stories as that a cock scratching up a dunghill found a Jewel and finding it wisht rather that he had found a kernel of Barley in which he intended not to tell a real story of any Dunghill Cock but under that devised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fable to set forth the folly of vain men who if they light of some pretious Truth or meanes of understanding prize it not but prefer some small worldly commodities or pleasures before it as better suiting their principles and dispositions and so under a Tale of a Frog and a Mouse fighting till the Kite catch them both up and devoured them he sets forth the way and issue of civil dissentions in which while both parties fight against each other they both become a prey to some third common and more potent enemy And under the Tale of a Dog passing over the water with a piece of meat in his mouth catching at the shadow of it and loosing the substance he declares how foolish vain men having some substantial Truth and catching at some vain shadow of Truth as if it were another or a more substantial truth loose and fall from that substantial Truth that before they were possest of Such is the nature of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a devised Fable Now the Apostle Peter tells us that they did not so declare the coming of Christ as if what they declared of Christ as born of a Virgin the Word made flesh and as opposed by Herod and other enemies working Miracles dying rising and ascending was but a witty representation of something done within them as of Truth born in an honest and innocent heart and there opposed by Corruption and Lust yet after some strength attained teaching many good Lessons to the soul and doing great works in it curing its blindness healing its lameness inlivening it from its deadness sometimes again stifled as it were by corruption and darkness but yet after a while getting the upper hand again and obtaining a more glorious conquest ravishing the soul and carrying it up into heavenly joyes and consolations Verily if this had been the thing the Apostles meant in speaking of Christ his Incarnation Sufferings Teachings c. and all the History of Christ but deviled to set this forth they have declared as plain and manifest and yet as wisely a devised Fable as ever Aesop devised to represent his moral instructions But the Apostle tells us lest we should be beguiled and led into such a fancy that they did not follow any such thing when they preached Christ but told us a true History and that that was the true Grace into which they have instructed us 1 Pet. 5.12 .. It s a truth indeed and that plainly asserted too in the Scriptures that while w◠behold the glory of the Lord with open face as in a Glass we are transformed into the same image c. that there is a great resemblance between the word of essence or Word that is God made flesh in the person of Christ and the Word or revelation of the grace of God in Christ united to our hearts by faith this conforms us unto Christ in Death and Resurrection It is opposed by corruption and growing up getting roote or dwelling richly in us teaches and admonishes us and keeps us safe in the midst of corruption from being overcome of it yea inasmuch as the Spirit of Christ is in it it gives the soul understanding and fills it with life power and salvation or rather Christ doth all this by it through his Spirit 's working effectually in it possibly to corruption at some time may cloud and dead its operations in some hour of temptation and day of desertion and it may break forth again and shine more gloriously in the soul after such a condition by the power of the Spirit quickning it in us and it may then raise us up in our spirits more gloriously and lead us up to heavenly consolations and all these things may be found attested in the Scriptures but yet this is not that coming of Christ in the flesh the Death and Resurrection of him declared in the Gospel but in some things the fruit of our sinnings against God or of his hiding his face by way of trial of our faith and in other things the fruit and operation of the Spirit of God sent unto us in Christ Name who suffered and rose for us We are to distinguish between the sufferings of the Humanity in the person of Jesus of Nazareth with its Resurrection and Glory his being made Lord and Christ c. and the conformity of the Humanity to him in his members by the working of his divine Spirit in them through the faith of him and not make the things affirmed of the head meet devised things to set forth Truth in the members nay deny the head and make him but a fained type of the members as they that hold not the head Col. 2.19 or ascribe not to the Humanity that suffered rose and ascended or to Christ as in it the true nature of a head I am the larger in this because it having a shew of wisdom beguiles many from the head of all principality and power the Lord Jesus Col. 2.8.10 and as was foretold by the Apostle causes them to turn asideto Fables or rather to turn the Gospel into a Fable This turning all into an Allegory is as notable a baite as any Satan can fish with for if a man be once brought to that that he thinks the Scriptures hold not forth the mind of the Spirit in and according to its expressions but speak of other things then it will follow that the literal expressions will not be much heeded but some spiritual pretended mystery looked for to resemble the things spoken of and then Satan himself transforming himself into an Angel of light may pretend to declare or suggest that true spiritual meaning and the soul hath nothing in the Word left certain by taking heed to which it may dicover him the Scriptures being now made to it like to the Philosophers first matter Omnium formarum capax fit to be interpreted by any new devise or figment that hath a shew of wit and subtilty in it as the spiritual sense of it yea the devil will lead men inevitably by this to deny the plainest affirmations of God in the Scripture as he was bold to tell Eve that in dying she should not dye the dying spoke of was not what she thought of it should be but a dying to her present dark state of faith and she should be as God and live a more divine life of Knowledge and sense so will he nay he doth lead men upon this principle to deny Christ the Lord that bought them suggesting to them that though the Scripture speak of one Jesus born of a woman at Bethlehem and dying neer Jerusalem for our sins and that we ought to believe in him yet the truth is that is but a Fable a
our defects and failings in Faith that the convents of the new Covenant may notwithstanding be performed to us his Law be writ in our hearts and his Fear put within us his holy Spirit given to us to sanctifie teach lead strengthen and comfort us and in a word that we may be carried up to the enjoyment of the eternal inheritance Consider him then it s Christ that died for us yea rather that is risen again and is at the right hand of God making intercession for us the Captain of salvation the Author yea and the Finisher too of our Faith Consider his Love Faithfulness Office Goodness that we faint not nor be weary through any temptation Fear not but he that conquered all our enemies by himself for us will also in our following after him give us the victory over them and the reward that he hath abundantly promised It s his Word of incouragement who hath gone before us and is in the head of the battle To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of Life that is in the midst of the Paradise of God and that he shall not be hurt of the second death yea the white stone and new name the hidden Manna and in a word his everlasting Kingdom Rev. 2. and 3. 3 Yea and thirdly hath not God also given us of his holy Spirit his Power and strength to to be in us and to fight our battels for us to lead teach uphold and comfort us and he is a spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge a spirit of strength and courage and of the fear of the Lord. The holy Unction that gives discerning witnessing of Christ and glorifying him and more powerful then any thing that comes to withstand him according to that Greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 Abide but in him and follow after his lustings and instructions in the wayes that our Lord hath prescribed to us and he will work all our works in us and our works shall be wrought in him we need not any other teaching or spirit but as and according to that which that holy Vnction teacheth us what swerves from his testimony is not to be heeded by us and that that swerves is to be discerned by this that it maketh little or no account of Christ come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4.1,2,3 of the things done and suffered by him therein it skips over or le ts go that and makes but a light matter or nullity of it whereas the holy Unction or Spirit of Truth confesseth holdeth forth and glorifieth Christ come in the flesh he saith not in our flesh for many deceivers talk of that who would lead us to exalt themselves though they be Antichrists as also the holy Spirit is the same that was in the Prophets and Apostles and leads us to hear them and to abide in unity of Faith with them Ephes 1.4,5 1 Joh. 4.5,6 whereas the false spirits slight them and lead not to hear or matter Unity of faith and confession with them If we have received this earnest why should we fear that God will fail us of the inheritance in this might and power of the Lord if we be strong nothing shall overcome us Sect. 7. Of Knowing Christ after the flesh and after the Spirit I Know they that lie in waite to deceive you will suggest that this that I have said of Christ his Death Resurrection and mediation is at best but a carnal knowledge of him according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit and that the Spirit in evidencing him will witness a more divine and spiritual knowledge and draw off the heart from this fleshly consideration or looking upon him as he was made flesh and therein suffered and died for us To perswade you to which they quote that in 2 Cor. 5.16 Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth we know him so no more as if the Apostle meant that he minded him no more as one that was born of a woman and died in the flesh and was raised again and in that very body glorified they had sometimes such carnal apprehensions of him and looked at him as the Saviour in and by that his death and suffering indeed but now they have a more spiritual allegorical knowledge of him Against which interpretation of the Apostles words though that might suffice to preserve us that I have newly before noted from the Apostle John that every spirit that confesseth not that is glorifies not nor sets not forth Jesus Christ come in the flesh is not of God yet I shall for further satisfaction look more fully into that place And first it may hence appear evidently that that is not the Apostles meaning in that passage because such an interpretation of him is cross to himself and his fellow brethren and Apostles in other places for its evident that both Paul and the rest preached him as of the seed of David according to the flesh the Son of God made of a woman made under the Law made sin and a curse for us crucified and raised again and now mediating for us with God the Advocate High-priest and Prince of the Congregation and to this Doctrine and this Christ thus preached and set forth they frequently exhort believers to take heed to cleave adhere and listen and by no means under what pretext or pretence soever to depart therefrom Heb. 3.1 6.14 Acts 11.23,24 1 Joh 2.28 Gal. 1.8,9 yea to hold as execrable and accursed all that would perswade them thereto or that preach my other Gospel then that of Christ so preached by them Col. 1.22,23 in holding fast to whom and to the Gospel of him they promise safety an abiding happy condition but in the letting him and that go by any means they pronounce certain danger and unavoydable destruction Heb. 2.3 10.25,29 yea Christ as so in the flesh abased for us and now risen ascended and advocating for us at the right hand of God they themselves and in especial that very Apostle Paul rejoyces in and places the foundation of all his hope and confidence in as is plain in that of Rom. 8.32 as the very thing which being known apprehended and received by him was the great manifestation of Gods Love to him and the great argument of his further favor and good will yea the spring of his hope of glory confidence boldness access to God and renovation into his likeness yea Christ as thus he was abased and is risen and mediates for us being known believed and entertained into the heart is in the believer the very hope or that which springs up and nourishes in him an expectation of future glory as is evident from the fore-quoted place and that in Rom. 5.10 where from the consideration of Christ as delivered to death for us while sinners and of our being reconciled to him thereby he infers an
his Sacrifice sanctifieth men and makes them Saints or holy unto God it being the anointed one Christ himself that is their sanctification by being in him they become separared from the world and are made Gods lot part and portion a people holy to him Saints then are a people created in Christ Jesus or begotten and born to God in the Knowledge and faith of his Son by the power of the Spirit a people born of the Promise of God or word of Promise that is the Gospel concerning Christ raised from the dead and the salvation that is in him Gal. 4.24,25 Acts 13.32.33.1 Pet. 1.3 and 3.31 The manifestation of God his Mind Love Grace and Goodness therein being that water in the Word flowing from beside the Altar of God of which it behooves that men be born through the power of the Spirit working therein or else they cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Ezeck 4.7 That 's the Free-woman the Jerusalem that is above the mother of us all by this a man drawn to Christ quickened up and devoted to God in him is made a Saint of God So that in this Saintship there are these two things to be minded 1. That God in the word of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ and his Death Resurrection and Mediation hath shined in his love to the soul and thereby hath begot and in some measure quickned up a man to a lively hope a hope in God and that founded upon nothing of his own nor any fruit of the Law in him whether sorrow humiliation reformation legall conversion work indeavour frame or vertue found in him but only the grace and love of God as manifested in Christ Christ dead for him and risen for him and glorified of God for and to him received into his heart by faith is there become the hope of glory to him the sight or belief of Christ crucified for him drew him in to beleeve not his conceited act or fruits of beleeving made him judge Christ crucified for him 2. That the love and grace in Christ thus apprehended by him and giving him hope changes him into the likeness of Christ principles him God-ward puts a law of love into his heart and carries him after God and so devotes him unto God to Christ to be his and for his praise So that in a Saint of God there is neither a hope bottomed upon his changing and endeavors nor yet a dead hope without a change but a change and renovation springing from his hope and that hope from grace discovered in God by Jesus Christ in the power of the spirit he hath his life in love and lives to the God of Love And every such soul as from the grace of God in Christ is quickened up to hope in God and in that hope given up to be God's Christ's whatever difference may be found otherwise in the flesh or in some opinions not essentiall to the faith is a Saint of God whether for the Scripture makes this difference 1. Children weak and as it were but embrio's Christ not yet formed in them Gal. 4.19 their apprehensions of Gods love in his Son but weak and small and so their hope and faith but little and weak wavering staggering not as yet setled and confirmed and made strong in Christ who therefore are to be tendred and more warily walked toward and as it were nursed up with wholesome words like milk and not roughly dealt with lest they be broken and lest by any abuse of our liberties or any other way they be scandalized and offended or 2. Young men such as are strong and have overcome the wicked one have endured temptations and have the word of God somewhat setled and abiding in them and therefore ablet to bear and not so soon stumbled nor in so great danger of miscarrying or 3. Farhers men well grown and long experienced and so more usefull for begetting and training up others in the knowledge of Christ 1 Joh. 2.14.15 And to all such as thus by the word of the Gospel and the grace or love of God therein discovered to them in the Death and resurrection of Christ have been emptied of themselves and their filthy confidences and rejoycings and are begot to hope in God and framed to the love and likeness of God in some beginnings or in further growth do I bend my following words with the severall counsels and instructions therein given CHAP. II. Sect. 1. Of the estate of the Saints ANd first of all I desire you to minde the state in which you are which admits of diverse distinct considerations For a Saint is in a measure proportioned to Christ and there is a great deal of likenes between them though also mixed with much unlikeness Christ had a twofold nature and discent each of which had its distinct properties of God and of man the Son of God and the Son of man according to the flesh and according to the Spirit according to the flesh of the seed of David according to the Spirit the Son of God and so declared to be with power in the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.2.3 According to the flesh the Jews knew whence he was and stumbled at him according to the Spirit they knew him not whence he was nor did acknowledge him according to the flesh he was put to Death and died according to the Spirit or in the power thereof he was raised again He was a man a man anointed of God with the holy Ghost and power So is every reall Saint or Christian he is to be considered as a man and as a Saint as of Adam as in Christ of God according to the humane nature that he hath by generation in the flesh and according to the divine nature which he partakes of in the Spirit He is neither all flesh nor all Spirit but hath something of both though yet neither in the same way had Christ his flesh as he hath neither hath he the Spirit in the same immeasurable fulness as Christ had so that in that regard there is also disproportion between them the very flesh or body of Christ was so of God that it was not by immeditate humane generation and he was so the Son of God in the Spirit that he also was and is God and all the fulness of gifts and grace was and is in him not so the Saint he hath his flesh by humane generation as other men and he hath a measure of the gift of Christ in one way or other but no one hath all nor can communicate to others as Christ can The man Jesus Christ was the Son of God by union with the word so are the Saints but not in the same manner there the word was made flesh and the person so made is yet called the word here the word is united to the soul by faith yet so as it s not made to be flesh or man nor the person in whom it is is made the word there he was the
minded you of the state both as men and as Saints in the head and in your selves consider yet a little further with me that as in your selves you are yet imperfect and subject to weakness so it would be minded that in respect of some others you are in a state of enmity hatred too though beloved of God Christ yet hated and rejected of men and Angels that love not God and Christ and so you are in a state of warfare here you have enemies to incounter with and that will be sure to incounter with you within and without and they will set upon you because ye are Saints though ye be called to glory and vertue ye must not think to have that glory or walk out in that vertue but with some sufferings you must fight for what is given you or else you cannot enjoy it you shall meete with Canaanites that will incounter you before you can sit down in rest in the good land promised you and if you yeeld to them or be overcome of them as indeed you shall not be overcome but by yeelding they will dispossess you here is the faith and patience of the Saints and of them that keep the commandments of Jesus Revel 14.12 Here you are as a Lily among Thorns as a ship in the midst of the swelling waves as a partridge hunted by the ravenous birds hence the difficulty of obtaining what is given you the straitness of the gate and narrowness of the way to life herein consisteth ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake saith the Lord your head Mat. 10.22 other men may hate one another but all will hate you Manasseh against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseh but both against Judah Isa 9.21 one sect against another prophane against zealous and zealous against prophane Edomites against the Ishmaelites and Ishmaelites against the Edomites but both against Israel all against you that are Saints indeed and that not for injury done by you but because of his name that is in and upon you because of the holy unction and because of the sincerity of your profession some because ye will not do as they in all excesse of riot some because ye condemn their works of Religion and evidences for heaven and tell them they must not inherit upon those terms with you 1 Pet. 4.4 Gal. 4.2 some because their works are evil and yours good and you reprove their evil by your good 1 John 3.12 John 7.7 All that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 yea the wise and zealous potent and chief Commanders will set against you yea under pretence of the law and Temple even out of misguided zeal for God they will brand you and speak all manner of evil against you for his names sake that is beleeved in and confessed by you for your good-will they will reward you evil and hatred for your love while you seek to save them they will seek to destroy you and roote you out of the land of the living the Herodians that seek to establish their greatness and usurpe the power of the Kingdom of Israel to themselves will seek to slay you the Scribes and Pharisees that arrogate to themselves the chaire of Moses and to be the only Rabbies in Religion and pillars of the Church will seek to crucifie you they that deny your Lord and master wil go about to undermine and pervert you many will fight against your Liberties and outward welfare because of your faith many against your faith it self seeking to poison you there by corrupting you from the simplicity of the truth beleeved by you So that you are in no small danger in your journey toward Sion to be beaten off before you there appear in its glory especially seeing also you have an enemy within you strong and subtle and that so much the more dangerous because so near you and as it were a part of you mortifie your Members that are on the earth Col. 3 5. They are as the very members of your body lust in your hearts the flesh with its wisdom will affections appeties these will be often solliciting you to close with present earthly objects and neglect the better things to which God hath called you many strong men have fallen by her and many though not quite deprived yet have been so maimed by her counsels that they have gone halting to their inheritance ever after this kept back many of the old Church in the wilderness from the earthly Canaan this keeps back many of the Church in the wilderness now from the everlasting Kingdom this is an enemy within ready to open the gates of the soul to any that shall conspire against it from without and it mindes nothing else but to betray the Saints to them its life is in the world and in self and it s as death to it that the soul be pulled from the world and from it self therefore it loves and prompts the soul to go back to the flesh-pots and provisions of the world or to confidence in its self If the world and its authority frown and threaten it bids yeeld and by no means hold up arms against so potent an adversary whispering in our bosoms master save thy self let not these sad things befall thee it suggests weakness in us power in it the harshness of persecution the inability of the flesh to indure under them not at all regarding God or savouring the things of him If the the world smile it counsels by all means to listen to it and embrace friendship with it and thi◠proves no small disadvantage to the Saints in their spiritual travel that they have such a clog to retard them such a spy to betray them such 〈◊〉 bosom-Traytor to conspire with the world against them O ye that love the Lord hate thi◠flesh Psal 97.10 shake it off and all its subtile inticements Abstain from fleshly lusts after profits honors pleasures promotions c. which war against the soul 1 Pet. 2.11 He that sows t◠the flesh shall of it reap corruption but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.7,8 But yet neither is here all you have to war against there are other enemies still of another nature that in and with these improve all their subtilty and skill of which they have no want with all their force and power to supplant you For we fight not only with flesh and bloud but also with principalities and powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world and against Spiritual wickednesses in heavenly things Eph 6.12 There are invisible essences which are more subtile and forcible then those that are visible such as are Angels and Spirits which by how much they are the purer in essence then any bodily being by so much the more forcible are they and able to penetrate having not that earthly grossness in them that dulls and abates the force of other creatures besides
satisfaction that the Spirit of God yea God himself in his Spirit shall poure out into men glorifie them with and possess them of hereafter fully is called heavenly glory and the reward in heaven as the latter it is also because it is yet in and with God and Christ and not in its fulness come forth into and manifested in men but a state it is of such fulness of peace joy power happiness satisfaction and glory in and through the presence of God and Christ with soul and body as neither eye can see nor ear hear nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive an immeasurable unfathomable inexpressible perfect immixt intire and eternal joy and glory so immense high deep broad large and full in it self that no words can reach it nor heart conceive or contain it but be wholly satisfied yea swallowed up into delight and joy with it and that that infinitely adds to it is its infinite duration Eternal life a mighty inexhaustible river of eternal satisfactions flowing from fed and maintained by the fountain of liâ— ing waters even God himself his Presence and fellowship for ever O infinite incomprchensible portion and inheritance yea God himself and his glory to be inherited by us But I shall â—ather press on towards it and to the experimental tasts and feelings of it in some earnest of 〈◊〉 in my spirit then strive by words to darken â—nowledge in indeavoring to express it what it 〈◊〉 is onely known in the injoyment till when it â—…sseth knowledge much more expression to declare it Sect. 6. Some incouragements for the Saints in expectation of this glory promised O Let our eyes be to that Prize that Glory that Paradise that Rest Safety Satisfaction Injoyment of God and Christ compleat freedom from evil compleat and eternal fruition of all happiness that we may run with patience the race set before us enduring the Cross despising the shame for this joy and recompence propounded to us withall considering what good grounds we have to expect the injoyment of so glorious and precious Promises As to Instance 1. It s God that hath promised and what cannot he do Is not his arm Almighty his Power invincible cannot he make us happy beyond expression when he himself is our Reward It s God is not he faithful hath he spoken it and shall not he do it is there any unrighteousness in him Faithful is he that promiseth who also will do it he will not leave thee nor forsake thee 1 Thes 5.24 Heb. 13.5 He hath never yet failed any that have cleaved to and depended on him and verily he will not now begin It s God that hath promised and he is Love and Goodness and hath testified such and so great love to us as may incourage us to judge well of him in what ever he further saith or doth unto us If thou thinkest his Promises are of too great gifts to be bestowed on thee or such as thou art consider what he hath bestowed on thee already hath he not given thee life and breath and all things yea he hath given his onely begotten Son to death for thee to ransom thee from thy thraldom to sin and misery and that too when thou wast ungodly and an enemy against him and neither soughtest it of him nor couldst thank him for it and he hath filled him with his fulness to that purpose that he might now sill thee yea hath he not also called thee to his Son looked upon thee when thou layedst in darkness and ignorance of him hath he not born with thy follies refusals and ill requitals and long waited that he might be gracious yea and at length begun to prevail with thee and brought thee to believe that of his fulness thou â—ightst receive grace for grace c. And is all â—…is nothing to thee to perswade thee of his faithfulness and further love Sure the consideration of this may lead us to be confident in â—im and rest upon him for performance of his Promises to us and to perswade our selves that â—e hath not gone about to deceive us he that â—ath performed his Word so punctually in the gift and abasement of his Son may challenge â—…edit of us in what he further says unto us If â—…n we were enemies he hath reconciled us or â—…de us friends to himself by the death of his â—on how much more when we are therethrough â—…conciled will he save us by his life Rom. 5.10 He that spared not his own Son but gave him to the death for us all how shall he not with him also â—ive us all things Rom. 8.32 Us that are now in Christ Jesus and walk after the Spirit his called justified ones 2. Again consider Jesus Christ the great high Priest and Apostle of our profession the great gift of God for and to us It s he that God â—ath appointed to give us this eternal life It s the Will of God his Father concerning him thâ—… every one that sees the Son and believes on him should not perish but have eternal life Joh. 6.40 and he is mighty to save being the onely proper Son of God his Word and Wisdom yea God over all blessed for ever according to the Spiritâ— he was in the beginning with God and was God and all things that are were made by him and without him was nothing made that iâ— made whether Thrones or Dominions Principalities or Powers all things were made by him and in him all things consist yea according to the humanity also he is exalted to the throne oâ— Majesty and all the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in him God doing all by him and he all in and from God and in the might and power of God So that of his sufficiency we have no cause to doubt seeing also he hath done so great things for us as the spoiling of Principalities and Powers conquering the world taking away Sin abolishing Death and destroying the authority and power of the devil In which things also he hath given such undeniable proofs of his Love and Faithfulness in that being in the form of God thinking it no robbery to be equal with God yet he abased himself and came in the form of a servant being made flesh the son of man and therein subject to infirmities yea suffered and bare the burthen of our iniquities and the curse due to us for our sins to accomplish those things on our behalf so that 〈◊〉 exceeding unbelief and ingratitude to question his love and faithfulness for perfecting for us â—hat further concerns us especially seeing he also ever lives now to make intercession for us â—…t come to God by him and appears in the presence of God for us to present us in the invaluable vertue of his sacrifice holy and acceptable before him and to mediate for us the performance of the New Testament to us by continually removing our sins follies weaknesses and evils against God and his goodness to us
according to some other more mystical way that the Scriptures had not declared if the testimony of Paul be valid as they seem to make it in the other place which they wrest to their harm then listen to him explaining himself in that place and the rather because he tels us in holding those things fast not according to some more spiritual understanding as is pretended but according to his preaching and declaration of them we shall be saved to wit from running into erroneous conceptions such as that of the denial of the Resurrection there by him faulted and by consequence from loose and evil practises and which is the issue of both from eternally perishing for indeed it is an undeniable truth that according to the judgement men make of Christ so is their judgement of other things they that believe not the first fruits of our nature really to have died and to be raised again and glorified in the person of Christ they deny the resurrection of the rest of the lump or body of Christ and of mankind in general and they that deny that must needs deny the judgement with its rewards and punishments following then what will hinder that piece of Epicurism Let us eat and â—rink for to morrow we shall die for take away the Resurrection and the judgement as we have said before and you take away the life of all Religion If then thou shouldest ever be so far corrupted as under pretence of not knowing Christ after the flesh to make nothing of and to be waved from the Doctrine of Christ as in the flesh dying for us and by the power of the Spirit raised again in that his body from the dead thou art in the way to fall from all Christian Religion and into all profaneness and Atheism there being so great a connexion between the foundation Doctrines as those concerning the person of Christ and the things suffered by and done to him of God are and the superstructures as the things that are to be done to and in us are and so great a dependency of these latter upon the former that if the former the fundamental be shaken the latter will soon fall but if the former stand firm the latter will be upheld by them or we rather in the faith and practise of them his Death being the foundation of all our hope his Resurrection a certain pledge of ours and an argument of the judgement in which all shall be judged by him and his glory the forerunner and pledge of that that shall be manifested on all that love and waite for his appearing Acts 17.31 Chap. 6. Concluding with exhortation for the Saints walking worthy of their calling Sect. 1. That exhortations are usefull and needfull to Believers TO all this that 's before said I shall add onely some exhortations and directions to you to walk as becometh Saints that you may glorifie God who hat hitherto called you preserve your selves in his Love and be useful unto others which I beseech you to suffer and think not that in exhorting you hereunto I put a burthen upon you that you are not fit to bear or that I put you under the Law Christianity consists not onely in Speculation but also and that rather too in divine vertue and action wherein God deals not with his Saints with Herbs and Plants that have no sense nor â—ason as they are intelligent reasonable creaâ—res so he governs them by his Word and Spiâ—…t and puts them upon an exercise of those faâ—…lties given them that they might not appear to â—eidle and to no purpose in them He doth not â—… take all upon himself to do in them that they â—re thereby left without all action nor doth he â—act them by force and violence transporting â—…em beyond themselves that they need no adâ—ce counsel or exhortation It s true they are â—ot under the Law of Moses either the types â—ad shadows to be instructed to wait for Christ 〈◊〉 come nor under the precepts and injunctiâ—ns as ministred by Moses to be shut up under 〈◊〉 and curse much less to be left to seek to obâ—…in righteousness by endeavouring after them â—ot yet neither are they without Law to God â—…ey have a royal thoughtâ— not a rigid Law a Law â—f Liberty and Freedom of spirit to serve God â—hough not a Law of bondage under sin and death 〈◊〉 law of grace they have in them and the soveâ—…gnty and government of God over them they have the Spirit to guide them and the Law of the Spirit which is to be obeyed by them that which the Grace of God received by them requires again of them and leads them to both towards God and man Grace and Love from God as well teaching and obliging to duty as Mosaical precepts and indeed the believer hath no other Law but such as springs from Grace and leads to answer Grace The Law of Christ which is a Law of Love even of Gods Love in him and that 's a Royal Law indeed for it giveth first what it requires again of us It gives power and spirit for acting as well as puts an obligation and ingagement upon us so and so to act The Spirit writes it and prompts to walk as we receive to work out as he works in us and to yield up our members and powers to him that he may write in us and act forth by us his whole pleasure and confirm us to his minde and yet we are not to put a fancy upon his writing the Law in us as some do that strain their wits to shew how God writes all the Bible over in man the Books of Genesis Exodus Leviticus and so on the Creation of the world of heaven earth light firmament herbs plants fishes fowls beasts and man himself and so of the Paradise woman tempter c. which yet they cannot strain cleaverly to their purpose in all matters but are fain to catch at here there a picce as their wits serve them and let the rest alone This is to turn the Truth of God into a fancy and secretly to withdraw the heart from giving glory to God in the belief of the Truth of the sacred story But this writing the Law in man is his framing the heart unto his own Heart and Will putting into it heavenly principles and dispositions of love and holiness and whatsoever the Law requireth That denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we may live godly soberly and righteously in this present world Tit. 2.11,12 nor yet because God writes thus in man do they put too much upon man that exhort to these things for we may the better exhort to them because men have principles to act them no man would exhort a dead man to walk because he wants a principle to inable him but to living men such an exhortation is agrecable though it be God that makes themwalk or that hath printipled or inabled them thereunto no man would blow upon wood without fire put to
God made to rule day is but one and its the Sun and yet that light is after one manner in the body of the Sun and after another in the glorious ray and beam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or shining forth of the Sun in another manner yet in the air illuminated by the beam from the body of the Sun and yet all these but one light not three lights yet that one light hath a threefold manner of subsisting the Sun is not one light and the ray or beam of the Sun another and the clearness or bright shining in the air illuminated through the beam a third but one day light or light of the Sun The Sun is the fountain and generateth or begetteth its â—ray or beam and worketh by it whatever it doth by way of illumination heating quickning c. yet is not the body of the Sun its ray or beam Again the ray is begotten and generated in a sort by the Sun and yet its cotemporary with it It evidences the Sun lives by its dependence on the Sun is in the Sun and the Sun in it after a sort so as that it doth nothing of it self without the Sun nor the Sun without it which comes down from the Sun and is not the body of the Sun nor subsists of it self without the Sun Again the clearness or light difâ—used into the air proceeds from the Sun the fountain of light by with in and through the ray or beam yet is it neither the body of the Sun nor its ray for it is and may be where the ray is not but is intercepted as to the proper substance of it as in a cloudy day or in a room where the Sun beam comes not and yet these cannot be divided one from the other for this clearness cannot be but from and by vertue of the ray and of the Sun So that if either of them were taken away and removed from the Horizon the luster or illumination in the air ceaseth and they cannot be but this is and follows too Here is an unity of light in a threefold way of subsistence by which we may darkly see into the glorious mysterie of Trinity in Unity which no similitude can fully illuminate the Father is as the fountain of the Deity and to the Son or Word as the body of the Sun to its beam not to be seperated from each other or divided so as the one can be without the other though the Father is first in order of nature he of whom are all things and doth all by and nothing without the Son or Word as the Sun doth nothing without its beam The Word or Son in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 The brightness or offâ— shining of the Fathers glory Lumen de lumine light shining for discovering and leading up to the fountain of light always with the Father and yet came down from the Father and doth all from him and yet is not the Father but the Son yea and forther as the beam of the Sun may be contracted and as it were so incorporated in a burning glass or the like so as the glass by vertue of the beam and the beam by the glass worketh otherwise then either glass or beam by themselves could have done and yet neither the light nor the body of the Sun is to be so contracted but only the beam so was it with the Son or Word he was imbodied or incarnate in the nature of man and the man Christ Jesus by vertue of the Word so contracted as it were or incorporated in him did such glorious things and got such a glorious conquest over sin death and hell as man of himself â—ould never otherwise have done or gotten nor was the Word in and by it self perfected for and yet neither the Father nor the holy Spirit was so incarnate or made man and yet further the Son had all his vertue in himself from the Father and in the Spirit without which he â—ould do nothing as the ray contracted derives all its vertue that it shews forth in and through the glass from the body of the Sun without which it could neither be nor do any thing The holy Spirit is the power vigor and divine verâ—…e proceeding from the Father that fountain of divine glory from and through the Word by which we have and enjoy the benefit of the Sun and its beam when both of them are otherwise interpreted and clouded out of our sight I mean the Father and the Son even in a day of temptation and spiritual hiding of himself in his more glorious shinings But these things I bring onely to shew that there may be such a thing evidenced even to reason and sense as a three-fold way of subsistence of the same created being that so we might not stumble at that which the Scripture hints to us so abundantly about the Trinity in the Unity of the divine Being Concerning which I needed not to have multiplyed so many words were it not that the old Serpent not abiding in the truth is so prevalent in blinding men and corrupting them from the unerring Oracles of Divine truth to listen rather to the shallowness of their own purblind reason For the Saints are not without experience in themselves did they well mind it of this distinction in the glorious workings and operations of God in and upon themselves in their believing they prove the Father calling them to himself by the Son in the power of his Spirit they have believed the love of the Father in sending forth his Son and in the word of his Gospel they have felt his power and Spirit drawing and inabling them to believe in Christ and to approach by and through him unto the Father according to that Eph. 2.18 We both that is Jew and Gentile have access through him to wit Christ by one Spirit unto the Father namely to call upon him trust in him and have fellowship with him Indeed they that depart from the Son they both lose the operations of his divine Spirit and fall from the right worship of the Father into Heathenism or such philosophical speculations of God and of his Being as were found with the ancient Heathens that had not the light of the Gospel to instruct them and no marvel then if they fall from or deny the mysterie of the Trinity as in the Apostolical doctrine is held forth with those divine operations that should evidence the truth thereof unto them But now to return again to the matter whereto I was exhorting viz. the doctrine of the Gospel to be held forth to men as it supposes the Being of God and he but one though thus distinguished so is it not only the bare affirming him to be but one or in that Unity so as before to be distinguished that 's to be delared but his Name according to that Unity and distinction the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost viz. how God
turn preachers of the Law to them in stead of the Gospel to bring them to some such fruits as legal repentance sorrow reformation and upon such things found in them as what else but fruits of Law and a legal conscience can be produced by them before the grace and love of God be held forth to them as testified in Christ toward them they are bold to apply the Gospel to them as if they were the undoubted signs of Election for so much is intimately implyed by comparing this their practise with their other Assertions of the Grace of God and Death of Christ limited to the Election from which practise of their legal preaching it comes to pass that some working and striving for this and that frame and attaining to some legal qualifications or workings with the Pharisee presume that they are righteous and have part in Christ and bless God as if his Grace had wrought those frames in them when as his Grace that is his love and goodwill in Christ they never apprehended or believed nor was that the ground and rise of those frames and changes in them but onely is inferred and concluded to themselves upon those frames by them Others spend their dayes in sadness and in labouring as the Israelies under their Egyptian Task-masters to get to themselves those frames which onely the belief of Gods Grace would kindly effect in them falling short of what they seek in themselves to build their title to the Gospel Doctrine of the Death of Christ upon they pine away in a servile slavery and are alwayes neer unto desperation unless mercy otherwise breaking forth unto them seasonably relieve them Take heed therefore of this preposterous preaching of Election and Reprobation to the world and limiting the Gospel and death of Christ to the Election which no Scripture doth and declare that to the world that Christ hath instructed us that his servants are to declare to them viz. tell them of the feast prepared in Christ forgiveness with him his death for them all things ready for their entertainment God willing that they be saved and Christ perfected for their saving and thereupon invite all and call upon them to go to the wedding to believe and submit unto him And where it pleases God to work so powerfully as to prevaile with some so as that they are perswaded to let go all for him to receive him believe in him and cleave unto him we may comfortably mind them of the doctrine of Election as the Apostles have used to apply it to believers minding them it was Gods goodness and free mercy and grace to them that they are preserved or plucked out from the same unbelief wickedness that is found with others or not given over for their follies against him when as many others perhaps as little or less rebellious have been more severely dealt with by him and that in Christ in whom they believe they are made compleat being by Gods order from before the foundation of the world chosen in him to be holy that is a peculiar devoted portion for God and blameless in love before him and when we see men neglect and slight the goodness of God propounded we may tell them how God rejected such and such for their folly against him and warn them lest for the like follies the same should befall them as Jer. 6 30. and 7.4,5 yea when we see men resting in their birth works priviledges c. we may well mind men that God hath not chosen the flesh and seed thereof as such to inherit with him not Adam and his seed as such nor Abraham and his seed as in the flesh nor the Law and its seed but Christ and his seed or members to inherit glory with him the rest otherwise then as they may be born again and become the seed of God in Christ are rejected from part and portion in his kingdom not from Gods good will toward them and the death of Christ for them for that was for sinners ungodly enemies yea as considered in such an evil condition but from fellowship with God c inheriting with Christ which none shall partake of that abide but in that state of nature yea though advantaged by more honourable birth or more zealous frame in which Christ extended his pitty to them in dying for them that so they may be pressed to let all go for Christ in whom there is both sure and certain ground for their repenting and believing and out of whom there is nothing to be found but perishing Now if ye do thus walking answerably thereto not measuring the outward court Rev. 11.1,2 given to the Gentiles as if we appropriated it to our selves onely but worshiping God in his Temple in fellowship with Christ and his people that are in union with him and at his Altar or in the sacrifice and meditation of Christ labouring both by word and conversation to bring up the Gentiles from their Gentilism and resting in the outward Court of external profession to the circumcision of the Spirit and worship of God in the same in the inward man and in his Temple and Altar as before Then shall ye find his blessing upon you making you a blessing to them and filling you with his own spiritual blessings in grace and peace till he bring you safely to the full injoyment of the glorious promises Even so Amen FINIS Postscript ONe word more I would commend to you viz. That of our Saviour Iohn 6.56,57 He that eats my flesh drinks my bloud abides in me and I in him c. a most excellent and choice direction for our preservation from the errors here in the Treatise mentioned and from all other that may indanger our miscarrying Would we abide in Christ that is in his faith Spirit lowe Iohn 15.10 and so in the experiment and injoyment of the fruits and vertues of his mediation for us and would we have him abide in us as surely he will if we abide in him that is have his love Spirit and divine power abide in our spirits making us fruitful and filling us with divine and eternal life and by consequence would we be preserved from the errour of the wicked and from drawing unto perdition This is the choice and most sure and excellent way to eat the flesh of Christ the flesh given by him for the life of the world ver 51. and drink his bloud the bloud of the covenant shed for the remission of our sins that is to mind view diligently look upon consider meditate on and keep in believing remembrance the abasement of the Son of God for us his obedience and sufferings in the flesh to the death the death of the Cross for us the satisfaction given by him for our sins the victory obtained over death the pretiousness of the bloud and sacrifice of Christ the peace thereby made redemption obtained the prevalency of it with God for us the covenant and promises thereby sealed the performance whereof he mediates in the vertue of it to his called c. and verily we shall be preserved we shall prove it the power of God to save us Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 15.1,2,3 1 Iohn 2.24,25 Heb. 3.1.6.14 Gal. 2.20 Search these Scriptures and see how they fitly explicate the business live we then by the faith of Jesus and forget we not the stripes by which he heals us But alas as many taste not the sweetness of this heavenly Manna but abide ignorant of the Cross of Christ feeding and living upon their actings sorrows good desires confusions performances changes zeal self-acted and conceited believing as indeed I know not how many should do otherwise because the Testimony of God holding forth the Death of Christ for all which should let them see good and undeniable ground for minding it and feeding upon it forsaking all other things for it is by the guids generally denied and condemned as an error so as they durst not believe it and therefore they having no divine evidence in the Word of God that Christ died for them they are put upon it to reason it out by their acts and changes fore-mentioned and to make them the evidences to themselves of it so as they must needs be the bottom matter of their feeding and consolation so many do but taste it abide not there to eat of it Heb. 6.4,5 but after they have found some sweetness in it fall a lusting after evil things counting this heavenly food but a dry bread and so they either feed upon their past acts of believing their rejoycing the operations of it in them which are often soon dried up for want of supply from this Fountain Christ crucified or else they reach after some more seemingly glorious matter of their feeding as is before spoken to Chap. 3. Sect 4. and so forget that they were purged from their old sins or the means rather of their purging the true bread that should have nourished them and either turn to the world and their corruptions again or are carried away with some strong delusion to their ruine from which the eating or feeding upon the flesh and bloud of Christ those despised low things in the eyes of proud men would have preserved them Note also that when in some passages I fault men for hearing any whom they will my meaning is not that I would have men tied up to this or that man as if it were unlawful to go from any to another or to hear any for trial-sake or the like but my meaning is that men are faulty in having an itching ear that when they have found Truth yet they will be out of curiosity or self-confidence diving into and trying what good they can get in some other doctrines Such an hearing of them as our Saviour says his sheep will not afford to strangers from him Iohn 10. FINIS
headlong for God saith not Ye need no miâ—stration or instruction by any men because of the unction in you for then it had been needless for the Apostle to have writ to them he might as well have spared that pains in regard of them but he says they needed not that any teach them but as that anointingt taught them â—hat that suited not with it but was besides it and â—ew to it another doctrine and light then that â—hey had received from the beginning not agreeâ—ng with that such teaching they had no need of â—n abiding in what they had received and been â—aught they should be saved I have instanced these two places that none might mistake them and abuse them as I know some do and to prevent your falling into the â—emptation of Satan when comming to any in such a way Surely my friends if you think whatever spirit comes unto your hearts and hints in â— otions and doctrines or conceptions or brings â—ny Scripture or Promise it s the Spirit of God â—e are much mistaken and may quickly be led â—nto a delusion as many that attend to such moâ—ions and flashes of joy and light and have not â—he Word of God abiding in them with underâ—tanding usually are I wish there be not too â—any of you that have had some gratious opeâ—ations upon your hearts and of you that acâ—ount your selves Saints and in a sure conditiâ—n taken in this snare of Satan learn so to lean on God as not to live upon means and run out inordinately after them where God affordâ— them not nor yet to despise his wayes and means when afforded presuming that God wiâ—… keep you safe and leave you right without them believe in God but do not tempt himâ— And where both of these are escaped beware oâ— the third in which 3. He set upon Christ to worship him that 〈◊〉 might have the glory and dignity of the worlâ— given him a strong and impetuous temptationâ— and oftentimes takeing where the other two arâ— avoided as they that are like the seed in Thornâ— ground go further then the other two groundâ— A temptation to Coveteousness Vain-glory anâ— Ambition to be great amongst men and this being suited to our sense and natural inclinations taketh often with those that have attained to much Satan knowing how to make all attainments contribute something to pride and highâ— mindedness which the more it s fed the more 〈◊〉 setteth open the soul to entertain such advantâ—ges as suit therewith Against this the Apostâ—… John writing to children young men and fâ—thers opposes this advice and counsel Love nâ—… the world nor the things of this world for the loâ—… of the world and of the Father stand not together 1 Joh. 2.16,17 But because this is not so subtâ—… though oftentimes more catching then the foâ—mer from its pleasingness to flesh as also because I toucht upon it before in the preceding Chapter I shall not inlarge so much upon it this being not faln into so much for want of discerning as by love of carnal worldly injoyment of earthy satisfaction or excellency and so needs â—ot so many words to discover it as to perâ—wade men not to listen to but avoid it Sect. 4. Of the main drift of Satan in all his Temptations THe subtilty and sedulity of Satan may appear by what is said as also some of hâ—… wiles and methods but now what is his driâ—… and design in tempting would be a little furtheâ— considered it s far otherwise then the mind anâ— end of God in suffering him to tempt God aimâ— at the triall and purging of us and so at our benefit but Satan at nothing less then to devoâ— us by alienating our souls from God in the knowledge and enjoyment of whom consisâ— our happiness And because he knows that Goâ— is not to be known and enjoyed but only in anâ— through Christ even that Jesus of Nazareâ— who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh though the Lord of David as being the Son of God according to the Spirit because he is the only maker up of the breach between God and man the only propitiation foâ— our sins by and in the vertue of his Death anâ— Sacrifice the onely Mediator of God and maâ— the onely way unto the Father by whom as bâ— hath offered up himself through the eternal Spirit a spotless Sacrifice we may have access unto and acceptance with him the onely bread of Life that God hath given us from heaven to feed upon the great Witness and Evidence of Gods Love and Goodness to us the express Character and lively Image of his Person in a word the only Saviour appointed of God to us in the vertues of his once offered Sacrifice able not only to justifie us at the first but also perfectly to save us therefore he makes it his main business in order to the alienating men from God and depriving them of eternal happiness to turn or keep men out from believing on him even as the Serpent beguiled Eve so doth this wicked one indevour to beguil souls now corrupting their minds or thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the simplicity that is in him from their single looking to God in and through him Now how did the Serpent beguil Eve but by perswading her that their living by faith in the Word of God and in observance of the way of God was a blind low kind of living but would she be ruled by him and listen to his counsel they should attain to a much better condition live a life of Knowledge like to God and not in such a subjection to and dependance on God even so as the Apostle intimates 2 Cor. 11.2,3 Satan now seeks to deceive by insinuating into mens thoughts that the Death Sacrifice and Mediation of Christ are but low simple things fit only for Novices and new beginners to live upon and the living by faith in him and in submission to his Doctrine and Ordinances a poor despicable way of living that keeps men in blindness and subjects them to many exercises and temptations from which would they listen to his counsels he would soon free them and bring them to a more godlike condition Thus withdraws he mens souls from Christ and leads them either wholly to sleight and trample upon him to loath the feeding constantly upon him as if he was as the murmuring Israelites said of their Manna but a light bread and to account the blood of the Covenant but a common poor thing and so to itch and covet after some more sensual satisfaction or else to joyn something else with him as the matter of their souls feeding and bottome of their confidence towards God and way of approaching to him as if there was not the fulness of God in him or as if he was not compleat nor had done so much in and by his one once offered Sacrifice as that in and with the vertues of it he is perfectly furnished for leading
up his sanctified ones unto perfection but that however he and the Doctrine of him are meet to bring in souls to God at the first yet after men are once brought in they must look after some other more excellent thing even as the Israelites dusted in the Wilderness for flesh to bring them to perfection Thence the spirit of Anti-Christ which is the very spirit and inspiration of Satan is Charactarized and described by his denying Jesus to be the Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 and 4.2,3 makeing but a Type or Figure or Fancy of him or not by confessing him come in the flesh that is he magnifieth not or commendeth not to men but as much as in him lieth suppresseth slighteth speaks overly and makes nothing of the Abasement Humiliation Death Sufferings and Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and so the whole business of his coming in the flesh either more directly and openly or else more closely and by consequence whereas God and his Spirit takes the things of Christ and shews them to men leading them there to have their constant and continual feeeding incouragement to Hope and matter of Consolation And indeed did not Satan some way or other prevail with men either to keep them from Christ or to withdraw them when they have begun to look towards him he should nothing avail in all his attempts against them seeing life is so intailed upon him and put into him that he cannot miss it possibly that misses not of him But alas his design is accomplished in too many men though all are not in the same way deceived by him Some he so hoodwinks and keeps in darkness that they not seeing Christ the Righteousness of God freely given to them go about to establish to themselves a righteousness of their own and submit not to him trust not in his Grace but in their own works thinking that for the goodness thereof or as it were thereby Christ will save them Others he perswads to rest in a Notion and profession of the truths of Christ though they discern not nor imbrace not Christ himself and his Sacrifice in their hearts nor the love of God commended therein to them Others he more subtly snares with a conceit of faith the rise and spring whereof is not Jesus Christ and his Sacrifice and the love of God therein manifested to them while sinners ungodly and nothing better then others but some disposition frame work or some Word or Promise applyed to them by their own reasonings or brought to their minds in which yet the Lord Jesus was not discovered to or set before them But yet more subtly and speciously he plays the Serpent indeed when by pretending to bring them to a better condition then what they have by the faith of Jesus he secretly undermines them and draws them from him of which I desire we may especially beware because he often comes with great artifice and cunning He can suck poyson out of Hony and usher in some way of darkness with words of light as we have already seen wrest some Scripture-saying to turn the eye and heart from Jesus whom they all speak on He will come and tell men that the Death and Resurrection of Christ and so his Sacrifice and Mediation are things without men and what good will they do to the soul if lived and fed on Men must have Christ in them the hope of glory and so doth some times subtly draw men from what he propounds from the Scripture to them For that Christ must be in men the hope of glory is a very pretious truth the thing that above all other I would prefer thee to and wish thee to take heed of being beguiled of but Satan means not so less when he brings that saying For whereas Christ is indeed in the Believer that is in his heart knowledge confidence consideration affection c. for after that manner objects are said to be in the hearts of men as he was made flesh * See the truth of this in Rom. 8.32,33,34 and 1 Pet. 1.3 and offered up himself in Sacrifice for us and is in the vertues thereof at the right hand of God mediating in our behalf and authorized to save us c. the hope not the present possession or enjoymeâ—… of glory as this view consideration knowledâ—… and judgement of him is spirituous powerfâ—… beget and nourish in the soul a lively hope 〈◊〉 expectation of the glory possessed by him for and in him set before us Satan in his tempâ—…ons sometimes takes hold of that and such 〈◊〉 sayings to another purpose for makeing use mens unlearnedness or want of stability in tâ—… Apostles Doctrine he uncloths Christ of 〈◊〉 those considerations of his Death and Sacrifâ—… c. yea makes it his business to withdraw tâ—… soul from him as such a one and so indeed froâ— the true Christ to look for another thing a lighâ— frame power or operation in them not of Chriâ—… as crucified for them and fed on by them though as so considered and fed on he is in thâ— Believer the hope of glory according to thâ— Apostles aim and intention as is said before anâ— not as divested and unclothed of that consideration Nay which is worse Satan sometime prevails so far with men that having stolen thâ— true form of Christ from men and having perswaded them to let go him and their confidence in him as a fleshly Christ and fleshly confidence which they must sacrifice as once Abraham did his Isaac though not with his success for they scarce ever receive him again they part so fully from him and perswading them that Christ is nothing but a certain force power light or operation in the heart he himself cloths himself with the Name of Christ transforms himself into â—n Angel of light and insinuates himself with all the strength and efficacie of delusion into their hearts as the true Christ and his strong deceits and operations as the very inspirations and operations of God and Christ of far more excellency then what the Gospel holds forth as recorded in the Scriptures and so leads them on headlong to their ruine for then no marvel if they run into strange and monstrous conceptions and practises deny the Scriptures make themselves God or a part of him say they have no sin in them that there is no such thing as sin or devil or heaven or hell at least more then is now in men cast off all religious exercises and live like Heathens perswading others to the same things also with them If Satan once have got such credit with men as to be intertained for their Teacher in stead of Christ his Spirit into what principles or practises may not he lead them though it stand not with his policy to lead all that entertain him into such gross ways but to act some as if they were Angels or Messengers of Christ that so others might be the better drawn away after them and so thâ—y be but
beginning concerning your estate as in Christ and therein minde what incouragements there are prepared and given us to keep on still our way not letting our hands hang down or our hearts fail us It s true the warfare is sharp the enemies many cruell powerfull subtile and we in our selves but as grashoppers in compare of them yet Rebel not we against the Lord our God who hath out of Egypt the darkness of this world called us hath led us through a Sea of wrath and tryals and hitherto conducted us and given to some of us of the first fruits of the Land to taste on look unto Jesus the Author or leader in and finisher of our faith and then behold there are yet more with us in this our pilgrimage then there are aguinst us the shout of a King is amongst us and Greater is he that is in and among us then He that is in the world against us There we have the Lord God for a Sun and shield and He will give grace and favour to support strengthen and guide us and glory to reward and crown us and no good thing if we walk uprightly before him will he withhold from us Psal 84.11 He hath said He will stand by us and be shield and buckler to us he will watch his vineyard to defend and keep it by day and by night Isa 27.2,3 Therefore fear we not only follow after him and he will order all well for us and shew us his goodness and salvation Only Rebell not we against the Lord nor willingly withdraw our selves from him and he will secure us Be strong in his might and power which he gives unto us in Christ and we shall not need to fear what flesh can do unto us or what principallities and powers can do against us For if God be for us as he is who shall be against us Rom. 8.31 Provoke we not him against us by departing from him through an unbelieving heart and then his alone presence with us will drive out our adversaries before us and bring us to the possession of our heavenly inheritance even of all the blessing to which he hath called us we have in Christ as well provision for our way as possession at our journeys end It is God that justifies us in him and owns us as his Saints who is it then that shall lay any thing against us Rom. 8.33 Who is he that condemneth us in comparison of him that takes part with us to clear us what are our own corruptions within us and Satan and all the world against us to oppose us so long as God is on our side to uphold us There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 and 7.20,21,23 Though Sin dwell in them and often carry them captive to what they would not and impede and hinder them in the good they would so long as they sow not to that Sin yield not up themselves to the flesh to walk after it but after the Spirit Christ that hath died and rose again is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for them for help and succour yea he is mediating the new Testament for them that they might not fail of the promised inheritance Heb. 9.15 In the strength of God then and of his Love in Christ Jesus already testified to us let us go on in his way putting his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his whole Armor upon us so shall we be able to stand against the brunt of these temptations and get victory over all that do encounter us God hath not called us to this warfare at our own charges he will maintain us nor sends he us naked against so potent powers or leaves us to our weakness to provide our selves weapons to defend us His Name shall be Protection to us In Christ he hath therein also compleated us only put we on what he hath prepared for us and in his preparation we shall find sure strength and victory and none shall harm us It was a great evil in Ephraim that being harnassed they turned their backs in the day of battel Psal 78. having Gods Promises to them and Presence with them for their safety yet not to cloath themselves with such salvation not to go on in so good harness to the portion given them O let it not be any of our follies as it would be so much the greater in us by how much we are the better accomplished after the same example to be foyled and baffled out from the promised Rest which yet remains for us and by believing shall be possessed by us Sect. 2. Of the Spiritual Armour Ephes 6. THat we might be induced not to desist but go on vigorously against our spiritual enemies I shall briefly propound the consideration of the Armor of Light and Righteousness that God hath made ready for us in Christ in putting on and resisting in which no evil shall reach us the Apostle hath laid down the several peices of it to our hands with an exhortation to make use of them Ephes 6.13 Put on therefore the whole armor of God the girdle of Truth thâ— Breast-plate of Righteousness c. 1. The girdle of Truth Let the Truth of God cleave close unto us as girdle about our loynâ— let not it or what it brings unto us to gird up the loyns of our minds and to make our hearâ— true sincere and upright be neglected by us Drink we in the love of it that we may delighâ— in it and it may strengthen and preserve us where the Truth of God is slighted and noâ— prized men will easily part with it and imbraâ—… error though they perish for it yea God aâ— hath been noted often punisheth the not receiveing in the lone of the Truth so as to be saved by is with giving them up to strong delusions that they might be damned 2 Thes 2.10,11 The Hypocritâ— in heart will surely be snared that very secreâ— evil that makes him not down-right for thâ— Truth will betray him to Satan and delusioâ— when he presents baits suitable to it Buy thâ— Truth therefore and sell it not Prov. 23.23 whâ—… we see once to be truth that keep fast and it will keep us Let it be in our inward parts and it will preserve us The Spirit of truth will insinuate it self into us and lead us into all Truth and Error and Delusion shall have no power over us He will present that in the truth even in Christ truly declared to us that will tie and binde us up unto God and set us free from the power of Satan and his seducements and that 's freedom indeed put we away guil and hypocrisy then that we may the more earnestly covet after and drink in the Word of Truth the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow therein The promise of defence is to the upright-hearted that inwardly and sincerely love the Truth yea the Truth it self shall be their defence we cannot defend
hath been the same is now and what shall be now hath been and God will require that which is driven away Their mistake and abuse of which is easily discerned if we hold fast to the testimony of the holy Ghost in other places which contradict their inferences from it and if we also minde the scope of the Preacher whereabout he speaketh viz. that his speech is about the vanity and vexation of spirit that is in accrues to men from worldly natural things and actions things sub sole under the Sun or under the Government of it and then his meaning is plain that there is a constant tenor in the nature of natural things at all times the same species and properties in those species not the same individuals except they will affirm that they themselves have been men and women born nursed up and lived in the world in times past even in Solomons time or in the beginning of the world as well as now and if so I would they would call to mind what they saw done then and help to perfect the History of the world but that 's evidently false David and Solomon are not now living under the Sun but the same kinds of things there are men now as then and sin and vanity in them now as then trees and plants c. and the same common affections of creatures now as then the same weakness vanity wickedness and vexatiousness now as before and in that regard there is nothing new no alteration of the nature of things under the Sun in their natural actions and conditions But this is horribly besides the business of Solomons discourse to say the earth upon which the trees and plants now grow is as well void and without form now as it was in the first day of its creation and yet more to say Christ hath come no otherwise in the flesh then he did in Solomons time nor suffered otherwise then there he had done or that there shall be no other rising from the dead then was then or visible coming of Christ in Glory and to Judgement and indeed these are things super solem above the ordering of the Sun Beside neither says he there shall be no new thing but he speaks in the present time in which he lived there is no new thing The Prophet Jeremy that lived after him says The Lord will create a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man Jer. 31.22 and sure that was in its time a new thing that a Virgin conceived and brought forth without knowledge of any man yea God hath said that He will make all things new and therefore its evident that their enlarging of the Scripture beyond its scope and expression is very false and gross yea that they are of the number of those men that Peter speaks of The mockers that should say Where is the promise of his coming that is in effect He shall never come again for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue in like state Yea yet further we may retort this Scripture upon themselves as to their denial of the glorious coming of Christ and his raising up the dead bodies of men departed that being rather here affirmed for if that that is shall be and God requires that that is past or driven away then that body of theirs that is shall be and that Christ that was on the earth shall be again and though their bodies that are dead and are as it were driven away yet God will require them again and judge them for what is past and what men have violently thrust or driven away But this is a safe Rule for thee to go by that no Scripture is rightly interpreted when it s interpreted point blank contradictory to the sayings of other Scriptures about those things whereunto they are interpreted Like to their abuses of these and other places is that that they quote Col. 2.20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ to the rudiments of the world why then as living in the world are ye subject to Ordinances to shew that they are above the Ordinances of God and need not regard them whereas the Apostle after explains himself to speak of the Ordinances or Documents of the world for he adds according to the Commandments and Documents of men and that they have a shew of wisdom in wil-worship and not of the Ordinances of God which who so is not subject to is not subject unto God by whom and whose authority they are appointed yea the Apostle himself commends that very people for their Order as well as for their stedfastness in faith ver 5. and exhorts them to admonish one another and that in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs and to continue in prayer and thanksgiving Chap. 3.16 and 4.2 c. which are Ordinances of God and therefore sure he cannot rightly be understood in the other place to tax them for being subject to them nay if that was a fault in them then should they not be subject to the Apostles teaching and admonition they being also Ordinances of Gods appointing 1 Tim. 2.7 And to give but one instance more They in like manner some of them abuse that saying in Col. 1.28 Christ in you the hope of glory the meaning whereof is this that Christ as he was made of a woman and made under the Law and as he died rose ascended is glorified and appears in the presence of God for us eyed minded believed on and understood is that that springs up in the believing soul hope of future glory whereas other men either have no hope of glory or have their hope in other things the believers hope is in and from Christ as he hath done such great things for him and is made of God such a Saviour to him that I say as it s known believed and minded begets and maintains that hope in him In which regard also viz. as he is in his Knowledge Faith Love c. he is said to be in him as also in regard of his Spirit or Divine Vertue and Power in and through that knowledge and faith working in him But this I say some abuse to this end to perswade men that Christ is no otherwise existent but in the hearts of men hath no real spiritual glorified body in the heavens which is a meer strained and erroneous collection for if that were so he should be rather the fruition of glory in them then the hope of it onely for the fruition of glory is in the believers having Christ really and personally existent with him 1 Thes 4.17 And surely when Christ shall descend from heaven and take up the dead Saints being first raised to be ever with him he shall not descend or come out of his peoples hearts and leave them in regard of his nhabitation of them nor needed Stephen so stedfastly to have looked up into heaven to have seen him in his heart Acts 7.55 nor would there have been any such
glorious appearance of him unto Paul as caused a bright shining visible to the standers by if he had had no other being or existence then in the hearts of men Acts 9.7 and 22.9 Such inferences then are meer abuses of Scripture not asserted in but contradictory to the Scriptures by keeping close to which as was before noted thou maist descry them to be vain as Christ holding close to the Scriptures detected Satans abuse of Scripture to him Beware I say then of their false Collections and strained inferences against the stream of the Scriptures and contrary to their plain sayings and their errings from the faith once delivered to the Saints as they are by the Scriptures made evident to be errings therefrom contend against but yet this their practise notwithstanding or their allegation of Hereticks in general abusing and diversly wresting them do not thou slight them but the more to minde them they being as the Apostle tells us sufficient to make the man of God perfect even fully able also to detect and reprove such abusive perversions of them yea and in and through faith in Christ to guide and keep thee and make thee useful to others also for salvation Sect. 7. Of Prayer ANd yet because they are the Sword of the Spirit a sword that cannot be weilded by every arm or to purpose by any but by and in the hand of the Spirit thou wilt need skill and strength from God rightly to use and weild them for though they are the glorious things of God and Christ uttered by the mouth of his servants the Apostles and Prophets that are contained therein yet as they are written so that writing is but a medium to make over those divine revelations by and the writing it self is not the thing that hath life in it but the things witnessed to and spoken of in them which things are not the object of the natural eye that looks upon the outward writing nor is the glory and certainty of those things discernable to the natural understanding unless the Understanding be opened though Truth in true expressions be presented to it yet it will not see them in the lustre beauty certainty glory heavenliness of them nor will it minde the love grace wisdom and glory of God therein shining and so the heart will not be rightly affected to them nor able to hold them fast so as nothing separate or withdraw it from them nor can or shal we so make use of them as not to be over-reached by Satan or have them in readiness when we should have most use of them uness they be put into us by the finger of God ingraven in our hearts and dwell in us being understood believed loved delighted in by us though the word therein declared be a spiritual Sword fit to fight the Lords battel with yet we have need of God to teach our hands to war and our fingers to fight with and to make it powerful and effectual against our spiritual enemies against whom we draw it Now the Lord hath promised to send his Spirit to the end to bring his Words to our remembrance to teach us lead us into all truth help our infimities c. And he is a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding a Spirit of Might and Power and of the fear of the Lord a spirit of Truth and Consolation in whose might and wisdom and not in our own if we encounter Satan and his messengers we shall overcome them but as he is in the hand of the Lord to send forth yea is his hand so hath he told us that he would be sought to by us to perform for us the things that he promiseth us and so for this his Spirit to give wisdom and understanding to us Thence we are to look to him also in prayer and supplications with thansgivings for what he gives us according to that Phil. 4.6,7 In nothing be careful or thoughtful as to say and reason with our selves how shall we finde out truth how shall we escape the wiles of Satan but in all things or cases make known your requests unto God by supplications and prayers with thanks givings and then the peace of God that passeth understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in safe custody 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the knowledge of Christ as if he should say if you thanking him for what he hath done for you call upon him for further grace and mercy then shall he give down or so mind you of the knowledge of his Son as shall safeguard the heart in peace and quietness and this too agrees with that in Prov. 2.3 If thou callest for wisdom and liftest up thy voyce for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God for the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth proceeds knowledge and understanding which ver 10 11. if it enter into the heart and become pleasant to the soul will preserve thee from the evil man that speaks perverse things and from the woman or spirit of error that flatters with her lips Seeing this so pretious wisdom comes from God it is but meet and requisite that we go for it to God that we desire and pray to him for it and that without ceasing our desire and suit till he do give it to us yea and hath brought us by it to the haven of rest and set us past all further difficulties trials and temptations in which we cannot but need wisdom to direct and guide us which saith the Apostle James also Chap. 1.5 if any man want let him ask it of God who giveth liberally to all and upbraideth not that 's far the better course then to lean to our own understanding and take the thoughts and dictates of our own hearts for sure guides in which Satan oftentimes may come in and deceive us It is true that God doth often prevent us with his goodness and is found of them that seek him not yea that also is necessary to our seeking him for if he did not first give to us a knowledge of our wants and of his goodness how should we call upon him but it s as true that he having so prevented us and freely made known himself to us he expects this fruit again from us that we be thankful to him and follow on to know him seeking for further help and mercy of him So he could have given us blessing spirit knowledge c. immediatly into our selves but having found us unfaithful in Adam and to have plaid the Prodigals he hath in his wisdom chosen rather to depositate them in Jesus Christ willing us to repair to him to God by him for them to be given us out according to our needs which he also hath promised we shall receive so coming to him but if we turn our backs upon him and shall stoutly and proudly lift up our selves and
say Tush we are Lords we will come no more at thee Jer. 2.31 we need not call upon God for any thing for all things are ours and what profit is it if we pray to him as wicked men are noted to say Job 21.15 seeing God is engaged to us by his Promise or we shall have what is appointed for us If I say we shall thus reason however we may as others guilty of the like pride before us Mal. 3.16 be called happy by others yet surely God will resist us and we are in danger to be given up to Satan and to our own hearts till they have brought us to confusion The Apostle James plainly tels some that they received not because they asked not or because they asked amiss to consume it on their own lusts James 4.3 And our Saviour hath as plainly on the other side bid us ask that we may receive and our joy shall be full Joh. 15. Restrain not your prayers therefore my brethren but pour out your hearts before the Lord not listning to vain Philosophy and Speculations about Gods Will and Way nor prying into his Essence and things not seen so as to contemn and slight his Counsels and then think to defend your selves by saying our prayers cannot alter his Will and Decrees we shall neither have the more for praying nor the less if we pray not for he cannot be wrought upon by any thing in us for this is contrary to all piety and godliness The Prophet Isaiah hath otherwise instructed us that God hath not said to the house of Jacob seek my face in vain Isai 45.19 Do not thou justifie the counsel of the wicked but pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit in every season or opportunity and watch thereunto in all perseverance or strength or fervency and pray for all Saints and for me c. as the Apostle exhorts Ephes 6.18,19 Pray with all prayer and supplication for every favor and against every evil acknowledging your follies beseeching for forgiveness intreating for help in all prayer in private and in publike by your selves and with others praying in the Spirit not with the lips onely but with the heart and spirit also according to that I will pray in the Spirit and I will pray with understanding also 1 Cor. 14. It s not saying a prayer that will suffice or is regarded but the heart and spirit exercised in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving and that in Gods Spirit too or in the holy Ghost as in Jude 20. in his leadings power wisdom teaching as he shews you your wants or the wants of others and the goodness of God for supply fills you with faith confidence boldness earnestness for prayer 〈◊〉 indeed essentially an exercise of the heart 〈◊〉 and by the Grace and Spirit of God breathing after God and desiring and craving help or favour of him and this may be either with vocal words or without and yet with words usually either in the heart onely the heart speaking to God when no sound is heard as Hannah did 1 Sam. 1. or with the mouth also as David and Christ and the Saints of God in their several ages used most commonly to do It s true that God looks at the heart more then at the words in prayer but yet he regards those petitions that are poured out in the Spirit and in the name of Christ in a single heart that are vocally exprest and they are not to be heard or regarded that contemn praying with words and make a tush thereof though in the mean time they pretend that they pray alwayes in that they are content with what God doth to them or now and then wish this or that to be done to themselves or others I fear such under pretence of praying alwayes pray not at all or very seldom and are rather of those despisers of Ordinances in Mal. 3.14 that say It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances c. surely Christ taught his Disciples to utter words though he told them too that he would not have them vain in thinking to be heard for their much speaking yea verily not onely David Solomon Moses Samuel Daniel and all the antient Worthies uttered words solemnly in prayer unto God but the Lord Jesus Christ also at several seasons surely he needed not to have separated himself into a solitary place apart to pray Matth. 14.23 if to pray had been no other business then many make of it or if he had thought it needless to pray When he was to leave his Disciples he prayed with his voyce too and uttered many sweet and pretious words which are recorded Joh. 17. And so the Disciples after the Ascension of Christ continued together in an upper Chamber in prayer Acts 1. And after the Holy Ghost was poured upon them they were not of this Opinion of these proud spirits that think they need pray no more they have all already but they continued in prayer still and uttered words too therein Acts 2.42 and 4.24 and 6.4 We will give our selves say they continually to prayer c. So when Peter was in prison they were met to pray Acts 12. they could not pass away their time so jovially as some that pretend to know Christ as well or better in laughing and sporting carding and gaming c. but they spent their time when they met in prayer and God heard them too Yea Peter himself one of the prime pillars amongst them when he wa◠at the house of Simon the Tanner went up int◠an upper Chamber to pray and Paul when b◠was to part with the Church of Ephesus kneeled down and prayed with them Acts 20.36 to which also sometimes they added Fasting Surely then they that despise this Ordinance or that think they do it sufficiently by now and then perhaps an ejaculation of a desire despising to pray together solemnly as occasion is offered are scarcely led by the same spirit that led the Apostles and ancient Saints of God and they neglect one part of the spiritual armor provided for them and in that plat lay themselves open to Satans temptations yea sure they that are above Ordinances are also above this spiritual armor at least in some parts of it and when Satan hath got them thither he hath advantage enough against them for now he finds them naked and can as he lists captivate and wound them To be sure they pray not with all prayer and supplication but by the Prophets verdict of such they are proud and high-conceited speaking great swelling words of vanity and because they are sensual they judge of Gods Word and Ordinances according to sense counting Gods Ordinances low and foolish things preferring their own wisdom and ways before them Mal. 3.15 I wish there be not too great an increase of this proud and sensual generation and that it were not too common for people to count such happy
though they have despised the simplicity of Gods Wayes appointed for their salvation But ye beloved beware of such conceits as such are led with and keep ye close to God in making known your requests dayly and as the Apostle exhorts in every season watching thereunto that ye may find the leadings of the Spirit and Grace of God with you therein and know what to ask of him and that ye may hear what answers God will again return to you not giving over your requests because ye are not presently supplied or helped in the things ye ask but herein exercise Faith and Patience and be strong and persevere till God hath blessed you Remember Jacob who wrestled with God weeping and making supplications unto him and prevailed Remember also that Christ our Lord hath left us many instructions to importunity in prayer with many incouragements thereunto that we might not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18.1 be out-evilled made to faint by his seeming delays and denials of us though he may try us yet calling upon him in his way according to his Will he will not deceive us Indeed if we regard iniquity in our hearts if we set up an Idol in his Temple and pollute his Name he will not hear our prayers he will have us lift up â— uâ—e hands and clean single true hearts and then he will be found of us It s true in many things we sin all and he is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and we are in our selves too unworthy to have audience by him and too unable to do any thing fit to be presented to him but in that he hath also provided incouragement too for us we have an Advocate and a high Priest with him who hath prevented us with his Love in offering up himself for us an offering of a sweet smelling savour unto God and it s his work to intercede to God for us for us I say in special that come to God by him to take away our sins and perfume our prayers with the odours of his Sacrifice and so make them acceptable unto God yea he mediateth the New Covenant for the called Ones that the holy Spirit may be given to them to work their works in them and that they may receive the inheritance promised them Having then such invitations faithful promises and every way great incouragements let us not put off this business to some pretended illuminate Elders but let us go with boldness true hearts and full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled with the blond of Jesus from an evil conscience and bodies or whole conversations washed with pure water the pure water of his Word and the grace held forth to us therein and call upon God in and by Christ for our selves and one another that he may help and save us Had we an al sufficiency in our selves we should not need to go for help to God but we are not God nor hath God put the disposal of himself and fulness into our hand but reserves it with himself in Christ ready to give it forth to us in submission and supplication to him for it so that we have need also as well as incouragement to call upon him Pray then for help for your selves and pray for one another and for all the Saints and in special that they may be enabled to stand and for me also the meanest of all Saints that I may so declare and walk on in the Mysteries of the Gospel as I ought God will not onely hear you for your selves but for one another and without his hearing and helping the other parts of his spiritual Armor will be too heavy for you you will be as unable to buckle them all on and go forth in them as David was to go forth in Sauls armor but call upon him and he will help you yea and be armor of proof to you Sect. 8. Of Brotherly Communion YEa yet further my brethren that we might yet be better enabled to resist Satan and his temptations and to go on with patience and chearfulness in the race set before us let us go on together in love and unity not forsaking the assembling of our selves as the manner of some yea of too many is God hath called us together unto Christ as to a head and in him hath compacted us together as a body giving us a common interest in the priviledges of Christ and useful gifts differing according to his goodness that we might both have need of and be useful one to another each supplying to other out of that measure given to it from the Head in the faithful loving exercise of themselves in which God giveth forth his blessing even as the body natural thrives while the members compacted together do minister to each other nourishment and spirits without stop or interruption but when the blood and spirits have not free access and recess to the several parts and members it decays grows diseased and ill-affected and often falleth into sickness and death so is it here while the unity of the Spirit is held fast in the bond of peace and brotherly love abides and each in love seeks the love and profit of other all grow up together to a perfect man yea and all together become as a City compacted and at unity within it self and so more strong and able for offence and defence against all that would annoy but being disunited either through Factions and Divisions or through a willing careless neglect of each other and the administrations of the Lord to all by every each one they become weak and feeble and Satan gets great advantage against them to infect them one by one and to devour them for in loose sitting one from another â—or divisions each member contents it self with that measure given to it self or to a few and deprives it self of that strength life nourishment and spirits that might be administred by many Now though God be al sufficient to preserve and strengthen one alone where he by his Providence necessitates it to be so or in a hidden day such as that of Elias when the Saints appear not to or know not one another yet where he hath given opportunities of communion and mutual edification and that through pride negligence envy or arrogance is despised and slighted there souls receive not that measure of his fulness and sufficiency that otherwise they might for he that so sleights and despises sleights and despises the way that God hath appointed and ordained for us to waite upon him in and he that despiseth his Way despiseth him that appointed it and out of his way in a mans own way will he will not meete with blessing nay out of Gods way and in their own seem it never so right to men in their own eyes they may and usually do meet with delusion it being a just judgement of God upon the pride and folly of men that seeing they refuse the simplicity of his they should
that in 1 Cor. 15.50 That flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption which they indeavour to wrest and abuse to the denial and overthrowing the whole business of his discourse in that Chapter professedly to prove the Resurrection of the body not considering that 1. The Apostle says not thus Neither flesh nor blood shall inherit the Kingdom of God but flesh and blood copulatively together now flesh and blood is used in Scripture to signifie a natural man in his corruptible unrenewed estate and sometimes a body subjected to weakness and infirmity Heb. 2.14 whose natural life is in the blood and so nourished by a constant supply of blood from food received from without and indeed men shall not be such in the Resurrection to have their life in their blood as now and so corruptible and weak But this we expresly finde that the Body of Christ after the Resurrection by his own affirmation was flesh bones though spiritualized Luke 24.39 his blood was before shed for remission of our sins as the blood of expiation and surely to a raised body and immortalized blood is no more essential then our hairs are of the essence of a body mortal I would say rather that as the corruptible body in this state of corruption may be and subsist without hair or the like excrements so is it very conceivable that a spiritualized body shall subsist without blood its life not being then therein nor to be maintained by a continual supply and course thereof but immediately by the divine Spirit and Power of God Therefore it s a very inconsequent Argument to say because flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God therefore the body of Christ had no flesh in it upon its Resurrection directly contrary to his own assertion Luke 24.39 or that his body in which was flesh and bones was not assumed up into heaven or that mens bodies which now are flesh and blood shall not be raised and in their raised state be glorified or thus A natural body while such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God therefore this natural body shall not be raised and in its rising made spiritual and so be a subject of his Kingdom That speech then doth but point to the condition of the body when raised that it shall not be such as now it is a body of infirmity flesh and blood but it denies not that the body shall rise even as the foregoing similitude of the grain of Corn doth demonstrate that he meant for there he says Thou sowest not that body that shall be and yet we know its the same in another form or rather that that springs up namely the blade and ear and corn in it springs from that very body or bare grain that was sown or that bare grain that is sown by dying revives again in another and better form so also is the Resurrection the same dead body that was sown rises yet not the same in regard of its form and manner of being It s sown in corruption it s raised in incorruption the same it that was sown rises again though in a better manner more glorious powerful spiritual then when it was sown 2. The Apostle plainly expounds himself ver 51 52 53. when he says we shall not all sleep that is rest or lye in death but we shall be all changed Now there is a great difference between a being changed in our bodies and having them annihilated or for ever lost for that the change shall be in the body is plain in Phil. 3.31 He shall change our vile body and make it like to his own most glorious body and that this change shall not be the creating a new body that is totally distinct another from this in which we now live and die is also plain in this that if the Resurrection was the living again of the Spirit in another body then this body that dies should or might yet lye in the grave notwithstanding that resurrection in another body and so the body of Christ in which he died should have been sound in the grave still when the Disciples went to the sepulchre to imbalm him but the Scripture plainly tells us that they found it not there and of that the Angels said He is risen he it not here Matth 28.6 He might have been risen and his body there too if what was put off â—nd laid down in the grave was never reassumed 〈◊〉 raised again out of it but some other body given in stead thereof Nay indeed that conception is inconsistent with the tearm of Resurrection for Resurrection is not a creation of a â—ew or another body but the rising again of â—…at that was dead or faln as all know that understand the force of the word Resurrection Yea that also would be point-blank cross to what the Apostle yet adds further the dead shall â—e raised incorruptible and this mortal shall prit 〈◊〉 immortality and this corruptible must put on incorruption he said not that the spirit that lives and goes to God shall appear again in a new body that never was in being before an incorruptible body made of nothing or of some other materials but the dead shall rise incorruptible yea this mortal this that now is subject to death this very body shall put on immortality and this corruptible not another that never was corruptible or corrupted but this body that 's now corruptible that now hath its life in its blood and dyes corrupts shall put on immortality and so shall triumph over the grave O grave where is thy victory which they could never have ground for if the conquest of the grave should be perpetual and never restore the dead bodies that it had swallowed So that its clear by the Apostles own words and by what we read of Christ raised to which ours are to be conformed that this Scripture also is abused As for the liftings up of their understandings otherwise they are partly conceptions of impossibilities of such a thing as if the bodies were so torn and corrupted and the ashes or reliques of them dispersed that its impossible it should be raised which is an impious conception for it chargeth God with weakness and impotency as if any word was impossible to him well therefore did our Lord tax the Sadduces with erring upon these principles that they knew not the Scripture nor the power of God Vain Earth-worms who are we that we will undertake to measure and put bounds to his omnipotency and make that an impossibility with him that we cannot fathom in our narrow apprehensions Of the like nature is that foolish conception that the world will not afford room enough for so many millions of men that should be raised up as if he that made all things by his Power when as there was yet nothing could not either reduce all the dispersed parcels of his dead creatures into one body again or finde room
sufficient to contain all those bodies in These are the shallow objections of vain brains that think God can do nothing that they cannot reach to in their reasonings against which for your defence against them let me say but with Paul Why should it seem a thing incredible to you that God should raise the dead Acts 26.8 Another way in which they lift up their understandings to deny this truth is by inventing and devising how to turn all the Scriptures that speak of the Resurrection to a more spiritual sense namely to speak of the Resurrection of the Spirit with Christ or as they understand from some sad or corrupt frames to Joy and Love and Light and I know not what they please to talk of whence many of them say they have here attained the Resurrection it s now made in his life and they have experimented it all that is to be injoyed But this error as it cannot consist with many places treating of the Resurrection as when it s said There shall be a Resurrection both of just and unjust Acts 24.15 and those who are affirmed to be risen with Christ in their spirits are yet minded of a further Resurrection yea even those who are now dead while they were putting to death by their cruel persecutors and refused deliverance in expectation of a better Resurrection Heb. 11.45 so the Apostle Paul hath directly noted in Hymeneus and Philetus as an error destructive to the Faith of many 2 Tim. 2.17,18 So that we cannot without open and manifest discarding and revolting from the Doctrine of Christ delivered to us by him intertain or imbrace such an evil conception Press on therefore my Brethren in minding the Love of God in delivering of his Son to Death for our offences and raising him again for our Justification so to experiment his Divine Power and Spirit quickning up your spirits to him to hope in and depend on him and to live to him as that you may therein prove a conformity to him in Resurrection in Spirit here and be filled with a lively hope of the Redemption of your bodies too from the bondage of corruption in the Resurrection of them hereafter and let not the faith thereof go for then you wil also â—…corrupted from the hope of the reward that 's â—omised and is then to be received the time of â—…unerating the services of our faith and love â—…e towards God and his Name being at the â—…e of the justs Resurrection Luke 14.14 and 〈◊〉 ye be corrupted there you will also grow â—…less and negligent in those services yea and â—…ll into all licentiousness Know that what ever evil and mischief may â—…e befall you in your bodies for the Name of Christ and however you may and must yield up â—bodily death yet he that raised up Jesus our â—…nd will also raise us up and bring us with him 〈◊〉 Cor. 4.14 If we abide in the Faith of him â—oted and stablished and be not perverted â—…om the Gospel and the hope of it that hath â—een preached therein to us and if this Knowâ—dge abide in you and the hope thereof be â—inded by you it will make you that you shall â—ot be barren and unfruitful but to be stedfast â—nd to abound in the Work of the Lord knowâ—ng that your labour shall not be in vain in the â—ord Sect. 5. Of Heaven and Glory BUt now to say what that great Reward and Glory is and shall be is above my ability is not yet manifest what we shall be but a great reward in heaven it is an heavenly not 〈◊〉 earthly reward a reward of and from God noâ— of and by men not worldly The new Jerusalem or the glory of God coming down from heaven upon men and taking men up into heaven where now also they that are Saints indeed and walk as such have their conversation What heaven is I shall not curiously inquire Its that place and state where Christ in his Humanity is for as its the subject of bodies I caâ—… and account it a place though as of the Spirit more properly its a State as when it s said Thâ— Christ is gone into heaven it s therein signified both that his body or humanity was taken up from the earth above the visible heavens where also he is contained and from whence also he shall again descend and be met by the Saints in the air as also that he is there in a glorious state of Soveraignty Power Majesty Fulness far above all creature earthy glories yea and faâ— above all heavenly creatures glory out of which glory he shall not descend at his coming for he shall come in it but from that place of his body he shall I know Mr. Collier makes heaven to be God onely and Glory but as in some other things so in that he slipt not a little into errors for in God he was while he was on the earth Knowest thou not that the Father is in me and I am in the Fatheâ—r saith he to Philip Joh. 14. while he was not yet ascended Neither had there needed any visible translocation or change of place for going up into heaven if it had been â—…ely to be in God nor doth that phrase far above all heavens signifie far above all gods but far above all these aery starry visible heavens To say nothing that Mr. Collier handsomly slips â—ver the speaking to the heaven that Christ aâ—…ended to and which is to contain him and â—…ys not one word to that Text in his Answer 〈◊〉 if he knew not how to elude it But to pass from that I grant that heaven doth not onely signifie place but also a state of glory or of diâ—…e spiritual influence operation government and advancement and this we are specially to â—…nd in it and look after and not spend our thoughts vainly or curiously about inquiring of 〈◊〉 as a place meerly as I might also say of hell â—…ough the bodies and substances of men condemned shall be in place yet the condition of â—o and torment is in that word rather pointed 〈◊〉 in which such shall be and as in a taste or first fruits as it were may now be But to return to what I was saying about heaven and the glory thereof while we are withdrawn in our hearts from base and earthy walkings designs affections c. and are in our hearts aâ—…ed by the Word that was revealed by and comes unto us from God and by the Spirit of God and of Christ the heavenly one and are minding and looking after the priviledges and excellencies thereby witnessed and led to we are said to converse in heaven and so we read of an army warring in heaven Rev. 19. which is nothing else but the Saints of God in the heavenly and divine Power and Spirit in which spiritually they live and breath making opposition against Satan and his instruments and so in like manner the high surpassing pure spiritual consolations streamings forth and abiding rivers of
opened in him a way to life for them and had given to them the Apostles a ministry of Reconciliation towards them already upon the same Gospel-terms to admit and receive to favor any of them And so in applying the Promises and Priviledges of the Gospel and owning as brethren they knew no man according to the flesh either according to the judgement and guidance of the wisdom of the flesh in themselves or according to the fleshly differences in them as if because Jews therefore brethren and heirs of the Promises but the Gentiles though believers yet not heirs or brethren unless or untill circumcised or as if this Nation or Sex or Kindred were more advanced in Christ then that according to the advantages or greater dignity after the flesh Now it being evident that that 's the meaning of the Apostle in that phrase according to that Gal. 3.20 There is neither Jew nor Gentile male nor female bond or free but ye are all one in Christ Jesus it follows thence that the other phrase of knowing Christ after the flesh is after the same way to be understood viz. that though they had thought of or looked upon Christ according as the fleshly understanding or wisdom presented him as a mean despicable man or as more ingaged to the Jews then to the Gentiles for his flesh sake to be readier to save them c. and though they had minded him and judged of him according to what he was after the flesh judging of his Person Worth Office and work of Saving accordiâ—g to his flesh yet now henceforth they judged no more of him but as the Spirit represented him and witnessed of him and according as the Gospel declared and revealed him and according to the Spirit or Divine Nature in him not but that they considered him as dignified or glorified * In the flesh and after the flesh are two distinct things as is evident in 2 Cor. 10.3 for though we walk in the flesh ye we do not war after the flesh in the flesh or Humane Nature but they looked not upon him as if that dignity he hath stands in any fleshly priviledge though they had thought his person the more excellent and honorable because his flesh was of the Jews and he therein circumcised yet now they prized him not according to that but as the Spirit evidenced him to be the Word made flesh the Son of God which suffered which would have put the same dignity into him as man of whomsoever he had taken flesh and according to that they now esteemed and valued him and hoped in trusted and believed on him They that knew him so after the flesh as the false Apostles they also considered the kindred and relation in the flesh between Christ and the Jews as having his flesh of them and the want of that kindred and relation between him and the Gentiles and so they thought of him as one that would honor and lift up the Nation of the Jews for kindred and relation sake but less advance or honor the Gentile believers and therefore that it was needful for them to become Jews in the profession of their way of Worship and Observation and therefore they preach'd the Gospel rather to the Jews as such and imbraced and applied the Promises rather to them as more interested in Christ because of their affinity in the flesh which was the error of the false Apostles reproved and spoken against here by the Apostle Paul besides which there is also another way of knowing him after the flesh and another effect of some mens so knowing him namely an estimating valuing and judging of him according to the flesh in his Sufferings Sacrifice and mediation a measuring their vertue and excellency by that as if but the Sufferings Sacrifice and mediation of a meet man and so of a finite sorry creature whence they also stumble at him and count it foolishness to believe in him And in this way most of those that turn the Truth of God into a Fable or the History of Christ into a meet Allegory and depart from the faith of him do know him and consider him Yea and that is the ground of that their denying and turning from him What say they should we trust and put confidence in a man Can a man be able to save us Shall we think because such a lump of flesh was put to death and spilt its blood therefore we shall have foregiveness In which and many like speeches they speak like the obstinate Jews and bewray that according as he is declared in the History they know him after the flesh after the wisdom and judgement of their flesh and not as glorified by the Spirit to them and so value his person sufferings and mediation as but the sufferings and mediation of a man and judging it foolish to trust in a finite creature they know him at all no more nor will believe in him any longer or approach to God by him or have any thing to do with him or the story about him as they call it but onely look upon it as a Fable or Parable at the best to represent some other thing by which they call the mystery Thus Paul with the Jews and Pharisees knew him and stumbled at him in the time of his ignorance its good that men would cease to know him thus any longer and know him even the man Christ Jesus who was of the seed of David after the flesh in all his Doctrine Sufferings Death Resurrection and Mediation according to the Spirit as the Son of God though made man and his Sufferings Death and Resurrection as the Sufferings Death and Resurrection of such a man as is the Son of God the Word made flesh the anointed one the sanctified and holy one of God yea of him that was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God so would they not deride him and faith in him and them that hold it fast blaspheming the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell and worship therein nor would they so backslide and appostatize from him denying him that bought them so bringing upon themselves swift distruction Which that thou maist avoid keep thou close to Christ as declared and set forth in the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles for the same Apostle whom they misunderstand and abuse in his saying that they knew Christ no more after the flesh writing to the same people in his first Epistle Chap. 15. minds them of the Gospel which he had preached and which they had received in which they stood and he tells them thereby they should be saved if they kept in memory how he had preached it to them namely how in the first place or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the first doctrines he had declared to them that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures not
it thinking by his blowing to make it burn because there wants a principle but when fire is put to it the blast of the Bellows is and may be profitable so is it here As the Apostle John in giving instructions says to the Churches I write not these things to you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it and that no lye is of the Truth 1 Joh. 2.21 So I may say I give the following with the foregoing exhortations to you not because ye have no ability to discern of them or principles to lead you to them but because ye have because the Spirit of God hath begun to write his Law within you Object But what need for man to exhort when God himself works and writes hiâ— mind Answ I answer man therefore exhorts because God works for he works in one to exhort another and he writes by Exhortations oâ— Declarations made by men to one another foâ— God is in his people of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 Epheâ— 4.6 In all the Saints and through all thâ— Saints In every of them working inlightning supporting gifting them and through them all speaking and acting through his gifts given tâ—… one to and in another so as that the body make an increase to it self in love through the Spirit divine power and working of God that dwell therein though the Saints are Christs Epistlâ— written by the Spirit or Finger of God yet that Spirit is ministred by the Saints that is in the exercise of their divive gifts to one another Ministred by us written by God 2 Cor 3.2.3 Wâ— are as the Pens with which God writes upon the heart though the Spirit of God is the hand that guides us and his Word and divine gifts the inke that fills us and makes us capable of leaving Characters and Impressions upon one another in our Ministrations we can indeed minister thiâ— writing no further then that hand of the Spirit uses and impowers us and that divine Ink fills us but so far we may therefore let no man despisâ— Prophecying 1 Thes 5.20 or slight Exhortation presuming that God immediately without the ministrations of his gifts in and by others will do all in him God hath not dispenced all his fulness to any one member except the Head but to all together in union with the Head that through each he might supply other Therefore let no one member swell against and despise other much less God in his brother nor let him that is to administer as particularly that exhorteth be negligent therein as if his administration or exhortation could add nothing to his brother or as if his brother had no need thereof Rom. 12.8 for God is in and with his divine gifts and administrations and as God in me may make his operations through me profitable to my brother so doth my brother need that addition of helpfulness from God that be tendreth him by me both because he is not full of himself without me and therefore cannot say He hath no need of me 1 Cor. 12.21 and also because he hath a principle in him that resisteth and fighteth against that of God that worketh in himself and that principle so strong and subtile and he so apt to yield to it that he needs anaddition of watchfulness and helpfulness from God through others as though the fire be apt and fit to set the wood put to it on a flame yet if there be much moisture in the wood to damp the fire the fire will need help from the blast of the Bellows to strengthen and excite it against that moisture or an increase of fire to be put to it that the strength of it multiplied may operate more strongly Saints are not all Spirit though in a degree they be spiritual they have a law in their members as well as in their minds a law of sin opposing grace as well a law of grace opposing sin Now the law of sin is more natural to them and is much excited and stirred up by many outward occasions sollicitations provocations examples threats c. from without so that ostentimes the Saints listen to it rather then to the Law of Grace in them therefore also an addition of spiritual Grace by and through the communication of the gifts and measure of grace given to other Saints is needful that spirit in its forces uniting it self together in the Saints as well as the flesh unites its forces together that it may be able to resist and overcome it the charmings of the flesh backed with its outward objects motives and provocations are often ready to lull the soul asleep and make it deaf to the teachings of Grace and then the operations in and through a waking Brother may be of use by way of Doctrine Admonition Exhortation and Councel to awaken it and make it give better attention to the whisperings of Grace within it self though the Apostle told the Philippians that God wrought in them to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 yet he neither ceased to exhort them nor intimates that its needless for them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling but indeed upon that ground exhorts them thereunto It s God that works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure O stand in aw then fear to smother those â—nward operations of grace within you fear to grieve and resist him yield you up your members â—n that strength of his that worketh in you to â—ffect finish or work out what he there workâ—th you to nor is it for any to say God is Almighty and if he works in us we will take no are we cannot fail to work out his workings â—re Almighty and cannot be resisted and frustrated for though in himself he be Almighty and can and often doth work so almightily that â—one can or shall resist him yet his way of working in the soul in the excitings and moveings of his Grace are neither always nor ordinaâ—ly in that Almighty way He is Almighty that works but he works not always so Almightily as that his workings may not be resisted He is Almighty in all his works it s his Almighty power that effecteth them the very growing of the corn or grass is the Product of his Almighty power but yet he doth not work so almightily therein but that man by substracting or removing some secondary cause or instrumental medium through which that power is put forth may usually hinder the growing of this or that particular grass or corn as by drying up and hindring the moisture from it or inclosing it from the Air and heat of the Sun c. and yet man is not therefore stronger then God for God could maugre all that man can do make it grow but he dispenses his Power usually according to the capacity of the medium through which and subject unto which he conveys it and he doth not usually alter the course of his ordinary way to shew
as well writ earnestly against them as they have exhorted us to contend earnestly with them Jude 3 11,12,13 And yet thou that callest thy self a Saint dost rather bless them and walk with them as brethren But thou wilt say But are we as infallible as the Apostles can we be so sure what is error as they To this I answer That its true we have not so full a dispensation of Spirit from Christ to us as they had that were to lay the foundation they had greater work to do and their talents were proportioned to their work but yet through their infallible doctrine and by the good Spirit of God given us Rom. 8.9 or else we are not Saints or Christs peculiar people we may certainly and infallibly know the foundamental and essential Truths and Principles of Christian Religion which none can be ignorant of and yet be good Christians The infallibility and certainty in Christ and his Apostles which thou pleadest is an argument against unity with all that thou pleadest for for they having been infallibly guided that that is cross to their infallible doctrine is thereby detected to be false and fallible and thou canst not be one with them and yet not dislike and shun that that is contrary to them Sure if we know and love God we shall have some discerning and derestation of such doctrines as blaspheme or dishonor God and beware of those that bring them If we be Christs sheep we have some discerning of his voice from the voice of strangers John 10.5 so much as may render their voice a strange voice to us and such as is not to be approved of us If a man shall come and tell us there was never any such man as Jesus Christ or that if there was he was onely a type and figure of the true Christ in us and not the very Saviour that he rose not nor ascended nor shall come again in glory that he is not the Mediator between God and us that our dead bodies shall not arise that the Scriptures are not to be heeded in their sayings and yet we cannot tell whether these men say truth or not we are plainly blinded and are not sheep of Christ if we cannot discern these voices to be the voices of a stranger Those infallible Writings of the Prophets and Apostles as they tell us that there are and shall be false Prophets and Antichrists VVolves in sheeps clothing deniers of the Lord that bought them and such as bring in heresies of destruction And 2. That such persons and their Doctrines ought not to be heeded and listened to but avoided by us not received to house or bid God speed but held as execrable and accursed 2 Joh. 10,11 Gal. 8.9 Yea 3. That such we are to contend against with earnestness Jude 3. reprove them stop their mouths give warning of them to others that they may not be snared by them Tit. 1.9.11 So they tell us further 4. That real believers have received an holy Unction by which to discern them 1 Joh. 2.20,27 and so have ability of discerning them and indeed that 's intimated too in their precepts and counsels given us to try and avoid them which otherwise were in vain if they were beyond our discerning Nay 5. They have also notably fore described them foretelling us that they would say they are Christ and deceive many Matth. 24.5 that they deny Jesus to be the Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 make a cipher of him call him execrable 1 Cor. 12. deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 confess him not come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4.3 Will mock at the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3.4 pretending that there neither is nor shall be any alteration no other coming but that that is and alwayes hath been to all the Prophets and Patriarks in all times deny the resurrection of the body 1 Cor. 15. and say that the resurrection is now made or is already past 2 Tim. 2.18 hear not the Apostles in their doctrines and sayings 1 Joh. 4.6 Speak high swelling words of vanitie promising men liberty while themselves are servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2.18.19 exalt themselves above all that is called God or that is worâ—…ipped 2 Thes 2.4 above Magistrates and Governors if not suitable to their humors yea against Jesus Christ and above him and God in him unthroning him and despising his Ordinances as light and foolish things lawless men that worship not God pray not to him nor call upon him yea in a word by their fruits we may know them Matth. 7.16 for they lead from Jesus Christ the onely begotten of God in whom onely we may meet with salvation either to rest in their own works joyned with or preferred before Christ or else to looseness in principles and practises to walk after their own ungodly lusts self-lovers covetous boasters of their abilities knowledge attainments proud so as to lift up themselves as is aforesaid blasphemers that is speakers evil of Gods Wayes Temple Ordinances and them that worship therein disobedient to parents either natural or spiritual in Christ unthankful to God especially for his love in Christ and for his appointments for their good unholy not living to God and Christ not calling upon him giving thanks to him c. without natural affection to their own relations truce-breakers that keep not Covenants or ingagements to God or men false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good 2 Tim. 3.1.2,3,4 c. A marvellous thing it is that a man should be a Saint and yet not know the essentials of that Word that sanctifies him should be begotten by the Gospel and yet know not that Gospel by which God hath begot him so as to discern it from other doctrines that God hath writ to us by his servants so plainly of these things and we have the benefit and help of those gifts given by Christ to them that we might be seâ—led and not tossed to and fro like children and yet we know not who say right and who say wrong sure we know nothing then and so know not what charity is or what love we should walk in and toward whom if we know not the Gospel in its first and bottom doctrines cannot discern whether men preach with or besides that doctrine taught or recorded by the Apostles when we hear them speak they never so fully for or against it we have lost our eyes sure and understanding Obj. But must we not do to them as we would they should do to us though we do discern them must we not still love them Answ I answer yes them that are not given over to destraction them that we see not to have sinned to death and to have trampled under foot the Son of God counting the blond of the Covenant after it hath been sanctifying them an unholy or common thing and have done despire to the Spirit of Grace which things as they may be discerned by us so are we
to be very wary of rash and unadvised judging But what love is that that we are to walk in to them that we discern not so far gone is it to hear them blaspheme denie undervalue and trample upon the Lord Jesus the Mediator between God and men and yet own them as brethren is it to love them more then Jesus Christs Surely this is love that we keep Gods Commandments and this is his Commandment that as we have heard from the beginning so we should Walk in it 2 Joh. 6. This is not love in a man to see his neighbour drowning or hanging himself and not hinder him or killing and poysoning others and yet not reprove them or endeavour to preserve the lives of such as he is harming or to know of men committing Incest or Adultery and yet own them as brethren and not withdraw from them and reprove them much less to see or hear them deny or vilifie the Lord Jesus Christ and yet judge them precious people and Gods dear children That Rule what thou wouldst that men should do unto thee do thou also unto them Matt. 7 12. is not to be applied to men as vitiously affected or distempered but to men walking orderly and upon well-grounded principles and so in things that tend to mens good or else we shall abuse it A Drunkard or Adulterer would have others make him drunk or commit adultery with him shall we abuse that wholsom Scripture to warrant his doing such wicked acts to or with others as unreasonable is it to apply it thus We would not be let or hindred in our endeavouring to bring men to Christ and salvation therefore neither ought we to hinder others in drawing men from Christ to their destruction Object But they think to lead men to salvation as well as you Answ But we know they think amiss when we see them go contrary to the word of salvation we know their thought but a strong delusion when we see in our cleaving to and trying them by the Apostolical and Prophetical Doctrine that they go in the very steps of those that they have forewarned us of It s true a frantick man may be and often is as confident of his way as a sober discreet man but yet a sober man will not think himself as well bound to be ruled and led by him as the frantick man to be ordered by him both may be alike confident as to the heigth of perswasion but both have not the same well groundedness for nor ability to judge of their confidence This is no right judgement of things to say this is truth as well as that because I see this man as confident of this as that man is of that We are not to judge of truth by our own or others confidence of them but by the verdict of God in the Scriptures That Rule what I would that another do to me I should do the same to them is to be applied to men in things for their good I say and upon well grounded principles I would that men should endeavour to preserve my life I should therefore do the like to them I would in case I be destracted have others keep me from hurting my self or others I would so now in my sober mind therefore let me do so to others that are destracted so it will hold but not thus I in a fit of distraction suppose would have others that are sober let me run into the river and drown my self therefore I being in a sober mind ought to let another that is distracted do so and not hinder him Yet such is their application of that Rule that would have us not to judge them in an error that we know deny the Lord Jesus Christ nor reprove them for it and endeavour to preserve others from so doing because we would not have others judge the Truth to be Error and reprove us for it and endeavor to keep back others from receiving it Indeed as I would not have others in case I should fall into distraction to do me any real harm or to deal evilly with me to make me worse and keep me from returning to a sober mind yet if their witholding me from self-murder or mischief to others should vex and make me worse though they therein deal as well and fairly with me as my destraction would permit them therein they would not be faultworthy So we are to deal righteously and lovingly as their condition may permit to those that are deceived deceivers and not by any unjust accusations of them or violent carriages towards them to harden and strengthen them from returning especially seeing the zeal and wrath of men will not accomplish the righteousness of God onely so far we must use plainness and sharpness towards them as we see necessary and requisite either for detecting their evil and pulling them out of it or however for the preserving others from being snared by them and so far as that will require it I am not to matter their offence-taking and enmity against me for the same love to particulars must give way to love to the general and love to evil men must give way to love to God and good men when they come in competition as love to a rotten member must give way to love to the found and to the whole body I shall do well if my leg or foot be wounded to apply healing medicines to it but if it putrifie I must apply things to it that will eat out the dead flesh though they will bring some smart and pain to it that will make it fell and angry yea and rather then my whole body should perish by its incorrigibleness I should do well to cut it off and sever it from the body before it be too far infected and I suppose no man would fault me for want of love and charity either to it or to my body in so doing The like is to be done to those that being corrupt themselves endanger the corrupting others too from the faith of Christ onely by cutting off I would not be understood to mean a banishing them the Country or putting them to death I would not have Saints in the way of their spiritual warfare and for their faith to make use of such weapons God having given them others to make use of viz. the Sword of the Spirit Prayers Warnings Admonitions Reproofs withdrawings from them casting them out of fellowship and looking upon them as accursed to them which are Christs spiritual weapons and to be used as the â—ase may require however some deceived or not rightly guided spirits boggle at it but as for them when without let God there judge them in the mean while Saints should by all means out of love to the sound members not cease to warn admonish and watch over them as opportunity is given them opening to them the evil of those false wayes in which others would snare them as we find to have been the frequent course of
the Apostles in their Writings I fear men that rightly understand not will abuse this that 's here said even as they do the very Scriptures also yea not onely they that are not believers but even some weaker or rasher believers also will be too often ready to take up these practises which they ought to walk in against the Wolves and Seducers upon due proof and knowledge that they are such against their brethren for some smaller differences but the abuse of truth by some must not hinder the use practise of it in a due way by others It s likely too that the Scribes Pharises and Hypocrites of the Jewish Church would be ready to justifie their own practises against the Apostles and Christians in condemning and speaking evill of them by the Apostles practises and so sharp writings against the false Apostles and Apostates though in this they differed that the one made use of carnal weapons upon unjust grounds against the truth and the other of spiritual weapons upon good and warrantable grounds for the truth the one fought against men with violence to the death for holding to the Scriptures and asserting that Jesus is the Christ and the other spake against and warned men of the Apostates and perverters of the Gospel for what they knew they acted and preach'd against the Scriptures and the faith of Christ and probably some of the like spirit may think to justifie and strengthen themselves in their desired way of persecuting Gospel and Scripture assertions by what is here writ against such as lead men from the Scriptures into heresies of destruction yet that notwithstanding be we wary of our own and one anothers souls and take the Apostles counsel in walking towards those that upon due grounds from the Scripture we see would pervert them I say upon due Scripture-grounds that we may not mistake in our application of the counsels they give us to these or those persons left we condemn such as are not condemned by them It s needful that we try things and persons before we receive them or reject them and in this tryal as its needful to mind the Apostle Johns notes of discerning men viz. to mind whether they confess that is hold forth exalt and lead to faith in Christ come in the flesh that is as he was made of a woman made under the Law died for us and is risen again c. and to minde whether they hear hold forth consent and come up unto the Apostles Doctrine and wholsom Sayings So do I approve that it be with the joint advice and helpfulness of brethren chiefly such as are of more stability and greater understanding not but that weaker believers in case God by his Providence cast them upon such alone in taking heed to the word of Grace and looking to God for help may be able to discern them but God loveth unity of brethren and liketh not of mens despising the help he therein affords but punisheth such despisings of them and self-presumption to brotherly union God hath promised his blessing and Christ his presence to his agreeing together to act in his Name a sheep straying from the fold and going alone is often catcht up when they that abide with the flock sustain no harm To this trial also we may give credit to the testimonies of approved understanding and faithful brethren as to matters of fact or speech of their own knowledge declared by them for so we find even the Apostles to have practised 1 Cor. 1.11 and 11.18 and 5.1 in believing the testimonies of approved brethren against men and to have given warning to others of men whom they proved unfaithful or evil themselves 1 Tim. 4.14,15 yea and it is an argument of some defect and want of charity towards such brethren not to give due credit to their testimonies and brotherly warnings such a thing we finde upbraided in the Disciples by our Saviour in Mark 16.14 Because they believed not them that had seen him after the Resurrection Again when it is evident that men are departed from the faith ye are to put difference between some and others in your carriage toward them as the Apostle Jude hath given direction as towards those that through temptation and simple heartednedness are over-reached and turned aside but as yet not made one with and confirmed in the deceits by which men or Satan hath beguiled them ye are to walk with more tenderness in the spirit of meekness and love seeking to recover them till ye see there is no further hope of them But for others that begin to grow stiff reprove and rebuke them more sharply and by fear and the terrors of the Lord endeavour if possible to scare them from their evil wayes but if after twice or â—…ice admonishing they yet chuse their own â—…y and depart from the Apostolical Doctrine â—one of their own devising then as the Apostle â—…ul advises reject them Tit. 3.11 yea such as 〈◊〉 perceive upon good and due proof to be of 〈◊〉 Synagogue of Satan membred into him and â—…come a seed of his begetting sworn enemies â—s it were to the Lord Jesus doing the devils â—ork for him we may not onely count as accursed and give them up to Satan but also pray against them as divers passages will warrant us 〈◊〉 the Apostles Doctrine onely ye are to be â—…y wary in this case of doing nothing rashly 〈◊〉 upon mature deliberation and a clear â—…cerning Sect. 5. Exhortations to worthy walking towards the world or residue of men yet uncalled FOr your walking toward the world Let it be such as becoms the Gospel such as may â—orn and commend it to men such as in which â—…en may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matt. 5.16 an unreproveable and faultless walking as the Sons of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation â—…il 2.15,16 having for the end of it the glorifying of God in Christ and the good of the world viz that the yet uncalled or unsubdued ones may be convinced and drawn to believe if it may be at least have their mouths stopt and their ignorance silenc'd that they may have no excuse for their folly nor any just cause in you of stumbling them and keeping them out from God to whom ye seek to draw them And indeed the grace 〈◊〉 God and what ye have therein heard seen wiâ—… teach you how to walk towards all only I shaâ—… briefly put you in mind of its teachings it wâ—… lead you to sobriety in your selves amongst them not to walk in coveteousness but to shew forâ—… moderation and contentedness in the lot of yoâ—… condition not to drunkenness riotousneâ—… chambering wantonness as if ye had your happiness in the enjoyment of fulness in the creatures or in satisfying the flesh in its lusts and afflictions but in mortification of your earthly members as those that are called to better and moâ—… lasting pleasures and
2.2 God the Father and Christ as also the distinct applications of those words Begetting and Begotten Sending and being Sent with divers others argue the sending forth of Christ as the begetting him is always attributed to the Father the Father sent the Son the Saviour of the world and God have his only begotten Son it s never said nor were it proper to say the Father sent himself or the Son sent himself much less that God sent the Father or the like where there is distinction of sending and being sent begetting and being begotten there is more then difference in denomination for though the same may be denominated in divers respects Father and Son and Husband and Master as we said before yet it s improper to say that the Father begat the Son speaking but of the same in divers respects both Father and Son or that the Father sent the Master or Son when he that is all these in divers respects comes himself being sent of none other then himself Beside its never said the Father was made flesh or the Father suffered for our sins or delivered up himself for our offences but it s often said the Father made his Son an offering for our sins God delivered up Christ for our offences raised him exalted him c. which argues plainly that there is more then a nominal distinction between them as also that Christ is said not to have thought it robbery to be equal with God Now where there is equality there is distinction too for its improper to say of the same indistinct thing that its equal to its self yea Christ himself though he saith his Father and he are one John 10.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnum one Essence or thing not Vnus one personal subsistence or one in way of subsisting yet he speaks of himself and Father as of two witnesses I am one that bear witness of my self and my Father that sent me beareth witness of me John 8.18 And to say no more its evident in this that the word was made flesh and so is become man too There is one God and one Mediatour of God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 And God will judge the world by that man whom he hath appointed Acts 17.31 But the Father is never affirmed to be man nor could Christ be Mediatour of God and man if not in something distinct from either as well as in something one with either And so for the Spirit it is clearly in that of Mat. 3. and the other places of Isaiah before mentioned distinguished from both Father and Son and is further proved to be so by that of our Saviour John 14.16,17 I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter the Spirit of Truth where all the three are again mentioned and clear distinctions between each of them from other hinted I will pray the Father there 's Father and Son between whom were there no Distinction that phrase were very improper If the Son be the Father he should rather only have said I will send another Comforter then I will pray the Father and he shall send c. and there is the Spirit distinct from both both from him that said he would pray and him to whom he would pray from the Father for he is to send him and is prayed to for him from the Son who prays the Father to send him for he expresly cals him another Comforter that is another from or besides himself that was then with them The Spirit of Truth that is of the Son for the Son is the Truth and is to be glorified by him as in Chap. 16.13,14 When the Spirit is come he shall not speak of himself but he shall glorifie me How shall not he speak of himself it he be Christ of whom he should speak and whom he should glorifie where note by the way that the Spirit that speaks of himself and not of Christ leading the soul to understand the things of Christ and to glorifie him is not â—he true and right Spirit sent forth by Christ â—ut not to inlarge further in this matter what â—…ore plain then that commission â—o Disciple all Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or all the Gentiles Baptizing them into the â—ame of the Father and of the Son â—all of the holy Ghost The Name not names â—nd denominations but one Name Power Auâ—ority and Jurisdiction of Father Son and Spiâ—it now what needs this Distinct repeating of â—ather Son and holy Ghost if no distinction â—nt in denomination be put between them â—how can it be said as in 1 John 5.7 that they â—re three witnesses There are three that bear â—itness in heaven the Father the Word and the â—oly Ghost and these three are one Where the â—ord again is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they were one in way â—f subsisting or personality as they use to â—eak but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hi tres â—mum sunt these three are one thing one being 〈◊〉 Essence one God but yet three in regard of â—ersonality so as the notes of persons I and â—hou and He may distinctly and frequently â—re in Scripture applyed to them I shall not â—ention that in Rev. 1.4,5 with divers other â—laces to this busines but shall a little further â—pen my conceptions about this so high a busiâ—…ess And so I understand that the Father is the fountain of the Deity as it is in the Son but is not the Son but hath begotten him and giveâ— to him to have life in himself and hath spoken by him and so the Godhead is in the Father aâ— the fountain of Divine power The Son is the Word the essential eternal Word of the Father and so God as flowing from and manifesting the Father who in himself and otherwise then by the Son or Word is not to be known oâ— seen into The divine out-streaming wisdome by whom the Father that fountain of Divine glory put forth his Divine vertue and Created all things and upholds them and hath revealed and declared himself to men who also in due time for the sake of man turned away and fallen from him was Incarnate by the power of God and incorporated in the seed of David according to the flesh and so became also a man and in the nature of man by the heavenly flowing forth of his Divine doctrine and by the things undergon by and accomplished in him he opened represented and declared to us the Father and so the Son is as the flowing or out speaking of the Father and the Spirit is the same divine being but as in both and proceeding from both the power vertue and force that is in and worketh or acteth forth it self from both from the fountain by the stream so as that the Father worketh all things through the Son by the Spirit We may somewhat illustrate it by this comparison as I humbly conâ—eive of it .. The Light that
hath manifested himself and is to be believed in in each of these as that this one God by his Word and Spirit having made and created all things for man and man in his own Image deserved and required to be obeyed and honoured by man but man sinning and therefore falling under his displeasure and making himself thereby unable to please him and unfit for fellowship with him by reason of that unspeakable pollution that hath overspread him God was yet pleased in the greatness of his mercy and freeness of his love to find out a way to recover us again and a way by which we might return back again unto him So as that both his justice and displeasure against sin might clearly be demonstrated and yet his goodness and love too toward sinful mankind be magnified which was by appointing and sending forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law so being found in shape as a man a reall man to bear in his body the punishment of our sin the sin of the world and so to give himself a ransome for all That this his Son the Word made flesh as was long before even from the beginning of the world fore-prophecied of him is now come already and hath taken upon him in the body that was prepared for him the burthen and cause of man and as a publike man given himself a ransome for All induring the Death and undergoing that sentence of curse and condemnation that by the offence of one came upon All men and that for All and hath in grapling with that death and sin overcome them so that God hath raised and justified him in the behalf of all so as he may also see the justificatian of all that do and shall believe on him To which purpose also viz. that men might in believing on him have him for their justification the Father hath glorified him in the nature and behalf of mankind making him Lord of all and his salvation to the end of the earth giving him all fulness of Authority and Power and filling him with all the fulness of the Godhead bodily even the fulness of Divine Spirit Power and Vertue yea also appointing and ordaining him as Mediator to stand in the Vertue of his Death and Sacrifice between God and men as the propitiation for them even for our sins that believe and not ours onely but also of the whole world 1 John 2.1,2 So as that with respect to him and what he hath done and suffered for sin he is good and patient and bountiful to the whole world not withstanding they sin yea and hath sent out his Gospel to be published to them all without limitation or restriction viz. that though this his Son there is forgiveness for them and he would have them saved and to that purpose come to the acknowledgement of the truth yea He to wit Christ is He in whom all the world or any of them may find favor and come into favor with God again so as to be at one with him namely by acknowledging his Truth and believing on him who also is appointed by his teaching them as a Prophet by his ruling them in righteousness and writing his Law in them and subduing their enemies as a King and Lawgiver and Judge over them and by mediating the new Covenant or Advocating and making intercession as the great High-Priest to the utmost to save all them of the sons of men that see and believe on him and so judge his and their enemies that that hate his Light and reject his â—endred mercy to condemnation to which end he shall at the time appointed of the Father come again and raise and judge both the one and the other as they have here behaved themselves towards him That as the Father hath put his Spirit upon Christ so they are to submit unto Christ in his Word and Ordinances and look unto and wait therein for this his Spirit upon him as he that is Power of God that is to bring down or effect in man that salvation that is in Christ Jesus set forth to them the Renewer Sanctifier Teacher Comforter and therefore to be heard sought after received and obeyed by men in the power of which they are to worship the Father through the Son and in the receit and indwelling of whom they shall finde and experiment the streams of that Fountain of Life that flows from the Father or rather that the Father is in and through the Son yea God himself by his Spirit to dwell in them and to set up his Kingdom in them in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost to the full possession and revelation of which in and upon them this Divine Spirit in such their listning to following after and obeying him will not fail to bring them Sect. 7. A Caveat against some mens preposterous mistakes about the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation THis then is the brief summ of the Doctrine to be held forth to the world in which we may hopefully expect and look for the assistance and operation of the Spirit to convince them of the good will of God toward them and therein of their sin for not believing on him Joh. 6.11 that hath done so much for them and is so appointed and fitted of God for saving them And of Righteousness both that all the righteousness they have of their own is empty and will not avail them otherwise no need for Christ to have died for them and also that in him is everlasting righteousness worthy to be looked after and certain in that their looking to him for it to be met with by them And of Judgement that their own self-justifications will not serve them nor their own self-condemnations so valid as remedilesly to cast them but to his doom they must stand by whom the Prince of the world is judged and they must receive their final sentence from him who is able in case of their believing on him to absolve them from all self-condemnings and in case of their disobedience against him and the Will of his Father to destroy them however their own thoughts and other men have hitherto justified them Yea in this Doctrine we may hopefully expect the holy Spirit to draw in and allure the convinced to hope in him and believe on him and therefore this hold ye forth to them and to the furtherance of this let all your conversations and walkings be directed as becoms the children of such a Father the members of such a Head as the Lord Jesus and as the Temples of the holy Ghost that they that are apt to slight the Word may yet be woon to glorifie it by the goodness of your conversation And beware I pray of that preposterous way that some run into who through mistake or unbelief of the Gospel delivered to us by the holy Apostles according to the commandment of the everlasting God and through the exercise of their own reason with the mistaking of some