What is an hours discourse though never so learned if God do not teach the Minister to speak spiritually God is come into the hearts of men with large and spiritual appearances I hope neither the learned nor the unlearned wil jeer me for using these expressions For by the light of these appearances God wil dis-throne Antichrist which is very much amongst us and this light wil expel all that which seems to be light and is but darkness and God wil set up his own true Christ which is himself and God alone wil be the light of men The Lord is my light saith David Psa 27.1 Sect. 7 Now the worldly wise men are much displeased with these spiritual appearances for it throws down their wisdom because it is fleshly and carnal The wisdom of the flesh charges the wisdom of God with folly and madness and saith it doth infect the world and therefore they take no delight in it they see no beauty in it why they should desire it But when the Spirit comes into the heart of a man and maketh his appearances then this sweet Spirit which is God who is Alpha and Omega and comes and doth the office of the third person and so he is the first and the last and so the poor soul is even at rest in the bosom of God Rev. 1.10 11 12. And there it is taught all truths by the Spirit who is God and the Spirit shews the soul glorious things to come and the Spirit makes Jesus Christ very glorious in the eyes of the soul and here the soul sees Christ and the Spirit and God the Father One and all that the Father hath is Christs and all that Christ hath is a Christians and Christ and a Christian are Gods Iohn 16.13 14 15. 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Now when God doth make these glorious appearances in our flesh then he doth teach us to justifie him in his spiritual appearances and to see him as wel as the Angels for we see by Faith the mystery of Christ and his Church which things the Angels desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.11 12 13. And we speak of this mystery unto men and it is beleeved by some men in the world and as Christ is received up into glory so he wil bring down his glorious wisdom and holiness into the hearts of his people And as Christ is wisdom even so he makes his children wise that they may justifie him who is wisdom it self for wisdom is justified of her children 1 Tim. 3.16 Luke 7.34 35. Now it is plain to prove that there is but one God and Father of all in all his appearances and through all the appearances which have been spoken of as Jesus Christ our Lord therefore we shal be inabled to keep the unity of the Spirit and to be at peace with God for there is but one body and one Spirit one Lord Iesus Christ who is the one God and he is first and last the beginning and the ending of all things saith the Lord Which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Rev. 1.7 8. And there is but one true Faith which is in him and by him and from him which is the blessed God Acts 26.18 And there is but one true Baptism which is from him and by him and of him who is the only wise God and our good God Now this one Baptism made Iohn rejoyce and his joy was exceeding ful because of Christ which is the souls bridegroom Luke 3.16 17. Iohn 3.29 30. Sect. 8 Now this one sweet and blessed God is the Father of all and every thing that is good doth proceed and come out from him He is the original of all good He is the first cause of all good to the creature He is all in himself and to himself He is all to the soul and he is all in the poor soul He is all in all his appearances He is the Father of all and above all and through all and in you all read Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. Now it is as plain to prove that this one God did and doth come under all these appearances To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the government shal be upon his shoulders and his name shal be called wonderful counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace God wil renew the heart of a man or woman make it as a chaste Virgin to bear Christ in the spirit as wel as the Virgin Mary did bear Christ in the flesh Now here is one and all and all and yet but one read Isa 9.6 And so likewise Behold a Virgin shal be with Child and shal bring forth a Son Now it is meant thy heart O man or woman shal be a Virgin to bear this Child as wel as the Virgin Mary And when God doth appear as the holy Child Iesus in a man then man doth begin to be happy and the name of this Child shal be called Emmanuel which being spiritually interpreted is God with us or God in us Mat. 1.20 21 22 23. Isa 7.14 Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth God comes down into every low condition to comfort a poor soul in high places and in low places Our God comes down into every low condition Is not this a great comfort for the poor souls of men He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil This is the good wil of our good God He leaves no contemptible place unsought to find out his people though it be in a dunghil He was with Iob upon the dunghil that he might set him and all his poor despised people as Princes even with the Princes of his people Psa 113.5 6 7 8. O the wonderful greatness of our God that hath made his Christ and given him to be the head over all things to the Church O the wonderful wisdom and endless mercy of our God who hath fited his Church to be his own body in Christ Christ being the head O what a sweet harmony and agreement there is between the head Christ and his members O poor drouping soul Sect. 9 lift up thine eyes A note of great comfort to a poor soul and behold thy God who is thy head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2.19 And now poor soul thou art so fitly framed together and so compleat in Christ that thou art become an holy Temple in the Lord In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.21 22. Col. 2.9 10. Now when God doth teach a poor soul to live upon this it wil be as the lifting up the head above all waters above all temptations above all reproaches of men and above all
have not found Iesus Christ there It is a great mistake and the most in our days are subject to this mistake They think the meer having of the letter of the Scripture is sufficient for them to have eternal life so in some sort they become Idolaters even with the Scriptures themselves What is the Scripture to thee if thou mistake it In them ye think ye have eternal life but thy darkness comprehendeth not the light that shines in them as you may read in the Gospel of John 1.4 5. For what is the body without a soul Or what is the Scriptures to thee if thou hast not the key of David to open and unfold them unto thee Rev. 3.7 Or what is the Word to thee if thou hast not the Spirit of God by which it was given to open the mystery unto thee that is in it and then that Spirit wil teach thee to profit by the Word and wil instruct the in righteousness 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. And thou canst not take liberty to sin as the great out-cry goes now in our days but so much for that Mistake me not my advice is to account it a very great mercy to have the Word of God amongst us but ten thousand times a greater mercy to have the Spirit of the Word among us our Teachers and then that Spirit would heal our divisions and shed his love abroad in our hearts and then we should not bite and devour one another as we do and this is the crown of Pauls rejoycing to be made an able Minister not of the letter but of the Spirit for the Spirit giveth life and worketh love in our hearts 2 Cor. 3.6 O Lord Sect. 5 how little of thy sweet and peaceable Spirit is abroad in the world amongst Ministers and people if we consider the bitter envying and strife in mens hearts which is brought forth in contention and reproaching one another Now I shal speak as S. James speaks My brethren these things ought not so to be James 3.10 13 14 15 16. Is this the Spirit of Iesus Christ No in no wise For the fruit of the Spirit of Christ is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness temperance Gal. 5.22 23. For these gifts the Spirit of God works in the hearts of the Saints as the Apostle speaks For God saith he hath not given us the spirit of fear and of error and heresie and division but of power of love and of a sound mind as you may read 2 Tim. 1.7 You Pharisees saith our Savior you search the Scriptures but ye wil not come to me For how can ye beleeve in me when ye receive honor one of another John 5.39 40 41 42 43 44. compared with John 12.42 43. and you shal find that not to be of the Pharisees simple judgment one shal have no place amongst them no not so much as to be the Beadle of a Ward not to be one in their way is as much as to be put out of their Synagogue as for instance in the blind man And they cast him out Iohn 9.32 33 34. And so you may instance in Lazarus But the Chief Priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death For he was a cause that the people went to meet Iesus Christ as you may read in the Gospel of John Chap. 12. Vers 10 11 18 19. Have not we many chief Priests and Pharisees now in our days as wel as there were in Christs time that sit and consult against their brethren as you may see in John Chap. 11. Vers 47 48. Instance if you wil in Mr Edwards a mighty man in the Scriptures and yet hardly knows Jesus Christ like to Nicodemus Joh. 3.1 4. He is something like to Tertullus too who disputed maliciously against Paul a notable Orator and one that had learned a leaf past grace and could talk nimbly but to little purpose as Mr Edwards doth read Acts 24.1 2 5 6. But now if Mr Edwards had an ear to hear what the Lord saith he would tremble Thou givest thy mouth to evil saith the Lord and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Mr Edwards have you not done these things doth not your conscience accuse you yet The Lord wil reprove you Mr Edwards consider whether you have not forgot God read Psa 50.19 20 21 22. Mr Edwards I shal refer you to one place more Have you heard of the doctrine of Iesus Christ Now the doctrine of Christ is First For Information Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing pleasing to God Joh. 15.5 Secondly It is for Exhortation to you Mr Edwards beware of being like to the Scribes and Pharisees Mar. 12.38 which neither loved Christ nor his followers Mistake me not I am no favorer of Sectaries yet I can with patience look upon them til God doth change their hearts In the third place I advise you not to be like an unskilful man to pluck up the wheat in stead of tares And in the fourth place Beware of being like unto the Scribes and Pharisees in loving to be chief and to have the uppermost places and to have domination and beware that you be not like the Pharisees and Lawyers that lode men with burdens grievous to be born and for a pretence make long prayers and so devour widows houses that is you oppress the weak and poor by your power and self-seeking Read if you please Mark 12.38 39 40. and Luke 11.44 45 46. Master Edwards be not angry with me for quoting these Scriptures unto you for they are the words of our Savior to the Pharisees and to the Lawyers and they were as wise men as your self Mr Edwards and as zealous read Joh. 5.16 17 18. and yet they made no conscience in seeking to kil Jesus Christ as you do not under the name of Sectaries to kil the Saints in their good name and in their reputation by your reproaches which you lay upon them and then you cal for the Magistrate to punish them and imprison them But God hath given the Parliament wisdom above such spirits as you are Mr Edwards for to restrain you or else what is it that you would not do and so the chief Priests and Pharisees likewise were very skilful in clothing Jesus Christ with a filthy garment of their reproaches and then they made the people out of love with him and then Barabbas must be let loose and Christ must go to suffer As for instance in their reproaching of Christ The first is this They thought Christ was come to destroy the Law Mat. 5.17 The second is this They said Christ was a Blasphemer Mat. 9.3 4. The third is this They said Jesus Christ was a gluttonous man a wine-bibber and did resort to ungodly men and to sinners Luk. 7.33 34. In the fourth place They said that Christ was a Conjuror This fellow say they doth cast out devils by
of God the Father and the unspeakable and sweet comforts of the holy Ghost and that in a spiritual way in all the ordinances they do not nor cannot lean upon the outside of any ordinance A true Beleever sees within the vail and sees the most holy of all Mine eyes saith old Simeon have seen thy salvation O Lord Luk. 2.29 30. A Saint sees Christ in the Spirit though he be vailed with flesh A true Beleever sits down at the table with Christ who is the King of this banquet and there is friendly discourse between Christ and a poor soul A poor soul sits down under the shadow of Christ with great delight and the graces of Christ are sweet to my tast saith the poor foul Cant. 2.3 4 5 6. Now Christ answers the poor soul again and saith Thy graces smel sweeter that I have given thee then the ointments of all spices Cant. 4.8 9 10. Now a beleeving soul is married to God and Christ and doth confess all her sufficiency is from God and from Christ While the King siteth at his table saith the poor soul my spikenard sendeth forth the smel thereof that is while Christ is in the soul to act those graces that he hath given into the soul so long those graces send forth a pleasant sinel Cant. 1.12 13. Now Christ being once in the soul is for ever in the soul and with the poor soul for to help it in all its wants and loves it to the end that is for evermore Joh. 13.1 And Christ promises That he wil never leave the poor soul nor forsake it in its greatest wants Heb. 13.5 6. Now a poor soul begins to be strong in the Lord because Jesus Christ hath taught it to cal God Father Mat. 6.9 And Christ himself cals the poor soul his brother and his sister and tels them he wil pray his Father and their Father for to send his love-token into their hearts that is the sweet Spirit of God for to uphold them in the hour of temptation and to comfort them in their greatest distress and to teach them to have communion and fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ and this is the food that a true beleeving soul feeds upon in all the ordinances of God and in all the promises and providences of God in this world and this is that which a Saint leans upon even upon the very bosome of God and of Jesus Christ as that beloved Disciple did lean upon the brest of Christ at Supper Joh. 21.20 Sect. 3 Now by this means a true beleeving soul begins to be without slavish fear and without bastard-like fear because God hath said Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee yea I wil help thee O thou poor weary soul yea I wil uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Isa 41.10 Now this is that which holds up the head of a beleeving man or woman in this troublesom world for they see a way made by the blood of Jesus a new and living way and by the hand of faith they can take spiritual food out of that new and living way and feed upon that when worldly food seemeth to decay Heb. 10.19 20. And so likewise a beleeving man by the eye of faith doth see himself secure in this new and living way though the world should be turned upside down What saith the Prophet Habakkuk Although saith he the fields should yeeld no meat and the flocks were cut off from the fold and there should be no herd in the stals Mark the condition of a true beleeving man Yet saith he I wil rejoyce in the Lord and I wil joy in the God of my salvation Habak 3.17 18. I wil lift up mine eyes saith the beleeving man unto the hils from whence cometh my help My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth Psa 121.1 2 3. Now in the next place to lean upon Church-fellowship this wil not profit us But there is a fellowship which the Apostle speaks of which wil profit us Truly saith the Apostle we and all that do truly beleeve our fellowship saith he is with God and with Jesus Christ read 1 Joh. 1.3 4 and this fellowship is by way of union I in them and thou in me saith Christ that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 24. I shal now speak a word to those that are in external Church-fellowship Sect. 4 who hold it not fit for to have communion with one in some ordinances nay almost in all if one be not in fellowship with them but count of one as to be without or to be men of the world or almost as bad as Heathens in that condition But the Foundation or Being of the Saints is built upon the eternal good wil and good pleasure of God which he had purposed in himself before the world was and hath chosen us with an unchangeable love in him that is in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love read Eph. 1.4 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Here you may see the original of the Saints from whence they are They come forth from God and they go with Jesus Christ to God their Father again For their life is hid with Christ in God read Col. 3.3 4. Joh. 14.19 20. For at that day saith Christ to the Saints ye shal know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and because I live ye shal live also And where I am there shal you be also and you shal behold my glory saith Christ to the poor souls of men and rejoyce in that and you shal see my Fathers love in me and it shal be in you and I wil be in you read Ioh. 17.23 24 26. Here you may see from whence the Saints are and upon what fellowship they lean They lean upon the unchangable love of God and they lean upon their friend Jesus Christ and they lean upon the coming forth of the sweet Spirit from God and from Jesus Christ into their hearts and that sweet Spirit wil shew them things to come as Christ tels them and that blessed Spirit wil teach them to profit and he wil make Jesus Christ beautiful in their eyes for he shal receive from God and from Jesus Christ and shal shew it unto them as Christ himself speaks read Ioh. 16.13 14 15. Isa 33.16 17. Here you may see what heavenly provision and what a sure place of rest the holy one of Israel hath prepared for every true beleeving soul and here you may see what fellowship God and Jesus Christ have with every true beleeving man or woman And wil you that are called Anabaptists have no fellowship with those that God and Christ and the holy Spirit of God have fellowship withall except they be baptized your way You say to be baptized young availeth nothing I ask
Doth your baptizing old men or women avail any thing I indeed baptize you onely with water saith Iohn Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.26 And this you do and mightily lean upon this weak shadow or figure and it is to be feared that many amongst you are like unto those in the Acts where Paul asked them If they had received the holy Ghost and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost Acts 19.2 3. Are not you carnally minded about the ordinances of God for the most part of you as the Apostle speaks in 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Doth not the most part of you rest in outsides of Religion being but very little acquainted with the truth and power of Religion as it is in the Spirit What difference is there between parishes and you from which you dissent They for the most part rest in a meer outside form of godliness read 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. and think they were baptized when they were young and if they hear Sermons then they may be admitted to the Sacrament as they think by the Minister or Elders and if there be no more but this it is a meer outside shew and a form that wil not profit and is it not so with many of you that are called Anabaptists If you be but admited by those that say they wil baptize you then you lean much upon this and say now you are within the door but beware for many go in at this door and return out again with litle profit mistake me not I prize the ordinances of God and therefore I speak of the formality that most use in and about them I shal ask one question Are you acquainted experimentally with the Baptism of Jesus Christ upon your spirits even the sprinkling of clean water upon you and this wil purge your corrupt natures Ezek. 36.25 And this water wil refresh thy parched soul Isa 44.3 And this water wil be as a Wel of Living Water for to comfort thee in all thy straits Joh. 7.37 38 39. He saith John shal baptize you with the holy Ghost meaning Jesus Christ Mark 1.8 Now you that are called Anabaptists and you Presbyterians if you were acquainted with the Baptism of Jesus Christ that would clear up your judgments which I conceive are very dark for God is Love and if you were acquainted with this Baptism it would teach you to love one another read 1 Joh. 3.18 19 20 21 22 23 24. But one of you prays against the other which is not wel One word more to you that are rigid Anabaptists for you make a division in the body of Christ for Christ and his members are one 1 Cor. 12.12 13 14. And those that are one with Jesus Christ you judg not fit to be members or one with you if they be not of your judgment or opinion But we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10.17 And by one Spirit saith the Apostle we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And those that are joyned to the Lord are one spirit with the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 And wil you slight those or separate your self from those that God hath joyned to himself This is not wel judg not according to externals be not over rigid in censuring Cease to be legal learn to be spiritual and then you wil love one another for salvation doth not depend upon diping or sprinkling or plunging or washing read Gal. 6.15 Sect. 5 One word to you that are moderate Anabaptists Do not the publick professors of this Kingdom both Ministers and people for the most part rest in an outside and a visible form of Religion I know you wil answer Yes I ask is it not so with the most part of those that are of your opinion Do they not rest too much in the form and shadow not being acquainted with Christ crucified who is the power of God and the wisdom of God and the salvation that God gives to men 1 Cor. 1.13 14.23 24. The Baptism of water for profession is nigh at hand and both young and old receive it But the Baptism of the Spirit is far off and few there be that have it but those that have it do not go back again to the shadow because Christ the Sun doth shine who is the Substance Mary Magdalen after she had seen Christ was risen from the grave she did not return back again to look Christ in the grave Joh. 20.11.16 17 18. Now you that lean so much upon the Baptism of water if you have no more that wil profit but little But moderate and Christian friend the Baptism of the Spirit of Christ wil teach us to profit in all conditions It wil teach us to know the world to be passing away and all the glory of it to be but as grass It wil teach us to dye to the world with Christ upon the Cross Gal. 6.14 15. It wil teach us to go down with Christ from the Cross into the Grave and there to see sin the devil the world the grave and the old man conquered and subdued and Jesus Christ triumphing from the Cross to the grave and in the grave and this is the Christians dayly work if they have faith read Col. 2.12 13 14 15. And so this blessed Spirit wil baptize every true Beleever every day more and more into the resurrection of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 Now a true Beleever being raised up from the grave together with Jesus Christ is made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 2.5 6. And this is the Baptism that wil profit us and answer all our doubts and fil our hearts ful of the joy of the Lord that is Christ the bridegroom of the soul and the soul standeth to hear the voyce of Christ and greatly rejoyceth in that Jesus Christ is the spiritual Loadstone that draws up the soul to himself in whom the soul centers and finds its rest and in him the soul spiritually injoys all the ordinances and with Jesus Christ comes down again to all external ordinances and becomes weak to the weak that he may gain some and so likewise Iohn Baptist did rejoyce in Christs Ministry for he saw that to be glorious and said Christ should increase and the glory of his Ministry should run up into Christs Ministry He must increase saith John but I must decrease Joh. 3.29 30. Now you that rest so much upon water the Baptism of an outward profession and slight all those that are not of your opinion and you contend much for the time when and the manner how this ordinance of God must be administred Not to young children you say but to men and women of years because a young child cannot make a verbal Confession of Faith it is true indeed but a man or a woman in years may learn by education to make a verbal Confession of
take it patiently and not answer them again Loving and Christian Presbyterian friend I shall take my leave of you onely I shall ask you one question which is of great concernment Do you and those of your opinion know the pure Religion the pure Religion which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie and the fruit of righteousness is sown in the prince of peace and those that have this fruit are sons of peace read James 3.17 18. Sect. 6 Now I shall give you the reason and ground of the abilities of those that I have spoken so much of Christ proceedeth and cometh forth from God John 8.42 16.27 17.8 And a true Christian he doth proceed and come forth from Jesus Christ as the branches do from the vine John 15.4 5. And as Jesus Christ told Philip the words that he spake and the works that he did it was not he that spake the words and did the works but it was his Father that dwelleth in him that did speak the words and do the works John 14.9 10 11. And so a true believing Christian he saith it is not he that doth but it is the strength of Christ that doth inable him for to do all that he doth Phil. 4.13 And the life that he lives it is not he but Christ that lives in him Gal. 2.20 And thus Christ is formed in a Christian and a Christian is formed in Christ Gal. 4.19 And he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit with the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 And being baptized into one body all are made to drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 And thus a true believing man hath fellowship with God and with Jesus Christ 1 Iohn 1.3 And thus a true believer being one with Jesus Christ gives all praise and honor unto Jesus Christ Revel 5.8 9 10 11. One word more concerning false Prophets Sect. 7 and how one shall know them Beware saith our Saviour of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Matth. 7.15 Q. Quest. But how shall one know the false Prophets from the true Ministers of Jesus Christ A. Ans By their fruits ye shall know them saith Christ Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Matth. 7.16 I shall name three things by which you may in part know them And the first is this They with fained words make merchandise of men 2 Pet. 2.3 And with cunning craftiness and a sleight they lie in wait to deceive Ephes 4.14 And thus they creep into houses nay into mens purses nay into the house of mens judgments and affections and these are they that creep into houses and lead captive silly men that are as weak as silly women these silly women that are here spoken of are unsufficient in nature for to discern the things of God 2 Tim. 3.6 Mistake me not I do not mean those that preach now in houses for this was the Apostles practise Read Acts 5.42 But there are others that creep into houses witness the whole Clergy of Rome a ministery but not of Christ and these are they that lead captive whole Kingdoms and Cities and the people must not say what do you and if they put not into their mouths they will prepare war against them and though these crafty ones cry peace yet they will bite with their teeth Micah 3.5 And so they become like unto wolves in sheeps clothing Matth. 7.15 But I hope it will not be so amongst us The second thing whereby you may know the false prophets from the true Ministers of Jesus Christ if you have ears to hear is this You may know them by their preaching for they preach but according to the notions of the brain onely by nature and by art and so spoil men with vain philosophy and deceit which is not after Christ the head and so they beguile men with a voluntary humility of worshiping they know not what Coloss 2.8 18 22 23. And so they and those that they teach are both natural and carnal Now the natural man perceiveth not the things of God but after a foolish manner 1 Corinth 2.14 And a carnal preacher and hearer are both of them at enmity with God and Christ and with the members of Christ Rom. 8.7 8. Iohn 16.2 3. But I hope we shall have none such amongst us The third thing that discovers the false prophets from the true Ministers of Jesus Christ is this If you have an eye to see what light they see by it is no new Light for they jeer at that but the light that they see by is as old as old Adam onely natural as the heathen Philosophers were and they were great Scholars Now these pretending prophets and preachers That run when the Lord doth not send them and yet they say he saith Though they steal the word they speak from their neighbor read Iere. 23.21 30 31. Now the light that these false prophets and preachers walk by it is the light of nature and the light of the nation and the light of morality and they have a word to speak for Christ and they have a word to speak against Jesus Christ when time shall serve and they are most conversant in outward external observations for Christ and none more forward then they for to persecute or betray Christ and his members when time doth serve Instance in Iudas Iohn 18.2 Then they came with their lanthorns and their torch-lights for to seek for Iesus and Iudas was in the midst of them Iohn 18.3 Now it is the nature of false prophets and preachers for to be grievous wolvish to the flock Acts 20.29 And though the prophets and priests be bad for the most part and speak falshood in the room of truth yet there is a sort of people to be found in all ages answerable to these false prophets that will receive error instead of truth nay they love to have it so read Ierem. 5.31 Who would think that there were such prophets and people in the world it is to be feared that there are such prophets and people even now amongst us CHAP. VII The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. 1 Peter 5.1 2 3. Micah 2.5 6 11. Deut. 32.8 9. Matth. 15.1 2. Mat. 27.1 John 11.47 53. 2 Tim. 3.5 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Tim. 4.5 22. Gal. 6.12 13. Gal. 4 17 21. Acts 6.3 5 6. 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Cor. 12.6 10 11. Matth. 26.59 Acts 5.21 28 40 Act. 24.1 2 3 4 5. 1 Cor. 2.14 Isa 56.10 11 12. Jere. 5.30 32. Micah 3.5 11. Ezek. 34.2 3 4. Phil. 3 2 18 19. Matth. 6.9 10. James 3.9 2 Cor. 12.14 Matth. 25.8 Psalm 82.5 1 John 4.20 21. Psal 4.2 6. Gal. 5.26 Psal 68.26 Psal 87.1 Revel 21.2 3 4. Psal 87.7 John 17.8 John 1.18 1 Cor. 2.16 Joh. 17.18 26. 1 John 1.3 John 16.13 14.
of such a Ministry with the answer that Christ gave to one of his Disciples and the answer is this Let the dead bury their dead Mat. 8.22 That is let a dead living Ministry preach to a living dead Auditory for these be strangers to Christ and that is the reason there is so much barrenness in the most part of this Kingdom Now the sheep of Christ wil not follow strangers but flee from them for they know not the voyce of strangers but they know the voyce of Christ only and he calleth them by name and leadeth them out into green pastures and by stil waters read Joh. 10.3 4 5. Psa 23.1 2 3. Sect. 5 The Elders that are old in Christ and come from Christ they are right Elders NOw such Elders are able for to feed the flock of God 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. And they are gentle among them even as a good nurse to her children which out of her affection feeds them with good milk 1 Thes 2.7 8. Even the sincere milk of the living Word which is truth and the taste of the grace of the Lord Christ and he is preious in their esteem 1 Pet. 2.2 3 7. And they suck and are satisfied with his brests of consolation and grow up into abundance of his glory and he like unto a mother is always comforting them read Isa 66.11 12 13. Now such Elders as these are like unto a good nurse Simile whose brest is ful of good milk and she is pained until the child hath received it instance in David My heart saith he is inditing of Christ and my heart boyleth within me or as water bubbleth up I am pained until I have declared Jesus Christ Psa 45.1 Therefore saith he come thou poor soul and I wil declare unto thee what Christ hath done for my soul and we wil praise him both together Psa 66.16 17. Now there is this difference between a good Elder and an Elder that is an hireling or an Elder that doth pretend for to be one Now a hireling is a servant to men for mens sakes and for mens wages but a good Elder is a servant to men for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 But he that is an hireling seeth the wolf coming which is fin and Antichrist now this hireling loves not the sheep therefore he leaveth the sheep to these wolves because he is one with these wolves and is not in relation to the sheep and hath no wil nor skil to help them Ioh. 10.12 Acts 20.28 29 30. Now the good Elder is in relation to Jesus Christ and so to the sheep of Christ and hath both wil and skil to lead the sheep apart from the wolves and as they receive freely so they give freely Mat. 10.8 Out of their store-house of love and good affection as Paul said not only the Gospel of God but our own souls for ye are dear unto us 1 Thes 2.8 Now on the other side the hireling loveth not the sheep but to feed him and cloath him read Ezek. 34.2 3. And so if he see a fatter benefice or a better abroad he wil leave the sheep for others that can feed them better though he cannot feed them at all but with husks in stead of fine wheat for he can neither pray nor preach but only say over a prayer and read over a Sermon Now the reason of all that hath been said is this these be hirelings of men and not sent out from Jesus Christ as Christ himself speaketh The â—ircling fleeth because he is an hireling and he careth not for the sheep read Ioh. 10.12 13. Now on the other side the good Elders whether they be Lay Elders or preaching Elders they wil very gladly spend and be spent for the good of one anothers souls as Paul said of himself for they have the same spirit that Paul had to make him a Minister read 2 Cor. 12.14 15. 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7. Now the reason and the ground why the good Elders are so able it is this Jesus Christ hath made them able Ministers to speak of the New Testament not of the letter only but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 And again they are raised from the dead with Jesus Christ for to bring forth fruit unto God But not in the oldness of the letter but to serve him in newness of spirit Rom. 7.4 6. Now these being married unto Jesus Christ are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh read Rom. 7.4 Phil. 3.3 Here you may see the Lay Elder as wel as the Learned Elder is in some measure able to feed the flock of God For the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and God worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12.6 7. Now you wil object and say Object That I am all Spirit or all for the Spirit and nothing is to be done but by the Spirit I answer Ans As the body is dead without a soul so is the soul dead without the last Adams quickening spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 Though the soul may seem to live a natural and fieshly life yet it is as though it were dead if the life of the Spirit of Christ be not communicated into it It is the Spirit that quickeneth saith Christ your living soul and natural fleshly life wil profit nothing The words that I speak unto you or in you they are Spirit and they are life saith Christ Ioh. 6.63 CHAP. VIII The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Phil. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Gal. 6.2 Rom. 14.5 23. Mat. 7.12 Iohn 13.35 Rom. 14.17 18 19. Col. 3.12 Ioh. 12.26 Isa 14.12 13 14. Rev. 9.11 18 19 20 21. Revel 12.10 11 12 13. 2 Thes 2.7 8 9. Gen. 3.4 5 6 7 8. Gen. 4.3 4 5. Acts 26.9 Acts 22.3 Rom. 9.31 32. Zech. 7.10 Psa 15.2 3. John 8.44 Gen. 4.8 Acts 9.1 2 3 4 5 6. Psa 119.11 Psalm 119.105 John 14.6 Gen. 4.8 Ioh. 12.10 11. 1 Cor. 2.6 7 8. Mat. 6.11 Psa 150.5 6 7 8. Hosea 13.9 Hosea 14.4 Isa 43.25 Ier. 31.33 34. 2.5.19 Micah 7.18 19. Exo. 34.6 7. Isa 38.17 1 Iohn 3.1 1 Tim. 2.5 Lev. 16.21 22. Iob 33.23 24. Isa 61.1 Luk. 4.18 Iere. 50.20 Isa 53.6 7. Col. 2.13 14 15. Rom. 8.33 34. Iohn 13.10 1 Iohn 3.23 24. Iohn 1.1 2 3 4 5. Prov. 8.22 23. 1 Thes 2.19 20. Mark 8.24 Acts 17.18 19 20. Iohn 18.19 20 21. Mark 8.25 Exo. 4.10 12. 4.14 15 16. c. 7.1 2. Rom. 2.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Iames 2.8 1 Iohn 3.23 Iames 4.11 1 Cor. 13.4 5. Phil. 3.15 Ez. 13.22 Iohn 21.15 Psa 64.3 Rev. 12.10 Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. Ier. 23.6 7 8. Eph. 1.4 5. Gal. 4.19 Isa 66.12 13. Isa 49.22 23. Psa 39.8 Prov. 6.22 23. 1 Ioh. 5.3 4 9 10. Rom. 5.8 1 Ioh. 1.7.2.1 2. Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 Eph. 4.20 21. Iohn 14.6 7. Isa 9.6 Psa 90.1 2. 1 Pet. 2.5
one God Eph. 4.6 cometh down from heaven into Christ not by measure but in the fulness of God to dwel in the body of the tree of life which tree is Jesus Christ John 1.32 33 34. Joh. 3.34 Col. 2 9. 1.19 Now the sweet Spirit of God is the head and life of this tree and this tree is the head and life of the branches which are surely graffed into this tree Now God is the head of Christ and his life and Christ is the head of the Church and their life Col. 3. â— 4. Now Jesus Christ being man united unto God and God dwelling in this man Christ now Christ being man and so weak saith this of himself I saith he can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judg and I seek not mine own wil but the honor of the Father which hath sent me John 5.30 And thus Christ reasons with Philip that he might lead Philip through himself unto the Father that he might give God the Father the honor of his love for Christ thus Christ seeks the honor of his Father Now Christ being the spiritual tree of life and Philip a branch of this tree the spirit of life runs through this tree into all the branches and causeth the branches to bring forth the fruit of praise to God And thus Christ and his members do seek to advance the glory of the Spirit of life which is God as you may see by these words Have I been so long with you saith Christ to Philip and yet hast thou not not known me He that hath seen me hath seen the Father And how sayst thou then Shew us the Father Beleevest not thou that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self Mark this But the Father that dwelleth in me he speaketh the words and he doth the works Beleeve me Philip saith Christ that I am in the Father and the Father in me Joh. 14.8 9 10 11. And thus Christ the tree of life bears and brings forth honor to his Father and thus the branches of this tree bring forth fruit and give the honor of it wholly unto God instance in Paul The life saith he that now I live it is not I but it is God in Christ that lives in me Gal. 2.20 And thus the sweet Spirit of God cometh down into the head of the body which head is Christ and so down into the branches which are the body of Christ and the Church of Christ which Church is created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 God is a Spirit John 4.24 If I be lifted up from the earth saith Christ I wil draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 that is Christ who is God in the Spirit shal draw men with the Spirit up into Christ and they shal be all taught of God the Father who is a Spirit and learn of him spiritually to come to Christ John 6.44 45 46. And thus you may see that a Christian in deed and in truth is not in Jesus Christ or for Jesus Christ after a carnal manner or after the rudiments of the world or after the laws of mens making Col. 2.8 18 19 20. But as the Apostle Paul saith We saith he worship God in the spirit and we rejoyce with the spirit in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh or fleshly ordinances Phil. 3.3 Carnal reason and fleshly wisdom may and do handle those things which we cal the ordinances of God and it may be very learnedly and with a seeming shew of zeal and piety and yet for all this be but carnal and fleshly and like the grave where Mary stood weeping An allusion because she could not find her Lord Christ there now Christ was risen and gone and she sought the living among the dead John 20.11 12 13. Luk. 24.5 And so a poor soul stands by the ordinances that most men handle Observe weeping because it finds them dul and cold and dark And if one ask the poor soul why it weeps it answers as Mary did I weep because I cannot find my Christ here These men cannot tel me of my beloved Lord whom my soul loveth Let me advise thee a little An Advice O thou poor soul thou must go a little beyond these dark and dul watchmen I was saith the Church but a little passed from these watchmen but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go such is the love of the soul unto Jesus Christ that it cannot be satisfied without Christ read Cant. 3.3 4. Such a man is the only man for a sick soul that beleeves what he speaks A true preacher and speaks what he hath seen and learned of Christ read 2 Cor. 4.13 Eph. 4.21 Now the man in Christ Sect. 9 with the spirit of Christ speaks spiritually of God in Christ and the Spirit of Christ is the Saints rest or resting place for unto that the Saints flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows for shelter and for food Isa 60.8 The Spirit of God is the original good The Spirit of God and the only sweet good unto the spirits of men The Lord Iesus Christ saith the Apostle be with thy spirit 2 Tim. 4.22 Thus the sweet Spirit of God comes down into the tree of life which is Christ and so into the branches that grow in this tree of life Christ is the tree out of which these branches grow and come forth Iames 1.17 18. The Saints life Every true beleeving man and woman is a branch in Christ the tree of life and the sweet Spirit of God is their life that they live by and move by and act by Acts 17.28 And it pleaseth the sweet Spirit of God to give this title to the branches in Christ That they might be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord by the rivers of his sweet Spirit that he may bring forth fruit in his season read and compare Isa 61.3 9 10 11. and Psa 1.3 together And thus the sweet Spirit of God works all the Saints works in them and for them Isa 26.12 13 19 20. And thus the holy Spirit of God doth write his Law in their hearts even the Law of Faith and Love which they account of great use Secondly They live not as they list but as the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth constrain them and so in its love it doth direct them read Isa 30.21 Thirdly We are to do nothing for Christ as the most people in the world do to this day for this were to go down to Egypt the flesh for strength to get Christ but this wil be to no purpose or vain labor Now in this case Our strength is to sit stil saith the Prophet read Isa 30.7 Christ is a gift of God John 4.10 and not for us to get of God or from God We are not to work for
side All this was done unto his body which was humane besides his troubles in the spirit when he was in an agony in the garden where his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground Now never were any mans sorrows like unto the sorrows of Jesus Christ yet for all this their malice did not change the stream of love which was in Jesus Christ for when they were a thrusting him out of the world and he was going unto God his Father then this Child Jesus which was the Man Christ and anointed of God above all his yellows prayed Father saith he for give them for they know not what they do for they are ful of the seed of the serpent Yet nevertheless O righteous Father saith Jesus Christ A ful Redemption by Christ for al men if all men had but faith to beleeve I have finished a sufficient Redemption for the whole world if thou O Father wilt but give them faith to beleeve it or to give a true credit unto that report for it is finished And thus Jesus Christ bowed his head and took his leave of this cruel people and this wicked world together as you may read Luk. 23.34 John 19.30 Now these blind Jews and Lawyers Sect. 5 and zealous Pharisees together with the blind devotion of the chief Priests and the rude multitude they all looked upon an outside Christ or a fleshly Christ or Christ the Son of God vailed with flesh so that they did not see within the vail the most holy of all therefore they fel upon him and judged him to be forsaken of God and so they marred his visage and despised him and saw no comeliness or beauty in him that he should be more desired then another man Isa 52.14 Isa 53.2 2 4. Now the man in whose heart the Child Jesus is born such a man or woman sees within the vail and sees Christ spiritually sees Christ as God-man ful of divine amiableness and sweetnesses of beauty and unspeakable comeliness of the spiritualnesses in Christ when he was vailed with his flesh but much more now Christ is ascended far above all heavens to fil the souls of men ful of spiritual gifts unutterable and ful of glory Eph. 49 10. Psa 68.18 Now the soul of such a man or woman is sick of love for the delightful in-comes of a spiritual Christ now unvailed which is not to be seen visibly for he is invisible and not to be seen now but by the eye of faith for by faith Moses saw him that was invisible Heb. 11.27 Now a man in Christ is a new creature and Christ being born in a man makes him partaker of the Divine Nature as the Apostle speaks Now Christ is our life and our life is hid in God Col. 3.3 4. Now the life which a true christianized man or woman that is a true beleeving man or woman or a true beleeving man in his young age as wel as in his old age now the life which they live it is not they but Christ liveth in them and as a Father he doth translate them into the substance of the Gospel which is Christ the inheritance of the Saints in light but no new light mark this all you that mock and jeer at new light Gal. 2.20 Col. 1.12 13. Now Christ being in a Christian and a Christian in Christ Christ becomes the Christians School-master and doth Gospelize him and make him a new creature and he doth spiritualize him and make him heavenly and Christ-like that is like unto himself Now a true beleeving man or woman are the auditors or the hearers and the holy Ghost is the preacher or the speaker and the heart of a true beleeving man is the place where this sweet Spirit of grace doth preach or make known the Lord who is our salvation Eph. 4.20 21. 1 Jo. 2.27 28. Now the Lord is that Spirit that doth all in us and for us And in the glory of the Lord every true beleeving man or woman is changed into the image of Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and a true beleeving man or woman is comple at in him Now all this is done by the Spirit of the Lord who is both Lord and Christ read 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Col. 2.9 10. Now you wil object and say Object that I seem to make more Christs then one whereas I say that the child Jesus is to be born in the heart of a man or Christ the Son of God for man who is the Son of God in man he is to be formed in the hearts of men or Christ to be born in the heart of a man which is God with us or God in us Mat. 1.21 23. Luk 2.26 27. I answer Answ there is but one God and Christ one Christ who is above all and through all and in you all and when this Christ doth appear in thy heart O man or woman then thou shalt also appear with him in glory for grace is glory Eph. 4.6 Col. 3.4 11. One word more to prove that there is but one true Christ Sect. 6 by way of simile Simile There is but one natural Sun in the Firmament that doth shine upon this world and all men and creatures do live in this Sun and do partake of its light and heat or else they would dye and vanish away and this Sun doth live in men and in all creatures with his light and heat but men and creatures are distinct from this Sun and apart from it so that every man or creature is not a Sun as this natural Sun in the Firmament which I have spoken of but every man and creature doth partake of the fulness of this Suns light and heat and so they are nourished And so likewise in the last place I shal prove That every true Christian or true beleeving man or woman is not a Christ neither are they Christs as you did object and say I seemed to make more Christs then one yet a true beleever is one with Christ in union and communion light and life And first of all for union I in them and thou in me I wil saith Christ that they be with me where I am to behold my glory Joh. 17.23 24. Secondly For communion of the fulness of Christ Every true beleever receiveth grace after grace unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Joh. 1.16 Eph. 4.13 Thirdly The light of the Lord is my light saith the soul of every true beleeving man and it is my joy and delight to walk in this light and his salvation is the strength of my life of whom shal I be afraid Psa 27.1 Fourthly Christ is my life saith a true beleeving Christianized man in whom I live and move and have my being and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who is God with us or God in us and his name
from the corrupted and old man which is sin and the devil Heb. 2.14 15. Now all this is done by the determinate counsel of God Acts 2.23 24. And as the Jews did crucifie Christ in the flesh even so doth every particular man now crucifie Christ in the spirit as much as in him lies The Jews gathered together in counsel against Christ and had their chief Priests and Pharisees to accuse him and they had a Pilate to condemn him and they had a rude multitude that cryed Crucifie him Crucifie him release Barabbas and crucifie Jesus and thus it is in every particular mans heart now For the corrupt heart of a man now in our days for all our customary and seeming outside shews yet we are against the holy child Jesus in a spiritual way as wel as the Jews were in a fleshly way but this holy thing which shal be born in the heart of a man wil be both Lord and Christ now in a spiritual way and rule in the midst of his enemies but when this holy Child Jesus which is Emmanuel God with us or in us doth but begin to stir in the heart of a man then the corrupt heart of a man doth gather up all his forces against God in Christ A remarkable note and saith I wil not have this man to reign over me And so likewise the corrupt heart cals for a counsel against Christ in the Spirit And the first in this counsel is the wilfulness of the wil which is in faln man and this wil is stubborn against God and disaffected to the true Christ as the ignorant chief Priests and Pharisees were who called Jesus Christ Deceiver and thought to have kept him in the grave with a band of men Mat. 27.63 64. God is but one he is all in all his appearances The second in counsel against God who is both Lord and Christ and Jesus it is the dark and the blind understanding which is in the hearts of all men now the most learned men as wel as others for the mystical book of God coming into the flesh Col. 1.26 27. Rom. 10.2 3. Mark 15.10 11 15. even unto them is sealed Isai 29.11 and likewise to the zealous for God but without knowledg to them also as wel as the rude and ignorant multitude The understandings of most men are so ful of darkness even now in our days Sect. 3 that they cannot see God in Christ they cannot see God manifesting himself in the fleshly hearts of men they cannot see that spiritual Ministry which comes out from GOD therefore they jeer at such a Ministry or at such a Minister with the name of new light or strange doctrine and they are ready to say as the Jews did unto Christ He hath a Devil and is mad why hear ye him And thus most men are confused in their understandings not knowing Jesus Christ who is Gods Truth but are ready to take up stones to stone him as the Jews did as you may read at large John 10.19 20 24 25 31 39. Now the third that comes in counsel against God who is that holy child Jesus who is that holy thing which was born of the Virgin Mary and took our flesh upon him Luke 1.35 This God wil come now in another appearance and make way for himself into our hearts God is the first last and his Church in the midle into our flesh and that spiritually into his people Heb. 2.14 15. John 16.13 14. Now the third as I said before that comes in counsel against God it is the affections and the love that are in every mans heart for I am now speaking of every mans heart in particular Now so far as a mans heart is possessed with the old corrupt man with the envious man so far a man plays the Judas with Christ to betray him even in his heart for you must know from the heart proceedeth evil thoughts against God and mans dissembling love that feigns it self to be a just man for Christ when in the mean time he is like a spy to betray Christ and to accuse Jesus Christ such is the deceitful heart of man to God like unto those dissembling chief Priests which are left upon record as you may read Luke 20.19 20 21. Mat. 13.25 38 39. Luke 6.45 46. Now the wil of man that wil have none of Christ and the understanding of man that cannot see God in Christ nor see any beauty in Christ why he should be desired the dissembling love of man that cannot affect Jesus Christ And then comes in the fourth which is the blind judgment of man and this gives sentence against Jesus Christ and like Pilate condemns Christ and releaseth Barabbas and all this is done in the heart of every particular man And for all our talk of the Jews to be against Christ in the flesh we play the Jew and the chief Priest and Pharisee and Pontius Pilate against Christ now in the Spirit and thus doth every particular man in his own heart And though Christ gave himself unto the Jews to be crucified and to have his body lifted up on a tree read John 10.17 18. according to the counsel of his wil determined before to be done Acts 4.28 Yet it was his design who is God blessed for evermore in his love to lift up his Spirit within every particular mans heart whom he doth intend to baptize with his Spirit read Iohn 12.32 Luke 3.16 Now this being done Sect. 4 Christ who is God-man brings in his Cross into a mans heart and by the power of his Cross all his enemies in the heart of a man shal be crucified Every man now hath something in his heart like to the Jew the Pharisee and like to the high Priests and Pilate but these shal all be crucified by the brightness of Christs coming into the heart and by the power of his Cross I desire to know nothing saith the Apostle save Iesus Christ and him crucified and him crucifying all within my heart that is contrary unto himself Read at large 2 Thes 2.7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 2.1 2. And every thing that is mans own shal be destroyed and dye on this Cross as sin and self-seeking for the Son of man must be glorified and except thy soul O faln man as a corn of wheat fal into the ground and dye and be found in Christ it abideth alone but if thy soul dye O faln man and be buried with Christ in his grave and there put off its naturalness which is as thy grave clothes and so arise with Christ or so arise in Christ unto spiritualness in heavenly places I say if so then thou shalt bring forth much fruit read John 12.23 24. Eph. 1.3 Now if thy corn of wheat dye I mean thy soul which is surrounded with sin and the world and the devil then thy sin and the world and the devil must be crucified upon the Cross of Christ
mistake not your self in the application of these few lines for these are perilous times for some indeed preach Christ out of envy and strife and those that preach Christ thus have it by Art and not by Grace Phil. 1.15 16. And thus a natural carnal man may preach Christ having the common gifts of the Spirit which are common to all men as the Arts and the Tongues which may be learned at Oxford and then the help of a great Library and a good pen and sit at it all the week and then a good memory and then a fluent tongue then such a man may talk of Christ an hour or two together but I suppose this is not preaching if it be we have great store of it now in our days And those men that so preach are subject to speak evil of those that preach Christ out of good wil To preach Christ out of good wil is a saving gift And such men cannot but speak the things which they have seen and heard Acts 4.20 Now true preaching is to beleeve We having the same spirit of faith saith the Apostle therefore we speak 2 Cor. 4.13 though we be evil spoken of and upbraided with new doctrine and with a new light M. Edwards are not you guilty of this clamor and I fear others besides you are But I remember a caution that the Apostle gave to the Philippians Beware of evil workers saith he who boast of the letter and of the outsides of Religion and yet are enemies to Christ for they mind earthly things Phil. 3.2 18 19. as profit and preeminence M. Edwards I pray you be not like unto Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence among them receiveth us not saith the Apostle But when I come saith the Apostle I wil remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious words and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the brethren but speaketh evil of them and forbiddeth them that would receive them and casteth them out of the Church read 3. Epistle of Joh. 9 10 11. M. Edwards I shal take leave of you now I shal speak of you again only I shal present you with two cautions The first is Follow not that which is evil and take not up a reproach against your neighbor to do him harm Psa 15.3 The second is Take heed that the light which is in you be not darkness Luke 11.35 CHAP. IV. The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. Rev. 2.17.2.2 Cant. 2.8 John 10.4 5 27. 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Ioh. 14.10 11 Ioh. 17.21 22 23 14. Eph. 1.3 c. Lu. 7.44 c. Psa 1.2 Psa 66.16 1 Pet. 2.5 Joh. 2.20 27. Act. 2.17 18. Joel 2.28 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Joh. 3.2 3 4. Mat. 21.16 Psa 8.2 1 Thes 5.21 1 Joh. 4.1 Col. 4.17 Gal. 5.1 2 Cor. 11.19 20. Colos 2.18 19. 1 Pet. 5.2 1 Cor. 5.4 12 13. Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.13 Mark 9.35 1 Cor. 7.23 Prov. 6.16 19. Rom. 14.5.23 1 Thes 2.7 8. 2 Cor. 1.24 Act. 15.5 10. Joh. 11.47 48. Luke 22.24 25 26. Iohn 13.15 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Psal 133.1 2. Gen. 13.8 Isa 49.15 16. Ier. 32.40 41. Gen. 42.36 Acts 27.22 23 24. Eph. 5.32 Gen. 30.27 Gen. 37.19 20 21 22. Gen. 42.21 22. Gen. 45.3 4 5. Gen. 50.20 Gen. 45.27 28. Mat. 23.24 25. Luke 17.20 Mat. 23.23 Ier. 7.4 Mat. 25.8 10 11 12. Gen. 45.24 1 Thes 5.21 1 Pet. 4.10 11. 1 Cor. 6.5 6. Mat. 15.14 Isaiah 2.2 3 4 5. Matthew 10.9 10. Luke 10.4 5 6 7 8. Matthew 6.31 32 33 34. Luke 22.22 25 26. Matthew 26.47 48 49 50. Luke 11.45 46 52 53 54. Matthew 26.3 4. Ephesians 4.22 Psalm 31.11 13. Psalm 35.13 14 15 16 19 20. Acts 14.22 Luke 18.9 Iohn 8.41 42. Iohn 9.16 29. Iohn 2.3.11.47 43. Iohn 12.10 11 19. THere is great contending Sect. 1 now in our days how one should know who are the true Ministers of the Gospel Ans But they who have an ear to hear what the Spirit of God saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.17 are inabled by the spirit of Christ in some measure to try them which say they are Apostles and are not and have found them lyars Rev. 2.2 The Church of Christ only knows the voyce of Christ It is the voyce of my beloved saith the Spouse Cant. 2.8 My sheep hear my voyce saith Christ and a stranger they wil not follow for they know not the voyce of strangers and wil flee from them Iohn 10.4 5 27. Here is the report that Christ gives of his sheep which holds forth a sufficiency in them by his holy Spirit to try the messages that the messengers or ministers of the Gospel do bring unto them and that by a divine authority Now here wil arise an Objection and that is this Object Can an unlearned man try the Doctrine of a learned man Ans Sol. Yes for the doctrine of Christ is spiritual though it may be delivered literally or in the letter and so it may be as a Cabinet sealed up to him that carries it or delivers it But an unlearned man may have and hath the key of David that is the Spirit of God to teach him the mystery when the learned man may have but the history There is no man in the world though never so learned so able as the Saints are Are true Beleevers to give out the spiritual meaning of the Word of God It is true indeed learned men may take up the Truth as other men lay it down and so they may talk of it But the beleeving man Sect. 2 the new man he is the only man for he hath the Truth and he can declare the Truth for the Spirit of God doth teach him read 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12 13 14 15 16. The beleeving man is the only man for these Reasons The first is God is in Christ Joh. 14.10 11. The second is Christ and God is in every true Beleever I in them and thou in me saith Jesus Christ Joh. 17.21 22 23 24. The third is Every true beleeving man and woman were in Christ before the world was and as soon as they came into the world they went astray and then were accepted again in the beloved that is in Christ they have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of all their sins at once and not by peece-meal and this is to the glory of free grace O there is nothing in the world that can cleanse the world of taking liberty to sin but only free grace read Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 7 8. A great sinner once made a true beleever such a man and woman is the only man and woman that can magnifie free grace Mary Magdalen a great sinner was overcome by the free grace of God in Christ and then she washed Christs feet with tears and kissed his feet and anointed them Free grace begets much love Luk. 7.44 45 46 47. And so Paul a
Heb. 2.12 13. Isai 54.13 Joh. 6.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.19 John 16.13 14 15. John 3.1 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 1.19 20. 1 Corinth 1.24 John 14.6 Rom. 3.11 12. 1 Corinth 15.46 47. Rom. 5.14 Acts 22.2 3 4 5. Phil. 3.4 5 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 2.14 Rom. 10.14 15. Matth. 8.22 John 10.3 4 5. Psal 23.1 2 3. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. 1 Thes 2.7 8. 1 Pet. 2.2 3 7. Isai 66.11 12 13. Psal 45.1 Psal 66.16 17. 2 Corinth 4.5 John 10.12 Acts 20.28 29 30. Matth. 10.8 1 Thes 2.8 Ezek. 34.2 3. John 10.12 13. 2 Cor. 12.14 15. 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 3.6 Rom. 7.4 6. Rom. 7.4 Phil. 3.3 1 Cor. 12.6 7. 1 Cor. 15.45 John 6.63 A word in season to two sorts of Elders in love Sect. 1 THe Elders which are among you saith the Apostle I exhort you to feed the flock of God read 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. Now the Elders that are not able for to feed the flock of God let them be of what sort of Elders you please for to call them they are like unto a bad nurse that fills the childe full of bad milk and winde together and so as men walking with the winde of a false spirit as you may read it in the margent they profit the people nothing at all Micah 2.5 6 11. Deut. 32.8 9. Now there are two sorts of Elders The first sort is such as the Pharisees were that seemeth to be much for God and for the worship of God by way of tradition Matth. 15.1 2. The second sort of Elders is directly such as the Pharisees were that sought by all means for to put Jesus Christ to death Matth. 27.1 John 11.47 53. Now such Elders that are not able for to feed the flock of God and possess and keep that place They do as much as in them lies for to sterve the flock of God now the Elders that are but onely able for to feed the flock with shadows and no more as the letter of the Scriptures so far as natural reason can reach and so litterally examine the people and ask them questions and legally admonish them but not able for to break the bread of life to the people and so they build one another up in a specious form of Religion but they remain ignorant of Christ the power of Religion 2 Tim. 3.5 I believe that there are many Elders that are naturally very wise But the natural man perceiveth not the things of God neither doth this wise man know the things of God read 1 Cor. 2.14 How then can they instruct the people of things they themselves know not here are unfit Elders indeed But he that is an Elder in Jesus Christ is the good Elder and takes care for to make out Jesus Christ spiritually to the mindes and spirits of men 2 Tim. 4.5 22. But the fleshly Elder that is the natural man he is not a fit nor a true Elder for he desires to make a fair shew in the flesh and constrain men for to submit to them that they may glory in their flesh Gal. 6.12 13. And thus they zealously affect you that you might affect them and exclude us that are true Ministers and Elders of Jesus Christ saith the Apostle but this is not well for they would draw you from the truth and put you under the bondage of the law again Gal. 4.17 21. This may fill the ear but it cannot feed the heart this may please sense but not have the benefit of faith Now those that are right Elders whether they be lay Elders or learned Elders they must be men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdom If the Deacons were such as the Apostles did approve of read Acts 6.3 5 6. much more the Elders who are for to teach the people the word and doctrine of Jesus Christ which is the ground of the peoples being ruled well for the Elders are to teach the people as well the Matter of the Gospel as to admonish them of Manners to the Gospel and so sit and ask them questions and then admit of them 1 Tim. 5.17 I do desire that the Elders had but discerning spirits First The gift of discerning their own spirits Secondly The gift to discern the spirits of the people whom they receive This gift is and is to be had 1 Cor. 12.6 10 11. I ask doth not the greatest part of people in this Kingdom and the most people in most Parishes resemble the Papists as much as face doth face in a glass The Roman Catholike must not nor will not do any thing in matters of Religion without the consent of their holy Father the Pope and then the Jesuite and the Fryer and the Mass-Priest must be their Confessor and what they spake it must be Canonical And thus the people are led along in ignorance but they please the people once a yeer with a voluntary carrying of Christ upon the Cross for the people to kiss at the high Altar and then Christ is upon the Cross in another place a dying and the people adoring his picture and then there is publike confession of sin with penance and pilgrimage and then there is private examination and confession of sin to the Priest at other times and then he absolves them and remits their sins and then they are fit for the Eucharist as they think and when Easter day is come and Christ is risen and they have received the Eucharist then they are merry and think they have done enough for all the yeer after and with a devotion they eat up that Christ which they observe days and times for for they say The bread is his very flesh and the wine is the very blood of Jesus Christ which they drink and thus they please themselves with shadows and go crossing themselves to their graves rejoycing in the shadow and yet remain ignorant of Jesus Christ the substance I ask again Sect. 2 Doth not the greatest part of our English Protestants and the greatest part of people in most Parishes resemble the Papists as face doth face in a glass for they must not nor will not do any thing in matters of Religion without a Councel or a Synod Now it is plain That a Councel or a Synod may erre Instance Now the chief Priests and Elders and all the Councel sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death And I think this was an error read Matth. 26.59 Now these men had the Scriptures of the Prophets to be their guide but they could not know Jesus by them though he was present amongst them The second instance is A whole Councel and a Synod together may erre and the Councel and the Synod met together for to command the Apostles That they should not teach in Jesus name nor speak any more of his doctrine and so when they had beaten them they let them go And I think this was an error read Acts 5.21 28 40. And so the
and the light of the Law which is in no wise grievous read Prov. 6.23 1 Ioh. 5.3 And Christ is the love-token of his Father read Rom. 5.8 And thus those that are counted loathsom Antinomians do imbrace him as the effect of his Fathers love which is the efficient cause of taking away sin from men read 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. And so they account the blood of Jesus Christ God-man to be the meritorious cause that hath and doth cleanse us from all sin past present and to come 1 Iohn 1.7 2.1 2. And so likewise Christ is the rule of a Christian and the Law of God which a Christian doth walk by And so likewise Christ is a Christian School-master for to bring him to God Gal. 6.15 16. Psa 1.2 Eph. 4.20 21. Iohn 14.6 O sweet God Sect. 7 and everlasting Father Isa 9.6 A Prayer from the Scripture to the Father Son holy Spirit opening that Mystery Thou art a sure foundation and a sure dwelling place Psa 90.1 2. O sweet Jesus thou that art built in and upon this foundation 1 Pet. 2.5 6. 2 Pet. 1.3 4. And thy sons and thy daughters being in thee thou proceedest forth and comest forth from God and bringest thy sons and thy daughters along with thee Eph. 1.3 4 5. Iohn 8.42 Isa 8.18 O sweet and holy and blessed Spirit of God which cometh from the Father Iohn 15.26 and from the Son and is sent by the Son into the hearts of his sons and daughters for to make Christ who is God-man glorious in their eyes Iohn 16.13 14 15. Isa 32.15 O sweet and blessed Spirit which art one of three and yet undividable thou art but one God blessed for evermore and not three Gods read 1 Cor. 8.5 6. But out of thy love and wisdom O sweet God thou hast made a distinction of thy self in the first Creation when thou saidst Let us make man in our image after our likeness Gen. 1.26 And thou hast made it good again in the second Creation when thou saidst Go and make new Schollars or new Disciples Then thy power O blessed Father Son and holy Spirit goes along and makes a new Creature in Christ or for Christ Old things are past away behold all things are become new read Matth. 28.18 19. 2 Cor. 5.17 A natural Tree growing up out of the earth An excellent Si mile having his roots therein and by the mighty power of God in his Creation there goes effectual power from the earth into the roots and so up into the body of the Tree and so up into every branch and causeth leaves and Fruit for the use of man which Tree hath its Seed in its self Gen. 1.11 12 29. Heb. 1.2 3. Now our Friend Jesus Christ is the Spiritual Tree of Life which grows in the midst of the paradise of God Revel 2.7 Gen. 2.9 Now God the Father is the paradise and the onely sweet Divine Garden Revel 2.7 And Christ his Son is the only sweet Flower in the Garden and he is daily his Fathers delight and in him onely God takes his pleasure read these two Scriptures Prov. 8.22 30. Matth. 17.5 Now the fulness of the Godhead is the infinite Fountain of Divinty in which Christ is a root or rooted and so grows up in that and so Christ cometh out of God and from God Col. 2.9 Psa 68.26 Isa 11.1 10. John 14.10 11. 17.8 21. 1.18 And so Christ is Gods King upon his holy Hill of Sion and God hath given him to be the Head over all things to the Church which is his Body now the true Church of God is the fulness of Christ and the true Church is most compleat in Jesus Christ Psal 2.6 Ephes 1.22 23. Colos 2.10 Psal 45.13 Now this is matter of great comfort unto a perticular poor soul for to have the blessed and infinite God anointing Jesus Christ our Head with his fulness that we might receive of his fulness even grace for grace in Christ Jesus Heb. 1.9 John 1.16 And so likewise it is an inlivening comfort to a poor fainting panting and thirsty soul for God to pour out his precious ointment upon the Head of thy Aaron that is Jesus Christ And so from him as thy Head this ointment runs down upon thy Beard nay it runs into thy heart into every corner of thy heart and it runs down to the skirts of his garments that is to every poor member of his and he fills and refreshes them with his Grace which is as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord gives a blessing even life for evermore read Psa 133.2 3. Now this is the River the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God Now the heart of a right Christian and a true believing man or woman is the City of God and the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most High and the infinite Divine Consolations of the Spirit which is God blessed for evermore runs thorow this City and maketh it glad when the world is turned upside down read Psa 46.4 5 6. Now you that stand for Fruits Sect. 8 and for Notes and Signes consider well what Tree they grow upon for a natural tree may bring forth excellent Fruit to the natural sight and if you take this natural Fruit for to be Notes and Signes spiritual you will deceive your selves as the most of the world do to this day because the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them and if he hear of them by the hearing of the ear he makes a jest of them for they are foolishness unto him 1 Cor. 2.14 But if you grow in the Tree of Life as the Branch doth in the Vine which Tree and Branch Zech. 6.12 is Jesus Christ then you shall live and receive of his life and bring forth fruit by his strength for in him and with him and by him you shal be able to do all things and without him you can do nothing to please God John 15.4 5. Phil. 4.13 Heb. 11.6 O sweet and blessed Spirit of God which workest all our works in us and for us Isa 26.12 And as a natural tree whose seed is in it self and having its roots in the earth and so receiving nourishment in at the roots without which it could not live But that nourishment which the roots do receive in runs up the body of the tree into every branch of the tree and causeth a fruitful flourishing of green leaves and fruit for the use of men and this turns to the praise of God and the good of men and all this is the work of the sweet Spirit of God through the whole course of nature But in a supernatural way of grace it is unspeakable and ful of glory Christ is the spiritual tree of life which is rooted in God Isa 11.1 10. John 1.18 John 17.23 24. Now the sweet Spirit of God which is only
1 Cor. 1.30 And Christ bids the soul be of good cheer for its sins are forgiven Matth. 9.2 and he hath overcome the world for it though it live amongst men that are slanderers and say it will have none of his Law to be its rule and call it Antinomian that will live as its own list For Christ hath done all for it and it needs to do nothing at all And this they say It will not pray for pardon of sin for God sees no sin in it and they say it takes liberty by Freegrace to sin and is infectious as the plague But mark how Christ speaks to the soul Be of good cheer poor soul for I know thy works and thy tribulation and patience and poverty and where thou dwellest even where Satans throne is Revel 2.9 10 11 13. But be of good cheer O poor soul though these men hate thee yet thou art blessed and when they shall separate thee from their company and shall reproach thee and cast out thy name as evil for my sake rejoyce thou in that day and be of good cheer for I have overcome this world of men Luke 6.22 23. John 16.32 33. Now mark how Jesus Christ doth vindicate these reproached ones I know saith Christ that you acknowledg that without me you can do nothing Joh. 15.5 When I have inlarged thine heart and put my self therein saith Christ then I will be thy law and thy rule and thy day and thy power and thou shalt be willing in me and I will be thy law in which thou shalt delight and it shall not be grievous but thy joy Psa 119.32 110.3 Rom. 7.22 Psal 1.2 1 John 5.3 Secondly Thou canst not live as thy own list O thou poor soul saith Christ for thou art not thy own I have bought thee with a price and thou art joyned unto me in and by the Spirit and thou shalt live as I will have thee saith Christ for I will give thee both to will and to do of my good pleasure and thou shalt not be barren nor unfruitful 1 Cor. 6.17 19 20. Phil. 2.13 2 Pet. 1.8 Thirdly Jesus Christ did not suffer and die for himself but he tells thee O poor soul that he died for thee to bring thee as a son unto glory and bids thee be of good cheer for he hath finished the work which God gave him to do for thee O poor soul and thou needest not for to do any thing at all for life or for to get Christ who is thy life Mistake me not here Sect. 4 for most people do mistake this point Christ tells thee O poor soul again That he hath finished all for thee upon the Crose and thou needest not to work for life neither needest thou to work for to get Christ for Christ is a free gift of God and not for us to get of God Now as Christ hath done all for the soul so Christ tells the poor soul he will do all in it for he is the vine and the soul is a branch in him and it shall work from a principle of life which is in him which is its original and he will pour into it spiritual influence and nourishment and it shall bring forth much fruit because of him read Heb. 2.9 10 11. John 17.4 5 6. 19.30 4.10 15.5 Fourthly Jesus Christ tells the poor soul that it needs not doubt of the pardon of sin for he hath put an end to its sins and brought in everlasting righteousness unto it for to cover it and he will open its eyes and awaken it that it may run and read its pardon and be satisfied with beholding his face in righteousness which will transform it into his likeness and cause it for to sing the song of the Lamb and to have the high praises of God in its mouth Dan. 9.24 Psal 17.15 Revel 14.1 2 3 4 5. Psal 149.4 5 6. Fifthly Christ tells the soul that God sees no sin in his that is in the new man that is the heavenly man which is that holy thing which shall be born in thee O thou poor soul and this holy thing shall be formed in thee O thou poor soul and this is the seed of God which shall be born in thy heart and it cannot sin because he is born of God And this is the good part or the better part which Christ speaks of to Martha Now this good thing or this better part is even God himself Now we are to consider betwixt the spirit and the flesh Now in the Spirit which is of God there is no evil or sin but in the flesh there is not this good neither can flesh and blood inherit the Kingdom of God for in my flesh saith Paul I know there dwelleth no good thing Now a true Christian in this life doth consist of good and evill Now the good part in a true believing man or woman brings the bad part every moment unto the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified as Paul speaks By which Cross saith he I am crucified to the world the flesh and sin and the world the flesh and sin are crucified unto me upon this Cross And I thank God through Christ my Lord which hath freed me from the body of this death So that with the minde I my self saith the Apostle serve the Law of God but in my flesh there is a law of sin which is nailing to the Cross of Christ every day 1 Cor. 15.47 48 49. Luke 1.35 Gal. 4.19 Psal 27.4 1 Iohn 3.9 Luke 10.41 42. 18.19 These Scriptures shew where God sees no sin And these Scriptures which I shall now name shew how and where God doth see sin that is in the flesh and upon the Cross of Christ 1 Corinth 15.50 Rom. 7.18 Gal. 5.17 6.14 Rom. 7.21 22 23 24 25. Col. 2.13 14 15. Heb. 2.14 15. Sixthly Free-grace doth not open a door to let in sin into the soul but the soul as a chaste Virgin married unto Christ the Fountain of Free-grace by which grace the soul is strong to shut the door against sin Romans chap. verse 4. Titus 2. verses 11 12. Seventhly Those that speak so much of Free-grace are not infectious as a plague as some call them and say they are corrupt in the brain and so they are dangerous Now such men do labor to bring an evil report upon these men for Free-grace sake Now by this means there is a disaffecting and a great neglecting of the speaking of Free-grace and rather a teaching of men for to do some good thing of their own as it were and so to get our selves qualifications as it were for to fit us for Christ Good master what shall I do saith the young man that I may inherit eternal life Mark 10.17 And so saith the Pharisee I have fasted and prayed and done many things therefore I am not as other men are Luke 18.11 12. Now is it not apparent that most people and
ignorantly Come you old men which consented and suffered your men to go forth in such multitudes to Westminster and after that to Guildhal it might have produced sad things but God prevented it even as sad things All men by nature like unto Saul as Saul accused himself of unto the Lord Lord saith he They know that I imprisoned and beat in every Synagogue them that beleeved on thee and when the blood of thy Martyr Steven was shed I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him And I gave my voice against those that did speak of the Name of Jesus and when they were put to death I gave my consent and when they were to be persecuted or any did but speak evil of them I also gave my vote against them I ask Quest is not this the temper of a great many in our Kingdom and City read Acts 22.19 20. 26.10 11. I am perswaded that we have many Aldermen and Common-Councel men and others That are good religious men yet it is possible that good men may do unworthy actions As for instance Instance Joshua was a good man Good men sometimes may do bad actions as Joshua did Numb 11.28 29. and the servant of Moses and one of his young men now he hearing another young man complaining to Moses of Eldad and Medad that did prophesie in the Camp Joshua he seconds him and answered and said My lord Moses forbid them that they may not prophesie Now this was an unworthy action of Joshua as you may see by the reproof that Moses gave him read Numbers 11. verses 26 27 28 29. Now had we not a whole Councel that did envy against such men as did prophesie or preach or speak call it what you will Witness our City Remonstrance which did request That they might have something against such people that they might proceed against them as Sectaries or factious persons and so stop their mouths and compel them and so likewise our young men and other good men amongst them meeting at Guildhal many days together they sotishly reviled those that were good Christians and the sotish young men ignorantly cryed down with these Sectaries down with these Independents and so thrusting them up and down the Hall and the yard with their Elbows and Shoulders And this was the simple behavior and gross ignorance with their proud mockings and secret whisperings and outward scornings and contempt of those that are good Christians and this was done by many or the most in that multitude as also now at this day under the name of Sectaries as he that hath eyes in his head may see And this did prove but of bad consequence at Guildhal which made those wounds that are not healed yet A word to the Citizens whom I love to the grief of some But shall I point you unto the word of the Lord and consider well of it My people saith God have been lost sheep their shepherds have caused them to erre or to go astray If God turn you you shall see a fountain of grace to wash away your spots Jere. 50.6 But yet for all this turn not away from the Lord but turn to the Lord with all your hearts nay rather the Lord will turn your hearts and cause you to see a fountain of grace open to wash off all your spots O it is a comfortable grace it will make you new men it will purge your corrupt mindes it will make you love them that formerly you did hate it will cause you sweetly to rejoyce in Christ Jesus O it is a soveraign Grace it will heal you as it did Paul It may be you did what you did ignorantly in unbelief A man may be very zealous and yet have neither faith nor love yet be of good cheer for it was Pauls condition I saith he before I had this grace was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious and yet I was very zealous for the worship of God in my way and yet I had neither faith in Christ nor love to his people But when this abundant grace this translating grace came into my heart then I that thought my self to be righteous did see my self to be the chiefest of sinners And when this sweet grace and mercy came I was and am a pattern to shew forth the long-suffering of God to me and I also am taught of the Spirit of Christ to give forth most excellent reports of this grace and mercy saith Paul An outward shew may seem good and yet not profit No true ground to rejoyce in but onely in Christ spiritual because this mercy endureth for ever It is not the having of an outward Church-fellowship nor the being a member of a visible Church nor any external priviledges whatsoever that is a sufficient ground for the soul to rejoyce in but onely the circumcision of the heart in the Spirit and to worship God in the Spirit and to rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh but in the appearance of Christ alone in the Spirit read these three Scriptures 1 Tim. 1.12 13 14 15 16 17. Rom. 2.29 Phil. 3.3 4 5 6. O this grace of God is a soveraign grace it healed Zacheus Art thou an oppressor of the poor hast thou plundered the poor Christians out of spight against Jesus Christ these have been plundering times But I will tell thee if thou hadst but the grace of Christ in thy heart it will make thee like Zacheus Behold Lord saith he the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation or by oppression I restore him four fold for it read Luke 19.5 8 9. O you ignorant Sect. 8 and sotish ones of our times The grace of Jesus Christ is a healing grace it will heal a bloody issue though a particular person or a whole Kingdom have had a bloody issue twelve yeers and have spent all their hope and all their wit and all their living upon natural policy and have fastened their hope upon the King and upon the Parliament and Army Why none of these can heal this bloody issue but onely the grace of Jesus Christ alone O poor England and Ireland that have had this bloody issue seven yeers Nothing but the grace of Christ will heal England Ireland and yet uncured Your Physitians cannot heal you though you spend all nothing but the grace of Jesus Christ can heal you You have not as yet touched the hem of Christ garment that vertue may come out from him and stench your bloody issue and heal you Luke 8.43 44 45 46. We have all looked for the King and the Parliament and the Army to be our Physitians to heal us but our Physitians have let the Kingdom blood but the grace of Christ alone will heal us Therefore let us pray to God for to fill the Kings heart
be as a book sealed or as a box that hath far more precious ointment in it then that of Mary Magdalen as you may read Mark 14.3 But such men want a key to open this box A literal reading of preaching Minister doth but speak empty words in the ears of people or they want heavenly art to break this box that the sweet smels of Jesus Christ may come forth into the world amongst men Such men can speak of the letter of the Word which is as a Cabinet but they can speak little or nothing of Christ in the Spirit which is the Pearl in this Cabinet and this is one reason why your hearers are so ignorant and there is so little love to God in the world and love unto our neighbors Now I shal give your hearers one Caution Sect. 4 which is this It is not enough to cal Lord Lord but to have the grace of Christ to inable them to do his wil read Luk. 6.45 46. It is not the hearing of the Common Prayer Book read nor the verbal reading of it your self A form of Prayer only taught by men doth but beat the ayr that wil profit you It may be you may hear it read and be zealous in that and pray and yet remain ignorant in what you hear and in what you pray and your understandings ful of darkness But the Apostle saith He wil pray with the light of the Spirit and that light wil enlighten his understanding that he may edifie others 1 Cor. 14.14 15. And so likewise you may learn to say over the prayers in that book The definition of prayer viz. nay it maybe say over many prayers without the book but this is not prayer herein you are mistaken for prayer consists not in length of words nor in strength of words A true and a comfortable prayer comes from the spirit of grace returns to the spirit again but in the breathings of the Spirit of God into the soul and the souls breathings back again unto God And this is that which the Apostle saith The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us or in us with groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 27. because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the wil of God Now this grace of Christ in prayer comforts every soul that hath it and makes them able in the publick for the Kingdom and it makes them able for their families in private This grace of Christ makes those that are the Ministers of his Gospel sufficient and able in the newness of the Spirit to bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 6. Now I know that you that are readers and hearers of the Common Prayer Book and of those imitating preaching Ministers which can preach but little or nothing at all of the mystery of Christ and of the unsearchable riches of the sweet grace of Jesus Christ but they can speak pleasingly of the history of Christ and of the letter only I know now that you wil plead liberty of conscience to hear and to have this manner of reading and preaching And for my part you should have the liberty of your conscience A people delighting in a litter alministry are sotishly ignorant for the most part of them and ful of segality but I am sorry that your understandings are so dark that you are not able to discern the natural artificialness that is in some mens reading and preaching and I am grieved to see that you are not able to discern between the naturalness and the spiritualness of Ministers Some by the principles of nature can preach elegantly and use plausible words and this pleases you wel and this you cry up and magnifie But the spiritualness which some Ministers have from the Spirit of God this you cry down and say it is new light or new wine and with mockings say these men are ful of new light or with a jeer as Festus did to Paul saying Too much of this learning makes men mad And thus natural parts are advanced and true Ministers of the Gospel discountenanced as you may read Acts 2.13 15 16 17. Acts 26.24 25. 1 King 22.26 27. Mat. 27.63 Sect. 5 Now I shal speak a word in the behalf of those Ministers which are made able by the grace of the Gospel of God as Paul was such Ministers have the mystery of God manifest in the flesh revealed unto them by the spirit of God They are ful likewise of knowledg of the mystery of Christ in God and God in Christ and Christ who is God and the new man dwelling in the Saints now this is a glorious mystery read John 17.21 23 24. Eph. 4.23 24. 2 Cor. 6.16 Now such Ministers are made able by the gift of grace and the effectual working of the power of God that they may preach the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ unto a poor soul A ministry built on Christ doth administer grace to the hearts of the people now such Ministers have the secrets of the Lord revealed unto them Psa 25.14 And they do declare unto all the world the mystery which hath been hid in God from the begining of the world but now in these last times it shal be made known by the Church of Christ the manifold wisdom and love of God in his eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence that we shal be filled with all the fulness of God And thus the true Ministers of Christ are furnished from God to speak the things of God Evangelically and to speak spiritually what they hear and see of Jesus Christ and this you may read at large Eph. 3.3 the whole Chapter And so likewise every poor member of Christ is compleat in Christ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily and of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Col. 2.9 10. Joh. 1.16 17. Now if the Lord would be pleased to let this grace come down from above as an overflowing stream of love into our Land it would heal our breaches it would move the Kings heart to be easie to be intreated by the Parliament for the good and peace of his subjects that they might enjoy their own with quietness and the freedom of free subjects though he as a King lost something which is his own to purchase peace for his people and then he would be as a nursing Father unto his people which I desire to see all this a tender-hearted father doth for the good of his child he wil part with much of his own because he loves his child And this grace must move the Parliament if they be like unto a tender-hearted father Now those that are like unto a tender father If they see any one lie under a burden though it be but light they go speedily they make no delays in taking off
the burden Now when this grace and wisdom doth come from above it wil teach and move the Parliament to make haste without delays to take off the unsupportable burdens from this Kingdom which they groan so much under and this grace of God in Christ wil move them with speed though they lose something of their own to let the oppressed go free and to ease those that bear the heavy yoke and to loose the bands of wickedness in taking away the finger of oppression which makes men hang down their heads and bring the poor into their possessions again and give unto Caesar his due for why are the King and the Parliament faln from their glory It is the glory of a King and a State to have their subjects to flourish in peace and wealth Now when the Spirit of God doth enter into the King and Parliament The Spirit of God is the only curer both of King Parliament people as he did into Ezekiel then he wil set them both upon their feet and then they shal hear God speaking peace and rest unto his people and if they deliver the poor and needy and do justice to the afflicted and needy then they shal be most like unto God for God standeth in the Congregation and he judgeth and he seeth the King and he seeth the Parliament that both their foundations are out of course he seeth the foundations of this poor Kingdom of England and Ireland and Scotland out of course but now if the Lord would be pleased to help you both to do justice to the poor afflicted and needy and to rid them out of the hand of the wicked then both you and our King would flourish like a green bay tree then our Land would flourish with the goodness of God and yeeld her increase read these Scriptures and consider wel of them Ezek. 2.1 2. Psal 82.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Jere. 31.23 24 25 26. Psa 85.1 2 3 4 8 9 10.11 12 13. Now when Christ comes into the heart of the King and Parliament and people he wil set us all in the way of his steps in mercy and in truth in justice and peace read Psa 85.13 Prov. 8.14 15 16. And this is the fruit that grows from above It is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated ful of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie James 3.17 Now I shal speak a word unto the Soldiery or Army Sect. 6 which God hath made victorious and valiant your enemies being judges and those that seemed to be for you in the time of their need now would have you to be removed both from the King and Parliament and others there be that speak evilly of you and some speak enviously against you and can shew no reason for it I know many of you are godly religious men and for that you shal fare the worse in suffering reproaches A word in season to the despised Army and jeers and slanders being branded with the name of Sectaries and factious persons by some of our proud ignorant Clergy such as Mr Edwards was and by some simple people likewise who wil say as they say Suffer a word of advice now I pray you Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body But if you suffer and be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 15 16 19. And if you suffer the loss of your Freedoms and priviledges of free subjects after you have purchased them at so dear a rate yet suffer all this with the spirit of meekness and commit your selves and your losses unto the Lord and he wil repay you And to conclude remember what St. John Baptist said unto the Soldiers Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages when you have it Luk. 3.14 Now let me advise you to trust God with the Liberty of your Consciences and your wrongs The grace of God through Christ is as falt and it wil season every condition and your reputations and you that are worthy God wil vindicate you in his own time And let it appear from you that the grace of God in Christ is the sweet and golden rule for a Christian to walk by to make peace because Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 And those that are his subjects are sons of peace Luk. 10.6 Now I shal return to the second use which I drew from the 11. Chapter of Iohn and I shal conclude with that of Martha and Mary Now though Martha had received Christ into her house nay Christ had entered himself into her heart as you may see by her confession Iohn 11.27 yet for all this Martha was cumbred and troubled and distracted about many things which were below Jesus Christ this is the condition of many a poor soul to be like unto Martha in being angry with Mary for sitting at Jesus feet and she heard his Word for Christ had allured her to chuse the good part or the most excellent way as the Apostle saith that is the most excellent way not to hear the voyce of the world but the voyce of Jesus Christ as Mary did Luke 10.38 39 40 41 42. Sect. 7 Now we have many Christians in these our days that are like Martha and if it were possible they would command Jesus Christ to send away those that sit at his feet and hear him who is the living Word of life and like unto Martha they would have Christ to send away those that are like unto Mary to serve with them in their low acquaintances with God as some of our learned are and others as wel as they that have but little and low knowledg of Christ and very little acquaintance with God and that is the reason why they cannot understand those that sit at the feet of Jesus nay in the bosom of Christ and do taste of his sweet graces Now those that are weak in Christianity like Martha do not understand why Mary sat at the feet of Jesus but they are ready to think much and foolishly to say they are looking after new light they have got some notion into their brain they are possessed with some whimsey or other some new doctrine hath taken hold on them now such poor silly men and women are cumbred and troubled about many things which are below Christ and are ready to say as Martha did unto Jesus send them away bid them come to us and serve as we do and be as we are Now mark for this is worth the noting The spiritual Evangelical Christian that is like unto Mary and sits close unto Jesus Christ even at his feet with his head in the bosom of Christ like unto his beloved Disciple and he doth taste of the spiritual sweetnesses which are in Christ who is God
suffers and is crucified now in the hearts of men in every particular mans heart and that spiritually as he was among the Jews chief Priests and Pharisees Pontius Pilate and Herod Mans heart should be an habitation for God to dwel in but That man of sin and the world and the devil hath taken possession of this Temple of God and exalteth himself in the heart of a man above God and shews that he is God but this is that spirit of Antichrist which would keep the true Christ out of the hearts of men and wil not confess that Jesus Christ should come in the flesh of men 2 Thes 2.3 4. 1 Iohn 4.2 3. Now when God wil have the possession of the heart to be his Temple then he sends his holy child Jesus which was conceived by the Holy Ghost into the heart of a man read Acts 4.27 30. Luke 1.31 32 35. Now the heart of every man by nature is like unto those husbandmen that consulted against the only beloved Son of God and said Come let us kil him and they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard that is out of their hearts read Mark 12.4 5 6 7 8. And thus your ignorant Protestants do and your carnal Christians and your outside zealous professors stand up with the Kings and rulers of the earth like unto the Jews chief Priests and Pharisees Herod Pontius Pilate and the rude multitude against the spiritual and holy Child Jesus who is both Lord and Christ Acts 4.25 26 27. Acts 2.36 Iohn 11.47 48. CHAP. XIII The Spiritual Opening and Application of these Scriptures VIZ. 1 John 4.20 21. Acts 9.4 5. 26.14 15. Acts 22.3 4 5. John 12.10 11. John 5.18 19 20. Mat. 20.35 36 37 38 39. John 16.2 3. Eccles 7.29 Gen. 6.5 8.21 John 19.17 18 20. Mat. 15.19 20. Luke 6.45 46. Mark 3.27 Ephes 4.24 Rom. 5.14 Iohn 12.32 Heb. 2.14 15. Acts 2.23 24. Mat. 27.63 64. Isai 29.11 Col. 1.26 27. Rom. 10.2 3. Mark 15.10 11 15. Iohn 10.19 20 24 25 31 39. Luke 1.35 Heb. 2.14 15. Iohn 16.13 14. Luk. 20.19 20 21. Matth. 13.25 38 39. Luke 6.45 46. Iohn 14.17 18. Acts 4.28 Ioh. 12.32 Luke 3.16 2 Thes 2.7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 2.1 2. Iohn 12.23 24. Eph. 1.3 Rom. 6.5 6 7 8. Heb. 2.14 15. Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 6 14 15. Eph. 4.22 23 24. Col. 1.12 13. 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 6.5 8. 8.11 Phil. 3.9 10. 1 Iohn 1.3 Rom. 11.36 Rev. 19.4 5 6. 21.3 4 9 10 11 22 23. Iohn 11.42 1 Cor. 2.13 14. Gen. 18.1 2 3 4. 19.1 2 3 4. Dan. 3.24 25 26. Isa 43.2 3. 43.3 4. Philip. 2.6 7 8. Rom. 8.3 4. Heb. 10.5 6 7. 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 9.11 12 13 14. Psa 27.1 Rev. 1.10 11 12. Iohn 16.13 14 15. 1 Cor. 3.22 23. 1 Pet. 1.11 12 13. 1 Tim. 3.16 Luke 17.34 35. Rev. 1.7 8. Acts 26.18 Luke 3.16 17. Iohn 3.29 30. Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. Isai 9.6 Mat. 1.20 21 22 23. Isai 7.14 Psa 113.5 6 7 8. Col. 2.19 Eph. 2.21 22. Col. 2.9 10. Eccles 1.7 Eph. 3.17 18 19. Eph. 1.22 23. 5.32 Rom. 8.17 Phil. 3.10 11. Gal. 6.14 15. Isai 29.20 21. Acts 24.13 14. Luke 18.11 12. 2 Cor. 3.6 2 Cor. 13.3 4 5. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Matth. 7.21 22 23. 15.13 14. Luke 6.39 40. I Shal give you two instances of what I have said and prove it by Scripture We all say that we love God and Christ whom we never have seen and yet the most of us hate our brother whom we see dayly 1 Iohn 4.20 21. Now this is a pure contradiction A contradiction for we all say that we love God and yet God saith Why persecute you me in my Christ in my Saints Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 5. 26.14 15. Most men are zealous for God Instance and yet hate Christ who is the way of God Instance in Paul when he was Saul Acts 22.3 4 5. And so likewise those that say verbally Thy Kingdom come and contend so much for the form of the Lords prayer which I highly esteem yet these men know not the power and the glory of this kingdom but labor to put those far from them Instance 2 into whose hearts this kingdom is come instance in the chief Priests who sought to put Lazarus to death out of envy against Christ Iohn 12.10 11. Yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth them in whom I appear saith Christ they wil think they do God service Note this The time cometh saith Christ though men have fair pretences to know God and Christ as the most in these our days have yet they know God but after a customary way and they know Jesus Christ verbally to discourse of him only with the tip of the tongue but in their hearts they seek to kil both him and his as those husbandmen did Ioh. 5.18 19 20. Mat. 20.35 36 37 38 39. Mark now The time cometh saith our Savior that is in these our days we do as much as the Jews chief Priests Pharisees and Pontius Pilate did in a spiritual way against the holy Child Iesus Now the ground of all this is because we do not know God nor Jesus Christ spiritually and these are Christs own words read Iohn 16.2 3. I shal give you a reason as God shal enable me why I said Christ suffers and is crucified even now in everyparticular mans heart that shal reign with him Reason 1 Now my first reason is this God hath made man upright Eccl. 7.29 but they have sought out many sinful inventions sinful inventions to slay Jesus Christ Every imagination that is in the heart of faln man is evil from his childhood his very purposes and desires Gen 6.5 8.21 all his thoughts are evil continually Now notwithstanding that Jesus Christ was crucified at Golgotha Sect. 2 nigh unto Ierusalem in the days of his flesh Iohn 19.17 18 20. Yet for all this the most mens hearts remain as ful of all maner of wickedness as pride envy and evil thoughts murthers adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies and these are Christs own words concerning faln man or corrupted man or the old man which bringeth forth abundance of evil treasure Mat. 15.19 20. Luke 6.45 46. Now Jesus Christ is the only good man and the only strong man and the only new man which the first Adam was a figure of Luke 6.45 Mark 3.27 Eph. 4.24 Rom. 5.14 Reas 2 Now I shal give you my second reason which is this It is Gods design to lift up Jesus Christ spiritually in the hearts of men and I if I be lifted up in the heart of a man saith Christ I wil draw the whole heart unto me Iohn 12.32 Now Jesus Christ being lift up in the heart of a man he begins to play the good man and the strong man and he delivers faln man
and there dye and sin must be so destroyed Rom. 6.5 6 7 8 Heb. 2.14 15. Now thou must know O man this Cross of Christ to be within thy heart as wel as to know by hear-say the Cross of Christ which Christ was crucified on nigh unto Jerusalem for thou hast as many enemies in thy heart against Christ spiritually as Christ had enemies in and about Jerusalem Now as I said before we must dye upon this Cross of Christ and be buried with Christ nay we have need of this Cross of Christ every day for it is a Christians glory and joy to have this Cross of Christ for by the power of this Cross we dye to sin we live and arise more purely unto righteousness then ever we did in the first Adam and by the power of this Cross of Christ the world and sin are crucified unto a Christian dayly and a Christian is crucified unto sin and the world and himself dayly and liveth a new creature in the new Creation in Christ and with Christ spiritually and that continually Rom. 6.3 4 5. Gal. 6.14 15. Now if we dye upon this Cross of Christ then Christ takes the soul down into his grave and there he puts off the old man and brings the soul up in a new Creation and this is called a putting off the old man which is corrupt and a being renewed in the Spirit and a putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. And this is called a translating us into the kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. And this is called a passing away of old things for all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 And this is called a being changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinth 3.18 Now this is a very glorious condition for a Christians comfort Sect. 5 to be made conformable unto the death of Christ for if we be made partakers with Christ in his death then for certain we shal be made partakers with Christ in his resurrection Rom. 6.5 8. 8.11 Phil. 3.9 10. But first we must be crucified and dye with Christ and lose our selves in Christ and be found again in him by the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of God who is the holy Spirit read 1 John 1.3 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11.36 And now true beleeving man or woman thou that hast walked through the vale of Death and art arrived at the haven of Life which is God in Christ now this God is thy God in all his several appearances he is both thy God and thy Jesus and thy Christ And now beloved Christian God wil dwel with thee nay in thee and thou shalt reign with him Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in this first resurrection And now loving Christian seeing thou art come into this haven of rest here I wil bid you farewel for there shal be no more death to you neither sorrow nor crying neither shal there be any more pain for thy God wil wipe away all tears from thine eyes and the Spirit wil shew thee great things coming out from God and the glory of God shal be thy light which is a light most sweet and clear and there shal be no night with thee nor in thee and thou and the whole Church of God shal be but as one Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb and there shal be no more confinement neither to places nor persons and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are a Temple for thee and the whole Church of God to worship in And thou and the whole Church of God are like unto a City that hath no need of the Sun When God comes in his great appearances of glory then you have no need of the dark Moon-lights of men for the glory of God doth lighten you and you are as a City which the Lamb is the light of read Revel 20.4 5 6. Rev. 21 3 4 9 10 11 22 23. Now a Christian Sect. 6 that hath but low and fleshly appearances of God is ready to say as Martha and Mary did Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed Now such have but low comforts because they think God to be in this place and not in that place as Martha and Mary did But a Christian that knows Jesus Christ to be the only wise God knows him to be omnipresent in every place and knows all his wants and hears all his cries and groans and he can say as Christ did Father I know that thou hearest me always John 11.42 Now the Gospelized man and the Christ baptized man he knows the one God who hath made divers appearances at several times in the flesh but now in these last times his appearances in our flesh are in a spiritual way and this most men cannot disgest for it is foolishness to them 1 Cor. 2.13 14. God hath made divers appearances in the flesh as for instance those three Angels which Abraham ran to meet and they did appear to him as men Gen. 18.1 2 3 4. And these Angels do signifie the Trinity as some say and so likewise those two Angels that Lot did meet and converse withal as men Gen. 19.1 2 3 4. And so likewise that same astonishing appearance of God in the fiery furnace with the three children to make good his promise read Dan. 3.24 25 26. Isa 43.2 3. And so likewise now in these last times God who is the Father of all doth appear as a second who is a Son and a Savior of all Isai 43.3 4. And thus God was found in the fashion of a man and was made in the likeness of other men and so he became our Jesus in this office Phil. 2.6 7 8. And as he was second so he was sent of the first in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in thy flesh and to forgive thee thy sin And this is that which the Jews stumbled at for they did not see Jesus Christ as God to forgive sins therefore they crucified the body which God gave unto Jesus Christ Rom. 8.3 4. Heb. 10.5 6 7. And so likewise this is a great mystery for the only one God to manifest himself in our flesh and to become our Christ and our high Priest to offer up himself as a sacrifice without spot unto himself and that through the eternal spirit which spirit is the only blessed God 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 9.11 12 13 14. Now God comes in these latter days in his great and most excellent appearances and that is spiritually in all his ordinances What is the water to thee in Baptism if thou find him not baptizing thee with his Spirit What is the bread and wine to thee in the Sacrament if thou see not his Table spred with spiritual graces
which is God to lift up his head that he may look into heaven and see the glory of God and Jesus Christ the right hand of God opening himself to receive his poor weary soul O what a refreshing comfort is this unto a dying man to see the heavens of God in Christ opening A beleeving soul sees it self happy and compleat in God through Iesus Christ and the Son of man God-man standing with the souls of men which he hath made just and perfect and they standing as the right hand of God in Christ as a Queen in gold of Ophir All this you may have an instance of in Steven if you do but read Acts 7.55 56. And so likewise in the whole Church of Christ if you do but read Heb. 12.22 23 24. Psal 45.9 And thus a poor soul is received from misery unto glory even into Abrahams bosom that is into the bosom of Jesus Christ where it takes up its rest as Steven did but while the poor soul doth live in this world it shal find trouble For all that do live the life of God in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution in this world 2 Tim. 3.12 All relations under the Sun variable as the relation to a wife to a family in Church fellowship in professed friends in parents and in children in riches and in outward contentments but in Christ all these are constant and dureable For a mans enemies shal be they of his own houshold Mat. 10.36 Nay in Church fellowship which is like an houshold if they differ in judgment read 1 Pet. 4.16 to 19. If it be so in a mans houshold and in Church fellowship as there is experience between the Presbyterian and the Independent I shal conclude and say as David said It is good for me to draw neer to God and to desire him to plant my confidence and my joy in him alone for in every external condition in this world I shal find trouble But my fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ and spiritually there I shal find good cheer read these Scriptures Psal 73.25 26 28. 1 Iohn 1.3 4. Iohn 16.32 33. Sect. 4 I shal speak now of a precious balsam and a sweet cordial that wil heal all our diseases in this Kingdom that is if the Lord would be pleased to raise a flood of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and cause it to run with a mighty stream into the hearts of the King and the Parliament this would enable them to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ that is to restore the poor groaning subjects in the spirit of meekness that they may rejoyce once again Gal. 6.1 2. Now he that ruleth over men must be just mark this ruling in the fear of God read 2 Sam. 23.3 Now my hope is and my desire shal be that God would be pleased through Christ his strong arm to make good that Prophesie in our days which is spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah That Kings may be nursing Fathers and Queens may be nursing mothers in these our days O that we might truly say once out of experience that we are beholding to them as nourishers or for their good nursing Isai 49.23 For this end God did set up Kings at the first as David and Solomon who were types of the spiritual King Jesus and fed their people with wholsom and sweet food that is with a peaceable life as good Magistrates and preserved them in all godliness against those that would harm them and disquiet them Psa 78.70 71 72. But of this we have had but little these many years instance in those domineering Bishops and the high Commission Court which was of long standing and persecuted godliness under the name of Puritans or some other names but I hope it will not be so now therefore let us follow the Apostles Exhortation That prayer be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for he or they that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 1 Tim. 2.1 2. and 2 Sam. 23.3 Courteous Reader Sect. 5 I shal speak a word or two in my own defence and so conclude Now my first word is When I first set my pen to paper it was not with any sinister respect or by-end but it was for the glory of God Neither was it for profit nor the applause of men for that to me is as a vain thing I speak the words of truth and soberness But seeing the customary and the outside Pharisaicalness which most men and women of all sorts use in matters of Religion Ministers as wel as others this I saw and was at a loss within my self but the Lord did teach me to consider of it and then I went to glean as Ruth did into the field of Boaz read Ruth 2.7 8 9. But the field that mine eyes was upon to glean in it was not the field of external Art nor the field of a great Library for that is to learn to speak other mens words which I disclaim But mine eyes were upon that only one field where I gleaned among the sheaves and that field is the Scriptures the only one Book which I had and no more and that is the Bible which is the Word of God Now courteous Reader I have gleaned and am satisfied and I commend that unto you which I have reserved and as Naomi did make use of the barley which Ruth did glean as you may read Ruth 2.18 so I desire that you may be wise to make use of what hath been said for your own good and I shal be glad Sect. 6 Now my second and last word is to the Christ-baptized man or woman for I speak unto thee O man or woman who art inwardly taught by the sweet Spirit of God hast that unction from the holy One which wil teach thee to know all things for that anointing abideth in thee anâ— teacheth thee all truths and thou shalt abide in him or it 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Therefore I speak to thee O man or woman who art baptized with the Spirit of Christ because thou art the best able to discern between wheat and chaff True Christian Reader when I first set pen to paper my heart was inabled to indite of matter concerning the Lord of Lords and I spake of things touching Christ the King and my heart was stirred within me as the water is when it bubbleth up or the water which the fire boyleth And I was made able by the sweet Spirit of God who did blow sweet gales of wind spiritually into my heart Ioh. 3.8 And I was so refreshed by them for they so comforted my heart that my tongue became as the pen of a ready writer The knowledg of the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ the Saints and the givings forth of the Spirit are not got by
Ordination ibid. That all men in the Church of God have liberty to exercise p. 159. A word touching Order p. 160. Who are and what the true Ministers of Christ must expect of men p. 161 § 5. That the Apostles order cannot be observed in our parish Churches without offence p. 161 162. The good gift of God to men in the Church is Jesus Christ p. 162. The Scriptures as a box of ointment are full of Christ p. 164. That this Author was a hearer of Mr Edwards p. 165. A vindication of some reproached by Mr Edwards p. 166. The Author no Sectary p. 166 167. That the Religion of most is but traditional p. 167. That there is much form and little power of Religion in these days 168 The Ministers that are for persecution put to silence by an argument of their own p. 169. Many Citizens reprehended for changing their Common-Councel men p. 170 171. The corruption of the several Wards and Parishes p. 172. Doctor Bastwick reprehended p. 172. That old preachers are not always the best p. 174. § 6. That as Christ proceedeth and cometh forth from God so doth a true Christian proceed and come forth from Jesus Christ p. 175. § 7. Who the silly women be that are lead captive p. 177. Three characters by which to know the false Prophets of this age p. 178 179. CHAP. VII THe Scriptures insisted on set down page 180 181. § 1. A word in season to two sorts of Elders p. 182. Bad Elders like unto a bad Nurse p. ibid. He that is an Elder in Jesus Christ is a good Elder p. 183. The fleshly Elder fills the ear but feeds not the heart p. 184. 'T were to be wisht that the Elders had the gift of discerning spirits p. 185. Vnder what delusion the Papists are p. 186. § 2. How the Protestants resemble the Papists p. 186. That a Synod or Councel may erre p. 186 187. How far Antichrist hath crept in among us in England p. 188. How difficult it is to get right Cedars in a parish to build a Church on p. 190. The superstition of the common Protestant p. 191. From whence the ignorance of the people doth arise p. 192. Why 't is so hard a thing to get and keep a good preacher in a parish p. 193. How few men will stand when Christ appears p. 194. Why all things are out of course both in Church and State p. 194. § 3. The fountain from whence the true and the right Elders do proceed p. 195. The fountain of Israel and the welspring of learning is God himself in Christ p. 196. That many men have but grosly abuse school Arts and humane learning p. 197. The way to God few men know p. 198. Humane learning and School Arts grow in Natures gardens p. 199. § 5. Of right and good Elders 200 How the hireling and the true shepherd differ p. 201 202. What all things are without the Spirit 204. CHAP. VIII THe Scriptures insisted on set down p. 204 205. § 1. A cordial Petition for our sickly times p. 208 209. A vindication of those called by the foolish name of Independents 210 § 3. Ten Independents drawn up into a file 1. the Devil 2. Judas 3. the cheif Priest 4. the Pharisee 5. Cain 6. Pilate 7. the young man in the Gospel 8. Dives or the rich man Luke 12.9 9 Adam 10. Eve p. 211 212 213. How Christs lodged himself in Davids heart p. 214. How Christ is a crucifying in his members all Europe over p. 215. Vpon whom the Independents have their dependency p. 216. § 4. Whence 't is honest men are called Sectaries p. 216 217. Mr Nye falsly reputed a Jesuite by some p. 218. A Rhyme to reproach the Independents taxed p. 219. The ten heads under which Mr Edwards ranks the Independents or Sectaries 219 220. R. B. THE CONTENTS Of this BOOK Being the second Part Directing to the Chapters Sections and Pages where they are spoken to § 5. THe love of God and the blood of Jesus Christ are a soveraign medicine to take away sin past present and to come p. 221. What alone is able to quench the flames of hell in any mans soul 222 The fit man that undertakes with God for man p. 223. How unjustly men are charged with the name of Antinomian p. 224. The person of Dr Crisp and several other men instanc't in 224 225 226 A word of Mr Burgess at Lawrence Church p. 225. The pretended Law-defenders the greatest Law-breakers p. 228. § 6. A word of Mr Calamy p. 229. The filthy names on foot in these times the cause of much evil p. 231. That Christ is the rule of a Christian p. 232. A sweet prayer to the Father Son and holy Spirit opening that mystery p. 234. An excellent simile opening the mystery of Christ p. 235. Whence the Christians comfort doth arise even from the anointing of the Father p. 236. § 7. That the heart of a true Christian is the City of God and the consolations of the Spirit the river that runs thorough it p. 237. § 8. Christ a spiritual tree rooted in God of which the Saints are branches p. 238. How Christ led Philip and every one that beleeves through himself to the Father p. 239. That the Spirit of Christ is God 240. That a Christian is not in Christ after a carnal manner p. 241. Why a Christian weeps as Mary by the ordinances when handled after a carnal manner p. 242. An excellent advice to a troubled soul p. ibid. § 9. A true preacher what he is ib. The Spirit of Christ the Saints resting place p. 243. The Saints life what it is ibid. That the Saints cannot live as they list p. 244. That they that beleeve work from and not for life p. ibid. The Apologie they that beleeve make for themselves p. 245. What is the pardon of sin p. 246. The condition of a man in trouble about the pardon of sin p. 247. What is the refreshing of a weary soul p. ibid. Davids Prayer Psa 51. opened 248. The great business of assurance spoken to p. 249. An objection touching general Redemption and free will p. 250. Where the Church is to be found 251. What is free will in man p. 252. Who alone hath free will p. 253. CHAP. IX THe Scriptures opened set down P. 255. § 1. By what a man is encouraged first to come to God p. 256 257. Touching a particular assurance some objections opened p. 258. § 2. Christ the day in which every true Christian abides for ever 261. § 3. How Christ opens himself in the heart of a true beleever 262 263. How Christ vindicates a Christian from the slander of men p. 264. § 4. Christ hath done all for and doth all in the soul p. 265. How God sees no sin in his p. 266. What was the better part of which Christ spake p. ibid. Of the Cross of Christ in the heart of a Christian p. 267. How the soul
becomes strong to shut the door against sin p. ibid. A defence of the doctrine of free grace p. 268. Who the most of men and women fall in with in these times p. 268. § 5. Whence 't is that many learned men are meer fumblers in speaking of free grace p. 269. What 's the cloud that lies upon the doctrine of free grace p. 270. § 6. What is the banqueting house into which a Christian is brought p. 271. How a Christian opens himself in his longings to Christ p. 272. Of the work of the third person in the blessed Trinity p. 273. § 7. The ayr in which a Christian lives is God himself p. 275. What is the appearance of God to sinners § 8. To whom the appearance of God is pleasant p. 277. The multitudes mistake of God 278. Whether sin came into the world by accident p. 279. That accidents are not against but for God ibid. Not chance but providence doth all p. 280. Sect. 9. Of the author use and end of the first Creation p. 281. Sin is none of Gods Creation but a vail over it p. 282. That Christ was slain by Adam and Eve ibid. How Sin and the Devil broke in upon man ibid. How the whole Creation greans till Christ appear p. 283. What is the heaven of God ibid. God permits of many things for his own glory p. 284. § 10. The Godhead is the womb out of which-every good and perfect gift doth proceed p. 285. God sees no sin in the new Creature because it is his seed p. 286. What is that ayr of which Satan is the Prince p 287. Sect. 11. That there were and yet are false Prophets many p. 288. Want of humane learning is no let in revealing Christ p 289. Why unlearned men that beleeve speak more truly of heaven then others p. 290. What is the great sin of England ibid. How our English Clergie are divided p. 291. Few of our learned men can speak experimentally of Father Son and holy Spirit p. 291 292. Sect. 12. That God hath made use of illiterate men for the propagating of the truth in these times 293. What are the foolish things the world despise 294. Sect. 13. What the Apostle Paul would say if he were now living in England 296. Whence Wars arise 296 297. The child Jesus is the first wonder in heaven 298. CHAP. X. THe Scriptures opened and applied set down P. 299. Sect. 1. The womb in the which the Children of God are conceived 302. What a one a lame Minister is ibid. § 2. What are the brests the New Creature is nourished by 303. Christs tenderness a president to the Ministers of this age That many call God Father who hate his children 305. § 3. How Christ is said to be both mother and child P. 305. That the holy child Jesus must be born in the heart of man ibid. How Christ is the ground and hope of a Christians glory 306. How a Christian comes to partake of of the divine nature 307. § 4. How the Jews dealt with Christ in his low estate 307. Christ overcame the malice of the world with love 308 309. § 5. How a man comes to look within the vail 312. That a Christian is Gospelized by Christ 313. The heart of man is the pulpit in the which the spirit of grace preacheth 314. § 6. That Christ is but one illustrated by a simile taken from the Sun ibid. A true beleeving man is a shining star and a royal diadem in the hand of Christ 317. § 7. What is the light of that world to come in the which the beleever walks 317. Christ is the King of that City to which the Saints fly for rest 318. Christ is the life of the oppressed soul 319. That a poor soul hath the substance of faith within it self 320. Sect. 8. The soul is weak in faith when it saith Christ is far from it 321. The soft hand of the Gospel moveth the heart of a man to a godly sorrow 322 The rough hand of the law unskilfully handled hardens the heart of men 322 323. What Cains enmity of Abel was a type of 323. Sect. 9. The rough handlers of the Law set forth by Esau 324. What was Jacobs savory meat ibid. Many handle the law as the Pharisees quite out of Christ 325. The Law in the hands of Christ turns to be Gospel 325. Pauls conversion well opened 325 326 Sect. 10. The madness of those in the Guildhal-yard taxed 326. That the Law is planted by Christ in the heart of him that beleeves 327. The fruit of rigid Presbyterianism 328. Sect. 11. A sad complaint of a troubled soul P. 330. Sect. 12. To which is a spiritual reply for consolation 332 333. CHAP. XI THe Scriptures insisted on set down P. 334. Sect. 1. Christ is the seed of God growing up through the earthiness of mens hearts 337. How Christ the seed of God lyes hid in the earth of the first Adams heart 336. Christ is the day of God in the which the loftiness of man is layd low 337. That a Christian in trouble is as a woman in travel till he bring forth Christ in the knowledg of him in his heart Rev. 12. 337. What is the grave-clothes many a man is buried in 338. Sect. 2. A word of consolation to one troubled every day ibid. VVhat are those treasures that are hid in Christ for a Christian 339. What it is for a Christian to look into the Ark of Gods strength P. 339. That a Christian in his trouble hath an Angel from heaven to comfort him as Christ had 340. How God remembers the sin of his people no more ibid. Why chastisements from the Lord are upon the Christian 341. Sect. 3. That God doth not punish a Christian for sin ibid. Christ is as a privy Chamber for the soul to retire into to refresh it self 342 343. Tryals are given and taken away again according as God pleaseth 344. Sect. 4. The commodities of Christ are his graces and they run forth freely to sinners 344. Most men complement and dissemble with Jesus Christ 345. Who were the Citizens that hated Christ ibid. Of the trouble raised at Guildhal of late by some Citizens 346. Sect. 5. What kind of bargain Christ makes with a beleeving sinner 347. A man that hath been in the Mount with Christ gives an excellent report of him P. 347. Christ the power of God is a Christians might 348. Grace discovers sin ibid. Those that strike at a Christian hit Christ first 349. S. 6. The greatest sinner Christ calls to himself to do cure on him 350. A whisper in the ear of the young men of the City that made that ado at the Parliament door Guidhal and elsewhere 350 351 That they did as Paul did whiles he was Saul ibid. That Christ is calling and alluring them to himself 351. A word to the old men that had their hand in the same thing ibid. That good men may do bad