Mr. Tillinghasts EIGHT LAST SERMONS I The Fifth Kingdome or Kingdome of Christ founded on the New Covenant one Sermon on Jer 33.20 21. II Signs of the Times two Sermons on Matth. 16.3 To which is added six Signs as they were in his Notes III Christ the only Foundation one Sermon on 1 Cor. 3.11 With the prosecution of the point as it was in his Notes IV The Promise of the Father two Sermons on Act. 1.4 V The evil of the Times one Sermon on Mal. 3.16 17. VI Look to your Aims and Ends one Sermon on Matth. 11.7 To which is added The Idols abolished being his Notes on Is 2.18 Matth. 3.2 Repent yee for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand LONDON Printed by M. S. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1655. A PREFACE TO THE READER THe Lord upon my frequent remembrance of the depth of the Riches both of his Wisdome Rom. 12.33 and of his Knowledge hath given me many and manifold occasions to break forth in the words of the Apostles sudden exclamation How unsearchable are his Judgements and his waies past finding out Yea such hath been the tenor of his dispensations and of the Appearance of some of them of late years from out of those unsearchable depths as may well induce us in the midst of such musings to cry out in the words of the Song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Rev. 16 3. Just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who will not fear thee Oh Lord and glorifie thy Name But Oh ye faithful followers of the Lamb who shall be able to fathom and to measure the depth and heighth the breadth and length of those judgements which are yet to come upon the people and the Princes of the earth Wo Wo to the worshippers and admirers of the Dragon of the Beast and the false Prophet how terrible will Jehovah be unto the little Horn the last power which lifts it self up against the Saints of the most High after the expiration of the two and forty months How will this little Horn which goar 's our sides and pusheth us into corners roar when the Judgement shall sit and they that is the Saints shall take away his Dominion Dan. 7.26 to consume and to destroy it unto the end And with what consternation of mind will the proud Nimrods of the world flye before the Lamb and his followers when the mighty Hunters themselves shall be hunted from Mountain to Hill by the little handful of those who ar redeemed from the earth And whitherwill ye rune for shelter Oh ye Tyrants Who shall be your Lord Protector in the Day when Jehovahs fury shall be powred out like fire Nâ—humâ— 6 And if the Rocks are thrown down by him what will become of Reeds If the Sons of ancient Kings be hurried out of the world to their own place for their oppressions and persecutions for their contempt of God his Word and his Works what will be the portion of the New Monarchical Tyrants who are but of yesterday and have not had time to take root in the earth neither shall ever be able to confirm or establish their Domination But to contract and call off my mind from expatiating upon this point It cannot but be confessed That the sudden loss of so blessed an Instrument in the hand of Christ in such a juncture of time may well be matter of astonishment or of great grief to those poor souls who beginning to halt betwixt two opinions found present help and strength administred to their feeble knees by his Ministry and having also their eyes anointed with Gospel Eye-salve for the discovery of the present and other Truths It was no marvel that they became so sensible of the usefulness of such an Interpreter in that populous City as the deceased Author of the insuing Sermons And indeed We Prisoners your Brethren and Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Jesus Christ could not refrain rejoycing with you for the hopes you had that he should have been as an Arrow or a polished shaft in the hand of a mighty man even the man Christ Jesus in such a day as this But as the heavens are higher than the earth Isa 55.9 so are the Lords ways higher than our wayes and his thoughts than our thoughts We are taught to say It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3 18 let him do with us also as seemeth good to him for indeed we are not our own 1 Cor 6.20 we are bought with a price whether we live or dye we are the Lords Rom. 14 8 and therefore we are obliged to glorifie him in our bodies and in our souls But to proceed to a brief Narrative of some particular passages and circumstances which may be of use for the Christian Readers who are far remote from the City to know It is to be remembred That this Servant of the Lord had waited for some space of time viz. about a year of daies to understand the mind of God in reference to the work which was upon his heart to do for the Lord Jesus at length perceiving his way to be plain before him he came up to the City of London where it pleased the Lord to put a period to his dayes within a very short space after he was arrived But how diligently he improved his time and his talent I need not declare for it s well known to thousands that he laboured as if it had been for his life to promote that glorious Cause which was once the joy of the Saints generally throughout the Nation although now it be almost forgotten by the most and the concernments of Christ and his people in the midst of a generation of Revolters and Backsliders from the work of God in their day Three principal businesses he had upon his spirit to dispatch The first was to speak his mind freely to the Great Man as they call him which accordingly after solemn seeking the face of the Lord with some Brethren he did and did bear his Testimony to his face in the first place in the presence of divers witnesses in such a way of plaineness and pity towards him who was guilty of such open Abominations that undoubtedly it will be of use hereafter to the stopping of the mouths of all Court-flatterers who are one of the worst sort of creeping Vermine in the world purposing moreover to proceed to an higher and more publick Testimony as God should give him a spirit and opportunity thereunto In the next place like another young Apollos Act. 18.27 28. being come to the City he helped them much who had beleeved the present Truth through Grace for he mightily convinced many and that publickly that the Kingdome of Christ is not only a Spiritual Kingdome but an outward visible Kingdome as his words are that this is a branch of the New Covenant That this
such a remarkable way at such and such a time and thereupon he lays the foundation of his hope if you lay too much upon this your faith will be but upon a providence and this will not be a sure foundation there may be a great deceit in this for Satan may give in a word as well as the Lord a soule may take in a word from Satan as well as from the Lord himselfe besides a word may be given in of the Lord too and yet this not an evidence of our Eternall commition therefore when we conclude our Eternall condition from the giving in of a word we erre in this for this is no foundation to it Hagar had an Angel of God from Heaven speaking to her Thou God seest me saith she and have I also here looked after him that seeth me yet she was an out-câ—st and under the old Covenant the Lord therefore grant that we may not lay our foundation in these things the word of God is a good foundation but if we lay it upon the giving in upon the providence it s a false foundation yet I say the Lord doth often goe in this way with his owne Children very frequently but here 's the mistake when we lay too much upon the providence you may have a word given in day after day and yet be all this while upon a false foundation Jesus Christ is a foundation in opposition to this foundation Fifteenthly Jesus Christ is the onely foundation in opposition to acts of beleiving the act of beleiving is not the foundation but Jesus Christ is the foundation in opposition to this many there are which when they see themselves cast as I may say as to the righteousnes of the law when they see that all the workes of the Law and the righteousnes of the Law will not helpe them but that life and blessednes is alone in Christ in the Gospel and heare the Lord calling upon them to come and beleive in Christ they run to Jesus Christ and hang upon him in an outward way and lay their foundation in the act of beleiving there is a faith of a mans owne as well as a faith of God's there 's a faith of the Law as well as a faith of the Gospel many a man hath laboured by his workes for righteousnes and Justification and when he sees all his working will not bring him in righteousnes and justification then he flies to faith as that which will helpe him and so he beleives in his owne strength and rests upon the Act of beleiving but it s not the act of beleiving that is our righteousnes it s not the act of beleiving that is the foundation of the soule a poore soule may hang upon the outside of the Arke as in the dayes of Noah men might have come and clung upon the outside of the Arke and yet have been cut off except they had come into the Arke that would not have saved them but they would have dropt off so when men by an outward act of beleiving hang upon Jesus Christ in an outward way they may hang a while but at last they will drop off when men make this a foundation they are upon a false foundation See how far men have gone in beleiving and yet it hath come to nothing if you looke into the 106 Psalme the 11 12 13 verses we reade there of a generation of men beleiving it s said The waters covered their Enemies there was not one of them left Then beleived they his words they sang his Praise They soone forgat his workes they waited not for his Counsell Here was beleiving and such beleiving as caused them to sing and yet who are they they are such as forgat his workes such as waited not for his Counsell such as had leaneness sent into their soules such as lusted and contemned God and envyed the Saints Moses and Aaron such as the breath of the Lord came upon and devoured them as wicked ones and yet there was beleiving Then beleived they his word men will lay a great deale of faith sometimes on Experiences and wonderfull providences why lay as much faith as you can upon these and all will faile when the day of Tryall comes men may say God is our God and we are the people of God and he delivered us The waters covered their Enemies there was not one of them left What a wonderfull providence is this and here they fall a singing to God and yet Rebells and Enemies to God and cut off by God by and by this is not the foundation therefore no not the Act 's of beleiving If you looke into Isai 48.1 2. we reade of a generation of men that did beleive and yet notwithstanding fell short Heare ye this O house of Jacob which are called by the name of Israel and are come forth out of the waters of Judah which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in Truth nor in righteousnes for they call themselves of the holy Citty and stay themselves upon the God of Israel the Lord of Hosts is his name They made mention of the Lord and stayd themselves upon the God of Israel what is that staying Look into the 26 of Isaiah and you shall finde its beleiving in the third verse staying is beleiving here are a generation of men that stayed themselves upon the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnesse it was not in Truth nor in righteousnesse for all this now I say it s not the act of beleiving that is the foundation there 's a false faith as well as other things therefore if men make this the foundation the acts of beleiving they may be out too Jesus Christ is the onely foundation in opposition to this foundation Sixteenthly Jesus Christ is the foundation in opposition to conviction of Righteousnes this is that which is indeed a higher and a farther step than all that yet I have spoken of for men may goe all the way that we have gone and yet not be convinced of righteousness as his worke may be his righteousnesse so his faith may be his righteousnesse he may goe through all these things and yet not be convinc't of righteousnes this is a high foundation Christ is the foundation in opposition to conviction of righteousnes When a poore soule is wearied out of all when he comes to see that he is a poore miserable lost soule and that it s not all his confession of sin his mourning his sorrow his Teares his vowes his resolutions his revenge upon himselfe his Reformation no not his faith it s not any of all these things will helpe him nor that can helpe that soule ly's crying O Lord I can doe nothing I cannot pray I cannot mourne I cannot shâ—d a teare for sin I cannot beleive ô that thou wouldst helpe me and strengthen me to beleive now a soule is come to this to be convinc't of righteousnes
for the Spirit of God enables us to act this faith we are not able of our selves to put forth the least act of faith the soule cannot when he wants sence put forth the least act of faith but it 's the Spirit of God the exceeding greatnes of the power of the holy Spirit that comes and raises up the power of a poore soule the Spirit of God comes when the poore soule is quivering and shaking and trembling under Temptations and comforts strengthen's stay 's supports refreshes and establishes the heart and the soule so all the comfort peace joy and consolation of the soule it 's from the Spirit it 's all lodg'd up in this promise Secondly All our spirituall light and teaching is from hence it 's the office of the holy Spirit to be the teacher of the Saints He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance he is the Saints Comforter and he is the Saints teacher all our light and teaching it 's laid up in this promise there 's a vast difference betwixt the knowledge men have in their heads which we call notion and that knowledge which men have from the Spirit which the Apostle pray's for and calls the Spirit of Wisdome and of Revelation if we have any true light it 's from the holy Spirit as all outward light by which wee see naturall things it 's from the Sun and if the Sun were out of the firmament there would be no light to see created things so the inward light by which we see things as they are spirituall things all this light is from the holy Spirit and if the Spirit of God doe but withdraw from the heart all it's light is but a heape of darknes so the light of the people of God it 's not in themselves and their knowledge it 's not in themselves sometimes men may beate out knowledge and light by their reason and parts I but there 's another kinde of light in the first of the Cor the 24 and this is from the holy Spirit of God The Spirit of God it is the enlightening principle True reason it 's the light of man but it s as real a truth that the Spirit of God is the light of reason therefore we have a speech in Job There 's a spirit in man but the inspiration is of the Almighty giving him understanding that is there 's a rationall spirit in man that can beate things out in a rationall way that can discover and draw conclusions and Inferences and the like but it must be the Inspiration of the Almighty that must give him understanding a man can have no true light no true knowledge if there be not a light enlightening this light if there be not the Inspiration of the Almighty enlightening his understanding if the spirit of man be not guided by the Spirit of God the Spirit of God enlightens the naturall spirit and the naturall understanding of man there 's a spirit in man but the Inspiration is of the Almighty giving him understanding we have as much need of the light of the Spirit to understand spirituall things as you and I or any other have need of the light of reason to teach and discover to us naturall things If a man had not the light of reason he were a naturall foole and a man cannot make out naturall things but by a naturall light so where the Spirit of God is wanting though a man hath never so much reason yet that man is a spirituall foole and he cannot make out spirituall things without the light of the holy Spirit and it was upon this account the Apostle Paul speakes so gloriously to the Corinthians he went to preach the Gospel to consound the wisdome of the wise Where is the wise and where is the Scribe and the disputer of this world Who can understand the Gospel by the brave witts and quicke apprehensions of the world and the sharpest witts if they could not reach these things where is their wisdome no saith the Apostle this is another manner of wisdome than the world knowes For after that in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God then it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to save them that beleive The wise men of the world by their owne light reason and parts could never know God God would have the knowledge of himselfe come into his Children in another way though they take up truth in a rationall way as men and doe not lay all upon Impressions and revelations yet they receive these things from God by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of God and that hath demonstration going along with it I preach not in the enticeing words of mans wisdome saith the Apostle but in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and the more we can learne things in the evidence demonstration of the Spirit of God the more light there will be in our reason for the Spirit of God enlightens the spirit of man if a man have a great deale of understanding and be unacquainted with the way of the Spirits teaching he knowes nothing and understands nothing The naturall man understands not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discern'd discern'd by the light of the holy Spirit therefore saith he We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are given to us of God as if he should have said there are blessed things given us of God glorious things given us of God such things as are worth ten thousand worlds given us of God but how shall we know these things why not by the spirit of the world but by the Spirit of God By this Spirit of God we know the things that are freely given us of God it 's the Spirit of God that enlighten's us Thirdly All our Inward life and motion it s laid up in this promise There 's no motion that can be in our soules which may be called spirituall life or spirituall motion if it be not from the holy and blessed Spirit of God the Spirit of God to the soule of man is as the soule is to his body what is the soule to the body the principle of life and motion if the soule be but out of the body the man is presently but a carkase and there 's no stirring moving breathing or acting so the Spirit of God is to the soule if the Spirit of God be gone from the soule there 's no motion no stirring no acting a living Saint this houre a dead blocke the next houre one that hath a great deale of life from God in this duty is so dead and low as if he had no life at all in the next so the life of the Saints is not in themselves but it s in the Spirit of God and so it s laid up in this promise Fourthly Further All the spirituall strength by which the
work their ends and designes in spirituall work and so indeed the Truth which lyes before us in these words is this Doctrine That it 's a very good and a very profitable thing for soules to be very inquisitive into their owne ends in all Spirituall Actions Was not this a good work for men to run out into a Wildernesse to hear John Here was a good work yet there was a bad end they had not a holy end a pure end therefore Christ takes this opportunity to shew them their ends What went yee out into the Wildernesse to see We should be much in looking to our ends men are at this day found much in the wayes of God I mean in attending upon the outward Ordinances following of the means for this is growne a thing in fashion why now in such a day as this is wherein it 's so much in fashion for men to have something of Religion every man and woman should look into their heart what our end is Doe I appear holy because I can have no credit if I doe not appear so We should be looking and prying into our ends that Christ puts them upon What went yee out into the wildernesse to see The Grounds and Reasons why we should be inquisitive into our ends they may be such as these 1 Reason 1 Because our ends and our aimes they are secret things they are things that doe lye deep and unseen and therefore we must be very inquisitive as touching our ends and aymes We may be acted very high in the wayes of God and of the most forward in the things of God and yet we may mistake and loose our selves and run upon a false ground if we mistake our ends The more secret and hidden any thing is the more need there is of enquiry into it A man may come and appear with a great shew of Religion O but there may be some end lying at the bottome which we doe not see which makes all filthy and abominable before God therefore we should look to our end 2 Reason 2 Because it's a most certaine truth that a mans heart is where his end is Let his end be where it will there his heart is If a man have the credit of men honour reputation among men or if he have his owne profit or advantage if any of these be his end there his heart is whatever he doth his heart goes not along with it but his heart is rapt up in his end where ever the end is a man shall find his heart there therefore we had need look to our end in such a day as this is If we would find our hearts if we would know our owne hearts then let us search where our ends are for where our ends are there will our hearts be 3 Reason 3 Because a mans heart is as his end is As a mans heart is where his end is so a mans heart is as his end is If so be that the end be good then the heart in the work is good if the end be bad then the heart in the work is bad a mans heart is ever as his end is 4 Reason 4 Because God doth locke at our ends The great thing God looks at in all our addresses to him in any duty is our end God doth not look so much at the outside of the duty as we are apt to think the Lord looks at that but God looks at the end he looks at the heart as the end is so the heart is so God looks at the heart as when Samuel came to the house of Jesseâ— he saith of Eliab Surely the Lords anointed is before me no saith God I judge not as man judges God looks not at the outward appearance but upon the heart Now the heart is as the end is for the heart lyes in a mans end therefore God looks at the end and judges of us and of all our actions as he sees our ends are 5 Reason 5 Because God will overlooke many failings in our obedience if so be our end be right and on the other side God will not accept of whatsoever we doe though it be never so glorious outwardly if the end be false God will over-look failings if the end be right as it is with a father that hath a Child that doth aime and designe at his fathers good name honour credit and profit though the Child doe miscarry very much in labouring to honour his father yet notwithstanding because the father sees the Childs end is that he might honour him the father passes by all his failings Why so I say the Lord when he sees that the end of a soule is to honour God to serve God if this be that that lyes at the bottome if this be our great end though there may be many failings creeping forth as of pride of selfe of passion and of many weaknesses of the Creature yet God will accept of the worke though it have so many failings But on the other side God will accept of nothing though it be never so glorious outwardly if his end be naught Though we may doe some work wherein God may be honoured and glorified yet if our end and designe be not that we may honour God and serve him God will not accept it That which is done as I may say by the bye it 's God glorifying himselfe the Creature not seeking it nor desiring it so God glorifies himselfe by the very sins of men by the very oppositions of his Enemies yet he will judge them for it 6 Reason 6 Because there 's nothing that our hearts doe so much deceive us in as our ends A man is more beguiled here than he is in any one thing for we are ready to think our ends are very good and holy and that when indeed they are very corrupt and wicked How wonderfully was Jehu deceived and how did he loose himselfe in this thing he thought he had had very holy aimes in his zeale against the house of Ahab therefore he cryes out Come see my zeale for the Lord and alas Jehu had no zeal for God onely his heart deceived and gull'd him he was deceived about his ends and so we are many times deceived about our ends we think that which we aime at is Gods honour and yet in this doth our hearts very frequently goe beyond us and this is most common at such times when Gods glory and our interest meet together for when his interest and Gods glory ran together he could run along as moved by his owne interest and yet keep his eye upon Gods glory and make his owne heart believe that that was it that moved him therefore a great deale of deceipt is here and here was the very deceipt of Jehu Gods glory and Jehu's interest did run together and herein he lost himselfe Now the way to discover our ends to be false at such a Time it is 1 To consider whether or no doth my heart willingly run with God in
Government also The truth is I have much mused upon this Charge of his for of all the men in the world I admired and do still wonder with what face HEE could find fault with me and with what conscience HE could accuse me and impute this as a crime worthy of close imprisonment when he knew in his own soul that he had pulled down whatsoever I had preached down from first to last except his own new Instrument which was not then published to the world neverthelesse to close prison I must go And yet do not know any colour of Reason or of Law for that usage unto this moment neither is it possible I ever should for that imprisonment was contradictory to all principles of Reason Justice and Conscience All that can be said is this he presumed to give the Congregation to whom he was preaching several Characters of the Little Horn upon that very day when the people cried or should have cryed if they did not God save His Highness taking the Lords name in vain after the old mode in King Charles his dayes There hath been also I understand from very many friends who come to visit me in Prison a great noyse at Court from whence it is spread up and down the City and Country that I sunk under him when I was brought before him and had not a word to say for my self and Mr. T. was perswaded I was convinced and would forbear to preach as formerly c. and this his said Secretary will witness this businesse is frequently repeated in my absence being twenty miles off in prison I commend the Master and the Man they would make the Saints my friends beleeve strange things against me when I am far enough out of the hearing But the Lord knows I never was conscious to my self of any thing in that kind neither did I give occasion for any man so to judge and report for the truth is this I was not affraid either of his looks or his threats in the least from first to last neither was I at all convinced by any thing that he said that I have done any evil in the sight of the Lord or of man in whatsoever I preached concerning the Little Horn which as I judge was the cause of mine Imprisonment on his part nevertheless This I must needs say and it is truth When I heard the General speak at such a rate concerning IMPULSES upon occasion of somewhat I had a little before toucht upon magnifying the fruits of such Impulses as came upon his own spirit as all excellent and glorious I began to wonder and thought it somewhat strange to hear such language savouring of self-exaltation but when I heard him vilifie those Impulses which other Saints had experience of judging their Impulses to be from the Devil condemning that spirit by which they spake saying Wee had forsaken the Head Christ and were under the Ministration of evil Angels c. My Countenance I verily beleeve was very much changed because of that great trouble which fell upon my spirit in hearing such words bordering as I then conceived upon Blasphemy Hereupon casting my eyes up towards the wall over against me and shaking my head with much grief of heart to hear him I considered in my self whether I should reply to him concerning those grievous expressions of his or not and even as I was resolving in the negative these words came into my mind or were put into my mind with power Answer him not a word Answer him not a word Whereupon when he had done speaking I kept silence and did not return a word that I can remember from this passage I am apt to think they supposed I was convinced by what had been spoken by him and had nothing more to say for my self and thereupon have spread this untrue report but they were and are deceived in that matter But at the end of three dayes and an half I was set free not making any promise or yeelding to any terms which were propounded to me I supposed they were not able to justifie what they had done for This Imprisonment was contrary to the Law of God and of the Land yea and contrary to his own Oath which he had solemnly taken but five dayes before in the presence of many witnesses and so I have done for the present with my first Imprisonment As for the cause of this second Imprisonment It is as far from my knowledge as the former unless it be for bearing my testimony publickly against the open and notorious Abominations of the times wherein the General and his Army are so involved together with the Parochial Church-men and the Luke-warm Professors that certainly there will overtake them a most sore visitation from the Lord which will destroy their Refuge of lyes and tear their Instruments all to peeces If this be to be vile I will be more vile If I must suffer Persecution Imprisonment and reproach for this the will of the Lord be done I am made more than a Conqueror through him who hath loved mee Shall not I be as bold to plead for the Lamb against the Beast as they are to plead the cause of Antichrist against the Lord Jesus God forbid I was indeed after I was apprehended this second time brought before a Committee of the Council as they called it where they caused to be read in my hearing some passages of a Sermon at Alhallows two dayes before and would have me to answer whether I had spoken those things which some of their Pursevants or sneaking Spies had brought unto them It put me in mind of the persecuting Prelates who laid snares to intray the Servants of God in their faithful preachings to the people I told them I would neither affirm nor deny any thing but when they brought the Accusers and the witnesses face to face I would give them an Answer and so we parted After four or five dayes they sent me to Winsor Castle and here I have been nineteen Months and more and know not when I shall come to a Trial they are a long time methinks in preparing the charge against me surely they are to seek it for I was in prison before their Law was published And where there is no Law there is no transgression Now I would willingly know of such as reproach me as an evil doer and therefore I suffer justly what is my transgression and what is my sin for if I am an Offender as Paul saith or have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to dye or otherwise to be punished according to my demerits in case I have transgressed any Law of Righteousness whatsoever Wherefore I humbly conceive that mine Imprisonment doth not render me uncapable of writing to the Lords people and therefore these things not being intended for any but the followers of the Lamb I shall desire them not to condemn me before they find me manifestly convicted of those notorious evils which are reported
spirituall as the naturall the Gentills as the Jewes which should in this day become one with them it s founded and that upon the Covenant of David and that is the Everlasting Covenant the new Covenant the Covenant of grace so that there ly's this truth before us Obser That the kingdome or visible kingdome of Christ its founded in the new Covenant or The doctrine of Christs kingdome it s a part or Branch of the new Covenant Something I shall speake as to the clearing of this and then speake a few words by way of Application As to the clearing of the Point that it is so that the kingdome of Christ its rapt up in the new Covenant the glorious and blessed Covenant of Grace hath this lodged up in it as one maine peice of it namely a visible kingdome This is cleare if we doe but looke to the first striking up of the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son between God and Christ in Eternitie The new Covenant though it did come forth in Time the promise of Eternall life came forth in Time yet the foundation of it was laid in Eternitie in hope of Eternall life saith the Apostle which God that cannot lie promised before the world began so that the promise of Eternall life that great blessing of the new Covenant the foundation of this Covenant it was laid in Eternitie before the world began Now if we doe but looke to the transactions past between God and Christ in Eternitie at the striking up of this Covenant we shall finde that this was one great branch one great peice of the new Covenant namely a visible kingdome that Jesus Christ should have a kingdome and be king and have all his enemies under him here it was one great peice of that Covenant that was made between God and Christ in Eternitie In the 49 of Isaiah which Prophesie is applyed by a worthy man unto the thing I am speaking of namely the striking up of the Covenant between God and Christ in Eternitie its cleare the Prophesie doth run upon Christ and in the two first verses as he conceives The Lord Jesus is brought in declaring how that his father had called him and what worke his father had put into his hands for him to doe and so he doth aske what he should have for his labour what wages he should have for the doing his worke And in the third verse the Lord comes and he doth offer to Jesus Christ as his reward and wages Israel thou art my servant O Israel in whom I will be glorified Now as the said person observes Christ considering that these were but a handful that they would many of them stand out against him and oppose him he thereupon complaines my labour is in vaine and I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine If this be all my reward for my worke in dying if I should have no other reward then Israel truly then I should labour in vaine and yet notwithstanding Jesus Christ is so willing to the worke that he undertakes it however saith he my worke is of God I will doe that worke and I will even leave it to himselfe what reward he will give me Now the Lord seeing Christ willing to take this worke upon him he comes in the 6 â—h verse and proffers more largely to him And he said It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentills that thou maist be my salvation unto the end of the earth Here the Lord comes in and doth proffer more largely and fully he opens his heart more fully to Christ Indeed here is the very conclusion the result of all that did passe betwixt the Father the Son now observe among those things that the Lord doth promise to the Son this is one that he shall have a kingdome in the 7th verse Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel and his holy One to him whom man despiseth to him whom the Nation abhorreth to a servant of Rulers Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship because of the Lord that is faithfull and the holy one of Israel and he shall choose thee This is one great thing which was promised by the Father to the Son and that from Eternitie namely a kingdome that Christ should have a kingdome wherein Kings should worship him wherein Princes should fall downe before him and submit to him so that these things are spoken by the Prophet in Time yet as they were transacted betwixt the Father and the Son they were before time and so the Lord had assurance of the kingdome wherein Kings should fall downe and worship him and that in Eternitie But more clearely Isai 53.10 11 12 ver where we have likewise the substance of the Covenant that was betwixt God and Christ the Father and the Son and the tearmes and conditions of either party Jesus Christ for his part he is content that God should bruise him and to be greived and that his soule should become an offering for sin and make Intercession for Sinners then the Father againe he promises on his part that Jesus Christ should see his seede that he should Justifie many and the like but observe among other one speciall thing that the Father promises is that Christ shall have a Portion with the great and shall divide the spoile with the strong this of all other is the great promise Quest Now the Question may be what are we to understand by Gods dividing to Christ a portion with the great and the spoile with the strong Answ Why surely these words they cannot be meant onely of Christs spirituall tryumph over his enemies and Christs spirituall reward because these words they are brought in as the reward the Father gives him for his suffering because he powred out his soule unto death and was numbred with the Transgressors and bare the sins of many therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoile with the strong therefore it cannot be a spirituall reward and the reason is because the reward the Father gives to the Son must be Equivolent unto his suffering for the Father would not give unto his Son a reward that is short of his sufferings this were to look upon God as straite handed when Jesus Christ had done his worke to give a reward short of his worke therefore the reward must be as large as his sufferings Now looke upon the sufferings of Christ and they are of two sorts There was spirituall sufferings and that in undergoing that bitter agony he underwent in the garden in encountering all the sore Temptations of Satan and all the frownes of his Father upon the Crosse here was aboundance of spirituall sufferings and he had the sting and torment of our sins his very soule was powred out unto death with it
also hold forth an outward victory and an outward tryumph an outward glorious conquest that Christ and his should have over the Serpent and his seede And the reason is this That this punishment of the Serpent and his seede it s come upon them as a recompence of what the Serpent and his seede have done or should doe to the woman and her seede to breake the Serpents head it s brought upon him as a punishment as it were by the law of Retaliation like for like he had been bruising he had been doeing all the mischiefe he could and God foresaw he would doe all he could therefore saith the Lord the woman and her seede shall breake the Serpents head and his seede now this being so looke how the Serpent hath bruised the heele of the woman and her seede in like manner must the woman and her seede breake the head of the Serpent and his seede but now the Serpent hath not only bruised the heele of the woman and afflicted her seede in a spirituall way by spirituall Temptations he hath not done this onely but this Serpent hath afflicted the woman outwardly the Serpent hath been afflicting of the woman one while by causing of Rents and Divisions among the womans seede another while by raising up persecution against the woman and her seede he hath in an outward way afflicted the woman and her seede therefore there shall be a day wherein Jesus Christ and the faithfull of God his faithfull Children shall breake the head of the Serpent and his seede in an outward way there must be such a day because this comes in as a just recompence of what the Serpent had done to them Now if we should but looke whither or no there hath been such a day at any time as yet truly we cannot finde such a day for if so be we should looke into former times and run through the times of the old Testament we shall finde that the whole time was in a manner the Serpents day in the morning of the old Testament what blowes doth the Serpent give to the womans seede when he held them in that sore bondage in Egypt and in the evening of the old Testament what a fearefull blow doth he give againe to the womans seede in that great dispeircing of the Israel of God into all the quarters of the world Let us looke into the morning and evening of the old Testament and we shall finde that the Serpent had not his head broken but he was an affliction to the woman all that time and though its true indeede the middle of that day was somewhat more calme and pleasant the woman and her seede having some respite under some of the Judges and good Kings of Israel and was able to beare up her head against the Serpent and now and then to give him a blow yet it was not like the breaking of his head there was no such thing as the breaking of his head but now there shall a time come wherein the Serpent shall have his head broken that is he shall receive a more deadly blow from Jesus Christ and those that are his then ever he hath given to them for its a greater thing to have the head broken than to have the heele bruised And if we looke to the new Testament times this hath never been done yet for the first three hundred yeares that great red Dragon the Pagan Roman Empire did persecute with most bloody Rage the woman and her seede and was red with her blood Rev 12.3 4. and as soone as ever the Dragon the Pagan Power was off the Stage then comes the Beast and he follows that course the Dragon before him had done of persecuting the woman for 1260 yeares and she all that time is in the wildernesse in sackcloth and ashes which time is but now expiring so that if we looke to the new Testament even unto this day its cleare that the Dragon and the Beast have afflicted the woman therefore yet the woman hath not had her day upon the Serpent but there is a time wherein the woman must have a day upon the Serpent to breake his head therefore there is such a kingdome wherein the Saints of Jesus Christ shall crush all the enemies of Jesus Christ in the world The whole time of the world is held forth by two great dayes There is the day of the seede of the Serpent and there 's the day of the seede of the woman First the Serpents seede have the day and that day all their worke is to afflict the woman to persecute the Saints but all that ever they can doe is but to bruise her heele they cannot destroy her I but there 's a day which the woman and the seede of the woman is to have now that is after the Serpent hath had his day and in that day the seede of the woman breakes the head of the Serpent that is gives a deadly blow unto the Serpent and the seede of the Serpent that as the woman hath been afflicted by the Serpent so he shall receive a deadly blow from her so that in the first promise that was made to man after he was fallen truly there was this the visible kingdome of Christ and we may say that this notion of the fifth Monarchy as now it s called or of the visible kingdome of Christ truly it s not a new fond notion though things may be said to be new in respect of discovery and our looking into them yet it s as ancient as any truth in the whole word of God in the very first promise wherein was laid the foundation of our Salvation there was laid the foundation of Christs kingdome Gods glory and mans happines goe together as the glory of God ly's in our happinesse so the glory of Christ ly's in the glory of his kingdome Againe let us looke Thirdly unto the new Covenant in the Renovation of it as in the first making of it and in the first Promulgation of it to man we have this as I have shewed you as one great branch of it the kingdome of Christ so looke unto the Renovation of it God did renew this Covenant againe and againe and in the renewing of it he did alwayes include this thing as a maine branch of it namely Christs visible kingdome I doe speake this the more fully because I take it here ly's a maine foundation for our faith in this great thing that is controverted in this day namely the kingdome of Christ for we all looke for salvation by the new Covenant we all know the new Covenant is an Everlasting thing and what ever is in the new Covenant is like it selfe unchangeable and Everlasting and if therefore the visible kingdome be a peice or branch of that then such a thing there must be Now I say look into the renewing of this Covenant and we shall finde that there is likewise this kingdome held forth the new Covenant was twice more
then againe Vse 6 If it be a new Covenant mercy it will be a spirituall thing though some may call it a carnall and a low thing yet it will be a spirituall thing the Lord teach us to waite upon him to looke up to him to trust in him to relye on him for there shall be a day of his kingdome our worke is to waite seeke pray and waite in these day's the Lord teach his people to goe along with him as the little Children at his entrance into Jerusalem cryed Hosanna Hesanna he rides upon a poore meane creature the foale of an Asse and the Children follow him crying Hosanna Hosanna so we should eye the Lord Jesus now in the meanest appearances and follow him crying Hosanna in the Highest this we should doe The Lord make us waite on him for his owne Time and that time is not farre off I cannot thinke its farre off because many thinke it a great way off it s an argument to me its neare for God comes upon his people when he finds not faith on Earth when Gods people say its farre off then its neare as when God sent Moses to tell the Children of Israel the Lord would deliver them but before deliverance thesentence of death comes and O say they to Moses Aaron what have you brought us to where is their faith now expecting deliverance at the hand of God Now it was worse with them than before and their bondage is encreased and their deliverance was thought further off O but then was the Lords time he Immediatly brought it to passe then was the Lords time come when their faith was gone So when David stood up first upon the account of his kingdome saith he to Abiathar Come with me and thou shalt be safe I am sure God will give me the kingdome though Saul be a Potent Enemy and mine Enemies many yet I am sure God will give me the kingdome but yet after that when Saul pursued him that he was forc't to fly out of one Hole into another Now saith he shall I perish one day by the hand of Saul then when he thought it thus farre off then the kingdome comes forth the hand of the Lord cutts off Saul and the kingdome Immediately comes to David As when the Children of Israel came out of Babylon they thought they should have all things then Jerusalem built and the Temple and all things but when they were about it building the Temple now a stop is put upon the worke and they cry The time is not for the Lords worke yet till that Haggai and Zachary tells them Now is the Time for building the Lords Temple As it is with private Christians in a doubting houre Saints usually conclude we are too forward for that time observe Then is Gods time they had faith at first and after their faith fayles from the worke and they said it was not time mark then was the time the Lord sends Haggai to tell them they liv'd in their Ceiled Houses and neglected Gods house O now was the time when they thought not of it And just so when Christ suffered on the Crosse We thought say the Disciples this was he that should have delivered us their hope was gone of any deliverance by him yet then was their Redemption at hand their Redemption comes forth Immediatly he finishes the worke of Redemption at that time so that to have faith struck dead is not an Evidence that the worke stands a great way off but that its neare and approaching surely the Lord will come forth in his Time and he is not farre from doing some great and glorious thing in the world Gods peoples faith is not grounded upon fancyes but they see and know that God is doing some glorious thing in the world he is overturning kingdomes and setting up the kingdome of his Son O that we could quietly looke up unto the Lord and waite upon the Lord Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with Trembling kisse the Son lest he be angry yee great ones of the Earth lest his wrath be kindled and you that follow the Lord O doe you rejoyce with feare and serve him with Trembling they that stand may fall O when was there such a falling as now shall be when the Lord saith I will arise to shake terribly the earth no History can paralel such shakings as have been in these last dayes therefore we had need take heed lest we fall and looke up to the Lord that we may stand Indeed it s a blessed truth what ever men may thinke of it so sure as my hand is upon this Bible so sure shall such a thing come forth in due time for as this is the true word of God of a true God that cannot lye so certainly it shall come to passe I have onely insisted on one particular the kingdome as a Branch of the new Covenant but to speake of the kingdome as it s held forth in the Word would take up a large time for there 's not any one truth hath more to be said from the Scripture for it than this of Christs kingdome for as the end of all is Gods glory so this is that concerns Christs glory there 's a vane of it running through the Scripture from the first promise made to Abraham to the last spoken of in the Revelation The Lord give us hearts to looke up to him for the accomplishing of it in his Time FINIS Signes of the Times MATHEVV 16.3 O yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie but can yee not discerne the signes of the Times THese words are spoken by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ unto a generation of men which came to him tempting him desiring him to shew them a signe from heaven in the first verse The Pharisees also with the Sadduces came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a signe from heaven The Pharisees and Sadduces they were in their Principles contrary and opposite one unto another and yet they can either of them very well agree and comply against Christ and both joyne hands and heads in tempting our Lord and their Temptation it ly's in desiring a signe from heaven our Lord Jesus he takes occasion from this to mind them of the signes of the times Can yee not discerne the signes of the times and lest that they should reply that these signes were so darke that they could not be knowne therefore our Lord labours to convince them and that from things that were of a more outward nature you say in the evening it will be faire weather for the skie is red and in the morning it will be foule weather to day for the skie is red and lowring O yee hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie but can yee not discerne the signes of the times As if he should have said what are yee not as wise in spirituall things as you are in Temporall are you not as wise concerning the
that thing for which others suffer and specially Saints who it may be would never else have minded the notion are very Inquisitive into the thing which they see Brethren suffer for and hereby they attaine light thus God taketh the wise in their owne Craftiness It was said in the Primitive times The blood of Martyrs seede of Churches Did not Queene Mary by her cruelty make those who before were averse to it ready and willing to receive the Protestant Religion Did not the Bishops loose themselves this way and by driving some few out of the Land multiply the number of the oppressed people within it Saints suffering for truth are the loudest and most powerfull Sermons of all others See what Paul saith to this Phil 1.12 13. But I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Pallace and in all other places Eighthly The Eight signe is Signe 8 The Defection and Apostacy of Eminent leading men in the Churches from their first light and Principles Christ makes it one signe of his second coming the Starr's falling from Heaven Math. 24.29 that is Eminent men as Pastors and others in the Churches falling and saith Christ When you see this know it is neere even at the doore When you see Pastors and Officers of Churches casting off the Churches and running to Colledges when you see men that have pleaded and Apologized for the power of Churches in opposition to Lordlines over them when you see these become Tryers and usurp Authority over all the Churches and people of Christ in the Common-wealth know that it is neere even at the doore Ninthly The ninth signe is Signe 9 The great dread that is upon the spirits of all men that are Enemies of such a thing rising in the world as a fift Monarchy What a dread at the time of Israels coming out of Egypt was upon the Canaanites and this dread is at the end of the forty yeares we doe not reade of such a dread at their first coming out but when the worke was just coming forth of their taking possession of the promised Land then the feare and dread fall's upon them It s observable that from the time that David was anointed king a dread of him though Saul had all the forts and strength of the Nation was upon the spirit of Saul And what a dread is there upon the spirits of those that oppose the worke this kingdome of Christ at this day its visible enough a dread already from the Lord is fallen upon them Tenthly Signe 10 A Tenth signe is Gods wonderfull withdrawing himselfe from such as oppose this truth and worke in respect of those common graces and assistances he hath formerly afforded them in other worke How did God withdraw from Saul so soone as ever David was anointed Before he could deny himselfe and refuse a kingdome Afterwards before another shall come into his Throne he will slay innocent David be it right or wrong and all the Priests of God to boote Before though he had cause and was stirr'd up to it he will by no meanes persecute afterwards though he had no just cause all things considered he puts the Lords Priests to death Before he was a very meeke man in all his actings afterwards he acts like a Mad man And the very Reason is this Reason Davids kingdome was now rising and Saul being in heart an Enemie to it the Spirit of the Lord withdraws from him and this withdrawing was the Immediate forerunner of Davids kingdome the most Eminent type of Christ's pleaded for at this day Now let us Consider whether it be not thus at this day let us looke to men that sit upon the Throne and men that call themselves the Ministry is it not as evident as the Sun when it shines at noone day that the Spirit of the Lord is withdrawne from both I say in respect of those common gifts and assistances they have formerly had whil'st they stood in the cause of God Are there not men this day in England that persecute Saints for laying open their evills and Apostacy's who time was would not persecute them themselves nor suffer others who would have done it to doe it Are there not men who time was feared none they had their faith as their best guard who now are so far from their former faith that they are become Magor-mishabib feare round about Looke to men who call themselves the Ministry could not many some yeares since preach often with life and power now it s a great matter and truly they are not able to doe it to preach once in a fortnight and when they doe preach that life they once had is so gone that Christians that heare had they not the same names and faces would not know them to be the men once the time was that they were able to speake a seasonable word whensoever occasion was offered but truly now they are able to speake no more than they have written in their paper or got by heart as the Schoolboyes doe Is it not evident I say the Lord is withdrawne from them This is a manifest signe the worke is at hand When Davids kingdome was rising the Spirit of God departs from Saul and had not many Bishops in Queene Maries dayes much life and so the Presbyters in the beginning of these times But observe when the worke of God began to rise against the one and the other the Spirit of God went off from them and fell upon that party that bore witnes against them FINIS Christ the only Foundation 1 COR 3.11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ THe Time is but short and therefore I shall wave speaking any thing touching the context or the explication of the words there 's no difficulty in them but there 's a plaine usefull Truth ly's plainely in the words which I shall give you That is Doct That the Lord Jesus Christ is the onely foundation That I may the better open this truth to you for your edification I shall cast those things which are in my thoughts into this Method namely To shew First What I meane by Christ's being a foundation Secondly In what respect the Lord Jesus Christ may be called a foundation Thirdly What Jesus Christ is the foundation of Fourthly Who it is that lay's Jesus Christ as a foundation Fifthly How the Lord Jesus Christ is laid as a foundation And then Sixthly and lastly When Jesus Christ is laid as a foundation in the soule I shall give but a hint of the first 1. Quest What wee are to understand by Christs being a foundation Ans Wee well know the foundation it s the bottome of a building that upon which the weight and stresse of any building ly's in every building there 's the structure it selfe and the foundation the structure it selfe
is of another kind its comforts are of another kind And this God brings all his to before ever they become fruitfull in a Gospel way for note here it may be the condition of a true childe of God as well as of the hypocrite to build too much upon these foundations yea to be building yeares together upon them and that too after true grace is wrought in his soule Abraham was a true beleiver and yet goes in unto Hagar the old Covenant and thirteene yeares together his heart run's upon her fruit and all his Expectations are from it But note this withall that till God brings a belever to this to make a more direct and Immediate close with Christ in the new Covenant he will be barren as to Gospel fruit Abraham had no fruit from Sarah till God had discovered to him that Hagar's fruit was not the fruit but he must yet looke for fruit from Sarah so a true beleiver will be barren as to Gospel fruit untill he is brought off from all other foundations and made to close with Christ in the new Covenant And indeed I thinke I may say that there never was a beleiver in the world but either before conversion or after he hath been brought under the old Covenant and there hath been a building upon such foundations for it is naturall to a soule under the old Covenant so to doe Quest 6. But when doth God lay Christ as a foundation in the soule is it in the first worke or change that is wrought upon a soule or afterwards Answ There is a twofold worke or change wrought upon many soules I say many because every one doth not passe under this double change First Legall which is a worke or change wrought by the power of the Law or by the Ministry of the letter for so the Apostle calls the Law 2 Cor 3.6 Who also hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life And I doe here expound the Law by the Ministry of the letter to the end we may not looke upon the Law as containing onely the matter of the ten Commandements and the promises and Threats annexed to these but indeed take the Law at large for the summe of that truth revealed either in the Scriptures of the old or New Testament which containes within it Doctrines Promises Precepts Threats c. so far as this truth comes to a soule and is received onely as a notion as it is the letter a voice of words c. so far it falls short of being Gospel which is a word of Power the Power of God unto Salvation a Ministration of the Spirit and life and is no other but the word of the Law that is a bare word without Power a killing letter to it And whatsoever worke or change is wrought by this word as it comes to the soule onely as an enlightening notion or directing letter discovering to a man his duty state c. or as it comes as a threatening terrifying voice of words driving the soule to that it apprehends to be its duty and making it for feare to seeke after a better state than it sees it selfe to be in for all this the word as its a bare letter or a voice of words may doe I say all this worke or change is no other nor better than a legall worke or change for it is a worke wrought by the Ministry of the letter by a voice of words it is the light of the bare letter and the terror of the voice of words that makes a man in his owne strength fall to working and accordingly the worke brought forth or the change produced hereby seeing it is no other but an act a worke a change performed by the strength of nature and not by the strength of the promise it can be no other but a worke of the flesh a child of the Law or old Covenant as was Ishmael and not of the promise or new Covenant as was Isaac Secondly There is an Evangelicall worke oâ— change which is that worke which is wrought upon the soule by the power of the Spirit in the word cutting the soule off from the dead stock of old Adam and ingraffing it into the living stock of the new Adam Jesus Christ And the very foundation of the worke or change is marriage-union with Christ The Spirit of God in the Word lays hold of a poore soule by an Almighty power and breakes it off from the old stock and in the same Instant ingraffs it into Christ Now by the engraffing there is a union and from this union a communication to the soule of that new sap and life that is in Christ and by virtue of this a glorious work and change is wrought in the soule new fruit new actions appeare in it Now observe the Fathers laying Christ as a foundation is not in the first worke which I call Legal for a soule may have that work as had Ahab Judas Herod Stony Thorny ground c. and yet perish for ever but so cannot any that Christ is the foundation of for if so then could not Christ be a sure foundation as the Prophet calls him Esay 28.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Syon for a foundation a Stone a tryed stone a precious corner Stone a sure foundation But the laying of Christ as a foundation is in this second worke And the beginning of this is our union which is that thing by which we are ingraffed into Christ and so grow and beare fruit upon Christ as the stock or foundation when a soule hath this union from that moment is Christ his foundation but not before for what ever may be found in him or come from him before this union be it sorrow for sin Comfort obedience c. it hath not Christ for a foundation for how can Christ be a foundation to that soule or to any thing in that soule that is not united to him can we say such a thing is a foundation to such a building and yet the building be separate from that thing and standing upon something else not so Quest But the soule may say If there be this double worke and change and Christ is the foundation onely of the latter How shall I know whether the worke upon me be Legal or Evangelical that so I may know whether Christ be my foundation yea or no Ans This is a most difficult Question and the farther I consider it the more doth it beget matter of feare and trembling and the rather because those things which we ordinarily bring forth as evidences of the grace of God within us will not manifest this difference because there is not any one particular worke affection grace that flowes from the Gospel-worke upon a soule but that worke which is onely Legall hath the counterfeit of that worke grace affection c. not but that there
is he may have common light and common assistance which though it is not saving yet it may be such light and such assistance as may be from the Spirit such as he hath not in himselfe light into truth beyond what he can attaine meerely by his reason and aâ—â—â—ance in some dutie beyond what he hath from his owne strength therefore such falling away are said to doe despite to the Spirit of grace Heb 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden underfoote the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace Fourthly He may tast a sweetness in the word of Christ so far as he may say O it is a good word Heb. 6.5 And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come So Mat. 13.20 But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it The seed in Stony places heares the word and with joy receives it But what word is this which makes the heart joy againe why the word of the kingdome ver 10. When any one heareth the word of the kingdome and understandeth it not then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart this is he which received seed by the wayes side and that is the Gospel word not that of the law Such an effect therefore may the very Gospel word beget in men Fifthly He may as to flashes at sometimes feele something of the joyes that are above his heart may have some kinde of sudden Ravishments with the Joyes of heaven as though they were his Heb 6.5 And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come all this may be in a man who as yet is without union with Christ who as yet hath no more worke upon him than what he hath attained by his owne strength first running in his owne strength to the Law and finding no helpe there may then run in his owne strength to the Gospel and then conceiving because now he is got off from the Law and hath seene the emptines of all his legall trusts rests and hath got some light into Gospel truths and hangs as he thinkes upon Christ and the Covenant of grace onely though yet all this his hanging is but an act of his own a hanging upon the outside of the Arke he judgeth that though his condition was bad before yet now it must needs be good and from this conception of himselfe he is it may be holpen somewhat to reforme finds sweetnes in thoughts of Christ because he thinkes he hath now layd hold on him and Christ must needs be his he hath Joy in hearing Gospel truths and feels at a fit as 't were a kind of heavenly Joyes in himselfe and yet for all this in old â—dam still and the fruite he beares though it seeme glorious comes not from union with Christ as the foundation of all but from union with the old Stocke and hence it comes to passe that in the end all the fruite drops withers rotts goes to decay Hence it is seeing many that attaine all these things fall away in the â—nd that some so boldly stand for and maintaine falling away from â—race for indeed what can be more like grace than the aforesaid things but yet their Position is false and ariseth from the not distinguishing of workes Legall from workes Gospell what ever may be in man by vertue of a legall worke that is a worke wrought in a man either by legall Principles or by legall strength working upon Gospel principles all that a man may fall from because all that may be and the soule not upon the soundation Christ and therefore the building may fall What ever a man comes by either by old Covenant light or by old Covenant strength all that he may loose for the old Covenant is a fading thing 't is such a Covenant as may be broken Heb 8.9 Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I tooke them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. And though God by vertue of that Covenant stands in some kind of relation as I have said to persons under it yet such is the Tenour of that Covenant that if they doe not keepe Covenant but rebell God will cast them off and not regard them for all that and therefore the Apostle for those words in Jeremy although I was an Husband to them reads and I regarded them not Now so much seeming grace may be in a man by vertue of old Covenant light or old Covenant strength acting upon Gospel light and principles that it is the most difficult thing in the world to distinguish it from true grace therefore so many that seemed to have true grace fall away and then men when they see it and finde Caveats in the word to persons going far upon Gospel principles to take heed least they fall away Conclude men may fall away which indeed is false for no soule truly in Christ can ever fall but persons may run thus far and yet still in the Stock of old Adam and such may fall Hence also some conclude falsely free-will not distinguishing betwixt workes flowing from Legall light and strength and that flow from Gospel light and strength To the first man hath a power and by his owne strength doth all and because many goe so farre in that strength which they feele to be their owne as that they thinke themselves to have true grace and to be living members of Christ which as indeed it is not so hence they conclude man hath a power a will in himselfe to receive Christ which is not so man hath a power to repent obey believe in a legall way and he hath a power to lay hold on Christ as tendered in the Covenant of grace in such manner as a man may be saâ—d to hang on the outside of the Arke but a power to receive Christ in Truth so as to be in him this he hath not this is the free gift of God and no person in the world ever can or shall thus receive Christ but he onely to whom it is given Quest But you will say if a man by Legal Principles and Legal strength may goe thus far wherein lyes the difference betwixt the true Saint and this seeming Saint An The maine and essentiall difference ly's here in the roote the one â—nd the other grow's upon The seeming Saint may have many glorious things but the roote upon which all he hath or doth stand's is the old Adam The true Saint perhaps may have fewer and lesse glorious branches than the other but the roote of what he hath or
what brave words come out but what the mind of the Spirit is therein the great thing God lookes after is what the Spirit groanes after what the mind of the Spirit is so that all our boldness at the Throne of Grace all our helpe and assistance and our speaking so as to put up such Petitions onely as are the will of God it s all lodg'd up in this blessed promise of the holy Spirit Eightly All our Assurance and Evidence from heaven it s lodg'd up in this promise hath a poore soule any assurance any hope any Evidence O here it s lodg'd the Spirit is our earnest and evidence He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit as the giving one an earnest is an assurance of the bargaine so the Spirit of God is the earnest which assures the Children of God of their glorious Inheritance with the Saints in light The Spirit is called the first fruites the first fruites were the assurance of the harvest 's coming they are the beginnings of the harvest so the Spirit of God in the hearts of Gods children is the first fruits its the seale wherewith the children of God are sealed After ye beleived ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and grieve not the holy Spirit of God wherewith you are sealed to the day of redemption that comes and seales up heaven to them and glory to them the Spirit comes and witnesses to them and with them that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 The Spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Chidlren of God He saith before Ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba father As if he should have said we have not the old Covenant spirit the old Testament spirit the spirit of bondage to feare but the glorious new Covenant spirit which helpes us to goe to God and call him father what can be a more glorious witnesse and evidence to a Christian than this yet this spirit alone cannot beare witnes therefore he saith in the next verse The Spirit it selfe beareth witnes with our spirit that is with this glorious Gospel-new-Testament spirit the Spirit of God himselfe comes and witnesseth with this Gospel-spirit with this spirit of Adoption that we are the Children of God this sweete Gospel-spirit that is wrought in us it would not witnesse alone but the Spirit of God comes and puts his seale upon it and saith O this is a true worke of mine a true worke of the father in a child so it beares witnes with our spirit Ninthly The being and the Habit of Grace it s laid up in this promise the Spirit of God its the roote and principle of all grace in the Saints those habits of grace within are but the off-spring of the Spirit in the soule Grace it s not a thing naturall a thing that we bring into the world with us but a thing created and begotten now the creating and begetting principle it s the holy Spirit the Spirit it is that doth create and beget all grace were not the Spirit first given there would be no habits of grace in any all grace in the hearts of the Saints it s from this blessed Spirit and therefore it s laid up in this glorious promise Tenthly All the Acting of every grace it s laid up in this promise also the acting of faith and patience and humiliation and all grace as we have not the principle or habit of grace from our selves but from the blessed Spirit so every act of grace it s from the holy Spirit also as the Lord saith of his Vineyard I will keepe it and water it every moment God keepes his Vineyard and waters it too and he waters it every moment or else it would wither and decay so the Lord keepes us and our grace and waters us every moment else we should decay the Spirit of God it is that comes and waters us and waters all our grace though the soyle be never so good the fruite is not brought forth if there be not dropping from heaven upon it so let the soule be good and the plant of grace in the soule yet if the Spirit doe not come and continually drop upon and water our hearts there will be no fruite brought forth every soule therefore that is able to put forth any grace he hath this from the blessed Spirit O what a wretched thing therefore is it that there should be such a thing in the world as the slighting of this blessed Spirit that any man in the world should slight and contemne this blessed Spirit wherein all our grace is and the acting of every grace lyes in it and it s the exceeding greatnes of the power of the Spirit that makes every grace to act looke upon faith in the first acting it s not wrought by us but by an exceeding great power even the same that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead when he lay under all our sinnes and his Fathers wrath it s that power that workes the first acts of faith that exceeding greatnes of power that helps us to beleive and so it is in all other grace and the people of God doe know that their strength is not in themselves nor their growth in themselves I cannot be holy I cannot walke humbly by any strength of my owne I cannot beleive I cannot love the Saints nor love God or the cause of God by any strength of my own I cannot doe it of my selfe all the acting of my grace its from the blessed Spirit of God Eleventhly All those convictions that are wrought in the soule they are from the Spirit of God all the conviction in the soule whether of sin or of righteousnes it is from the Spirit of God If a poore soule come to be convinc't of sin that he is an unbeleiver it s the Spirit of God must convince the world of sin because they beleive not in Christ if a soule come to see all his righteousness nothing whether it lye in the workes of the Law or in the very acts of beleiving that all is nothing it s the Spirit must convince the soule of righteousnes men run from one peice of righteousnes to another from confession of sin to vowes and promises and thence to Reformation and so to higher things but this doth not convince till the Spirit of God come and convinces the soule and then it saith Lord I am nothing I have nothing I can doe nothing I am empty O that thou wouldest come and fill me with thy holines all that can be done by man and the utmost of reason and parts and the utmost demonstration of truth to the eare can never doe this till the Spirit of the Lord come Twelfthly All those hints of truth those remembrances of truth those bringings of the blessed word and promise of Christ to our mind they are all laid up in this
other as yee are Sons there is more worke expected God lookes for more duty and more obedience from the Saints of the new Testament than he did expect from the Saints of the old Testament in the new Testament they have not so much tireing worke they have not so much burdensome worke O but if you looke to the spirituall worke as they come to higher light so God lookes for higher obedience therefore for Moses his ten precepts in the old Testament we have many spirituall precepts in the new the new Testament doth not set us free from holines and obedience but indeed the new Testament calls us to a more strick't holines and a more spirituall obedience ye are called to a higher pitch of holines and obedience under the new Testament and not freed from it the Lord hath set his Saints free from all that that was burdensome and that that was legall obedience under the old Covenant but they are not free from obedience indeed the Saints of the new Testament they are called to a higher pitch of obedience as one that is a son growne the father doth not lay such laws upon him as he doth upon a little Child you must not meddle with this nor doe that nor goe out of the doores nor run in the wet and dirty your selfe c. there are a great many lawes laid upon a child but now when once the son is growne the father lay's no such law's upon him but he doth expect that this growne son should doe him more service than the child there 's not the law 's upon him as was upon the child the son is free but yet notwithstanding here 's more worke call'd for at the hands of the son so it was with the people of God under the old Testament the Apostle tells us they were heires under age and therefore their state was nothing differing from the state of a servant though they were Lord's of all in the appointment of the father and were true heires yet because they were under age they were under such a rigid Governour and Tutor as the old Covenant that held them under the rod of a great many law's but now under the new Testament we are sons and being sons the people of God they should goe out serve God freely with another manner of spirit I doe not say we doe so for truly we are much to short of what we should be the Saints should goe out and worship God with a free spirit we are not set loose from duty 's but we are rather called to do more that in another manner in a free manner with a free spirit as one that is an apprentice he lives in a servile feare of his Master and doth a great deale of worke why now when this man comes to have his freedome doth he doe lesse no he doth more worke but he doth it with a free spirit he doth it with another spirit so it s with the Saints under the old and new Testament they doe more worke under the new Testament but with lesse feare than under the old Testament being delivered out of the hands of their enemies they serve him without feare in holines and righteousnes all their day's Fourthly Another ground and Reason of it may be this God hath greater discovery's of truth for the new Testament times and his people under the new Testament Administration than was for the times of the old Testament under that Administration and therefore the Lord holds forth the promise of the Spirit as the great promise under the old Testament the Lord brought forth truth by little and little precept upon precept and line upon line and here a little and there a little God brought forth truth after divers and sundry manners sometimes by way of vision dreames and voice and the like many way 's of Revelation But now under the new Testament God speakes out all his word he hath spoken in these last times by his Son he speakes forth all his mind to us at once now the more truth is spoken out the more need we have of the Spirit to enable us to understand this Truth for it s by the Spirit we are given to understand the truth 's of God as they are held forth in their beauty glory and fulnes and therefore because Christ under the new Testament Administration was to speake out all of truth the whole of truth that the Saints and people of God might be able to apprehend the blessed truths of the new Covenant as they are held forth to them therefore it is necessary that they should have more of the holy Spirit given forth to them under the new Testament Administration Fifthly Because the Saints under the new Testament are to conflict with greater Tryalls and more sore Temptations than Saints of the old and therefore the Lord gives forth mere of the Spirit Though the people of God under the old Testament met with sore Tryalls yet they were not comparable to the sufferings of the Saints under the new Testament the rage of the Heathen and Antichristian powers was greater than ever the world knew before now to beare up the people of God under this sad-black-long day that they were to goe through in suffering they had need of the Spirit therefore God gives forth the Spirit he doth promise that as the great new Testament promise Vse 1. If it be so That the promise of the Spirit is the great new Testament promise Then hence we see what that thing is that all of us should have our eyes and our hearts and our thoughts fixed upon and taken up with O that every soule would be looking for it crying for it Lord give me thy Spirit what ever the soule wants it may goe to God and say Lord give me thy Spirit This is the great promise in which all other promises are lockt up the promise of conviction the promise of strength and life all are rapt up in this why now we should goe to God in a more speciall manner for the performance of this promise Vse 2. O then what spiritualnes is there required of the Saints of the new Testament If in the old Testament Time when the promise of the Spirit was not given forth as the great promise if then spiritualnes was required O how much more is it required of the Saints and people of God under the new Testament if under the Administration of the letter there was required spiritualnes then how much more is it required under that Administration which is the Administration of the Spirit if the Administration of the letter be spirituall and saith to all the Children of God live spiritually under me First Saints now you are under the Administration of the Spirit It doth bespeake us to be spirituall to have spirituall hearts to be spirituall in all our duty 's in all our addresses to God Truly it s not so much the length of our duty 's the multitude of our
what men thought of him it was this he had a holy sincere end when the Corinthians iudged him saith he I care not to be judged of you or of mans judgement So in such a day as this when the people of God are under sufferingâ— and who may be under sufferings it 's onely knowne to the Lord O that the Lord would give us to have such ends in our actions as may be holy and sincere that we may have comfort joy and peace 10 Reas 10 We had need to look into our ends for If a man have false ends he will never be able to continue and hold out in a good worke It 's very remarkable that we have in these men here that ran after John What went yee out into the wildernesse to see They were very earnest and very hot and very zealous they had a great delight in Johns Preaching I but saith Christ What went ye ought to see What is your end it was bad He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light It held but for a season they make a very great profession and seem much to owne John and to owne the truth and seem much to be taken with the word but have a wrong end therefore they rejoycing but for a season they came to have their hearts hardned and they rejoyce no more Therefore what need have we to look into our owne hearts and observe our aimes and ends and indeed that we may know our ends 1 It 's good to be jealous of our owne hearts that there may be some end that lyes deeper than I am aware of or than I doe discern It s good to have a holy jealousie over our hearts in our acting that there may be some end that we see not 2 If we would know whether we have a right end It 's good to take a view of our owne hearts and ends at such a time as we have most light and have fairest opportunity and advantage When we have most light that is at such a time when the Lord doth most clearly shine upon the soule if there be any time wherein you have a more clear sight of the love of God then at another at that time look into your heart to see your ends 3 Looke into them at such time as we seem to have a helping opportunity There are two times which if we fall in with will give us great help to look into our ends First Look into our ends When we see others more eminent than we and that goe before us in graces and abilities when we see them drop for then the soule hath some stirring and working and I may come to get a sight into my ends the more by that opportunity Secondly Look into our ends at such time when others doe censure and judge us If a Christian be censured by another that is a good time for him to look into his end that will make him look more narrowly and pry into every corner of his heart 4 Beg of the Lord That he would be pleased to come search and try for after all our trialls if God doth not try us we may be at a losse and deceived and herein was the sincerity of Davids heart manifested Prove me and try me O Lord saith he And so it 's with every gratious heart he will say Prove me and try me O Lord. if there be any wickednesse if there be any corruption that I doe not see Prove me and try mâ— O Lord if there be any Hypocrisie that I havâ— not yet found Prove me and try me O Lord We are to be much in begging of the Lord thaâ— he would try us and prove us 5 If we would see fully into our ends Then as soone as ever thou doest find any false end presently deliver it as a Traytor to be executed Say Lord I have found out such a juggle I have found out such a bye way wherein my heart is gone good Lord come and destroy it Lastly Keep the love of Christ warm upon thy heart O labour so to goe to Christ as that the love of Christ may be warm upon thy heart that thou mayest live in the light of that love and the more thou seest of that love the more will thy soule desire to live according to it FINIS The Idolls Abolished ISAIAH 2.18 And the Idolls he shall utterly Abolish WOuld you know the time to which this Prophecy looks the second Verse tells us in generall The last dayes And it shall come to passe in the last dayes now because last dayes is taken sometimes largely for the whole of Gospel times sometimes strictly for the very last of the last times therefore in other expressions of this Prophecy it 's held forth that last dayes is to be taken strictly as 1 This relates to the time when the Mountain of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines vers 2. The Mountaine of the Lords house is Christs Kingdome which is the Lords Mountaine it shall be established in the top of the Mountaines that is in the top of worldly Kingdomes when yet hath this ever been Indeed we have for many Generations had Antichrist lifting up his Scepter above worldly Princes but we are all clear enough that yet there hath been no fullfilling of this Prophecy But as the Devil when he sees any glorious work of Christ to come forth he will forestall it and set up something of his owne that shall be so like it that we are sometimes almost deceived so the subtill Dragon seeing that in time such a thing should be a Kingdome of Christ should over-top all the Kingdomes of the world he fore-runs it and sets up a thing like it viz. a Kingdome of his owne which himselfe sets up rules in such is Antichrist whose rise is not from God but from the Devil nor is Christ there served but the Dragon is worshipped Revel 13 14. And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power untothe Beast This Kingdome the blind of Christs by which the world hath been deceived and wondred after it before which the Kings of the earth have laid their Crownes hath been set up But all discerning soules know this to be the Divels Kingdome no Gods the very Throne of Iniquity not of Holinesse but when was there such a Kingdome of Christs over-topping others 2 This relates to a time when the Law shall goe forth out of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem vers 3. By Law being distinguished from Word of the Lord I understand the Civill Law the Law of Civill Government as by the word of the Lord the spirituall Law This therefore relates to a time when Civil Government shall be in the hands of the Saints when the Law of the world shall goe forth from Sion and the Spirituall Law also the Preaching of the Gospel from Jerusalem that is from the Cities or Churches of the
Saints And such a time hath not yet been from the beginning of the world to this day Civill Power hath been in the hands of worldly men all hath been managed by them Servants have ruled over Gods Heritage And for the Gospel hath it not ever come out of Universities though Christ no where in the Gospel did ever appoint the building of such Cities to send his Gospel from but hath appointed his City Jerusalem his true Church thence it is sent 3 This relates to a time when the House of Jacob shall be come in or upon coming in for they are called to come vers 5. O House of Jacob come yee and let us walke in the light of the Lord. 4 This relates to a time when God will darken all the glory of the world and exalt himselfe onely from vers 10. to 18. Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty The lofty lookes of man shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of Hests shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oakes of Bashan and upon all the high mountaines and upon all the hills that are lifted up and upon every high Tower and upon every fenced wall and upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all pleasant Pictures And the loftinesse of man shall be bowed downe and the haughtinesse of men shall be made low And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Lastly This relates to a time In which God will shake terribly the earth and what time is that Other Scriptures tell us that Christ a little before his coming will shake all Nations Hag. 2.6 7. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come quoted Heb. 12.26 27. Whose voyce then shooke the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also Heaven And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine To this time this relates so that our Text looks to a time a little before Christs coming and so falls into the lap of our Times Quest What will Christ doe at this day Answ Many glorious things here mentioned which particularly I cannot now handle of which this is one most glorious thing The Idolls he will utterly abolish Of which a word Doctrine There is a most glorious day a coming in which all Idolls shall be utterly abolished I shall shew 1 What is meant by Idolls By Idoll is meant any thing that a man loves honours and prefers before God and his glory So a coverous mans money is his Idoll Hence Covetousnesse is Idolatry the Gluttonous and voluptuous mans belly is his Idoll hence Phil. 3.19 Their belly is their God The ambitious mans honour name and credit is his Idoll The holy mans Grace wheâ— trusted in gloried in and when it 's preferred before Christ his truth and word and when it 's made a thing more infallible than Gods truth it 's an Idoll whatever is preferred loved looked at talked of trusted to and gloried in more than Christ be it a thing good or bad it is an Idoll Quest 2. What Idolls will God abolish Answ 1 The Idoll of Prophanesse Some men make an Idoll of their very wickednes love serve and glory in that God will abolish this Idoll 2 The Idoll of Pomp worldly glory and greatnesse What an Idoll hath this been This God will abolish vers 12. For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low That is those persons that are haughty proud lofty puffed up with their dignity honour advancement and preferment the day of the Lord shall be upon them to bring them low to lay them their glory and honour in the dust and vers 13. And upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up Cedars tall Trees Ezek. 17.22 Cedars tall Trees upon high Mountaines vers 14. And upon all the high Mountaines and upon all the hills that are lifted up Men that are in honour and dignity over others to whom therefore others come and bow the knee the day of the Lord shall be upon them 3 The Idoll of Strength Strength is an Idoll the proud King Dan. 11. honours the God of forces in his strong holds vers 38 39. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces thus shall he doe in the most strong holds with a strange God The Assyrian King glories in strength Isa 37.24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord and hast said by the multitude of my Chariots am I come up to the height of the Mountaines to the sides of Lebanon and I will cut down the tall Cedars thereof and the choyce Firre Trees thereof and I will enter into the height of his border and the forrest of his Carmell This Idoll shall be destroyed vers 13. The day of the Lord shall be upon all the Oakes of Bashan Oakes the strongest of Trees vers 15. And upon every high Tower and upon every fenced wall Towers and fenced places are the strength of a City the day of the Lord shall be upon these So see Isa 26.5 He bringeth downe them that dwell on high the lofty City he layeth it low he layeth it low even to the ground he bringeth it even to the dust Compared with vers 2. Open yee the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in Thus for Land strength Is the strength gloried in Sea strength Navall strength God will take away that Idoll vers 16. And upon all the Ships oâ— Tarshish Whether Land strength which lyes in Armies fenced Cities Townes or Sea strength which lyes in Shipping Navies God will abolish this Idoll 4 The Idoll of Pollicy What a wonderfull Idoll is this and how much adored in the world God will abolish this Idoll Isa 29.14 Therefore behold I will proceed to doe a marvellous work amongst this people even a marvellous worke and a wonder for the wisedome of the wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid To what time doth this relate vers 18 19 24. In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the booke and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darknesse The meek also shall encrease their joy
Kingdome shall very shortly begin to break in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes Insomuch that the spirits of many precious ones were revived their minds inlightened Insomuch that methoughts I heard one Disciple that had been ready to faint and quail saying to another Disciple in Jonathans language See I pray you how mine eies have been inlightned because I tasted a little of this Hony This word of the Lord concerning the glorifying of his Son in the sight of all Nations is sweeter than the hony or the hony comb Oh dear hearts you who heard a proof of Christ speaking in him Tell me Did not your hearts wax warm nay did they not burn within you while he spake of those things to you and while he opened to you in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power those Scriptures which do so neerly concern the King of Saints and his Cause at this day His next design was to travel from Prison to Prison where any of the Servants of Christ were shut up and accordingly made an entrance upon that work in coming to this Castle to visit us as not being ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of us his Prisoners 2 Tim. 11.8 but appeared very willing to be partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel of the Kingdome according to that measure of the power of God which should be given him even to suffer bonds in the maintenance of that Cause and glorious Truth which formerly had been owned but is now rejected by the General and his Men of War Insomuch that he would in private discourse with some friends declare That a Prison was like to be his portion ere long And no question if he had lived to have inlarged upon the signs of the times and the Spirit of God had come upon him with power the Supreme single Person at his Head-quarters at White-hall with the advice of his Cabinet Councel would after grave and mature deliberation have found it very necessary absolutely necessary to have suspended and silenced such a Preacher as neither knew how to hold his peace nor yet to pipe to the tune of the New Instrument for we must know that this New Monarchy is founded upon NECESSITY Necessity is the Father and Mother Necessity and Policy are the Nurse and the Guardian of this young Government Alas poor creature it was born in a Consumption and besides that hath had many Convulsion fits since it came into the world insomuch that its Friends and Physitians have had much ado to keep life in it at several critical hours since its Nativity And beside we shall find that Maxime true Nullum violentium est perpetuum violent Motions will quickly work Commotions Confusions and Destructions Let none take offence at this Language for I cannot forbear vilifying the Kingdomes of the fourth Beast when my thoughts are upon the magnifying of the Kingdome Power and Glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Isa 37.22 And if the Virgin Daughter of Sion without any disparagement to her holy modesty might of old be allowed by God himself to despise the great King of Assyria and to laugh him to scorn I know no reason to the contrary but one of the Lambs followers may without breach of rule in an holy triumph of Faith express contempt of the Kings of the Earth who are all of them the lovers of the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth But to return from this digression of Necessity Both Friends and Foes may easily conjecture how warm an incouragement it would have been to all of us to be refreshed with his company in the several Prisons where wee and our Brethren are shut up if it had pleased the Lord to say Amen and so have given the word for the undertaking of his intended spiritual Summer-progress for wee found him to bee indued with such a Spirit and to have so much acquaintance with the Lord and his Word concerning the present oppressed Truth and Work that undoubtedly the Glorious Cause wherein we are ingaged would have been so much the more inquired after and searched into by many of the Saints But the Counsel of the Lord must stand By conference also with him here in my Prison-chamher I understood how long since and upon what occasion the Lord had taken him by the hand and brought him into his spacious Galleries to walk and take a prospect of that part of Christs Kingdom and glory which is now ready to bee revealed in these last times So that I now plainly discern this in regard his day was to be so short he was thereupon spirited from the Lord to do much work in a little time for those Generation-works of his his Books so called together with his knowledge of the times are no question a special product of Providence in this season and may serve for the rouzing up and quickening of such as are upon their watch to look about them that they may not be surprized And for the rendring unexcusable that Generation of drousie Professors and Apostate pretenders which this Nation swarms with at this day Neither let it seem strange to thee whosoever thou art that readest this that the learned Rabbies and the Orthodox Doctors of these times are so exceeding dumb as to this point for first consider It is not the high-way to Ecclesiastical promotions it is impossible they should get or keep any great Church-livings if such Doctrine should be preached by them or imbraced by the people as these Fift-Kingdom-men desire and indeavor to leaven the land withall And then secondly It is according to the tenor of Gods working in the Generations before us such mysteries use to be hidden in their first discoveries at least from the wise and prudent and were revealed unto Babes that so no flesh might glory in his presence Wherefore let no man find fault that the Lord takes such unlikely Instruments to break the Ice to prepare the way nor yet take offence at that diversity of Opinions and Apprehensions which is and will be found for a little while among the Assertors of this Doctrine of Christs Kingdom in the approaching glorious ministration of it It is true such a thing is intimated and handled by this Author in his second Sermon concerning the signs of the times at the 52 page c. But this will occasion the true children of the true light to search the Scriptures daily whether those things there discussed be so or no I confess I have some hope to be successful in reconciling the matter betwixt those good men by communicating ere long to publick view if not prevented what I apprehend to be the mind of God in that particular In the mean time I desire the Lords little remnant whom he hath reserved to himself in this general Apostacie waiting for the breaking forth of the next dispensation from under this dark cloud to entertain these Sermons of this Disciple lately deceased taken in short-hand from his lips