saith he Tindal's New Testament at the last I came to hear of Jesus Which Passage was fixed upon my Heart as if it had been written upon it Leaving the Book I went out and began with great deliberation to consider of this Passage and the reason that should make this holy Man and others give up their Lives with such chearfulness in the Fire whenas by conforming to the Publick Worship they might many of them have lived in great Prosperity I begun to think of a future state and the manner of Life that I had led in the World to the great dishonour of that God that gave me my Being my Sins were then set in order before me and I began to be fill'd with such inward Guilt and Fear that I was many times afraid to be alone yet never made my Condition known to any Person but often bewailed it before God and resolved which I was enabled through Mercy to perform to turn my Back on my former vicious Company and betook my self to a very retired Life even beyond the most young Men that I was acquainted with not daring to allow my self the Pleasures of youthful Vanities My Mother being a Hearer of Mr. Luck I frequently went with her and was much affected with his preaching but two things fell out which wholly alienated my Mind from him and indeed almost from all Dissenting Ministers for his sake The Act against seditious Conventicles coming forth forbidding all Persons above four besides the Minister to assemble together under pretence of the Worship of God after Mr. Luck had finished his Exercise on the Lord's-day before the Act took place two Rooms being full of Hearers he stood up and acquainted them with the Act and that he could no longer preach to above four as the Act directed A second thing that gave me the greatest Offence was that going with my Mother to hear him after the Act was in force four Persons were gotten there before us and the Door lock'd we desired to let be in and were not willing to be denied until we were refused by himself which caused me to break forth into this or the like Expression That it could not be that he was a Minister of the Gospel who was more afraid of Man than of God and for my part I would never go to hear him more That which heightned my Aversness to him was my Father's frequent upbraiding of us with our careless Shepherd who in time of danger was asham'd to own his Flock From that time I began to have a particular Eye upon the poor despised Quakers whom I look'd upon as the only People God had in the World for altho I had shaken off sinful self I had not shaken off righteous self and by reading a multitude of their Books I was more and more confirm'd in their Foundation-Principle of the Light in every Man which convinceth him of Sin being the Light of Christ which from an experienced Heart I have cause to speak it is no other but the Light of the first Covenant that shews Man his state and condition he is in by Sin but leads not into the Gospel-Dispensation but as the Light according to the tenor of the first Covenant calls for an Obedience to the Law so by keeping up to a strict walking according to its requirings much inward Peace is gain'd and this I very well remember that having through Temptations outwardly and from Corruption inwardly been led into Sin this Light which is God's Witness in the Souls of all the Sons and Daughters of Adam did begin to accuse me and I felt inward Guilt and fear of Punishment arising in my Breast which made me look for some trouble or other befalling me for running in the way of Sin and very seldom miss'd of it which Trouble was an instrumental means to drive me to my Knees to bewail my Condition before God and frequently with great earnestness of Heart have besought him that I might come to a sinless state never to go astray from him but to witness a being led out to behold the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith either as a Redeemer or as Mediator betwixt God and Man from any inward Work of God upon my Heart I did not in the least experience altho I do believe all that knew my Conversation will say that it was very strict yet under the leadings of this first Covenant-Principle And mark it my Children this I leave with you as one that to the praise of rich Grace be it spoken hath found Mercy at the hand of God that it is not your joining with the purest Truths of Christianity that ought to be the Evidence to your selves of your being such as God will own for Christians but it is the Principle by which your Hearts are guided in the Worship of Christ whether private or publick that must be the Evidence A Christian that is brought to walk with God by the Spirit of Adoption is taken off the old Foundation and set upon a new Foundation his hope of enjoying eternal Life is fixt upon his Union with the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith through whom eternal Happiness is secured unto him in such a way as is impossible it should miscarry But this I shall speak to by and by when I come to shew you how my Soul closed with the Lord Jesus and return to speak a little further of that poor despised People called Quakers who I did believe were in the Favour of God above any People in the World and altho I did not join with them so far as publickly to meet with them at their Worship yet I gave frequent Testimonies how highly I esteemed them The Persecution upon the account of their Consciences increasing about the year Eighty three I did endeavour to shelter them what in me lay by perswading the Towns Officers to endeavour to baffle the Informers and being chosen an Overseer of the Poor at that time and so being injoyn'd by Warrant to take their Goods I was driven into grievous Perplexity not knowing which way to turn me for I was grievously afraid of the Justices on the one hand and utterly averse to such an Act on the other hand believing them to be God's People which caused me to shed a great many Tears in
pardoning and renewing Grace hath been manifested inwardly in me 1. His Pardoning Grace hath been manifest in me I have many times come before God labouring under inward Guilt and have experienced a removal of the Guilt in the Gospel way For altho the Lord Jesus Christ did by his Death give a full Satisfaction to Justice for all the Elect that were given him of the Father yet while the Elect are on this side Eternity and through frailty liable to fall into Sin after Sin committed there can be no inward Peace enjoy'd until the Soul be led forth anew by a Renewed Act of Faith upon a suffering Jesus and a suing by sincere Repentance unto the Father for pardoning Grace upon the account of his Worthiness And as to the Praise of the rich Grace of God I have experienced his pardoning Grace so I hope to the Praise of the same Grace I can say it that I do experience Renewing Grace I do indeed feel my time to be a continual Warfare according to the words of the Apostle Gal. 5.17 For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Grace is often foiling Corruption but hath not destroy'd it the growth of it is hindered but the Seeds of it remain it 's an Enemy that lies continually lurking to watch for Advantage and altho it cannot regain such a Power as to destroy my Soul yet it keeps so much Power as to disturb it My Soul sometimes goes mourning before God under the sense of the remaining strength of this Adversary and how hardly is Grace put to it to quit the Soul out of its hands But here lies my Security I am brought within the compass of the Father's unchangeable Love within the compass of the Sons Intercession and under the Leadings of the Holy Ghost First I am within the compass of the Father's Love being one of the Seed given to Christ and according to the Tenor of the Covenant do I experience the Father's dealings with me Psal 89.30 31 32 33 34. If his Children that is the Elect Seed given to Christ ver 27 28. walk not in my Judgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquities with Stripes Nevertheless my Loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break Here is my Mercy that I do experience my Father's dealing with me to be according to the Tenor of the Covenant that his Providence towards me brings Frowns with it against Corruption and that he hath enlightned my Soul to see it Psal 94.12 Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Frowning Providences are not of themselves Mercies but the Spirit 's accompanying them and working by them upon the Soul to bring the Soul to a sensibility of its State and enabling the Soul to seek to God and to enjoy Comfort from him through Faith when denied Comfort from the World It 's this that gives the Evidence that they are sent in Mercy when corrupt Nature is subdued by them and inward Grace is stirr'd up to put forth the greater Fervency to God and for God in Duty that we may be serviceable to him in our Generation The Apostle in Heb. 12.8 lays this down as the common way of God's dealing with his Children and fixes Bastardy upon those that are not thus dealt with But if ye be without Chastisement whereof of all are partakers then are you Bastards and not Sons Mark it my Children I do not say God doth not give Prosperity to none of his Children in this World but where he doth give it he usually brings humbling Providences before it that so the Soul may not be prejudiced by it Joseph and David were both exalted to a very high state in this World but what great Afflictions did they go through before they were brought to it according to the words of the Prophet It is good for a Man that he hear the Yoke in his Youth And it hath been my particular Observation That where great plenty of this World's Goods are given to any of God's Children they have had a pricking Thorn put into some of their outward Enjoyments that they might not rest in these things as their Portion Secondly I am one of those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ is interceding and interested in him as a Member of his Mystical Body Father saith Christ keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are He intercedes that we may be prepared for Glory and that we may be brought to the enjoyment of Glory Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me This Prayer saith a holy Man altho it was pray'd here on Earth by the Lord Jesus Christ in the state of his Humiliation yet the Matter contain'd in it doth sute his State of Exaltation and is a short Epitome of his Intercession as the Church's Head now at the Right-hand of his Father until every Member of his Mystical Body be brought to the Mansions of eternal Rest The Apostle in Heb. 6. from v. 13 to 20. having laid down the Unchangeableness and Immutability of the Father's Council concerning the Elect and how for their Encouragement he had bound himself not only by Word but by Oath for the performance of the things contained in the Promises and having shewed how the Flock do anchor upon their Father's Immutability as that which is both sure and stedfast and enters into that within the Vail Faith doth not content it self only with the Promises but pierceth into Heaven to God himself and the Soul there for its further Encouragement beholds the blessed Mediator interceding on its behalf ver 20. Where the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus All the Promises of God the Father being made to our Nature first as it is united to his Son the Eternal Word our Nature in him being brought to the Enjoyment of that Glory contained in the Promises doth on the behalf of the Elect intercede that every individual Person that belongs unto him may be brought to be sharers with him Your Father through Faith hath a well-grounded hope that he is one of the number for whom his blessed Lord is interceding and doubts not but in a little time to be a sharer in that part of his Intercession which leads to enjoy eternal Glory through him Thirdly I am one of those that are under the leadings of the Spirit of Adoption which is that inward Witness which the Scripture speaks of He that believeth in the Son of God hath the Witness in himself For God saith the Apostle who commanded Light to shine out
of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 That is The way that God doth take to exalt his Grace and Mercy to his Elect is in a way that doth agree with his Justice He beholds the eternal Word Creator united to the Childrens Nature by it giving Satisfaction to Justice The stoppage of Grace being removed Grace doth shine down upon them The Spirit of Adoption which is the inward Witness meets Grace in the way that it comes forth The Soul admires the Wisdom and Goodness of God in appointing the way of its Salvation in such a way as exalts Grace and wrongs not Justice Grace being no less to us by making its way through Christ to us because it was the Father that appointed the Son this Work and it was to answer the Father's Will that he performed it This inward Witness incourageth a poor Sinner that is weary of Sin to go to Christ and to God through him For altho there seems a great distance betwixt a poor guilty Sinner and a holy God to behold each of them as they are in themselves yet this middle Person the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Reconciler or the maker up of the Breach betwixt them being inwardly discovered in the Gospel-Glass by the Holy Ghost working with it those who were far off before are brought nigh by the Blood of this blessed Jesus Divine Love descends Faith enables the Soul to mount up and with Wings to ascend We love him saith St. John because he first loved us This Light of the Holy Ghost is a distinct thing from the first Covenant-Principle That lays the Soul under Guilt for Sin but takes not in the way of Reconciliation The Holy Ghost takes in the way of Reconciliation and gives Evidence of the Souls Interest in it It is by the Apostle called the Spirit of the Son because it is by the Intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ that the Holy Ghost is sent and because it leads the Soul to pay the Tribute of Divine Honour to him as being the way to the Father It leads the Soul wholly in another way than the first Covenant-Principle leads in Its Motives by which it stirs up the Soul to watch against Sin are from Mercy and Goodness that is spiritual Mercies received by the Soul The first Covenant-Principle breaks the Soul off from Sin by shewing the Wrath and Misery that attends it The Holy Ghost stirs up the Soul to set a Watch against the first motions of Lust by discovering the loathsom nature of it which if the Soul joins with it will thereby be unfit for Communion with God As it is by the Holy Ghost that Sanctification is carried or in the Soul to prepare it for the Enjoyment of God in Glory so the Apostle seems to put the Cure of the Bodies of the Saints even when they are under a Dissolution upon the Holy Ghost in order to their recovery out of that state Rom. 8.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you I have gone through the first Head and laid before you the dealings of God with me in bringing of me to the Enjoyment of himself by Faith and shall now proceed to the second Head Secondly The Counsel and Direction which I recommend unto you if I should be shortly removed from you 1st Endeavour to get imprinted upon your Hearts the thoughts of God in his Soveraignty over you and those outward Providences which he exerciseth towards you God is so incomprehensible in his Being that he cannot be fathom'd by the Creature What an Awe and Reverence of him hath the Consideration of his Incomprehensibleness made upon the Hearts of his dearest Children In his discovering of himself to them in the greatness of his Power how hath he treated them as Worms and nothing Creatures And they in their expressing of themselves before him their Language hath carried in it the Evidences of a humble Heart Psal 22.4 5 6. Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them They cried unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded But I am a Worm and no Man a reproach of Men and despised of the People We see here the Psalmist David who is recorded to be a Man after God's owh Heart how he expresses himself before God First In acknowledging God in his Power to deliver And then secondly In acknowledging his Unworthiness to be delivered by him in these words I am a Worm and no Man The clearer Discovery that the Soul gets of God in the Absoluteness of his Power and that incomprehensible Greatness he is invested withal hath that Effect upon the Heart as to lay it in the Dust before him Remember my Children that in your Creation you were in the hands of the wise Creator as the Clay is in the hand of the Potter The forming and the fashioning of you lay wholly in his own Will and Pleasure Psal 119.73 Thy hands have made and fashioned me give me Vnderstanding that I may learn thy Commandments That there is no defect in the Members of your Bodies is a Mercy to you but that there is no defect in the Faculties of your Souls is a greater Mercy What great Obligations are you under to the great Creator seeing you have received your Being from him 2. Consider how the Creator has disposed of you and how his Providential Dealings are towards you Acts 17.26 And hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell on the face of the Earth and hath determined the Times afore appointed and the Bounds of their Habitation That is He hath determined the time that he allows every one in this World and their place for a Habitation in it How bountiful is the great Creator unto you that he should appoint you your place in England and not in India or some other dark place of the World that is full of the Habitations of Cruelty that your Lot should be hitherto to have a full supply of outward Necessaries whereas many others are attended by great outward Wants and Penury 3. Consider God's Providential Dealings towards you that your Parents have been hitherto continued and made a Blessing to you that they have not been wanting to your outward Man by their utmost care to provide for it But above all what a Blessing have they been made unto you as to your Souls if it be but sanctified unto you What proof have your poor Parents given of their Care over your Souls in giving you your Education in such a way as hath been a means to bring them under great outward Straits their Eyes being fixt upon the good of your immortal Souls in what they have done that you might not be exposed